Why are Chinese martial arts being forgotten nowadays?

[kooterwong]

Nowadays it's not just Chinese martial arts. Most of these arts are replaced with MMA which is growing ever more popular nowadays. Nowadays I just dont hear ppl talking abt chinese kungfu anymore... Does this in mean that traditional Kungfu will be extinct in many years to come? It used to be the hype 20 years ago.

[MasterPain]

I don't think that is the case in China. And Sanda is popular in other areas.

[bushido_man96]

I know Wu-Shu has become quite popular, and it is supported by the state in China. I believe they were even pushing to establish it as an Olympic sport. Since it is state sponsored, everything else will have a tough time being recognized, and the state may have suppressed them.

[Dobbersky]

I think that yes because of MMA and JKD that other Chinese Martial Arts have lost their place in the market place.

I remember it was always a Kung Fu Class, Judo Class and a Karate Class that one could attend and they were all over the place.

They were also replaced by Kickboxing classes and Muay Thai Classes.

Sanda (Sanshou) never been to a class in my area so can't speak on it.

There's a few Wing Chun and variants about but they have small classes.

Very valid point and one I feel thesame about

[sensei8]

I don't imagine the world without Chinese martial arts. No, it's just that MMA and the like are the rages of the pages and people like to see a good "fight", imho.

[iggyrip]

I think that MMA has replaced traditional martial arts for the time being. It seems to be the current fad. Still, people have seen what works and what does not. Many traditional martial arts do not train like MMA fighters and until they do, whey will probably continue to lose students. ( I realize that there are traditional arts that train much like MMA fighters, but they are the exception).

I do believe that the traditional arts have a place because there is much to learn from them. Hopefully, as those MMA practicioners age, they will realize that you cannot train MMA into old age and will look into traditional arts.

[MasterPain]

I think that MMA has replaced traditional martial arts for the time being. It seems to be the current fad. Still, people have seen what works and what does not. Many traditional martial arts do not train like MMA fighters and until they do, whey will probably continue to lose students. ( I realize that there are traditional arts that train much like MMA fighters, but they are the exception).

I do believe that the traditional arts have a place because there is much to learn from them. Hopefully, as those MMA practicioners age, they will realize that you cannot train MMA into old age and will look into traditional arts.

There is merit to what you are saying, but there is no reason that a person can't train in MMA into their later years.

[bushido_man96]

I think that MMA has replaced traditional martial arts for the time being. It seems to be the current fad. Still, people have seen what works and what does not. Many traditional martial arts do not train like MMA fighters and until they do, whey will probably continue to lose students. ( I realize that there are traditional arts that train much like MMA fighters, but they are the exception).

I do believe that the traditional arts have a place because there is much to learn from them. Hopefully, as those MMA practicioners age, they will realize that you cannot train MMA into old age and will look into traditional arts.

There is merit to what you are saying, but there is no reason that a person can't train in MMA into their later years.

I also disagree with MMA being a 'fad.' Its been around long enough now that I think we can take the fad tag off.

[MasterPain]

I think this is a good place to mention that pankration was an Olympic event in ancient Greece. The rules were almost exactly UFC 1 rules. It stayed that way until the games were abolished under the oppression of Theodocius I in 390 AD or so.

[bushido_man96]

I think this is a good place to mention that pankration was an Olympic event in ancient Greece. The rules were almost exactly UFC 1 rules. It stayed that way until the games were abolished under the oppression of Theodocius I in 390 AD or so.

Yep. Too true. MMA has been around long enough now that it just can't be termed a fad. Its a legitimate system of fighting. It is true that the rise in the popularity of the UFC and other high level fighting organizations bring a lot of attention to the system, but there are a lot of other practioners of MMA out there that will not reach that level of performance. Just like Olympic MAs like Judo, TKD, Boxing, Fencing, and Wrestling. They are most definitely not fads.