PDA

View Full Version : Purest



gravity121
22nd February 2008, 14:13
Hi,

what do people consider is the purest form of martial art left today? One that has been handed down correctly and not diluted by bad teaching and perhaps expansion?

Also do you think it holds a place as an effective art in todays world or would you consider the more modern arts to be more suitable for the scenarios we encounter today?

Thanks

MikeWilliams
22nd February 2008, 14:19
I think you're going to have to be more specific in your questions - all arts, without exception, evolve over time and are shaped by the culture and environment that surrounds them. It's impossible to generalise like this.

It's also very subjective - one man's "dilution" is likely to be another's "progression".

By the way, you need to sign your name to all your posts - it's the rules.

gravity121
22nd February 2008, 14:46
OK,

Thanks mike and your right I haven't been specific enough. I accept that an art needs to evolve and grow but thats not what I'm asking about.

Through mass marketing and rapid expansion and largely to the massive increase in sport MA, corners will have been cut, priorities and the emphasis on the goal of a strike or lock may have changed. Also, professional martial arts instructors need student retention. Something difficult to master turns people away and schools lose students. Therefore some teachers make it less difficult so as to retain membership and so the downward spiral begins. Of course then you have bad instructors being produced by these easy schools and they understand even less but go ahead to open their own shcools. This is what i call watering down.

So my first question is which art do people consider has most evaded this degeneration throughout the years and remains the purest. I am specifically talking about self-defence arts here and I am speaking on the large scale as i recognize that all arts in their true form have merit and that their are lots of school out there that teach correctly.

I suppose the simple form of this question is which art has proportionally the most schools handing down correct and pure techniques?

My second question then is just if people consider that this art(the purest) to be the most effective art today. Or would you consider that some of the newer arts, taught correctly(not watered down) are more effective.

Hope this helps
Trevor
gravity121

john_lord_b3
22nd February 2008, 15:28
Hi,

what do people consider is the purest form of martial art left today? One that has been handed down correctly and not diluted by bad teaching and perhaps expansion?

Also do you think it holds a place as an effective art in todays world or would you consider the more modern arts to be more suitable for the scenarios we encounter today?

Thanks

Sumo is the purest martial sport. It is unchanged for several decades since its inception as a sport Budo form. It has never been split into several organizations, nor the Sumo players themselves ever think of introducing "innovations" to the recognized body of Sumo techniques. The sport of Sumo played today is essentially the same art of sumo done in 1908.

As for effectiveness in "Real fighting", Sumo includes the techniques for acquiring body weight without sacrificing agility. If you see a 300 pounds Sumo wrester charging towards you in full-speed, or throw a devastating palm strike, your defeat is virtually assured. Besides, criminals often wants "Easy Preys" and nobody would think of a 6 feet plus, 300 pounds plus Sumo wrestler as an easy prey. Thus, in theory nobody would mug a Sumo wrestler. Stealing his wallet maybe, but certainly not taking him out in a fight!

Neil Yamamoto
22nd February 2008, 18:43
Trevor,

Welcome to e-budo! Take a minute and do this, it will make things a lot easier for you here.

Go to your use control panel, in the upper left hand corner of the screen where it says "User CP". Once in there select edit signature. Then put your first and last name in there and click save. That will put your signature in every post you make.

It's a bit more than most forums ask, but one thing that makes e-budo what it is, is we like to know who's asking questions, and prefer not to have anonymous conversations. That's one of the rules you agreed to when you registered and as it is John Lindsey's house, it's his rules we play by.

And, I like Ben's comment, I tend to agree with it.

Elmar
23rd February 2008, 13:17
I would suggest Kyudo (Japanese archery) - if by "purity" you include the meanings derived from spirituality. It has no useful purpose other than the cultivation of self via technique, so it is a martial art (art as in artist rather than art as in artisan). It has essentially no variants in procedure (some alternate ceremonial forms for higher ranked practitioners). As for modern "scenarios" - I don't think that there any martial art that can deal with a 9 mm other than "gun-fu" or "the way of the retreating chicken" (As Cluck Do), if anyone still remembers the reference.

andy.m
23rd February 2008, 15:08
I think your asking about 'purity' in the wrong section? Gendai Budo, those arts formed or founded following the Meijin restoration (1868), if my memory serves me right. Due to the ongoing dynamic creative process that first brought them into being , I don't believe that there is a 'pure' form with-in Gendai Budo, simply by it's continuous evolutionary progression . Reacting to constantly changing 20th century. Be it , my own art, Karate , Judo , Aikido, and the currant evolution in modern Ju Jitsu . If you want to see this process in a condensed form, look at what is going on with-in J.K.D. The arts that I would view as 'pure' , are some (not all) of the Koryu. With a rigidly enforced sylibus , from centuries not requiring to change methods. This has now become a positive virtue to the Koryu and don't be deceived that their hand to hand art is ineffective due to age. The process of teaching my appear long winded , if not positivity obscure ,from a modern viewpoint . But technically , I can vouch form experience , is very effective.
-Andy.