# How does it make you feel?



## hapkenkido (Jun 8, 2008)

I was flipping through a martial arts magazine when i came across an ad that had a xma person doing a jumping kick with escrima sticks in his hands holding them all wrong. It kind of makes me mad when i see on tv, in a movie, at a turnament, or in pirnt holding the weapon wrong or not using it the right way. Like throwing a sword/ cane  up in the air then catching it. So how does it make you feel when you see FMA stick /blade/mano de mano done wrong?


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## arnisador (Jun 8, 2008)

I must confess I've given up--but I do know what you mean.


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## Perpetual White Belt (Jun 8, 2008)

It irritates the living crap outta' me.  Some people don't get why it bothers me so much, but the problem arises when all people want to learn is that flashy crap that doesn't teach you squat as far as body mechanics for actual self defense.  The popular argument is, "Well I wouldn't be carrying these weapons around with me for self defense."  That just shows me that they don't understand the meaning behind the training.  Even in classical Okinawan weapons the same principles as empty hand fighting.  Footwork, weight distribution, balance.... it's all the same, but when you start developing bad habits in one area of training it leeches into other areas.  As a Filipino artist I taught a seminar at an Issin-Ryu school and for part of it I demonstrated how movements from their weapon kata could be used as empty hand self defense.  Blew their minds.  I'm betting that the people that were in attendence don't look at any of their kata the same.


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## Guro Harold (Jun 8, 2008)

arnisador said:


> I must confess I've given up--but I do know what you mean.


I'm with Arnisador on this one.

My question is that if someone can do a double back flip 12 feet in the air, why would they need any sticks?


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## Black Grass (Jun 9, 2008)

Doesn't bother me at all because XMA is performance art. Same reason I don't get upset when i see Filipino dance troupes doing arnis or silat dances, it is what it is.

Now if they said this was more effective than the traditional systems or we have improved on the arnis in the Philippines that would be different.

Vince
aka Black Grass


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## Perpetual White Belt (Jun 9, 2008)

Black Grass said:


> Now if they said this was more effective than the traditional systems or we have improved on the arnis in the Philippines that would be different.


 
I believe Chris Cassamasa wrote an article that was published in Black Belt that said just such a thing.  It wasn't exclusive to FMA.  They "improved" on the handling and techniques of Okinawan weapons as well.


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## MJS (Jun 9, 2008)

hapkenkido said:


> I was flipping through a martial arts magazine when i came across an ad that had a xma person doing a jumping kick with escrima sticks in his hands holding them all wrong. It kind of makes me mad when i see on tv, in a movie, at a turnament, or in pirnt holding the weapon wrong or not using it the right way. Like throwing a sword/ cane up in the air then catching it. So how does it make you feel when you see FMA stick /blade/mano de mano done wrong?


 
People grab a weapon that they have no idea how to use or they think that they know what they're doing, and give a distorted version of how the weapon is really intended to be used.  I've seen alot of FMA clips...Arnis, Doce Pares, PT...not once have I seen someone jumping into the air. If there are such clips out there I must've missed them.  

XMA seems to be alot of flash, and that seems like thats what alot of people like.  Hell, look at the tournaments today.  What do you see?  Someone doing kata with cartwheels.  Looks most like gymnastics than anything else.  

I know that they're not representing FMA when I see stuff like that, so I can rest easy knowing what the art is really like.  Someone else though...they may get a wrong impression.  All we can hope is that they don't assume that is what the art is like and if they were interested in it, they decide that they lost the interest because of a poor picture.


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## pesilat (Jun 9, 2008)

On the one hand, I cringe. On the other, I'm sure TKD guys (for instance) cringe when they see me doing a kick.

Mike


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## chris arena (Jun 10, 2008)

I just sigh and turn the page. I however, am on exactly the same page as the "Perpetual Black Belt", I have 3 Isshin Ryu Black Belt Students. One is a 6th degree who has studied Arnis with me for about 2 years and can do it all. He states that Arnis is showing him how the old masters probably really moved. He feels that true form has been somewhat lost to Dojo Dogma unless someone takes the blinders off. When I first showed him the Sibat Staff forms, he was blown away. Here he is with these beautiful long staff sets and yet has never impacted another staff. All of the grip changes and impact shocks of two man play litterly change the game completely. Sticks or staffs, it you are not impacting the other stick you just will never get it. That is my problem with the XMA stuff. In my opinion it ceases to be a martial art. It is a shame too, because most of those XMA players started with good foundational structure, then throw it away with flashy stuff. Anyway, My IsshanRyu blackbelt student feels that Arnis is helping him to correct the form that he has spent 35 years learning. He plans to take it to national form competition to prove the point when he turns 50 in about another year. His movements are beautiful much faster and far more fluid than prior to his Arnis training.

Chris A


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