howard said:
I know a bit about Korean sword arts, because I practice one (which is very heavily influenced by MJER), and I can asssure you that the foolishness being described here is not representative of legitimate Korean sword arts.
My bet is the comment about catching flying shuriken...
Jung Sin Il Do Ha Sa Bul Sung
Foolishness? Howard, do you practice Tanjun Hohap? Tell me is candle snuffing foolish? Or how about cutting oranges? They do this in Korea not to say, "hey look I'm so cool I can cut through an orange", they cut oranges because hey it's not easy to cut an orange from any Kamae or even a kiwi. Try cutting a ping pong ball in four pieces, I always loved that one. It's good training just as Tameshigiri is good training or paper cutting. Is that the soul of the art or just one of the blossoms? Hardly the soul.
Remember the old days of belt fights (whipping is what I called it) and shinai training? How can you make claims of legitimacy or not? In the old days men died in training, that was before the invention of Kendo. There was actually quite a restructuring when I was teaching because students did not want to train under me because I came from the "old days". Shotokan way. Spirit first technique second, those days. I remember all the instructors having to watch a video tape of the modern changes to the "industry" and of how now there is a gentle way of retaining students and that we must be more sensitive. We all had to take tests and get certified, I can't remember the course now. I called it B.S. but must admit we made more money when changing to the gentle method. But the modern martial arts was starting to lack anything real. Such is the traditional martial arts of today (not all). Safety first is the new way. Then we understood what it is like to get punched in the face with a bare fist or have a shuto across your temple or how about the time sparring full contact and you get an ippon ken to the xiphoid process (goodnight). In the old ways we all understood what techniques could do because everything was real but still with control, I stress the word CONTROL. When you came onto the mat you watched everyone and was aware of everything, fear was constant in those days, Sensei Campbell loved to demonstrate yaka zuki on unsuspecting brown belts. Anyone ever sparred with all the lights out? Try it, it hurts a lot. LOL!!!!!!!!!! In the new age we started wearing sparring equipment.
Foolishness? Remember stories of Miyamoto, Musashi as he was walking up the ranks of soldiers of the Kumamoto clan. Out of hundreds of "warriors" only one did he find worthy. The warrior he chose had absolutely no fear, out of hundreds of better trained Samurai this is the only one who remained with the spirit of Kokoro. When Musashi asked why this student had no fear the student stated, "I hardly train at all", the samurai admitted humbly, "When I go to bed each night, I simply unsheathe my sword and hang it above my face by a slender thread. Then I lie down beneath it and gaze up at its point until I fall asleep." These are old ways. As are catching razor blades flying through the air. They are no longer necessary but can be a good source for the way path.
Okay I'm sorry to the moderators for interupting this thread, I suppose you are used to this kind of thing. I come from old ways and it was dangerous. That was then. A thousand apologies for my nature so back to the subject. Koung Yet!!!!
Today when dealing with live blades safety must come first. Do you feel like it would be okay to lose a hand or an artery? Be careful please and be responsible, mostly respect the weapon, it only takes a touch to slice through a neck or even a torso. Everything YOU do is at YOUR own risk. Myself I prefer the Iai-to and when I use a live blade I understand the risks involved and accept that fate. If I could rewind time to the past I would not have allowed the audience to participate in anything like that. I thank God that no one was ever hurt by me or that no one was ever killed. I just have a distaste for the modern "business" of martial arts training. I have come here with only empty hands and the best regards.
