Martial Arts

[ChingChuan]

Well, you could describe Pencak Silat as an 'internal art' if you look at its principles... However, that only applies when you see external arts as arts in which you utilize your (muscle) strength and internal arts as arts in which you use the attacker's strength (momentum).

For instance, we don't block an attack, but we move aside. That's because we don't want to try whether we're stronger than the attacker, it just has to miss. Also, we like to use the attacker's momentum (just like aikido, for instance) to get him to the ground.
Actually, Pencak Silat looks a lot like tai chi quan (the martial variation, that is) and I believe that it sometimes uses the same principles as we do.

However, we don't use qi, if that's what you mean with 'internal art'. It isn't necessary to use/have qi to make internal principles work...

[potterposse]

You guys that do martial arts are lucky. I've ALWAYS wanted to learn, but couldn't (mainly because I lived in a rural area most of my life, and the closest martial arts studio was in a gang infested city). I might learn at least one or two forms later on in my life. Can anyone give me some recommendations as far as Martial arts goes?

[samianther]

Taekwondo is good ^^. But thats becuse I do it lol. But they are all good. Depends what you want out of it. Weather its being able to throw peopul or self-defence... Each helps in diffrent areas. But some have simmiler qualitys.

[potterposse]

Taekwando? I was just reading about that today. It sounds pretty fun, so does Karate. They are pretty similar I heard...right?

Well, anyway, Thanks.

[kittling]

Originally Posted by samianther

But they are all good. Depends what you want out of it.

I have to second that and add it also depends on the teacher too. The right teacher for you will make all the difference, they turn something ok into something brillant & something brilliant into Ummm even more brilliant

I would really say have a look around and try out some different stuff, most good teachers in my experiance will be fine with that, and some actually let you have a free taster class. Expect to be a bit clueless on your first class, look at stuff other that how good at martial arts the teacher is (class atmosphere, how well they communicate etc) becasue lets face it on a first class none of us can really judge how tallented the teacher is!

That said don't let not enjoying a class put you of that particular martial art - it might be that the class or teacher were just not right for you.

[samianther]

Yeh Taekwondo and Karate are simmiler. But TKD is faster.

And yeh. If you have a bad teacher then you can get into bad habbits. But don't worry about too much unless you plan to take it to a competision kind of standard. And having other students that are good will help. My instructor's two daughters are in the natsinoal team so I am lucky. Just go for a couple of lessons and see how you feel.

[insenergy]

Originally Posted by potterposse

You guys that do martial arts are lucky. I've ALWAYS wanted to learn, but couldn't (mainly because I lived in a rural area most of my life, and the closest martial arts studio was in a gang infested city). I might learn at least one or two forms later on in my life. Can anyone give me some recommendations as far as Martial arts goes?

Like some of the other posters I would recommend TKD having a 3rd Degree Blackbelt in it and it being my first martial art, i can easily say its a great art to start with. But like any martial art i will tell you it requires dedication, so if you feel you can dedicate the time to a martial art i recommend starting with TKD or HKD but if you want a more practical martial art day to day i would say Brazilian JuJistu is the best

[potterposse]

Thanks for the info.

[ChingChuan]

Hm... I think that almost every martial art is effective... It only depends on 1) yourself (what you can and can't do) and 2) the teacher. Even an art like Tai ji can be very effective for self-defense... if you've only got the right teacher.

So, I think you need to define your goal first... What do you want? Do you want a good work out? Then every martial art is right for you. Do you want realistic self-defence training? Find a school, regardless of martial art, that trains that way and stick with it... Do you want a weapons based art? Try Iaido, Jodo, a kenjutsu style or a western historical martial arts school, or Escrima, Kali etc. etc. etc.

There are just too many arts to recommend one...

Of course, I could recommend my own art, but everything depends on what you want to get out of the art...

