Talk:Earthbending/@comment-4220745-20120123143355/@comment-76.24.189.176-20120125113838

Hung Gar Kung Fu is cool and all, but I feel like is has too many weaknesses. As someone trained in a martial art, I don't think Hung Gar would exactly be my first choice if I needed a martial art to defend myself. It looks cool with earthbending and works well with it, but I think it often leaves the user to open and is too slow. I would like to see other styles of martial arts with earthbending, partly because it is interesting, but also partly because I would like to see how the other styles would match up. Toph used Southern Praying Mantis, which was really sick to see. It seemed like it was faster than the traditional Hung Gar style. When I think of other styles that might fit earthbending, I think of styles that have a lot of blocks in them because earthbending strikes me as the most defensive based element (in general of course there are exception based on how it is used). Karate especially comes to mind with me, probably due to personal experience. I got a black belt in that, and let me say most of the defense is blocking related or pivots. For those who don't know, I specifically mean the pivoting of a foot to side step or position yourself in a more advantageous direction quickly (like turning around quickly without opening yourself up). Yet at the same time that pivoting is providing key movements, both feet are connected to the ground and never leave it. I'll admit there are different styles of Karate, as well as few flying kicks and the like. However, the majority of Karate is basic strikes, blocks, and pivots. I'm no expert but from what I've seen, Hung Gar Kung Fu uses a lot of horse stances (or a wide open stance with both feet side by side. I'm sure it has other names but I do not know them). It fits earthbending, but isn't the best angle for hand to hand combat and sometimes I see that weakness in earthbending in the show. In Karate, we have forms that are mostly based on the horse stance as well, but in actual fights we are taught to use a stance in a 45 degree angle to defend ourselves (or one foot forward and one foot back in a close stance that is easier to defend from, instead of having both feet side by side in an open stance). I think Karate would be faster, while still being a stiff and rigid style that fits earthbending. Plus some of the block counters and footwork would make it really neat. Anyways, that's my take on it. To be honest, I doubt I would wind up as an earthbender despite being a Black Belt in Karate.