Why do people do so much style bashing?

Question

It happens alot and i want to hear your opinions about why this happens. IMO everything depends on your school and association. In my TKD school and assocation we train in MMA as well as traditional Tae Kwon Do and spar full contact. Our self defence is extremely effective and it has kept me alive numerous times. Yet alot of people put down styles like TKD, Karate etc. We're trained to see the good parts of all martial arts and not to put other styles down.

Answer 1

I believe that people bash each other's styles because they are arrogant and stupid. Just because you don't like something (or dare I say, not very good at it) doesn't mean that it is inferior.



I have trained in Jitsu, Wado Ryu Karate, MMA, Brazillian Jiu Jitsu, Aikido, and Koshynryu karate. They are all perfectly good arts and all of the instructors were more than capable of breaking bones or knocking people out in a variety of different ways.



Some of these arts are more useful than others in different situations but they were all effective in their own way.



I don't belive that there are any inferior martial arts, only inferior martial artists.

Answer 2

I'd love to answer this but first...



Beatchanter? Seriously? Royce and amazing physical specimen?



We must have different ideas.



Kevin Randleman is a specimen, Randy Couture is a specimen, Carlos Newton is a specimen. Those are natural athletes. Royce has had to work hard to be where he is.



The whole point of Royce being the UFC (as opposed to RIckson,Rodrigo, or someone better or even more athletic) was that he was one of the smaller, less genetically gifted Gracies. It was to further emphasize the effectiveness of Gracie Jujitsu, that you could take a smaller man, a less athletically gifted man and still beat other arts. Royce Gracie is 6 ft, 170lbs. There is nothing athletically special about him. That was supposed to be the point.



Compare this:



http://www.cdn.sherdog.com/_images/pictures/30/30142.jpg



to this:



http://www.fcfighter.com/PICTURES/MISC/rev0207-coleman-randleman.jpg



http://www.fightmarket.com/images/photo_images/13.jpg



Anyway... to get to the question.



The problem with the Internet is that it's anonymity protects people, and allows them to voice opinions that they probably wouldn't otherwise.



The main people who are elitist and bash other styles mainly comes from a blind following and belief in their own art. Some of that has been passed down from instructors, some of that is just very entusiastic students, and some of it from people who have invested YEARS into their art, and have a close mind about anything else.



Personally I don't think there are any bad arts, just bad training principles. I think any technique you learn is another tool in your tool belt. But it is up to you to figure out how and when to use that tool.



I think certain training principles are more effective than others. (Resistance training, hard sparring, competetions, practicing your technique at full speed against a resisting opponent in short) I think that even I can be accused of generalizing at times, as certain styles lean away from those type of training principles.



I think that anything when trained the proper way can be effective. It sounds like you have a great school, and you are fortunate. As others have said there are way more bad TKD schools than there are good TKD schools. And many people instead of changing the way the do things when shown the effectiveness of other things, will turn their back and simply put down something else out of ignorance and pride.



Because when it really comes down to it, 80% of what they have spent years learning would be thrown out the window if put to the test. People would have to completely modify their style. Instead of seeing this, embracing other styles and actually being effective, they feel the need to justify their time, and do so by simply saying that the other style(s) is this, this or this, while their style is that, that, and that.



Truth is no one style is best, you should be prepared for any realm of combat, and should take as much as you can to add to your arsenal, and spar it under as few rules as possible, then do it under adrenaline against a stranger in tournaments, competetions, or fights. Then that is as prepared as you can get.



Glad to hear you have a good place, and have a good attitude, don't let others jade you towards that. Some people just would rather bash what they don't understand because of the investment they have made (time or heart wise) in their own art.



Hell 3/4ths of the people posting on here are just starting Martial Arts and think they know what they are talking about. They say things their own masters would never condone them saying. Then there are people who just have "ideas" about Martial Arts, they may have dabbled in a few classes here and there.



So I would say generally the people who do the style bashing are the ones that actually have the least to say.



Best of luck to you, congrats on having an awesome school.

Answer 3

Styles should be bashed.



