Martial arts
 

One of my lifetime goals is to master a martial arts. I've done tae kwon do for a year when I was a kid, and didn't absorb much. At this point in my life though, I'm a lot more physically active and interested in it. It's just nearly impossible to devote myself to one now since I'm busy with school and all that shit.

Anyone here interested in martial arts? There are some pretty incredible stuff out there on youtube. Very cool, very inspiring.

I'm interested theoretically, but I'm not really active enough to just jump into a martial art, exactly. Still, if I were to go into a martial art, I'd probably consider aikido. It seems interesting to me to be purely defensive, and considering I'll probably never use it other than for self-defense anyway (i.e. I don't plan on fighting for pleasure, and I'd use a gun in a war) it seems the most practical, too.

For the record: you'll only get "busier", so you might as well just sign up now.

I don't think it's possible to master a martial art in a lifetime. If you're going to devote your life to martial arts, you'll end up doing so to make the most of the time you have, but you'll never master any of the disciplines. If you were to master a martial art, it would simply lose its meaning. That's just my personal thought on the subject, I'm sure there are people who would disagree.

I think martial arts is absolutely amazing. I'd go so far as to say that if it weren't for some of the disciplines that I've been a student of so far, I would've turned out alot worse in life. Without a doubt, I feel it is the best way to exercise, develop, grow stronger and if you're lucky - also get to know some really awesome people. Some of my closest and best friends are people I've met in the dojo.

Hah, yeah I understand that I'll only get busier. It sucks.

You can't exactly master ANYTHING. But what I meant was, just get a black belt in something. Since I unfortunately don't have the time/energy/etc to devote my entire life to martial arts, getting a black belt would be very satisfying.

I love it for all of the reasons Killy mentioned. The discipline, developing your mind and body. All that stuff. I love it.

Killy, what do you study?

Again, I'm going to sound like a smartass, but that's really not my intention. I just feel that this is something important that needs to be stressed, or else you'll be cheating yourself. In traditional martial arts - where coloured belts apply - the meaning that the black belt conveys is that you've reached a point in your training where you're ready to start learning. It's not a point you reach and say "ok, I'm done.", it's a whole new beginning. Everything up to that point is just basics, the things you need to know in order to start learning.

I've been a student of ju-jutsu since the age of 10. This has been my primary discipline - and still is. I've been doing some BJJ and Muay Thai along with that, but right now I'm mostly into MMA which feels most comfortable, since it's quite similar to what I'm used to.

I did tae kwon do back when I was younger for a number of years, but had to stop after my instructor had a mild mental breakdown. His wife divorced him, took his three kids, and two of his best buddies died all within a week. :( It was a shame since I had become a black belt about a year before and had really started enjoying it then. I wanted to get back into it once I got to college but never found a group I felt comfortable in. I'm hoping I'll find something while I'm at grad school to do.

Any suggestions for an art that I should look into? I'm not really looking for self-defense, but more of something that's a bit of exercise but not overly intense and would be good for helping me destress a bit after a day's work.

Yeah, I took Tae Kwon Do when I was younger also, it's not like I was bad in it or anything, but me and my brother had to stop because the fucking black belt cost $5k each of us. <_<

But like Reaver said, I might go back into it just for exercise purposes also...

I took hapkido (a Korean martial art with several styles) for a few years, passing the test for my black belt but quitting just before I entered high school for the same reason as Chaotic: it got ridiculously expensive for my brother and me. I wanted to get back into it and eventually did (sort of), joining this gymnastics troupe one year in college. This troupe did various performances, including a martial arts one. With a friend, I joined his XMA sessions at the time too, and those were fun. I also wanted to join the Wushu club, but I couldn't commit the time for it. Plus they didn't use my weapon of choice: nunchaku. I later couldn't commit time for the troupe and martial arts again and had to quit.

Now I'm trying to get back into my friend's XMA sessions one of these weekends, but I'd be lacking the "abilities" I had before. I still got mad ups though. Also, one day I want to visit my old studio. It would have been 10 years since I was later there. =p

I studied Northern Shaolin Kung Fu for a while, but I stopped when I graduated from my university.

Now I'm thinking of practicing something softer. Ba Gua sounds like fun, but since my girlfriend used to study Aikido, that's something I might consider too.

