which is best martial art - Page 4

godwine · (#31 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amnell

Thanks, Godwine

.

With that info, it seems like we in the West use "Kung fu" in much the same way the Japanese use "Kenpo", i.e. to refer to a martial art that is Chinese in origin, but not necessarily to a specific style.

Hi Amnell,

That is correct, Kung Fu is not specific to any style.

Kenpo actually was a style of Karate, that is based on a mix of several different arts. I am not an expert in Kenpo, but I am not sure if it is considered as one of the major traditional style of Karate. Again, I don't know much about Kenpo

Aota · (#32 (**permalink**))

Question about Jeet Kune Do.

There's no exact way to use it, right?

Aota · (#33 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by godwine

Agree, you can't really classified it as "best", you are esentially comparing apple to oranges.

I can't help but be a jackass to this, but apples aren't citrus fruits.

That is all.

Amnell · (#34 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by godwine

Hi Amnell,

That is correct, Kung Fu is not specific to any style.

Kenpo actually was a style of Karate, that is based on a mix of several different arts. I am not an expert in Kenpo, but I am not sure if it is considered as one of the major traditional style of Karate. Again, I don't know much about Kenpo

If you're talking about "American Kenpo", that is correct: it stems from traidtional Karate styles and has borrowed from a few other arts--especially Escrima. It's also often and probably more accurately called "Kenpo Karate".

In Japan, however, saying just "Kenpo" is a reference to "Chinese martial arts in general".

What I love about Kenpo Karate is how it somehow manages to keep a flowery look to it while still being very efficient and direct.

As far as self-defense goes, it's about the best of the marketed 'styles' that you'll typically find here in the states (Krav Maga is still pretty hard to find, at least in California). I say that because Kenpo Karate is very direct and practical in its mindset. At the same time, a good school will have blended many principles from styles like Judo and Aikido to teach you how to blend into your opponents energy and use it against him. More still, the art that KK borrows from (I think) the most is Escrima, which is pretty much the best *practical* weapon style available to Joe Anybody.

The only reason I'm not taking Kenpo right now is that the nearest KK school that isn't a McDojo is almost a forty minute drive, and that just isn't practical with gas being right around 4 USD a gallon.

Ronin4hire · (#35 (**permalink**))

Rex Kwan Do!!!

YouTube - Rex Kwon Do (scene from Napoleon Dynamite)

godwine · (#36 (**permalink**))

To answer some quesions

Aota - I have the book "The Tao of Jeet Kune Do", that was the first ever JKD book that was written by Bruce Lee himself. Its more theory than actual forms and technique, it has a lot of "illustration" that explain how to counter a certain technique, a lot of them were simple technique, but some are advance that you can't just learn from a book. With that said, I think Bruce Lee's original intention of JKD was a set of theories behind a fighting system. I don't think or know how authentic a JKD school will be as it never took physical form when Bruce Lee started it, but of course, I suppose a school can be classified as a JKD school as long as it teaching align with theories outlined in the book. The rest (the moves, kick, punch, etc) are all something you can learn from any other martial art.

And thats exactly my point too, you are comparing 2 different kind of fruits

Amnell Thanks for the informative post. I did more research after your posting on Kenpo. And you are correct, the original "Kenpo", in Kanji, means "way of the fist", so esentially what you meant earlier as its equivilancy to "Martial Art" and "Kung Fu". I later on found a more recent style of Kenpo, which uses in Kanji means "Frequent Tutorial", I know this doesn't mean much as it was a direct translation. BUT, in both Japanese and Chinese saying (very old saying), what it mean is that you work hard on the art due to the lack of talent, I don't think that was the original intent, but somehow I found a bunch of different school in the state using this Kanji as their "Kenpo", and some in Japan, which makes me wonder if the original Kenpo is different from the modern day Kenpo, and I have a feeling that it may have really been originated from someone that has lower self regard and decided that he need to work harder because he doesn't believe that he is talented or something along that line.

Ok, enough on the origin of the work Kenpo, but is interesting to learn the background and history of different art