Anyway, if you put value in training a legitimate art under a legitimate teacher, be very careful... Ask your teacher for his credentials - are they with an association? Look up the association on the internet etc. etc - or ask people at martial arts forums. There are too many frauds out there...
Especially if you're looking for arts like ninjutsu or kenjutsu - there are many legitimate school, but just as many teachers that just made something up...
However, this applies to other arts as well, anyone can call him/herself a Xdegree black belt, so it's important to make sure that such a person (whom you pay for proper instruction etc.) is what he says he is.

Good luck .

[HermyMacGo]

I've been learning Nihon Tai Jitsu for 3 years now (but I'm considering stopping it since I'm not really interested anymore in it).
It's not really known, it's a martial art based on self-defence techniques and adapted from Japan by a French guy.

[arithmancer]

I am a first dan in Judo. I have not practiced recently, but I hope to go back (less eriously than before) when my sons are old enough to learn themselves. (Could even be this year, my older one will turn 5). I enjoyed the sport aspect of Judo the most. Before becoming a mommy, I was a national-level competitor in the sport.

[PerfectEnigma]

I have trained in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, & a traditional for of Jiu Jitsu in the past. Right now, I train in MMA, Muay Thai Kick Boxing, Brazilian Jui Jitsu, Boxing, Submission Grappling, & Wrestling.

[Pigwijon]

TKD....

[KiwiMos]

I'm 1º Kup in Tae Kwon Do... and now i'm working really hard so that next year i'll be 1º Dan. This is the only martial art... and sport that i truly love!

[blak_cat]

I'm a second-stripe green belt in Tang Soo Do (although compared to you guys that's nothing XD). I haven't trained in a while though. I'd like to get back into martial arts.

[bigblue]

The enthusiasm of MMA is scattering in all curve of the sphere like untamed flames. At the same time as surveillance an MMA wrestle, plenty of us may be attracts to study this martial art form except an extremely small portion of us will be capable to endure the extreme character of this method. Still usa health and fitness populaces who coach at MMA as a leisure pursuit are bequeath with enormous amount of corporeal strength and control in the complete procedure.

It is suitable to the rough body and never-say-die courage of these MMA troops that they are known as “fighting machines." This type of belligerent is so challenging that here is no doubtful the enormous bodily power of these troop.

An escalating number of populace is resorting to MMA preparation lessons as resources to drop weight. The substantial calisthenics that are trained in these preparation lessons are a very effectual way of trailing those additional pounds and attain an ideal build. This shape of martial art is extremely productive barely to the specialized fighters, but everybody who indulge in this type of teaching.

[pensieve_master]

I'm an orange belt in Judo, but it has been years since I trained. My son is a green belt in the Isshin-ryu discipline of karate.

[AliceLiddell]

Originally Posted by blak_cat

I'm a second-stripe green belt in Tang Soo Do (although compared to you guys that's nothing XD). I haven't trained in a while though. I'd like to get back into martial arts.

High-five to you, good sir/madam! I'm in Tang Soo Do, as well, have been for about six or seven years...I'm a second degree Black belt. It's all worth it in the end (Trust me, once you get to brown belt you start with the staff if you haven't already, and when you hit red you start learning complex forms like Pyung Ahn Oh Dan and Bassai. It's quite fun).
I'd like to try Judo, Kendo and Tai Chi in the future.

[kick_chick]

I do world tkd fed taekwondo and compete frequently. I'm going to England this weekend for a competition where the other three girls in my group have a ton more international experience than me lol but it should be fun. I'm a first dan black belt and will hopefully be testing for my 2nd dan next month. I love taekwondo and it has changed my life big time. I train around 3-4 times per week, 2 of these at different clubs which I've to travel to to get extra sparring practice and 2 are my own club. My highest poomsae is Sipjin and my favourite is probably taebeck, although I have to say I really prefer the kyrougi side of things. Wish me luck for my comp, heading over tomorrow and can't wait til after my weigh in to eat what I want again!!!

[SnyderD]

My journey through the martial arts has seen more than one style, but most of my training is in TKD...as it seems is the same for many here. Good to see others using their bodies in positive ways.