Martial arts

[repiV]

Anyone here study a martial art?

I've been doing jiu jitsu for just over a month now. Initially I tried it as a way of losing weight that I would actually stick with over a period of time, but very quickly it's turned into me wanting to improve my fitness for the sake of my jiu jitsu.

Extremely addictive, even though half the time I feel like I'm gonna puke after the brutal warmup. I think I'm now more interested in martial arts than I am in bikes. I wonder why I never tried it sooner!

It's doing the job I originally intended it for aswell, I've lost nearly a stone already and I can run circles around in-shape but unfit friends of mine in badminton.

Some of the techniques are really quite painful, especially when you practice them over and over again. But, if that doesn't bother you, I'd recommend it to anybody.

 

[Barnz]

I'm Chuck Norris, bitch.

 

[Acepilotf14]

I'm a yellow belt in tai kwon doe.

 

[Shift]

2 black belts in two different styles of karate, don't do it anymore though.

 

[Maestro]

I do MMA (combo Brazilian JJ/Muay Thai), I'd get more time each week but I'm so busy that there's no way. It's a lot of fun to do, but traditional jiu jitsu is pretty brutal.

 

[repiV]

I'm a yellow belt in tai kwon doe.

Cool, how you finding it?

2 black belts in two different styles of karate, don't do it anymore though.

Why'd you quit?

I do MMA (combo Brazilian JJ/Muay Thai), I'd get more time each week but I'm so busy that there's no way. It's a lot of fun to do, but traditional jiu jitsu is pretty brutal.

I go on Mondays and Thursdays, one and a half hour sessions...I had to really force myself to go for the first few weeks as it was (still is, really) somewhat out of my comfort zone and I could quite happily have stayed glued to the couch. Now though the balance has shifted and I look forward to it a hell of a lot more than I am nervous about it.

BJJ looks interesting, but I prefer the more stood-up bias. Judo I reckon I could go for though. It's the traditional version I do - the only thing I don't like about it is that there isn't really any competitive aspect to it. It's all practice of techniques, generally on one another. I do like how it's an effective all-round self defence system however, and yeah it is pretty brutal! I got kicked in the solar plexus and jabbed in the throat about 30 times each lastnight.

I really like the focus and commitment aspect of it. It's something you don't get with other sports/activities, and I find it gives a definition to my life. Flipside is, as you say, fitting it in with a busy schedule...personally though if I wasn't at jitsu I'd be chucking my money away down the pub instead.

 

[Pulse]

Did 2 years of Karate ages ago and came 5 belt/stripes away from black but then decided one day I didn't want to do it anymore. Kinda wish I had kept it up now, the discipline is one factor I do miss alot but I am looking into potentially taking up tae kwon do at some stage. For the time being it's just swimming and lots of weights.

 

[Maestro]

BJJ looks interesting, but I prefer the more stood-up bias. Judo I reckon I could go for though. It's the traditional version I do - the only thing I don't like about it is that there isn't really any competitive aspect to it. It's all practice of techniques, generally on one another. I do like how it's an effective all-round self defence system however, and yeah it is pretty brutal! I got kicked in the solar plexus and jabbed in the throat about 30 times each lastnight.

I really like the focus and commitment aspect of it. It's something you don't get with other sports/activities, and I find it gives a definition to my life. Flipside is, as you say, fitting it in with a busy schedule...personally though if I wasn't at jitsu I'd be chucking my money away down the pub instead.

My dad is a blackbelt in Judo, and his dad was a world class Judo fighter back in the day. I'd say the yes, Judo is useful for bringing people down without doing excessive damage, but it takes a lot of practice and it's got a LOT of basics to do before you get to start sparring. Falls are not easy.

I'm not a good stand-up fighter since I have a a backpacker's build (I've coined it "T-Rex syndrome): big, strong legs and core, but a puny upper body. When I do Iron Table most people are failing at the middle, but my shoulders give out far before my stomach does. I take advantage of that power by getting to the ground where I've got control, then doing ground & pound. Elbows are really effective when you're sitting on the guy's chest.

 

[AKIRA]

Black belt in Goju-Ryu Karate but halfway when I was I think Green belt we swtiched to Okinawan style.

I then did Tae-Kwon-Do for a few months (but they started me off at black belt) which I have NO IDEA WHY when Karate and Tae-Kwon-Do are completely different styles...anyways I got kicked in the Jaw which dislocated it so I stopped for a couple of months and ever since then I've been out of it due to school and work.

Wish I had the time to go back because I miss sparring.

