Anyone here into martial arts?

[Hideki Motosuwa.]

Anyone here into martial arts? I'm a former martial artist and would like to know if any one here does martial arts? What style do you do? Discuss it's effectiveness and flaws. And what are your thoughts on combat/fighting?

If anyone would like to know my martial arts history look below:

Wing Chun Kung-Fu-studied back in late '05. Sifu John Kaufman was my teacher. He has authentic Yip Man and Bruce Lee lineage! He is a 30+ years experienced master. He trained with Chu Shong Tin who is said to be 5 times better than Bruce Lee. I trained hard for a while and quit for several reasons. His name in chinese and kwoon is "Kwon Ka Man".

Shohei-Ryu Karate-Do(or Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do)-studied back in early '06(shortly after I quit Wing Chun). It was at the Okinawan Karate School. I studied it for about one and a quater year. I worked hard to learn how the japanese got so strong and I got strong as well! My weak physique turned int oa deadly fighting machine! I quit in May 2007 because of my job. I made it to Blue belt w/green stripe(in my style, blue w/green stripe is half way to black belt. One reason I quit was the fact that belts mean nothing to me, they are only good for decoration or holding your pants up! Karate and Wing Chun are completely different, but similar because of their roots in Shaolin Kung-Fu. I don't like forms or defending all the time, so yeah.

Vale-Tudo(combination of Brazillian Jui-Jitsu and Muay Thai)-In the middle of my karate training, the school had this style along with BJJ. So I decided to take it to amp the intensity and learn ground routines(because my strinking was excellent). I found out that my ground work was weak, but I learned to a decent level. I quit when I quit karate, so I never learned too much.

Well, I'll tell more about my MA history as soon as I see what others have to say!

[Akihiko Yamamoto Hozagaki]

I've been taking martial arts since I was about 6 years-old. I went through about five years of a style called kajukenbo, and I earned my black belt. It started getting harder to get to my dojo, so I left. Now I'm taking a martial art that involves weapons called escrima (serata style, though I've done a little arnise). I also should be starting kendo soon.

[darkjester]

^that is pretty impressive, both of you!

Me and my brother are HUGE into Martial Arts. We have created our own martial art team even. We practice (not formally though I do admit) Muay Thai, Capoeira, Kickboxing (I have studied with instructor for a little), Tae Kwon Do, Ninjutsu, Le Parkour (if considered), and we are now starting to learn Krav Maga moves and techniques.
We also choreograph fight scenes that show different style techniques (and once we get a decent camera we will film our stuff). Right now, well once it stops snowing and freezing here, we are trying to perfect a sword fight scene.

[Zenx]

Blue Belt (promoting this month ^_^) in Gōjū-ryū karate. I'm actually ahead of most of my rank as far as katas go... knowing up to Seiunchin and have gone through Shisochin (but I was terrible -_-). I've been in for two-and-one-half years (skipped my yellow belt) and it's great! It's also about the only sport I can do <_<.

[PanzerJager]

I never was into martial arts.. I fight freestyle although I did get close combat training from my uncle when I was in high school.. He was a Master Sargent in the army (mechanized infantry maybe?).. He broke several of my fingers one time, but I learned a lot from him..

My mom never forgave him for the finger incident.. I laugh about that now.

[Akihiko Yamamoto Hozagaki]

I never was into martial arts.. I fight freestyle although I did get close combat training from my uncle when I was in high school.. He was a Master Sargent in the army (mechanized infantry maybe?).. He broke several of my fingers one time, but I learned a lot from him..

My mom never forgave him for the finger incident.. I laugh about that now.

You'd probably like kajukenbo then. It's very similar to basically street fighting. A lot of close combat and quick moving actions.

[lightyagami]

Yes i am :-D. Currently an Orange belt in American Jiu Jitsu (combination of many MA such as the submissions and take downs of BJJ, the joint locks and holds of JJJ, the kicks and punches of Karate/Kung-Fu, the throws of Judo, and the power of Muay Thai.) I go to train twice a week. I much prefer Grappling to sparring, and we rarely spar in the teen class. But we grapple every class.

We also do stick and knife fighting there. and street defence.

Also on my schools varsity fencing team.

[wolfgirl90]

I did TaeKwonDo for a while (up until I was a yellow belt) but I decided to do Judo (Kodokan style) instead (I was already knocking people down, so I decided to do the sport that involved knocking people over ). I am a blue belt and compete in the Heavyweight division.

[Hideki Motosuwa.]

Impressive! You guys and girls really know your stuff! Remind me to stay on your good sides! As for me, I never recieved weapons training and the only weapons training I do is informal Nunchaku. I actually learned to use Nunchucks on my own and am pretty good at it, and not to brag or anything, I can do it blindfolded.Nunchaku is my specialty! On a few occasions, we'd learn knife defense. I'm too poor to go to seminars($75-100 per seminar!). I'm in the small, crappy town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, so there are no waepons training available anywhere! I'm not a bad swordsman, I am pretty good with escrima sticks, can really hit with the pole and can throw a knife. I recommend Dim mak(death touch) for people that wanna learn to kill. I like Jeet Kune Do, but it's rare to find a decent 1st or 2nd gen instructor. My dojo had like 18 different types of weapons that the instructors from all over the world would use to teach and demonstrate. I'll post more later, I'm really happy to see some of you are into martial arts!