I've always wanted to get into martial arts. But as time went by I kind of lost interest in it and thought it's just one of those childhood dreams you need to let go and accept that will never happen (same goes with my dream of being an astronaut). As a kid my parent's didn't have the money to send me or any of my other siblings to martial arts school. So we just watched CHUCK-FU movies and admired the awesomeness that is Chuck Norris.

But if I ever got the chance to study any martial art, it'd be very cool to be a ninja.

A friend told me about this ninja school that held its graduation exam in a golf course at night. The ninjitsu students would slip into the golf course. And then, the guards would be let into the course and the students that evaded them throughout the night would be allowed to graduate.

I'm not sure how true this story is, but :tpg: :tpg:

I'm into the martial arts. I love the stress on dicepline that any art places on a person. I started out in kung-fu then got into karate but I found that that I lean tward spiritual matters which I feel is neglected in classes today.

Typically I think the focus is too heavy on the body and remembering technique but a persons most vunerable and vital point of their soul isn't taken into account. Probably because of the varied methods and inconsistant methods of measuring improvement.

I lean the other way and focus on reading and applying biblical concepts as a martial art. I have found that it can be practiced every waking hour of the day with outcomes surpassing physical fighting. It requires taxing exercise and flexibility of the mind & heart but it pays off.

I'm trying to figure out what style to choose when I do begin. I understand that when you become a black belt, all you know are all of the kicks and forms and means of fighting someone but it's only after you reach that point that you can apply it into actual fighting.

I'm still a little unsure of how much I'm willing to devote myself to something. Krav Maga seems the most practical and efficient, since devotion to that will yield me the most practical results in the least amount of time. But I'm also interested in the spiritual aspect and all of that, but its drawback is just that it requires too much time and effort which I don't think I can give to it.

I was in Tae Kwon Do for a year, and I just now remembered how expensive it was. It was like $200 to advance from a white belt to yellow belt. It's ridiculous and disgustingly capitalist. I don't want something that costs that much.

Muay thai is very interesting, but seems too savage. I don't want to put that much pressure on my joints either.

At college I'm a member of the BJJ club, though I haven't gone as often as I should. It's a great opportunity to learn ground fighting and grappling [as most fights often end up on the ground] and since it's free, it's definitely something I will focus on the upcoming years] but I also want to learn another form.

What's a good martial arts to learn, if you could choose one?

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean, correct me if I misunderstood what you just said - earning your black belt in a traditional style which doesn't include any kind of sparring, and then partaking in your first real fight makes you no more experienced than a white belt getting in trouble for the first time. There are indeed styles that do not cover any sparring whatsoever, so don't get fooled. Basically, you need to go up against real opponents - not necessarily by picking a fight out on the streets, don't get me wrong - but simply by visiting another club for a week or two and doing some full-contact sparring with a completely unknown person. Just the fact that you're fighting someone unknown makes it so much harder to match him. Maybe you get nervous, maybe you don't. Bottom line is - you won't know what to expect and you won't know how aggressive he is, but most importantly - you won't know how you react until you fight him.

As far as Tae Kwon Do is concerned - I haven't really tried it, so I can't say much, but from what I gather, it's an effective form if you're looking for technique in kicking and possibly punching, though there seems to be a lack of the latter in some styles. Other than that, I wouldn't spend much time doing it - there's no clinching, no grappling, no wrestling, no throwing etc. It's not as dynamic as some of the more popular arts, but it does have its own unique form and I can appreciate it for that. And as some of you have already pointed out - it's way too expensive - especially in relation to how much you actually learn from all of it.

Personally, I believe a good martial art is an art that makes you feel good and better about yourself. It suits your needs and your everyday goals in life. Like everything else, you need to balance it with the rest of your life. I've seen too many people walk away from the dojo, either because they don't have time (a legitimate reason) or because "they're not interested", whatever that means. Whether or not that stems from an actual lack of interest, or simply because they're unable to progress in their training, I don't really know. Needless to say, if it's the latter - you need to work things out with yourself, but don't turn your back on something great.

For a time, I was active in a local Jinenkan school, until financial troubles forced me to quit. I'd like to join again some time, I really liked the kind of style they taught, and the teacher and other students were friendly and dedicated.

Not sure if it's just the place I went to or not, but we did a fair amount of throws, grappling, and submission moves in addition to the normal kick punch it's all in the mind. I actually wound up hurting a few people by accident because a few of my joints are freakishly flexible and I didn't know most people couldn't bend that far. ;_;

You must be doing something very wrong if you're putting too much pressure on your joints while doing muay thai kickboxing. I'd would worry more about puking from all the conditioning drills you'd go through from each class if you're not staying in shape. Ahhhhh, those were the days. :D

That's unlike anything I've seen here, what was the name of the style/school?

