NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm about to go to class but there's still a few minutes to go. Enough to suspend boredom by making a thread.

What martial arts do you know? What would you like to learn if you could? What do you think is the best one (now that's a subject for debate, plus the opportunity to legitimately settle it with violence...yay).

I'm now an 8th kyu in Shukokai Karate. It's a fairly straight-forward style (at least on my level) and so far I've been impressed with the number of things I think I could really use if I had to. But then, I haven't been in a fight since primary school, so maybe it was just my complete lack of knowledge previously. If I have the chance (once I get my 1st dan, perhaps) I'd also like to learn Aikido, because I think it would make a great addition. And if I ever get the chance to work in Hong Kong, I'd love to learn Wing Chun.

Combine the three, and you'd be downright dangerous. ;)

So who here knows how to kick arse in style?

I took Kenpo, I was godawful. I reached orange belt, my mom just tried to dye my yellow belt and it came out peach. I felt that that was a better representation of my skills and left it that way.

I also had two cool movie set up encounters with learning the martial arts. One from a friend's crazy uncle who taught us a style I never remembered the name of in private lessons with just the two of us. He was having personal problems and eventually faded away.

Also, took Tai Chi from a kind of nutty Chinese guy who even had the thin long goatee and would spout philosophy at the drop of the hat.

I took neither of these long enough for me to be barely able to recognize the art, much less avenge their death if they were killed by evil ninjas.

In fact, my short attention span and complete lack of natural ability has kept these men alive, since evil ninjas obviously only kill instructors who have students capable of avenging their death.

I did my part by sucking really really bad at the martial arts.

I have to say that, shockingly, Tai Chi was the most applicable, since I'm a kind of big dude who never gets in fights. But I have had to move through crowds and things like that, and I've been able to kind of 'flow' through it better from Tai Chi, where Kenpo was more about breaking as many things as possible as quick as possible.

Kung Fu styles are awesome because they look awesome. Since I have no intention of breaking a 'no fighting' streak that started back in fucking 4th grade, that's all that matters. Dancing with weapons, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm okay with that. I would look like a total goon doing it, but it's still awesome.

I know a little Tae Kwon Do, I never went past white-belt (really no belt) but i could outfight anyone but the black-belts in my class. However, having been in a lot of fights when I was younger I wonder how useful it would actually be in a fight, since there are rules in martial arts, but not in a real fight.

I fence, and though while I'm not pretty good at it, I do have long arms that I can use to my advantage.

Ex National level Fencer, 2 years at the National tournament, 3rd one year and 4th the next in my respective classes.

Ex Kendo (only a few weeks, classes clashed at uni, I still have a bamboo sword tho)

Current shooter, lots of different long guns

Adequate street brawl fighter, don't fight me unlest you want your ear chewed, eyes gauged, knee in your balls and other dirty tricks.

I have been learning for nearly twenty years. Mainly Wing Chun and Chu Gar. Also learned a lot of Chin Na techniques. Have done some kickboxing as well.

I did Taekwondo from Jan-Nov 07, Tangsoodo from March 07 onwards and Judo from Spetember 07 onwards but I haven't done it for a while because of a bad knee.

I'm a 4th kup (blue belt) in ITF Tae Kwon Do

I've been learning kung fu (Long Fist style) for about a year (was just short of getting the Blue/fourth belt), along with the pole and short sword forms. Recently my instructor has changed the style he's teaching to Eagle Claw - as well as introducing Tai Chi classes.

He has also organised some of his teachers to give seminars on other weapons/Chin Na throughout the year which have been awsome (4 degrees of seperation between Sifu and Jackie Chan, but not been able to take advantage of that yet)

I did try Judo and Aikido a few years back - and I've found a lot of similarities between the Eagle Claw/Tai Chi mix and Aikido, but Judo just didn't agree with me (too confrontational)

I've been learning kung fu (Long Fist style) for about a year (was just short of getting the Blue/fourth belt), along with the pole and short sword forms. Recently my instructor has changed the style he's teaching to Eagle Claw - as well as introducing Tai Chi classes.

