Steven Segal

[Frogfur]

Has got to be the biggest bunch of bullshit to ever hit the screen. If you look close and know anything, most of his moves are ineffective in real life but look good on tv if you like that sort of thing. I remember him saying he could beat Bruce Lee. After Lee was dead of course. Now he's a Russian citizen as well. My kid's instructor would turn him into a Pretzel.
True, he is a martial artist. But his claims and real life ability is questionable. What a joke.

 

[splatter]

I don't care for Segal but its hard to know someones "real life ability" unless you experience it first hand.

 

[Frogfur]

I don't care for Segal but its hard to know someones "real life ability" unless you experience it first hand.

I watch it frequently down at the San Soo studio. And Rob would seriously hurt that guy in real life. No kidding.
My boy is now as recent made black belt in San Soo, and he could seriously injure someone badly. I see the real stuff all the time.

 

[Olds442]

when people are in movies or on TV, they're actors.

if you think he's really like that, then you're saying he's a good actor.

 

[edro]

He's old, fat, and uses black Ron Popeil bald spot paint.

He was a badass decades back.....

 

[Scooter2112]

Yeah, but...even Spiderman wears Chuck Norris pajamas.

 

[Jymbopalyse]

Here's a good commentary on Segal by Joe Rogan.

 

[splatter]

I was in Martial arts for 10 years ,would still be if it weren't for health issues
I used to teach TKD was 1 test from a 3rd dan Black belt when I had to quit and I've seen black belts that couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag. I've also seen black belts that were seriously bad news.
I had a Master once that used to say "anyone can be a black belt but you have to decide what kind of black belt you will be"
Any way my point is that unless you've seen Segal in a real fight you can't say what he can or cannot do. I'm sure your son and his instructor are both very capable but once again Segal cannot be judged by his movies. At this point he's a fat old man and probably not what he used to be.

 

[Howard2k]

I saw a documentary on the guy and he's the real deal. It showed his life after he had left the special forces in Vietnam and was working as a cop in Chicago.

Eventually it all catches up with him, a church is blown up with C4, and he's left trying to track down the bad guys who orchestrated the whole thing. The FBI forbid him from investigating, but he does anyway. Turns out there were some bad nuts in the CIA and Seagal was the one who brought the whole thing down.

Pretty amazing dude really.

 

[cybermgk]

I was in Martial arts for 10 years ,would still be if it weren't for health issues
I used to teach TKD was 1 test from a 3rd dan Black belt when I had to quit and I've seen black belts that couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag. I've also seen black belts that were seriously bad news.
I had a Master once that used to say "anyone can be a black belt but you have to decide what kind of black belt you will be"
Any way my point is that unless you've seen Segal in a real fight you can't say what he can or cannot do. I'm sure your son and his instructor are both very capable but once again Segal cannot be judged by his movies. At this point he's a fat old man and probably not what he used to be.

" I used to teach TKD was 1 test from a 3rd dan Black belt " Ha, me too, until I shattered my foot, damaged nerves and tore a ligament in a full contact match. Foot still sin't right, to this day. Also had a 1st Dan in Hapkido as well.

YOur Sabum/Sahyun (I'm assuming you didn't study under a ninth dan grandmaster) was/is very wise. Just in TKD, we had some, very into the sporting aspects, which though useful in 'real life' didn't translate per se. Some Instructors taught with a sporting bent. After all that was good business. That got students, from very young on up, into point tournaments, which won trophies, which got more students.

But, we also had Masters that taught more traditionally, self-defense oriented. Most also emphasized the mental and internal aspects as well.

Segal does hold a 7th Degree Black Belt in Aikido. He was the first foreignor allowed by the Japanese Masters to open a Dojo in Japan. Hes trained MMA fighter Lyoto Machida who knocked out Couture.

So, it would seem, at one time he had some serious Martial Arts bonafides. Whether he would be effective in 'real life' depends on your opinion of Aikido. At it's core it aims to redirect an attackers energy to be used against them, with joint breaks/bends leading to throws. I can say, Hapkido which is somewhat similar, that can be quite effective.

According to this guy, Seagal also uses some Wing Chun Kung Fu style in his movies. He also shows quite a bit of his former Special Forces training particularly in the knife fights.

