The purpose of CMA… now there only to sell itself?

**Greg** · Posted On: 11/26/2003 9:08pm

Is it now just about turning out performers that improve sales?

I was wondering about this… the flashy techniques and dances, the exhibition performances where "exciting" techniques are displayed. Breaking boards, eating fire, flying around on wires, whatever. The sparring, which has rules to make it more appealing to a public audience. Do you just end up with something that is deliberately designed to be commercially appealing?

I will preface this with one point; I don’t think this applies to every CMA school in the universe. However… how do you know if you are not just teaching real or just “show” techniques that were deliberately taught in the past for a “wow factor” marketing purpose?

Looks like there has been this perpetual drive to create an ever-franchising marketing tool kind of like a virus?

Flashiness sells the art to potential students.

In other words...

You are the head of whatever system… now you can

A) Teach a deadly technique which looks boring but works great.

Or…

B) You can teach a technique which looks great and will attract more students to your system but does not work well, if at all.

**akamai** · Posted On: 11/26/2003 9:16pm

right, it is entertainment
i myself also like the big cats shows at vegas ran by those two germans

**Greg** · Posted On: 11/26/2003 9:33pm

Not so much entertainment as made to be more aesthetically appealing to perspective buyers.

PS That tiger made my day.

**Southpaw** · Posted On: 11/26/2003 10:40pm

Originally posted by Greg
Is it now just about turning out performers that improve sales?

To some perhaps, but not for most. How is that different from any other sport or combat martial art?

I was wondering about this… the flashy techniques and dances, the exhibition performances where "exciting" techniques are displayed. Breaking boards, eating fire, flying around on wires, whatever.

Have you seen any CMA that was not on TV? It sounds like you're describing a Run Run Shaw movie.

The sparring, which has rules to make it more appealing to a public audience. Do you just end up with something that is deliberately designed to be commercially appealing?

I'm unaware of any CMA that tailors thier sparring towards an audience.

"Sparring..." with "rules to make it more appealing to a public audience" is called Pride, K1, or UFC. There's nothing wrong with that...but I wouldn't think that description is very fitting for CMA.

I will preface this with one point; I don’t think this applies to every CMA school in the universe.

ok

However… how do you know if you are not just teaching real or just “show” techniques that were deliberately taught in the past for a “wow factor” marketing purpose?

Some people actually fight with thier martial arts and can sometimes even figure out what works and what doesn't. It's really crazy.

Looks like there has been this perpetual drive to create an ever-franchising marketing tool kind of like a virus?

This brilliant marketing scheme was created at the shaolin temple over 3000 years ago by some very forward thinking monks.

Flashiness sells the art to potential students.

Because that's how I choose it! It even came with a flashy belt!

In other words...

You are the head of whatever system… now you can

A) Teach a deadly technique which looks boring but works great.

Or…

B) You can teach a technique which looks great and will attract more students to your system but does not work well, if at all. [/B]

How long do you think a system will stay around if it's students keep getting their asses kicked? Do you know how long some CMA have been around. Do you think any of them have ever been in fights?

Can you give me one single example of a traditional CMA that teaches flashy techniques that are non-functional just "to attract students"?

**SifuAbel** · Posted On: 11/27/2003 12:56am

" Can you give me one single example of a traditional CMA that teaches flashy techniques that are non-functional just "to attract students"?"

This could be a tricky one, since some schools are quite bad. The percentages of these schools are highly exagerated by the people on this forum.

As to finding examples, I think most people look toward Modern Wu-Shu's agility skills such as the butterfly kick and acrobatics as the main specimen. TCMA, it seems, is an enigma to most here. The question as to what exactly don't they like will only be vaguely pointed to. Few here could actually describe or point out any particular technique whatsoever, other than the flips, that they don't like. I had a student rescently that expressed quite a bit of surprise when I showed him some of the applications from monkey. He thought it too was just for show, until he saw what it was actually for. Few here see past thier own paradigm. It's only good if its like what they do and how they do it. A always follows B, and when it doesn't its not "real". Yet sometimes thats not the way things go.

**Southpaw** · Posted On: 11/27/2003 8:08am

Originally posted by KungFuDoesWork
As to finding examples, I think most people look toward Modern Wu-Shu's agility skills such as the butterfly kick and acrobatics as the main specimen.

True enough...but I don't really think anyone is under the impression that Wushu is for combat.

**Ronin** · Posted On: 11/27/2003 8:13am

If I want entertainment, I will go to the movies or a strip club, they are ALL nude up here in Canada, and you can get a nude lap dance and practise your guard at the same time :)
When it comes to MA, I want practical.
Some MA should specifiy to their students that the techniques are only for exercise or for entertainement value only. This is for CMA, JMA,KMA and any other MA that claimes to teach you how to "fight" or to protect yourself and spend all their time doing anything but that.

**tallpaul50** · Posted On: 11/27/2003 8:49am

I had to re-read Greg's post twice to see what arts he was talking about...sounded like TKD to me. flashy, fancy..and ineffective.

I've seen some of those CMA's on TV, and yes, their gymnastics ability is impressive. As for fighting ability? I don't know, I've enver fought one. I know some CMA'ers around this area wheich are pretty gpood fighters, but they aren't into this flash stuff either.

**drunkenj** · Posted On: 11/27/2003 8:57am

greg man --- youre such a hypocrite ,,,, changing your avatar for one with more flashy mass appeal

**liuzg150181** · Posted On: 11/27/2003 9:07am

Originally posted by ronin69
If I want entertainment, I will go to the movies or a strip club, they are ALL nude up here in Canada, and you can get a nude lap dance and practise your guard at the same time :)
When it comes to MA, I want practical.
Some MA should specifiy to their students that the techniques are only for exercise or for entertainement value only. This is for CMA, JMA,KMA and any other MA that claimes to teach you how to "fight" or to protect yourself and spend all their time doing anything but that.

Unforunately there are quite a number of modern wushu exponents who thought they could fight well(Look,i said "well"~~~!!!).Some are so egoistic that they could they are the best fighter.I couldnt wait to kick their asses~~~