Who would know better?

Question

My question is who would know a style and what it contained better, somebody who had trained it for 18 years under and instructor that had been living it for 38 years, who learned from a gentlemen that trained directly under the founder of the style, as well as one of his top black belts, or somebody that had talked to Black belts about it, even though they might not be from the same style of karate, or even from the same country of origan, and has very limited or no actual experience doing the style.

Who would know what the style contained or was capable of better?

Answer 1

judomofo makes a point about there are no rules in a street fight .Of course there are rules in a street fight the ultimate rules that being the rule of LAW.

I know he was being humourous (LMAO) and trying to show how simple minded some people are about something they probably never engaged in never mind survived but exists only in their fevered imaginations about being some super deadly pressure point kung fu killer ninja.Step outside the LAW and you will get a whole new appreciation of what true pain and suffering is psycologically  and financially.

Any comments about who does and doesn't do what only points out the lack of depth of knowledge .

KARATE ALL STYLES

KUNG FU ALL STYLES

JUJUTSU TRAD.ALL STYLES

FILIPINO MA ALL STYLES

MUAY THAI

BURMESE BANDO

SILAT

ECSRIMA

All train elbows knees leg kicks sweeps take downs head buts arm locks throws eye thrusts groin strikes and grabs and grappling to some degree.

If you have only been exposed to the sport application of these arts then yes you have a false and superficial opinion and view of them.

KANO the founder of JUDO and FUNAKOSHI the founder of SHOTOKAN had grave reservations about their art having a to heavy emphasis on sport and as it turns out they were right to be worried.

It was because of these concerns many of the original systems came into being some for it some against and probably the most effective method MOTOBU HA is rarely heard of.

When I consider the list of techniques trained by each system it appears to me the only difference between them is the emphasis placed on certain technique by the instructor and those chosen for developement by the student for self defense and the extent to which he practices them.Knowing how to do elbow technique is not going to do it for you in a bad situation where you must react by instinct unless you have trained elbow technique until you puked and then trained it some more .What goes in one end as constant practice comes out the other end as self defense a situation where you dont have the luxury of thinking unlike sport.

Answer 2

I know one thing your style sorely lacked until you bought my video series....

Don't feed the trolls, or let the animals in the zoo get your all riled up. I have to read all day long about what Krav Maga does, and what MMA fighters do or think, or how we are all so arrogant, etc.

At the end of the day, I still go home to my supermodel wife, driving my fast cars, and picking on those less fortunate than me, and taking out newspaper ads about how much TMA sucks and MMA is awesome. Then hit the gym where I knock out a couple of reps of about 500lbs on bench, then do some curls with my 14inch long member...I follow it up with a few drinks at the bar, where I begin to trash the place, and then try to fight everyone I meet. Then I use my Krav to fishook them, twist off their testicles and kill people  by crushing their trachea for attempting to bar fight with me... (Cuz there ain't no rules in a bar fight). I also do this because I lack control or understanding and respect because it was never drilled into my head by a Sensei, I just have all these deadly techniques... then I teach it kids and let them know that "There is no mercy in this dojo..." Unfortunately a few of my kids  have had to go to Juvy for killing other kids with chokes, and the like...and some of their parents are in debt to the eyeballs due to being sued because their kid ripped off some testicles, and blinded another kid, etc, apparently SOME people don't understand that there are NO RULES in the street! (or on the playground...)

Well you get it, I feel your pain!

Answer 3

Hey Katana, we have all felt the same feelings at one point or another.

But we must also remember that there is an outer perspective and it isn't always wrong...

A bad example but one that is easy to imagine is for a cult...

The person in the cult only sees the good. They are not aware or ignore the bad signs. Whereas, someone who isn't in that cult can see things a little more clearly.

While I am in no way saying that TMA is a cult, we need to always keep an open mind and see "clearly" from more than one angle. Remember the elephant story - each blind person feels and describes a different part of the elephant and yet it is the same animal!

Answer 4

Since this is pointed directly at me I supposed I should answer it.

Your experience in your style I'm sure has been wonderful. I'm sure you have learned many useful things. However one thing I can be 100% certain that you did not learn from a Karate instructor, in a Karate class, is competent grappling. What you believe you learned, and what you actually learned may be two entirely different things. Standing joint locks and a couple of rarely practiced hip throws do not make a complete grappling curriculum. You are being unfair to yourself if you believe you are learning useful grappling skills. Go get on the mats with some Judo guys, some BJJ guys, some NCAA or even High School Wrestlers and see what real ground work and takedowns look and feel like, then compare that to your Karate "grappling". It's nothing like it.

This is not to say that you personally, or your instructor, or his instructor, may not have a dozen Judo Black Belts and be a perfectly excellent grappler. But those skills did not come from Karate or a Karate curriculum.

It is ENTIRELY possible to know what is contained within an arts curriculum without training in the art. I would never claim to be a Karate black belt, but I could certainly know what is required to achieve one simply by doing 20 minutes of research. See how that works?

Answer 5

The first with out a doubt, I too share a lineage like you do and understand you feelings on this.

Answer 6

Definetely the first option.

The person who had trained it in for 18 years, under an instructor who had been living it for 38 years, who learned from a gentleman who had trained directly under the founder of the style.

Answer 7

I think you know the answer to this.  If you take it seriously then then it's the first part of your question. Martial art is a journey. How long have you been practicing it?  My daughter is coming into her 5th year now (she is only 10).  I have total trust in her instructor because he teaches children, builds their confindence, hates bullies/fighting, empowers the kids to fight back only when necessary, builds fitness and  teaches them to be proud of themselves and much more, he is a great role model.  Did I mention they have fun too!