The Martial Arts Thread

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Anyone experienced in the ways of martial arts? My friend and I want to take up lessons. I'm wondering if I'm too fat and out of shape right now though.




Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.



You can't win an argument just by being right!
Oh good for you. You dont have to be fit to start martial arts, swanny. Most classes are all ages and grades. I would suggest you check out schools in your area, call the teachers for a chat then go and watch a class in each one. Any particular style appeals to you right now?



Oh good for you. You dont have to be fit to start martial arts, swanny. Most classes are all ages and grades. I would suggest you check out schools in your area, call the teachers for a chat then go and watch a class in each one. Any particular style appeals to you right now?
I was thinking kung fu, but I'm very naive about the different styles. Have you done martial arts Dani?



You can't win an argument just by being right!
I was thinking kung fu, but I'm very naive about the different styles. Have you done martial arts Dani?
I wanted to do kung fu when I ws a kid watching Bruce's movies but my mum wouldn't let me. As an adult I checked out some schools and really liked the teachers at a karate school just down the road from where I was living. I became pretty obsessed with it and married one of my teachers. Unfortunately we bought this house which is too far from the dojo so had to stop training, but we still muck around with it at home. Fantastic discipline, whichever style you choose, Swanny. I'm thrilled for you. Looking forward to reading your adventure.



Wing chun is a great style and I think you would do okay. It's not a fancy style. No high kicks, and many who pursue it do so at more of an intellectual/spiritual level, but you'll encounter plenty of students who approach it very much for its self-defense applications.

My internet sucks right now, so I couldn't search too much for a video to explain it beyond this one:

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I may go back to hating you. It was more fun.



Oh good for you. You dont have to be fit to start martial arts, swanny. Most classes are all ages and grades. I would suggest you check out schools in your area, call the teachers for a chat then go and watch a class in each one. Any particular style appeals to you right now?
Dani's right - martial arts classes & instructors will usually accept any weight or fitness level and adjust instruction accordingly or help find the right class for someone based on their age or fitness level.

I took private karate lessons when I was younger (after being assaulted) with a guy I worked with who happened to be a multiple black belt.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
If you have any good Taekwondo instructors in your area call and ask if they teach Haidong Gumdo. It's Korean sword pretty similar to Japanese Kendo. Don't ask about histories

Anyway. For the first few belts it's stretching, sword motions (wooden practice swords), and patterns/forms. Later the forms get more complex, you step up to a prop sword (no edge), sparring in Kendo type gear, focus cuts with paper and candles. Black belt brings the real thing with bamboo cuts.

It is a slower-paced art. You probably won't be doing the more elaborate, endurance type stuff from Taekwondo, but it can be very therapeutic and fulfilling. Motions are fluid in mid- to upper-level forms and translate to hand-to-hand motions well enough if by that time you feel physically confident to jump into the more aggressive TKD classes.

Whatever you find, good luck! I hope you enjoy yourself.



Kung Fu styles can be fun, but typically not the most practical for self-defense. I've dabbled in Wing Chun for the experience, but honestly would only recommend it as an 'art.' With the flashiness, it's good for movies and stuff, but pretty obsolete when paired against high level jiu jitsu, wrestling, or (kick)boxing. It also takes years to get anywhere near movie action hero level.

For real self-defense and workout, I love jiu jitsu. It can look intense and scary at first, but it's one of the lighter and more technical grappling arts. Plenty of people start out of shape or older. You have to be prepared to suck for a few months though, and it can be demoralizing having guys half your size running technical circles around you, but once you find your footing and start learning submission defense, it's very rewarding. For self-esteem, I reeeally think it's greater than any other martial art. You have to spar eventually: the techniques get tested to the max, so you know what's bullsh*t and what isn't. Once you start, it should give you a big boost of motivation and get your ass into shape.

I also like doing boxing & Muay Thai occasionally, but I do it more for the workout than enjoyment. Still good to learn for practical striking and stand up fighting/defense.

A cheesy video, but very true:
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You can't win an argument just by being right!
What styles are in your area, swanny? Might be easier if we give pointers on those. I had a thought for you if it interests you - Aikido. One of my brothers was unfit - had never ever been sporty at all. He got into that as an adult and absolutely loved it. Gave him a totally different outlook on life. A lot less 'hot' than karate ie my style of karate suited the more aggressive practitioner whereas the aikido guys who practised in the same building came across as very gentle and peaceful in nature. If I took up MA again it would probably be more this cooler type of approach. Seems really beautiful from what I've seen.

All comes down to what you want to get out of it as to which style will suit, and which teachers you connect with on first impression.



I've dabbled in Wing Chun for the experience, but honestly would only recommend it as an 'art.' With the flashiness, it's good for movies and stuff, but pretty obsolete when paired against high level jiu jitsu, wrestling, or (kick)boxing. It also takes years to get anywhere near movie action hero level.
There's nothing flashy about wing chun. The other kung fu styles can be flashy for sure and rather worthless I imagine as a self-defense, but I think you're confusing wing chun with those styles.



My friend is being 'trained' by a dude who claims he knows his Kung-Fu right now. I'm skeptical of everything so it's most likely just me but yeah that guy doesn't know his kung-fu in my opinion.



What styles are in your area, swanny?
Not sure. I found one for Wing Chun I think, but the rest seem generalized. How do I find out specifics? Contact the people? I contacted one and am awaiting a response. I have to do a little research into different styles.



