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Thread: Kuro Obi/Black Belt

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    CA, USA
    Posts
    4,900
    I bought Black Belt about a year ago when it was released, and really enjoyed it. I realize the idea behind the story was to find a yin/yang balance within yourself and your skills, but the defensive specialist character did start to annoy me with his over-reluctance at times.

    It was interesting that the guy who played the defensive guy is in reality a Goju-Ryu stylist, also displayed in his katas and fighting movements; and the other top student (aggressive guy) is a Shotokan man. Though for the movie, they were supposedly the same style. I would probably rate Black Belt about 8/10.

    My early karate background was mainly Kenpo, but did include a year of Shi-to-Ryu karate. It's been 30 years since, but as I recall, the Shi-to style had resemblances in practice and katas to both Shotokan and some to Goju. As Sanjuro mentioned, Japanese karate is very applicable to fighting. My Shi-to-Ryu sensei was very powerful and effective, and the movements he actually used were of course very simple but polished to the "nth degree". When he actually fought or sparred, he used soft blocks/deflections instead of the hard, rigid blocks that were emphasized in practice, but he definitely stayed in style. Lots of leg sweeps, lunge punches (oi zuki ..sp?), reverse punch (gyaku zuki), front kick (mae geri), etc. Also, like a lot of the Japanese karate sensei, at least of that time, he was a black belt in judo, as well as iaido and some aikido.

    Many of the students were very good, too. I enjoyed hard the training, but decided the style itself was not for me. But I still feel that the time I spent at that dojo was worth it and provided me benefits (mainly mental) that carried over in later years.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ontario
    Posts
    22,250
    Before finding my sifu I trained in Shotokan under the master I mentioned before. However, when I found my sifu I started WC training under him and continued with Shotokan. Sifu had no problems with it. Eventually, I realized that karate training was hindering my progress in WC and I discontinued. Sifu said that he had no problem with me training karate at the same time because he knew that I would eventually realize that it was hindering my kung fu progress. The concepts of WC I train are just too different and so are the energies (internal) and the softness and the flow
    WC and shotokan do NOT compliment each other, quite correct.
    Karate and Kung Kuen are ok, but to be honest, training in two different striking systems at the same time doesn't make a lot of sense.
    If they comliment each other, what's the point? and if they are opposites it is better to do one when you have a firm grasp of the other.
    Of course cross "testing" is a different thing.
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ontario
    Posts
    22,250
    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    I bought Black Belt about a year ago when it was released, and really enjoyed it. I realize the idea behind the story was to find a yin/yang balance within yourself and your skills, but the defensive specialist character did start to annoy me with his over-reluctance at times.

    It was interesting that the guy who played the defensive guy is in reality a Goju-Ryu stylist, also displayed in his katas and fighting movements; and the other top student (aggressive guy) is a Shotokan man. Though for the movie, they were supposedly the same style. I would probably rate Black Belt about 8/10.

    My early karate background was mainly Kenpo, but did include a year of Shi-to-Ryu karate. It's been 30 years since, but as I recall, the Shi-to style had resemblances in practice and katas to both Shotokan and some to Goju. As Sanjuro mentioned, Japanese karate is very applicable to fighting. My Shi-to-Ryu sensei was very powerful and effective, and the movements he actually used were of course very simple but polished to the "nth degree". When he actually fought or sparred, he used soft blocks/deflections instead of the hard, rigid blocks that were emphasized in practice, but he definitely stayed in style. Lots of leg sweeps, lunge punches (oi zuki ..sp?), reverse punch (gyaku zuki), front kick (mae geri), etc. Also, like a lot of the Japanese karate sensei, at least of that time, he was a black belt in judo, as well as iaido and some aikido.

    Many of the students were very good, too. I enjoyed hard the training, but decided the style itself was not for me. But I still feel that the time I spent at that dojo was worth it and provided me benefits (mainly mental) that carried over in later years.
    Well said Jimbo, agree 100%
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    I finally saw this

    Best Karate Movie ever.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  5. #20
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
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    Science City Zero
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    Best Karate Movie ever.

    Gene Ching just shuto uchi'd the correct.
    BreakProof BackŪ Back Health & Athletic Performance
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    "Who dies first," he mumbled through smashed and bloody lips.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ontario
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    22,250
    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    Best Karate Movie ever.
    I prefer Fighter in the wind, but of course I am bias.
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  7. #22

    black Belt

    I liked it. Lots of good fights without all the wire work. It's like they actually knew what they were doing.

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