Traditions are funny things. Most of the “traditions” of karate come from Europeans training the Japanese military at the turn of the 19th century. Think about the really good martial artists, they respected their past but were never slaves to dead traditions.
The correct has a pulled a Tito on rogue.
I rail against “tradition” (re: Tradition is What? , Tradition, Martial Arts, Act 3 , all in the JKD Forum ) quite a bit, and I think I’m justified in my arguments. However, I’m more of a anti-cultural-retention guy than the techniques and methods of previous generations.
The oldest tradition in the martial arts should be evolution. But, since this ain’t an exact science, we need to have a touch stone for this.
FYI Sai is not exclusively an okinawan weapon. It actually exists in Fukienese White Crane.
we need to have a touch stone for this.
and what would that be?
as soon as:
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they stop sparring
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a small asian man teaches it
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there is no documentation
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the mechanics or “energy” cultivated are unique and ‘special’
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it takes years to become effective
it becomes traditional
:rolleyes:
Sure was peaceful around here while you were convalescing…
When I was studying Okinawan Shorin-ryu the sensei told us that there was no naturally occurring metal on Okinawa and that they had to trade for metal tools or bladed weapons from traders from south China, which is closer to the island than Japan.
So although the sai didn’t originate on the island, today what could be more traditional than an Okinawan sai form…it’s as traditional as the tonfa, the nunchaku, etc.
It’s hard to pin down what is traditional isn’t it. Is it like what’s pornography–“We can’t dfine it but we know it when we see it.”
Traditional: training barefoot in karate.
Is Capoeira a traditional art? Why?? Why not???
To capoeirists 
it’s traditional. Would it be to us? Probably not. Why? We follow a different tradition.
oh get off it. i’m ****ing around. this question was BEGGING for that answer, just like bjj looks like rough gay lovin.
It’s hard to pin down what is traditional isn’t it. Is it like what’s pornography–“We can’t dfine it but we know it when we see it.”
not really, porn is easy - it’s media carrying sexual content with the intent for sexual gratificatio nof the user.
Traditional is a tag people slap onto their arts when they want to sound official. Like somehow because their art has been around and “untouched” for centuries makes it any better then anything else. Most of the time a traditional art has it’s traditions.
Is Capoeira a traditional art? Why?? Why not???
one could call it that since it’s been around for a while and has it’s traditions.
sign me up for some of that Puu.
Thanks N_P for revealing Pu-do. I was searching for the ultimate martial art.
If I study your art and complement it with The Dim Mak, I should really be hot stuff, don’t you think.
What would happen if it fell into the wrong hands…
:mad: :mad: :mad: :eek: :mad: :mad: :mad:
just like bjj looks like rough gay lovin.
well atleast you finaly admitted it!! 
**** yeah. so does wrestling.
its also boring as hell to watch if you don’t know what’s going on–and sometimes, even when you do.
Originally posted by red5angel
and what would that touch stone be?
The technical training methodologies of the previous instructors in our particular systems.
As for the training barefoot being traditional in karate . . . kinda sorta. Check out some of the pictures of Motobu Choki in his book, Watashi no Karate-Jutsu. He’s wearing those slipper-shoe thingies whilst doing Naifanchi di (kata). I think it’s a good idea to do karate barefoot sometime. It helps the instructor check your footing, make sure you’re not flat-footed, and encourages foot-fetishism in the training hall . . . :eek:
But, I also train my karate whilst in shoes, particularly when I train outside. I wear shoes more than I don’t, so it makes sense to get good at wearing them in a fight.
We trained in shoes sometimes too, but outside. Sometimes they had us wear more restrictive clothes.
I wasn’t saying that doing karate in shoes diminishes anyone’s validity, but pointing out that training unshod in a dojo and also fighting with bare feet is conventional in karate. It’s sort of a tradition. I’d venture to guess that more people train barefoot in karate when they’re at class, than don’t.
I should have thought it through a little more. Thanks for not beating me up about the shoe thing, Vash, sir. B_d
I didn’t think you were questioning the validity of that type of training. I was thinking more that tradition is only what you learn.
I like training both ways, but I go more barefoot than with shoes.
You guys don’t consider BJJ traditional? It fits the definition of traditional martial art better than most, and is a good guide for being traditional.
It’s a semantics thing…modern training methods, lack of formality, competition venue, etc. are factors that lump arts like bjj and thai boxing into the modern arts category.
Is Capoeira a traditional art? Why?? Why not???
To capoeirists it’s traditional. Would it be to us? Probably not. Why? We follow a different tradition.
I think most people would consider capoeira a traditional art. But even within capoeira, you’ve got traditional (angola) and modern (regional).