Karate Kid and Aikido

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[TreyPrice]

I was saying last night in the dojo that I recently took the kids to see the new Karate Kid movie. There are many themes in the new movie that were in the first.
As you recall Daniel washed and waxed cars, painted fences, and sanded floors - in the new movie Dre takes off the coat, puts on the coat, picks up the coat and hangs the coat up. There is the moment when both students are exhaust of the repetitive and seemingly mindless activity and start to leave in anger.

OK, that said - we know it was an exercise in muscle memory.

So here is the question: if you were to take the same training approach as Mr Miyagi, or Mr. Han what repetitive and everyday activities would you require of your student?

[bulevardi]

Still don't understand why that new Karate Kid movie is all about Kung Fu. :straightf :blush:

[Abasan]

thread a needle.

[Lyle Laizure]

Still don't understand why that new Karate Kid movie is all about Kung Fu. :straightf :blush:

That's what I'm saying.

[Adam Huss]

Because its in China for one...plus it would be odd trying to remake an actual karate kid with someone other than Pat Morita. This way the differences is a little easier to understand b/c its a different country with a different martial art. Its called karate kid because its the "spiritual successor" to karate kid; same plot, even some exact same or similar scenes.

[Shannon Frye]

Because it takes place in China, more reason for it NOT to be called the "karate" kid. And sorry, but it's not a spiritual "successor", it's a remake - and a poorly written one at that.

As for everyday aiki exercise, let's see - fish mongering? Having to catch and control the flying fish, turn/pivot, and continue the motion as you fling it to someone else.

Because its in China for one...plus it would be odd trying to remake an actual karate kid with someone other than Pat Morita. This way the differences is a little easier to understand b/c its a different country with a different martial art. Its called karate kid because its the "spiritual successor" to karate kid; same plot, even some exact same or similar scenes.

[David Board]

Pushing my youngest child on the swing. I blend stepping back as she returns and then step into the forward swing. First on the left then on the right. And people stare and she giggles and yells for more.

When pounding fence posts I emulate Ikkyo Undo. And people stare and I moan and by the end of the day I yell for less.

[ninjaqutie]

I honestly have no idea, but one guy in our dojo says he chops wood the same way he cuts with his sword. He puts the log up on a stand that puts the log about chest level. He says it works pretty well. Never tried it myself though, so can't say if that helps :O)

I imagine any tedious task that helps teach patience would be a good one though.


AND, I think it should be called something other then Karate Kid since karate has nothing to do with it. Who cares if it is a remake of the old one. Name it something else like Kung Fu Kid of Wushu Kid or here is an idea ::Gasp:: give it a name that doesn't mention a style of martial art in the title!

[David Maidment]

It's only called 'The Karate Kid' in the West. Everywhere else uses its proper name.

[dave9nine]

push the door open with extended arms, turn in to let the folks behind you pass, then turn in again and continue...

open the jar, close the jar; repeat...

[Adam Huss]

I use aikido principles when doing nitten soji

[Shadowfax]

It's only called 'The Karate Kid' in the West. Everywhere else uses its proper name.

which is?

I actually really enjoyed the movie even if the writers did not have much of an imagination.

Trying to think what mundane tasks would be good for aikido training
how about, pull the door open, release the door, clean the window (on the door)? Kinda feels like kokyo ho.

[Adam Huss]

I thought it was shot well (cinematography), but thought the age of the kids was a bit creepy. Karate Kid (real one) was better b/c it was an appropriate story for high school characters. Forcing that on 10 year olds was odd and a little unsettling (kiss scene?).

[TreyPrice]

I think a few guys got caught up in the name of the film. Who cares MA is often missrepresented in film in one way or another.

I guy in my club also talked about opening a door, and "projecting" while mowing the lawn.

One quote in the movie was "..every thing is kung fu..." Sounds a lot like OSensei - all things are budo, and budo lives in everything.

[Mikemac]

Funakogi Undo: Rowing exercise. You go row boat Danielsan.....

After wash clothes, wring wet laundry....Left hand sankyo, right hand kotegaeshi .....breath in.....breath out.....

OK...last lesson......Attach heavy tree log to ceiling with chain....Push log.....Now get out of log way........You no look at me Danielsan, you lok at log.....or get squished, just like grape......

