Who has done the most for Martial Arts in the United States?

I think it has to do with your age. Baby boomers versus the new jet set/x-babies. Will someone state maybe 5 criteria for this scientific study.

Most Students
Greatest Number of Dojos
Most movies made
Most controversial
Most Contracts presented by National Governments
Most contracts presented by Municipal Law Enforcement Agencies
Most effective martial arts system presented

how can we rate "the best" objectively?
 
Dragon Fist said:
So far, Grand Master Ed Parker Sr.

And Bruce Lee are still leading the way.
Click to expand...
It all boils down to Hollywood and the movie industry.

In the last decade you have to give it to Dan Inosanto.

My opinion.

Regards, Gary
 
VERY tough question as no one person was the MOST influential. Lots of good names posted so far but many of the sports figures have been left off the list. Bill Wallace revolutionized kicking while Joe Lewis brought karate sparring out of "reflex" and into science.

Yours,
Dan Anderson
 
Dan Anderson said:
VERY tough question as no one person was the MOST influential. Lots of good names posted so far but many of the sports figures have been left off the list. Bill Wallace revolutionized kicking while Joe Lewis brought karate sparring out of "reflex" and into science.

Yours,
Dan Anderson
Click to expand...

I hear that there is a really good book on the subject called "American Freestyle karate." The author was pretty influential in the tournament Karate circuits, and a damn good writer too. ;)
 
Regarding the Korean styles, two people come to mind:

1. Jhoon Rhee was the first to teach Tae Kwon Do in this country, in 1955, before anybody had ever heard of Tae Kwon Do.
2. Chuck Norris. I am no real fan of either his technique or his movies. However, Chuck was the first Westerner to show Korean-based martial arts techniques in movies and prove you didn't have to be Oriental to do it. I think that's one of the reasons he got so big. He gave us one of our own to root for.
 
Bruce Lee is the winner by a long stretch. Why? Just a few of hundreds of points I could make:

He exposed the rigid "dead" nature of kata and (mostly) Americanized SPORT "arts", and it's ineffectiveness in training for real world confrontations, as he also promoted the truth that no ONE art was superior to any other..many have some technique, theory, or philosophy which is worthwhile for combat, and we use these gladly, with thanks and recognition to the original art.

And the truth that the exceptional individual transcends formal training in a lesser fighter, but that if the exceptional man/woman trains in every technique and concept which is combat worthy (that which works) he/she will be an even better fighter.

He taught us to try everything we could and reject the superflous, the unworthy concepts and techniques, for each of us as individuals. My polished and evolved JKD will not be like YOUR JKD. We also use this study of all arts/weapons as a basis for developing counters to them :)

There's a lot more but Bruce also emphasized fitness and conditioning as a priority. Power, speed, stamina as atributes which make one into a better fighter.
 
Robert Trias
1923 - 1989 American Karate

"perhaps did more for the martial arts in the United States than any man ever, including Bruce Lee."

Copyright Ā© 1997, Blackbelt Communications
 
Ed Parker
Peter Urban
Bruce Lee
all those previously listed are very good choices


Why Elvis, though? :?
 
I dont have anyone to add, Bruce Lee and Ed Parker Sr. are at the top of my list... however something crossed my mind...

Anyone think of Kaith.. he is the one that has given us a place to band together and share information... I know MT has made an impact in my training what about yours?
 
While there are many fine choices I would say Ed Parker, While Bruce Lee and the karate kid (and no I'm not comparing them) have brought the most publicity to martial arts, they have done it not as their major goal, their major goal was to make movies, Had they been golfers, their movies would have been about golf. But Ed Parker in the early 60's, at his own expense, traveled around the whole country, helping anybody and every body at their tournaments and demo's, He did everything he could to promote karate, and for those who may have forgot or didn't knew, His International karate championships was the most nationally prestigious tournament for Meany years.
 
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