2 options

[Chris Parker]

Oh, I'm not saying anything about the system itself, it could be fantastic, but claiming to be an old, historically based art while having no connection other than fantasy… that, I don't let slide so much.

To put it another way, if someone came along as a great TKD teacher, but said that what he taught was learnt from the "street-lethal Machados in Brazil, and has been tested on the mean streets of Sao Paulo and Lima", claiming it was a form of BJJ that had adapted to be a kicking centric art, how would you take that? The TKD might be great, he might be a real solid fighter and great kicker, but none of his story is true, and is, in fact, demonstrably false. That's how that "history" of "Kempo Jujitsu" reads to me.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Oh, I'm not saying anything about the system itself, it could be fantastic, but claiming to be an old, historically based art while having no connection other than fantasy… that, I don't let slide so much.

To put it another way, if someone came along as a great TKD teacher, but said that what he taught was learnt from the "street-lethal Machados in Brazil, and has been tested on the mean streets of Sao Paulo and Lima", claiming it was a form of BJJ that had adapted to be a kicking centric art, how would you take that? The TKD might be great, he might be a real solid fighter and great kicker, but none of his story is true, and is, in fact, demonstrably false. That's how that "history" of "Kempo Jujitsu" reads to me.

I'd find it amusing, but only different in the particulars from the misinformation that is widely spread in the TKD community already.

I've been told that TKD is a purely Korean art derived from a thousand year old tradition of Hwarang warriors. I've been told that the jumping kicks were used to knock mounted cavalry off their horses. I've been told that the Japanese karate was based on TKD. I've even been told that "karate is nothing but bastardized, Americanized Tae Kwon Do." (That is a direct quote from a TKD 3rd-degree black belt.)

Claiming that TKD was derived from BJJ would be no more inaccurate than the above stories, and it would at least be original.

 

[Mr. President]

Yeah… look, I don't really know how to break this to you, but that's a complete load of garbage.

Yeah, probably. I'm guessing he's not the only one, though.

How much is a year of study in your school? I'm guessing you don't have an uchi deshi program, so what's the closest thing you have to it?

 

[Chris Parker]

Why? Honestly, why would the cost of a years worth of classes with me matter? Are you seriously suggesting you're willing to, or wanting to, relocate to a completely different country to train in a particular school of an art you don't really know anything about once a week for a year, then, what, go back to the US? If you were local to me, I'd send an answer privately (I'm not here to attract students, so I have no need to put my pricing structure in a post here), but really, there's no practical reality to any of this entire thread, let alone that last post.

I'm going to take this back to my earlier question, as it's the most important one, and you still haven't answered it yet. What are you wanting out of your martial arts experience? At the moment, it really seems as if you're attracted to an impractical fantasy, thinking that "intensive training"/uchi deshi programs etc are better than regular training… frankly, they're not. They're a specialisation of a training methodology, that's all. Thinking that you need to do that for a meaningful experience is a fantasy born out of movies. Thinking that getting "there" (wherever that is for you) faster is "better" is also a fantasy, as by racing through things, you often have to leave a fair bit out, or skip over it. Thinking that the idea is to become an instructor in order to "start making some money"… honestly, get a business degree if you want to "start making some money". You want to become an instructor quickly? Don't.

 

[Mr. President]

it really seems as if you're attracted to an impractical fantasy

You're assuming I have no practical reason for doing this, and you're basing that on the fact that I haven't told you any practical reason. According to that logic, if someone wants to do something, he will automatically share his motivation for it with other people, and should he not do that, then that man is "lost in a fantasy".

Word of advice - Lighten up. Your posts, as alluded to by another poster in this thread, reek of bitterness and anger. You always answer from a place of rejection, suspicion and veiled contempt. I don't know what did that to you, but it sure as hell wasn't me.

 

[Chris Parker]

No, I post from a position of reality. Believe me, there's no bitterness or anger here, nor suspicion, rejection, or contempt, veiled or otherwise. I'm also not assuming anything, I'm making observations and asking questions to get a better idea of where you're coming from… which you are steadfastly avoiding answering, instead turning to ask about studying at my school (?)… for what? How did my school suddenly become in any way an option for you? What makes you think that you'd benefit from coming to my school? In other words...

What are you wanting out of this experience you're seeking?

There, that's the third time I've asked that… do you feel you could, I don't know… actually answer it now?

 

[Mr. President]

I'm also not assuming anything

Maybe it's me, but statements such as "it really seems as if you're attracted to an impractical fantasy" and "Thinking that you need to do that for a meaningful experience is a fantasy born out of movies" are assumptions. You assume that's what I'm thinking.

As to my reasons - I have a few practical ones and some that are more hopeful. I won't get into all of them because that's not why I asked what I did. Obviously, I would like to be more fit and more able to defend myself, but there are others.

And also, when someone asks you about the business you own or operate, the correct response usually isn't: "Why the hell are you asking? What does my business have to do with anything?" It comes off as defensive, angry and bitter. You'd be much better off just answering the question instead of trying to dissect my reasons for asking.

 

[Chris Parker]

Maybe it's me, but statements such as "it really seems as if you're attracted to an impractical fantasy" and "Thinking that you need to do that for a meaningful experience is a fantasy born out of movies" are assumptions. You assume that's what I'm thinking.

Okay, yeah, that's a misinterpretation. I'm typically rather particular in my language, so when I say "it really seems like…" while asking for some insight into your questions, it really does mean that I'm putting forth a possibility due to the lack of input from yourself… the second one is not an assumption, it's an observation based on your posts, your behaviour, your lack of answer, and understanding the way people's motivations and behavioural decisions are made. I'm not assuming what you're thinking, I'm responding to the information (or lack of it) that you're providing.

As to my reasons - I have a few practical ones and some that are more hopeful. I won't get into all of them because that's not why I asked what I did. Obviously, I would like to be more fit and more able to defend myself, but there are others.

I'm not interested in your reasons for training in martial arts, I'm asking what you're wanting to get out of the particular systems you've picked… why have you picked them, what drew you to them, that kinda thing. Was it just the "intensive training/uchi deshi" idea? If so, what makes that attractive to you? Are you after weaponry skills, or just unarmed? Are you wanting a sporting/sparring methodology, or are you wanting to look at more of a 'here and now' applicability? Are you wanting to learn a historical system, or is that not important at all? Striking or grappling, or it doesn't matter? Ground work?

What are you looking for?

That's the question.

And also, when someone asks you about the business you own or operate, the correct response usually isn't: "Why the hell are you asking? What does my business have to do with anything?" It comes off as defensive, angry and bitter. You'd be much better off just answering the question instead of trying to dissect my reasons for asking.

When it comes out as a random comment, with no real lead-in, from someone asking about specific set-ups halfway around the world from where I am, there's no point giving you the answer to the question you asked, as there's no reality to the question in the first place. My school doesn't suit the pattern you've shown, it's not a practical location for you, and you know nothing about what I teach, so you can't be attracted to that. In other words, it has nothing to do with what you're looking for.

I might point out, though, that my question wasn't so much "why the hell are you asking?", it was far more "can you give me a reason to believe that my school is genuinely an option for you?" Another question you've failed to answer, I might note.

 

[Buka]

Pick Monterey.