Legends of the Martial Arts

[ppko]

:jedi1: Master Yoda
:jedi1: Master Windu
:jedi1: Master Kenobi

Hahahahaha

But who is the master of your masters
hahahaha:whip:

 

[Ippon Ken]

Not listed:
Nabe Matsumura
Choshin Chibana (coined the name "Shorin Ryu")
Chotoku Kyan (Chan Migwa)
Morei Ueshiba
Jigoro Kano
Seikichi Uehara
Choyu Motobu
Choki Motobu
Wai Xinxiang
Iwah
Tode Sakugawa
Chuck Norris
Jim Kelly
Mike Stone
Helio Gracie
Carlos Gracie
Rickson Gracie
Royce Gracie
Rorion Gracie
The Machado family
Yip Man
Wong Fei Hung

I'm sorry but Doshin So was not a master or pioneer of anything. He took Okinawan karate and Judo (plus ch'an/zen buddhism) concepts and made so-called "Shorinji Ryu Kempo".

 

[Sarah]

and mr miyagi for showing me how to wax a car

Hehehe

 

[ed-swckf]

Hatsumi is the mam!

he's quite funny, i heard the fbi keeps tabs on his schools.

 

[Aegis]

Not listed:
Chuck Norris
Helio Gracie
Carlos Gracie
Rickson Gracie
Royce Gracie
Rorion Gracie
The Machado family


I'm sorry but Doshin So was not a master or pioneer of anything. He took Okinawan karate and Judo (plus ch'an/zen buddhism) concepts and made so-called "Shorinji Ryu Kempo".

In that case pretty much none of the above should be masters or pioneers, as they all took what they'd been taught and adapted it a little. In fact, by that logic, no Brazillian Jujutsu masters should be in this list because they "took Judo and some other concepts and made so-called Brazillian Jujutsu"...

Doshin So made a martial art which still survives today and seems to be quite effective. Yes, they have some strange rules and philosophies, but the people who take it seem to become genuinely good martial artists. I've not seen enough to comment further.


ps I really have very little against Brazillian Jujutsu but felt I should make some comment here.

 

[sifu nick]

I think there is a difference between a pioneer and a legend. I view a pioneer as someone who changed the martial arts or introduced a new style to the world. A legend to me could be a great practicioner but someone who did not introduce new ideas or concepts. Or one could be both.

 

[Satt]

I just like that guy in Kung Pow who they trained wrong just as a joke.

 

[Adept]

Legends to me, are few and far between. If you get too many on your list, then they arent really legends any more.

I would have to say -

Muhammed Ali - for talking the talk AND walking the walk.

Bruce Lee - For not only giving the martial arts huge publicity, but for starting the push away from traditional limitations and beginning the mixture of martial arts. And for being frickin cool.

 

[jdam76]

Henry Seishiro Okazaki, and I wouldnt say the whole Gracie family, but definitely Helio.

 

[DoxN4cer]

Also not previously metioned:

Sun Lu Tang

Leo T. Gaje

Antonio Illustrisimo

Floro Villabraille

Angel Cabales

Willem Reeders

 

[Sin]

Oyata

 

[chinto01]

My legends would go like this:

Tode Sakugawa

Bushi Matsumura

Ankoh Itosu

Chotoku Kyan

Choki Motobu

Chojun Miyagi

Chosin Chibana

Eizo Shimabukuro

 

[Flatlander]

Well, if we were to broaden our definition of Martial Art, would it be cool to include:

Sun Tzu
Lao Tzu
Robin Hood
Zorro
Alexander the Great
Attila the Hun
William H. Bonney
Wyatt Earp
Geronimo
Crazy Horse

to name a few....

 

[RRouuselot]

First off I am wondering what classifies someone as a “Legend”. The reason being is that I have seen first hand/or actually met some of the people mentioned on the list. While some are rather skilled a few others actually suck at MA but had good PR in place and got their mugs on enough magazines for many to believe the hype.

So if getting your face on the cover of Black Belt :bs1: Magazine enough times even though your skill is awful as a MA qualifies you as a “Legend” then I understand how a few of those folks got on the list. However, if being able to walk the talk is a qualifier then a few of them should be cut from the list.