I studied martial arts for self-defense back in...fourth grade, I think? It was quite some time ago, regardless.

I would like to study martial arts again, though. I think that more self-discipline is always a good thing to have; plus it would give me another option of exercise instead of running, sit-ups, and DDR. =)

I just figured it wouldn't be healthy in the long run when you use your joints to hit things. Especially when your cartilage wears out and all that. Correct me if I'm wrong, of course.

Killy, what I meant was. Once you're a black belt, you basically know all of the moves that they taught you. But you don't know how to apply them yet. It's once you become a black belt that you are actually taught whatever art you are studying.

I'm still looking into an art that I am willing to learn [whenever that time comes.] Admittedly, muay thai seems the most dynamic and interesting to me. But I don't know that much about what it encompasses. I think it's best to learn something like that [impact attacks, and basic standing self-defense [or offense] and something that will teach you how to fight on the ground like BJJ or wrestling.

The only thing I can see that would wear out would be your hands, but then you're wearing handwraps and gloves which saves your hands and joints. Other than that you're hitting with the hardest parts of your body like your shin, the ball of your foot, your knees and your elbows which I think lasts a lot longer than doing say BJJ which is much harder on your joints from all the submissions you take. But yeah whatever.

It was just a local Tae Kwon Do place, not one of the larger chains or anything. I think the instructor had done a few other forms of martial arts, so he might have just thrown in other material he thought would be useful or whatever.

I should also note that when we did sparring it wasn't olympic style where you get points at such (though we did do it occasionally), it was more like actual sparring and trying to knock the other guy on his ass. I actually got pretty good at it since I was really tall for my age when I joined, and the only other person in the class was a black belt (instructor's oldest daughter), so through my years of training I was always sparring against people ranked considerably higher than me. By the time most of the other kids my rank had gotten closer to my size I was way better than them and had to spar against the black belts anyway. :(

Personally I'd recommend something like Boxing or Jujutsu if you are looking for conditioning or self defense. Muay Thai and Krav Maga are also useful to learn. Just keep in mind that there really isn't a be all end all martial art out there (at least not that I have found).

Proper conditioning will actually make your joints stronger.

Overall I get the sense that you haven't really decided why you would even be studying a fighting style. Figure that out and your choices will get a lot smaller.

Its nice to see that many take martial arts seriously and can offer their two cents on it. Definitely some good information in there.

Though the years, I've taken a fair amount of pleasure in the martial arts. I've trained in Ken-jit-su and Shotokan at various times, though have had to drop them recently.

Choose something that will make you a better person. When you choose a style you invest in a system of thought.

Ultimately you must consider if the path you choose is for virtue or for vice.
Will the art you choose make you a more compassionate, respectful person?
Will it benefit your self perception & what others think of you?

My art handles both of these issues and more. Its free and its the most useful. Consider every day the attacks we endure on the very nature of who we are. The thrusts of slander, mocking, intimidation, trickery, hate, neglect... what school teaches how to defend yourself from these kinds of blows?
Proverbs 18:14
A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

So I'm at a new school now and they offer a few things that I could take:

Karate (Shotokan), Beginning and Intermediate/Advanced
Karate (Tang Soo Do), Beg/Int/Adv
T'ai-Chi Ch'uan, Beginning and Intermediate/Advanced

I'm mostly looking for something that's relaxing and will be able to get me to stop focusing on my work for a few hours a week. Each one only meets twice a week for an hour (except for Shotokan that meets on Saturdays as well). I haven't done my tae kwon do in about ten years, so I don't know if my background in it will do much good.

If none of these sound any good I could always fall back on racquetball. :(

You get as much out of it as you put into it, like anything else. If you perceive Karate to be worthless, it is likely because haven't taken the time to understand it and more importantly, APPLY IT. I am sure you subscribe to the philosophy that it is better to stop a punch with your face, than find a way to put actual training to practical use, but Karate DOES teach basic evasive maneuvers and positioning to keep people on their toes. Its clear that you don't think this worthwhile. Nevertheless, Karate is far from worthless...

Then again, you YELLED at Amara at the gamingforce meet last year...I mean, you must be THE champion prize fighter.