He has also organised some of his teachers to give seminars on other weapons/Chin Na throughout the year which have been awsome (4 degrees of seperation between Sifu and Jackie Chan, but not been able to take advantage of that yet)

I did try Judo and Aikido a few years back - and I've found a lot of similarities between the Eagle Claw/Tai Chi mix and Aikido, but Judo just didn't agree with me (too confrontational)

No offence but you teacher sounds a little dodgy to me. There is no belt system in Kung Fu. Why would someone suddenly switch styles, are they qualified to teach both? Jackie Chan is a film star, he studied at an opera school so although he did study martial arts they are designed for show rather than effectiveness.

Wing Chun sounds amazing, I'd love to try that!

No offence but you teacher sounds a little dodgy to me. There is no belt system in Kung Fu. Why would someone suddenly switch styles, are they qualified to teach both? Jackie Chan is a film star, he studied at an opera school so although he did study martial arts they are designed for show rather than effectiveness.

He took the school over from the previous teacher, and continued his studies using contacts from his old teacher. This wasn't a sudden change, he had slowed down focus on the forms while he was talking through with his current teachers about changing styles and focusing instead on various applications.

And what I said regarding Jackie Chan is that there are four degrees of seperation between him and my teacher - so his teacher got taught by someone who knows someone who knows him (or somthing along those lines)

Within Kung Fu the belt system (if there is one) can be up to the individual teachers - in the Eagle Claw style we're in the belts have been removed, but there is still grading to move up 'levels' (I managed to miss the first month of the new style so am a bit behind on just how that works through). I think the belts where put in orginally due to the age of some of the students that the school accepts (this was set before he took it over - ages 11 upwards) to give them a feel of progression.

Sifu is a lot more 'authentic' than a lot of others in this area - there are schools around here who will move everyone up a grade regardless of skill, Sifu won't do that. Also the other instructors he has bought in would not come if they thought he was a sham (Mike Martello for one...)

And now I've written all that out I've found a link which should help a bit - http://ancestralmountains.com/About.php

Snip

All sounds reasonable - I just always start with a healthy suspicion as there are a lot of chancers and charlatans in the martial arts.

Karate-Hegashi
Takwondo
Hapkido
Akido
RAF unarmed combat
A little boxing, and a smidgin of Thai kickboxing.:D

Look see how 'ard I am!

If you're going to do Aikido, stay away from the "hearts and flowers" schools.

Gracie jiu-jitsu is more effective than most martial arts in a practical sense.

Then again, if you're just a great wrestler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collegiate_wrestling) you'll easily beat most people who have no "martial arts" skill at all.

I am only 5'8" in height, and weigh 175 pounds, and have shorter arms than most Americans - which puts me at a definite disadvantage if I was restricted to fighting styles that concentrate on punches and kicks.

However, I've found (I got into more than a few fights in the mid-1980s) that most fights tend to go to grappling and then to the ground - or maybe that's where I took them. Once there, if you can't fight there, you lose.

A piece of advice from my ribs. Don't go to the ground if they have friends present - you'll get kicked mercilessly.

All sounds reasonable - I just always start with a healthy suspicion as there are a lot of chancers and charlatans in the martial arts.

Understandable - I'm pretty much the same way :-) (and appol's for being quite so defensive on my last post, typed it in kinda of a rush)

I went to one Karate lesson when I was 10, because my best friend said he would be there.
He didn't show up, so I never went back. :P

Apart from that, I did a couple of Ju Jitsu lessons at my school when they hired an instructor for a few months, but they cancelled it.
However, I'm looking into places to start it again, as it actually great fun.

What martial arts do you know? What would you like to learn if you could? What do you think is the best one?
This one.
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=558696

I know a little Tae Kwon Do, I never went past white-belt (really no belt) but i could outfight anyone but the black-belts in my class.
It's always hard to tell in normal classes. In mine I'm actually one of only two young adult males there. There are several younger girls and a two women, and the former don't seem to take it seriously, while the latter seem to be easily intimidated. So while some of them are much better than I am, and could probably get strikes in if they really tried, if I move quickly and with intent towards them, I can usually carry the day in sparring.

But that doesn't mean I'm actually any good. I notice that when I go up against the other guy (who's 2nd kyu now, I think) or the black belts.

