Bad Taijitsu Demo!

[Sonshu]

www.citycomtv.com/net_hp/navi/navi.aspx?site_id=nodasi&channel=0&movie_no=339

This is why Taijitsu get the bad rap it has. Granted camera angles are not to good as he is often looking at the hands opposed to the hips and footwork but still!!!!

Taijitsu needs to train less and less against the Fudoken as it seems to make things easier and it not really that practical.

Its a shame as this looks very pony!

[Bouk Teef]

Granted it looks like the Americans are being over dramatic but I'm sure Hatsumi could put them on their arses with his little finger if he really wanted too. But then again, it wouldn't make decent viewing and encourage people to take up the art. Perhaps you should gain an understanding of the subject matter and the participants before criticising. I see moments a great fluidity in his technique regardless of the American's reactions.

[stump]

So....you need to dumb down the art in order to sell it to people.....

strange....

[Sonshu]

It is a suspect demo because people dont really know what to look for - however Hatsumi is about 65 now!

[stump]

<<<But then again, it wouldn't make decent viewing and encourage people to take up the art. >>>

Son - this is the quote I was referring to

[Bouk Teef]

Originally posted by stump
So....you need to dumb down the art in order to sell it to people.....


Yes. That certainly isn't the MA's fault. That is down to the people who run it. How many people would want to come to the classes if the demo had consisted of sparring (no mits, protecters, no head shots) with two blokes going at it. Not many I suspect.
IMO the art has been dumbed down in order to appeal to the mass market. Introduce another 5 dan grades (11th to 15th) and require students to grade in each school. These actions certainly dumb down the art and give Hatsumi more dollars.
This might belong in a different thread though.
Originally posted by Shonshu

Granted camera angles are not to good as he is often looking at the hands opposed to the hips and footwork but still!!!!

Are you criticising the camera man's technique or Hatsumi's?

[Sonshu]

The camera man as he is looking at the wrong stuff - also the moves are easy to defend against as they are all against the stereotypical fudoken (lunge punch!) this needs to be adjusted to more realistic attacks from the outset!

[Duncan Mitchell]

Sonshu, why don't you talk to Hatsumi-sensei himself with your suggestions on how to "improve" his art? Or maybe just go more local and suggest it to Peter King or Brin Morgan in the UK?

[Sonshu]

Also as I have said there are good elements on it and the BBD - Brian McCarthys version of Taijitsu I have found to be more street orientated.

I have trained at seminars with Peter King, Andrew Young etc and I cant see them changing it and besides its none of my business what they do as I am no longer in Taijitsu, I have gone my way and Sonshu is based on Taijitsu and moved to how I felt it should be done.

Also my Japanese is not at the level to speak to Hatsumi.

[Dark Blade]

Hatsumi is a brilliant martial artist, the other guys screwed it up and the camera was messed.