You're rite, Karate is ghey.

You'll find either shotokan or tang soo do to be quite similiar to tae kwan do really. Tang soo do is very closely relates as it's either split off or parallel art to tkd depending on whose version of korean martial arts history you listen to. Like wise shotokan is often considered the root of tkd do to some of the cultural bs the japanese pulled on the koreans when they invaded. At any rate you shouldn't be coming in completely green.

Tai Chi depends a lot on the instructor as it's varies largely in focus from raw relaxation exercise to being an effective martial art. Either way therapeuitic but unlikely to get you in really good cardio shape or get you ripped. It also it takes a fairly long time to develop to be effective as a fighting art compared to most anything you can do. So if your focus is kicking ass quickly or losing a gut you'd best look elsewhere. It's pretty good if you stick with it a few years though and tends to be good for bad backs and knees.

Depending on the instructors involved none of those arts art inherently flawed so I'd take a gander at a class in action to see what you think of how they run it. Most schools are fine with letting you either take a trial class or at least watch one to scope it out before you commit.

Tae kwon do schools vary wildly in curriculum depending if they're focus is on winning tournaments or on self defense. There's a fair amount of punching, joint lock, and throwing techniques that go straight out the window when the focus is winning trophy's as the majority of it is disallowed in tourney's. He probably just lucked out into hitting a more traditional school. The majority are crap and just try to soak soccer moms for expensive belt testing. It's pretty tricky to find a good one in that style.

I've looked around at some schools near where I live and I found 2 that are to my liking.

1. Pekiti Tirsia Kali
2. Krav Maga

Also was considering Pankration and Muay Thai but I'll just stick to the arts that works and just puts emphasis on dealing pain.

I don't really think with 2-3 hours of class a week any of the arts will get me into that great of shape, and I heavily doubt I'll have much time for out of class training, so I don't think I'd wind up seeing a whole ton of benefits from the training.

I also can't sit in an any classes beforehand since they're offered as classes at my university, but then on the plus side that means they're free (and should remain so the 4-6 years I stay here). Maybe somewhere I'll be able to find ratings for the teachers somewhere and that'll let me choose.

Frankly, I'm leaning towards Tai Chi right now because I don't want something so strenuous that I won't be able to go back to my room and do homework for a few hours afterwards. From what I've heard hardly any grad students have time to take the PE classes, but I think it would really help with mental health and whatnot to have a set relaxation time (my school apparently has the highest psychiatrist to student ratio in the country :().



Yeah. I don't remember anyone going to competitions from my school, though my instructor had often urged me to compete. I just never wound up going since they cost money to enter and were often scheduled close to times I had other commitments from school. I don't recall any extra fees for testing for belts, though there was a bit that sucked where really crappy kids would get advanced just because they were at a belt level for so long they were getting ready to give up. The guy that ran it was a construction worker of some sort as a day job, as well, so I don't think he used the school as a giant cash cow but instead had it as something he really enjoyed doing. The more I think about it the more I miss it. :(

Perhaps I should go a bit more into it since you don't perceive understanding when you see it, troll.

Karate is a sport. It has little intristic value as a means to self-defense, just like boxing. Its extremely limited in terms of strength and its generally a one-on-one activity, so if you're ever in a bad situation with more than one person, you're fucked and in a bad way. Theres no disarming techniques with it either - unless you're going to branch out into more specific forms or other arts like Kung-fu (which is about getting as close to your opponent as possible with as few blows as you can), Jeet Kune Do (which is a mix of a bunch of forms) or Krav Maga (which is Israeli Combat Fighting and probably the most brutal one I can think of).

So, after three years of taking it, yes, I do know what I'm talking about. Kindly don't delete posts that are on topic either.

No, because throwing a punch constitutes assault, for those of us that live in the real world. The last thing I needed was that kid showing up at home with bruises and the mother calling the police.

As someone who has taken Aikido and Muay Thai for many years, as well as toying with Kendo recently, Rainman, I find it fucking offensive that you would insinuate that LeHah doesn't understand the concepts of martial arts discipline because he didn't punch Amara. If anyone has trained for any length of time in ANY martial art, even something as brutal as Krav Maga, they know that force is the last blood option. You understand the notion of hurting someone, and you know why it is something you want to avoid.