 

[splatter]

" I used to teach TKD was 1 test from a 3rd dan Black belt " Ha, me too, until I shattered my foot, damaged nerves and tore a ligament in a full contact match. Foot still sin't right, to this day. Also had a 1st Dan in Hapkido as well.

YOur Sabum/Sahyun (I'm assuming you didn't study under a ninth dan grandmaster) was/is very wise. Just in TKD, we had some, very into the sporting aspects, which though useful in 'real life' didn't translate per se. Some Instructors taught with a sporting bent. After all that was good business. That got students, from very young on up, into point tournaments, which won trophies, which got more students.

But, we also had Masters that taught more traditionally, self-defense oriented. Most also emphasized the mental and internal aspects as well.

Segal does hold a 7th Degree Black Belt in Aikido. He was the first foreignor allowed by the Japanese Masters to open a Dojo in Japan. Hes trained MMA fighter Lyoto Machida who knocked out Couture.

So, it would seem, at one time he had some serious Martial Arts bonafides. Whether he would be effective in 'real life' depends on your opinion of Aikido. At it's core it aims to redirect an attackers energy to be used against them, with joint breaks/bends leading to throws. I can say, Hapkido which is somewhat similar, that can be quite effective.

According to this guy, Seagal also uses some Wing Chun Kung Fu style in his movies. He also shows quite a bit of his former Special Forces training particularly in the knife fights.

The last master we had and is still there and teaches both the sporting side and the self defense . Its more self defense oriented . He would teach the instructors the "dirty tricks" he didn't teach the kids .He also taught us hapkido.
My problem with TKD is that belt factory aspect .
I understand that parents are paying money and they expect to see some results but IMHO there sould be no Black Belt under 12 years old . No 2nd dan under 14.
As I said before your black belt is what you make it but there are so many BB's that shouldn't be BB's IMHO

 

[cybermgk]

The last master we had and is still there and teaches both the sporting side and the self defense . Its more self defense oriented . He would teach the instructors the "dirty tricks" he didn't teach the kids .He also taught us hapkido.
My problem with TKD is that belt factory aspect .
I understand that parents are paying money and they expect to see some results but IMHO there sould be no Black Belt under 12 years old . No 2nd dan under 14.
As I said before your black belt is what you make it but there are so many BB's that shouldn't be BB's IMHO

Couldn't agree more. In many places, they use black belts to score the point matches in tournies, which incentivises even more of that B.S. One local place, was known for it, guarenteeing a Black Belt in 2 years. Bah.

My old/last Master used to say, in his broken, Korean accented English. 1st Dan meant you were now a serious student, and had the basics down. !st Dan final test took 6 hours for us (and only 5 max tested at a time ever).

 

[splatter]

yea My first dan test was between 6 and 8 hours.
Heard a master say once ,1st dan is elementary school. 2nd dan is jr high .3rd dan sr high .

 

[Crotch]

I love Seagal. Love his movies, like his guitars. He is legit. Of course there is always someone who can beat someone else, at anything. But the dude knows what he's doing. He's old and fat now. He was I believe the first Akito Blackbelt (American) to teach in Japan. However Akito is not a very popular martial art. It does include some useful techniques including some weapons work. He does know other martial arts besides this but it doesn't get any attention. He would not be able to touch Bruce Lee however. prime vs prime. I'm not even a fan of Bruce Lee but the dude was insane.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

Bruce Lee was awesome.

I love when MMA guys talk shit about Bruce,..it's like, "dude,..Bruce INVENTED MMA,..he just called it Jeet Kune Do."

 

[Bluesky]

Segal is a legit Akkido master. Like him or not......he is a very dangerous person when he needs to be. The Bruce Lee thing is just fun.

 

[NorlinBlackBeauty]

He has always belonged in the Bullshit thread.

 

[scott 351 wins]

He owns several famous guitars, owns a couple of Albert King's Flying V's.

 

[Meatwad]

I've been trying to figure out this solo.....particularly the technique used at the :12 second mark.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

Damnit Meat! How's a man supposed to think with that Avatar staring me in the face with those glorious Asian Tittays!?