# What do you think of Jake Mace?



## amateur (Dec 25, 2018)

He's a highly controversial kung fu teacher that has posted several youtube videos.


----------



## Tony Dismukes (Dec 25, 2018)

He seems to be a personable guy who’s in excellent physical shape. As far as his technique goes ... I wouldn’t recommend him even if you were interested in one of the styles he professes to teach.

His background is in Shaolin Do, which despite the name has no actual connection to the Shaolin temple and only a remote connection to CMA in general.


----------



## Danny T (Dec 25, 2018)

Someone asked this exact same question in Oct. 2017.
My remarks then still stand. 
"Not ever heard of him but did look up a few videos.
Based on the portions of two videos I viewed...Beware!"


----------



## lklawson (Dec 27, 2018)

Who?



amateur said:


> He's a highly controversial kung fu teacher that has posted several youtube videos.


Oh.  Why would I care?

That's actually a serious question.  Why do I, or anyone else, care about what Jake is teaching?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk


----------



## pdg (Dec 27, 2018)

I can't comment on his vegan videos, because I haven't watched them and don't know enough to judge anyway.

Some of his gardening stuff is good, some is very climate specific.

The majority of his fitness stuff is at least passable, ranging up to good.

He looked awful when he shaved his head.


----------



## ballen0351 (Dec 27, 2018)

pdg said:


> He looked awful when he shaved his head.


I disagree just because you don't know how to properly use a razor on the head doesn't mean he looked awful. See here is another example of head shaving on youtube so since I found it on the youtubes I'm then I'm right and your wrong


----------



## pdg (Dec 27, 2018)

ballen0351 said:


> I disagree just because you don't know how to properly use a razor on the head doesn't mean he looked awful



That's not the reason he looked awful at all.

He looked awful because he's got the wrong shape head for intentional lack of hair.


----------



## ballen0351 (Dec 27, 2018)

pdg said:


> That's not the reason he looked awful at all.
> 
> He looked awful because he's got the wrong shape head for intentional lack of hair.


Well since you have no youtube proof of misshapen heads your point is not valid.


----------



## pdg (Dec 27, 2018)

ballen0351 said:


> Well since you have no youtube proof of misshapen heads your point is not valid.



I don't need YouTube proof, I have ancient anecdotal evidence.

And my own misshapen head, which is going to remain hairy until genetics decide otherwise.


----------



## ballen0351 (Dec 27, 2018)

But hows your neck?


----------



## pdg (Dec 27, 2018)

Those necks are obviously designed to prevent them getting their heads stuck in railings.


----------



## Headhunter (Dec 27, 2018)

Don't know him don't care about him


----------



## amateur (Dec 27, 2018)

pdg said:


> I can't comment on his vegan videos, because I haven't watched them and don't know enough to judge anyway.
> 
> Some of his gardening stuff is good, some is very climate specific.
> 
> ...



I think I made it obvious that I'm interested neither in his diet nor in his hairstyle. I asked you to judge him as a martial artist.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Dec 27, 2018)

amateur said:


> I think I made it obvious that I'm interested neither in his diet nor in his hairstyle. I asked you to judge him as a martial artist.


We sometimes get goofy around here.

Ah, who'm I kidding? We sometimes manage to be serious long enough to make sense around here.


----------



## amateur (Dec 27, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> We sometimes get goofy around here.
> 
> Ah, who'm I kidding? We sometimes manage to be serious long enough to make sense around here.



I used to be something like that too. But, having been perma banned from several forums AND youtube, with no right to appeal, I'm way more careful what I post nowadays.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Dec 27, 2018)

amateur said:


> I used to be something like that too. But, having been perma banned from several forums AND youtube, with no right to appeal, I'm way more careful what I post nowadays.


Well, I've managed not to get banned for it, so silliness appears to be reasonably safe here.


----------



## Kung Fu Wang (Dec 27, 2018)

amateur said:


> having been perma banned from several forums ...


I was almost banned by another forum because I make fun of Japanese last name:

- Next to the well,
- Under the pine tree,
- In the rice field,
- Next to the river,
- ...


----------



## CB Jones (Dec 27, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> Well, I've managed not to get banned for it, so silliness appears to be reasonably safe here.



There's 3 new sheriff's in town though.....


----------



## Monkey Turned Wolf (Dec 27, 2018)

amateur said:


> I used to be something like that too. But, having been perma banned from several forums AND youtube, with no right to appeal, I'm way more careful what I post nowadays.


If that's a concern of yours, read through this post MartialTalk.com Forum Rules and Procedures

Ultimately, be civil with people, don't try to incite things among posters, watch out with advertising, avoid politics, and no challenge matches. There's more to it obviously, but that's the basics and you can read the rest at your leisure.


----------



## MetalBoar (Dec 28, 2018)

amateur said:


> I think I made it obvious that I'm interested neither in his diet nor in his hairstyle. I asked you to judge him as a martial artist.


I think if you look at the following in the forum rules you may see why people are limiting their assessment to diet and hairstyle and perhaps get most of the answer you're looking for:

1.10.3 No Individual Bashing / Fraud Busting


----------



## pdg (Dec 28, 2018)

amateur said:


> I think I made it obvious that I'm interested neither in his diet nor in his hairstyle. I asked you to judge him as a martial artist.



Actually, you didn't make that clear at all.

You titled the thread "What do you think of Jake Mace" and went on to say:



amateur said:


> He's a highly controversial kung fu teacher that has posted several youtube videos.



Which really in no way appears to be a clear question of "judge his martial arts". It's more like clarifying which Jake Mace you're talking about.

