Martial Arts Anyone?

[Buddha]

I was just curious if many GSUSers train in or have had any experience with martial arts. I have been kickboxing for about a year now, and have recently started training in karate and judo. I'm not liking the karate too much, I find it kind of impractical but I am fairly new to it. We all know that guns are great for home and personal defense, but the body can also be a formidable weapon.

[drafter]

I've always wanted to learn but never seem to have the time or a place to learn within a reasonable distance. Looks like a great way to stay in shape anyways.

[steyr_m]

I took Hapkido for 4 years a few years back. I'd like to get back into it again, but too much on my plate at the moment. Firearms training is more important imho.

[skid]

Firearms training is more important imho.


Firearm training is a form of martial arts in my opinion. I just took a day of defensive handgun training and a day of defensive shot gun training. It was mostly geared for bear attacks, but would work under any circumstance that requires a lethal response.

[Gaillo]

2 Years of Iaido/Kendo... and about 6 months of Aikido (both formal training from a "pedigreed" instructor [Sensei]). Kept both up on my own for a few years after that, but lack of a decent instructor (due to a move away from the city) severely limited any growth potential, so I've been relatively inactive in both for several years.

Would love to take it up again (ESPECIALLY the Aikido, with emphasis on Jo Staff...) if I ever again find myself fortunate enough to locate a decent sensei given my rural area lifestyle.

[Antonio]

I had about 6 months of basic karate training when I was 17 and in peak shape.The coach was an ex-spetsnaz commando whose grip strength and flexibility had not been previously seen by me even though I saw plenty of world-class lifters
(he was also a very high-level Olympic lifter).
I feel that high kicks are impractical and can anyway be developed only in early age. IMHO boxing is more practical.
Most real fights end up with opponents wrestling on the ground so judo and Greco-Roman wrestling is a huge asset.
Grip/forearm strength is also very important, having a vice grip can significantly elevate your chances of survival against an armed opponent.

[steyr_m]

Firearms training is more important imho.


Firearm training is a form of martial arts in my opinion. I just took a day of defensive handgun training and a day of defensive shot gun training. It was mostly geared for bear attacks, but would work under any circumstance that requires a lethal response.


Agreed, but usually I usually think of MA as un-armed combat. The reason why I feel I'd rather take firearms training is that MA is like taking a knife to a gun fight. If the other person is armed in any way (which is likely), there's a chance you'll lose.

[gunDriller]

judo, karate, aikido.

also high school wrestling.

i think the stretching part of martial arts is very healthful. i guess they call it "Ukemi" - falling arts.

it was the infectious wrist stretching sessions of the aikido black belts that got me interested in stretching. i ended up starting with Ashtanga yoga, a physical non-metaphysical form of yoga, in 1996.

[big country]

I've been fencing for about 6 months now. Really enjoying it, and improving a lot quickly which is always a good thing. Fencing is technically a MA, though it isn't an unarmed MA. Its a lot of fun, takes a lot of leg strength and body quickness. Also you HAVE to read your opponent and react w/o thinking, trusting your sword to parry their attack (which actually is HARD to get used to). I would highly recommend it to anyone that needs the exercise and wants to learn a little about sword fighting.

If you learn sabre fencing you will learn to parry slashes and stabs which is more useful (imho) in a "real world defense" standpoint. Foil and Eppe are stabbing only, which most opponents in a real-world fight won't stick to.

[Antonio]

I've been fencing for about 6 months now. Really enjoying it, and improving a lot quickly which is always a good thing. Fencing is technically a MA, though it isn't an unarmed MA. Its a lot of fun, takes a lot of leg strength and body quickness. Also you HAVE to read your opponent and react w/o thinking, trusting your sword to parry their attack (which actually is HARD to get used to). I would highly recommend it to anyone that needs the exercise and wants to learn a little about sword fighting.

If you learn sabre fencing you will learn to parry slashes and stabs which is more useful (imho) in a "real world defense" standpoint. Foil and Eppe are stabbing only, which most opponents in a real-world fight won't stick to.


Fencing is excellent, my dad used to fence and shoot. I had fencing sabers and masks at home and we used to fence when I was a kid. It`s tons of fun.

[Ponce]

I started taking Karate lessons while in Korea and on the first day the intructor told me "Ok, break a board and get it out of your system and then the lessons will start".....I didn't break the borad but rather my middle finger of my right hand ......... went into dirty fighting with the SF at Ft Bragg and then with a civilian outfit, like it better.

Now I train with my bow and arrows and with my Katana and my tires hanging from the trees.

Back in Cuba there was thie Chinaman who just to sell vegetables and so on, one day I went to his home to buy a watermelon and saw him in training......he told me that he was a Ninja Master at that time I didn't know what that was and missed the oportunity to have him as my teacher... I was nine years old, this was in 1949.

[Book]

http://www.elitesurvival.com/images/products/secondary/ph-4.jpg

This is 2011. Martial Arts is fun exercise for the young but as adults, facing reality, it isn't practical except in Bruce Lee movies.

