Chinese Swordsmanship

[ReverseLunge]

Well I don't agree. No foregner can be more Japanese than a Japanese no matter how hard they try. Those Japanophiles and asiaphiles are just pathetic to me. Most of the Japanese women who go for foreigners are the ones that the Japanese men aren't interested in. Rejects. But most of the foreign men can't see this because their taste is totally different. They think they are getting a good deal.

I know that the top Sumo guys make a lot of money and date movie stars.

[Grasshopper]

Well I don't agree. No foregner can be more Japanese than a Japanese no matter how hard they try. Those Japanophiles and asiaphiles are just pathetic to me. Most of the Japanese women who go for foreigners are the ones that the Japanese men aren't interested in. Rejects. But most of the foreign men can't see this because their taste is totally different. They think they are getting a good deal.

I know that the top Sumo guys make a lot of money and date movie stars.

Hmm that's strange because you are always talking about how much you love Asian women - does that make you pathetic in your own eyes? As a black american man I mean...

[ReverseLunge]

Hmm that's strange because you are always talking about how much you love Asian women - does that make you pathetic in your own eyes? As a black american man I mean...

I don't know how long you have been in Japan but back in the early to mid 90's there was a black boy friend craze over there that lasted for a few years. Kind of like whats going on now in Sweden now. Japanese girls were going nuts for cocoa-jins like me. I even appeared in 2 Japanese porno movies. I know I wasn't getting the classy ones but I didn't mind since I really can't tell them apart. As a black American I was doing pretty well over there but the Nigerians were doing better. Iranians were doing OK too. I was doing so much shabu shabu that I don't even remember all that much from then.

[Grasshopper]

I even appeared in 2 Japanese porno movies.

That's right, I saw your gay porn video called "I Got ReverseLunged By the Yokozuna" starring you and Hawaii's own Sumo - 500 pound Konishiki. Great stuff. Are you still walking funny these days?

[ReverseLunge]

Actually the bootleg American title were Land of the Rising Buns and Enter the Dragon Lady.

I wasn't in the lead role or anything (a Nigerian mans was). Infact I was just a body double. They used the lower half of my body to film the money shot. This is actually a very common practice in the industry.

[ReverseLunge]

I don't know why you would ask me someting then make a personal attack like that but whatever. My experiences in Japan were pretty good.

[LesTash]

Do you know if the Japanese are upset about foreigners doing Sumo? If I was Japanese I think I wouldn't like it. As a non Japanese I hate it. It's like going to Benihanna's and getting one of the Mexican or white chefs.

If you remember that Bruce Lee film where the Japanese Karate Master is subordinated by the Chuch Norris Karate Style... it feels very much like that to most of them.

[ReverseLunge]

If you remember that Bruce Lee film where the Japanese Karate Master is subordinated by the Chuch Norris Karate Style... it feels very much like that to most of them.

The movie was called Way of the Dragon and the guy that Chuck beat was actually a Korean.

Chuck later on got owned by Bruce big time. Bruce even ripped off a big wad of barbarian chest hair from Chuck and blew it into the wind.

[Christopher J Umbs]

Ok...

Most of my experience is in Filipino tournaments that let other styles enter as well. To the best of my knowledge, no Chinese school has entered, but Japanese schools have. So, two observations

1) Not everyone who does FMA is Filipino. Just look at http://www.bakbakan.com/WC-todate.htm and see how many champions there are without Filipino last names.
2) While Asian schools may have very neat and complex katas, when you see them in tournaments it’s back to KISS principles. Direct attacks, simple parries and ripostes, parries by distance then counter-attacks, and stop hits. Very few feints. Despite the fact that some of the Asian systems pride themselves on their triangular or circular footwork, they use linear footwork when tourney fighting.

Please don’t think I’m bashing the other styles by saying this. The top fighters are very good, but there’s no flashy jumping or twirling or the like. I do ten to slightly bash schools/styles that are very complex, but never put themselves in agonistic situations with non-cooperative opponents at full speed/power. In many respects, I think sport fencers would stand up very well in mixed martial art situations simply because y’all have such good timing and distance.