He's right, by the way, Karate is more or less useless as real self defence. It is a sport more than a martial art, and is based around avoiding a singular strike, not multiple, repeated blows. It just doesn't hold up as a stand alone art.

LeHah may be a bit of a blowhard at times, but in this case he's absolutely right.

I think that Copiera (spelled wrong) is quite the interesting martial art. With its combination of dancing and fighting, I think that it would be good to relax with, and if that is what you are looking for it would dramatically increase your flexibility.

No, you DON'T.

In all honesty, 3 years really isn't enough time to familiarize yourself with all aspects of karate and determine that all of its methods of self defense, are worthless. That's all I am saying. Karate isn't a fullproof method for anything, but it helps one defend themselves during a throwdown. I think people might get the wrong impression through reading your input about karate, and thus I disagree with you...NOT out of spite.

Thats not what I meant. I didn't say you should've punched Amara. (Where did I say that?) Thanks for completely misunderstanding something so simple. Nevermind. You obviously don't remember the initial time this conversation was brought up, so forget about it. :><:

Of course I question your opinion on this matter, I thought you would've been getting used to it by now. Again, Karate is far from worthless and I've taken about 10 years of various martial arts (Shotokan, Ken-Jut-su and Jeet-kun-do) which all utilize various aspects of Karate largely, so I don't see how you could possibly decide that Karate is a worthless pursuit and a "boring" sport. That opinion is just crap.

As I told Lehah, thats not what I was inferring. (Sorry you took it that way.) Lehah has a tendency to blow smoke out of his ass to try to make himself look better. That's all I was saying. I don't believe it is cool to punch someone in the face without proper reason.

To understand what I said, you also have to understand a previous conflict that Lehah and I had where he tried to intimidate someone on the internet...but this isn't really worthwhile to continue with this sideline discussion.

This depends entirely upon situation. Sometimes it is best to diffuse a dangerous situation by incapacitating the trajectory of energy before it becomes dangerous. Take that as you will. What I am saying is that defense isn't always entirely about DEFENSE. This is the exception though...

"Real" self defense? What constitutes a real self defense martial art with a fake one? A bit of criteria may prove helpful!

I agree both that Karate is more of a sport than a martial art though and that Karate doesn't offer a great deal as a standalone martial art. Nevertheless, there are various aspects of Karate which could prove extremely useful in self preservation for those new to martial arts and give a basic set of moves that lead into more advanced forms of Karate.

Thats all I am saying.

I disagree. I disagree completely.

On the contrary - I do. Just in the same way someone like yourself who took something and then dropped out.

In other words, you have no right or reason to say what you have here about what I posted, considering you're in the same boat as I am. Attempting to invalidate my post is simply invalidating your own criticism.

It really doesn't. Karate in the traditional sense - I'm not talking about places that teach you throws from other art forms, I'm talking about if you get into a bout at a tournament - is simply a sport. It has very little function and every other martial art I've seen and have tried overwhelms it very easily. Upper and lower blocks, front kicks, punches, backfists, ankle sweeps, forward throws - its the most rudimentary material possible. They don't teach you to use your elbows, forehead, knees (except for blocking) or how to twist-lock people's wrists. Theres no submission moves, theres no arm locks, theres no gouging. Someone in a real fight would last all of five seconds longer than the average joe because Karate is based on sport rules. You can't make contact with certain body parts, you can't make contact with the face.

Krav Maga, on the other hand, they teach you how to break someone's arm in two moves. Kali teaches you armed and unarmed combat at the same time (all the moves are related). They teach you how to disarm or how to take on several opponents at once.

The difference between the two is gigantic.

What you intended to say and what you wrote are obviously not the same - since people other than myself got that impression. Way to stick your foot in your mouth.

All the forms you mentioned have things in common with Karate - namely that they're all open-handed. However, thats as far as they go - much in the same way how the sport of boxing is different from someone who has gotten in a street fight. (I haven't, thank god - but the difference is obvious)

That is to say - one thing in common does not make them similar, anymore than someone with a broadsword must know how to use a katana.


I don't have to blow smoke out my ass. I do look this good. :)

But you called me out that I should have hit Amara. For someone who supposedly took several forms of martial arts for a decade, you know absolutely nothing about the restraint they teach you about it. Not to mention, most people who take up any style of self-defense never mention it; boasting about such things will only get your ass-kicked by someone bigger and faster than you - or someone with a gun, bottle, etc.

Then why did you just bring it up? Oh, wait, you have a history of trolling. Thats right.

