Putin Earns 8th Degree Black Belt in Kyokushin Karate

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Vladimir Putin just earned his 8th degree black belt in Kyokushin Karate. He already has a 9th degree black belt in Taekwondo. Meanwhile, our President looks like the poster boy for a low T ad campaign.

Now I realize that there might be some politics involved with this award. Who is going to deny Putin his black belt? But still.

13 thoughts on “Putin Earns 8th Degree Black Belt in Kyokushin Karate”

  4. weavercht

    I like this:

    We will train our hearts and bodies for a firm and unshakeable[16] spirit.
    We will pursue the true meaning of the martial way so that in time our senses may be alert.
    With true vigour we will seek to cultivate a spirit of self-denial
    We will observe the rules of courtesy, respect our superiors and refrain from violence.
    We will follow our religious principles and never forget the true virtue of humility
    We will look up towards to wisdom and strength, not seeking other desires
    All our lives, through the discipline of karate, we will seek to fulfill the true meaning of the Kyokushin way

    Now, why can’t a European-oriented martial art arise like that?

    It’s pitiful we have to convert to foreign traditions because we can’t produce the same on our own.

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  5. weavercht

    A Chinese told me awhile back that the Japanese “spirit of self-denial” can be unhealthy. Your body can become unstable if lacking some pleasure stimulus or at least some sort of stimulus.

    But perhaps a little Stoicism creates strength.

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  6. Mike

    weavercht,
    European martial arts? We have the quarterstaff, which has exercises similar to karate katas; we have savate; we have fencing, and a number of martial arts based on medieval weapons from the broadsword to the halberd, which are still practiced today.

    BTW, don’t forget Putin’s black belt in judo. Vlad is truly a badass.

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  7. weavercht

    But we lack the cultural component. Our sports are overly secular. Japanese martial arts tend to be distinctly Japanese. And it infuriates me somewhat how Asians look on us as barbarians. I don’t mean to say I want equality: I want to win them over.

    I am a little more aware of European martial arts than before. I’ve read for instance European swords tend to be used fairly similarly to katanas despite the weight and size differences.

    I do want to attend a Medieval fair at some point. And we do have the Highland Games in the US, even if those seem somewhat Roman.

    When these girls take Yoga, that’s originally a very religious practice. And it’s actually heterodox, not orthodox Hinduism… or so I’ve read.

    –

    Anyway, I’m reading about Finland and Korea atm. The Finnish Prime Minister emphasizes a free market and free trade, but they also ensure every Finnish child receives a good education. The idea is they all start from the same point. So, Finland can compete. Anyway, I don’t think I like the Prime Minister, but Korea and Finland look like two examples to study for thriving small states. They focus on what works, as well as liberty of course sure. But what I like is the focus on results. They’re small enough maybe to where the government isn’t quite so dangerous.

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  10. Kirt Higdon

    “Weaver, America’s indigenous martial art is freestyle wrestling, and as a stand alone base for MMA, it is arguably the best.”

    That is because MMA favors wrestlers over strikers both in ambiance and rules. MMA takes place on a mat and by making illegal strikes to the spine and back of head or neck, it permits a wrestler to shoot low and pin his opponent to the cage without fear of crippling strikes to the aforementioned exposed body parts. That’s very well and good if you’re just in it for the sport, but if you want a significant self-defense component, you don’t want your strikes limited and you definitely don’t want to go to the ground where the “ground” is cement or asphalt or a bar-room floor with perhaps stones or broken glass or similar items.

    Whether as sport, hobby, discipline, or self-defense method it doesn’t strike me as important whether an art is European, Asiatic, or whatever. The ancient Greeks invented the brutal mixed martial art of pankration, which is now (in less brutal form) practiced world wide, including Japan. The European armored knight on horseback was an import from Sarmatia, Armenia and Persia, by way of the cataphracts of the Byzantine empire. The north and central Europeans were not originally horse cultures, but they caught on quite well.

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  11. weavercht

    Kirt,

    Northern Europe would have still been familiar with horsed I’d think, from past migrations. I doubt the horse was entirely alien even if they didn’t raise any.

    Anyway, Karate centres on Japan. Ideally every people would have their own martial arts and traditions, with tournaments centred among people like them.

    I like the northeast Asians a great deal. I don’t like globalism.

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  12. weavercht

    Similarly I believe a great deal can be learned from Japanese gardening, at least some of it. It’s very naturalistic and would fit with a Celtic theme. But you could do without the bamboo, stone lanterns, and similar Asian components, to make the garden more Celtic.

    Really, a Norse theme would work equally well. Norse and Celtic are very similar I think.

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