Martial arts

[Aku_Soku_Zan]

What martial art(s) do you do and which might you take up? Share some of your experiences! We had a thread like this a long time ago and I thought it was pretty interesting.

Personally, I do Taekwondo and Escrima and I love it. I started with TKD around 3 years ago and I thought it was awesome, although I can certainly see why the sport has gotten such a bad reputation. Many clubs have turned into McDojo's, selling belts at a ludicrous rate and giving kids no older than 14 black belts. To make matter worse, many clubs have also started training exclusively for competition sparring and neglecting self-defense, so the prototype of a 'good' taekwondoka is now actually a bad fighter. It's a pity. My club isn't like that though and it's mainly because of my trainer, he has a very down-to-earth approach to martial arts, doesn't care about belts (he only bothered to get his 1st Dan after training 2-3 times a week for 15 years) and mixes a lot of kickboxing, Escrima and MMA techniques into the training.

It's through my TKD-teacher that I met my Escrima-teacher. I originally trained Wing Tsun with him and then switched to Escrima. Now you might be wondering how one guy can teach two entirely different (and complicated) arts like WT and Escrima and still be good at both. The answer is simple; the guy is downright insane. A short rundown of his experience in martial arts:
- instuctor Doce Pares Eskrima, Cinco Terro Eskrima Kali Sikaran and Inayan Eskrima (4 different styles of escrima)
- third level technician Wing Tsjun
- kickboxing instructor
- pancrase freefighting instructor
- black belt Aiki-Jutsu
- experience in Aikido, Ju-Jutsu en Karoti Shinto Ryu (a Japanese swordfighting technique)
So yeah, the guy knows what he's talking about. And trust me, he really is that good (even bouncers and cops come there to train), which is why I love training with him. The reason I enjoy Eskrima as a sport is simple; it's realistic. I love the stickfighting in particular, but the knifefighting is probably more important (I hate the way way many other arts teach simplistic, uneffective defenses against knife attacks). I'm not going to make this post any longer than it already is, but I will say that if you are into martial arts, you try should check out a local escrima (or Kali/Arnis, different names) club if possible. In my opinion it's a good addition to practicly every fighters repertoire.


So, how about you guys?

[aah.zidane]

I've practiced several styles over the years, but none have stuck with me as much as wu shu has.

Besides all the physical, self-defense stuff, the tai chi and qi qong part really opens you up and helps you blend into the stress of daily life as well.

[doomdude21]

There's a place that teaches Muay Thai nearby but it's so fucking expensive

[MrsX]

Did 1 semester (3 months) of aikido, liked it, but stopped because it's hard to do both school and that. Now, I train with nunchakus (freeeeeeestyle) and it's pretty awesome. Started around a month ago.

[water-walker]

jeet keen do and muay thai seems the most fun, possibly the most effective. One day i shall take them up.

[Krossinc]

Go to a MMA School, teaches Muay Thai, BJJ, and Judo. Other than that I'm fairly interested in wrestling.

[I[AM]SMRT]

I bet I could beat your ass in wrestling Kross.

[Krossinc]

Let's arm wrestle now bitch!

[Ratsofat]

My money's on hulk. Sorry, smrt.

[Uruk]

Karate, 6 years now i think

[T-Rider]

LOL Karate is auto lose in MMA. ROFL URUK, then canadian on top of it. My 10 year old sister could beat you easier then chims vs footmen.

[ifilia.]

Used to train muay thai/ju jitsu. Entered a few TKD tournys, but never trained it.
Quit a few years back, regret it ever since.

OP: I actually went to a few escrima classes, the trainer kept pestering me about some portable rings he wanted and it ended up making me quit.
I agree with you on the style, anyone interested in MA should give it a whirl.
The speed and damage that some of those guys throw out is just insane, very, very strong artform.

[ragdoll_us]

Judo, duh.

[SolidSnake03]

Agree with Kross, MMA for pure practicality in any real world situation.

[Krossinc]

Hey nothing wrong with a Karate base though Doug. My original training came from Karate (I got lucky that my instructor taught 90% kickboxing and about 10% karate, but called it Karate). GSP is a great example as well as Liddell (although it wasn't Karate, can't remember which but a traditional art.]

Nothing wrong with anyone who does a traditional art, they're just for tradition. Not everyone is looking for real-world use.

[FightingCow]

sambo/judo almost 8 years now.. damn

[Mclovin]

I do kickboxing and i'm getting into jujitsu

[human-chief]

YOUTUBE's OF YOU OR OTHER DOING YOUR STYLE OF KUNG FUUUUUUUU

[remind_]

I trained TKD for 8 years, im about to start shaolin kung fu/wing chun or possibly JKD if i can find an instructor that doesn't live on the other side of the fucking country.

[Halen]

if you want to be a true martial artist take everything. main ones brasilian jiu jitsu, and muay thai.

oh yes if you can find a sambo instructor take that as well.