Is anyone here studying martial arts? (1 Viewer)

[JakeR]

Good to see mention of the grappling arts on here. Studying a traditional MA will absolutely get you killed on the streets. The best bet is a mixture of Thai boxing and some form of submission wrestling.

Pure striker vs. grappler will end badly for the striker 99% of the time. As someone who's seen 1000s of free-fight matches, I speak zee truth. And there's no need to trust anyone's opinion: there are dozens of UFC tapes for rent at nearly any video store in the country. See what happens for yourself. Traditional practicioners don't even bother competing anymore.

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

Henry, you want me to come over there and Martial Sport the crap out of you?

 

[Tom-G]

Bhagi, we dome some Hapkido wrist-grabs in Tang So Doo and I really like using them. Do you still know a good deal about Hapkido? I am curious--is it an art that allows you to use the other person's momentum?

Tae Kwon Do and Tang So Doo are pretty similar because the two forms were actually merged together when the Koreans were prohibited from using Tang So Doo.

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

Hapkido = Aikido + Judo + Tae Kwon Do.

I still remember the joint locking, throwing against a joint lock(Aikido style), regular Judo type throws, and ground grappling. So it would be fair to say that like Aikido and Judo, you use your opponents momentum against them.

 

[Scott Burke]

I really do not believe there is a "better" martial art. Each "style" is only a piece of the whole. I kind of agree with the person with better skills will win to some degree, however skills or not if he is not mentally fit for fighting the fight is over. Martial arts are 80% mental, 20% physical.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I have to agreed. I combine Judo with Karate and Akido, combined with pro wrestling.

Don't knock pro wrestling moves. Some of those submission holds, if applied for real will take out your opponent lickity split. I have never broken a bone, and I thank martial arts for teaching me how to fall. I may look silly when I go down (I have a bad anKle from a crumbled step on the NY subway, ripped the muscles and it goes out on me) but I'm never, ever hurt that badly.

 

[Henry Carmona]

Pure striker vs. grappler will end badly for the striker 99% of the time. As someone who's seen 1000s of free-fight matches, I speak zee truth. And there's no need to trust anyone's opinion: there are dozens of UFC tapes for rent at nearly any video store in the country. See what happens for yourself. Traditional practicioners don't even bother competing anymore.

You hear that Bhagi

 

[Alex Prosak]

I've been studying Shito-Ryu for the past year and a half and have also taken Judo and Hapkido in the past. I really wish I'd gotten back into it a lot earlier.

I have to agree with Scott that there is no "best" martial art. They all have their strong and weak points. While it is very important to have good skills, winning a fight has more to do with your attitude and confidence in yourself.

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

You hear that Bhagi

Besides, I'd be an idiot for trying anything on you when you have that big gun in your hand.

 

[JoshF]

Good to see mention of the grappling arts on here. Studying a traditional MA will absolutely get you killed on the streets. The best bet is a mixture of Thai boxing and some form of submission wrestling.

Pure striker vs. grappler will end badly for the striker 99% of the time. As someone who's seen 1000s of free-fight matches, I speak zee truth. And there's no need to trust anyone's opinion: there are dozens of UFC tapes for rent at nearly any video store in the country. See what happens for yourself. Traditional practicioners don't even bother competing anymore.

Bah. I've heard this so many times from MMA/UFC guys. Watch the old UFC tapes when it first started. Some Jujitsu and Karate guys kicked major butt back then.

Recently, UFC has become its own thing, and as such people are training in MMA. Ironically, it has become its own style, which has just as many achilles heals as the traditional martial arts you claim traditional MA have.

I have two very good friends who compete in MMA and UFC events, and they know very little about sparring without equipment. They carry 100 pound bags of pads and gloves with them to their practices, while I bring a simple Gi and a good attitude. They know little of discipline and respect. In fact, they often make fun of me for being the traditionalist. Doesn't sound to me like they're learning much other than how to get someone in a pyramid.

 

[Dustin B]

From about grade 4-8 I was in Tae Kwon Do (instructor moved at the end of grade 7 and the school went to grap so I quit). Made it to 1st degree red belt. Really wish I had maintained the flexibility I had then. Was fun to freak people out just dropping to the floor in full side splits. Plus it is a lot harder to hurt yourself doing anything physical when you are flexible.

Tried to get my flexibility back in high school. Was getting pretty close to full front splits and about 6-8 inches off full side when I slipped doing the front splits one night and tore a muscle in my inner thigh. Really hard to get it back now.

I'd like to learn Krav Maga but have no idea where to go. The official site only lists two schools in Canada.

 

[Alex Prosak]

Josh, that is so true. These full contact, no holds barred events have really developed a style of their own.

Many people watch these events and later say traditional styles are no good and have no business being in the ring. I don't honestly think someone who is very serious practitioner of traditional martial arts would even consider entering any of these events. At least none that I know and I think some of them could do quite well. People who enter these events have a very different mind set.