Chris

[Christopher J Umbs]

From another list
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The fact that non-pinoys take interest in our MA heritage is reason to be flattered & proud. For me, it's like anything else, such as the way you write your calligraphy; the way you play a guitar riff; the way you cook a certain dish; the way you manipulate your balisong before going into a slash and thrust: if I feel that someone genuinely appreciates & is sincerely interested in learning something that I know or can do (regardless of their ethnicity; racism is totally unacceptable; besides, the P.I. is a land of historically mixed-people), then the more I feel like sharing what little I do know with that person. Provided that their intentions are pure & honourable, their eager enthusiasm, open-mindedness & respect are payment enough (though that doesn't pay the bills in the Western world!).

Having said that, FMA are not for everybody nor should it be taught to everybody. Like any other art, I've heard some negative things about flips & non-flips alike involved in FMA. Teachers should be more responsible in determining who'll be their students. I've seen quite a few who are "certified" but, for the life of me, I don't understand how or why. Anyway, such is life: you take the good, you take the bad...OMG...I just got flashbacks of Mrs. Garrett, Blair, Jo, Natalie & Tootie! I'm in trouble! hehe

I can understand why money comes into the equation: time is money; fees rendered for services completed; MA education tuition; giving & taking; etc. Some others teach for free. I don't see a problem with either situation. What I do have a problem with is commercialization, fast-food-chain style. There's a fine line between commercialization with the intent to make huge $$$ profits & teaching to the masses with the admirable intent to propagate the arts. Selling-out shakes the foundation of FMA's integrity. That's a tough call.

The complete martial artist chooses to embrace both the tactical and cultural aspects as you had mentioned. That isn't to say that someone who focuses on one is not as worthy to learn as someone who focuses on the other, et vice versa. There are just different reasons & approaches to learning, just as there are different people striving to learn.

I do think, though, that a flip guro will be impressed by a non-flip student's sincere attempt to learn about the culture, the language and all of that neat stuff. Just make sure that you mean it, because I think that a guro would be able to tell if you're a butt-kisser and, thus, lose his respect for you. You don't have to know how to pronounce things or do things correctly (yet!); just demonstrate a willingness to learn.

Words of advice for non-pinoy FMAists, IMHO? Be nice, be yourself; don't be fake. Don't be 'mayabang' (i.e. arrogant or a show-off). Don't emit an attitude or come across as a 'poser', 'wannabe', 'being more pilipino than a pilipino'. Don't try so hard to fit-in (i.e. @$$ kissing).

Don't talk so much, as many (not necessarily all) old pilipino arnisadores tend to be no-nonsense people who believe in "Put-up or shut-up," and "Oh yeah? Here's a knife; prove it." Who knows, that may be a reason why this foreign notion of certificates & belts & titles, even though some started by flips themsevles, is looked down upon and ill-received by many native FMAists. You should truly believe in your skills without going by what is written on a certificate. Real altercations do not call for false senses of security. You can defend yourself with hard-honed skills. Would you rather paper-cut your opponent to death with your reliance on a certificate, rank or title? At the end of the day, may heaven forbid you finding yourself in such a situation, you alone are responsible for your mortality. Deal with the scary truth and get off your high-horse of looking around to see if anybody notices you in awe. You're studying FMA because...?

As far as pilipino combatives are concerned, actions speak louder than words so, please, try not to say (or even post in forums!) that you have this title & you know this guy who knows that master because, really, we don't give a $#!*. Trust me, your titles do not impress us. We just roll our eyes and bite our tongues but we might test you in a real combat situation (not gym-comfortable) if presented with the opportunity. The origin of the Aussie term (though not that nice, I don't mean to point at one group of people; just trying to get the essence of the meaning), 'Tall Poppy', sounds familiar (I'm not going to define it, so figure it out on your own online if you're unsure of the meaning).