I have been learning for nearly twenty years. Mainly Wing Chun and Chu Gar. Also learned a lot of Chin Na techniques. Have done some kickboxing as well.
That's awesome. Would you recommend one in particular? It's great to read about all these exotic kung fu styles (I'd love to have a go at northern praying mantis, for example) but actually finding someone who can teach them around here seems a lost cause.

That's awesome. Would you recommend one in particular? It's great to read about all these exotic kung fu styles (I'd love to have a go at northern praying mantis, for example) but actually finding someone who can teach them around here seems a lost cause.

I have come to the conclusion that it doesn't really matter what style you do as long as you put the work in. Personally I think anything with lots of high kicking becomes less and less useful as you grow older so you are better off spending time on something with more handwork.

i would like to learn Krav Maga which is an israeli martial art intended for war.I guess if i joined the israeli army i would learn it.

Been doing Karate for almost a year and have made it to 6th Kyu (green belt). Style is GKR (cross between Goju Ryu and Shotokan). Very friendly with a good combination of technique basics, kata, sparring and some self defense applications. GKR is great as a first try at martial arts, but also has plenty of depth to keep you learning and improving for years. Highly recommend giving GKR a go.

That's awesome. Would you recommend one in particular? It's great to read about all these exotic kung fu styles (I'd love to have a go at northern praying mantis, for example) but actually finding someone who can teach them around here seems a lost cause.
I've been doing Wing Chun for about two years, and I'd highly recommend it.

I don't know about down under (where, unless I'm very mistaken, you live) but there seems to be more Wing Chun classes about than any other kung fu style. Moreover, it's a rewarding style to learn; compact, graceful yet utilitarian with its movements, plus incredibly rewarding with partner-work.

It gets you fit without making you some Arnie-esque muscled freak and, perhaps most importantly, is damn good fun.

I am proficient in Shaq-fu and I am more than proficient in the exquisite art of the groin kick. *nod*

I studied ju-jitsu for a while. Well, I say ju-jitsu, but it was actually a mongrel style of pretty much any moves from any style the instructor found effective/had seen in a Stephen Segal movie. It was more of a keep fit thing than anything, as generally if you're attacked it's going to be a gang of goons swarming you at once, and all the martial arts in the world ain't going to help you then.

I want to study Capoeira. It's just cool. End of story.

I don't know about down under (where, unless I'm very mistaken, you live) but there seems to be more Wing Chun classes about than any other kung fu style.
Hmm, there actually seem to be two schools in Brisbane, but both of them are a long way away. I'd be driving 45 minutes+ to get there.

Damn those big cities around here.

A couple years of Myo Sim, a Korean karate style, in high school
A couple years of Tae Kwon Do in college
A couple years of fencing, also in college
A year and a half of naginata here in Japan

Naginata was the hardest training and the most fun, even though it's primarily thought of as an exercise system for little old ladies... The little old ladies in my class could kick my 20 something butt, and the intensive training sessions took place in an unheated/un-air-conditioned dojo - January in Niigata (NE Japan) means a couple feet of snow on the ground. And the last intense training session, the dojo fusuma were all open all day both days, for the full nine hour sessions. :)

The most fun was my last session - doing kata against the head teacher - he used a live blade.... :eek:

Aikido

I've been fencing foil since about 2000/2001- something like that, I've been doing it for so long!
Great sport, great sportsmanship as well.

Iaido for the art, the beauty, the dancing and the meditation ability to reach a zen state. The only art I keep practicing.

Aikido for fun, mostly, I quitted a few years ago, I don't think I was quite good, anyway.

I took a five months' course of Kyudo, I just love this art, quite hard and expensive, although. At least I learned to shoot an arrow with some degree of accuracy. Of course, I hitted my boobies with the string one too many times. Hurts and stings, believe me.

i would like to learn Krav Maga which is an israeli martial art intended for war.I guess if i joined the israeli army i would learn it.

Learned it :D
A good friend of mine was a Krav Maga instructor in the IDF. We spent every day (with the exception of saturdays) for two months training. Crazy shit. Best bruises I ever had.

Also, eight years of Kempo (another good way to kill someone) and I've wrestled throughout junior high/high school.

I took some karate in elementary school, but I only got to orange belt.

I'd like to learn krav maga.

I'd like to learn the Marine Corps LINE drill fighting style. It's simple: No eastern philosophy, just ways to make people who attack you instantly regret their actions. I knew a marine who taught me a few interesting hold break techniques that put your attacker at a disadvantage very quickly and easily.

