Underhand Free Throw and Dual Blade Kumdo

Maybe no one disagrees that the most 'efficient' way is the wisest way. It is absolutely true. 'Efficiency' leads people to easier and faster success. That's why we invented vehicles, telephones, computers, Smart phones, and etc.... Despite the fact that such efficiency guarantees quicker success, but sometimes, people tends to evade such efficiency. Moreover, they even return to original states, with full of inefficiency and failure. It doesn't make sense at all. If it's true, there must be a factor that overwhelms all I mentioned above.

The first 'underhand' free throw from Rick Barry, was 'remarkable'. Before Rick, nobody had ever expected to shot free throw underhand. Free throwing should be done in perfect pose and balance. Consequences of nice and smooth shooting are one stereotype of basketball. What Rick tried was unbelievable. His half-sitting pose with ridiculous shooting is literally 'antipodal' from what people had believed.

              
Normal style free throwing                                   Rick Barry's style

But Rick successfully proved this new method is more effective than previous way of shooting. His method changed many awkward giants players to professional scorers. Like Wilt Chamberlain. However, soon later, most of the scorers returns to awkward giants again. Since they were so conscious to others' ridiculous attention, they abandoned what they learned. 

I had a similar experience with the story above. I love playing Kumdo. In fact, Kumdo is an only sport that I trained before. In Kumdo, we hold 'one' wooden sword. Through the sword, we assault enemies and measure each other's ability and skills. But, there also some outsiders. Some players hold 'two' sword in each hand, which called 'Dual blade'.


Dual Blade Kumdo. It is hard to find weak spots.

I only saw them through videos, but it was enough to shock me for a moment. I was astonished not because of their abnormality. But because of the tactical merits derived from dual blade formation. One sword strikes the opponent, while the auxiliary blade blocks enemy's blade. Whenever the opponent tries to attack, one blocks and another strikes right back. Simple but effective.

After the video, I was so eager to learn dual blade Kumdo and tried to look for gyms to learn this. But I failed to. All the gyms that I visited refuse to teach dual blade style. They insisted dual blade style is insolent and superficial than original style of Kumdo. They were so strangled in traditions and attentions from others, they are losing the chances to upgrade themselves. Moreover, most of the official competitions in Korea 'ban' to perform dual blade style. Anyway, after that, I gave up learning dual blade kumdo. 

Maybe it because people are highly developed 'social' animals. In other words, we consider not only merits that can be earned from the action, but also attentions from others. If the fear derived from attentions full of askance, people usually get rid of new behaviors without any hesitation. Efficient and innovative actions can also seem bizarre to others at first. So despite the efficiency and advantages, people usually give up maintaining what they achieved. In this case, such merits are not a big deal. Attention and prejudice from other are big deal.