Martial Arts anyone?

[Yrrek]

Here is my background, I used to wrestle and I was fairly good, but I don't have time for school sponsered sports anymore, so I am looking for an after-school martial art that I could take. I am looking for a style (or styles) that focus on grappling, hand-to-hand combat, etc. Weapons are optional. Anyone know of a style that might fit this description?

EDIT: I don't like the flashy stuff. Thanks!

[AtomicKitKat]

Grappling? I would say go with Aikido/Judo, the stuff the police use.

[Rhydderch Hael]

... focus on grappling, hand-to-hand combat, etc. Weapons are optional. ...

Actually, some marital arts would supply these requirements fine... at least, all the fun ones do.

[nobbie]

Wing Tsun Kuen Kung-Fu ("Wing" with a "W", not "V") - that's what Bruce Lee learned first :)

[Yrrek]

Thanks all! I'll look into it, except for the marital arts *cough* Rhydd *cough* <_<

[Fragbait]

Hi Yrrek,

I had been doing shotokan karate for six years until my a-levels. This is a martial art that is based mainly upon heavy repetition (then again: which ma isn't), but also esthetics. It's basically divided into kata and kumite, whereas kata is the traditional way to pass on style and form of the technics and kumite is the more or less free combat against another fighter. What's special about shotokan is that it isn't about breaking boards (how embarrassing) or your enemy's extremities or knocking him out. The fight system relies on flags and points and allows only half-contact. What distinguishes this art from others sports such as jiu-jiutsu is , imho, the forming of the students character towards a peaceful and tolerant attitude. Avoiding combat with inferiors is one of the principles, enjoying it with coequals another.
I had to give up on this art though, due to lack of time. After a certain grade (mine was the second purple belt) you have to exercise at least twice a week to improve and it doesn't hurt to go on tournaments and workshops, too. Hope that's not too much of a turn off! ;)
Since you mentioned wrestling, I gotta admit that karate contains rather few throws, and is more about fist and foot jab technics. See if you like it, though.

As for the technic that Yip-Man tought to Bruce Lee before the latter went to the U.S., I believe it's called Wing Chun. Wing Tsun is the name of the martial art that one of Yip-Man's sons developed. If you want to get into the Bruce Lee thing, try out Jeet Kune Do (way of the intercepting fist) that he developed. I suggest this for advanced fighters only, though.

Greetings, Fragbait

[Baajikiil]

Aikido or Judo are certainly *the* main grappling styles around. Any good school will teach elements of grappling, but both of those styles focus upon it. Especially throws and locks.

I studied Goju Ryu for 6 years or so (similiar origins to shotokan), and had a great time with it. I recommend it if you can find a good school. My Dojo was very traditional, and we focused on basics and physical fitnes more than fighting or competition. Also a *very* strong emphasis on kata and conditioning.

I need to get back into the martial arts.

EDIT:

EDIT: I don't like the flashy stuff. Thanks!

Well, Goju is the complete opposite of flashy. Very focused, very serious. No kicks above the waist(well maybe a thrust kick to the gut). The ideal practitioner is immovable in his solid stances, capable of accepting/redirecting any incoming force, and retaliating with devastating impact. There is usually a weapon aspect of Goju, generally Bo, Tonfa, and Sai. It was optional in my school though; the weapon practitioners had separate classes.

It's a good style for us inflexible types(well, I at least am very inflexible).

[AtomicKitKat]

Well, speaking as a Chinese(*insert stereotypical bad dubbing/synching, grammatical errors and fancy sounding martial art name here*), I would say that Wing Chun and Wing Tsun are probably the same thing, just different romanisation of the Chinese words. And possibly different dialects in China.

[Fragbait]

Hi AtomicKitKat,

Gotta admit, I'm definitely not chinese. I'm referring to a definition/explanation I read recently:

>>The notation Wing Chun is used internationally as a comprehensive denotation of all styles that go back to Yip man. Furthermore there are other notations that stand for different variants.

* Ving Tsun or VT is used by different styles/schools. wird von verschiedenen Stilen/Schulen benutzt. However, the school of Wong Shun Leung is labeled mainly at this. Sometimes also WSL-VT
* Wing Tsun or WT identifies the school of Leung Ting

Wing Chun is still used as denotation by several associations, too. Among others, Lo Man Kam, Yip Man's nephew and longtime student uses this notation.<<

(translated by myself)

Well, whatever. Not that it's too important after all... ;)


Greetings, Fragbait

[FunkyfooKarate]

MY kong fu is better! :ph34r:

[Wapptor]

I would reccomend this Taekwondo and ONLY this Taekwondo.

www.wtahq.com

I know Taekwondo gets a bad rap as it is one of the styles you're likely to find on any corner or in any strip mall, however this is the real thing. This isn't flashy, it isn't for show, it is the original and unchanged Taekwondo that came over from Korea 60 years or so ago. The style is very practical however and very strong.

I have worked with this organization for almost four years now and have enjoyed it greatly. Korean Taekwondo, at least in its purest form, focuses on five basic principles; speed, power, balance, focus and control. Not in any order. Yet this is a very very strong style. The strongest pillars of the style are first technique, then strength, and then ultimately, once the other two have been achieved, speed. That is not to say that this style is slow by any means. Simple physics tell you that force = mass X velocity and we do not ignore velocity at all :). Taekwondo also focuses on the development of the individual. Stick with it long enough and it might just redefine your life, but in a good way. The successful Taekwondoist is mild mannered, and reserved, without reverting to anger and rage. In otherwords, as unfortunately now said in Spiderman (lol) "with great power comes great responsibility." And with this style, one does get power.