Used to do escrima for little under a year, but my final exams in school happened to be at the same time we had training for the first degree of the art (can't remember what they're called anymore :rolleyes: ) and that combined with the fact that one of our three instructors was a bit... Nutty... Kinda killed my interest.

I'd like to learn the Marine Corps LINE drill fighting style.
I don't know, that stuff seems a tad too hardcore to be practicable in anything but a war zone. I mean, really...
http://www.linecombatives.com/TheSystem.html
It must be understood that self-defense and close combat are at the opposite ends of the combative spectrum. Self-defense techniques are designed to repel an attack with no intention of continuing the offense once the attack has been stopped. Close Combat techniques are designed to kill the enemy without regard to his intentions. Techniques of LINE Combatives™ are designed to cause violent death within seconds of the initial movement of the soldier.

It is extremely important to use techniques that are not only effective but are also graphically violent. All humans have limitations of psychological acceptance. By training beyond the normal limits of psychological acceptance, two goals are reached; first, the use of such techniques causes psychological shock and hesitation in the enemy. Second, by training beyond the accepted limits the soldier will expand his own limits of acceptance allowing him to continue on with the mission regardless of the intensity of the violence.

That's not a martial art, that's a weapon. Their primary finishing move is to stomp on someone's head and crushing it, using the heavy boots and all the gear one carries on a battlefield. It's got its place, and I have no intention of requiring it.

Hmm, there actually seem to be two schools in Brisbane, but both of them are a long way away. I'd be driving 45 minutes+ to get there.
If you've the time, I'd urge you to check it out. Wing Chun is a lovely blend of fitness, art and self-defence, without feeling like you're becoming a bodybuilder, being pushed into Buddhism or training for murder.

Any half-decent school will let you sit in and/or take part for free or a reduced rate; well worth it.


Iaido for the art, the beauty, the dancing and the meditation ability to reach a zen state. The only art I keep practicing.
I'd love to learn either iaidō or kenjutsu, but I simply can't find any schools near me. :(

I've done Judo and Karate and Tae Kwon Do. I'm kind of sick of formalized martial arts, especially because I freaking hate forms. I just find them useless and almost a way of bragging rather than being any kind of decent training (the kind of training a form helps with can be done in other, better ways).

Anyway, I do Capoeira now, because it's so much like a game of chess set to high speed and fluid movements. It's also the best physical training you can get from any martial art I've seen. Trying to start doing parkour to supplement the capoeira but that's a bit of tough thing to get into, atm, for me. (Need to quick smoking for real, finally.)

I don't know, that stuff seems a tad too hardcore to be practicable in anything but a war zone. I mean, really...
http://www.linecombatives.com/TheSystem.html

Hmmm possibly, but depends on what you're studying a martial art for.

That's not a martial art, that's a weapon. Their primary finishing move is to stomp on someone's head and crushing it, using the heavy boots and all the gear one carries on a battlefield. It's got its place, and I have no intention of requiring it.

LOL You do realise what the word martial in martial arts means, right? You do realise that the sports known as "martial arts" today are shadows of systems that were designed to do exactly what you recoil in horror at...

I'd love to learn either iaidō or kenjutsu, but I simply can't find any schools near me.

If you find a real school actually teaching kenjutsu outside Japan that is accepting serious students, you will be very lucky. http://www.koryu.com/ has a list of dojos you might check.

Also, please check out this essay there: http://www.koryu.com/library/wmuromoto4.html

I just recently reached my First Dan in Okinawin Goju-Ryu Karate, and I am hopefully going to go for my 1st Dan in Aki Jiu-Jitsu soon as well.

LOL You do realise what the word martial in martial arts means, right? You do realise that the sports known as "martial arts" today are shadows of systems that were designed to do exactly what you recoil in horror at...


And you do realize what the word art in martial art means?

A martial skill is one thing, a martial art is another. You are also mingling the terms.

You seem to know enough things as to recognize the difference between a Do and a Jutsu, for example.

Same with any martial training, LINE, and to an extent Krav Maga, are martial skills, training, methods, techniques...