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

I don't honestly think someone who is very serious practitioner of traditional martial arts would even consider entering any of these events.

Both schools(Hapkido and Tae-Kwon-Do) that I have gone to have included a student "code" that insisted only using what was learned in school for self-defense. I cannot imagine any other school not having such a code.

 

[JoshF]

Many people watch these events and later say traditional styles are no good and have no business being in the ring. I don't honestly think someone who is very serious practitioner of traditional martial arts would even consider entering any of these events. At least none that I know and I think some of them could do quite well. People who enter these events have a very different mind set.

Soooo true. The "sports" fighting schools are an entirely different beast than martial arts schools. I have witnessed my UFC friends bust out laughing when I brought up anything related to the spiritual and internal/discipline side of martial arts, which I think is quite unfortunate. For them.

 

[Zen Butler]

Tai Chi and Shaolin Kung-Fu

 

[Alex Prosak]

Both schools(Hapkido and Tae-Kwon-Do) that I have gone to have included a student "code" that insisted only using what was learned in school for self-defense. I cannot imagine any other school not having such a code.

True. While we do have written virtues and rules that everyone needs to know, there's nothing written about that. But now that I think about it, we do sometimes recite additional virtues when we meditate to end class. The first line, "Karate is for self-defense only."

If someone from our school were to ever enter one of these events, they'd probably be indefinitely suspended from practicing within our school. Heck, there were 3 students just over a year ago from my school who went to compete at a WKF sanctioned, traditional style event (kata & kumite) in BC. However, they didn't have the permission of the head of the school. A good friend of the instructor was running the events so of course he found out.

The senior student was suspended for one year and the other two were demoted two belt ranks for one year and had to retest to attain their previous rank. If they were ever late for class? For every minute late, they had to meditate for one hour. They also had to clean the dojo every night and do a major cleaning every weekend. I'm happy to say that both of them stuck it out. It says a lot about their character, determination, and respect for our instructor. I know the senior student is still practicing but he's not back at our school yet and I don't know if he will be.

Sorry about the sidetrack there. Anyhow, while I enjoy and appreciate practicing and learning how to defend myself, I'm in it more for the building of character.

Peace,

Alex

 

[Ryan Peter]

OK I'll bite, who do you know in the UFC Josh? Who exactly? I can't recall in NY, NY fighters as of late.

The UFC used to have the pure fighters in the earlier matches. Mainly they got beaten to a pulp by the likes of Tank Abott and also tapped or grounded and pounded by ground fighters. They wised up and stopped entering the matches because they would lose money and students if people saw what a joke they were in a real fighting situation.

Wrestling is extremely effective but outside of high school they don't teach it really. JuiJitsu from Brazil is harder to come by a real teach unless you live in California or Brazil. So I recommend a good Judo school that focuses on ground fighting and less on throwing and then a good boxing or kick boxing school. Those combined would be great. If you are lucky to live near a good BJJ school then check that out instead of Judo but still go with either boxing or Muy Thai Kick Boxing.

Anyone remember the Ninjitsu "Ninja" fighter in UFC (or maybe it was Extreme Fighting). That was hilarious.

 

[Henry Carmona]

A while back i was interested in Krav Maga,then i saw it spring up again due to all the Jennifer Lopez stuff.

I wonder if it is still a good fighting technique or if it has just gone modern for the sake of profit.

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

Mainly they got beaten to a pulp by the likes of Tank Abott and also tapped or grounded and pounded by ground fighters.

Mainly showing, I think, that it's not what you know, it's what you're prepared to do.

 

[JoshF]

OK I'll bite, who do you know in the UFC Josh? Who exactly? I can't recall in NY, NY fighters as of late.

Ryan, I'm kind of uncomfortable doing this, but I think I can trust you, as I know what equipment you have in your living room . Geoff Rusch is my friend here in NYC who does UFC. I am also good friends with someone who trains with him. He has a pretty popular class in the financial district. He's not good enough to go national or be televised on a $35 pay-per-view slugfest, though. He mainly competes in local tourneys.
Let me step back a bit and rephrase what I am trying to say. I have all due respect for UFC and MMA, believe me. I respect anyone who takes the time out to better him/herself in the martial way. I know they are learning some great fighting techniques for UFC-style matches, especially all of the Judo/BJJ-like ground techniques. However, I really don't respect the sports nature of it, the WWE-like nature of it, the Americanized fanfare, if you will. I also find it ironic that it has become its own unique style when it set out to be the be-all-end-all mix of martial arts.
And, unfortunately, it seems the one thing they left out is the most important: discipline, respect, zazen, and character building. Of course, I'm talking about a pretty small sample size of UFC people that I know here, but it's my experience nonetheless. The way they speak of other martial arts, in my opinion, with an utter lack of respect and understanding, will eventually get one of them a shuto to the windpipe and lights out. Not that I would do that, of course.
Oh, BTW... I just realized I never answered the original question. I study Shorei-Kan Goju Ryu Karate.