Extreme Martial Arts

[Mike Passow]

I realized while watching that show that if they can get the martial arts so horribly wrong, something which is happening right now - how can we trust their dinosaur shows on topics that happened millions of years ago.

I will never again believe the Discovery Channel, even if they are telling me what time it is.

That show was overwhelmingly incompetent, irresponsible (telling kids NOT to listen to that voice inside that tells them "not to do things"), and exxagareted.

Please, all of you need to watch it for near-constant laugh out loud humor. I laughed so hard my sides hurt. Though not near as much as Mike Mullins' sides hurt when he failed to use "Iron Shirt". I can't believe he failed to use Iron Shirt. EVERYBODY knows Iron Shirt, and he (or his teacher) apparently did 2 minutes later. So where'd Iron Shirt go?

I watched this show with some martial arts friends - and we agree that the ONLY JUSTICE in that show was that Mullins didn't win ANYTHING at the end.

Apparently Mullins needs to go to more seminars. His one hour apiece in every McDojo in the United States didn't seem to help any.

--

Seriously though, maybe we should start a petition to the Discovery Channel to protest how incompetent and irresponsible this show was.

Yours,
Mike

[Mike Passow]

This is a MUST SEE 2-hour film with your martial arts buddies.

Bring popcorn.

Laugh.

Cry.

Marvel at the bloodthirsty wielder of the spinning spike weapons.



- mike

[Kyukage]

I just got done watching the show myself, and I do have to say that I share your frustrations.

In all fairness, I do have to point out that they did mention several times that the "Xtreme Martial Arts" movement is essentially a divergence from traditional foundation arts as a sort of performance art, not a combat art. Mullins (fast and powerful, but unfocused, sloppy, and completely lacking in single-mindedness, not to mention completely lacking in any real tutorials in weapon arts past the bo) directly says that the "XMA" are more about flash and show than they are about fighting performance.

In the end, however, I do feel that the show did little more than hurt the reputation and image of the Martial Arts community. Unfortunately, all of the subtle clues that XMA are really more about show than combat are all too subtle for anyone not "in the circle" of traditional combat arts to see or understand. The general public will - I fear - walk away with the impression that this was an accurate representation of modern Martial Arts and a natural progression of the old arts. Sad, but inevitable.

In closing, I will allow my elitist nature to surface long enough to say this: This is a perfect example of why the old schools and teachers of just a few generations ago kept their arts a secret, and should never have been pressured to open teachings to the general public. Any endeavor to take an old, respected, intricate art (of any kind - Martial Arts, literature, sciences, etc) and turn it into a past-time, hobby, or curious indulgence will ultimately see it's descent into side-show recreation, and that is a disservice to the art in question, it's surrounding traditions, and the serious practitioners thereof. I see this sort of degradation of the arts in virtually every facet of their popularization, and it saddens and scares me.

Even my fiancé – with no martial training, and possessing only secondary exposure to the arts only through my activities – observed that the show was not a positive portrayal. To quote her directly, “sadly enough, pretty soon, it will all just be another elementary school gym class activity”

[Kyukage]

Marvel at the bloodthirsty wielder of the spinning spike weapons.

Sadly, he was one of the most entertaining of them all, and the only sincere one in the lot. At least he was honest about his desires and motivations.

[Kyukage]

Yes, a third post, but I just had to add the following:

Interestingly, the first three tenets of Shorei Ryu (primary style of Mullins) as I understand them are …

Karate is my secret, I will not display it to the public.
So, he’s supposed to keep his art a secret and specifically not display it publicly, but then he stars in a sensationalized documentary on the subject.

I bear no weapons.
Yet, he learned, performed, and competed with bo, kama, and other weapons.

I pray forgiveness for having used karate in an unmannerly fashion and pray I never have to use it again.
I won’t get started on this either.

Now, not being a practitioner of Shorei Ryu, perhaps my understanding or interpretation of these are a bit off, but I really think they’re pretty straight forward. I can’t stand hypocrites.

[hiddindragon08]

I GOT SOOO PUMPED AFTER WATCHING IT I HAD TO START TRAINING!!! and this is after a 15 hour shift @ applebees!

[Mike Passow]

Unfortunately, all of the subtle clues that XMA are really more about show than combat are all too subtle for anyone not "in the circle" of traditional combat arts to see or understand. The general public will - I fear - walk away with the impression that this was an accurate representation of modern Martial Arts and a natural progression of the old arts. Sad, but inevitable.

You are absolutely correct! It's very sad indeed. They need a new name - maybe Combative Gymnastics - for what they are portraying here.

It's like the producers of this show went to Matt and Mike and made out the Truth about modern martial arts to be what THEY told the producers it was. For a show claiming "science" as its claim-to-fame, it was sorely lacking in the barest piece of objectivity. I'd like to see them interview a koryu practitioner (for analysis of the "tradition" and technique involved), a UFC or K-1 winner (to compare their 'xtreme point sparring' to more combative sparring forms) and such. In the world of "Xtreme Martial Arts" - there is no viewpoint but the XTREME viewpoint.