Until they focus a bit on aesthetics, they won't be martial arts, but martial weapons. For achieve aesthetic value, you need to first intend to have one. Plus, you need to get older by several centuries at least :P

I've done Judo and Karate and Tae Kwon Do. I'm kind of sick of formalized martial arts, especially because I freaking hate forms. I just find them useless and almost a way of bragging rather than being any kind of decent training (the kind of training a form helps with can be done in other, better ways).

Just a couple of notes on kata.

1) Part of the reason one does kata is cultural. All Japanese traditional arts do this sort of training, and it even extends to non-traditioonal skills like English language education.

2) A big part of why what became kata were originally done was muscle memory training. If you were to attend a proper old school dojo, you'd do 1000s of practice strokes of each given move daily. Even the more traditional
Do forms do this sort of thing. When I was studying naginata, the first half of a regular two hour practice session was a a series of strike-advance-strike-advance back and forth accross the floor. The purpose is to train the CNS and muscles so that you essientially short circuit the thought process, giving a significant speed advantage.

All that being said, modern styles are deficient in this area, and yes, I've seen kata used like you describe.

Anyway, I do Capoeira now, because it's so much like a game of chess set to high speed and fluid movements. It's also the best physical training you can get from any martial art I've seen. Trying to start doing parkour to supplement the capoeira but that's a bit of tough thing to get into, atm, for me. (Need to quick smoking for real, finally.)

If you find a real school actually teaching kenjutsu outside Japan that is accepting serious students, you will be very lucky. http://www.koryu.com/ has a list of dojos you might check.

Also, please check out this essay there: http://www.koryu.com/library/wmuromoto4.html
Thanks for the links, I'm well aware of the amount of bullshit-artists in martial arts, especially those involved in kung fu or any sword-based martial art.

After a bit of digging, it seems like a kendo club was set up at my uni last term, and there's some free beginner's sessions in October. I think I'll check em out.

Also, I'm visiting Tokyo at the end of this month, and some of the guides suggest there's a number of dojos a tourist can visit to watch from the sidelines. Do you, or any of the other posters resident in Japan, recommend such a thing, or do you think they'd be fluffy tourist nonsense?

Just a couple of notes on kata.

1) Part of the reason one does kata is cultural. All Japanese traditional arts do this sort of training, and it even extends to non-traditioonal skills like English language education.

2) A big part of why what became kata were originally done was muscle memory training. If you were to attend a proper old school dojo, you'd do 1000s of practice strokes of each given move daily. Even the more traditional
Do forms do this sort of thing. When I was studying naginata, the first half of a regular two hour practice session was a a series of strike-advance-strike-advance back and forth accross the floor. The purpose is to train the CNS and muscles so that you essientially short circuit the thought process, giving a significant speed advantage.

All that being said, modern styles are deficient in this area, and yes, I've seen kata used like you describe.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I understand the underlying principles of forms and, to an extent, I see their value (though I still think they are outdated and there are modern techniques to attain the same thing). Really, the biggest reason I've moved away from more traditional martial arts is because they really all boil down to the exact same things and it's become boring.

Even in sparring with the traditional arts, you end up finding very dull patterns you can exploit. I really enjoy the sparring aspect of martial arts but the manner in which restrictions are applied make these matches extremely monotonous to me. Capoeira, on the other hand, has great depth to the movements and patterns involved; believe me, I realize there are similar (though unique to Capoeira) limitations in it, but it's just a matter of preference.

For me, the art in martial arts is much more important. As was said, a lot of the usefulness of martial arts in practical situations is derived from physical conditioning. In my opinion, fights break down into three things: physical fitness, natural aptitude (some people are just "scrappers" and some aren't and this has nothing to do with size....though, I do think martial arts can train this), and luck (what you ate for breakfast to the wetness of the soles of your shoes/feet...Fortune will always be the ultimate judge of a fight). Of these three things, I have the second for whatever reasons, the first I'll never have as much as others (I'm a fairly small person with a slender frame) but can only maximize to my own utmost (which is why I prefer Capoeira) and the third is out of my hands completely.

And you do realize what the word art in martial art means?

Indeed I do. Art, particularly in thgis case means skill.

A martial skill is one thing, a martial art is another. You are also mingling the terms.

Not at all. Art = skill

All martial arts are military arts. To try and re-define them as separate from their combat nature is to be unable to recognise what they are.