 

[Letters]

I did Tae Kwon Do from when I was like 6 to 11... traveled to some national tournament a couple of times and got my black belt... was pretty cool! Eventually, the studio I was with pretty much went under... I swtiched, but it wasn't the same... quit soon after that.

 

[repiV]

My dad is a blackbelt in Judo, and his dad was a world class Judo fighter back in the day. I'd say the yes, Judo is useful for bringing people down without doing excessive damage, but it takes a lot of practice and it's got a LOT of basics to do before you get to start sparring. Falls are not easy.

There's a lot of crossover between judo and Japanese jiu-jitsu. The throws are identical - well, I assume judo has a lot more throws and variations thereof, but the throws in jiu-jitsu are judo throws. It's the application of them that differs...there is no sparring involved in jitsu at any level (except for groundwork competitions), and the techniques are always practiced as a counter to an attack. eg. we would practice O-Soto-Gari by stepping in to evade a punch and striking to the chin with the palm and then taking hold of the wrist, taking a further step in and a second palm strike with the other hand. Then, when they're off balance, sweep away the leg.

I do struggle slightly with falling from wrist throws, such as the attacks where your arm is twisted back on yourself in a wristlock and then pushed towards your shoulder and you either fall or break your wrist. When it's applied quickly I either fall before I should, or it hurts a bit before I start to fall. Can't get it in a smooth reactive motion.

I'm not a good stand-up fighter since I have a a backpacker's build (I've coined it "T-Rex syndrome): big, strong legs and core, but a puny upper body. When I do Iron Table most people are failing at the middle, but my shoulders give out far before my stomach does. I take advantage of that power by getting to the ground where I've got control, then doing ground & pound. Elbows are really effective when you're sitting on the guy's chest.

Bah. I'm built like a marshmallow.

They say jitsu is all about technique and nothing to do with strength - you ever looked into it? Striking arts don't appeal to me whatsoever. Having said that, I got paired up with a waiflike girl for something involving an armlock lastnight and it was difficult to put the armlock on properly as she was so small and weak that there was no need to do it even remotely correctly. So, strength and size probably make it a fair bit easier!

It's probably too early to say, but I think I have an aptitude for it. Most of the locks and throws especially I've picked up really well and seem to impress people on that front. It's the more acrobatic stuff I have difficulty with - I still haven't managed to grasp the forward roll.

Black belt in Goju-Ryu Karate but halfway when I was I think Green belt we swtiched to Okinawan style.

I then did Tae-Kwon-Do for a few months (but they started me off at black belt) which I have NO IDEA WHY when Karate and Tae-Kwon-Do are completely different styles...anyways I got kicked in the Jaw which dislocated it so I stopped for a couple of months and ever since then I've been out of it due to school and work.

Wish I had the time to go back because I miss sparring.

That's crazy, one of the guys in my class moved from a slightly different style of jitsu and he's had to go all the way back to white belt.

Can't you spare a couple hours a week?

 

[Solaris]

I'm an orange belt in Wado-Ryu Karate, haven't done it in years though. Got kinda boring.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

I could kick all your f*cking asses with my shirt on.

 

[VirusType2]

I can do the dragon punch.

 

[15357]

I did Tae Kwon Do for 5 years or so, got my black belt and a few trophies for sparring.

The thing about Tae Kwon Do is that it's not meant to be utilized. It focuses more on discipline by emphasizing the form. Combat techniques are only taught in the schools that are focused on it. Or hybrid versions of Tae Kwon Do, like Teuk Gong Mu Sul, the Korean Marine Corps' close quarters fighting technique.

Still, a good healthy dose of sparring tends to keep your body on track.

 

[Sulkdodds]

I would have done it during these past three years, but I've just never been rooted in one place long enough. I doubt many classes or courses would be happy with me only being around for eight weeks or so at once. Not that I actually made enquiries. I'm lazy. Which is what doing some martial art would intend to fix, I suppose. Open the box with the screwdriver inside the box.

Of course, my hardcore university schedule would always have made things difficult anyway. Certainly I'm going to give it a shot once I've got my degree.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

I can do the dragon punch.

I can beat your f*cking monkey ass.

Spoiler

Without any milk.

 

[VirusType2]

I can beat your f*cking monkey ass.

You're a good guy, Willie.

Spoiler

So after I kicked your ass, and the announcer said FINISH HIM!, I would perform a Babality

...and a Friendship.

 

[Danimal]

I've been training the Burmese martial art Arakan since roughly Feburary of 2002.

