Hi Ed,

I understand your point, the WKU is limiting themselves to their own group. On the whole that's what groups do. Depending where you live in the world they may be a big deal, but from where I'm at its a very small issue.

In fact the longer I look there's a great deal about most of the public 'Japanese' karate groups that doesn't interest me in the least, for their practices have no relevance on what I focus on what Karate represents.

So I note their skill when shown, admiring skill, and really don't lose sleep about the rest.

Such groups really only represent themselves.

znra

Precisely why I seriously hope karate never makes it into the Olympics.

One of the very real strengths of karate has been that its an "umbralla" term that reperesents many different "styles" and appraochs.

These differences are what makes karate as a group strong.

The "standardization" you speak of would eliminate those differences.
Make everyone "look" the same.

And that would be a tragic loss.

Whats the old Gilbert and Sullivan line?--"If everyone is somebody than no-ones anybody."

Something like that.

It's about competition not true standardization.

And don't fret about the olympics, whether karate is added or not. The media won't allow it shown on tv anyway.

For the past 4 or 5 olympics the amount of coverage martial events (shooting, archery, wrestling, judo, tkd, etc.) is almost non existant. The appear to have worked up the demographics of their desired audience, and there's no place in it for violence. The amount of coverage the 'martial' olypmics shows is almost non-existant. So if karate gets there nobody will really see it anyway.

On the other hand the next Olympics you'll see WuShu to the nth degree. It's flashy, it has all the 'gymnastics' the desired demographic audience wants to see. It's exotic and for all those reasons, WuShu will be the new 'wonderkind'.

I guarantee it, and that's what everyone commercial will be shifting too..... Rots of Ruck to them...

Bugger all boxing as well...

"Rotsaruck" - love that one, always make sure to say it before a grading or tournament.

future of team kata:
http://www.lookatentertainment.com/v/v-206.htm

now...lets really cause a stir that begs the question:

.................Is that Art?...................

Why or why not.

Lousy shiko-dachi, good heisoku-dachi.
Not much power display and monotoom rhytm.
Good synchronization(must have trained a lot together).
Overal performance weak (no martial intent).

It is art for those who can appriciate the symbolism and esthetics of the performance and objects. To be of any value for me, as an art, there has to be a "geniousity".
I would consider the robot a masterpiece of art, not the programming of the dance as such.

I must respectfully disagree.

That is exactly how I would see martial intent contained in dance. Everything those robots are doing, including the fan, is martial. They're just concealing the speed they would apply because of Isacc Asmov's 3 laws, for if you saw what they could do it would harm your pysche, and the 3 laws covering the development of all positronic brains, does not permit a robot by action or inaction to harm a human.

I'm afraid we're all obsolete.

Unless you meet an old robot A-1 who can train you to become Magnus robot fighter.

Proving I've read too much science fiction (Asmov) for decades, and then too many comic books....

The future is here now.

It'll save a fortune on trophies.