Stop the Madness

[roryneil]

When I think "Grandmaster", I want to see Master Po and Master Kan, old and wrinkley and they stare right through to your soul!!

 

[Kroy]

Originally posted by brianhunter
Okay, how many years experience is acceptable for a grandmaster? How many years experience is acceptable before creating ones own style? "Not everyone is bruce lee" well bruce lee wasnt really the icon bruce lee people associate, there are guys today that if they came out of a system 4-6 years and bring up radical ideas are disreguarded as flakes or not enough experience, bruce lee did the same thing while "borrowing" from several different sources. How many "years" experience did bruce lee have to warrant idolization?

Bruce Lee was a pioneer, his idea was to use what you want and chuck the rest. He wasnt trying to create a new system, he just wanted to show people that they had the freedom to choose how they trained. I would not put him in the same category as these pretended masters.

 

[angrywhitepajamas]

Aside from the associated definition of bad smells. Our society looks at rank as a sign of competince. Look at american college system to see what I mean. If any one has a little peice of paper to coroborate their claim to a specific rank, there will be those who will follow that person. Trust me on this, I know because I used to practice amway.

 

[jeffkyle]

Originally posted by Kroy
Bruce Lee was a pioneer, his idea was to use what you want and chuck the rest. He wasnt trying to create a new system, he just wanted to show people that they had the freedom to choose how they trained. I would not put him in the same category as these pretended masters.

And he worked with Ed Parker for a time there...who taught who that idea? Bruce Lee was out in mainstream public (behind the cameras) way more than Parker, however.

 

[Goldendragon7]

Originally posted by jeffkyle
And he worked with Ed Parker for a time there...who taught who that idea? Bruce Lee was out in mainstream public (behind the cameras) way more than Parker, however.

If you are saying who learned more from whom..... I would say.... Bruce Lee learned much more from Ed Parker than the reverse.

Both were rebels but..........

One went on to Master Hollywood in a big way and taught his system to a few, the other went on to become a Master Teacher and Organizer in a big way, and only has been seen in Hollywood through a few minor movies.

:asian:

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by Kalicombat
My take is that you cant control other people, unless you are committed to using force, and then you have to pay for it, one way or another, but thats a different story. People will always find a way to capitalize on whatever the-flavor-of -the-month happens to be in the martial arts at any given time. After Royce Gracie won a few UFC's, look at how many people started listing BJJ as one of their arts. Look at how many clubs opened up by people that had never heard of BJJ until Royce layed on his back for a few hours in the octagon. The same thing happened with the Israeli art after it made its way into the pages of all the MA rags. Jennifer Lopez struttin her fine-a$$ on the big screen didnt hurt either. Aikidos popularity picked up after Segal started making films, and how many of us have a dragon sword in our closet, just like the one Duncan McCLeod parlayed around on the Highlander. Capitalizm, mass marketing, looking for an easy BLING BLING. Its as much a part of the martial arts as it is every day life.

The one remedy for this problem is education. Read, watch, study, train, learn, and recognize bunk when you see it. I came to kenpo as a Kenpo virgin, except for a little stint with the IKCA, and I was exposed to EPAK from the get go. When my instructor relocated, I became a kenpo ronin, no pun intended. I chanced upon an off-shoot system and it filled its place for me. In fact I am still current in that system. But, whenever I had the chance to retake EPAK, I jumped, no actually I chased it. My EPAK instructor happens to live 24 hours away, and my finances as of late has prevented any one-on-ones, but I continue to stay after my EPAK training.

Kenpo is a state of mind, a life style, a passion. It is engrained in ones fabric. Distance cant stop it. Lack of money cant stop it, nothing can stop it. A person decides to participate, and they decide to stop. There is nothing more pure then one guy, in a garage, sweating his hind quarters off doing delayed sword over, and over, and over, and over. Banging away on a heavy bag, going through which ever form he knows until his kids come out and ask him for a ride to school. IF EPAK is what you are after, GET IT. Let the hodge podge systems of Chinese-Japanese- Brazilian-Knifefighting-Ukranian-Kitchen-Sink-Pepperspray- Clandestine-Killer-Ninja-SOG-Ryu to those misguided souls that have never experienced EPAK. Its been said that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but in kenpo I believe it is. IF a person has never seen a Dennis Conatser or any other quality EPAK instructor move, and see the flame burning in their eyes when they are teaching something, then how can they ever understand. They cant. There is room in the arts for everyone, but when the moment of truth occurs, some of us will go home, and others will go to the emergency room. I am partial to the furnishings at my house, my garage, and my passion.

Keep the flame alive,
Gary Catherman, Kenpoist

Hey Gary, I would have to agree with you. I left American Kenpo, around 3 or 4 years ago. I didn't like the predominant attitude within the limited groups that were teaching it at that time.
I am now firmly ensconsed in Ryukyu Kempo, but everytime there is a seminar I am there. I still love the EPAK system, but have so much to learn where I am, I won't be back for a while.

Quite often, though, I will attempt to use some EPAK concepts or principles to make a technique work that much better, or to create a little more pain.

--Dave

:asian:

 

[jeffkyle]

Originally posted by Goldendragon7
If you are saying who learned more from whom..... I would say.... Bruce Lee learned much more from Ed Parker than the reverse.

Both were rebels but..........


:asian:

I would have to agree with you. I believe it was the same way.

:asian:

 

[brianhunter]

Originally posted by jeffkyle
I would have to agree with you. I believe it was the same way.

:asian:

What gets me is people underestimate the amount of help and ideas that Mr Parker gave to Bruce Lee, after all it was Mr Parkers internationals he got his "big start" at isnt it?

 

[jeffkyle]

I believe he liked to be behind the scenes when it came to hollywood and major publicity from a camera. He was into spreading his word through others and letting them be the ones to go have all of that hollywood stress. The problem with that is, however, he didn't get the recognition he should have sometimes because he was behind the scenes.

 

[Goldendragon7]

Originally posted by jeffkyle
I believe he liked to be behind the scenes when it came to hollywood and major publicity from a camera. He was into spreading his word through others and letting them be the ones to go have all of that hollywood stress. The problem with that is, however, he didn't get the recognition he should have sometimes because he was behind the scenes.

Well, I see what you are saying now....... If you would have known him...... you would know that he "was" behind many of scenes..... but was not one to avoid the front lines. He was there as often as he could be.

:asian:

 

[jeffkyle]

Originally posted by Goldendragon7
Well, I see what you are saying now....... If you would have known him...... you would know that he "was" behind many of scenes..... but was not one to avoid the front lines. He was there as often as he could be.

:asian:

He was definitely on the front lines in many ways...and probably not scared of much! It just seems he didn't like hollywood for himself...but would help others as need be!

 

[Goldendragon7]

Originally posted by jeffkyle
He was definitely on the front lines in many ways...and probably not scared of much! It just seems he didn't like hollywood for himself...but would help others as need be!

Are you kidding......... LOL, he was there as much as possible....... However, becoming a full time actor was definitely NOT his chosen vocation (LOL), and part time acting didn't pay that much. Besides he was soooooooo busy with teaching American Kenpo and his always present, numerous projects.

He was in TV episodes of:
I Love Lucy
The Courtship of Eddies Father

He was in or advised in the movies:
7
To Kill the Golden Goose
Buckstone County Prison (sometimes known as Seabo)
The Perfect Weapon

And of course he taught many stars & personalities such as......
Elvis
Nick Adams (the Rebel)
Julie Andrews & Blake Edwards (her husband)
Joe Hymes & Elke Summer (his then wife)
Robert Culp (I Spy)
Robert Wagner ()
Robert Conrad (Wild wild west)
Rick Jason (Combat)
Audie Murphy
Frank Lovejoy
Joey Bishop (Comedian)
Darrin McGavin
McDonald Cary
Jose Ferrar
George Hamilton (Zorro)
Warren Beatty
Fabian
Dick Martin (Rowan & Martin's Laugh In)

These are only some............... When did he have time......LOL

:asian:

 

[jeffkyle]

Originally posted by Goldendragon7
Are you kidding......... LOL, he was there as much as possible....... However, becoming a full time actor was definitely NOT his chosen vocation (LOL), and part time acting didn't pay that much. Besides he was soooooooo busy with teaching American Kenpo and his always present, numerous projects.

He was in TV episodes of:
I Love Lucy
The Courtship of Eddies Father

He was in or advised in the movies:
7
To Kill the Golden Goose
Buckstone County Prison (sometimes known as Seabo)
The Perfect Weapon

And of course he taught many stars & personalities such as......
Elvis
Nick Adams (the Rebel)
Julie Andrews & Blake Edwards (her husband)
Joe Hymes & Elke Summer (his then wife)
Robert Culp (I Spy)
Robert Wagner ()
Robert Conrad (Wild wild west)
Rick Jason (Combat)
Audie Murphy
Frank Lovejoy
Joey Bishop (Comedian)
Darrin McGavin
McDonald Cary
Jose Ferrar
George Hamilton (Zorro)
Warren Beatty
Fabian
Dick Martin (Rowan & Martin's Laugh In)

These are only some............... When did he have time......LOL

:asian:

I never heard, or knew that he was in I love Lucy! Very interesting.

 

[Goldendragon7]

Originally posted by jeffkyle
I never heard, or knew that he was in I love Lucy! Very interesting.

All true, and I know I left some out........ Kenpo Joe could fill in the gaps I left with even more Kenpo Trivia.

:asian:

 

[theletch1]

.

Kenpo Joe could fill in the gaps I left with even more Kenpo Trivia.

How 'bout it Joe? I'd love to have a thread or at least a couple of posts for trivia (being a trivial kinda guy) regarding kenpo. Being a trucker gives me way too many opportunities to converse with others and a decided shortage of new things to discuss.