You seem to know enough things as to recognize the difference between a Do and a Jutsu, for example.

Indeed I do. Note that the meaning of 術 (jutsu) is "practical skill" (http://japanese.about.com/library/blkod732.htm).

And the Do forms are really not martial for the most part - they're either meditative or sport.

Same with any martial training, LINE, and to an extent Krav Maga, are martial skills, training, methods, techniques...

Those are martial arts, just as boxing, fencing, and riflery. Note that the traditional listing of Japanese arts includes musketry (hojutsu) and other military skills. Most traditional lists include things like strategy, logistics and even swimming that are militarily useful.

Until they focus a bit on aesthetics, they won't be martial arts, but martial weapons. For achieve aesthetic value, you need to first intend to have one. Plus, you need to get older by several centuries at least :P

A) Your definition of what is aesthetically pleasing would seem to have little to do with the artfulness of a military skill.

B) Age has nothing to do with artful skills. Would you claim that an ironworker today is unsukillful because the person don't forge in the same way that ironworkers did hundreds of years ago?

Thanks for the links, I'm well aware of the amount of bullshit-artists in martial arts, especially those involved in kung fu or any sword-based martial art.

:) I thought so.

After a bit of digging, it seems like a kendo club was set up at my uni last term, and there's some free beginner's sessions in October. I think I'll check em out.

Excellent. That sounds like the way to go.

Also, I'm visiting Tokyo at the end of this month, and some of the guides suggest there's a number of dojos a tourist can visit to watch from the sidelines. Do you, or any of the other posters resident in Japan, recommend such a thing, or do you think they'd be fluffy tourist nonsense?

It'd depend. I got into the naginata dojo I trained with through a demo they put on, but trained seriously.

How long will you be over here for? And is there any chance you'd drop down to Osaka?

(Also, if you want any other advice, feel free to drop me a TG.)

Oh, don't get me wrong, I understand the underlying principles of forms and, to an extent, I see their value (though I still think they are outdated and there are modern techniques to attain the same thing). Really, the biggest reason I've moved away from more traditional martial arts is because they really all boil down to the exact same things and it's become boring.

Even in sparring with the traditional arts, you end up finding very dull patterns you can exploit. I really enjoy the sparring aspect of martial arts but the manner in which restrictions are applied make these matches extremely monotonous to me. Capoeira, on the other hand, has great depth to the movements and patterns involved; believe me, I realize there are similar (though unique to Capoeira) limitations in it, but it's just a matter of preference.

For me, the art in martial arts is much more important. As was said, a lot of the usefulness of martial arts in practical situations is derived from physical conditioning. In my opinion, fights break down into three things: physical fitness, natural aptitude (some people are just "scrappers" and some aren't and this has nothing to do with size....though, I do think martial arts can train this), and luck (what you ate for breakfast to the wetness of the soles of your shoes/feet...Fortune will always be the ultimate judge of a fight). Of these three things, I have the second for whatever reasons, the first I'll never have as much as others (I'm a fairly small person with a slender frame) but can only maximize to my own utmost (which is why I prefer Capoeira) and the third is out of my hands completely.

:)

I can tell you for sure that proper training can indeed make a man of a mouse so to speak. I've seen it.

It'd depend. I got into the naginata dojo I trained with through a demo they put on, but trained seriously.

How long will you be over here for?
Only three weeks, so I can't join any dojos.

And is there any chance you'd drop down to Osaka?
Very probably. I was thinking of swinging by Kyoto and Osaka one of the weeks I'm there. There's quite a good deal for tourists with a 7-day rail pass; it'll allow me to get about a bit.

Also, if you want any other advice, feel free to drop me a TG.
I might just do that; there's so much to see and do, it'd be cool to get a resident's take on where to go and what to do.

I'm a 5th kyu (blue belt) in a style of karate very similar to GKR. I've been training for a bit under 2 years and I've recently started going to one of the new classes as an assistant instructor (sempii (sp?)).

Being a sempii is ace as it allows me to train at the senior class with all the black belts, I find I learn a lot more when I'm really being pushed.

Only three weeks, so I can't join any dojos.

Sorry to be unclear. What I meant to imply is that you could quite possibly find a "real" dojo instead of tourist fluff.