There's a lot of stuff which works really well:

Muay Thai, Western Boxing, Kyukoshin Karate, Judo, Wrestling, Sambo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It's been proven in the ring and on the street.



It's no coincidence that these styles train like one does for sports, because the goal is the best possible practical performance. They also emphasize toughness, conditioning and full-on sparring, and have organized competition on a world level.



Styles that don't do so well:

Aikido: Ever see an old master against someone who actually resists the throw? Do Judo.

Karate and other standup styles: You don't learn good footwork, head movement or good punching work. Also, you don't learn to give and take leg kicks. Why not just take Muay Thai?



There is lots of stuff that doesn't work and is a rip off. People shouldn't be deluded into thinking McDojo classes are providing any help in self-defence. Modern martial arts thankfully is helping this.

Answer 4

Your Dojang sounds like it is good. However, if you have a good TKD school, you would have to see how many bad TKD schools are out there and be more offended by it than I am as a Karate practitioner. There are many non-traditional karate styles that shouldn't even use the word Karate, and I'm offended. When I say somehting negative about a style, know I'm only talking about 90% of that style's practitioners, not the entire style itself. If you're a physically gifted Athlete (i.e. Royce Gracie who is an amzing physical specimen) you can make any style work. I tend to think most styles are pretty good, but that some styles have sold out for popularity, Olympic acceptance or just plain 4 the Money$.

Answer 5

Hi there



The problem is down to people's lack of knowledge and understanding. People always have their own views and experiences and often base their criticism on them. It isn't just a martial arts problem. There are others that take great pride in believing that the things they have done in life must be right purely because they don't want to take ownership for any mistakes or bad choices they have made.



The simple fact is that an individual chooses their art based on their own tastes, physical build and personal needs. A responsible martial artist should be self critical and pick out the problems in their own training before looking at what others are doing.



Another thing do people really believe everything they read on the Internet and see on TV?



Unfortunately yes.



If you want answers about what style works or is it real then go and train in those arts and find the answers for yourself. Don't read some biased junk on the web and take it as gospel.



I have read countless crap on the Internet from people that really should know better. Martial arts maturity is what should come from people with years of training not inflated ego syndrome or empire building.



All good martial artists should let people choose there own style and find there own way.



The simple answer is go train and find out for yourself!



Best wishes

Answer 6

Because the definition of "good style" is open to interpretation, I consider TKD, KArate and Judo all inferior martial arts to full-contact kickboxing, and MMA just a form for people trying to imitate WWE.



Besides, on the street, it doesn't come down to what martial arts you or I have practiced, they're not going to be playing by the rules, (whoever jumps us), so I say one swift kick in the right place and leg it, remember; martial arts may be about style; but it's also about intelligence, and in the case such as the one exampled above, kickboxing, the forms you listed, and any other forms ever studied, all go out the window.



And let's assumed they're armed with a weapon, such as a gun, unless you can deflect a bullet with a velocity of 350 metres per second, then you can be Bruce Lee and you're still not going to win that one.



As for the bashing, it happens, and in these cases, we had events in my region such as Kickboxing Vs Karate, and if you can't take people dogging your styles, then they're either right, or you could proove them wrong.



As long as you're saying "we see all the good parts and not put the rest down", you will not be able to see that several of the forms listed by you are vastly inferior to multiple other styles being taught, because of the ego-mania involved.

Answer 7

You pose an excellent question. I usually don't speak bad of other martial arts. However on occasion I do, and I am sorry to anyone who is offended. Its usually an insult to a school or a practitioner, but on occasion I have been a bit more grandiose, and insulted a whole style. That style was tae kwon do, not because I think its a bad style, or useless, but because of the business and teaching practices of many of the schools in the US. I have seen some very good schools of tae kwon do, just not very many. To those who practice the actual fighting art, and aren't part of a McDojo / McDojang, I appologize. To all the no contact point fighters, and McDojo masters (in any style) ... BITE ME !!!

