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Liam Cognet
28th January 2004, 22:21
Recently my mother gave me a martial art video which she had taped from the Discovery Channel. The program was called Xtreme Martial Arts.

It was basicly about a young man's experience in the American Open Karate Tournament. This tournament consisted of 3 events, Kata, Weapons Kata and Kumite.

But, these wern't just any kata, they were composed by the compeditor and aimed at "flashyness". These kata were incredibly fast, contained many "flashy" moves like big impressive kicks, and gymnastic like movements such as flips, cartwheels, rolls, etc. Movements had no focus, and questionable zanchin.

The weapons kata were the same deal. Weapons were twirled and throw in the air etc. One chap even used a katana with apparant little understanding of how to cut. Push-pull method indeed!

What is the deal with this? Do these competitions occor in America often? If so why do any serious martial artists attend them? The whole thing looks like a great big sideshow!

Even when the young man did some "traditional" kata, he preformed a stiff, jerky, version of Saianchin and then proceeded to give some odd explination of it bunkai.

The lad bows with his legs apart, almost kisses the floor, and conducts himself in the mannor of a great big wanker.

WMA, Wanky Martial Arts. That what I think.

Liam
Goju Ryu, MJER Iaido.

Sochin
28th January 2004, 23:35
Don't hld back, Liam, tell us how you really feel!!!


(I had to say it, :) )

n2shotokai
29th January 2004, 01:16
Originally posted by Liam Cognet
What is the deal with this? Do these competitions occor in America often? If so why do any serious martial artists attend them? The whole thing looks like a great big sideshow!
Liam
Goju Ryu, MJER Iaido.
Dear Liam,
we outlawed all such events in America after that event. There will be no more blue or red or red, white and blue dogi's, nor twirling katanas nor blood thirsty. Oh no!

The truth is those events do exist and I feel the best thing to do is except them for what they are and don't expect them to be something they are not. The sad fact is the general public will see this and ASSUME all MA's are like that.

tamashi
29th January 2004, 13:09
Originally posted by n2shotokai
Dear Liam,
we outlawed all such events in America after that event. There will be no more blue or red or red, white and blue dogi's, nor twirling katanas nor blood thirsty. Oh no!

The truth is those events do exist and I feel the best thing to do is except them for what they are and don't expect them to be something they are not. The sad fact is the general public will see this and ASSUME all MA's are like that.

what he said.

I actually had a friend/ coworker ask me if that was what
i did after he saw that show. He assumed that the representation
of what was in that show was what we all aspire too.
:(

b19vny
29th January 2004, 13:34
I say let them get on with it. Twirling, spinning and dancing, whatever they do.

The general public will always have preconceived ideas about what we get up to in our baggy white pyjamas.

Most of us were influenced to start training by something which we saw, read or were told . . . which in most cases turned out to be wrong.

I used to watch wrestling in the 70s and wanted to be like 'Kendo Nagasaki'. I started judo in '78 and guess what . . . not a half-nelson in sight.

I later switched to karate because there was a picture of a fella smashing a stack of tiles on the wall at the Judo club. I'm still there 18 years later and tiles are quite safe when I'm around.

XMA, Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles or the Karate Kid . . . if it gets one person to put their head round the door - just for a look then that's OK by me.

tamashi
31st January 2004, 02:49
Soon on the Continent too!
http://www.masuccess.com/xma.htm

RobertW
1st February 2004, 08:46
I know extreem! We' ll line 'em up and show them what real punches do....to the extreeeem!

Jock Armstrong
1st February 2004, 13:43
Anything with "extreme" attached to it should be fragged on a matter of principle.............

n2shotokai
1st February 2004, 15:19
A friend of mine sent me a FW: of a XMA e-mail. I won't attach the whole thing, just a sample :

For Immediate Release:
2004 XMA Xtreme Martial Arts World Tour
North America · Central & South America · United Kingdom · Europe · Australia
Come Meet, Train With, or Take Your First Intro Lesson with
Mike Chat who Starred as the Blue Power Ranger!
Debuting at the 2003 MAIA Martial Arts Industry Supershow in Las Vegas, Xtreme Martial Arts and the XMA Performance Training Program has taken the martial arts industry by storm! By year's end, the international release of Discovery Channel's award winning documentary special, XMA Xtreme Martial Arts, will be translated into over 35 languages and reach over 170 countries world-wide! Spearheaded by 7-Time World Forms & Weapons Champion, Blue Power Ranger and Creator of XMA, Mike Chat and his XMA Performance Team will be kicking off their World Wide Tour in the spring of 2004!

Bring the excitement of one of Hollywood's fastest rising stars right into your school, exclusive for XMA Licensees only! Seen on television and the silver screen in Austin Powers 3, Big Fat Liar, The Time Machine, Power Rangers, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Angel, Nash Bridges, Martial Law, Mortal Kombat Conquest, WMAC Masters, and the internationally award winning Rexona and Sure ads, Mike Chat has performed at the most prestigious Budo Gala shows, appeared on the cover of 14 of the world's largest martial arts magazines, has conducted over 150 seminars throughout North & South America, Europe and has been featured on every major U.S. television network including ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, Pay-Per-View, and Europe's top sports network Euro-Sport TV.

$1000 US Explosive 1 Hour XMA Seminar Event

$1500 US Explosive 2 Hour XMA Seminar Event

$2000 US Explosive 3 Hour XMA Seminar Event

$2500 US Weekday Rate: Monday thru Friday Includes up to 3 local elementary school visits during the day to promote seminar events at night. Up to 3 hours of seminars, autograph signing and photos. This includes free consultation on customizing and implementing the XMA program in to your school. Photos are welcome and awesome full color XMA or Power Ranger photos are provided free of charge to all participants. These rates apply for multiple school locations per single school owner.

$3500 US Weekend Day Rate: Saturday or Sunday Full day of seminar events from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm with a 1 hour lunch break. Unlimited number and type of seminars or intro classes included during this time. These rates apply for multiple school locations per single school owner.

$6000 US 2 Day, Weekend of Explosive XMA Seminars, Grand Openings, or Extravaganzas

$5000 US 2 Day Tournament Appearance, Demonstration and Seminar - Includes a 1 hour Friday night seminar event, appearance, photo and autograph signing during the tournament event, and XMA Performance Demonstration during the event or night time finals show, and all radio, newspaper and television interviews or publicity promotions for a Saturday tournament. *$2000 additional for a 3 day tournament event.

Liam Cognet
2nd February 2004, 09:31
Sorry I got a little worked up, but I'd NEVER seen this stuff before and it just blew my mind. At least their was no 'Dragon Punch'.

And another thing, no one baggs the Ninja Turtles.

Liam

Ricco Sawavy
4th February 2004, 18:55
Quick question- Do you have to do a flip in each form? Is it required?