Our Martial Arts Legacy - Then, Today, Tomorrow

When we think of martial arts our focus is usually on combat and war aspects, which is logical, since "martial" means "war".

But it's the “art” that lends itself to their real appeal to the many practitioners, worldwide. "Art" that sometimes reflects religion or culture. For example, aikido was developed by a man, whose growing spiritual consciousness convinced him that we should learn to neutralize, rather than directly confront aggression.  Hsing-i (Mind-Will Boxing) on the other hand, was designed for the battlefield, so it features direct, straight forward and damaging techniques. 

Bruce Lee, through his movies and TV roles, was and still is an integral factor in the popularity the martial arts enjoys today. Of course, he was part of a larger genre of Asian Kung-Fu movies, which became very popular to outside audiences during the 70s. And the UFC, which purports itself to present a more realistic example of martial arts application, continues to grow in popularity.

Our community has produced many outstanding martial artists, including Professor Moses Powell, Master George Cofield, Ronald Duncan and Mestre’ Jao Grande’.

It is my pleasure to bring to you, the Critical Discourse audience, one of our living legends/masters.

Master Ali Abdul-Karim started his training in 1967, due to the influence of his older brother. In 1969, he studied Ninjitsu, with Master Ronald Duncan, right here in Brooklyn.   Master Karim’s services are constantly in demand, in organizing self-defense and conflict resolution plans.

So, I invite martial artists from all disciplines, to go review and relive this history, what this means and where do we go from here, in an ever-evolving world. Share your own experiences and insights with our friends at Critical Discourse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYd8KyK6E2k