Very probably. I was thinking of swinging by Kyoto and Osaka one of the weeks I'm there. There's quite a good deal for tourists with a 7-day rail pass; it'll allow me to get about a bit.

Yokoso! ;P

And IIRC, there're longer term JR passes, aren't there?

I might just do that; there's so much to see and do, it'd be cool to get a resident's take on where to go and what to do.

Please feel free.
I'm a 5th kyu (blue belt) in a style of karate very similar to GKR. I've been training for a bit under 2 years and I've recently started going to one of the new classes as an assistant instructor (sempii (sp?)).

Being a sempii is ace as it allows me to train at the senior class with all the black belts, I find I learn a lot more when I'm really being pushed.

Sempai. ;)

I did karate briefly as a child, and got up to purple belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Now though, I study kendo with the hopes of getting ikyu in November and kyudo with the hopes of getting shodan next week in LA.

If I had more money (and time) I would love to take up iaido. Sadly, almost $3000 has gone toward budo in the past year alone.

Iaido for the art, the beauty, the dancing and the meditation ability to reach a zen state. The only art I keep practicing.

Aikido for fun, mostly, I quitted a few years ago, I don't think I was quite good, anyway.

I took a five months' course of Kyudo, I just love this art, quite hard and expensive, although. At least I learned to shoot an arrow with some degree of accuracy. Of course, I hitted my boobies with the string one too many times. Hurts and stings, believe me.

Kyudo is absolutely a beautiful art, but I don't find it overly difficult (of course, I started kyudo after kendo, and kyudo, I find, is a nice break from screaming across the room and hitting people with sticks). The most painful thing for me in kyudo is kiza. You should probably buy a mune-ate if you keep getting hit in the chest. They are relatively inexpensive, and I would recomend this vender: http://www.sambu-kyugu.com/ Excellent customer service, and fast, cheap shipping.

It's nice to find another kyudo-ka. They are so rare, I didn't think I'd ever find one on here.

I got an interesting question since alot of you know what your talking about. I'm about 6'2/3 and weigh 230 pounds. I got a big frame and a bit fat and long legs. So what would you guys advise for me? :/

I'm only really well-trained in Ju Jitsu, but I've studied Drunken Boxing and Northern Mantis quite extensively as well.

I got an interesting question since alot of you know what your talking about. I'm about 6'2/3 and weigh 230 pounds. I got a big frame and a bit fat and long legs. So what would you guys advise for me? :/


You could dominate in kendo with time and practice... big guys are horrible to keiko with. It's almost impossible to hit men without some sort of flying leap and crashing into them is like ramming into a brick wall... that then shoves you backwards x_x

You could dominate in kendo with time and practice... big guys are horrible to keiko with. It's almost impossible to hit men without some sort of flying leap and crashing into them is like ramming into a brick wall... that then shoves you backwards x_x

That sounds great but where would I find a Kendo place? :/

LOL You do realise what the word martial in martial arts means, right? You do realise that the sports known as "martial arts" today are shadows of systems that were designed to do exactly what you recoil in horror at...
You're right, but you nonetheless have to see that the watered down versions are what allows me to defend myself if I got attacked in the street without then spending 30 years in jail afterwards. Pretty much all LINE moves end with the death of the opponent. It doesn't really do a whole lot of "peaceful" subordination.

i havent studied any one style extensivly. i find focusing on one style to be counter productive in an actual fight. i bassically take what i find usefull and leave the rest. it give me kind of a frankenstien like style, but it's unpredictable and it works well!!:) I use mves from jeet kun do, command sambo, krav maga, even some ninjetsu (all that pressure point stuff works a lot better then i expected)!

I'm a 5th kyu (blue belt) in a style of karate very similar to GKR. I've been training for a bit under 2 years and I've recently started going to one of the new classes as an assistant instructor (sempii (sp?)).

Being a sempii is ace as it allows me to train at the senior class with all the black belts, I find I learn a lot more when I'm really being pushed.

What's the name of the style and how similar to GRK?

I'm currently doing the GKR Sempai Training Program. As you say, being allowed to train at Senior class is great - sparring black belts really makes you lift your karate to another level and they always have good tips to help you out.

