so this is where it stands...

[rogue]

MK took his kung fu to the people! It's my kung fu, not my teacher's. I evolved it to fit my needs.

I disagree with your opinion.

That's cool and the same attitude I had toward karate. The problem came from other karate people who were shocked that I dropped kata, most Japanese names for techniques, bowing (I shake hands) and most of the other traditions.

So if you consider yourself still a TCMA, do other TCMA still consider you one?

[gwa sow]

"I evolved it to fit my needs"

isn't that how all our styles came about, judo, bjj kung fu, karate. if not, we'd all be beating each other with sticks and stones

[MasterKiller]

That's cool and the same attitude I had toward karate. The problem came from other karate people who were shocked that I dropped kata, most Japanese names for techniques, bowing (I shake hands) and most of the other traditions.

So if you consider yourself still a TCMA, do other TCMA still consider you one?

I haven't abandoned kung fu entirely. I'm just focusing 100% on fighting right now while I'm young enough and healthy enough to internalize the skills. I still do forms, just not in class.

And whatever anyone else thinks of what I'm doing, if they have a beef we can cross hands and settle it. That is the kung fu way, afterall.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Some definitions of "tradtional":

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/traditional

1. of or pertaining to tradition.
2. handed down by tradition.
3. in accordance with tradition.
4. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the older styles of jazz, esp. New Orleans style, Chicago style, Kansas City style, and Dixieland. Compare mainstream (def. 4).

traditional

adjective
1. consisting of or derived from tradition; "traditional history"; "traditional morality" [ant: nontraditional]
2. pertaining to time-honored orthodox doctrines; "the simple security of traditional assumptions has vanished"

[rogue]

I haven't abandoned kung fu entirely. I'm just focusing 100% on fighting right now while I'm young enough and healthy enough to internalize the skills. I still do forms, just not in class.

And whatever anyone else thinks of what I'm doing, if they have a beef we can cross hands and settle it. That is the kung fu way, afterall.

Good attitude.

For me I found that over time I related less and less to my traditional cousins. Couldn't see the point of having to discover what was in the art while others are busy working on, well, making things work.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

I haven't abandoned kung fu entirely. I'm just focusing 100% on fighting right now while I'm young enough and healthy enough to internalize the skills. I still do forms, just not in class.

Reply]
Isn't Kung Fu about fighting?

What R U doing that is not Kung Fu?

[MasterKiller]

Isn't Kung Fu about fighting?

It should be. But modern fighting doesn't have room for 3-section staffs, rope darts, etc..

What R U doing that is not Kung Fu?

Everything I do is kung fu.

[xcakid]

Ah...maybe its cause I am getting old that I have this view these days.

I use to view TCMA as the end all be all in MA. Afterall it encompassed all of the fighting methodologies. Punching, Kicking, Wrestling, and Joint Locks. Although admittedly, not all instructors are versed in all aspects of TCMA. It was all about fighting with me. Back in the 80's we did not have MMA yet.

Nowadays, I can't see myself training in a pugilistic manner anymore. I am no longer fast. I am no longer flexible. I no longer have a strong constitution. I now train for physical fitness, rather than fighting. My fighting will now consist of calling 911 or shooting an assaillant.

So with that said, I view martial arts more for its health and mental aspect. Progressive arts such as MMA just does not provide that. There is a practicality to it if all you want to do is bang knuckles to heads.

I say that to say this. And I have said this on many threads on this forum. TCMA or any type of TMA, have stopped progressing in the 1900's. It has become stagnant. Training have been wussified. It has not kept up with modern times and modern weapons. Back in the day, MA will train with the most devastating weapons out there, be it bow and arrow, spear, swords etc. Ffwd to today. We still train with those. Good instructors knows and teaches fighting application of these weapons. But c'mon!!! How many people carry around swords and spears nowadays. When was the last time anyone was mugged/robbed with a spear? How come martial arts did not follow progress in weapons? Why don't we practice marksmanship with firearms? Why do most(not all) not practice with knife fighting. Martial Arts style use to innovate weaponry and ways of fighting individually. Take the hook swords or wing chuns butterfly knives. The varying techniques derived from various regions of China. Most adapted their way of fighting depending on terrain and what was available to them to work with. Heck even Taiji has been reduced to a form of dance these days. I bet 80% of Taiji practitioners do not know anything of the art past the postures such as its defense/offense application. Most practioners I've seen do not have the proper stances for the defense/offense application of those postures. Very few arts actually practices concepts in multiple attackers. Or spar with multiple attackers and train in evasion from multiple attackers.

Todays martial arts has been retarded and wussified when it comes to actual fighting. MMA may bring back the innovation and actual combat training. Maybe. But I doubt it, most if not all MMA practioners seem to be testosterone driven pugilist rather than technically martial art minded. There is no mental, philosophical and health aspect of the art. So I believe it will sadly remain a sport like boxing rather than a true art.

So now I view traditional martial arts as a way of learning history and physical fitness/mental health. As for fighitng, I take various firearms courses and continue to study Arnis/Kali. Memorize 911 and keep my cellphone charged. That's my fighting style these days.

[synack]

I think this thread is getting messed up because of wording. You can practice a martial art that was created a long time ago and it won't necessarily be traditional when you practice it. But those who choose to keep what they practice "Traditional" can't be progressive by definition. It has to remain "Traditional" or else you are re-defining the word traditional.

It's like the difference between a 60 something Mustang and a 2007 Mustang. Still Mustangs but very different.

[MasterKiller]

Nowadays, I can't see myself training in a pugilistic manner anymore. I am no longer fast. I am no longer flexible. I no longer have a strong constitution. I now train for physical fitness, rather than fighting. My fighting will now consist of calling 911 or shooting an assaillant.

So with that said, I view martial arts more for its health and mental aspect. Progressive arts such as MMA just does not provide that. There is a practicality to it if all you want to do is bang knuckles to heads.

This is wrong. Plenty of people train combat sports for health and hobby. I have a girl in my class that has dropped 40 pounds since January who never intends to step in a ring or get into a street fight.

[TenTigers]

synak, re-read my original post-Traditional Martial Arts were all about change, evolution, and development. By doing it exactly as the past generations did it, you are going against tradition itself.
Besides, in the last several generations, most TCMA has been taught wrong and is being perpetuated by each successive generation. Emphasis on live drilling, and fighting, and conditioning has always been first and foremost. The emphasis on forms and unrealistic demo-type applications is a more recent innovation. Blindly following this method and calling it tradition is the blind leading the blind.

[TenTigers]

xcakid, how old are you? Are you disabled, or sufferring from an illness?

[synack]

It maybe "tradition" but that doesn't make it "Traditional" or maybe a better word would be "Classical?"

[xcakid]

This is wrong. Plenty of people train combat sports for health and hobby. I have a girl in my class that has dropped 40 pounds since January who never intends to step in a ring or get into a street fight.

How many boxers you know still boxing @ 80yo.? Unfortunately, I can't ask the same questions for MMA since its fairly new.

Now I would ask the same question regarding a kung fu practitioner, and more than likely we would be able to come up with a few more names.

[synack]

Does George Foreman count? That dude boxed for a long time.