Olympics Games Martial Arts

[fuga]

Any recommendations on the best matches to watch on JudoVision?

thanks,

-p

[Chris Fleming]

This Olympics was the first time I've ever really watched fencing. Rather disappointing, in how far removed it is from its historical roots. By that I mean, after each and every exchange the two both get hit and both believe that they got the point and begin screaming and celebrating and looking at the judge as if to convince him. And each and every time, one of them is wrong and the repeat the cycle.

They sure as hell are fast on their feet though, and that's what I'm watching it for.

[Michael Babin]

I was ranting to some of my students today about the incredible strangeness of the tae kwon do competitions that I had stumbled across and watched on tv. I did TKD for a year decades ago and was never any good at it; but, my God, I saw practitioners who could punch and use their arms offensively and defensively as well as all the fancy kicks for which that style is famous!

So what's happened to Olympic TKD that the two opponents bounce up and down and leave their arms hanging by their sides -- literally -- and don't use them even when they do the rudimentry clinching chestpad to chestpad.

I sat there thinking "is this what the Olympic rules and the lust for gold does to martial sports?" ... and then I watched the fencing and wondered what a Renaissance fencing master would have thought of what went on there as well.

Anyone else find the Olympic definition of fencing and TKD strange and offensive from a functional point of view?

[Chris Fleming]

I have a hard time watching TKD for those same reasons.

[neijia_boxer]

This event seems nice for those into classical warrior skills. I had never heard of it until now.

modern pentathalon-

from wikipedia-

The modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes five events, derived from the Greek root of pente, meaning five. The events are epee fencing, pistol shooting, 200 m freestyle swimming, a show jumping course on horseback, and a 3 km cross-country run. The epithet modern is important to discern it from the ancient athletics pentathlon – none of the events of modern pentathlon were part of the ancient Olympics.

The modern pentathlon was invented by the Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. As the events of the ancient pentathlon were modeled after the skills of the ideal soldier of that time, Coubertin created the contest to simulate the experience of a 19th century cavalry soldier behind enemy lines: he must ride an unfamiliar horse, fight with pistol and sword, swim, and run.

The event was first held at the 1912 Olympic Games, and was won by Swedish athlete Gösta Lilliehöök.

The modern pentathlon has been on the Olympic program continuously since 1912. A team event was added to the Olympic Games in 1952 and discontinued in 1992. An event for women was added in 2000. In non-Olympic years, a World Championship is held, beginning in 1949. Originally the competition took place over four or five days; however in 1996 a one-day format was adopted in an effort to improve the event's commercial image. In spite of the event's strong pedigree in the modern olympics, and its status as the only event created specifically for the modern Olympic Games, its lack of widespread popularity outside of Eastern Europe has led to calls for its removal from the Olympic Games in recent years.

However, a vote by the IOC on July 8, 2005, keeps it in the Olympic program at least until 2012.

The sport is governed by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), the International Modern Pentathlon Union.

[edededed]

As far as I know, taekwondo these days tends not to give points for hand techniques (I think at best you can get a point for a reverse punch to the body; also, punches to the head are not allowed, but kicks to the head are, for some reason, I think).

Judo isn't all that much fun to watch, either, though - seems like a grabbing contest at first.

I think they should just merge most of the events to something like:

1. Barehand Fighting (boxing, judo, taekwondo, whatever you like)
2. Melee Weapons Fighting (fencing, whatever)
3. Archery
4. Shooting
5. Running/Walking Long (move however you can)
6. Running/Walking Short (move however you can)
7. Swimming Long (freestyle, butterfly, etc., all together)
8. Swimming Short (freestyle, butterfly, etc., all together)

Pentathalon is okay by me, too. I don't think we need team sports, though...

[lide]

In answer to that Cuban asshole, I give you Su Li-Wen. My god, what spirit.

[Chris Fleming]

http://www.comegetyousome.com/video/189 ... kouts.html