[[Shizo]]

Have we discussed this already?
Anyway, what kind of martial arts are you all doing?

I've trained 5 months Tae Kwon Do (sparring) and 9 months Shaolin Gong Fu (forms, jumps, Sanda). Didn't do any kind of sports before, so it was a little hard in the beginning. For Shaolin i went to China where i'll stay for 3 more months. Planning to continue training when i get back to the US. However i doubt that i'll go to any school unless i want to spar or learn something specific.

[Impaler]

I'm curious about your take on Shaolin. I've got about 8 friends in Shaolin right now, and they're all in love with it. I've seen the more advanced guys do some pretty impressive stuff (throwing a 250-pound friend through a wall, 100 handstand push-ups, etc), and it seems to have made a lot of them much more centered as a person. They all want me to join. I guess I'm just hesitant because of the commitment, e.g. 100 bucks a month. Izzitworthit?

I'm thinking about signing up for either:

a) Shaolin (tai chi armbreaks!)
b) Jeet Kune Do (Bruce Lee. Yeah.)
c) General Japanese studies (Judo, Kendo-kai, aikido, karate/kempo)

I'm basically on the fence on this one.
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QED, sort of.

[Gort]

I study Aikido, although I haven't studied as religiously since moving farther away from my dojo, but I still practice everyday in body, mind and spirit - in some way or another. I personally love Aikido; as a kid I held a fascination with the Samurai, and aikido is very much based in Bushido and the samurai. When practiced correctly, Aikido can be very powerful! I've seen small statured women just toss guys around.
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- Tom Carter

"You can't stop the waves but you can learn to surf" - Jack Kornfield

[Feral]

It all depends on what you hope to get out of it
Regardless of which martial art you choose make sure you're doing it for the right reasons
(Although the ability to throw people through walls might be fun )

You don't have to follow just one way, learn and adapt various styles to fit your own needs and strengths/weaknesses. (a la Bruce Lee)

For instance, aikido (depending on which school) is very good for movement and throws, but weak on atemi or attacks, you don't get taught to punch and kick at aikido (again depending on the school and/or instructor)

From a personal growth aspect, any martial art - if taught correctly will be beneficial to you, not just health wise.

It's a question of finding these things out which is the fun bit.
Try not to write off a particular art if you have a bad experience as it may just be a poor instructor - (it happens more than you think), or you may just need to try a different style of that martial art (how many different forms of karate have you heard of? )
Quite a few schools will do an introductory (sp) lesson, turn up, try it out, speak to the students (although they always tell you their's is the best lol) - this way you might find one you like more than others, at this particular time.
Theres nothing stopping you from taking up a different form or art later
Just keep an open mind and remember, no one particular way is 'the best' - martial arts are a very individual experience.
Hope this helps, and good luck on your search

[Drunken Monkey]

Yeah i did aikido too.. for 4 years since i was 14 till i was 18. Moved to US when i was 15 from former USSR. Aikido back there was a lot more practical. We actually simulated street attacks. No one would get upset if you nicked them on the nose or gave them a black eye by accident. We had this stuff happening on regular basis too.. Sparring generally ment people throwing real punches and kicks at you. Keept you sharp.

Then when i came to US - it was a different story. Here everyone is nice, like they came to hug you not to practice a Martial Art. Its kind of a joke in comparison. Practitioners have no zeal. No one puts any mental energy into it. Teachers don't give a shit. Maybe its because i live in a small town...

I am likely to move to LA soon.. so i'll probably look for a dojo.. see if anyone is into it for reasons other than looking sexy in a hakama and ass kissing their sensei.

I've also studied Jet Kun Do for a few months here in US.. i have to say - it was by far the most practical information i have received. Its a whole science on how to deliver a punch or a kick with minimum distance and maximum power. Really interesting stuff.

[[Shizo]]

Impaler: Shaolin training philosophy is very simple - TRAIN HARDER!
Although i doubt the hardness of training offered in American schools. In any case, you can try going to a couple lessons to see if it's good. I think it would be much harder to train "everything" in America because you don't have enough time (training is expensive, you have job/school). For example in my TKD dojo we only did sparring. Here we do Sanda (sparring), forms, stretching, gymnastics (jumps), weight training and lots of running.

But again, don't join before you see anything.

[watmough]

i kickboxed/boxed for about 5 years...very demanding.
i also did brazilian jiu-jitsu for awhile...very tough......

[Ragnarok]

I did some years of basic Taekwondo, a couple of months of Judo before giving up (I felt we weren't learning anything) and a couple of years of kickboxing.
I'm now trying to find a place where the teacher is native (korean, japanese, chinese...) because I think that occidental teachers forget about the mental part or distort it, and it's basic to the martial art.
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"Ever forward, my darling wind." -Master Yuppa
Seigetsu

[Gort]

[Drunken Monkey]

Good to hear its a little better over your way. Sometimes i think Aikido could use a little jolt... like someone going to UFC and at least lasting a few minutes. That would be the day. But no its against the philosophy. How do you know the tool still works if no one uses it... and dojo is a soft simulation not real world.