 

[RRouuselot]

....Doshin So made a martial art which still survives today and seems to be quite effective. Yes, they have some strange rules and philosophies, but the people who take it seem to become genuinely good martial artists. I've not seen enough to comment further.

The BBC did a not so flattering documentary on Shorinji Kempo in their “Way of the Warriors” series.
In the documentary they showed that Do Shin So was connected to an ultra right fascist and former Class A war criminal named Sakamoto Ryoma. Do Shin So claimed to have been a spy while stationed in China during WWII and trained at the Shaolin temple as his cover, a highly doubtful claim since it was only until China really opened it’s doors after the Cultural Revolution of the 1970’s that people were allowed to train at Shaolin. The BBC also stated that after WWII the place where Do Shin So was living was endemic with black marketers and Do Shin So claimed to have used his martial arts training to “kick them out”….it actually sounded more like a turf war between gangs.
There is a lot more so I suggest anyone interested watch the series.

 

[gmunoz]

Who would you consider to be a Legend in the Martial Arts, mine would be:
George Dillman
Wally Jay
Remy Presas
Seiyu Oyata
Hohan Soken
T.A. Frazer
Song Pak
Mas Oyama
Bruce Lee (just for making the martial arts so popular)
Myamota Musashi
I know that I have probably left out many great MA's so let me know which ones you would put in there

Let's not forget Stephen K. Hayes. Bruce Lee is another in my opinion. He completely opened the western world to MA probably like none other.

 

[Aegis]

The BBC did a not so flattering documentary on Shorinji Kempo in their “Way of the Warriors” series.
In the documentary they showed that Do Shin So was connected to an ultra right fascist and former Class A war criminal named Sakamoto Ryoma. Do Shin So claimed to have been a spy while stationed in China during WWII and trained at the Shaolin temple as his cover, a highly doubtful claim since it was only until China really opened it’s doors after the Cultural Revolution of the 1970’s that people were allowed to train at Shaolin. The BBC also stated that after WWII the place where Do Shin So was living was endemic with black marketers and Do Shin So claimed to have used his martial arts training to “kick them out”….it actually sounded more like a turf war between gangs.
There is a lot more so I suggest anyone interested watch the series.

Wow..

Considering the usual philosophies contained in Shorinji Kempo that all comes as something of a surprise! I'll have to check out that series at some point, though not having a TV is a bit of an issue as far as that goes.

 

[RRouuselot]

Wow..

Considering the usual philosophies contained in Shorinji Kempo that all comes as something of a surprise! I'll have to check out that series at some point, though not having a TV is a bit of an issue as far as that goes.

Yes it is. The show also mentioned that each teacher is supposed to teach for free and that each student is required to pay monthly dues.....all of wich goes back to the Honbu which is considered a religious organization and therefore tax exempt. Not a bad "philosphy" if you ask me. Also the present head of the organization is Do shinso's daughter who doesn't even train in the art.
There is also a room in the honbu that has Do shinso's glasses, shoes and some other personal articles that students pray to every month. Sounds kind of "cult-ish" if you ask me.

 

[Aegis]

It does a little, yes. There seem to be 2 types of Shorinji Kenshi then... the ones that you describe above and the ones who genuinely train in the art and the philosophy without all the cultish behaviour. I've spoken to some students and teachers of this art on other forums, and they come across as decent enough people with no trace of these rather dubious practices.

Further study needed on my part

 

[ppko]

First off I am wondering what classifies someone as a “Legend”. The reason being is that I have seen first hand/or actually met some of the people mentioned on the list. While some are rather skilled a few others actually suck at MA but had good PR in place and got their mugs on enough magazines for many to believe the hype.

So if getting your face on the cover of Black Belt :bs1: Magazine enough times even though your skill is awful as a MA qualifies you as a “Legend” then I understand how a few of those folks got on the list. However, if being able to walk the talk is a qualifier then a few of them should be cut from the list.

Just whomever you consider to be a legend, just an oppinion thread there is no right or wrong