Martial Arts advice for a Novel

[dtp81390]

DaveB thanks your input. There are already a number of stories that use elemental magic, it depends on the story and how it is used.

This is what I was thinking after looking at everyones comments

Fire - Muay Thai - The 8 limbs concept will be applied as there will be 8 ways of using fire magic.

Water - Tai Chi or Jeet Kune Do - Tai Chi is what i have always pictured for this because of the flow and the internal focus, but after researching JKD it seems like this would fit because there are no forms, thus it adapts to your environment and situation. Aether is tai chi so not sure if I want to use it here too.

Air - Capoeira or Taekwondo - because of the acrobatics and evasive techniques however it is mostly leg based moves. Maybe Taekwondo is better because it has the spinning kicks and the fast paced unpredictability but also incorporates hand techniques

Earth - Kenpo or Karate - I understand the appeal of grappling arts for this one, but using it in a battle would be challenging especially since the other elements use more distant attacks. Kenpo and Karate utilize a strong base (I am bit biased since I have some karate training too)

Aether - Tai chi seems to be the best here, mainly because of the internal focus. This type of magic is a combination of the other 4 so one needs incredible focus and inner peace in order to perform this magic.

 

[jobo]

DaveB thanks your input. There are already a number of stories that use elemental magic, it depends on the story and how it is used.

This is what I was thinking after looking at everyones comments

Fire - Muay Thai - The 8 limbs concept will be applied as there will be 8 ways of using fire magic.

Water - Tai Chi or Jeet Kune Do - Tai Chi is what i have always pictured for this because of the flow and the internal focus, but after researching JKD it seems like this would fit because there are no forms, thus it adapts to your environment and situation. Aether is tai chi so not sure if I want to use it here too.

Air - Capoeira or Taekwondo - because of the acrobatics and evasive techniques however it is mostly leg based moves. Maybe Taekwondo is better because it has the spinning kicks and the fast paced unpredictability but also incorporates hand techniques

Earth - Kenpo or Karate - I understand the appeal of grappling arts for this one, but using it in a battle would be challenging especially since the other elements use more distant attacks. Kenpo and Karate utilize a strong base (I am bit biased since I have some karate training too)

Aether - Tai chi seems to be the best here, mainly because of the internal focus. This type of magic is a combination of the other 4 so one needs incredible focus and inner peace in order to perform this magic.

jkd was always being described as like water by its founder

 

[DaveB]

DaveB thanks your input. There are already a number of stories that use elemental magic, it depends on the story and how it is used.

This is what I was thinking after looking at everyones comments

Fire - Muay Thai - The 8 limbs concept will be applied as there will be 8 ways of using fire magic.

Water - Tai Chi or Jeet Kune Do - Tai Chi is what i have always pictured for this because of the flow and the internal focus, but after researching JKD it seems like this would fit because there are no forms, thus it adapts to your environment and situation. Aether is tai chi so not sure if I want to use it here too.

Air - Capoeira or Taekwondo - because of the acrobatics and evasive techniques however it is mostly leg based moves. Maybe Taekwondo is better because it has the spinning kicks and the fast paced unpredictability but also incorporates hand techniques

Earth - Kenpo or Karate - I understand the appeal of grappling arts for this one, but using it in a battle would be challenging especially since the other elements use more distant attacks. Kenpo and Karate utilize a strong base (I am bit biased since I have some karate training too)

Aether - Tai chi seems to be the best here, mainly because of the internal focus. This type of magic is a combination of the other 4 so one needs incredible focus and inner peace in order to perform this magic.

Good choices. I still think western boxing is a better choice than muay Thai. And Capoeira is the more unpredictable of the two air options due to the unconventional strike angles and movement.

I had envisioned grappling arts as using either a wrestling or Japanese jujitsu stance and making grasping, wrenching and twisting motions plus arm and hand knots to symbolise joint holds, all of which would manifest in the ground underneath the opponent rising to attack through smothering destabilising and thrusting into the opposition. There's not a lot of difference between karate and hung ga as far as something like this goes.

Anyway, good luck. Let us know when we can buy a copy.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Well, it really depends on the flavor you're going for. Are you open to western styles, or do you want this to stay Asian?

