Official IWS Traditional Martial Arts Thread

[Ludo]

Oh yeah, that seems vaguely familiar. . .

I've actually always wondered why that strategy hasn't been more of a mainstay in all self-defense based martial arts.

Probably because it's so easy to do serious/permanent damage to the joint that it's almost impossible to practice and therefore not practical to use. One wrong step and your shit could be shattered even in 50% drills or something.

[Ludo]

I'll be watching the Pencak Silat one first. Love Me some Moro fighting.

[SPX]

I'll be watching the Pencak Silat one first. Love Me some Moro fighting.

I don't think I even watched that one. That's a prime example of some shit I would watch only when I had run out of everything else.

[Ludo]

Well you said it before your interest lies in traditional asian arts. I guess I'm a bit of a hipster when it comes to Martial Arts, at least in what interests Me more. I'd rather watch some Pradal Serey, Pankration, or even something on Eskrima before something on TMA.

[SPX]

Hmm. . . combative tai chi . . . didn't realize it actually existed. . .

[Ludo]

That shit looks hella-fake. Either that or that's the lightest fat guy ever.

[SPX]

I have the same suspicions, but I don't see the big guy intentionally jumping away or anything.

[Ludo]

I have the same suspicions, but I don't see the big guy intentionally jumping away or anything.

No, but that doesn't mean it's not carefully choreographed or anything. For all we know they worked for a few days on that shit. That or the little guy was exposed to gamma radiation.

[SPX]

No, but that doesn't mean it's not carefully choreographed or anything. For all we know they worked for a few days on that shit. That or the little guy was exposed to gamma radiation.

I was thinking more like he was using the principles of a lot of grappling arts when it comes to redirecting force. Also, it's quite possible he could just be a strong motherfucker. It's not like the bigger guy completely dwarfed him.

It could certainly be choreographed. Or it could also just be REAL tai chi in action.

[SPX]

Interesting Bill Wallace seminar . . . gotta love me some Bill Wallace . . .

[SPX]

More Bill Wallace action:

[SPX]

And why stop there?

[SPX]

"Push it in nice and hard!"

Insane flexibility from Bill Wallace.

[Ludo]

I liked him better when he was still William.

[SPX]

Bill Wallace is fucking awesome. Such a smooth and fast kicker.

[Svino]

Bill Wallace is fucking awesome. Such a smooth and fast kicker.

He shows great FREEEEEEEEDOM of movement.

Awesome! This is Shotokan, but it's really similar to what I'm learning in wado-ryu. . .

What's the purpose of recoiling the arm all the way back so that the hand is near the ribs after a strike? Actually, why are the arms ever in that position at all?

[SPX]

What's the purpose of recoiling the arm all the way back so that the hand is near the ribs after a strike? Actually, why are the arms ever in that position at all?

In traditional karate, that's called "chambering" your punch. Coming from the hip and adding the twisting motion to the arm supposedly adds power to the strike. I do believe that is true, but obviously there are downfalls, like the fact that that arm isn't providing any defense and also the strike has quite a ways to travel.

Reverse punches like this are done in kata and line drills and there is a lot of argument as to why. Some say that kata is to personify "perfect form." Others acknowledge its impracticality, but believe that doing traditional deep stances and kata/line drills builds core strength and leg strength. This is, in fact, the position taken by my instructor at my wado dojo.

In wado, we actually have the traditional "strength building" stances--which some say are also transitional stances, as you may transition into such a stance to perform a certain technique and then transition out of it, in free-flowing motion--but we also have an actual "fighting stance," which looks a bit more like a boxing stance with both hands up, kind of like this:

http://www.wado-ryu-karate.com/Kiso_Kumite_13.jpg

Even in the Shotokan vid, though, you notice that during actual kumite (fighting) they have a higher guard, with both hands up. As for why they end certain techniques with the hand back at the hip, I believe this has something to do with having to not only execute a technique in order to get a point but execute it with proper form. If your form is off, no points. But I haven't competed in a karate comp yet, so I'm not totally sure.

[SPX]

Awesome! This is Shotokan, but it's really similar to what I'm learning in wado-ryu. . .

[Ludo]

I didn't know they did full contact.

Some of those techniques looked pretty straightforward but then you had some trip/finishing combos that were badass. That sweep to the lead leg from outside was pretty sick.

[SPX]

I didn't know they did full contact.

Technically, they don't. Techniques are supposed to executed with control. But from what I understand, if someone runs into your punch or kick and gets knocked out then that's their fault, provided the judge doesn't believe you did it intentionally. Also, I believe that there's a lot more leeway with black belts than there is with colored belts, and it can essentially become full contact at that level.

Some of those techniques looked pretty straightforward but then you had some trip/finishing combos that were badass. That sweep to the lead leg from outside was pretty sick.

Yeah, you know a lot of people think of karate as being a "flashy" art, but it's really not. There are some flashy kicks like the spinning heel kick, but for the most part it relies on basic techniques. What sets it apart is the philosophy which governs a lot of movement, in that a lot of it is about evading your opponent's attacks and counter-attacking. Especially in Shotokan, there is a lot of emphasis on the lunging punch, and you see it constantly in the video where guys stay on the outside and then jump in to strike. This is exactly where Machida's "elusiveness" comes from.

And yeah, the trips are cool. I'm looking forward to learning that shit.