From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #702 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Fri, 3 Nov 2000 Vol 07 : Num 702 In this issue: the_dojang: Starting a discussion.... the_dojang: Hapkido dojang in Iowa... the_dojang: RE: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #686 the_dojang: . ========================================================================= The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~1280 members strong! Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe the_dojang-digest" (no quotes) in the body (top line, left justified) of a "plain text" e-mail addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. To send e-mail to this list use the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of The_Dojang at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Creed71963@aol.com Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2000 11:13:58 EST Subject: the_dojang: Starting a discussion.... I have read a lot about the history of the martial arts, and how this influenced this art and how this person took this knowledge and founded this art. The question is: Is there a way to sort out the fact from fiction? I mean, is there a way of filtering out the lies, half-truths and mistakes that seem so common in today's martial arts? We've seen certain people get rich off their claims of fighting prowess, claims that have no basis in facts. In many other businesses, people making these type of claims would be shut down or fired from their jobs. I can't come in and tell someone that I have a Master degree when I don't -- yet someone can claim to be a 8th degree Black Belt in Tibetan Gopher Throwing (I like the idea....maybe we should award honorary black belts in that? ^_^), and with the explosion of organizations, there's no telling how true the claim is. This does go back to the discussion about the Hwangdo, Frank Dux, and stances that have been on the list. If a Korean learned Karate in Japan, then goes back to Korea and teaches what he knows as Tae Kwon Do, how honest is that? A lot of arts claim to be 'pure,' handed down from Master to Student for X hundred years, yet there are techniques and forms that have their basis in another style. How many so call 'Ninja' styles were there back in the 80's? Most of these teachers wouldn't have known a real ninja if one walked up and popped in the nose! There is clearly cultural influences that went from China to Japan to Korea to China and back again. Can anyone claim that they teach a 'pure' art anymore, one that hasn't been influenced by contact with other arts? I don't think anyone can honestly do so these days. Some will list what influenced their art and make no secret of it. Others will go out of the way to hide that influence. Yet, I cannot sit here and say that teacher 'A' is teaching a good art with a solid background and linage while teacher 'B' style history was cribbed off the back of a cereal box. How much Asian History does the average person know? Not much. If a person earns a green belt in style A, a red Belt in style B and a brown belt in style C, he could, in theory, call himself a master, open up his own school and teach. He could make up a background, and not be challenged by the average person. The sad thing is that to crack down on these fakers is to endanger the spread of Martial arts. With the fragmentation, it would be impossible for the MA community to police themselves, which would mean that the government would have to do it. And seeing the way they handle things like gun control and the justice system, the last thing I would want to do if I was the owner of a MA school is to go through the bureaucratic nightmare that would be thrust upon me should the government get involved. To sum up, what can we do to weed out the fakes and the bad apples that give MA a black eye? It's one thing to walk away from a bad school, but it's another thing to try and close down a school. Lawyers and Doctors would be barred from practice if they lied like some of these phonies have. But what can we do? Please note this isn't what I started to write about. I wanted to ask why, with the obvious overlapping of styles out there, why people claim to teaching a pure art when they're not. The Phonies sort of snuck their way into this.....^_^ Craig ------------------------------ From: J Thomas Howard Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2000 21:20:38 -0600 (CST) Subject: the_dojang: Hapkido dojang in Iowa... Sometime after the beginning of the year, a student of mine is going to be relocating to the Quad Cities area (Davenport, Rock Island, Moline, and Bettendorf) in Iowa and Illinois. Does anyone know of any Hapkido dojangs out there in that area? Please don't tell me to check the directory at http://www.binary.net/thomcat/Hapdir.html --- I know about that one. :) I note a Kuk Sool Won dojang there, which I might have her take a look at, but she'd prefer to stay with Hapkido. Anyone? Thomas (any help would be much appreciated) - ------------------------------------ thomcat@binary.net http://www.binary.net/thomcat/Hap.html "If you aren't modeling what you are teaching then you are teaching something else." ------------------------------ From: "Sims, Bruce W. NCHVAMC" Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2000 07:19:04 -0600 Subject: the_dojang: RE: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #686 . I like this system and want to fully progress and understand the "whole system," not just the techniques. I waited thirteen years for it and can proudly and honestly say that I deserve it. After Do Ju Nim Kimm wrapped that black belt around my waist, I realized the meaning of all those years of training...I am now an "Advanced Student." I wish there was a way to bottle this sentiment and hand it out free to each new student. I think you truly caught the flavor of the Martial spirit, and can't think of too many GM who would be better to study under than GM Kimm and his organization. Best Wishes, Bruce W Sims www.midwesthapkido.com ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2000 6:56:03 PST Subject: the_dojang: . ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V7 #702 ******************************** It's a great day for Taekwondo! Support the USTU by joining today. US Taekwondo Union, 1 Olympic Plaza, Ste 405, Colorado Spgs, CO 80909 719-578-4632 FAX 719-578-4642 ustutkd1@aol.com http://www.ustu.org To unsubscribe from the_dojang-digest send the command: unsubscribe the_dojang-digest -or- unsubscribe the_dojang-digest your.old@address in the BODY of an email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply.