Kung fu Tournaments with very little kung fu fighting

[harkfu]

In 2003 I have been to no less than 3 all kung fu tourna ments in prep for entering this coming year.
So you will understand when I ask why I see more kickboxing than kung fu at all of these tournaments. In some cases you can even tell that the people go to kung fu schools.
Before everyone responds this for the schools that do not use their kungfu in tournaments not the schools that do.

[SifuAbel]

"using kung fu" is very tricky term.

To me, if they are clean, crisp , accurate, display good footwork and good defense then they are using thier kung fu.

Kung fu does contain punching and kicking, so its not accurate to say that if a punch or a kick happens then its not kung fu.

[Brad]

In fighting competition people do what they have to to win, and what you look like isn't that important. The rules/equipment often dictate what a fight looks like too. The winning techniques themselves are going to look basically the same no matter what "style" you come from due to trial and error finding out what's works best against the type of competition you'll be up against. So you're not going to see to many style specific techniques. It's all going to come down to the basics that are common goals of all martial arts.

[IronFist]

Ok but if someone comes from like a Snake style school and then they fight with kickboxing techniques, you can't really say they're using their "kung fu" now can you?

[SifuAbel]

Only if their striking has the same spring and thier denfense is similar.

" It doesn't matter what the spear head is as long as the wood is good."

So you substitute your open hand snake strike (Which BTW is really wu-shu-y) , for a snake punch (which is much more traditional and more common)

The ulmimate question to the observer would be, could you recognized a style specific move if you saw it?

Could you tell if the guy in the gloves had that influence in the way he punched?

[rogue]

Hi KKM.

[Chang Style Novice]

I really should add this to the list of bannable offenses...

[rogue]

[fa_jing]

I see very few kickboxing techniques from straight-up KungFu schools. Lots of punching and kicking, some of it wild even, but rarely do I see the classic kickboxing combinations and structure, be it Muy Thai or American kickboxing. I'm not trying to be funny.

Remember that if you take a style that is street or battle-oriented, and has a big conceptual component, put it into a ring, and it looks pretty similar to the style that was developed in the ring for the ring, it is a strong validation of the concepts put forth by the art.

The ways I sees it

[harkfu]

Kick boxing- Using the classical or typical boxing hand positions(John L. Sullivan, Jack Johnson, and Joe Lewis) together with kicks.( front, back, side and round)

[X_plosion]

Perhaps the venue being a tournament is the key here.

Once a tournament has been around for some time and maintains consistency in its rulebook, then, sooner or later, many participants will be favoring techniques that can help them rack up the most points.

How desirable this is will depend on your point of view, but there it is. This happens in other sports too. In Arnis tournaments, many use a strike that gets them a core, but wouldn't count for much in combat. In Karate, when the "Shobu Ippon" rule was in vogue, the hand technique of choice was almost exclusively the reverse punch.

In short, people tend to try to use what's most effective within the rules. These techniques then become common to all in the competition.

[truewrestler]

The competitors and their schools has ****ty kung-fu so they must degrade to kickboxing and wrestling

[stimulant]

It's all down to 3 main factors....

1) rules & equipment (gloves etc)

2) training

3) skill



fighting with boxing gloves on changes things dramatically in terms of type of power used and technique

I been to some very big competitions....only ever see 3 people at most (if I'm lucky) fighting who you look at and know they are fighting the same way they learn and train.

True skill is about fighting in the style you learn even when restrictions like rules and gloves etc and imposed.

[Pork Chop]

Was watching ESPN this past weekend.
Saw lots of inferior K1 kickboxing and even some kickboxing and wrestling looking san shew.
The people moved so slow and looked so sloppy.
Their technique was all muscle, no internal.
I don't know what kept me watching through the marathon of fights- maybe it was seeing the egotistical fighters, or my barbaric lust for blood.
I mean I know that those guys would be useless in the street, because in a streetfight there are no rules (you can even eye poke) and you don't need any conditioning (because the fights are too short); but I couldn't help but watch those lumbering oafs bleed.

Eventually my blood orgy came to an end and my kung fu spirit was saved because after the low class fight between Remy Bonjasky and Mike MacDonald came the 2003 US Open Championships.

Those warriors from Team Paul Mitchell were amazing. Their traditional forms, while less flashy than their open routines, showed me that they are true killers. No K1 fighter would be able to stand up to any of those guys on Team Paul Mitchell. Their internal power, their technique, and their pure ferocity would KO those K1 guys and make them poop their pants.

Even the nontraditional team: XMA, had a few standouts. The kid with the blue hair showed strong chi. Ernesto Hoost better watch out, he may be able to get off one round kick on those kids, maybe even one to the head; but I don't think he has the balance to fire of 10 hgih round kicks continuously.






On a serious note, I can't believe I used to take threads like this seriously, and take the other side, no less.
Those sport kuhraddy kids make me realize I want nothing to do with kung fu or any other "martial art".
Dunno how the heck I'm gonna even make it through to Chinese new year.
I'll take "inferior", "external", "muscle" power over "internal" power any day; thank you very much.

[Salacious Crumb]

On a serious note, I can't believe I used to take threads like this seriously, and take the other side, no less.
Those sport kuhraddy kids make me realize I want nothing to do with kung fu or any other "martial art".
Dunno how the heck I'm gonna even make it through to Chinese new year.
I'll take "inferior", "external", "muscle" power over "internal" power any day; thank you very much.

Sitting on the couch and drinking beer alone doesn't make you any better at MMA than it made you at CMA.