It's not that you shouldn't say what you've learned & from whom (give credit where it's due). By all means, be honest. But, also, be honest with yourself! Don't try to feed your ego (although some may deny it because they actually know deep-down that they're boasting) by spitting out extraneous info. I'm not being PC at the moment and it may sound primitive but it should be said that being humble & having humility are virtues that are unfortunately lacking but very much desired and required. Be careful with how you present yourself, or you might have to eat crow & shred those expensive certificates later if you cop that kind of attitude!

FMA is no stranger to challenges/challenge matches, kind of like the gun duels of the Old West or even the Gracie JJ family showdowns. That's how FMA evolved, improved, endured by testing it on those who dishonoured the arts by talking the talk, but not walking the walk; so, just a kind warning.

Although not openly announced, the pilipino mentality is different from the western mentality. It's not necessarily good and it's not necessarily bad; it just "is" and non-flips should try to understand it if they choose to continue in the FMA. Hey, but then again, variety is the spice of life and, if everybody was the same, how boring would we all be?! Oh, well.

In a nutshell, just be honest, train hard, be open-minded, be respectful and be grateful to your teachers, peers & students. Train for the right reasons; not to show-off or to beat people up or because it's your latest fad. Be true to yourself & be true to your adopted culture & art. Please do NOT misrepresent FMA. The same can or should be said for all other MA.

Once again, I am not looking to engage in a heated debate; just replying to ap Oweyn's earnest question regarding various flips' perceptions. I hope that I haven't offended anybody in particular; just frank talk that is a combination of snippets of discussions with others over the years blended with some of my opinions. Thanks for your patience & understanding.

There's an old saying that goes something like this, please correct me if I misquote it: "To know where you are going, you must first know where you came from." You can really know the essence of FMA if you take time to study the culture of its people.

Mabuhay & continued success in your training...Manigong (Masaganang) Bagong Taon!/Bulahang Bagong Tuig!/Happy New Year!
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[VELISARIOS]

Chinese swordsmanship is so impressive. Do you guys think any of these moves and be taken over to our fencing?

http://www.wushucentral.com/videos/c...aight_Sword.rm

Hello Reverse Lunge.
I had study Chinese Martial arts (and Japanees styles for 5 years) for 14 years and in these styles which I had learn were styles with broad sword and dao (a sword like scimitar). I had study the Northen Shaoling style of swordmanship for the dao sword. The technics was simple with contineus slashes. A fencer (especialy a fencer specialized in sabre) can easily win. The only disandvagment of the fencer is the following. The Chinnese style swordmen have other three weapons apart the sword. And I mean the kicks and the punches. They try to come close to the oponent and hit him or grable him. Modern fencers have not this technics. Our fight stop when come to close. But even in this situation a fencer with great inteligence and agility do not let his oponent to come closer. Now about the broad sword (the Chinese straight sword) I learned the Eagle Claw style. It is a style to complex and difficult with many lunges, disengeges and engages and many grables with the off hand. It has the clasic parry riposte but the angles are a little diferent. All this style has focus in thrusts and only the 20% has slashes. So as you can see an eppe fencer can stand and fight, but again we have the problem with the grables, punches and kicks. And a basic and more difficult promblem for a fencer is that an eagle claw swordman fought not in the linear way like us and the Northen Saoling style but in circle moves (I can not explain you from here). On the other hand the swordmen which fight with the Oriental technics have a serious promblem. All technics which did ... are in the air. They did not have an oponent. Their fight become in their mind with a imaginery oponent, and they do not have experience in real fights, and if they have they did it with wooden swords and..slowly because they have no protective materials.
So you can not say that a chinese swordman can win a fencer or vice versa.
And something else. I thing that this video are from WU-SHU style. This technics (Wu-Shu) are not for real fight. It is like a theater, so do not imressive with them. CU

[ReverseLunge]

Thank you kindly.