:)

[Road Runner]

"Fencing" at our place has a total different meaning & requires barbed wire, steel posts, railroad ties, wood posts, digger, fencing pliers and good leather gloves!! ;D

[skid]

A couple of years ago I bought 3 foam covered fiberglass swords. My son and i goof off with them on occasion. They are the same size and weight as real swords and are designed for sword training. It's actually a good workout and it will hurt if you get whacked or stabbed. The good part is that you don't lose appendages or bleed to death :D

[RJB]

At 18 I was a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. In reality it's not that good for realistic fights, but it was good for execise, discipline, and flexability.

I turn 40 this May. Since I was already signing my daughters up for ninjitsu, I decided to signup as well. I'm in decent shape. I fit in the same clothes I wore at 18, and I want to keep it that way.

Ponce. I make long bows and arrows. There are very few things I love as much as archery. Guns are the most effective weapon-- nothing beats them, but archery is art in motion...

[Antonio]

"Fencing" at our place has a total different meaning & requires barbed wire, steel posts, railroad ties, wood posts, digger, fencing pliers and good leather gloves!! ;D


Yes, every item on your list trumps any martial arts skills. I was accepted into a pro judo club at about 13 because I was very flexible and already working out with weights. This was back in USSR. After about 2 wks the coach took my parents aside and told them that if I continued, I could become pretty good at it and the consequences of this would be me going to serve in spetsnaz fighting in Afghan war when I turned 18.
Neither my parents nor myself liked this.
My parents then asked the coach: "but what about self-defence skills, aren`t they important?"
The coach said: "Listen, a pencilneck chess player can hit a judo champ over the head with a chessboard and this would be the end of him".
Real martial arts masters know the reality of hand-to-hand combat and they have no illusions. Any weapon trumps MA skills provided the armed party is not afraid to use weapons.

[Ponce]

Long bow is what I use but I do have a cross bow and a pistol bow......made my own thing to those two to make them more powerfull.

[Kali]

I train in Kali. Filipino Martial Arts.

Stick and knife fighting.

Its fun but I rather use a gun nowadays since everyone else seems to have one.

California has outlawed most the weapons I use but not guns (yet).

[Buddha]

I also consider marksmanship a martial art, but I think it silly to believe that you will ALWAYS have your gun around in every single situation. Especially with the future we are facing. I believe that one should be competent with guns, bladed weapons, and unarmed combat.

[TheNocturnalEgyptian]

My kung fu works inside venues which have metal detectors.

Several of the black belts at KFSS have openly stated they own guns. And why not? If you're in kung fu, you obviously love self defense.


Gun + Martial Arts >= Gun Alone

[Road Runner]

I've been fencing for about 6 months now. Really enjoying it, and improving a lot quickly which is always a good thing. Fencing is technically a MA, though it isn't an unarmed MA. Its a lot of fun, takes a lot of leg strength and body quickness. Also you HAVE to read your opponent and react w/o thinking, trusting your sword to parry their attack (which actually is HARD to get used to). I would highly recommend it to anyone that needs the exercise and wants to learn a little about sword fighting.

If you learn sabre fencing you will learn to parry slashes and stabs which is more useful (imho) in a "real world defense" standpoint. Foil and Eppe are stabbing only, which most opponents in a real-world fight won't stick to.


Fencing is excellent, my dad used to fence and shoot. I had fencing sabers and masks at home and we used to fence when I was a kid. It`s tons of fun.


I got to wondering about "fencing" so here is a place if anyone else like me had no idea what it was that I thought gave a really good explanation and examples : http://www.acfencers.com/whatisfencing.html
Actually, pretty interesting.

[Serpo]

I have based any martial art on learning tai chi from an old chinese guy years ago.
Once a person has learned a tai chi form they then can practise and make up kung fu.Tai chi lets a person find their own balance and is very good for defense or a health exercise.
By learning tai chi a person my find their own style as towards kung fu.
I apply this too a wooden sword and a stick the height of your own eyebrows.
It is very interesting to have a stick as your self defense because if you practise with it every day for 10 minutes you will become better at using it.

[ShortJohnSilver]

Anyone familiar with Tai Ji Juan which uses a sword for training as well as tai chi moves?

[Ares]

I've been trying to find a place that teaches Krav Maga, but the closest place I can find is 3 hours away in Chicago.

But that form of martial arts is very practical for the modern era. At least in my opinion.

[gunDriller]

I also consider marksmanship a martial art, but I think it silly to believe that you will ALWAYS have your gun around in every single situation. Especially with the future we are facing. I believe that one should be competent with guns, bladed weapons, and unarmed combat.


i agree - firearms training is a martial art.

[Ponce]

Anyone familiar with Tai Ji Juan which uses a sword for training as well as tai chi moves?


Well Short, I don't know Tai Ju Juan but I do know his brother Tai Ji Jose.......the guy showed me how to run like hell and then how to come from behind...............their sister Tai Ji Maria will show you other things.

First post of the day.............good morning to one and all.