Oh god. Did you get that from the Manga Canon thread in the Sewers? Thats some ace funny bullshit there.

You've made contradiction into an art form much like how Andy Warhol made a soup can into art.

I'm trying to figure out if you even realize what you're arguing. You're saying that training for a traditional sport isn't as effective at self defense as training for combat as a more fighting-oriented martial art. That's like saying fencing is useless because you're never going to encounter someone in a bar with an epee.

Well - are you? :)

Remember the original post that I had made was about the use of karate as a form of self-defense, and not as a form of exercise. Sadly, this post was deleted by whomever on staff for reasons unknown.

I've taken 3 martial arts for an approximate 10 year span. How do you compare 3 years of training to 10, might I ask? Thats like me saying that my opinion of worthless Star Wars trivia is more valid than your own.

Again, you are mistaken. I have not dropped out. Martial arts is a continual process that doesn't necessarily END when one stops taking classes. Learning comes in different forms and IS a discipline. You are clearly missing that part of the equation.

Training doesn't end just because you don't don a gi and strike poses in front of a mirror. I have no doubt that this is what Karate means to you. Paying a fee and getting a belt...is not what karate is about.

Far from it. You have a thick skull and though you may claim to be the gamingforce resident expert on everything, I again would disagree. Relative inexperience in a given field, in this case Karate, does not equal consummate understanding and the right to reign down torrents of criticism, though feel free to disagree.

I am glad that you've changed your footing here. Obviously your statements weren't all that impressive to begin with if only now you are letting me in on what you really meant...

No shit? And here I was thinking you were making a blanket statement describing aspects of karate as worthless...:rolleyes:

What other martial arts have you seen? Not that it matters...

Oh I guess rudimentary principles are completely worthless, then? Hrrm?

Karate doesn't teach people how to break bones and inflict pain until the student has proven that they are trustworthy to handle the information with responsibility. All of my sensei's have been the same in that regard. If you expected differently, perhaps you should've taken greco roman wrestling instead.

From my experience, Karate teachers don't teach beginners how to utilize the body as a weapon. Most martial arts are the exact same. The first structure of the class involves learning Katta and form. The secondary structure of the class teaches the student how to give movement and impact to that sense of form.
In fact, the black belt is often mistakenly considered to be the "ending point" for understanding and mastering Karate...this is simply not true. If anything, the most intense and concentrated philosophies begin after one has achieved the black belt.

Gouging? LOL, are you serious? Of course Karate doesn't teach eye gouging, what were you expecting. Karate IS NOT wrestling.

Aikido and Shotokan teaches submission... Aikido also shares many familiar roots with basic forms of Karate.

You are making some pretty interesting comments here with belie any real cumulative sense of experience.

That is up to the discretion of the martial artist.

While I somewhat agree with you, we aren't speaking about which one form is more valid than the other. That isn't where this argument stems from. This argument stems from your belief that Karate is worthless as a means for self defense.

Again, see above.

What? Look, the training that a boxer receives will also help them to defend themselves in a real fight. You can't discredit the merit of a martial art on account that one hasn't been able to try its validity in a real fight. Experience means everything in the world, but that doesn't mean that Karate training is worthless. If one puts the teachings to applied use, there is a chance it will reward them for their diligence with allowing them to keep all their teeth intact by deflecting a blow with the pisiform, which might also break the hand of the assailant.

Yea right, volcananus.

No I didn't. Nice try at misinformation to try to make me look off base. Luckily it doesn't really mean much. You know damn well where I am coming from. You threatened someone over the internet and I brought up the point that just because you threaten someone, does not mean that you are a comprehensive source of information on the martial arts.

Is that right? lol This doesn't necessitate anything less than a cheap laugh.

I like how you have this argument which stems from a complete and likely intentional misconception to try to strengthen the bonds of otherwise weak and inexperienced points. Its not going to work because I know what you are doing.

Sadly to say, you are again trying to increase your popularity and argument artificially.

What?

I haven't. Don't act so great you foolish man. You discount the validity of an artform without truly experiencing it to try to inflate your sense of self worth. This is kind of a recurring theme with you, isn't it?

I mean, if in fact we can get other people to think we are exceptional through baseless commentary, perhaps it will make the same true in our own minds as well...

Keep that in mind.

Did you delete your own post and blame it on a mod? HA! Go figure.

