Racism in Martial arts : Asian vs Caucasian instructors

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by matutor, Oct 24, 2015.

  1. matutor

    matutor Banned Banned

    Many people come to us and say "Well, my master came straight from 'insert asian country here' and he is hardcore and legit blah blah blah". We think it is absolutely ridiculous that people can't accept the fact that not all martial arts are asian and not all great martial artists are asian people. Please also keep in mind that this IS A JOKE, and not intended to offend anyone. But we still see this youtube/forum/blog ect comment literally EVERYWHERE when someone is calling out a particular (asian) martial art on it's effectiveness. We don't care if you trained in the 1970s with a master "Straight from korea" who taught you how to become the next karate kid. What matters is now, not the past. and those schools are very rare.

    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vYhU33pUFc"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vYhU33pUFc[/ame]
     
  2. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Who is "many people"? Just how many people have done this and how frequently over how many years? They approach you in your previous or current school? On the street? In your workplace?

    BTW, if you hung out here long enough, you would know that this view you are protesting is not one I have seen expressed here on MAP.

    Frankly, no offense, but I am starting to get the impression that you two need to stop watching and using youtube so much and go start spending more time training.
     
  3. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Stupid video is stupid.

    We don't allow people to post links back to their own sites and it does seem you are here to only pimp your You Tube channel.

    In this instance not even with something sensible to watch.
     
  4. traider

    traider New Member

    We are still in the early stages of a world that is heading for a global economic
    culture so I would advise patience in dealing with parochial attitudes.
     
  5. matutor

    matutor Banned Banned

    Look at some youtube videos of Taekwondo vs "other martial art" and when you see them lose there will always be a comment about someone saying "Well this taekwondo guy wasn't really a taekwondo guy, back in my day things were like such and such".
     
  6. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Well, in your opening post you said - and I quote

    So..............."come up to us" now means reading quotes on youtube? Quotes that don't match your original premise? :rolleyes:

    Seriously?
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2015
  7. Tom bayley

    Tom bayley Valued Member

    What do you mean keep in mind this is a joke and not meant to offend? Humor can be both directly offensive and used as a tool for discrimination.

    A morbidly obese, lesbian, half African American / half Hispanic, Catholic on a mobility scooter enters a bar with a horse tucked underneath her arm...
     
  8. Rand86

    Rand86 likes to butt heads

    The barman takes a look and says: "You're trying too hard." :whistle:
     
  9. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Someone said something stupid on the Internet? Couldn't happen.

    Mitch
     
  10. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    So yet again "martial arts" and "asians" means "taekwondo"

    Honestly if you are as half assed about your training as you are your intellectual arguments no wonder you cant fight
     
  11. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    Anytime someone slates Taekwondo, particularly sparring, I just tell them when and where the next open competition will be for them to take part. Oddly, nobody ever does.
     
  12. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Another reason this whole thread premise is ridiculous. I think it is a racist attitude to talk about martial arts instructors like they can only be Asian or Caucasian.

    There are a lot of other races out there too. The Federation my school belongs to has schools all over the world with Sifu's of many different races. Yep - more choices to list besides Asian or Caucasian.
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2015
  13. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    #allinstructorsmatter

    :evil:
     
  14. liero

    liero Valued Member

    I just realised that the video was actually made by the OP.

    Dude, it's very racist.

    I have never walked into a martial arts club and based my assessment on the race or gender of the instructor.

    My best three taekwondo instructors have been Thai, Lebanese and Italian.

    In any well regarded international martial art the best instructors often come from other countries than the country of origin because the sport is so popular globally.

    For example in Olympic TKD the arguable "best" coach of all time is Ireno Fargas. He won the World Championships representing Spain. Then led their TKD coaching staff while they were the most successful Team in Europe and 2nd best in the world (after Korea, which dents my argument). Then performed the same feat coaching France and then Mexico. With a big bag of Olympic Gold's to add to his name each time.

    The only people you might miss if you are not an old asian master are about 0.5% of misunderstanding first time students, or first time martial arts parents. If they ask why you are not asian you can politely explain things to them, and if they never tell you why you don't come back then it is far more likely to other factors than the instructors race!
     
  15. SWC Sifu Ben

    SWC Sifu Ben I am the law

    I've lost track of the number of times I've had people tell me that I don't look like I would teach/know kung fu but as you said it's never stopped anyone from becoming a student.
     
  16. Latikos

    Latikos Valued Member

    I think the problem is, that some people (luckily it should be very few by now. I hope) actually do that.

    In another forum a dude wanted to learn Muay Thai. But only if the instructor would be from Thailand, because obviously otherwise the coach would be bad.

    Nothing anyone said could convince him of the contrary.



    My Hapkido coaches all learned from a Korean who came here.
    One of them became so good, that nowadays they say: "*Name of the Korean* was nearly as good at this and that as John Doe."

    So in some aspects the coach became even better then "the original".
    Happens.

    Personally I didn't have an Asian instructor; neither Korean nor Japanese.
    So far I haven't even seen one live.
    And I think I'm being well-taught.
     
  17. liero

    liero Valued Member

    Nope, You never learnt the 'true hapkido'.

    sorry :liar:
     
  18. Latikos

    Latikos Valued Member

    Oow :(

    But it's okay, since I'm about to quit there anyway.
    Now I even have a good reason!

    Telling them: "Well, I just noticed you're not Korean!" sounds like it should convince them!
     
  19. liero

    liero Valued Member

    Hahaha!

    In all seriousness. As an instructor I encourage all people who are thinking of training to come and give the session a try. The training quickly speaks for itself- if it's what a person wants they stay.

    Skips the "image" and straight to the "practice"
     
  20. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    Oh my lawd, you're like, soooooo racist! You're taking away from a serious point that #AsianInstructorsMatter is trying to make and clearly that's, like, some totes serious denialism!

    :evil:*

    *I shall banish myself for the use of the word "totes".

    ====================

    But seriously, I have seen numerous people state multiple times (online) that the only way to learn an art effectively is to go train under an "authentic instructor from X". Yet when it actually comes to training with people, that kind of rhetoric seems to almost completely disappear, at least from my experiences.

    It's almost like the idea that your racial demographic and geographical location will determine your quality and knowledge of training is bumpkiss or something :p

    But the assertion in the video that people will judge an instructor based on their race as opposed to the quality of training or what is perceived to be offered is ridiculous in the vast majority of cases.
     

Share This Page