It's like if I say "what do you think of John?"

And someone asks "which John?"

So I say "you know, John in accounts"


Nothing in that conversation implies that I want to know what they think of his accounting prowess.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Dec 28, 2018)

CB Jones said:


> There's 3 new sheriff's in town though.....


Yeah, and @Buka won't put up with that kind of silliness! (Unless he's involved, of course.)


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Dec 28, 2018)

kempodisciple said:


> If that's a concern of yours, read through this post MartialTalk.com Forum Rules and Procedures
> 
> Ultimately, be civil with people, don't try to incite things among posters, watch out with advertising, avoid politics, and no challenge matches. There's more to it obviously, but that's the basics and you can read the rest at your leisure.


Oh, and no religious discussion.


----------



## Martial D (Dec 28, 2018)

amateur said:


> He's a highly controversial kung fu teacher that has posted several youtube videos.


Ehh.. there really isn't any controversy. He's really good at spinning a staff..and gardening.


----------



## pdg (Dec 28, 2018)

Martial D said:


> Ehh.. there really isn't any controversy. He's really good at spinning a staff..and gardening.



That reminds me actually, I wanted to watch more of his staff spinning vids.

I have no clue whether it's any good or practical and I care not a jot - it just looks fun and that's all I'm concerned with.


----------



## Martial D (Dec 28, 2018)

pdg said:


> That reminds me actually, I wanted to watch more of his staff spinning vids.
> 
> I have no clue whether it's any good or practical and I care not a jot - it just looks fun and that's all I'm concerned with.


Well I guess it could be useful. Mount some angled fins on the ends and you could generate electricity.


----------



## amateur (Dec 28, 2018)

pdg said:


> Actually, you didn't make that clear at all.



Umm... hello? I post on a MARTIAL ARTS forum and ask what you think about a MARTIAL ARTS teacher. I think this makes it obvious what I want to know.


----------



## pdg (Dec 28, 2018)

amateur said:


> Umm... hello? I post on a MARTIAL ARTS forum and ask what you think about a MARTIAL ARTS teacher. I think this makes it obvious what I want to know.



No, it doesn't.

I still have no clue what you actually want to know, because you really haven't asked any other question apart from "what do you think of Jake Mace?"

Umm... Hello? I told you what I think.

Care to ask a more specific question?


----------



## amateur (Dec 28, 2018)

pdg said:


> No, it doesn't.
> 
> I still have no clue what you actually want to know, because you really haven't asked any other question apart from "what do you think of Jake Mace?"
> 
> ...



Well, a mod said 'no bashing/fraud exposing'. I don't know whether it counts as bashing and I never implied that Jake is a fraud (even if he's not that knowledgeable a teacher, this doesn't mean he's a fraud). On youtube, there are commenters who portray him as a god as well as ones who think he lacks technique/knowledge, so I'm confused. I want to know whether you think it's worth trying to learn something from his videos.


----------



## Headhunter (Dec 28, 2018)

amateur said:


> Umm... hello? I post on a MARTIAL ARTS forum and ask what you think about a MARTIAL ARTS teacher. I think this makes it obvious what I want to know.


Buddy relax would ya


----------



## lklawson (Dec 28, 2018)

amateur said:


> Umm... hello? I post on a MARTIAL ARTS forum and ask what you think about a MARTIAL ARTS teacher. I think this makes it obvious what I want to know.


Don't get your panties in a knot.

You weren't really all that clear in what you are asking. Just "what do you think?" No questions about anything specific.


----------



## pdg (Dec 28, 2018)

amateur said:


> I want to know whether you think it's worth trying to learn something from his videos



I've learned some stuff from his videos...

A few things I've learned a slightly better way to do something.

A few things I've discovered how not to do something.

The key thing to remember is that you cannot learn solely from any video - they can be a fantastic supplemental aid to learning but you either need feedback or a knowledge base in place to assess the content yourself.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Dec 28, 2018)

amateur said:


> Umm... hello? I post on a MARTIAL ARTS forum and ask what you think about a MARTIAL ARTS teacher. I think this makes it obvious what I want to know.


We discuss a lot more than martial arts on here. Thread swerve is almost the norm.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Dec 28, 2018)

amateur said:


> Well, a mod said 'no bashing/fraud exposing'. I don't know whether it counts as bashing and I never implied that Jake is a fraud (even if he's not that knowledgeable a teacher, this doesn't mean he's a fraud). On youtube, there are commenters who portray him as a god as well as ones who think he lacks technique/knowledge, so I'm confused. I want to know whether you think it's worth trying to learn something from his videos.


I think part of that answer depends what you want to learn for. If you want to have some fun with a staff, he's got some video instruction that will help you do some fun spins and such. I have doubts that his staff work would be helpful for fighting, but I'm no staff expert, myself, so I'd leave that judgment to folks with more knowledge than me.

My understanding is that some of what he says about Wing Chun isn't accurate to the principles of Wing Chun, as most practitioners understand it. That doesn't necessarily make it bad to do (though I've seen a few things I consider just bad ideas). It doesn't even really necessarily make him wrong about them being WC, since there are some branches of WC that are different from the mainstream...so, maybe what he teaches should simply be considered non-mainstream WC. But I also don't know much about WC, so...

My final assessment is pretty close to what some folks said initially. He has some interesting videos, is pretty charismatic and dynamic, is in great shape, and has some fitness stuff that seems reasonable. I can find some useful stuff in his martial arts videos. How much I discard could be due to him teaching badly, or me just not grasping much of what he does because it's pretty foreign to what I do.


----------

