AHC - make martial arts ubiquitous in America

[Exostrike]

With a POD of 1973 and start of the kung fu craze make it by 2020 martial arts is commonplace and normalized in America.

There seems to be a number of possible values including Hollywood piling in on the initial kung fu craze and broadening it American stars and hybrid styles which slowly spread across the action genre and trickling down into society with it being picked up as an easy way to defend yourself from crime in the big city. During the 1980's Asian culture imports brings a new flair to this movement and a strong martial arts culture develops alongside wrestling and boxing (with wrestling incorporating many elements) to the point its taught in schools.

What other ideas do people have?

 

[NoMommsen]

... just wonder why there's always seemingly only asia related to 'martial arts' ... what about :
Quarterstaff
Savate
Pankrateon
Glima
Bataireacht
Bartitsu
and possibly a number of others ... not to speak of whatever kind of mixery there might result if these "arts" might meet in some american ... "melting pot" (New Yorkl ?, Chicago ? wherevere else ?) becomming more 'en vogue' perhaps with the gangsters of their time (maybe by some ... however caused shortage of access to guns).

Then ... let's some really good film on these gangsters, maybe their late 19th century progenitors become a boxoffice buster at the time of interest of the PoD.
... or even let such film even without mentioned changes of history be made with whoever might have been the proper hero

 

[The Tai-Pan]

isn't it already? Nearly every American town has multiple martial arts studios and dojo these days?

 

[PrinceofApathy]

isn't it already? Nearly every American town has multiple martial arts studios and dojo these days?

Outside of the enthusiasts, it's typically seen as an after-school program for kids (except for Tai-chi which is associated with elderly Chinese folks in parks). The exceptions being boxing and MMA.

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

Have Self Defence taught in High School as part of the required Pys Ed course. What to teach? Teach what's taught to recruits in basic training.

 

[EWHM]

Outside of the enthusiasts, it's typically seen as an after-school program for kids (except for Tai-chi which is associated with elderly Chinese folks in parks). The exceptions being boxing and MMA.

I'd say Martial Arts has considerably greater pervasiveness now than when I was a kid. TKD seems to have become very popular, becoming like the 'Karate' of the 1980s.

 

[EWHM]

Have Self Defence taught in High School as part of the required Pys Ed course. What to teach? Teach what's taught to recruits in basic training.

They used to teach more in this space...like prone basketball throwing. But that was a Cold War thing. We also used to get taught archery, and if you go back further, marksmanship.

 

[The Lethargic Lett]

isn't it already? Nearly every American town has multiple martial arts studios and dojo these days?

Yes, but not everyone is Kung Fu fighting.

 

[marathag]

Outside of the enthusiasts, it's typically seen as an after-school program for kids (except for Tai-chi which is associated with elderly Chinese folks in parks). The exceptions being boxing and MMA.

Will find far more Dojos in smaller communities than Boxing Rings.

Want to have even more popularity?
During the initial Kung Fu wave of the '70s, add an aspect of Professional Wrestling with Regions and competing Houses.

 

[marathag]

They used to teach more in this space...like prone basketball throwing. But that was a Cold War thing. We also used to get taught archery, and if you go back further, marksmanship.

Get someone else in the US to make a new MMA form, like Krav Maga, for the US.

 

[Simreeve]

Bruce Lee lives for significantly longer than IOTL?

Yes, but not everyone is Kung Fu fighting.

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

They used to teach more in this space...like prone basketball throwing. But that was a Cold War thing. We also used to get taught archery, and if you go back further, marksmanship.

Just like some British schools used to teach boys boxing. (And make boys caught fighting in the playground settle things in the ring. After being caned for fighting and getting a clip round the ear at home for being caned)