Thanks for posting these, Victor.
I used to keep these sorts of opinions to myself. But now that I've had 40 years of karate training behind me, I realize that most of these guys were kids when I started. So I guess white hair in my goatee gives me the right to be an opinionated curmudgeon.
In general the karate is great, the conditioning is great, and the practitioners appear capable.
However...
More and more as I get to understand my art, I realize that many such practitioners doing bunkai don't understand a good half of Kanbun's art, or they're hiding "the good stuff" from the gaijin. I'll give most of them the benefit of the doubt, and assume the latter. The problem with it all however is that the propagation of a "neutered" version of our art in my opinion constitutes a failure to honor the art. It is after all martial.
Perhaps many of the bunkai I've either been shown or just figured out on my own (thank you, UVa biomedical engineering education) are too violent to share with the general public. Perhaps these techniques are better shared at Quantico so our Marines can off a few bad guys. Who knows?
In any case it's always great to hear from you, Victor. I think about you, and pray that your health is the best it can be.
- Bill
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