That sounds great but where would I find a Kendo place? :/


Shouldn't be too hard.. kendo is everywhere. If you google it along with your city, or the nearest large city, something should pop up.

I've been taking Shaolin Kempo Karate for roughly four years now, and I hold a 3rd degree brown belt.

Lately though I've been unhappy with the direction that the classes have been moving in (and people that have been promoted in rank that I don't feel have truly learned the material; demeans my own rank, you know?), so I've become disillusioned with it. I might be looking into a new style soon, as I'll also be moving out of town, and thus away from my dojo.

What's the name of the style and how similar to GRK?

I'm currently doing the GKR Sempai Training Program. As you say, being allowed to train at Senior class is great - sparring black belts really makes you lift your karate to another level and they always have good tips to help you out.

It's Shotokan Goju Ryu karate. It's very, very similar as the senior instrctors broke away from GKR about 3 years ago. It's mainly little differences such as needing different katas for belts and the blocks being slightly altered to make them more attacking.

Here's the website,

http://redtigerkarate.org/index.html

I think there are some photos of me on there.

Shouldn't be too hard.. kendo is everywhere. If you google it along with your city, or the nearest large city, something should pop up.

Thanks, I live in the 9th largest city in the USA (San Diego) so that shouldn't be to hard.

I got an interesting question since alot of you know what your talking about. I'm about 6'2/3 and weigh 230 pounds. I got a big frame and a bit fat and long legs. So what would you guys advise for me? :/

Long legs? If your flexible then Tae Kwon Do could be worth a look. Lots of high kicking but not much emphasis on the upper body.

I took Kenpo, I was godawful. I reached orange belt, my mom just tried to dye my yellow belt and it came out peach. I felt that that was a better representation of my skills and left it that way.

I also had two cool movie set up encounters with learning the martial arts. One from a friend's crazy uncle who taught us a style I never remembered the name of in private lessons with just the two of us. He was having personal problems and eventually faded away.

Also, took Tai Chi from a kind of nutty Chinese guy who even had the thin long goatee and would spout philosophy at the drop of the hat.

I took neither of these long enough for me to be barely able to recognize the art, much less avenge their death if they were killed by evil ninjas.

In fact, my short attention span and complete lack of natural ability has kept these men alive, since evil ninjas obviously only kill instructors who have students capable of avenging their death.

I did my part by sucking really really bad at the martial arts.

I have to say that, shockingly, Tai Chi was the most applicable, since I'm a kind of big dude who never gets in fights. But I have had to move through crowds and things like that, and I've been able to kind of 'flow' through it better from Tai Chi, where Kenpo was more about breaking as many things as possible as quick as possible.

Kung Fu styles are awesome because they look awesome. Since I have no intention of breaking a 'no fighting' streak that started back in fucking 4th grade, that's all that matters. Dancing with weapons, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm okay with that. I would look like a total goon doing it, but it's still awesome.

Thank you for the trmendous laugh :D

just 3 weeks ago i was testing for my green belt and my intructor kicked me so hard it broke my arm- He felt so bad he just gave me the belt without making me complete the test. (I think he was just afraid id sue him though) :p

Fencing!

I'm about to go to class but there's still a few minutes to go. Enough to suspend boredom by making a thread.

What martial arts do you know? What would you like to learn if you could? What do you think is the best one (now that's a subject for debate, plus the opportunity to legitimately settle it with violence...yay).

I'm now an 8th kyu in Shukokai Karate. It's a fairly straight-forward style (at least on my level) and so far I've been impressed with the number of things I think I could really use if I had to. But then, I haven't been in a fight since primary school, so maybe it was just my complete lack of knowledge previously. If I have the chance (once I get my 1st dan, perhaps) I'd also like to learn Aikido, because I think it would make a great addition. And if I ever get the chance to work in Hong Kong, I'd love to learn Wing Chun.

Combine the three, and you'd be downright dangerous. ;)

So who here knows how to kick arse in style?

I've studied Judo and Shorin Ryu Karate. I'd like to look into learning Stav, but the only person I'm aware of that teaches it in North America does so in San Fransisco and I'm in New York.

Thanks, I live in the 9th largest city in the USA (San Diego) so that shouldn't be to hard.

Oh yeah! California has many kendo dojos. Apparently, every year they have a state wide championship where they pit the north against the south. Good luck!