Had a tussle with a fanatic today. A fanatic of the highest order.
His name was Hansel. Should be the kinda that was great friends with the one called Gretel. Hansel and Gretel? Whatever.
He was this dude from Victoria who was going on about the discipline sof martial arts that he had expertise in, and he got some of his mates to bring wooden kendo sticks to school to spar in an empty classroom. This guy brought every sort of weapons to school every day... Naturally, i was attracted.
I knew this guy could do 50 pull ups at one go, and his mates were going on about him learning 15 martial arts off the internet.
This made me laugh. If internet taught me anything, it would be that you can learn nothing from the world wide web. Swell lesson.
And so we made a date to spar later in the day.
And we met at D203.
They were there and I was a bit nervous, but sure.
Xue Kai did say that the dude had zero technique, but a lot of force. I believe him.

So flexed abit, and was not too glad to see his smug face. Haven't forgotten the way he condescendingly spoke of our Special Operations Forces.
So got ready. I hung back, waiting to see this guy's magic. Was there?
He charged at me and plainly pushed me off my feet. My right leg swept to his face and knocked his glasses far off. I didn't even know where it was. Expecting him to stop, I was ready to look for his glasses with him. He carried on pushing into me. Until i hit the desk on was on the floor. Then he pranced around to find his spectacles.

I think at this point he added, "HAH. My master hits harder than that!"
Me: ??????
I mean, I went soft and he could say that? But that never gave me any much motivation to really drive into him. Sensei Patrick always said I lacked fire (aggression). He must be sneezing somewhere in China now. (AHCHOO!!!!)... lol.

When we could resume, I realised that this bugger had seriously no idea about footwork, leg technique or tactics, but purely brute force and strength. It took me 4 years and hundreds of fights to get it. And his legs were weak. So I gave him a gedan-mawashi (low kick) which had him crumple and spin 360 degrees around. When he spun back to face me, I gave him a moderate left jodan-mawashi to his face, and he fell back, not before going ballistic. It was foolish of me to let down my guard the moment I impacted him. He burst into me, same ending.

It was a decent fight, with the fella concluding with a strong left punch into my rib, which puntured my lung and knocked the wind out of me. The punch, I saw coming, but a second late, and the second that I expected him to help me up late. Surprisingly, I forgot about my IBUKI. Amazed really.
His punches were really strong.
And with five minutes left to the next lesson, we packed up and baleh civics class.
but not befor hearing him say this: Oh I wasn't using any martial art. If I was using any martial art, you'd be dead.
I'm sure.
He wrapped up our delightfully illegal gathering with a talk about a martial art that a master could put his hands in his pockets and have them out and strike to a person's head in 0.1 secs. And he was also talking about a death blow to the side of the temple. wow.

I left with Kenneth. This guy is really full of bullshit. I hope to GOD my kicks gave him bruises that hurt like hell.

But this incident really made me question: Is the doctored Kyokushin as effective and as strong as it was back in 1947?

The incidents where Kyokushin Karateka killed with blows to the body, or Sosai's Ikken Hissatsu. I'm not doubting Kyokushin's power. Kyokushin is absolute, but the way we've trimmed the system into a stand-up fight between 2 men, with restrictions on grappling and grabs and locks and a non-floor combat doctrine might have removed Kyokushin's ruggedness. Kyokushin was based on Judo, Shotokan, Goju-Ryu and Kenpo.
Even Pasir Ris Dojo's initial beginnings were strong in likeness to the ferocity of the Tokyo Honbu's standards.
But not having gone through multiple man sparring, or on-the-ground fighting, has Kyokushin become tamed?
I think I'll bring this up with Sensei Patrick...
The old Kyokushin was rougher and a more wild style.
Would reviving the old ways be properous potentially?
Are we still on Sosai's Kyokushin-do? Or, we've gone on to another path altogether?
Kyokushin needs to return to its roots?
If any, this event has led me to question, has the modern day Kyokushin lost the quality that Sosai Mas Oyama gave it?
One thing is for sure:
Kyokushin is the Strongest Karate.

But Song Leng isn't the Strongest Karateka. Yet.

And the Ultimate Truth (Kyokushin) behind our style is the truth about strength.
The only true strength is by hard training, and hard training alone. That is the Ultimate Truth.
OSU.