FINAL FU!!!!

[NeoMstrSgt]

look this is how i feel, martial arts has been getting a bad reputation from, all those people who try to use fake martial arts/immitate martial arts in a fight and lose badly because they dont know what the heck there doing. and for a good few years since alot of the of the karate kid style movies ended, good martial arts entertainment has been very hard 2 come by because there where many people who thought that it was all fake movie stuff that could not work in reall life. I feel that lately with all of the UFC and K-1 publisity, martial arts has been starting 2 make a comeback, and i feel that a show like final fu is more of a baby step to martial arts entertainment becoming more popular like it use 2 B bake in the late sixtys and seventy's where martial arts movies where king. sure there not nerely as good as we martial artist whould like them to B. but u have to crawl before u can walk. so i personally imbrace a show like final fu as being a doorway 2 possibilities instead of a insult.

Do you really want acceptance based on falsehoods and errors though?

[Fairfax_Uechi]

to be honest, i don't think i've ever seen a good MA program on TV (not counting UFC). those programs are to entertain the general public, they're simply not made for people like us.

If you get FitTV there is a show on called Deadly Arts. The show's host is a French Canadian woman who goes to different countries exploring the marital arts. It's not a great show, but not bad. She does a decent job explaining the history and working out with them.

The show's worth watching just for the history. BTW, I don't think her technique is the greatest in the world, but her desire is amazing, and for someone her age, she's in incredible shape (but not much to look at)

[NeoMstrSgt]

to be honest, i don't think i've ever seen a good MA program on TV (not counting UFC). those programs are to entertain the general public, they're simply not made for people like us.

If you get FitTV there is a show on called Deadly Arts. The show's host is a French Canadian woman who goes to different countries exploring the marital arts. It's not a great show, but not bad. She does a decent job explaining the history and working out with them.

The show's worth watching just for the history. BTW, I don't think her technique is the greatest in the world, but her desire is amazing, and for someone her age, she's in incredible shape (but not much to look at)

I saw one on Muay Thai whilst flipping through and was impressed with the respect she showed that art.

[Jbone1]

This is interesting and I knew I wasn't alone in how this show is being ran. Even by their own rules the scores sometimes have me suprised. I watch it like I'm a judge using their rules and I don't get the scores they come up with at times.

I think the challenges should be tougher. These guys and girls they pick are black belts with many accolades so they shouldnt' be strangers to hard work. So the challenges should be a lot tougher and be more of a penalty on their scores so Hans can't play around in them.

Matt, showed the most skill and actual martial artist mindset out of any of them. But it seemed like he got cheated in his scores in his fights.

[jaymac]

I don't have MTV 2 so I appreciate the link. I did watch it, and I think it is honestly hard to judge the show based on the limitations that MTV 2 and Ernie R. has placed on the kumite. The only one in the ring that I thought showed good fighting ability was Matt and he was sent home. I am glad that someone is trying to promote martial arts through a show, but what does everyone expect, to have a huge network for young kids allow people to get into a ring and kick and punch the living daylights out of each other? That is UFC and you can find it on Spike TV. You all know what you can do in the ring in your own dojo and that is great. I think that we really aren't seeing the most these fighters can do. I was however surprised to see how many of them drop their guards during their matches, and the showboating makes me a little ill. Hey, it's TV and that is what people (who do not practice MA) want.

[tke010]

Final fu is a comedy. and its really funny....

I have seen about 3 episodes.

Whenever a good solid technique is shown, a warning is given as reward

Scoring is ridiculous. each fighter averages almost 70 points per fight.

The challenges are funny, but better than the fights.

My wife pointed out that some of the boards look like they have been pre-cut. i am going to watch more closely during challenges to see if this is really true.

Some of my non MA friends actually think these are the best Martial Artists in the world today. I had to explain to them that this show is on MTV, not ESPN. Then i tell them to take a class with me, but they always seem to come up with some excuse. This show is for the masses, not martial artists...

If it gets more people to train, then keep the comedy coming... if not, then they should cut their losses and pull the show...

[MartialArthur]

I have no problems with this show. Keep in mind, the show is not produced to entertain martial artists. We are much too small of a market. If you are a novice or a non-martial artist you might be excited by watching these young people who obviously have some skills.

A good martial artist can throw fast, powerful, techniques. A better martial artist can throw fast, powerful techniques with pinpoint control. The better martial artists will have the self-control to play within the rules, however much we don't like them.

In order to succeed on TV, the show must have broad appeal. Let's face it: if they followed us around the dojo with cameras for a few weeks no one would watch!

Also, this is the only "reality" show I have seen on TV where most of the contestants are very respectful and answer "Yes Sir!" to the host. They don't appear to be the pathetic bunch of losers you see on most "reality" shows.

My verdict:

As a martial arts training video: Poor

As interesting entertainment for the non-MA: not bad

..

[ladyj]

The sad part about this show is that it gives us all a bad name. The behavior they are displaying is not how a martial artist should behave. The general public thinks all martial arts are pretty much the same therefore we all look like we behave that way.

[Jbone1]

I don't agree with that they are behaving that bad. To me they are competitive and want to win. I'm not diggin the show that much but I haven't missed an episode because it's interesting. The last two have stunk compared to last weeks, but it will get better as the heat is put on for points.

I don't like the fighting or how it's scored and like I said above I try to follow with their scoring criteria and still see errors in their scoring. This is showing different mindsets of martial artist also. I've seen, cocky, calm, focused, cheaters, half effort, and giving their all.

I guess you can take away what you want from the show but try to look for some positives.

[elbows_and_knees]

That one guy that is insulting karate needs a good but whoopin'. Matt Mullins is the only one that I saw really show any skill and that was jsut XMA stuiff. This guy has a traditional background (Shorei Ryu) and he is doing this. I sorry I watched 2 nights in a row and at first I thought this is better then I thought. Tonight I was just insulted.

what does his traditional background have to do with it? Not everyone trains for sake of tradition. It irks me when people insult things like wushu and xma. To be honest, I would rather them have my back in a fight than many people training "traditional arts" on these forums. The conditioning and mentality they attain from their training is top notch. that alone can serve them well in fights.