[Akihiko Yamamoto Hozagaki]

I remember doing a little Nunchaku. I can't afford seminars either XD! The style of escrima I'm doing involves a lot of small circle jujitsu. Which I must say is one of the most dangerous techniques I've ever practiced. Because of my short stature, I'm learning it almost a completely new way. I've already some essential pressure points on the body.

[L***]

yes I know karate, ninjitsu, jet kundo, Jujutsu, Kung Fu, etc. I just don't care for wepons styles.

[lightyagami]

Impressive! You guys and girls really know your stuff! Remind me to stay on your good sides! As for me, I never recieved weapons training and the only weapons training I do is informal Nunchaku. I actually learned to use Nunchucks on my own and am pretty good at it, and not to brag or anything, I can do it blindfolded.Nunchaku is my specialty! On a few occasions, we'd learn knife defense. I'm too poor to go to seminars($75-100 per seminar!). I'm in the small, crappy town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, so there are no waepons training available anywhere! I'm not a bad swordsman, I am pretty good with escrima sticks, can really hit with the pole and can throw a knife. I recommend Dim mak(death touch) for people that wanna learn to kill. I like Jeet Kune Do, but it's rare to find a decent 1st or 2nd gen instructor. My dojo had like 18 different types of weapons that the instructors from all over the world would use to teach and demonstrate. I'll post more later, I'm really happy to see some of you are into martial arts!

I did one Nunchaku and one Kendo seminar, but whats the point? Like your ever going to have a pair of nunchucks on you for defence... may as well bring a gun rofl.

[L***]

by lightyagami
Like your ever going to have a pair of nunchucks on you for defence... may as well bring a gun rofl.

true that is why I don't care for weapons. No point for them.

[Akihiko Yamamoto Hozagaki]

I did one Nunchaku and one Kendo seminar, but whats the point? Like your ever going to have a pair of nunchucks on you for defence... may as well bring a gun rofl.

That's completely untrue. Sure nunchucks aren't the most useful weapon, however nunchaku is not just the practice of using the weapon, it also teaches you other techniques. There are no styles of martial arts that aren't useful.

[L***]

by Pengin-san
That's completely untrue. Sure nunchucks aren't the most useful weapon, however nunchaku is not just the practice of using the weapon, it also teaches you other techniques. There are no styles of martial arts that aren't useful

But if your style is only weapons and the person you are fighting takes them what are you going to do. At most just run away. So it is best to learn unarmed fighting.( That is what I think. I know everyone has different ideas on it.)

[Ollie]

Man, I wish I was! I'm only FINALLY taking a karate class, at my college. I'm afraid the only real knowledge I have of martial arts is what I learned from Avatar: The Next Airbender. ^^

[Sagat]

I took jiujitsu and muay thai. I love both, muay thai first however.

I am so out of practice though, it's shameful really. I should probably change that.

[poison.ivy]

I love martial arts, I like a lot of them and I would kill for a month in Anime world where u have a sensei that tortures u every day... Like Kenichi or Kenshin or anything like that. I used to train Shotokan Karate, but it just didn't gave me what I wanted: it's hard to find a Karate club with sensei that try to maintain the true spirit and train mind as well as the body. Now I train Kempo and it's just great, we meditate, we have @ss-killing practices and I feel that I'm calmer than before. I really like it. I also like Tae-Kwon-Do and Ninjutsu. My boyfriend used to train some Jujitsu, but since he's on college, he doesn't have time for it anymore. But he also trains Kendo for a few years. I like knowing about other martial arts, and I really like the ones with weapons of any kind. *sigh* But in my country, it's kinda hard to find some art like that. I doubt there's any other weapon-included martial art besides Kendo.

[lightyagami]

Many dojo's including mine just throw some knife/stick fighting into the curiculem

[snakegaer]

i did karate - shotokan just for fun for about 3 months
i would like to ask someone who did more than one type what do u thing is the best of all martial arts that is useful in real life today????
thanks

[Bionicman]

I train Ninjutsu. But I'm pausing right now because I injured my knee

[gaburieru]

Here comes the newbie xD Well I used to train judo before. I made it to orange. I quit because I wanted to focus on school to 100&#37;.

[Hideki Motosuwa.]

Hey, Snakegaer, I would recommend Dim Mak or Chin-na and a combiantion of Brazillian Jui-Jitsu. Or Muay Thai with Jui-Jitsu. Karate and Kung-Fu are all about forms, which is quite useless. Jeet Kune Do is Bruce Lee's martial art and it is really effective because it has no forms and concentrates heavily on simplicity and economy of movement. And remember, there are no rules on the street, so do anything and everything you can! I discovered that Karate is too defensive, Kung-Fu(Wing Chun) is too offensive and others lack the essentials. I suggest you choose for yourself, but these are my personal recommendations from a few years of studying and experimenting! Enjoy!

[WestIndieGirl]

I did karate for a little bit, but then I had to quit because my grades weren't that great >.<

[Innovative]

Shotokan karate - 1st kyu.