Up unitl 2008 I was training it three times a week, but then I turned 18 and the price of lessons more or less doubled, so I can only afford it once a week with the occassional extra lesson.

 

[Maestro]

There's a lot of crossover between judo and Japanese jiu-jitsu. The throws are identical - well, I assume judo has a lot more throws and variations thereof, but the throws in jiu-jitsu are judo throws. It's the application of them that differs...there is no sparring involved in jitsu at any level (except for groundwork competitions), and the techniques are always practiced as a counter to an attack. eg. we would practice O-Soto-Gari by stepping in to evade a punch and striking to the chin with the palm and then taking hold of the wrist, taking a further step in and a second palm strike with the other hand. Then, when they're off balance, sweep away the leg.

I do struggle slightly with falling from wrist throws, such as the attacks where your arm is twisted back on yourself in a wristlock and then pushed towards your shoulder and you either fall or break your wrist. When it's applied quickly I either fall before I should, or it hurts a bit before I start to fall. Can't get it in a smooth reactive motion.

They say jitsu is all about technique and nothing to do with strength - you ever looked into it? Striking arts don't appeal to me whatsoever. Having said that, I got paired up with a waiflike girl for something involving an armlock lastnight and it was difficult to put the armlock on properly as she was so small and weak that there was no need to do it even remotely correctly. So, strength and size probably make it a fair bit easier!

It's probably too early to say, but I think I have an aptitude for it. Most of the locks and throws especially I've picked up really well and seem to impress people on that front. It's the more acrobatic stuff I have difficulty with - I still haven't managed to grasp the forward roll?

The biggest difference between Jitsu and Judo is that Jitsu is for killing. Case-in-point: in Jitsu when you're standing and they're behind you, then you jump up and fall on their ribcage (which will likely snap ribs), but in Judo you do a roll onto them to avoid serious damage.

I've never learned any of the Japanese designations, I know point designations and a couple terms for Judo, but my teacher is an American. My dad knows all the terms, but he hasn't had a need to teach me. Anyone who says "all about the technique" is misinformed or lying, I'll tell you no matter what a good big man beats a good small man. Skill can make up for it, when I roll with a guy that isn't fast (and I'm really fast) then I'll likely win. If he's got a lot of size, though, I'd bet on me losing.

As to throws? Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is all about grapples, there isn't any throwing. They share a similar name but BJJ isn't the same sport. I'd like to learn some Judo, if only to be able to roll when I fall off of something (always a useful skill to have), and for tossing a tosser over a table when he gets a little too full of beer. As it stands I'd go for a double or single leg takedown, sit on his chest, and start breaking his face. It's usually not conducive to avoiding serious injury.

Aptitude is hard to say, I've picked up pretty well, but I don't really have anyone else with ~4-5 months of practice to benchmark against. I've got my dad to judge, and he says I've got a similar aptitude for fighting as him. I'll say for sure that aggression is a big winner, though. When they shove you away from guard and you're right back on them, it is definitely to your advantage to be back on them ASAP. Or when you break guard and pass their legs to get side-mount FAST, then it's much easier to get full mount and do all sorts of nasty things.

Oh, Willie,
BRING IT ON MOTHER****ER!

 

[Chemical Alia]

I took yang style tai chi when I was in college, lol. It was an hour drive to school and the class was at 8 am, so it took all of my hardcore military discipline to be there.

 

[Eejit]

I did jujitsu for a couple of years before I went to uni, got to green belt iirc. It was pretty cool, but they didn't have a jujitsu club at my university until I was in final year and too busy, and I didn't enjoy the other martial arts on offer that much.

 

[Ezra]

I train in the ways of secret fighting styles

Spoiler

 

[Rizzo]

I trained Judo and karate for over 5 years, mostly kid stuff. Then I went over to MMA, Valletudo. Sometimes I whould train Escrima too, and it's probably the most fun I had. We used our MMA training and pretty much added knifes and stuff. It's been great fun and we had our own club. But now that's over and I haven't joined another club yet. I just work out at a gym.

 

[Warbie]

I did Judo for 8 years - got to one belt from black and competed at county level - and Jujitsu for 3 years or so. My Dad's a bit of a martial arts nut and taught Judo, as well as practising Iaido (2nd dan now) and various others. We did some cross over sparring within the club a few times and the Judo guys virtually always spanked the Jujitsu and Karate practitioners. Things may have changed today, but back then then neither Jujitsu or Karate were practised with contact, whereas Judo was full contact throws, grapples, strangles and locks. The karate guys were useless almost immediately, while the Jujitsu guys, who knew some grappling and holds/locks but had never seriously put practise into action, couldn't handle the situation of someone using their entire strength to strangle or lock them. It just wasn't practised. The Judo guys had been in that situation 1000s of times before had little trouble. I had greater difficulty with relatively low level Judo players than black belts in Jujitsu.