Answer 8

They have too much pride. They think just because they are good in the style they use that makes their style the best. They think just because the guys at the UFC pound the crap out of other guys that makes MMA the best. They think just because one or two guys that use another style and lose badly, that is a full representation of their style. I dont understand their way of thinking at all. Traditional martial arts were designed to KILL, not to do fancy flashy moves. MMA was designed for a closed, caged ring with rules to protect the people. Now, which would win? The reason why martial arts look so crappy nowdays is because its becoming more of a sport than a way of life. Its quality is deteriorating and it is very sad. This is why I say traditional martial arts, rather than just martial arts. Traditional styles have not deteriorated into sports, so they are much more effective.



There are thousands of martial art styles out there. Just because one style does not work for them, that doesnt mean it is inferior. When it comes to hand to hand combat, I prefer chinese internal styles such as Ba Gua Zhang, Tai Ji Quan, Dim Mak, and Xin Yi Liu He Quan. I really dislike Karate, Tae Kwon Do and Tang Soo Do. Why? Not because I think they are inferior, they just dont work for me. There is no best martial art style in general, but there is a best style FOR YOU. I dont understand why people think Kung Fu styles are crap. They are highly effective and extremely deadly when used by the right person. Again, they see a few beginners or guys who do flashy, fancy moves and they automatically assume all people who practice chinese styles are like that.



I really hope that one day we can all practice whatever style we want without having to worry that people will be putting down what we do. Instead of putting down other styles and calling them inferior, why dont they actually study and practice that style TRADITIONALLY and see for themselves first hand what it is like. If it doesnt work out for them, that doesnt mean the actual style is bad. There is no best fighting style, only best fighters. People think the UFC fighters are the best in the world. For all you people know, the most powerful martial artists in the world probably dont want to advertise their skill. Also, you cant take someone who knowns techniques that would be lethal and put them into a ring that would prevent them from using those lethal techniques. So of course they would lose if their style focuses on actually killing the opponent, opposed to scoring points in a sport competition.

Answer 9

Morebster got the right idea. Like saying if you put the masters of all arts into a room and locked it, then they'd be perfectly fine with each other, then you get the students of all arts in a room, then the'd fight over what styles better etc. I think it might be because people haven't seen the full extents of another style so to speak, and so build on what they have heard/havent experienced etc to create a stereotype of any given thing. Hmm....trying to think...in conclusion, as stated before by previous peoples, 'style bashing' is done by students/peoples who are still learning(not that people who don't don't learn), and argue on the information that they have at their(so far limited?) disposal or simply as a joke.

Besides, as long as there is discrimination, there will always be 'style bashing', is, has been and possibly always will be.

Answer 10

Ignorance, bravado.



I suspect the people who do most of the bashing are the ones that never went to a single class in their life and think that watching the UFC, or kung fu movies makes them experts in fighting. If you listen to these guys talk, getting attacked while walking down the street and minding your own business is just as common as coming across a hot dog vendor, so you have to be prepared all the time, because apparently, there's just dozens of people waiting in the wings to attack you.

True martial art students, in my experience, don't go around saying what others do is bad. In fact, they tend to be curious about what other people do and because we want to learn as much as possible, we are conscious that there is something interesting in virtually every art out there. That is the attitude of learning. Someone that says that they know has stopped learning, because their attitude stops them from learning further. They are best just ignored.

Answer 11

My view for what it is worth is that it is primarily down to immaturity. For my own part I like to watch and learn from all martial arts although my own experience is limited to Judo and Shotokan karate. A good martial artist regardless of style is to be admired as they have shown a level of commitment that the majority of the population haven't demonstrated. And as you already seem to have picked up on most of the art bashers out there have little or no real experience.

Answer 12

After 25 years of training, I've seen this frequently. Even in my own organization (although not often). I believe it's because of pride. We train so hard and put all of ourselves into the art. No art is perfect, so it's easy to bash. Unfortunately, at least in SKA, pride is one thing to avoid at all cost. Most people who bash are novices, or have simply not learned the heart of the style.

Answer 13

kept you alive huh? I think most people bash it because its more of a game then a def technique. If you tried to use TKD outside of a TKD match on someone that knows how to fight you wouldn't last long.

Answer 14

I thought you were talking about clothes or something.