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Thread: Human Weapon, Dissappointing?

  1. #1
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    Default Human Weapon, Dissappointing?

    Am I the only one who found the 'Human Weapon' series disappointing?
    Especially the Karate episode.(We in the U.K. are only part way through the series.) Thai boxing O.K.; Escrima, not bad; Karate, sorry,what were they doing? So false ! ; Krav maga, again not bad; Judo , good; Kung fu , sorry guy's, you we're just another film crew!: ( Missed Pancrase over Xmas holiday's) I originally thought it was because I knew a fair bit of more than the show gave , that I found it disappointing . That the show was aimed low , at armchair viewers. Thai , Escrima, don't know a lot and found them O.K. But I know a bit in relation to Judo and still found that a good show. Is there anything better in the pipeline? Or is it all down hill following the 'Deadly Arts' series of a few year's ago!
    Andy Moorhouse.
    If you believe in an ideal,you don't own it,it owns you.
    -Raymond Chandler.

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    Quote Originally Posted by andy.m View Post
    Is there anything better in the pipeline?
    Yes. They are filming a series now in Los Angeles called 'Inside the fight' - I've seen some of the footage. Very well done with excellent commentary.

    They are highlighting a lot of the smaller more 'traditional' arts. Of course like many others it's held up because of the writers strike.
    Jim Cotter

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    In the TKD episode, the big one got kicked KO. That was fun. It was a pity he usually isn't taken on full force by his opponents. ESPECIALLY during the karate episode.

    I did like the bits with Higaonna and Shinjo sensei very much
    Remi Vredeveldt

    "Hysterical knowledge is often mistaken for historical knowledge"

    Boni enim duces non aperto proelio, in quo est commune periculum, sed ex occulto semper adtemptant Vegetius Liber III, 9:5

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    Yes , I agree, both the Thai boxer and the Kyokushin fighter were never really out of secound gear. The Judoka , Escrimador and Sanda fighter's were not messing about ,perhaps they had 'issues' with them or the film crew?
    - Andy.
    If you believe in an ideal,you don't own it,it owns you.
    -Raymond Chandler.

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    The Discovery channel now has a simmilar show called fight quest and in my personal opinion is better specially because the final fights are always done full force and the poor guys have been hurt and ko'd several times. The Karate and Savate episodes looked cool, I only saw parts.

    Carlos Segura
    Carlos Segura

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    I find Human Weapon to be OK. I think it's a whole lot better than many of the other "ma-related" tv-productions I've seen over the past few years. (Fight Science and Mind, body and kickass moves spring to mind.)
    Discovery Channels' Fight Quest has impressed me so far, looking forward to seeing more of it. The best program of this type I've seen so far though, is a swedish show called "Rallarsving". It's not in english, but I there are subtitles available for it.
    TSKSR - Kakudokan Kristiansand
    Kendo - Kristiansand Kendoklubb

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    Default HW was ok but

    Fight Quest is much better.
    Also, National Geographic has Fight Science where they dig deeper into the science behind the arts.
    don engle

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    Default It was okay.

    I was able to watch the episodes, they were taped for me and I did find them interesting.

    I can see where they had to cut corners in terms of explaining things in greater depth. They were only in the country for around 2 weeks and some of the training they showed, they were only there for 2 days.

    Really, how much can you learn in 2 days.

    If nothing else it may get people interested in martial arts. I just hope they are not expecting what they saw in the show.
    Tim Blindauer

    "The first lesson of Trackshu-Jitsu is: 'Scared as Sh**" runs faster then "Madder then Hell'". "Armor/Amore" - David Vierling

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    The eposode they had with escrima was only a small tip of the iceburg, it was intended to give viewers of what it was like, for pople that was interested, that just diden't know. The fight at the end.....Well I met this guy in the Philippines, he is a 4 time world champion in Doce Paris, one of the strongest schools in the Philippines, his Father has never been defeted. Yep, one of the Cante brothers. if he wanted to hurt him, he would have in the first 30 sec. Some of these guys do this all day long, its there life. It only showed the sport aspect of it. Kali is the true art of the Philippines.