//Having said all this, I wouldn't want to mess with someone practised in full contact Brazillian Jujitsu, or some nasty **** of a street fighter, because they're used to being smashed in the face and i'm not /o\

 

[Shift]

Why'd you quit?

Being a high senior grade they wanted me to take instructor courses and train to become a teacher of it which I didn't want to do, and well when you have been doing it for 14 years you kinda want to do something else, so I quit and started a band lol, we are talking 2-3 years ago now. I still actively fit however, and I do owe a lot of karate in terms of the discipline it taught me, and the ability to fight if needed, its just something you never forget.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

Oh, Willie,
BRING IT ON MOTHER****ER!

Come on kid meet me in South Jackson and we'll f*cking fight I ain't f*ckin scared of you or no one I'll beat your face with one punch you f*ckin watch mother f*cker.

 

[Krynn72]

I could beat every one of you up, and i havent taken any martial arts. I learned on the streets. One time I robbed a karate studio in broad daylight and beat the shit out of everyone in there. Popped the instructor in the nose with my brass knuckles before he realized what was happening. Once he was down, beating up his students was a piece of cakes. Taught those ****ing 8 year olds to mess with me.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

Krynn is a punk ass bitch.

 

[Krynn72]

Oh, another dog joke Willie? I'll fight you.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

I don't see a dog joke anywHO HO HO smooth one Willie. Krynn I will drive to Louisiana and beat your monkey ass in some street hoops.

 

[Polaris]

I'm a yellow belt in Jarate.

 

[Shyam]

I did tae kwon do for about 3 months. I quit after 3 months. This thread however has inspired me to sign on again.

 

[Maestro]

I did Judo for 8 years - got to one belt from black and competed at county level - and Jujitsu for 3 years or so. My Dad's a bit of a martial arts nut and taught Judo, as well as practising Iaido (2nd dan now) and various others. We did some cross over sparring within the club a few times and the Judo guys virtually always spanked the Jujitsu and Karate practitioners. Things may have changed today, but back then then neither Jujitsu or Karate were practised with contact, whereas Judo was full contact throws, grapples, strangles and locks. The karate guys were useless almost immediately, while the Jujitsu guys, who knew some grappling and holds/locks but had never seriously put practise into action, couldn't handle the situation of someone using their entire strength to strangle or lock them. It just wasn't practised. The Judo guys had been in that situation 1000s of times before had little trouble. I had greater difficulty with relatively low level Judo players than black belts in Jujitsu.

//Having said all this, I wouldn't want to mess with someone practised in full contact Brazillian Jujitsu, or some nasty **** of a street fighter, because they're used to being smashed in the face and i'm not /o\

Yeah, Judo is pretty effective for taking someone that knows no throws or punches, but when the guy knows how to counter grapples and punch...well that's just not fun.

Come on kid meet me in South Jackson and we'll f*cking fight I ain't f*ckin scared of you or no one I'll beat your face with one punch you f*ckin watch mother f*cker.

Man you ain't no EBM to be talking shit like that! I ain't shining yo shoes!

Oh, another dog joke Willie? I'll fight you.

I get him first.

 

[repiV]

I would have done it during these past three years, but I've just never been rooted in one place long enough. I doubt many classes or courses would be happy with me only being around for eight weeks or so at once. Not that I actually made enquiries. I'm lazy. Which is what doing some martial art would intend to fix, I suppose. Open the box with the screwdriver inside the box.

Of course, my hardcore university schedule would always have made things difficult anyway. Certainly I'm going to give it a shot once I've got my degree.

They usually have university clubs (in fact jiu jitsu in the UK is primarily made up of uni clubs...). But yeah, there's no real point in doing it unless you make a serious commitment to it. Even just training once a week isn't enough imo, and if it's just sporadic then why bother at all.

The biggest difference between Jitsu and Judo is that Jitsu is for killing. Case-in-point: in Jitsu when you're standing and they're behind you, then you jump up and fall on their ribcage (which will likely snap ribs), but in Judo you do a roll onto them to avoid serious damage.