Morihei was challenged all the time in his 40-50s from what i read. Going against best japanese swordsman without a sword and kicking his ass... now look at it. Like you said, all staged, removed from reality. Then there is that 7 foot tall Steven Seagal clown. I think seceretly everyone who doesn't do aikido and knows enough about it thinks its a joke..
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"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity" - Sigmund Freud

[Gort]

For me personally I enjoyed the challenges and principles; I often would try to pair up with yundansha and/or those bigger than me, but in fairness I'd also try to pair up with those smaller and not as experienced too; they need to learn as much as the rest.

Sometimes in the 6 am class I would be the only one attending, and Sensei and I would work furiously - anaerobic at times - for that one hour. It was by far one of the most physically demanding things I'd ever done. I'd continuously attack and with intent. WHAM! Get back up and attack. WHAM! Often he would stop me and tell me to reign it in.

"We have 30 more minutes; you're killing yourself. Please, grab a boken; we'll do some weapons training"

Although a bigger class in attendance is encouraged, I sometimes relished the one on one stuff, but only if I had had a good nights sleep!
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- Tom Carter

"You can't stop the waves but you can learn to surf" - Jack Kornfield

[Feral]

And a stretcher lol

I know what you mean, it's one way to test your ukemi
Those were for me some of the best times, when only a few turned up to class (tut tut)
As we often quoted:

Aikido: The way of blending energy The Aikidoka (one who practices Aikido) attempts to become one with the mat by being thrown into it repeatedly in the hope that s/he will merge with the mat. This usually doesn't happen, so the process must be repeated. Frequently.

[Anthony]

I've been in martial arts most of my life, been training officially for about 15 years. Right now I'm 3.5 years into Northern Shaolin(Wu Xing Ba Fa), teaching that and cardio kickboxing/aerobics. Just for fun of course, I don't get paid. Got my art for that . :]
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-Anthony
Carpe Carpem
http://www.anthonyfransella.com

[seth1]

I was in kyokushin karate, for 5 years, and i found it quite boring and to repetitive, not chanllanging at all. You dident do any thing new becuase there was allways new members comming in, so you were going back and forth and the katas were kinda of the same for all.. Then i droped that and joined tu-jit-su witch i found hella interesting allways learning new stuff alot of grapling and throws arm breaks i really found the break falls quite interesting i use them alot still when im out for breakdancing and if im falling it's jsut naturle to break fall. Right now i am taking up iron palm hoprfully that will go smoothly...

[pxy]

"i was sent to taekwondoe by my anger managment councelor in the 9th grade. it seemed like a counter productive thing at the time, but after a couple years it was an amazing help at rounding of my angst and building concentration and character. i definately would recommend the martial arts to anyone who wants to become a little more level headed. i've been out of it for about a year now and i'm thinking about picking up akido. i took akido for a couple weeks but then i went off to school and couldn't continue my lessons"
- dusk1984 - from a discussion of below:

"Some people think that the workout is to increase heartbeats or flexibility or endurance or coordination. So they make up exercises to improve one or more of these areas. When I'm doing exercises, what I'm trying to do is meditate. Get in a state that I feel a balance between body, mind, and spirit. It's just enjoyment. When I train in Jiu-Jitsu I don't have a clock in mind. I'm just feeling and flowing. When playing or surfing or hiking there are no timings or special rules. If you love it you just get into it with your whole body. You don't care that it's exercise. "
- rickson - orig
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[Giant Hamster]

I practice the art of kicking ass. I'm pretty good at it. I kick ass. I'll kick your ass, kung fu boy. WHAAATAA!!!

[Freebooter]

I've been trying many different Martial arts out during five years.. some jujutsu, choy leet fut kung-fu, muay thai... I even had a personal black belt 5 dan karate teacher for about four months while I was in Japan (I'm an not kidding!!) It really taught me much, and nowadays I just train my body in means of sparing and practising stunts.. wall running, now that's demanding..

[P-Rik]

Hi there !!

I actualy practice Karat� Do Shotokan for 3 years, and i prepare hardly my Black belt !! I will tried to have it in may 2005 !! Soon ...

I have practiced Tennis, football and Judo, but Karat� is very personnal.... il you practice it hardly, you have your own karate.

Anyway, i think All kind of martial arts are very helpfull to open mind and developp a good spirit and an excellent body... if you practice with a good teacher who learn the true main position!

I never will quit karat� for any reason !!

You can learn a lot about yourself bye practicing hardly ...
One of the best sport ...
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Website !

[faB]

~6 months of Wing Chun.
Teacher in UK had us do 'chi sao' early.
Teacher in Belgium wouldnt let us do chi sao until after 4th grade or something which is at least 1 year.
I like the simplicity of Wing Chun, straight to the point, no useless movements. No show.
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"I'm not a shrimp, I'm a KING PRAWN !" -- Pepe.
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