Anyway, my first thoughts based on the criteria:

Fire: Aggressive and Powerful: Western Boxing, karate, or Thai Boxing
Water: flowing and defensive: Aikido
Air: unpredicatble but smooth: Judo or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Earth: Resilient and strong base: Sumo.
Aether: spirtual, enlightening: Tai Chi or the romanticized version of Shaolin Kung Fu (think the TV show Kung Fu)

Edit: To add that Brent Weeks did an outstanding job creating a world that is similar. Elemental magic related to color in the Lightbringer series. I recommend reading those through. What impressed me the most is how he created a model for how the magic worked, and then really thought through what that would look like if applied in a "real world" by people trying to get stuff done.

I really like Steve's idea of BJJ for Air here. I hadn't thought of Sumo, but it does make a good fit for Earth. Tai Chi has been suggested for both Aether and Water. I'd suggest Aikido (depending upon the version) could fit either one. Mainline Aikido (Aikikai) or Nihon Goshin Aikido could fit for Water - these are significantly different (Mainline Aikido more flowing, NGA more direct), so it depends what you mean by "defensive". Shin-shin-toitsu (Tohei Aikido) would fit for Aether.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

One of the things about the Avatar series is that it is set in a world based on Chinese culture, hence why all the bending styles are made from Chinese Martial Arts. I would try and do a similar thing with your novel. Look at the world you are creating and then try and match fighting styles to it.

Also, Steve has brought up an interesting thought. In Avatar they used all striking arts, but of course there is nothing to stop you from using grappling arts as well or instead. The difficulty will come in trying to make believable action scenes when you have a mixture of grappling and striking arts. I personally would stick to all striking arts for the simplicity but it's entirely up to you. If I were doing this here the arts I could consider for each element:

Fire - Muay Thai
Air - Capoeira
Water - Aikido or hapkido
Earth - Karate
Aether - Wudang or Tai Chi

You suggested all striking arts, yet included Aikido (not primary a striking art, even in the styles that use strikes significantly).

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Thanks for the input. The cultures are different so I am willing to have a mix from across the world and not just Chinese or Asian MA.

I would also like to stick to striking arts as grappling would not bode well with my form of magic.

I've thought before of how grappling would mix with magic in writing, and it's less obvious than striking, but to someone familiar with grappling, it isn't difficult to see how they would mix.

 

[Midnight-shadow]

Good choices. I still think western boxing is a better choice than muay Thai. And Capoeira is the more unpredictable of the two air options due to the unconventional strike angles and movement.

I had envisioned grappling arts as using either a wrestling or Japanese jujitsu stance and making grasping, wrenching and twisting motions plus arm and hand knots to symbolise joint holds, all of which would manifest in the ground underneath the opponent rising to attack through smothering destabilising and thrusting into the opposition. There's not a lot of difference between karate and hung ga as far as something like this goes.

Anyway, good luck. Let us know when we can buy a copy.

On the topic of Muay Thai vs Boxing for Fire, I can see why Boxing would fit Fire better, but remember that whatever art is chosen has to be incorporated into the story and sound interesting. It is very very difficult to make pure Boxing look interesting on film, let alone on paper. I'm not surprised the OP chose Muay Thai over Boxing for this.

 

[DaveB]

Just put pen to paper to describe Mike Tyson's prime or Lomanchenko's present and I'm sure you could fix that.

 

[drop bear]

DaveB thanks your input. There are already a number of stories that use elemental magic, it depends on the story and how it is used.

This is what I was thinking after looking at everyones comments

Fire - Muay Thai - The 8 limbs concept will be applied as there will be 8 ways of using fire magic.

Water - Tai Chi or Jeet Kune Do - Tai Chi is what i have always pictured for this because of the flow and the internal focus, but after researching JKD it seems like this would fit because there are no forms, thus it adapts to your environment and situation. Aether is tai chi so not sure if I want to use it here too.

Air - Capoeira or Taekwondo - because of the acrobatics and evasive techniques however it is mostly leg based moves. Maybe Taekwondo is better because it has the spinning kicks and the fast paced unpredictability but also incorporates hand techniques

Earth - Kenpo or Karate - I understand the appeal of grappling arts for this one, but using it in a battle would be challenging especially since the other elements use more distant attacks. Kenpo and Karate utilize a strong base (I am bit biased since I have some karate training too)

Aether - Tai chi seems to be the best here, mainly because of the internal focus. This type of magic is a combination of the other 4 so one needs incredible focus and inner peace in order to perform this magic.

The point of grappling and an earth based concept could also be the idea that the grappler will take punishment closing distance. Just keep eating shots and moving forwards.

 

[drop bear]

On the topic of Muay Thai vs Boxing for Fire, I can see why Boxing would fit Fire better, but remember that whatever art is chosen has to be incorporated into the story and sound interesting. It is very very difficult to make pure Boxing look interesting on film, let alone on paper. I'm not surprised the OP chose Muay Thai over Boxing for this.

Muay thai has a concept of no unanswered strikes, which could be cool. You get hit you return a hit.

Look at some of the really agressive guys like raymond dekkers.

 

[drop bear]

Just put pen to paper to describe Mike Tyson's prime or Lomanchenko's present and I'm sure you could fix that.

or even change the boxing concept to an air one. With prince nazeem.

Or MVP.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

On the topic of Muay Thai vs Boxing for Fire, I can see why Boxing would fit Fire better, but remember that whatever art is chosen has to be incorporated into the story and sound interesting. It is very very difficult to make pure Boxing look interesting on film, let alone on paper. I'm not surprised the OP chose Muay Thai over Boxing for this.

Boxing as it is most commonly today would be harder to portray in that way. Perhaps bare-knuckle, especially the older version we see mentioned here on MT.

 

[Buka]

To throw in my two cents - you'll be fine with whatever you choose, just develop your characters. Novels should be character driven rather than plot driven. If we care about your characters, whatever magic, elements or whatever you give us, we'll buy in. If we don't care about your characters....well, you know.

And good for you, bro, go gettum'. I think it's great you're taking on this project. Best of luck!

 

[DaveB]

That MVP guy is pretty impressive, but it looks more like taekwondo or the much derided (bouncy tag) free style karate but modified for impact and showmanship...

"He is recognised in the MMA community for his unorthodox fighting style which originated from freestyle kickboxing (points fighting) and sport karate."

...called it

 

[Gerry Seymour]

or even change the boxing concept to an air one. With prince nazeem.

Or MVP.

Interestingly, both of those guys use a principle of overextending an opponent through movement to create openings, which is central to the aiki arts. One of the early clips of MVP even has a sloppy over-extension throw (and it usually is sloppy in application) that's part of our repertoire.

 

[drop bear]

Interestingly, both of those guys use a principle of overextending an opponent through movement to create openings, which is central to the aiki arts. One of the early clips of MVP even has a sloppy over-extension throw (and it usually is sloppy in application) that's part of our repertoire.

It is forcing people to become desperate. It is a pretty common concept

 

[Gerry Seymour]

It is forcing people to become desperate. It is a pretty common concept

Yes. There are few who use it so obviously, and it used to be harder to find "in the wild". Just interesting to see strikers using it as a primary tool to such effect.

 

[wingchun100]

I am in the process of writing a Fantasy Novel which incorporates elemental magic.

I was hoping that someone would be willing to help me determine what style of martial arts should go with each element type. I have given my thoughts on the characteristics that I was thinking.

Fire: Aggressive and Powerful
Water: flowing and defensive
Air: unpredicatble but smooth
Earth: Resilient and strong base
Aether: spirtual, enlightening

If someone could point me in the right direction for which martial art would be best suited for each element that would be great.

Thanks in advance

Fire: Muay Thai
Water: aikido
Air: drunken or monkey kung fu?
Earth: wing chun (I say this because we place a lot of focus on "rooting" our stance)
Aether: tai chi

 

[DaveB]

It is forcing people to become desperate. It is a pretty common concept

So not such a stretch to making effective use of aikido then.

 

[Zephyor]

Fire: I'd go with a more traditional type of muay thai ( look for muay chaya/boran, bokator etc. ) the tecniques would actually burst flames at the plac eof impact looking pretty brutal
Water: either tai chi due to the flowing movements either aikido
Air: I don't know about you, but for me the style most representative for air would be wing chun due to the whole "lightness" this stile is based on. the air manipulating chi sau would be quite nice
earth: heres the intresting part.. earth is tough, it makes me think of "tough, stubborn, unyelding" *read profile pic quote* that's what its all about... old school boxing would do... theres no need of flashyness or anythign more spectacular then a heavyhanded left to the face

Aether: the best "art" fitted for this element its anything but martial... these guys are all about the internal aspects of life yet they can be described as " louder than God's revolver and twice as shiny"theyr joyful, they have a flamboyant demeanor,
they're phylosophers, artists, they're whatever they want to be