What's the thing that annoys you the most with some martial arts?

[Cruentus]

Charlitans are my number one pet peeve. People who claim miracules powers with their Ki, for example. Or, people who claim false linages to the shaolin temple. Or people with false credentials and the skills to prove it (that they are fake). Basically, I think that far too large of the martial arts community are fakes, and it really annoys the hell out of me.

Second most annoying thing is people who think that only their art, or their genre of arts has all the answers. The No Holds Barred fighter who thinks that only no holds barred fighting will prepare you for the streets, and all other arts are useless, for example. Or, the gung fu player who thinks that only chinese arts have the true answers. Or the Kenpo player, or JKD guy who honestly believes that their system is the only way. Or the Filipino Martial Artist who believes that knife fighting doesn't exist in other cultures. The list goes on. It's one thing to be proud and confident of your art. Its entirely another to be close minded.

PAUL

 

[Spud]

Tournament parents – the ones who focus on how many points junior needs to go to be State Champion, why so-and-so scored better in forms and if somebody’s time in rank puts them at a disadvantage.

Stop living vicariously through the kid.

 

[7starmantis]

Originally posted by spatulahunter
ive heard people say that before also and ive wondered is there any truth/need for that? because i do know that whether or not you are a martial artist can come into play in court

Its a completely false idea that you must (or can) list yourself or hands or feet, or whatever as a deadly weapon. However, what Paul said is true, if you are brought before a court, the prosecution will most definatly bring your training into play. I would even go so far as to say that the average jury selectee would be biased by just the mention of your being a martial artist. That is why you better behave, and if something happens, get a good attorney, maybe even a MAist attorney.

7sm

 

[Matt Bernius]

Originally posted by tshadowchaser
New age kata being done outside of a stage performance.(yes I know this one will get flack but its my grip)
Traditional stylest doing non traditional forms in compitition

Add to that:
1. Techno Music and Kata/Forms (heck any music and forms)
2. Grading Acrobatics above sound fundimentals in Forms
3. Flashy Gi's and Glittery weapons

As an art teacher once said (sarcastically):
If you can't do it well, do it big, and if you can't do it big, do it in color.

- Matt

 

[Spud]

Add schools that rush people into weapons without establishing the basics. I guess if you pay for Black Belt Club then you are ready to start stick fighting in your 5th week of classes

 

[superdave]

Originally posted by Matt Bernius
Add to that:
1. Techno Music and Kata/Forms (heck any music and forms)
2. Grading Acrobatics above sound fundimentals in Forms
3. Flashy Gi's and Glittery weapons

As an art teacher once said (sarcastically):
If you can't do it well, do it big, and if you can't do it big, do it in color.

- Matt

I agree Matt! I can't stand musical forms!

Michell "The Mouse" Krasnoo was an example of all three catagories that you listed. She would do a Kama kata, using flashy kamas in a halter top, to music.

It's martial arts, not creative dance. If someone wants to dance, join ballet.

 

[Cruentus]

Originally posted by Spud
Add schools that rush people into weapons without establishing the basics. I guess if you pay for Black Belt Club then you are ready to start stick fighting in your 5th week of classes

Some of my students will pick up a knife or stick on their first day. :2pistols:

 

[tshadowchaser]

Students that interpit what is showed to them in their own way and come up with some really confoluted (sp) screwed up mess that they think is a technique you showed
Students that always have to show off when they think they can impress someone

 

[Spud]

Originally posted by PAUL
Some of my students will pick up a knife or stick on their first day. :2pistols:

I knew I was treading on thin ice with that... Big caveat - for weapons oriented styles such as Arnis.... :asian:

 

[Ceicei]

My pet peeve is having a partner that will barely touch while doing techniques with each other. I mean really... what's the point of martial arts if somebody won't do much contact in paired practice?

 

[arnisador]

...except the stickfighting thing!

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Training partners who are so 'stiff' you can't work anything without risking injuey. (Its like, ok, this is the first time we're doing this, can you at least go with the flow so I can get the mechanics down? We can add resistant later, thanks)

Instructors who whip through a technique, then leave you hanging while they go socialize and never actually -teach-.

Anyone who is so closed minded that 'their way' is the only way, and everyone elses is crap. (Alot of MMA fanatics come to my mind.)

Stats quoters who can whip off things, without putting any of it into perspective.

People who either were self promoted, or promoted by someone who didn't have the know-how to honestly promote em.

Paper black belts. 12 years in Kung Fu does not qualify you as a 12 yr FMA black belt, IMHO. I'm sure some places will look at my Masters of Electrical Engineering and decide I also qualify for a Doctorate in Food Sciences, but is it really worth anything? Time in is nice too, but lets see your thesis, or at least your attendence. A couple of seminars doesn't = regular training.

Self-Apponted 'fraud police' in the arts who too often cross the line into 'Trollhood' themselves. Its nice to know the truth about someones paperwork, but once its said, the horse doesn't need to be beated to dust.