You can't win an argument just by being right!
Not sure. I found one for Wing Chun I think, but the rest seem generalized. How do I find out specifics? Contact the people? I contacted one and am awaiting a response. I have to do a little research into different styles.
I looked up martial arts schools in my city then narrowed it down to accessibility - location and class times, then just made calls. I had specific things in mind rather than style as such. So as I said earlier, really comes down to what you want to get out of it as to which style will suit you. eg do you just want self def or are you going for a more holistic approach. I wanted
proximity and class time otherwise I knew I couldnt get in enough training because at the time I was working very long hours so it needed to be near by and with times that suited my ass hat boss. I went from there. Spoke to teachers on the phone (much easier now with email) then checked out classes to see wht they were doing, whether or not they encouraged thuggery, get a general vibe of the school, check out the school code of ethics.

What I stayed away from was schools that had a negative vibe (I went to one that curled my hair. I tell ya, there are some strange people in some schools), put down other styles, taught dangerous technics in front of kids, and didnt teach discipline and respect with controlling movement/ strikes/towards the teachers and students.

Toss up the styles you've found and I'll see if I can help you out. My husband is right here as well so he'd be happy to lend a hand.



There's nothing flashy about wing chun. The other kung fu styles can be flashy for sure and rather worthless I imagine as a self-defense, but I think you're confusing wing chun with those styles.
Flashy may have been a bad way of putting it. My experience with WC saw a lot of reliance on technique and some muscle endurance. Maybe it's just where I trained, but there was little to no emphasis on really testing it, at least not like the tried & true 'grinding' martial arts: wrestling, boxing, jiu jitsu, sambo, etc. In boxing, the first thing they teach you is to put your hands up and tuck your chin. In WC, the first thing they taught me was the odd practice stance with elbows tucked at my side. Again, maybe it was a bad place to train (the trainer seemed pretty deep into it though), but any type of boxer would have a field day with someone just dropping their hands like that & having off-balance footwork... and don't even get me started on the takedown defense they showed me.

It might not be pretty to see a trained fighter simply take someone down and just choke them out, but in self-defense scenarios, it's super effective (sans weapon). @Swan, my friend, I know it sounds unappealing, but when you train jiu jitsu/grappling in a friendly, non-threatening atmosphere, it's super fun & is one of the best workouts you can get. If one can find the right gym, I recommend it so highly. Wrestling can be too much for many, but Brazilian jiu jitsu classes often come with less athletic people that can embarrass others much bigger than them. It can be hard work, but it pays off, and your results will be constantly and heavily tested.

I don't want to sound like I'm hating though. I liked WC, and I admire most advanced martial arts demos and stuff that I see. I'm just super passionate about tried & true martial arts, and I don't like it when people are mislead into false confidence.

I'm really sorry if I'm coming across as a dick right now.

Not sure. I found one for Wing Chun I think, but the rest seem generalized. How do I find out specifics? Contact the people? I contacted one and am awaiting a response. I have to do a little research into different styles.
Try finding out the instructor's rank, what they've done in competition (if any), etc. Most places you could probably just walk in and spectate to see if you like it. Also recommend cleanliness cuz I'm a germaphobe about workout places.



Flashy may have been a bad way of putting it. My experience with WC saw a lot of reliance on technique and some muscle endurance. Maybe it's just where I trained, but there was little to no emphasis on really testing it, at least not like the tried & true 'grinding' martial arts: wrestling, boxing, jiu jitsu, sambo, etc. In boxing, the first thing they teach you is to put your hands up and tuck your chin. In WC, the first thing they taught me was the odd practice stance with elbows tucked at my side. Again, maybe it was a bad place to train (the trainer seemed pretty deep into it though), but any type of boxer would have a field day with someone just dropping their hands like that & having off-balance footwork... and don't even get me started on the takedown defense they showed me.
I see what you're saying now, and you're not the only one to diss wing chun, but that is, as you noted, a practice stance and the hands to the side is only for the forms. It certainly isn't how wing chun teaches someone to fight. In fact one of the strengths of wing chun is an emphasis on a good defensive stance and teaching the student to have sensitive hands . . . by sensitive I mean the ability to react to any sort of contact. A good wing chun student taught the right way will have exceptional balance and quick reaction times to any type of engagement. Wing chun is a close-in style of fighting. A wing chun student wants that contact with an opponent as it's where they excel.

But of course it's not for everyone. Wing chun is based on a few core ideas (such as protecting the center line and such) that some latch onto, which is why I think you'll see in a typical wing chun school those students who are far more interested in the intellectual side of wing chun than the practical application side, more so than you would see in say a karate school. I assume you encountered chi sao, which is totally unique to wing chun. A dedicated student will practice chi sao for probably thousands of hours during their lifetime of studying wing chun, and thus they will have excellent hand coordination and reaction time. Again, some students will never take the next step of actual sparring or fine tuning their skills to test what works and what doesn't, but if you have the right sifu and you seek out other students with the same focus as you, you can get a lot out of wing chun.

But like any martial arts, a lot depends on the school you go to and the time you're willing to put into it.



I have a 'claim to fame' regarding Martial Arts, my cousin was chosen for the Common Wealth Games a few years ago, i won't name him, it wouldn't be fair to, but he's a Tae Kwon Doe Expert and the pride of our family.



You can't win an argument just by being right!
I have a 'claim to fame' regarding Martial Arts, my cousin was chosen for the Common Wealth Games a few years ago, i won't name him, it wouldn't be fair to, but he's a Tae Kwon Doe Expert and the pride of our family.
Mr D and I went to the TKD at Sydney Olympics. That was pretty fun.