[Rocky]

As the title says - some of the moves look pretty cool, in a gay dance kind of way:

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=17985

[BigBen]

Originally Posted by Rocky

As the title says - some of the moves look pretty cool, in a gay dance kind of way:

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=17985

That was pretty kick AS*

i could do that if i wanted............
and

[onebigeric]

Some excellent gymnasts, but not any martial artists. Sorry. Just like it said, 'Trickz'; that's all they are. It's laughable that people would consider this a strain of 'martial arts', but thanks to annoying little movements like the XMA, the masses have bought it hook, line, and sinker. That's the primary reason I shifted from mainstream Art tournaments and entered MMA; it's some of the only real martial competition left now. Forms aren't forms, they're screaming competitions. There's no martial technique, just a bunch of flips and twirls chained together. Weapon forms are laughable, as the shinier and 'twirlier'(not a real word, but you get my drift) your 'weapon' is, the more points you receive. I've competed near-monthy since the age of seven, but I found I just couldn't follow the gymnastic/screaming monkey road that virtually all tournaments seemed to adopt. Tradition has been thrown out in favor of glittered staffs, twirling bodies, sequenced uniforms, and screaming maniacs who do little else. Contemporary and short-sided individuals have hailed such changes as an "evolution" in the world of martial arts. Personally, I couldn't disagree more.

Sorry gentlemen; little rant out of my system there.

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by onebigeric

Some excellent gymnasts, but not any martial artists. Sorry. Just like it said, 'Trickz'; that's all they are. It's laughable that people would consider this a strain of 'martial arts', but thanks to annoying little movements like the XMA, the masses have bought it hook, line, and sinker. That's the primary reason I shifted from mainstream Art tournaments and entered MMA; it's some of the only real martial competition left now. Forms aren't forms, they're screaming competitions. There's no martial technique, just a bunch of flips and twirls chained together. Weapon forms are laughable, as the shinier and 'twirlier'(not a real word, but you get my drift) your 'weapon' is, the more points you receive. I've competed near-monthy since the age of seven, but I found I just couldn't follow the gymnastic/screaming monkey road that virtually all tournaments seemed to adopt. Tradition has been thrown out in favor of glittered staffs, twirling bodies, sequenced uniforms, and screaming maniacs who do little else. Contemporary and short-sided individuals have hailed such changes as an "evolution" in the world of martial arts. Personally, I couldn't disagree more.

Sorry gentlemen; little rant out of my system there.

However, I do see your point, and I think it is more to do with the appeal of it to the uninitiated who will see something like this and think it is cooler than seeing a more rigid martial arts display which is more about function than being "twirly".
It's all about appeal these days for consumer purposes it seems.

[onebigeric]

Most definitely, Rocky; it's marketing, pure and simple. What saddens me is that instead of existing alongside the competitive martial community, it's supplanting it.

On a side note, your Agent K in the Google thread killed me; excellent stuff

[Rocky]

lol - thanks man.

It is a shame that the "flowery" version gets the interest over the traditional art. Sort of like Pro steroid BBing over natural - there a replenty of people that do it, but they just don't get the same coverage.

[onebigeric]

Exactly, Rocky. It's the 'shock and awe' factor at work in both things, I feel. People want to be 'amazed' quickly without looking a bit under the surface, as it were.