The Karate Nerd meets Steven Seagal Part II

Hello Hivers. In this follow up video, Jesse Enkemp, aka “The Karate Nerd”, continues his training and conversation with Steven Seagal.

The video begins with Steven Seagal presenting Jesse with a makiwara, which he autographs. The makiwara is a traditional Okinawan karate striking board. The makiwara toughens the knuckles and helps develop proper technique.

After the gift giving, Seagal continues teaching the Enkamp brothers key elements of his fighting style. Seagal’s fighting style focuses on pint-point strikes and standing joint manipulation. An interesting fact about his style is it follows the principles of the Japanese sword (katana). For example, when he locks the fingers of Oliver, he brings his hands down vertically as if striking with a sword.

Seagal has received criticism in the past for expressing his opinions about MMA. You see this when he gives advice to Oliver, who’s a mixed martial artist with a karate background. The hardcore MMA camp thinks it’s ridiculous for a traditional martial artist to give advice to an MMA fighter.

I give Seagal the benefit of the doubt. His fighting style is practical and its based-on sound fighting principles. It’s comparable to combative systems like Krav Maga.

The perception that traditional martial arts doesn’t have a place in MMA isn’t true anymore. Over the last two decades a lot of traditional martial artists adapted their training to MMA and have done very well. And the level of competition gets better every year. In the early days of the UFC, it was considered near suicide to throw a head kick. Now days, head kicks are routine. Even grapplers are expected to be able to throw one. What will work in MMA is an evolving concept.

What I appreciate the most is his emphasis on spirituality and philosophy. This part of the martial arts that has taken a back seat to the fighting aspect.