I won't respond to this part - aside from saying you're just trolling. Why can't you let go of old fights that you lost and had staff yelling at you from MONTHS PAST?

And I said this when? Or... is this simply your presumption based on the fact that all my posts are directed to you in your own mind? You have this habit of following me around that I'm sure staff here has long noticed.

I'm sure everyone else has noticed how you tend to muck up the place like Elixir use to.

I don't disagree - because I'm not inexperienced.

Gouging is certainly a thing taught in Krav Maga. Its a last resort move, usually for a woman defending herself or when someone is in life or death situations.

I could go on and on with this... but your last part really sums up your quality.

You obviously don't listen to me past your own needs to troll, so I'm just not going to give you the bait in this thread. Do I know stuff about this? Yes, and I'd have liked to have shared, but with your cock-in-ass approach to following me around like a redheaded stepchild has ruined the last couple posts. Staff has warned you about this type of behavior in the past and even OO has told you to shove it - you obviously listen to them as well as you do me.

That said, I've reported you for your inexcusible inanities and only hope that Staff notices I'm going to step aside in the hopes that they do their job again. I may be an asshole - but you're not worth my time when staff can thread ban you with a couple of clicks. All I ask is that they remove all the posts made in response to Rainman because, really, is this guy worth keeping around?

The only style of Karate that I know that can be treated as combat would be the Okinawan style.


Capoeira relies on beats for practice. Best for muscle memory so that in a real life situation, you know how to block that attack and whatnot (sup Kali).

Is Capoeira the one where you're not allowed to use your hands?

Capoeira is the crazy brasilian dancing martial art they made up because black slaves weren't allowed to practice actual martial arts. A lot of crazy spinning and break dance looking moves.

You can, but to a lesser extent. It's mostly groundwork from what I know including sweeps and kicks. Also includes feinting and subterfuge.

I think you were doing more trolling than myself. I've been more than reasonable in replying to your posts. I am not required to show you any more respect than you deserve. ;)

Your comments are far from perfect. Your judgment isn't free from criticism, get used to it.

?

I have no doubt that you know about STUFF. That is not what I am talking about. Again, you know why I questioned your original opinion on this matter, and I've been more than blunt.

Yea. I noticed I've been following you around every second of every day waiting for you to make mistakes in the past few months. Wow. You are really living in the past, not me. I converse with you because it usually makes for an interesting discussion.
You were doing just fine up until now. I did little to offend you, so quit acting like all I try to do is step on your toes. PLEASE.

I have no reason to assume that I am doing anything wrong. I am well aware of what the rules are and am in congruence with them.

I've listened to your argument and responded accordingly. I am not trolling. Quit bitching and crying when someone questions your very fallible opinion.

The mods don't need your help and your patronizing attitude in regards to what they should and shouldn't do. This behavior is unbelievably sheepish and condescending on your part. If you didn't want to talk decisively about Karate, then maybe you shouldn't have posted in this thread to begin with.

I'll leave it at that.

Is this something that is commonly taught or is this more of a cultural thing? I've never heard of anyone trying to take it up.

Btw, here is a Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. This isn't exactly 'martial arts' perse, but describes the essence of tactical combat relatable to a number of themes and practices in everyday life. Its pretty interesting!

A Book of Five Rings

:tpg: so bad

Sport and excercise are not the same thing, RR. But whatever.

I was in the same boat, although I had a black belt in Taekwondo by the time I was 13, after that I quit. I became interested again around 18, but had trouble fitting it into my schedule. However, I found an alternative that you should look into. The owner of the martial arts school I attended agreed to give me private lessons for an hour every week. I feel like I learned much more in one private lesson than the 2-3 days a week they expect you to go to classes. It was extremely beneficial and I didn't have trouble working 1 hour a week in the evening into my schedule!

I studied Shotokan Karate for 10 years of my life and attained the level of black belt. I learned all of those things and much more.

I feel i should add to the drama going on here and throw in my experience. The practical part of a martial art depends entirely on whether or not you plan to enter tournaments, or to use the martial art purely for improving the self. I took it for self defense purposes, to stay in shape, and for the social aspect of it as well, and as such we learned how to defend against all manner of weapons, attacks, and even how to control yourself in a stressful situation, be it life threatening or not.

Tournament fighting, completely worthless, but if you ask me the whole practice of martial arts tournaments seems kinda pointless to me. The Martial arts have always been about self improvement and self defense to me.