Difference between a Karate punch, and a Gung Fu punch

[CagedWarrior]

Define racist !!!

Someone that discriminates based solely on their race. Chinese and Japanese people are both eastern Asian, hence the term racist probably wouldn't apply.

The Chinese and Japanese are very different- different cultures, history, and looks! Also, they have quite the history, even up to today, of not liking one another. Believe it or not, most asian cultures can have very "racist" attitudes (although it's not such a big deal to them because they don't have the history of the african slave trade, and they don't have the bleeding heart liberals making a big deal out of nothing either), and the Japanese in particular (not always, so don't get all mad at me) can have a very superioristic attitude. Anyway, my point is that just because white people from Italy here in American don't really get racist against white people from Germany, in Asia it's a bit different.

Anyway, from what I understand, the Kung Fu punch is supposed to be a snap punch (at least some of them, what with their millions of substyles), while the Karate is a punch-through-you kind of punch, more like boxing and the likes. Maybe Bruce was anti-Japanese styles, I don't know, but I know he regarded boxing as one of the best striking arts out there.

[White Warlock]

When he battled Chuck Norris in the last battle, Lee was using Gung Fu and Chuck was using Karate. And because of that Lee was loosing the fight. It was only when he started to use Jeet Kune Do that Chuck got beat up.

I am not a Bruce Lee fan, nor have i spent an inordinate amount of time reviewing his movies. To me, they're just movies, and in those movies, he was just a martial arts actor. Call it blasphemy, but hey... how many people do you see idolizing Steven Seagal? As many? Less? I wonder if they're going to idolize him 30+ years after his death, and yet he's an 8th degree black belt in aikido AND a successful actor.

I do find it interesting though. People have a tendency to hang on Bruce Lee's every word, and yet they've blown off the words of most every other martial artist.

The tangent completed, i just wanted to note that Chuck Norris practiced tang soo do, not karate. I seriously doubt the movie you're referring to incorrectly portrayed him as employing karate, but... it's always possible. I mean, those 'were' odd times.

[KempoTiger]

When he battled Chuck Norris in the last battle, Lee was using Gung Fu and Chuck was using Karate. And because of that Lee was loosing the fight. It was only when he started to use Jeet Kune Do that Chuck got beat up.

I am not a Bruce Lee fan, nor have i spent an inordinate amount of time reviewing his movies. To me, they're just movies, and in those movies, he was just a martial arts actor. Call it blasphemy, but hey... how many people do you see idolizing Steven Seagal? As many? Less? I wonder if they're going to idolize him 30+ years after his death, and yet he's an 8th degree black belt in aikido AND a successful actor.

I do find it interesting though. People have a tendency to hang on Bruce Lee's every word, and yet they've blown off the words of most every other martial artist.

The tangent completed, i just wanted to note that Chuck Norris practiced tang soo do, not karate. I seriously doubt the movie you're referring to incorrectly portrayed him as employing karate, but... it's always possible. I mean, those 'were' odd times.

As a person and martial artist who has the utmost respect for Bruce Lee, but not a religious worshipping of him I can honestly say that he was more than an actor and pseudo-intellectual.

Studying his words really makes you question "traditional" ways of training, and fighting technique. In my opinion his commentary of a Karate punch and Gung-fu punch is really more of a difference between a driving punch, and a snapping punch. To which at this point I would say he's 110% right, only that he missed saying that both types are necessary to be a rounded fighter.

Alot of stuff he said I would consider common sense being reworded in a flowery deep sounding philosophical sounding way, such as his comments on being like "water". But hey, give credit where it's due.

[viskous]

wow i never knew steven seagal was an 8th degree in aikido, just goes to prove that point lol

[Shorin Ryuu]

Studying his words really makes you question "traditional" ways of training, and fighting technique.

I still wonder if what he was criticizing was really what one should consider "traditional" ways of training and fighting technique.

[KempoTiger]

Studying his words really makes you question "traditional" ways of training, and fighting technique.

I still wonder if what he was criticizing was really what one should consider "traditional" ways of training and fighting technique.

Well for the most part he was criticizing the very existance of "styles" that focused on one or a few aspects of fighting, and stuck to an ideology along those lines that ran in conflict with what it takes to be an efficient well rounded fighter.

It wasn't "traditional training" he had so much of a problem with, as it was inefficient technique derived from outdated ideas. Bruce Lee isn't exactly a figure that suddenly put an end to traditional styles and decreed them all useless. Just aspects of some he felt were either unnecessary or inefficient.

[Shorin Ryuu]

Well for the most part he was criticizing the very existance of "styles" that focused on one or a few aspects of fighting, and stuck to an ideology along those lines.

I don't consider that to be necessarily traditional.

So you're saying he didn't really criticize traditional fighting techniques that much?

[markusan]

What I've read and seen of Lee is that he was a very dedicated student of traditional martial arts styles and part of that path was eventually transcending style. I don't think this means there is something wrong with japanese or chinese or korean style, more that learning a style thoroughly is part of one's development as a ma. As one develops skill and technique one develops one's own style, even if it is still within the strict confines of a traditional style.. Your own biomechanics and karma will give you a different punch to the next ma. I like to spend time on the heavy bag just punching for the greatest effect. Making tiny changes to stance and hip twist and wrist movent and comparing the result by watching the swing of the bag. Not punching with full force, but for technique. I like the one inch punch with the cocked wrist for in close but I like a lunging thrusting karate punch for closing longer distances quickly. I like to think of them as two different punches in my arsenal rather than different styles.

[UseoForce]

I can't believe no one has posted this yet, but have you read the "Tao of Jeet Kune Do?" He has two whole pages of sketches of judo and jiu-jitsu techniques (Japanese arts), as well as many Japanese jiu-jitsu techniques shown in other sketches, but not labeled as jiu-jitsu. He certainly respected these Japanese arts.

Bruce Lee may have disliked Japanese karate, but that's a far cry from being a racist!

[yamesu]

Wow,

this thread turned into a bruce lee-psuedo philisophical argument.