x treme martial arts

[Lazy Scholar]

I would personally take those results with a grain of salt. .especially since it was mainly a documentary about matt mullins

[stl_karateka]

whatever, I should get mine thursday so how about I tell you thursday night? Of course if we don't spar I won't know until Saturday afternoon...either way I'll give you my first hand report as soon as I can.

 

If you don't mind me asking. What brand is it and how much did it cost you?

 

Century, and I'm not paying for it but I think its about $40

[JESSEK16]

X TREME MARTIAL ARTS WAS AN AWESOME SHOW. IT REALLY SHOWED ME HOW FAR I HAVE TO GO . THOSE MARTIAL ARTISTS WERE TRULY AT TOP OF THEIR GAME. I HOPE THEY DO MORE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE.

[MantisWarrior]

i thought the show was stupid. im kinda sorry took the time to watch it

[tommarker]

mixed feelings...

 

a show about the science of martial arts turned out to be little more than the story of a guy trying to be a sport karate champion.

 

don't get me wrong... sport karate is not my cup of tea, unathletic white boy that i am, but if they just told us that's what the plot was.. i'd have still tuned in. i just feel like they pulled a bait and switch on us.

 

in terms of traditional martial arts, that mullins guy couldn't find his * with a map, flashlight, compass and group of Eagle scouts. His bunkai was pathetic.

 

His sport karate was pretty tame too. How long has Chat been out of the game? He still looked light years ahead of this guy.

 

It really bugged me to hear about this "22 year old master" who could just no longer be the best in martial arts and hand to hand his legacy to some kid who hadn't even grown out of his orthodontic work. i guess guys like fumio demura, jae chul shin, jhoon rhee, are just way out of their league because they can no longer do a 720 back kick.

 

I find sport karate and wushu fascinating in that they are constantly on the edge, proving what can and can't be done with the human body. And it's just great to watch, especially a competitor who knows that what their doing is NOT traditional martial arts. It seems like Mullins hadn't learned that lesson yet.

 

Or maybe that's how it was edited... I dunno.

[WolverineGuy]

Agreed. I was highly disappointed in the show, especially with their focus on tournament/sport karate. Since it was advertised as martial arts in general, that should have been limited to a section. I do have to say, I've seen the XMA team in action, so I kind of expected what they had done, but was still hoping for more.

[SevenStar]

a show about the science of martial arts turned out to be little more than the story of a guy trying to be a sport karate champion.

 

that's all it was supposed to be. The "science" they were referring to was nothing more than what they felt they would explain when they got into the how's and why's of some of the techniques they were doing. XMA is really nothing more than a documentary about matt, who's trying to return to competition.

 

in terms of traditional martial arts, that mullins guy couldn't find his * with a map, flashlight, compass and group of Eagle scouts. His bunkai was pathetic.

 

all you know of his traditional MA is the few clips they showed. you really can't judge anything from that.

 

His sport karate was pretty tame too. How long has Chat been out of the game? He still looked light years ahead of this guy.

 

he was once considered one of the best in the world. Have you ever been?

 

It really bugged me to hear about this "22 year old master" who could just no longer be the best in martial arts and hand to hand his legacy to some kid who hadn't even grown out of his orthodontic work. i guess guys like fumio demura, jae chul shin, jhoon rhee, are just way out of their league because they can no longer do a 720 back kick.

 

basically, yes. He's not passing on his style or his school. he was a world champion forms competitor. as awesome as fumio is, he couldn't compete at a world level in open forms with those young guys... you have to understand the context in which he's "passing down"

 

I find sport karate and wushu fascinating in that they are constantly on the edge, proving what can and can't be done with the human body. And it's just great to watch, especially a competitor who knows that what their doing is NOT traditional martial arts. It seems like Mullins hadn't learned that lesson yet.

 

he did mention that you have to understand the basics, and said something like "foundation before flash" I think he very well understands what he's competing in is just open forms and not traditional. He also stated that he used to compete in traditional forms, so quite obiously, he knows.

 

What bugs me is the lack of respect these guys are getting from the MA community as a whole. Hell, I'm an MMA guy and I'd pick one of them to have my back in a fight over many of the TMA that I know. Why? because they have the mindset, the ability, the training, etc. needed to get us out of the situation. These guys were the best in the world at what they do. It doesn't matter if it was MA or waterpolo, they were THE BEST IN THE WORLD. That alone deserves plenty of repsect. Rant done.

[Sasori_Te]

You'd pick Matt Mullins to watch your back? What mind set and especially ability do they show that could possibly transfer to real world situation? I don't know what "traditional" martial arts schools you've been looking at but I suggest that you go look some more.

 

Also, as for being the best in the world. Wouldn't that be subjective? They, at most, are the best in the organization that promotes these open tournaments. To give them some credit I would say that they are very hard workers and look pretty doing what they do.

[SevenStar]

as for having my back, I'm referring to many TMA. hell yes. The drive that they show and the physical abilities that they have due to their training speak for themselves. When you compete at such a level, you have to train hard, you have to focus, etc. that will serve them well, and I'd be comfortable with either of them at my side because of that. that being said, if they were lower caliber, like local level guys that do the same thing, I would not pick them.

 

Naturally, it's subjective, but how relevant is that? they are world class in what they do. not local, not national, but world. There's something to be said for that.

[Drunken Monkey]

but what would you take as traditional?

 

traditional as in chinese loose techniques that you train in kick-boxing style?

 

traditional chinese shaolin style kung fu with lots of hard physical training and many, many hours of conditioning every day?

 

traditional as in wing chun where the style was designed to take advantage of the 'traditional' styles?

 

or are you talking about how traditional styles are taught and practiced today?

 

sometimes, i really wish people would stop saying things about the arts and instead talk about the people who do the art.

 

the martial arts that we have now work.

 

they have all been tested in some situation or another and have thus survived until this day.

 

the only thing that has changed is how we train.

 

when a wing chun guy loses a fight, it isn't the wing chun, it's the guy who lost.

 

when a bjj guy wins, it isn't the bjj, it's the guy who wins.

 

go ahead, take your pick and insert your own style into either of those two sentences.

 

how many out there can honestly say that you train as hard as the guys who originally did?

 

i know i don't, that's for sure.

 

but then, i don't expect to be called up to fight for my life against trained imperial soldiers.

 

the xma guys train hard.

 

that alone is worth respect.

 

you might not see the xma as being a real martial art (or fighting art) but sometimes that's not the point.

 

the fact is they have worked hard to be the best in what they do.

Edited December 20, 2003 by Drunken Monkey