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brians
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Bruce Lee's Criticism of Martial Arts Training Methods (written in 1963-4 & still valid today)

I recently read the book Bruce Lee, The Tao of Gung Fu: Commentaries on the Chinese Martial Arts. Remarkably, Bruce Lee, writing in 1963 & 1964, identifies ailments that afflicted some of the so-called “traditional”* martial arts at that time – be they Okinawan, Japanese or Chinese. You will recognize that, unfortunately, these shortfalls continue to afflict karate practiced today.

Bruce Lee talks about ailments such as practice of kata for aesthetics only and with no bunkai, lack of realism in training, focus on “dead” kumite drills instead of true non-cooperative practice, and more. An interesting read for karateka!

My book summary of Bruce Lee, The Tao of Gung Fu: Commentaries on the Chinese Martial Arts is here. 

* Of course, these arts are not “traditional” in the true sense -- they are simply 20th century interpretations of solid traditional art.

Iain Abernethy
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Thanks for sharing that here. A good article.

All the best,

Iain