XMA????

[WudangDragon]

I've got to admit that my knowledge of arts and styles outwith my own are not the best so any information about the new XMA phenoma would be well apreciated. thnx in advance

IZUNA DRAGON

[Sam]

Basicall XMA [Extreme Martial Arts] is a way of approaching techniques that combines the normal aerial techniques you find in MAs with gymnastics. Its generally considered a method of performance rather than a style in its own right, as it can be applied to many different MAs.

You'd know it if you saw it, combines lots of flips, springs, jumping kics, spins, and fast movements.

Believe the name "XMA" was brought about by Mike Chat.

[Sam]

forgot to add - if you google it or visit bilang.com you'll get LOADS of info on it....

[GhostlySykanRyu]

But what makes it "extreme" is far beyond me. Must be the sparkles on the uniforms.

[Sam]

and the make up, but i think its the gymnastics....

[Aodhan]

But what makes it "extreme" is far beyond me. Must be the sparkles on the uniforms.

What makes it "extreme" is calling it extreme for the marketing.

Basically, when Mike Chat was going through and competing on the open forms circuit, they intoduced and made almost standard the aerial kicks (540's, 720's, flip kickouts, etc.).

When he pretty much stopped competing on a regular basis, he took everything that he learned and used, and created a way to teach it from the ground up, and how to present it. He packaged it all and called it XMA.

It's not a style in and of itself, it's more a way to take your current style and adapt/further it for use on the open circuit. It can be applied to any style out there.

Our school has purchased the XMA program, and when it first started, we had 30-40 students per class. It's sinced ebbed back, now we get about 10-15 per class. I think it adds something, but I also think it should be just used for more advanced students, the beginning students have no reference, and you have to stop and teach every time there is a new kick they haven't learned yet.

One other note, I recorded the 2004 ISKA US Open, and in the open forms competition, about half of the top 3 in the categories they showed were doing traditional forms, the other half were XMA styled, and I wasn't all that impressed with a lot of them. The weapons was mostly XMA, and only three weapons. Bo staff, kama and sword. The sword competitors were pretty darn good, I have to say. You probably won't see too many escrima, nunchaku, tonfa, sai weapons in the top. What really seems to score in the top forms is speed of the weapon and the ability to release the weapon and grab it again, which doesn't lend itself to those weapons. (Although I have seen some pretty impressive nunchaku routines.)

I'm in the process of getting a video capture card, when I do, I can transfer them to DVD for people if it's wanted.

Aodhan

[ItalianMuayThai]

But what makes it "extreme" is far beyond me. Must be the sparkles on the uniforms.

Can you do it?

[Sam]

Its a very different approach ill give it that, but the problem is as Aodhan pointed out it became something of a Fad for a while, then everyone realised there's actually quite a lot of training that has to go in behind it, and naturally its very hard to do well.... so the classes cut back a bit.

I still think its a nice adaptation of style, as all forms are doing is almost demonstrations / performances..... I just think recently [especially in TKD] it have become over done.

[tkdBill]

Mike Chat joined the ATA not long ago, and they have some sort of business arrangement to spread XMA throughout the ATA. Since the ATA is very proprietary and "closed" I wonder if XMA will trend in that direction?

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[GhostlySykanRyu]

But what makes it "extreme" is far beyond me. Must be the sparkles on the uniforms.

Can you do it?

No, but I can't do gymnastics either. That doesn't make gymnastics "extreme", or a martial art. I'm not putting down the XMAs...I'm just curious as to why they claim to be "extreme" in comparison to the orginal arts meant for seld defense. Taking a kick and adding an extra spin/jump/split doesn't make it extreme...it makes it flashy and ineffective.

If you want to defend yourself, train to do so. If you want to be a performer, then take up dance or gymnastics. Just my opinion.