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    Greg, Not trying to nitpick or anything in regards to your contribution to this thread, I strongly suggest to check your spelling before you post. Sorry Greg.
    Last edited by Prince Loeffler; 8th December 2009 at 06:34.
    Prince Loeffler
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    Quote Originally Posted by andy.m View Post
    Am I the only one who found the 'Human Weapon' series disappointing?
    Especially the Karate episode.(We in the U.K. are only part way through the series.) Thai boxing O.K.; Escrima, not bad; Karate, sorry,what were they doing? So false ! ; Krav maga, again not bad; Judo , good; Kung fu , sorry guy's, you we're just another film crew!: ( Missed Pancrase over Xmas holiday's) I originally thought it was because I knew a fair bit of more than the show gave , that I found it disappointing . That the show was aimed low , at armchair viewers. Thai , Escrima, don't know a lot and found them O.K. But I know a bit in relation to Judo and still found that a good show. Is there anything better in the pipeline? Or is it all down hill following the 'Deadly Arts' series of a few year's ago!
    Andy Moorhouse.
    The institution of media is fatally flawed in that those people resenting the information have little or no clue as to the content of a subject; they only know how to read from a script and blabber into a microphone or type words. After watching some of that program I had to stop because I was laughing out loud and my wife wanted me to explain what I found so funny. It was then and now impossible to explain what was so funny because it started off funny in the very first few seconds and ended a few minutes later when I changed channels. It was worse that watching cartoons (ninja turtles) with my grandkids!

    Yes, as in many of these types of “documentaries” they are aimed at the “armchair viewers” and so-called self subscribed experts who gleam misguided knowledge from TV shows. If I remember correctly from the first time I saw it the Judo may have been more interesting because they went to some real dojos in Japan and what little Judo in the scenes was demonstrated by some experienced Judoka, but very limited to a few techniques only found in sport Judo, per say. It may have been another, but similar, TV series I am thinking of; but most of the Judo on TV I have seen is really badly imaged and the direction and content of such programs is dismal to say the least.

    It seems to me that Martial Arts, as it is presented in public or in the media, is presented in such a way that viewers are only given the sporting aspects of any of the arts. When I first learned Judo we did not engage in contests outside the dojo or local area because in the 1950’s Judo was almost unheard of in the eastern USA, so not many people practiced it in the first place. Only after the 1960’s did we see organized sport Judo spread and now the Way of Judo is only viewed as a sport. Funny; most of us stop the silly competition in our younger days and those who remain in the activity turn to teaching only the sporty aspects of the art.

    Karate in my days was a pure art form and only after some in the USA began to promote sporty “karate” did we see the popularity grow. I really don’t think karate would have grown popular if the "powers that be" had not turned it into a sport. What I saw from the early 1960’s and a decade or so beyond was that all I learned from the old guys in Okinawa has been completely lost on karateka of today. Some on this forum will understand what I man, but most will never accept my words.

    I suspect that if someone produced a TV program showing Martial Arts in its true form that it would be received in a similar fashion as Sumo matches are – on a Sunday evening fill-in program, two or three years after the fact!

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    Personally, while I can see the down points; from a students perspective, I can't help but think that programmes like this do more good than harm. If they encourage a youngster (or older person, for that matter) to seek out a local club and get started then that can only be good.

    I've not seen all of the 'Human Weapon' episodes (Sky seems to repeat the same ones over and over) but have watched a few of them, as for 'Fight Quest' I've only managed to catch a couple of episodes but as yet I've not seen anything other than a positive spin.

    I think, excepting that these programmes are made for the masses rather than specifically for students of the individual arts, we should be grateful that the presenters take such a positive approach.

    Regards, William
    William Derobec

    Witch hunts often end with burnt fingers....

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    I wish that such programs would be supervised by a real Martial Arts person and that they would have control of the content. After watching several of those show I come away with disappointment. Maybe it is because I remember the old ways of my activities but much of the actions I see in them are not what I remember doing. At least in mt early years we were serious students of the particular arts and not in it for the thrills.

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