The organization is pretty big now, but there are schools scattered all throughout the country. Headquarters is in NYC and we have tournaments every six months. There is some board braking, but its generally optional, and only used in demonstration. It is hard for the inexperienced to appreciate the complexities of a good kick vs a bad kick. However most people can understand the physical solidity of a piece of wood and appreciate the force that allows someone to break it.

If you want a very practical, old fashioned style that focuses on realistic combat practice this is the style for you. If thats not what you're looking for there are innumerable other styles to choose from. Good luck!

-Wapptor

[Yrrek]

Ok, here is what I found. I was looking at pages and information online, did a few searches, and came up with a group 15 minutes drive from where I live. Very good price, and it goes through a college (I wouldn't get college credit though, which is fine). Monday I start Shotokan. It is $70 for two two-hour sessions/week for the duration of the summer semester, which is approximately two months long. In the fall/winter, I will only be able to take one two-hour lesson/week, but it is approximately four months long/semester. Thank you all for the information! :)

[Saxywoo]

I took Akido for a little while, looking to get back into it. Being long in limb and in body (thanks mom and dad) martial arts like karate just aren't good since it seems to be more of a distance attack. And let's face it... people with long limbs take a longer time to extend a limb than a shorter person does. But being freakishly flexible, strong, and quick even for a tall person, I found that Akido was the best fit for me. Not to mention that the guy teaching us studied under the grandson that developed Akido. It was cool.

One of his fellow students when he was learning, went over and now lives in Tokyo, teaching at the original dojo. She can wipe the floor with him. and she's about 2 feet shorter than he is.

-SaxyCorp

[Kylearan]

Hi,

[...] people with long limbs take a longer time to extend a limb than a shorter person does.

Isn't that disadvantage more than compensated for by the longer range you have with longer limbs? And while you can train to extend your limbs faster, you cannot train your limbs to be longer. But I don't know much about martial arts, so please feel free to correct me on this. :)

-Kylearan

[ShadowHM]

Hi,



Isn't that disadvantage more than compensated for by the longer range you have with longer limbs? And while you can train to extend your limbs faster, you cannot train your limbs to be longer. But I don't know much about martial arts, so please feel free to correct me on this. :)

-Kylearan

Hi

That comment had me puzzled too.

I have a son that studies Tae Kwan Do. He is not yet as tall as he will be but he does have longer limbs than most of his fellow (Korean background) students.

Speed and accuracy are what the training is for. I have not noted any differentials in either between those who are short and those who are tall.

[Tal]

I have a son that studies Tae Kwan Do.&nbsp; He is not yet as tall as he will be but he does have longer limbs than most of his fellow (Korean background) students.

Speed and accuracy are what the training is for.&nbsp; I have not noted any differentials in either between those who are short and those who are tall.

This has been my experience as well. I have a black belt in Tae Kwan Do and noticed no difference between students with longer limbs and those with shorter. Where I did notice the difference is with students of equal speed. In that case the student with the longer limbs did appear to have a slight advantage over the smaller limbed student. That is, of course, until the smaller student got inside the range of those legs. ;)

[Butch27]

Simple physics would say that force = m * a. Momentum = m * v, and kinetic energy = 1/2 m * v^2. I'd guess that you would want to emphasize that last equation. Just a minor nit.

[NuurAbSaal]

pic:

Ahem, not a good way to do a high kick...
face down and arms back = pain


nice abs though :)

Greetings

Nuur (1.Kyu Kickboxing)

[Fragbait]

Hi NuurAbSaal,

you mean like these here:



Btw: the 1st Kyu is the 3rd brown belt, isn't it?

Greetings, Fragbait

[Saxywoo]

Hey,

In actuality, the fact that you fully extend, but just the mass of the limb makes just about everything take longer. The longer ranged attack <chuckle> can be very advantagous if your chance to hit <snicker> was sufficient enough to ensure that when you hit them, it will stun <smile> your opponent for long enough for you to be able to strike again.

All joking aside. I've found that it's harder to retract an arm that is still traveling to its extended point. It can be done, but if I'm swinging at someone, and they are able to dodge, it leaves me wide open for a counter attack. My line of logic is, if you miss, you're toast. Especially if your opponent is coming in to attack at close range (e.g. Karate vs. Judo). Not to mention that when you have long limbs, the leverage of your arms and legs isn't an advantage. A shorter limbed person would have an easier time moving thier arms faster due to the leverage of the elbow joints, let alone the fact that there is less "dead weight" (bone) in the arm.

Also as a taller person, you would have a higher center of gravity, which makes you less stable if you're fully standing upright. But to counter that, you sort of slink yourself down, where you get your "stance." But ANY martial art has some sort of stance, which is geared towards lowering your center of gravity, but also making your base wider, so you're more stable period. And it's easier for a shorter person to be more stable, and to be able to twirl around or do whatever pseudo-aerobaticly than a taller person.

Don't believe me? Why do you see people of the shorter persuasion as gymnists? It broke my heart when I hit 6' tall, because that meant I couldn't fly the F-14 because I was too tall. Not to mention that it's harder for taller people to withstand extreme G-Forces. And that is due to a circulatory system that has to work hard just keeping everything where it's supposed to be in the first place. Another thing... why is it that the only sport where it's good to be very tall is basketball? Yes, due to the fact that once the arm gets going, being a baseball pitcher wouldn't be too bad of a thing.

But if you ask me, tall people get the short end of the stick if you're going long range vs short range hand to hand unarmed combat. Now, that doesn't meant that I wouldn't try my best to win a match, nor would it be an excuse if I lost. It's just my observations on physiology...

Oh yeah, and if you're considered "short," please do not take offense. I couldn't think of another word to use, and being politically correct would have just been confusing to read.

-SaxyCorp (6'3" and proud)