:D

[RED]

OK...last lesson......Attach heavy tree log to ceiling with chain....Push log.....Now get out of log way........You no look at me Danielsan, you lok at log.....or get squished, just like grape......

:D

that might be the sign of a mental disorder.:p

[TreyPrice]

Thanks Michael - that is exactly what I was looking for. I like wring the laundry - great!

WAY OUTSIDE THE BOX!

[David Maidment]

which is?

Pre-release it was reported as being 'The Kung Fu Kid', but Wikipedia lists its international names as: 'The Kung Fu Dream' and 'Best Kid' in Asia.

[Shadowfax]

Pre-release it was reported as being 'The Kung Fu Kid', but Wikipedia lists its international names as: 'The Kung Fu Dream' and 'Best Kid' in Asia.

all of which would have been much better choices. makes you wonder what the marketing people were thinking.

Speaking of good martial arts films. has anyone seen The Sensei? Awesome movie with a very good message. Well worth picking up a copy.

[chunie]

As I'm not sensei, but these I try to repeat at home: various tai sabaki like simple body turn (I guess it's called tai no tenkan), added bonus: I have moves to show on the dance floor :D

When riding bike, we tend to ride them a lot here in the Netherlands, hold the handlebars like holding bokken?

[DonMagee]

I still don't understand why anyone would help Daniel. The kid was a arrogant jerk with anger management issues.

I mean first he gets beat up for hitting on a guys girlfriend. He imagined himself some kind of tough guy cause he read some books on fighting and got beat up for it. So what does he do? Does he ignore the kids and try to move on with his life looking at other girls and making friends? Nope. The stupid kid picks yet another fight with the gang that beat him up the first time.

Yet he seems shocked to be beat up for tormenting the kid who beat him up in the first place. So then this old man shows up and beats a bunch of teenagers senseless. He sees a troubled kid with anger issues and how does he help him? He teaches him to fight. Then to take it a step further he actually goes and picks a fight for the kid to fight.

Later the kid is hurt again, rather then teaching him when to let it go, he helps the kid get back up (from a knee injury which obviously is a bad idea) and puts him back in the fight.

Overall all Daniel learned (as proven by the next 2 movies) was that the only way to solve your problems was to be a prick and to fight.

[Shannon Frye]

Wild guess here, Don, but I'm guessing you started in Aikido after your Cobra Kai dojo closed down?:D

I still don't understand why anyone would help Daniel. The kid was a arrogant jerk with anger management issues.

[TreyPrice]

Maybe we saw a different "Karate Kid" Yes there were some cliche things in it (talk about cliche - watch the Green Berets with John Wayne). I don't think the relationship was as stable as you may have thought, Daniel may have been posing as a tough guy, but he knew he wasn't, and yes he was stupid - it comes with the age and hormones. It was a warm hearted movie, not a factual retelling of Daniels climb to the top of the martial arts world.

I did think it was funny that in each movie there was a new technique that was unbeatable, that was admitted from the training previously.

So I ask you Cynical Sensei - what atypical training would you use on "your" Daniel? and please focus on aikido training not a movie critique. (Your focus needs more focus)

[Adam Huss]

There's a dojo near Toronto, ON, Canada that is sponsoring a theater release of the original Karate Kid and are selling tix fro something like $8 to raise money for cancer....wish I was near Toronto.

[Buck]

I was saying last night in the dojo that I recently took the kids to see the new Karate Kid movie. There are many themes in the new movie that were in the first.
As you recall Daniel washed and waxed cars, painted fences, and sanded floors - in the new movie Dre takes off the coat, puts on the coat, picks up the coat and hangs the coat up. There is the moment when both students are exhaust of the repetitive and seemingly mindless activity and start to leave in anger.

OK, that said - we know it was an exercise in muscle memory.

So here is the question: if you were to take the same training approach as Mr Miyagi, or Mr. Han what repetitive and everyday activities would you require of your student?

Clean the dojo with rags, that is what I did at one dojo.

[Shannon Frye]

All movie review aside (and omitting my idiotic previous post about fish mongering), I'd recommend kids in a swing (as David Board mentioned). You can push from behind - extend and keep your balance centered. And then stand in front and practice tenkans.

I get to practice - my kids get to swing - and the rest of the playground gets entertained!