Comments on: Karate vs. Kung Fu

By: Gye Greene

Gye Greene — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 16:58:24 +0000

Ah!

That “Wushu” is the “fake” name. That the reason people don’t use that is that “Wushu” really just refers to the “artistic”/acrobatic stuff that’s condoned by the Chinese govt. Mantis is **not** Wushu; Hung Gar is **not** Wushu; White Crane is **not** Wushu; Ba Guag is **not** Wushu… ;)

The stuff done in Red Square, in pretty silk outfits? Yep — **that’s** Wushu.

Therefore: the reason that people don’t refer to various CMAs as “Wushu” is that the ancient traditional “fighting arts” **ain’t** Wushu. “Familiarity with the name” is not the reason.

At least, in my assessment/observation. :)

–GG

By: Wim

Wim — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:13:03 +0000

Ehm… Your point being?

By: Gye Greene

Gye Greene — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:35:08 +0000

Actually, I would’ve said that the first two guys were some sort of Drunken style, not Monkey (yes, I know they’re related). No idea what the third guy was — but he didn’t protect his centerline very well.

I agree that they didn’t seem to be very advanced: second year, maybe?

A bit of a “straw man”, to put up novice kung fu guys against experienced karate guys, and then to declare that one **style** was better than the other. For that matter: there’s so many Karate styles — and even more CMA styles — so you can’t really draw a blanket “better than” conclusion. (Which has better food: Europe or Asia? Well, depends on which **country**…)

–GG

By: Gye Greene

Gye Greene — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:29:53 +0000

Actually, pretty sure “wushu” is post-Communist China. (Bejing vs. Peking) Pretty sure Bruce Lee **didn’t** call it “Wushu”. ;)

–GG

By: Wim

Wim — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:51:04 +0000

Things sure changed Phil. If you do even a fraction of what was normal twenty years ago, you go to jail.
That said, there are some serious potential injuries when you spar that way. I didn’t mind as much when I was younger. But nowadays, when something breaks, it takes longer to heal and can cause even more long term damage. Also, I don’t need to have my nose broke once again to know what it feels like. I still remember well enough from the previous times… :-)

By: Wim

Wim — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:51:00 +0000

By: Phil

Phil — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:03:11 +0000

To me it was obvious that the gungfu stylests where not good fighters infact they looked like beginners despite the red sash on one ?. And the karateka was a very good black belt . And trying to use upright monkey techniques was not only showing a lack of skill, power & speed . But unfortunately he showed what gungfu should be in a really bad light . So again it’s not the style but the man.
I had a very similar thing happin to me early in my training.
I had only been training Jook lum S.P.M. mixed with some Jeet kune do for about five months .And had never fought anyone but my fellow students and sifu. My sifu took about six of his students ,Or should i say human punching bags .To chinatown in N.Y. to experiance fighting with other styles . And he put me against a very big powerful shotokan brown belt . Of course i had never seen this style intill that day and was very young 17, and scared . No gloves ,no padding and full contact .This was around 1977. Things where different then .HARDCORE.