Every since I sustained my injury a couple of weeks ago, my training has been really limited. Normally I may post here and there, but I try spend my time training rather than sitting on the boards posting. The last thing I really want to do is get into age-old discussions about what is parkour and other such nonsense, and I've been biting on those hooks lately. It bothers me.
So I decided to spend yesterday watching martial arts movies instead. Watched a bunch throughout the day. And somewhere in the middle of it all, I noticed something... stuntpeople are awesome. Not that I haven't been impressed with some of the more spectacular movie stunts before. But it was really noticing little, understated things that awed me. Tony Jaa was kicking butt, as usual, and he kicked some guy off the second floor, through the railing and he did a back full twist and landed flat on his face. It was all one camera shot, there were no mats, and even if the floor was padded it was still incredible. Then I started focusing on the guys getting their butts kicked rather than the star. They are amazing, and they truly make the scenes work. Yeah, Tony Jaa is awesome, no doubt. But the guy that takes a kick to the head, flips over and lands on the corner of a metal dumpster, and falls to the ground on the back of their neck is really incredible too.
I spent some time doing aikijutsu, so I'm familiar with breakfalls. Also with Aikijutsu, the uke role really reminds my of those stuntpeople getting beat up. Uke's job is to make nage look good. Uke attacks nage, nage does whatever and kicks uke's butt. Uke has to flow with the techniques, always be a second ahead of what nage is doing, and be able to receive the technique safely, which is where the breakfalls come in. It really seems to parallel the role of the guy getting beat up in the movies.
Anyway, sorry for this injured, rainy day rant. Lack of training boredom is killing me. Just wanted to express my thoughts about the people who usually go unnoticed or underappreciated for what they do. Next time you watch your favorite action flick, pay homage to the stuntpeople who take a beating for our entertainment.
