From: sog@craycos.com (Steve Gombosi)
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts
Subject: Re: How to choose a Martial Art discipline?
Date: 9 Apr 92 16:57:07 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Cray Computer Corporation

In article <1992Apr6.202737.24494@bnr.ca> naldrett@bcarh893.bnr.ca (Steve Naldrett) writes:
>In article <og7NiB1w164w@student.business.uwo.ca>, gsteen@student.business.uwo.ca (Garnet Steen) writes:
>|>      I have been interested in the Martial Arts for years (no, not the 
>|> movie garbage, but the defence, physical fitness and mental discipline 
>|> aspects) but now that I am ready to get involved, I have no idea where to 
>|> start.  I picked up a couple of magazines, and they are like comic books. 
>|>  I think they must be primarily for wanna-bee tough-guys or something.
>|>      One of my problems, is that I have no idea what the REAL differences 
>|> between Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Jude, Aikido and all the other forms are 
>|> (excuse any spelling errors).  I also don't know what the diffence is 
>|> between "schools" of Karate, say, are.  Like, what is Kenpo Karate?  
>|> Finally, how do you choose a school to learn at?  
>|> 
>|> gsteen@student.business.uwo.ca (Garnet Steen)
>|> Western Business School  --  London, Ontario
>
>
>Here are a few suggestions, but this is only from my limited
>experience.  Every school varies somewhat, and many fit in to
>more than one category, but these are what I believe to be
>the main emphases of some MA's.  If anyone can add to or correct
>this list, please do so.
>(P - primary focus of MA)
>(S - secondary focus, ie. taught, but to a lesser extent)
>
>1. Reason for studying martial art?
>
>   a) Physical fitness: (all in one way or another)
>      Intense:
>      P - tae-kwon do, karate, judo, kung-fu
>      Moderate:
>      P - tai chi, aikido
>
>   b) Self defence:
>      P - aikido, aikijitsu, ju-jitsu, kung-fu
>      S - tae-kwon do, judo, karate

I've got a couple of strong disagreements here. Most traditional karate styles
are oriented heavily towards the development of effective defense skills.
Your observation may be correct for styles that have a strong "sport"
emphasis - it certainly doesn't apply for styles that don't compete.
As far as Aikido is concerned....I think it's possible to defend oneself
with Aikido, but it requires a great deal of training to do so. Even the
most basic Aikido techniques require a highly developed sense of timing
and position to execute against an uncooperative, skilled opponent. That
doesn't come quickly. I can't speak about the relative merits of jujutsu,
kung-fu (as if there was only one ;-) ), Judo, or TKD - since I don't 
practice them.

>   c) Sport (ie. tournament competition):
>      P - judo, tae-kwon do, karate, kendo
>      S - kung-fu

See above. The karate style I practice doesn't do tournaments at all.

>   d) Mental training:
>      P - tai chi, iai-do,
>      S - all others

Hmmmmm...that 30 minutes of zazen doesn't count, huh?

>   a) Soft - redirect opponent's energy using soft, flowing motions,
>             and very little of your own energy, control opponent 
>             through leverage and balance
>      P - aikido, tai chi, aikijitsu??, kung-fu
>
>   b) Hard - stop opponents energy with your own, direct blocks, 
>             kicks and punches, break boards, etc.
>      P - tae-kwon do, karate, kung-fu, kendo

Funny, I've never seen a kendo player break boards ;-).
*BASIC* karate techniques are, in general, hard. Most *ADVANCED* karate
techniques are not. This classification is like watching a 2nd grade 
arithmetic class and concluding that mathematics consists of
memorizing multiplication tables. At certain levels it's extremely appropriate,
at others it's not.

BTW: I've met some AJ people who could hit pretty damned hard.

>   c) Weapons:
>      P - kendo, kenjutsu
>      S - kung-fu, tai chi, karate, tae-kwon do

Others have already mentioned that Aiki* should be included..and probably
some jujutsu systems as well. Weren't some weapons included in Kano's
original Judo curriculum?

>4. Gentle or Crush-and-Maime?
>
>   a) Gentle (protect yourself without hurting opponent):
>      P - aikido, tai chi
>
>   b) Crush-and-Maime (beat opponent into quivering, broken,
>      bleeding mass):
>      P - all others?? 8-)  <- note smiley before flaming please!
>

Hmmm...the next time you see an aikido-ka do shiho-nage, visualize what his
*sword* is doing (yes, this was originally a kenjutsu technique) before
concluding that he's "not hurting opponent" ;-). Or, for that matter,
think of some of the nastier possible variations of irimi-nage (broken
necks tend to shorten classes dramatically).

Ignoring that, may I point out that colliding with pavement at a high
rate of speed is a pretty good way to be transformed into "a quivering,
broken, bleeding mass" ;-). Or, in the words of Frederick J. Lovret:

	If someone attacks me, I hit him with the biggest thing 
	I can find - THE EARTH.

To my admittedly unenlightened eye, Taiji seems replete with thoroughly
vicious techniques (lots of joint attacks, knees to groin, etc, etc.)...

>5. Anything else?
>
>Some MA's, like tae-kwon do and kendo have international
>organizations which regulate them, and are therefore the
>same almost anywhere you go.  

Some, like TKD, seem to have a dozen international organizations which seem
to spend a lot of time defaming one another ;-)

>Others, like karate and kung-fu,
>have hundreds of variations on styles, are not necessarily
>regulated, and you have to choose your school carefully
>as you sometimes find crackpot instructors who will do you
>more harm than good, and are only in the business to make
>money. 

This is a good point about almost any art. Go, watch, think about whether
or not:

1) This is something you'd like to practice
2) These are people you'd like to practice *with*
3) These are people you'd like to be taught *by*

When you train in a martial art, you are entrusting your personal
safety to your teacher and your fellow students. If you don't feel
comfortable with that, you shouldn't train with them. If somebody
lays a "hard sell" on you - LEAVE AND DON'T LOOK BACK. 

>
>Steve

Oh, God, not another one...we'll have to develop some sort of naming
convention ;-)

Steve
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts