Martial arts vs. stupidity

[Dinkydoo]

Just correct them politely and move on.

Like others, I'm not sure how you've come to the conclusion that "Kung Fu and Karate are opposites.". Styles of CMA alone can differ significantly to other systems within the same umbrella. I believe the same goes for Karate.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Basically I don't really care what other people call the martial art I do, I know what it is called and that is good enough for me.

 

[pgsmith]

I only give my friends explainations in a manner that's easy to understand. All I tell them is that kung fu has fluid movements while karate is more like stop and go. Yet, they don't understand. So I'm asking again, what makes them so stupid that they don't understand this (especially the ones who study karate, since they should have a starting point in making the comparison)? Also, I live in Romania, not in the US, so I didn't know about the Judo instructor part.

I believe that it is the same sort of stupidity that makes people get upset when others don't think the way they do.
Why does it matter to you what others say? Are you practicing martial arts so others will be impressed? Are you upset because these other people (who are so stupid) seem more impressed with karate than with whatever it is you are practicing?

Expecting other people to care about the same things that you care about is non-productive. It will only make others think you are a jerk when you complain at them about it. Do what you do for yourself, and learn to value yourself based upon your own thoughts and ideas. It is tough to do at your age and will take practice, but will serve you much better throughout your life.

Good luck!

 

[vladone97]

I have been following this discussion with interest but this comment has spurred me into action. First, a quick question. What do you consider the main difference between Kung Fu and Karate? I take it from the comment above that you feel they are completely opposite style. Then another question. Just how do you explain the difference in an easy to understand manner?
:asian:

Easy to understand:Kung fu has fluid movements which are usually circular while karate has stop and go which are usually straightforward.
Complete explaination:First of all, external kung fu requires more agility and flexibility than karate. As for internal kung fu, it focuses mainly on breath-movement coordination rather than physical abilities (so it's useful if you're not really the stronget or fastest fighter). Both of them have more complex movements than karate (as stated above). Not to mention that since the movements are more circular, you have more attack variation in kung fu and it's also easier to trick your opponent (it's easy to predict a straight punch, but with the complex movements from kung fu, the opponent will hardly know what to expect).

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Easy to understand:Kung fu has fluid movements which are usually circular while karate has stop and go which are usually straightforward.
Complete explaination:First of all, external kung fu requires more agility and flexibility than karate. As for internal kung fu, it focuses mainly on breath-movement coordination rather than physical abilities (so it's useful if you're not really the stronget or fastest fighter). Both of them have more complex movements than karate (as stated above). Not to mention that since the movements are more circular, you have more attack variation in kung fu and it's also easier to trick your opponent (it's easy to predict a straight punch, but with the complex movements from kung fu, the opponent will hardly know what to expect).

Complete? Hardly.

Which style of kung fu (internal and exteranal are not styles)? They're not all variations of one art.

And more to the point, which ryu of karate? Okinawan or Japanese? Or even Korean? Some ryu have circular movements, others are more linear. Are you including kenpo? How about "Korean Karate" such as Tang Su Do and Chun kuk do? Again, they're not all variations of one art. Your assessment tells me that your knowledge of karate is severely lacking.

Your assessment doesn't tell anyone anything except that you think your style is better based on not knowing anything about another group of styles. You've not only not educated the person you're talking to, but you've actually misinformed them, making them now more ignorant than they were before they talked to you.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Easy to understand:Kung fu has fluid movements which are usually circular while karate has stop and go which are usually straightforward.
Complete explaination:First of all, external kung fu requires more agility and flexibility than karate. As for internal kung fu, it focuses mainly on breath-movement coordination rather than physical abilities (so it's useful if you're not really the stronget or fastest fighter). Both of them have more complex movements than karate (as stated above). Not to mention that since the movements are more circular, you have more attack variation in kung fu and it's also easier to trick your opponent (it's easy to predict a straight punch, but with the complex movements from kung fu, the opponent will hardly know what to expect).

You may want to look into Xingyiquan (an internal CMA) before you go with that one and you may also want to check out a seminar with Fumio Demura sometime and watch what he can do with a vertical circle

 

[WaterGal]

But, regarding the use of Karate as a generic term for martial arts, does this really still happen? I haven't run across that in a LONG time.

Oh yeah. I mean, I've only encountered it among people that aren't familiar with martial arts, but at least once a month we get someone coming into the school saying, "so you guys do karate, right?", or "I want to sign my kid up for karate". I've taken to telling them that Taekwondo is the Korean version of karate, sigh. But I still won't put up a sign that says "karate" like some of the other (non-karate) schools around here.

 

[K-man]

Easy to understand:Kung fu has fluid movements which are usually circular while karate has stop and go which are usually straightforward.
Complete explaination:First of all, external kung fu requires more agility and flexibility than karate. As for internal kung fu, it focuses mainly on breath-movement coordination rather than physical abilities (so it's useful if you're not really the stronget or fastest fighter). Both of them have more complex movements than karate (as stated above). Not to mention that since the movements are more circular, you have more attack variation in kung fu and it's also easier to trick your opponent (it's easy to predict a straight punch, but with the complex movements from kung fu, the opponent will hardly know what to expect).

I thought you might say that.
It just shows that you have as little knowledge of karate as you accuse others of having of Kung Fu. As was pointed out in another post there are big differences between Japanese and Okinawan karate. Although Goju (hard and soft) is the only one with soft in the name, all Okinawan styles include soft. If you came to one of my classes and we were not wearing karate gis then you would probably question what style of MA we were practising. Why? Because originally the early karate masters like Matsumura, Uechi and Higaonna went to China and studied Kung fu to a very high level. They took that back to Okinawa.
All our training includes circular as well as linear. We spend a lot of time practising Tegumi which includes Chi Sau and Chi Na. And I teach internal as well as external energy. Your Kung fu is very similar to traditional Okinawan karate not the opposite that you have obviously seen in the Japanese based styles.
:asian:

 

[vladone97]

I believe that it is the same sort of stupidity that makes people get upset when others don't think the way they do.
Why does it matter to you what others say? Are you practicing martial arts so others will be impressed? Are you upset because these other people (who are so stupid) seem more impressed with karate than with whatever it is you are practicing?

Expecting other people to care about the same things that you care about is non-productive. It will only make others think you are a jerk when you complain at them about it. Do what you do for yourself, and learn to value yourself based upon your own thoughts and ideas. It is tough to do at your age and will take practice, but will serve you much better throughout your life.

Good luck!

I'm not upset and I definitely don't use martial arts to impress others. I only think that since they do karate, they should at least know something about it. Not to mention that they claim karate is better than any other style, for example kung fu, but they actually don't know anything about either of them. Imagine this: saying that something you don't know anything about is better than something else you don't know anything about and not knowing why it's better, just saying that it's better. Does it seem logical to you?

 

[Dirty Dog]

I'm not upset and I definitely don't use martial arts to impress others. I only think that since they do karate, they should at least know something about it. Not to mention that they claim karate is better than any other style, for example kung fu, but they actually don't know anything about either of them. Imagine this: saying that something you don't know anything about is better than something else you don't know anything about and not knowing why it's better, just saying that it's better. Does it seem logical to you?

Given your explanation of the differences, apparently they're not the only ones who are ignorant. Something you might want to consider.

 

[vladone97]

No offense, but the attitude you are displaying is as ignorant as that of the people you criticize. You practice one art because you hate another art because you don't practice it and it has stereotypes? Is that really why you chose a CMA? Anyway, CMA has tons of stereotypes, arguably more than karate, depending on where you are or what era you grew up in.

I formulated that wrong. My mistake. I don't hate karate entirely. I onky hate what things like mcdojos turned it into. Also, I was talking about stereotypes taken to the extreme level of stupidity (see one of my other posts here).

Translation: She took up the martial arts because she was inspired by Chinese movies and Bruce Lee. Sounds like everyone who took up a martial art in the seventies. Could also be that someone told her that it was karate. Or that she's relating how she saw it as a child? And whatever she said about Bruce Lee that seems to have 'capped it all' you don't even remember, so why bring it up?

To make things clear, she said something simillar to "Karate like Bruce Lee was doing in his movies" and something about him having created a new style of karate. And let's not forget that she said "Chinese movies with karate". Do I need to explain the problem in this?

That isn't praising karate. That is use of the word as a category for Asian striking arts that utilize a similar skill set. It's the same reason that people called a lot of Chinese empty hand styles boxing. They don't confuse it with Western boxing, but fist fighting equated to boxing. If the term kickboxing had existed at the time, they probably would have used that instead.

Those who call Chinese empty hand styles "boxing" know what they mean by that. Those who call all martial arts "karate" (or at least my friends who do this) really confuse one thing with another.

 

[vladone97]

Given your explanation of the differences, apparently they're not the only ones who are ignorant. Something you might want to consider.

Unlike them, I've never said that one martial art is better than the others. I simply said I hate it because of what mcdojos turned it into.

 

[vladone97]

I thought you might say that.
It just shows that you have as little knowledge of karate as you accuse others of having of Kung Fu. As was pointed out in another post there are big differences between Japanese and Okinawan karate. Although Goju (hard and soft) is the only one with soft in the name, all Okinawan styles include soft. If you came to one of my classes and we were not wearing karate gis then you would probably question what style of MA we were practising. Why? Because originally the early karate masters like Matsumura, Uechi and Higaonna went to China and studied Kung fu to a very high level. They took that back to Okinawa.
All our training includes circular as well as linear. We spend a lot of time practising Tegumi which includes Chi Sau and Chi Na. And I teach internal as well as external energy. Your Kung fu is very similar to traditional Okinawan karate not the opposite that you have obviously seen in the Japanese based styles.
:asian:

When I explain this to my friends, I only talk about their styles. They showed me what they know and theirs are obviously Japanese. I thought you wanted me to tell you exactly what I usually tell them and what I would tell them if they could understand the easy version.

 

[Dinkydoo]

But the 'Kung Fu' McDojos are ok?

 

[Dirty Dog]

When I explain this to my friends, I only talk about their styles. They showed me what they know and theirs are obviously Japanese. I thought you wanted me to tell you exactly what I usually tell them and what I would tell them if they could understand the easy version.

You've demonstrated that you don't understand then differences either, so how can you possibly explain them to someone else?
Given that your "training" hasn't included an actual instructor, do you think it's surprising that your understanding is lacking?

 

[vladone97]

You've demonstrated that you don't understand then differences either, so how can you possibly explain them to someone else?
Given that your "training" hasn't included an actual instructor, do you think it's surprising that your understanding is lacking?

I do understand the differences. Again, I thought you were asking me to say what I tell MY FRIENDS when I explain everything (because their styles are obviously Japanese, so I only focus on the aspects of Japanese karate), not testing me to check whether I knew them. And I've never trained with an actual instructor because I live in Romania, where it's impossible to find someone to teach me martial arts instead of trying to steal my money.

 

[Xue Sheng]

You've demonstrated that you don't understand then differences either, so how can you possibly explain them to someone else?
Given that your "training" hasn't included an actual instructor, do you think it's surprising that your understanding is lacking?

WHAT!! :jaw-dropping: "training hasn't included an actual instructor"


JKD or "Kung Fu" or both?

 

[vladone97]

But the 'Kung Fu' McDojos are ok?

As I've said before and I have to say again, karate has more stereotypes taken to the extreme level of stupidity than kung fu.

 

[Dinkydoo]

As I've said before and I have to say again, karate has more stereotypes taken to the extreme level of stupidity than kung fu.

Magical chi and flying aren't extreme stereotypes...?

 

[Dirty Dog]

I do understand the differences. Again, I thought you were asking me to say what I tell MY FRIENDS when I explain everything (because their styles are obviously Japanese, so I only focus on the aspects of Japanese karate), not testing me to check whether I knew them. And I've never trained with an actual instructor because I live in Romania, where it's impossible to find someone to teach me martial arts instead of trying to steal my money.

But, as has been pointed out (scroll up if you need to refresh your memory) what you tell your friends... is wrong.

Before you can educate others, you need to be educated. It's really that simple.

While books, videos and even YouTube can be valuable tools, they are no replacement for an actual instructor. Your posts in this thread only confirm this.