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Post by jimlukelkc on Jul 9, 2011 13:01:06 GMT
If we acknowledge that Karate has many things to offer eg; the enjoyment and physical challenge of repetitive drills and kihon, The adrenalin rush of kumite, the pragmatic application of technique for self-protection, the striving for perfection of technique, the feeling of indulging in another culture or practising something esoteric. I could go on but you will no doubt have your own list. If we acknowledge all those, is there also a place for practising , for instance kata, purely as an art form? We have all seen examples of this with kata set to music and some of the more exaggerated performances of kata in tournaments of late. Do you yourself do this or are you aware that it is something to aim for, a "beautiful" rendition but it is secondary to other things.
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Post by fujicolt on Jul 9, 2011 16:25:14 GMT
James - yer gotta write a book man - I'd buy it! I personally believe that an 'Artistic' rendition/performance of Karate be it Kata, Kihon or Kumite, is when the practitioner strives for perfection and bio-mechanically correct structure, movement, timing etc etc with no cosmetic exaggerations to entrance the uneducated eye. then i believe it is a true and honest expression of the thing it essentially is = A MARTIAL ART. Sadly, despite concerns expressed for decades the tide of 'Package it to suit the consumer' marches relentlessly on and will, I strongly believe, lead to the extinction of the Martial in MARTIAL ART at worst or it taking a secondary happen chance position at a very sad best. I am very aware that I am far from being alone in these concerns.
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Post by jimlukelkc on Jul 9, 2011 20:23:51 GMT
Kind words indeed Steve! Perhaps a collaboration Lol? and yes you are far from alone in those convictions.
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Post by akihon on Dec 10, 2011 14:18:04 GMT
James - yer gotta write a book man - I'd buy it! I personally believe that an 'Artistic' rendition/performance of Karate be it Kata, Kihon or Kumite, is when the practitioner strives for perfection and bio-mechanically correct structure, movement, timing etc etc with no cosmetic exaggerations to entrance the uneducated eye. then i believe it is a true and honest expression of the thing it essentially is = A MARTIAL ART. Sadly, despite concerns expressed for decades the tide of 'Package it to suit the consumer' marches relentlessly on and will, I strongly believe, lead to the extinction of the Martial in MARTIAL ART at worst or it taking a secondary happen chance position at a very sad best. I am very aware that I am far from being alone in these concerns. Agreed in some respect to your comments, after doing much research with beer for late night company and a good discussion friend, many of the shaolin practitioners around the world see that the art is in the restricted movements or in our trade the practice of the kata. When one practices the kata, the art forms from the mind being totally free from other things and concentrating totally on the movement at the time that movement is performed. Although there is the other school of thought, and one I lean to, that sees the art where the movements are made to suit the event i.e. when under direct attack the person defending changes their techniques according to what their attacker is doing and these techniques change moment by moment. There the freedom of movement occurs and the art comes into what we call a martial art, the martial of course being fighting. Or have I gone way off the mark and spouted a load of garbage.
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