[Neuro]

I got both my children 7 and 11 into Aikido, a couple of weeks ago. They love it, but I am a bit disappointed, they haven't learned to kill an opponent yet. Neither did the teacher break their fingers to teach them to handle pain... Maybe I should take them to a more serious establishment?

[Ares]

I got both my children 7 and 11 into Aikido, a couple of weeks ago. They love it, but I am a bit disappointed, they haven't learned to kill an opponent yet. Neither did the teacher break their fingers to teach them to handle pain... Maybe I should take them to a more serious establishment?


Aikido is defense only martial art, mostly using the attackers momentum and size against himself. But also doing it in a way to minimize pain to the attacker.

[Neuro]

I got both my children 7 and 11 into Aikido, a couple of weeks ago. They love it, but I am a bit disappointed, they haven't learned to kill an opponent yet. Neither did the teacher break their fingers to teach them to handle pain... Maybe I should take them to a more serious establishment?


Aikido is defense only martial art, mostly using the attackers momentum and size against himself. But also doing it in a way to minimize pain to the attacker.
WHAT! No killing! Damn, I payed quite a lot of money! For what? To minimize pain? Aikido sounds like it should hurt?

[Ares]

I got both my children 7 and 11 into Aikido, a couple of weeks ago. They love it, but I am a bit disappointed, they haven't learned to kill an opponent yet. Neither did the teacher break their fingers to teach them to handle pain... Maybe I should take them to a more serious establishment?


Aikido is defense only martial art, mostly using the attackers momentum and size against himself. But also doing it in a way to minimize pain to the attacker.
WHAT! No killing! Damn, I payed quite a lot of money! For what? To minimize pain? Aikido sounds like it should hurt?


LOL Yep might want to get your money back.... ha ha

[Santa]

I studied Judo, and it did save my ego during a couple school yard spats. :)

It helped a great deal learning how to take a fall. I'm sure I would
have broken a bone or two if I hadn't learned what I had.

[big country]

I got to wondering about "fencing" so here is a place if anyone else like me had no idea what it was that I thought gave a really good explanation and examples : http://www.acfencers.com/whatisfencing.html
Actually, pretty interesting.


Thats a pretty good summary of what fencing is. I've been doing it for a little bit now and the world class fencers are SO fast that I can't even see what is going on in a match. Its insane how fast they are.

Here are some interesting facts
http://usfencing.org/resources/fencing-facts

Especially number 3

3. The tip of the fencing weapon is the second fastest moving object in sport; the first is the marksman's bullet.

(I assume the mean olyimpic sports, but maybe all sports?)

[Black Blade]

A few years of San Soo kung fu and Eishin Ryu (katana). Haven't gone to either class or practice in a couple years as travel for work has interferred.

http://images.yuku.com/image/pjpeg/03136b711d3eabe829ec103c302c926d436e7cb3.pjpg

Maybe I will reactivate if I can be home long enough and find the time.

[osokusmc]

My vote is for the Marine Corps Linear Infighting Neural Override Engagement (LINE) program aka seven deadly moves of combat. This was evolved from several disciplines and simplified to a nearly irreducible minimum. Designed for a bare-handed (or armed), battle fatigued person wearing combat load to quickly kill an opponent with very little fuss by shutting down their central nervous system. This program was relatively easy to learn and train and was apparently so effective that the Marine Corps left it for a system that isn't so "lethal" and can be used for peace keeping operations. This type of combat is for people who believe that the best defense is a good offense. It can be initiated from a defensive posture, but the object is to take the fight to your enemy not just repel their attack. In the eyes of most people it isn't nearly as graceful as the traditional martial arts, but I liked it.

[Kali]

I've been trying to find a place that teaches Krav Maga


I do Krav sometimes...it's very practical as its mainly basic self defense. It's also a tough workout as you go basically non stop for an hour or so (here we do).

I'd say its great for beginners and for fitness.

Most of what is said about Krav is marketing. It's exploding in popularity due to great marketing. I have a friend who offers Krav at his gym.

Once my kids are a bit older I will get them involved in wrestling and boxing then some Krav for fitness. Later I will introduce them to Kali.

But hey, all you need is a good shot to the knee and they will hit the floor.

Most street fights are about head hunting...a knee shot will end their hunting career quick.

I have seen tatted up muscle bound tough guys cry like a baby on the streets due to a knee shot.

Practice on a body bag a few thousand times and no one can touch you (unless you are fighting a trained MMA fighter. If so, use Krav and kick to the nutsack).

[Kali]

If you want to see what Kali is about check out this vid...Kali goes by different names by different teachers but its all basically same thing. Slightly different styles. I trained with this guy shortly in Philippines before...he can kick my ass with his eyes closed...no joke...and no matter how fat he gets.

http://kali-arnis.com/?p=154

Denzel used it in Book of Eli...(he trained in Kali for the scene)

Jason Bourne used it too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17xgMvfFsv4

[BeefJerky]

I've always liked kung fu.

Had a good sifu when younger. Mostly Wu shu.

I'm now working with a great Choy lay fut instructor.