|
When I started Kenpo Girl I had no idea the level of popularity it would have. My goal was to start and open discussion between all systems of Martial Arts about the passion we have for Martial Arts. I wanted an open dialog going on in the Martial Arts Community. I discussed this recently with my good friend Debbie Goodman on her TV show, Martial Arts Mania.  Debbie Goodman (Left) Kenpo Girl (Right)Debbie Goodman goes way back with Martial Arts. She was one of the many children inspired by the TV show “Kung Fu.” It wouldn’t be until her late 20’s that she decided to start taking lessons... “I started with Shotokan Karate but it just didn’t do it for me. I tried a blended style which taught self-defense moves but there was no philosophy… I finally found John Cho’s Kung Fu school and felt it was a good fit for me."
The goal of the show was to invite Central California martial artists to come on the show and demonstrate their styles and talk about their schools. In 2013, Debbie was nominated for a "Martial Arts Hall of Fame" award in Newport Beach. On this trip she attended a book signing at the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank, CA and filmed the event and interviewed some of the martial arts celebrities that attended. Soon Martial Arts Mania was the talk of Los Angeles but suddenly the show was facing an uncertain future. Martial Arts Mania’s co-producer, Eric Catlapp, in May 2013 was tragically killed. “The show came to a screeching halt at that point and I wasn’t sure it would continue,” Debbie explained. The show would go on. Bestina Mounenalath signed on as co-producer and help Debbie pick up the pieces, just in time to get a call from James Wilson. James Wilson is a film producer and wanted Debbie to interview his stars from his upcoming move, “The Martial Arts Kid.”  Debbie saw an opportunity and took it, “I told him I'd been dying to get an interview with James Lew, and if he could get me an interview with James Lew, I'd come down when he was available, and whichever one of the stars was available on that day, I'd interview them. It turned into a dinner party at James Lew's house, and Don Wilson was the one that was available.” Debbie been watching these two icons since the '80's. They graced the covers of many Martial Arts magazines at that time. James Lew has been in the film business since the early '70's, starting with the TV series "Kung Fu". Don “The Dragon” Wilson is not just an actor but a 10x World Champion Kickboxer. These two interviews would boost Martial Arts Mania’s popularity and would become Debbie’s most memorable interviews.  Don Wilson (Far Left) Debbie Goodman (Left Center) |
|
|
Ewart (Master in Hung Gar Kung Fu) couldn’t stress enough...
“It is essential that if you are studying a traditional style you should know the roots of that style and history. These styles were developed by families going way back in history and it only makes sense to know the lineage.”
I wondered how many traditional arts had been lost over the generations?
A contributing factor we probably could blame is the Martial Arts hastening our systems to please students. Martial Arts is no doubt a way of life but in most instances it can be business as well. Many Dojo owners have to cater to their students to ensure their doors stay open, giving the students a sense of continuous gratification with each promotion.
Yet we also live in a fast paced world, few people might have the time let alone the patience to dedicate to a traditional art such as Hung Gar Kung Fu. Today so much knowledge is available at the tips of our fingers, but what knowledge and lessons are we possibly missing out on by cramming so much into our little brains?
Yet we also live in a fast paced world, few people might have the time let alone the patience to dedicate to a traditional art such as Hung Gar Kung Fu. Today so much knowledge is available at the tips of our fingers, but what knowledge and lessons are we possibly missing out on by cramming so much into our little brains?
I asked Ewart if he felt some modern day students were missing because of not studying a traditional system.
He explained, “I do believe that they are most definitely missing out on traditional systems. Most modern schools and teachers do not grasp these traditional styles and as a result are not able to effectively pass on to their students.”
“My advice to a new student wanting to study traditional forms or traditional styles is that they have to be open to rigorous hard training and learn from someone who truly knows the style. Be humble for it will change your life for the better. Study for the right reasons.”
He explained, “I do believe that they are most definitely missing out on traditional systems. Most modern schools and teachers do not grasp these traditional styles and as a result are not able to effectively pass on to their students.”
