Thornton Does Iceland

**Kengou** · Posted On: 4/26/2006 10:42pm

Every martial artist needs to see this video on his first day of class.

**JKing** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 12:18am

Definatly an awesome video. If only there was some way to clean the audio up a bit

**Gypsy Jazz** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 12:40am

Originally Posted by JKing

Definatly an awesome video. If only there was some way to clean the audio up a bit

Agreed. Accents combined with the quality made it very hard to understand some of the questions. Great find regardless.

I think it would've been good for the audience to do some ultra light sparring against one of Thorton's friends, or see them doing something similar. While I appreciate that he used BJJ to demonstrate his concepts, I think it was even more obscure to the audience to see something they had no idea about as an example for a concept that they (at first) didn't understand. Showing some basic boxing would at least be in the realm of striking.

**Olorin** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 12:53am

“Place you hand on his hip…other hip.”

Sorry just had to do it.

Now that I have done a little trolling, this is a great video.

As someone who started in Judo the whole “aliveness” thing is nothing new, we call it Randori, and have since 1882. What is great about this video is that it shows people who have never seen “alive” training what it is, and that it is the only way to learn a Martial Art.

”Every once and a while some guy will show up at one of my seminars with camouflage pants on an three knives and they will ask me, like, street fighting questions or commando questions and its completely ridiculous”.

Love the comment on conditioning. The fact is that real martial arts require aliveness, which goes hand in hand with conditioning, and most people are not willing to do this. People want the quick and easy way.

God, that guy that tried to equate a classical musician who practices alone to Martial Arts is a moron! The musician is actually playing the instrument. It is like saying that you can learn to play an instrument by only practicing your fingering! Or that “Air Guitar” teaches you to play zeppelin! **** I have a headache.

I guess I just do not get it, I guess I am just naive, why anyone would anyone train in a style that does not spar, what is the point fucking point?

I do have a few questions. What is the date on this video (2003, 2004?) and in what school was he speaking? Most importantly, what word never crossed his lips, but should have?

**Quikfeet509** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 2:14pm

The best setting I found for the audio was to use VLC player [it was the only player that worked for the download on my computer], click "headphones" under the equalizer menu, and actually use headphones to listen to it.

After I started to hear some of the questions, it sounded like he was blunt to the point of being callous when he replied. I'm not saying he needs to tiptoe through tulips with these assholes, but...

**Zendetta** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 3:44pm

[QUOTE=OlorinAs someone who started in Judo the whole “aliveness” thing is nothing new, we call it Randori, and have since 1882.[/QUOTE]

Which is precisely why judo guys (or gals) can throw you, whereas aikido folks... well... they are nice people.

**Shaolinz** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 3:44pm

Someone transcribe all the dialog into a post ;)

**Kungfoolss** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 9:30pm

Originally Posted by Aesopian

But don't bother imagining too hard since I've got a 71 minute video of it right here:

Yes, that's over an hour of hot and heavy Thornton on karateka action. What does a video of this magnitude contain? Try this on for size:

Good god, you're making me sit through 71-minutes of an "aliveness" lovefest? Unfortunately, I've got little choice if I'm going to write a more informative article about this joker. :XXsmoker:

**DAYoung** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 9:37pm

Originally Posted by Olorin

As someone who started in Judo the whole “aliveness” thing is nothing new, we call it Randori, and have since 1882. What is great about this video is that it shows people who have never seen “alive” training what it is, and that it is the only way to learn a Martial Art.

No. You are prey to the mistaken belief that evidence is what convinces self-deluders. Only pain, tragedy, the threat of death, or unyielding humiliation cracks the facade of self-delusion. Oh, and sometimes kindness added to patiently these.

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 9:57pm

Originally Posted by Quikfeet509

The best setting I found for the audio was to use VLC player [it was the only player that worked for the download on my computer], click "headphones" under the equalizer menu, and actually use headphones to listen to it.

After I started to hear some of the questions, it sounded like he was blunt to the point of being callous when he replied. I'm not saying he needs to tiptoe through tulips with these assholes, but...

you not SUPPOSED to tell a guy you gonna kill him no more!