What Makes it Kung Fu?

[David Jamieson]

sounds like real kung fu is too hardcore for u bro

If you think so, it would seem lost to you completely.

The fruitcakery isn't what makes Kung Fu , Kung Fu.
Kung Fu exists without all the stupid trappings wrapped onto it.

People are violent. Violence can be dealt with vis a vis martial arts development. Kung Fu practice, through teh hard work and progressive understanding will bring us to a place of knowing. KNowing will bring us to a place of testing. Events unfolding bring us to a place of doing.

Bowing to an altar, a blade, a person, etc are all external trappings and have veritably nothing to do with actually development of one's Kung Fu. however, if a person lacks simple courtesy, then these trappings can be used to inculcate courtesy and manners. Etiquette is important too because who wants to teach a little jerkwad and who wants to learn from an ass hat?

Not that it can't be done, but I could think of better ways to find the same thing without dealing with the religiosity or queer mindedness of others.

[MightyB]

Kung Fu exists without all the stupid trappings wrapped onto it.

People are violent. Violence can be dealt with vis a vis martial arts development. Kung Fu practice, through teh hard work and progressive understanding will bring us to a place of knowing. KNowing will bring us to a place of testing. Events unfolding bring us to a place of doing.

I agree with the thought, but not the reality. It's true people can be violent, but preparing for physical violence, for most people, isn't necessary. Unless you're Russian, people don't really fist fight anymore. So this is good, but a dilemma for kung fu. We've had this discussion numerous times. So if kung fu isn't a sport, and there's a lack of a need for a lifetime commitment to self defense, then what is it? And that's where we are... What is kung fu? The answers are numerous.

[MightyB]

so if it's not a sport, and it's not self defense, then the trappings are what makes kung fu... kung fu. The stupid trappings are what kung fu's all about.

[MightyB]

so then the ancient weapons are important, the costumes and etiquette and politics of lineage are important, the forms, the pageantry, the lion dance, the belief in chi - these are the things that make kung fu... kung fu.

[MightyB]

kung fu is.... Romanticized ancient Chinese warrior LARPing. And there's nothing wrong with that. Be happy and enjoy it for what it is and all that's involved in practicing it.

[bawang]

kung fu is.... Romanticized ancient Chinese warrior LARPing. And there's nothing wrong with that. Be happy and enjoy it for what it is and all that's involved in practicing it.

of course its wrong with that. it makes you a giant stupid poosy.

[David Jamieson]

kung fu is.... Romanticized ancient Chinese warrior LARPing. And there's nothing wrong with that. Be happy and enjoy it for what it is and all that's involved in practicing it.

lol...no it's not. Kung fu is still skill acquired through time and effort.

ancient chinese warrior larping is hardly a good description of it.

I think there are serious and legit kung fu men and there are, chinese warrior larping clubs. Sure.

But then, there is also Non contact boxing now in order to empower people who will crumple in their first violent encounter because all they ever did was non contact boxing...lol

Everything is going soft and moving away from the animistic practices.

people look down on fighting and see it as base. there are other aspects of Kung Fu that are plenty cool though. Weapons comes to mind, immediately, particularly staff. That stuff is way cool, especially if you were taught properly and aren't just a fruit stick twirler, which is also common because of the whole, let's pretend to empower people movement that is huge in the west nowadays.

[MightyB]

lol...no it's not. Kung fu is still skill acquired through time and effort.

ancient chinese warrior larping is hardly a good description of it.

I think there are serious and legit kung fu men

to what avail? You can have the biggest c*ck in the world, but it doesn't matter if you're not f**king anybody with it.

TCMA is LARPing. It's OK. Be cool with it.

[MightyB]

of course its wrong with that. it makes you a giant stupid poosy.

in what way does TCMA make you a poosey? If you're a poosey, you were that way before you started.

[bawang]

in what way does TCMA make you a poosey? If you're a poosey, you were that way before you started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oWAb5NVALw

[MightyB]

If you were preparing to be in a professional fight in 6 months, would TCMA be the best training to prepare you for it?

If you were going into a hostile environment in 6 months to a year (i.e. modern battle field, secret service, air marshal, etc) would TCMA be the best way to prepare for it?

NO.

Do people train to use muskets and Napoleonic lines when they join any modern military... how about horse calvary? No.

TCMA is LARPing. It's ok. Swords, staffs, spears, shields etc. have no place anymore. I walked across campus, not once did I see a stick, even a small one that would be suitable to use for SD - so that kills that adage "there's always a stick" because there isn't. And for self defense, there are faster gross motor skills dedicated personal SD systems that work and can be trained in a short amount of time.

[bawang]

TCMA is LARPing. It's ok. Swords, staffs, spears, shields etc. have no place anymore. I walked across campus, not once did I see a stick, even a small one that would be suitable to use for SD - so that kills that adage "there's always a stick" because there isn't. And for self defense, there are faster gross motor skills dedicated personal SD systems that work and can be trained in a short amount of time.

nerds and weirdos larp for the fun of it. its a childlike activity like cops and robbers. people look for something deeper in martial arts. larping is just pretend, but in kung fu, people desperately want to become something real.


kung fu is larping when the person does not respect the culture and peoples it comes from.

[MightyB]

nerds and weirdos larp for the fun of it. its a childlike activity like cops and robbers. people look for something deeper in martial arts.

It's as deep as you want to make it. I personally play seriously, but I recognize it as a paradox. For example, yesterday I spent quite a bit of time working on a dao move that requires great skill and coordination, but has very little relevance outside the context of that form. Do I feel that the practice is worthwhile? Yes. Does it lead to more body control, posture, concentration, and the complexity between yao and gong? Yes. But even with all of that it still holds little value outside the context of that form.

[bawang]

It's as deep as you want to make it. I personally play seriously, but I recognize it as a paradox. For example, yesterday I spent quite a bit of time working on a dao move that requires great skill and coordination, but has very little relevance outside the context of that form. Do I feel that the practice is worthwhile? Yes. Does it lead to more body control, posture, concentration, and the complexity between yao and gong? Yes. But even with all of that it still holds little value outside the context of that form.

i take a stick and stab the air 100 times every day, then chop the air 100 times every day. i pierce my worrys and split apart my obstacles in life. kung fu helps me mentally.

i dont larp because im not pretending to be anything and i dont fantasize myself doing anything.

[MightyB]

kung fu is larping when the person does not respect the culture and peoples it comes from.

and that's why I say what others call "silly" or "stupid trappings" are the very heart, soul, and essence of kung fu.

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I'm similar to you with the stick, in that the practice is refreshing and invigorating and leads to a better quality of life.