“My advice to a new student wanting to study traditional forms or traditional styles is that they have to be open to rigorous hard training and learn from someone who truly knows the style. Be humble for it will change your life for the better. Study for the right reasons.”
“Study for the right reasons,” it doesn’t get truer than that.
In the end the Traditional vs. Modern debate is pointless because the Modern was at one point of time the traditional and the traditional at another point of time was the Modern. There isn’t a competition between the two because they are in themselves the same. The only difference is the training and teaching styles.
Knowing that, when a new student is looking for a Dojo to start with they need to be mindful of not just what system they want to study but how would they like to train? My advice is to check to see what local Dojo’s are available in your area. Research their systems and training styles and make sure it fits your needs. As always, never be afraid to ask questions.
As for current students I leave you with an English Proverb…
Knowing that, when a new student is looking for a Dojo to start with they need to be mindful of not just what system they want to study but how would they like to train? My advice is to check to see what local Dojo’s are available in your area. Research their systems and training styles and make sure it fits your needs. As always, never be afraid to ask questions.
As for current students I leave you with an English Proverb…
“You don't know where you're going until you know where you've been.”
|
|
|
Discussing Theories On Martial Arts Films with Don Wilson...
I was invited by my friend Debbie Goodman, creator and host of Martial Arts Mania, to visit the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank, CA. We were attending a fundraiser for the museum and I was surprised to find that the majority of the guests attending where not only martial artists but involved in films.
I am a complete novice concerning Martial Arts Films and had had mixed emotions of the genre. As an instructor I can’t even begin to count the times students come in asking when they would learn to do front flips or climb up the walls like a ninja.
Yet, who am I to judge? “The Next Karate Kid” was a hit when I first started taking lessons. I remember watching Hillary Swank obsess over her forms with Mr. Miyagi then many years later jumping in the ring with Clint Eastwood in “Million Dollar Baby”.
|
|
|
|
|
The truth is it never fails to see a high attendance in Dojos when a blockbuster such as The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or The Karate Kid (2010) opens. As I walked through the museum, viewing items such as Danielson’s headband from the first “The Karate Kid,” I felt myself slowly becoming more inquisitive to this mainstream subculture of karate.
Was an audience’s fascination on martial arts or the film? How engraved had the film industry become in Martial Arts?
Luckily, later that night I got to have dinner with Don “The Dragon” Wilson.
Don is an 11x World Champion Kickboxer, practitioner of Pai Lum Kung Fu and has starred in over 30 Martial Arts Films.
One of the reason’s I have attributed to not being so enthralled with Martial Arts Films is because the films usually feature a male leading role. Everyone in Marital Arts (especially Jiu Jujitsu) has heard the horror stories of gender discrimination towards females. I wondered if the lack of leading heroines was movie based or martial arts based, so I asked Don if he had ever witnessed or experienced any gender discrimination.
His response was diplomatic and realistic, “They are not prejudice. Hollywood is color blind, they only see green. It’s about how much they make on opening night. Women now-a-days can do action films, you are seeing more and more of them. What they (Hollywood) wants a big opening and it’s believed a female star might not open as big as if a man was the leading role.”
It’s an interesting concept for Hollywood considering the largest Martial Arts film opening is Rush Hour 2 at $226.2 million and the largest Action Heroine film opening is The Hunger Games: Catching Fire at $424.7 million.
His response was diplomatic and realistic, “They are not prejudice. Hollywood is color blind, they only see green. It’s about how much they make on opening night. Women now-a-days can do action films, you are seeing more and more of them. What they (Hollywood) wants a big opening and it’s believed a female star might not open as big as if a man was the leading role.”
It’s an interesting concept for Hollywood considering the largest Martial Arts film opening is Rush Hour 2 at $226.2 million and the largest Action Heroine film opening is The Hunger Games: Catching Fire at $424.7 million.
For all the people that failed math like me, that almost a $200,000,000 difference.
Regardless, $226.2 million is a lot of money to open with, but how did the martial arts genre take off? What was it about martial arts in movies that has had audiences so captivated over the years?...
In 1973 Enter The Dragon starring Bruce Lee and distributed by Warner Bros opened and changed the film industry and began the “Kung Fu Kraze.”
Don explained the significance of the genre...
“If you went to a video store and looked around you would see the different genres: drama, action, comedy… Our genre is special in its own way. It’s a genre focused on what we do. If you think about it there are no genres for construction, medical or for lawyers—but there is one for Martial Arts.”
As for the captivation...
He further clarified, “You can watch the flashy kickers and the stunts with flips but it’s not realistic on the street. It’s not applicable.”
He had a point. Somewhere between the flying kicks and super strong punches, audiences had become captivated with the genre, but there is still a line drawn between Martial Arts and Hollywood Martial Arts.
That line is application.
You can go home and analyze every move from a movie, but in the end the stunts shown on the big screen won’t save you in a fight because they are not applicable. Martial Arts is a form of self-defense and is realistic.
This could possibly even be the reason student’s that first start at a Dojo seem somewhat disappointed at times. In the end, flashy showmanship will not save them from someone trying to harm them. If we could all run up walls, we would never have to fight anyone.
This could possibly even be the reason student’s that first start at a Dojo seem somewhat disappointed at times. In the end, flashy showmanship will not save them from someone trying to harm them. If we could all run up walls, we would never have to fight anyone.
Nonetheless, we will still see an influx in students when the next martial arts film releases. For the lucky ones that walk into our school it could change their lives for the better. There are still the unfortunate ones that find themselves in a McDojo; schools that feed off the craze but do nothing to better their students.
I believe the best thing we can take from Martial Arts Films is what they are intended for: Entertainment.
Enjoy the film and the story behind it. Focus on your training on real threats, not a cinema villain. Parents: let the fight scenes tickle your child’s imagination, but be sure before they step onto a mat that you have done your research and you don’t find yourself in a McDojo.
Now excuse me, I need to go watch a shirtless Tom Hardy in "Warrior."
Now excuse me, I need to go watch a shirtless Tom Hardy in "Warrior."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jesalyn Mae Harper
Hello my name is Jesalyn. I'm a divorced single mom and a karate addict...
I am currently a 1st Brown belt in American Kenpo and a Junior Instructor at Double Dragon Kenpo Karate under JR Diaz, I am part of the Parker/Planas Lineage and study Karbaroan Eskrima with JR Diaz, under Guro Ed Planas
Archives
March 2018
November 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
October 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
Categories
All
Ameri
American Kenpo
Andrea Harkins
Antonina "Black Panther" Shevchenko
Belt Systems
BJJ
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Camp
Cane
Carlos The Natural Born Killer Condit
Carry Wong
Children
Cynthia Rothrock
Debbie Goodman
Diminishing Returns
Dojo
Don Wilson
Douglas Wong
Dragonfest
Ed Parker Jr.
Elite Sports
Ewart Chin
Fear Appeal
Fear Factor
Fight Or Flight
Film
Frank Trejo
Gear
Ghost Patch
Gi
Grand Master
Heather Flessing
Huk Planas
Huk Planas World Gathering Kenpo Camp
Instructors
Jennifer "Warrior" Waters
Jiu Jitsu
Josei Heishi
Josei Heishi Jiu Jitsu
Karate
Karate Parents
Kempo
Kenpo
Kickboxing
Korean
Kung Fu
Leeann Morris
Lineage
Long Beach Internationals
Martial Arts History Museum
Martial Arts Mania
Marty Zaninovich
Mixed Martial Arts
MMA
Modern
Motivational Speaking
Muay Thai
Olympics
Plateau Effect
Rick St. Clair
Schools
Self-Defense
Seminar
Senior
Spar
Stephen Wonderboy Thompson
Sumo
Taekwondo
The Martial Arts Woman
TKD
Tournament
Traditional
UFC
Valentina "Bullet" Shevchenko
Veterans
Weapon
White Lotus
Women In BJJ
Wow Factor
Wrestling
RSS Feed