Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tsgarp]

[Cheyne]

Wookie....Unfortunately you still do not understand..

The program Karate was introduced to teach school chlidren and the general community. Of course you cannot show children the real meanings of the techniques of Te. So, you need to adapt it to allow children to practise safely. This is where chudan punches became a neccessity. Groin kicks became chudan kicks. Anything open handed became a closed fist. Safety was the first concern. This was introduced by Anko Itosu and carried on by Shuri teachers to allow the children to practise safely but also allow the reputable students to understand the techinques behind the techniques...

Uechi is not Karate. Uechi, Ryuu-Ryu and Goju all stemmed from Naha.

Itosu first started in learning Naha-te but after the death of his instructor realised that the Shuri/Tomari was the most effective Martial Art. This can be seen in the techniques that was taught to the schools and the general community.

He believed that Naha had too much emphasis on building your body to be like iron. Whereas Shuri, he believed, was more emphasised on effective self defence. Rather than being able to absorb the hit, it was better to not be hit.

Again, I am not a historian or researcher but my father is and he would be able to explain it a lot better than I would.

[Thomas]

To the original poster:

(1) Walk around and see how many schools are within a close enough area to you to attend.

(2) Ask around for recommendations from co-workers or students.

(3) Go and check out a few classes and see which ones seem to fit your expectations and sign on with them.

The name of the style really doesn't matter as much as the individual teachers and schools. Figure out what you wnat and try to find a school that teaches it. For me, I found good Taekwondo and Hapkido schools in Korea (and a lot of bad ones).

For me, I liked the workout and exercise of TKD, the concentration on kicking and the loads of sparring we got to do. I also love forms and liked opracticing them. For me, there were some god TKD schools that offered loads of sparring and good sweaty training.

I also loved the Hapkido schools I attended. I liked the breakfalls and self defence stuff we did as well as learned a lot from the free fighting (less rules than TKD sparring (actually we didn't really have rules) and no pads.

Again, check out the schools and choose the one that fits you best. Worrying about the history, lineage, and such doesn't mean much to me, in my own personal opinion.

[shakuhachi]

[the_beaver]

[Stunted Wookie]

[tsgarp]

[Cheyne]

No, you should go back and check out your history on the lineage of Uechi. Where do you get your source from? Fighting Arts International?

Yes, early Pinan Kata did have open handed techniques. But when it was introduced to Japanese schools most of the techniques were changed to a closed fist for safety reasons. This can be seen in the last moves of Pinan Nidan (Heian Shodan) as a downward blocking action, not the sword arm block which is around today. It was Funakoshi who changed it to an open handed chudan block. It was originally designed for blocking strikes to the groin.

The only reason Pinan Kata were formed was for the schooling program but still with a link to the past.

For further information you should check out my source, www.shotojournal.com

[shakuhachi]

[tsgarp]

[uberscheisse]

tsgarp sounds like the comic book store owner on the simpsons.

[Stunted Wookie]

[tsgarp]

[rok_the-boat]

The Hwarang - flower warriors - did exist - over thousnd years ago, more actually. Korea was a strong military power controlling half of Manchuria until the Joseon dynasty where confucianist scholars ruled the day. Their peaceful studious ways ensured they would no longer be so strong ... and so the martial element declined - the military were regarded as chaff. There is no continuous line back to the Hwarang, or any other military art or training method. The only possible link to the past is the fellow who introduced Tekkyon after WWII, and from what I have read, it is probably the case that Tekkyeon was more of a village play-sport than a serious martial art. But today, it has developed into quite a good martial art.

As far as I know, there is no Hwarang-do in Korea. I once met an American who was quite distraught about the fact. If it exists today, it has either been imported from the USA, or someone has just taken the name and added it onto Hapkido etc.

Kyeongdang - recreated from reading the muyetobo tongji -the so called ancient Korean military text. It jsut so happens that there is a similarly named book in China that predates it, and guess what, it is very similar, meaning, somebody musta brought it over and conveniently forgotten it came from China. Tell a Korean at your peril. Hey, that rhymes ...

I have seen Korean encyclopaedias that say Judo / Kendo are Korean. A guy wearing Japanese Hakama practicing 'Kumdo' told me that Kumdo was Korean and the Japanese took it to Japan during the 35 year occupation period (1910-1945) - so why are you wearing Hakama? I asked ... Doh! And why are you practicing the Seitei Iai form that the Japanese made up in the early 1970s? Double Doh!

Young Koreans are no finding all this out - and soon - they will deny that they did not know ...

[Cheyne]

That website I gave to you I suggest you join it, it will open your eyes to what is beyond what you think Uechi is.

Until then, you know nothing about what Karate is and isn't.

Good luck...