Internet forum folks who have attended a seminar or class in a variety of styles, who feel the need to advertise themselves as an expert through a mile long signature or dozens of posts with little to no real content other than self-promotion. Double for each decade they are under 60.

:asian:

 

[theletch1]

Instructors who whip through a technique, then leave you hanging while they go socialize and never actually -teach-.

Instructors who teach the same technique four different ways because they can't remember how the technique is supposed to be done so they're just going through the motions.

 

[whackjob-san]

Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz
Training partners who are so 'stiff' you can't work anything without risking injuey. (Its like, ok, this is the first time we're doing this, can you at least go with the flow so I can get the mechanics down? We can add resistant later, thanks)

AMEN!

 

[Chicago Green Dragon]

I hate seeing ad's for getting a black belt in a certain amount of time. It is up to the individual themselves with how much they put into the effort.
Putting a time limit on attaining your black belt is a terrible thing to do. If a person wants a black belt that bad go out and buy one. I am sure there are several places that would be happy to sell them one.
But the real truth will come out then their craft is called into play.

I also hate seeing people put rank on themselves when they are not. Ex. in the wrestling craze there is someone. I think his name is eric bishoff and he claims to be a 8th deg black belt. But he looks and acts more like a 10th degree clutz...........

Be yourself and proud of where you really are. If you want to be an 8th or 10th degree then put the time, effort, sweat and blood into it.

Chicago Green Dragon

:asian:

 

[rmcrobertson]

1. Students who, once they've learned the basics of, say, Kenpo Short Form 1, come to think that they never have to do the form again because they've learned everything that it might have to teach.

2. Instructors who are more interested in the latest and greatest nifty tech than what their students need to get.

3. Martial artists who somehow manage to get into fights all the time, or at least say that they do.

 

[Old Fat Kenpoka]

Martial artists who never fight yet claim to be self-defense experts.

Martial artists who've never taken a lesson in another style yet claim their style is the ultimate self-defense system.

Martial artists who think kata practice (including pre-arranged 2-man drills) is realistic street-fight preparation.

Grapplers who claim that they are immune to any striker's flurry of strikes, can slide through any striking barage, and take someone to the ground without getting hit.

Grapplers who think that pulling the guard is the way to win ANY street fight.

Strikers who claim they can knockout any grappler before getting clinched, can defend against any takedown attempt, and can never get knocked down.

Strikers who claim they can gouge and bite their way out of any clinch or ground scenario.

Internet posters who take themselves too seriously

Internet posters who take me too seriously.

Shaolin Monk wannabees -- typically American born white guys who dress in chinese silks and kung fu shoes or Japanese kimonos and tabi shoes at home.

Anyone with the title of "Soke" -- as far as I'm concerned, a soakie is a wet diaper.

A Stinky is the other kind of dirty diaper and that is what I think of egomaniac instructors who humiliate, brow-beat, or force students to kow-tow.

 

[superdave]

OFK,

Good post.

 

[Quick Sand]

Instructors that no longer train in or practice their art and are forgetting techs and stuff but still insist on teaching.

Instructors that don't seem to know their own strength and often hurt the students doing things improperly. Like grabbing a persons foot and moving it into a different position when they're stretching without tell them you're going to do it. (It's a really good way to pull a muscle.)

Instructors that give wrong information and confuse the students. Even with little things like insisting that he's going the other way because he's a "mirror image" when if he was a mirror image it would appear he was going the same way.

Instructors that don't perform stretches, pushups and other drill properly and therefore don't allow the students time to do things well. Ie. doing pushup without even going half way down and going really really fast so if you want to try and do them properly you can't.

Instructors that do all of the above. (Or a particular instructor)

 

[Zoran]

Originally posted by Old Fat Kenpoka
Martial artists who never fight yet claim to be self-defense experts.

Martial artists who've never taken a lesson in another style yet claim their style is the ultimate self-defense system.

Martial artists who think kata practice (including pre-arranged 2-man drills) is realistic street-fight preparation.

Grapplers who claim that they are immune to any striker's flurry of strikes, can slide through any striking barage, and take someone to the ground without getting hit.

Grapplers who think that pulling the guard is the way to win ANY street fight.

Strikers who claim they can knockout any grappler before getting clinched, can defend against any takedown attempt, and can never get knocked down.

Strikers who claim they can gouge and bite their way out of any clinch or ground scenario.

Internet posters who take themselves too seriously

Internet posters who take me too seriously.

Shaolin Monk wannabees -- typically American born white guys who dress in chinese silks and kung fu shoes or Japanese kimonos and tabi shoes at home.

Anyone with the title of "Soke" -- as far as I'm concerned, a soakie is a wet diaper.

A Stinky is the other kind of dirty diaper and that is what I think of egomaniac instructors who humiliate, brow-beat, or force students to kow-tow.

Hmm...that doesn't leave too many martial artists that you do like. Come to think of it, neither do I.