Not what I'd expect from the Discovery Channel.

--

Here is what the show claims to portray:

Xtreme Martial Arts

As two young martial artists fight their way through the world's most prestigious tournament

It is!? I know nothing of tournament fighting, but we didn't hear much about the tournament, or why it is "prestigious" or the "Super Bowl" of martial arts.

the biomechanical secrets of the martial arts are revealed for the first time.

That's a fairly large and unsubstantiated claim. One of literally dozens on the show.

Find out how the martial arts have developed into the ultimate human weapon.

They say -nothing- of the combat/gymnastics we'll be seeing for the entirety of the show. They make everything out to be for fighting, and to be the next 'evolution' of the fighting martial arts. Then you see Mullins' pretty form in all the demonstartions go completely out the window in lieu of sloppy lunging front kicks and diving backfists... mere minutes after seeing a complex animation involving him using "chi" to become in perfect balance with the world, and calmly and easily repel an attack by his training partner. Then they go to tournament land and he loses the Force? What gives?

--

This show would probably make most people who enjoy E-budo feel sick to their stomach - unless you plan to watch it with friends for a good laugh.

Yours,
Mike

[Karyu]

I thought it was a terrible program with an xtreme emphasis on flashy acrobatics. A person with no budo knowledge would watch this and assume that the ultimate goal of the martial arts is to have pizazz at a tournament.

I also didn't like how Chinese and Japanese techniques and weapons were blended together without distinction, as if it was possible to do so.

[Mike Passow]

I pray forgiveness for having used karate in an unmannerly fashion and pray I never have to use it again.
I won’t get started on this either.

I think Mullins intentionally spraying his last drink and spit all over the training area (and maybe judges in one shot!?) prior to every kata he demonstrations is pretty much all we need to mention for that one.

- mike

[Kyukage]

... spraying his last drink and spit all over the training area ...

I agree. although Shinto as a religious practice does use this particular form (orally spraying of water) as a punctuation to some prayers, I highly doubt Mullins uses it for that purpose. Oh that's right ... he does it to separate himself from the rest - to differentiate himself - it's "his thing" as he puts it. Spewing one's Gatorade on the floor and the judges would certainly separate one from the crowd - unless of course, one was at a WWF show.

I dare say that anyone would be tossed from a koryu dojo for such a blatant show of disrespect.

[Shitoryu Dude]

I'm watching that crappy show right now - horrible misrepresentation of MA.

[Mekugi]

But...

DOES IT MAKE YOU HARWNY BABY?

Originally posted by Shitoryu Dude
I'm watching that crappy show right now - horrible misrepresentation of MA.

[Tea Guy]

I have this stupid show playing in the background. I'm just getting pissed off. I want to turn it off, but I want to have something to compain about for a little while.
I really can't believe this show....
These people are just ignorant. How can discovery channel do something this bad, I'm asking myself. Why would anyone enter these pathetic tournaments and perform these flashy shows? Have they no honor? Have they no self respect? My nephew could probably do a better job than these people.
These people are a disgrace to the name of martial arts.

C. Sieg

[Starkjudo]

Why the hell does one have to take their top off to perform kata? To look all cute and ripped for the girls? The kata demonstrations were the exact reason I could care less about competitive kata - all flash, all choreography and acrobatics, no foundation at all.

I thought Mullins came off as a cocky, arrogant !!! the entire time. The ONLY thing he got right was the sense of pride the teacher can have in the student, at the end - although he ought to have shame for the fact that he's teaching the kid Cobra-Kai Ryu.

No grappling + no locking techniques = waste of Rob's time.

[Prince Loeffler]

The Narrator was starting to annoy me with his description on the Bo. He keeps calling it The Bo Staff ! The Bo Staff !. During the breaking segment where, one TKD guy in TKD uniform call his unform "Gi" (Tony K, will you call discovery and set them straight ?.. ) instead of "Dobak".

Matt Mullins version of Seichin kata was horrible ! Althought, His freestyle form seems ok. Then again I am not a big fan of extreme freestyle.

As for the sword segment, The way the narrator described the Katana " The Hand held Guillotine" was all new to me.... John Boyd's freestyle sword routine was a sight to see.

and the sparring segment....I always hated these Tap, you lose ! KIND of sparring. If this is the superbowl of Martial Arts tournament, then what the heck would K-1 BE ? The sparring for this so called "superbowl" of martial arts reeks Bad sportmanship, Crappy showmanship, jeez, what's with the frikin two toned colored uniform, did that guy go to clown / martial arts academy ? ..Oh well, so much for preserving and educating the public about the essense of traditional martial arts.

No wonder the general public gets so misinform everyday. Thanks Dicovery Channel for creating more mass confusion and myth about traditional martial arts.

Suggestion: We should send Discovery an email of what we think. Imagine 10 thousands of us telling Discovery Channel to stick with reanimating dinasours and frozen icemen....