Well I'd certainly say jiu jitsu is more of a self-defence discipline, whereas judo is more of a sport. That said, there are techniques of various levels of "deadliness", and many are intended just to restrain or disarm an attacker.

I've never learned any of the Japanese designations, I know point designations and a couple terms for Judo, but my teacher is an American. My dad knows all the terms, but he hasn't had a need to teach me. Anyone who says "all about the technique" is misinformed or lying, I'll tell you no matter what a good big man beats a good small man. Skill can make up for it, when I roll with a guy that isn't fast (and I'm really fast) then I'll likely win. If he's got a lot of size, though, I'd bet on me losing.

As to throws? Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is all about grapples, there isn't any throwing. They share a similar name but BJJ isn't the same sport. I'd like to learn some Judo, if only to be able to roll when I fall off of something (always a useful skill to have), and for tossing a tosser over a table when he gets a little too full of beer. As it stands I'd go for a double or single leg takedown, sit on his chest, and start breaking his face. It's usually not conducive to avoiding serious injury.

Throwing is great fun.

So is being thrown actually (unless you're with someone who's not very good at them and you can end up with a jarred spine and ribs). Throws are my favourite part of the art.

Aptitude is hard to say, I've picked up pretty well, but I don't really have anyone else with ~4-5 months of practice to benchmark against. I've got my dad to judge, and he says I've got a similar aptitude for fighting as him. I'll say for sure that aggression is a big winner, though. When they shove you away from guard and you're right back on them, it is definitely to your advantage to be back on them ASAP. Or when you break guard and pass their legs to get side-mount FAST, then it's much easier to get full mount and do all sorts of nasty things.

See there's no actual fighting in jiu jitsu so it's difficult to benchmark in that regard. I'm aiming to do my first grading on Thursday, to get a red stripe on my belt.

Me and the other white belts were practicing for it a couple of days ago and I seem to have picked up the throws and locks a lot better than they have starting at a similar time. I was teaching them a lot of the time. But, I still can't do a forward or sideways roll properly and other people were fine with them on the first session. I'm sure it's one of those things where you just have a "eureka" moment and it clicks.

I did jujitsu for a couple of years before I went to uni, got to green belt iirc. It was pretty cool, but they didn't have a jujitsu club at my university until I was in final year and too busy, and I didn't enjoy the other martial arts on offer that much.

Karate, taekwondo and other striking arts seem incredibly dull to me...

I did find out the other day that Exeter actually has a kendo club, which is surprising for a small provicincial city. So I'm going to take that up aswell, I always wanted to do kendo but when I looked into it in the past the nearest place from me was miles away. And that was in London...

I did Judo for 8 years - got to one belt from black and competed at county level - and Jujitsu for 3 years or so. My Dad's a bit of a martial arts nut and taught Judo, as well as practising Iaido (2nd dan now) and various others. We did some cross over sparring within the club a few times and the Judo guys virtually always spanked the Jujitsu and Karate practitioners. Things may have changed today, but back then then neither Jujitsu or Karate were practised with contact, whereas Judo was full contact throws, grapples, strangles and locks. The karate guys were useless almost immediately, while the Jujitsu guys, who knew some grappling and holds/locks but had never seriously put practise into action, couldn't handle the situation of someone using their entire strength to strangle or lock them. It just wasn't practised. The Judo guys had been in that situation 1000s of times before had little trouble. I had greater difficulty with relatively low level Judo players than black belts in Jujitsu.

//Having said all this, I wouldn't want to mess with someone practised in full contact Brazillian Jujitsu, or some nasty **** of a street fighter, because they're used to being smashed in the face and i'm not /o\

Jiu jitsu in the UK is practiced full contact, to which my sore ribs will currently attest - however there is no sparring. You practice on a compliant partner, possibly less compliant as you move up the grades however you never actually fight someone.

Being a high senior grade they wanted me to take instructor courses and train to become a teacher of it which I didn't want to do, and well when you have been doing it for 14 years you kinda want to do something else, so I quit and started a band lol, we are talking 2-3 years ago now. I still actively fit however, and I do owe a lot of karate in terms of the discipline it taught me, and the ability to fight if needed, its just something you never forget.

Fair enough.

For me it's been like an awakening, I couldn't imagine life without martial arts now. It's also nice to know that in a year's time or so I'll have the body I always wanted, which to be fair is why I went along in the first place but it's not why I do it now. Unfortunately I'm cursed in that respect and unless strenuous exercise is a regular and consistent part of my life then I always end up fat.

For an hour and a half a couple of times a week, it's like being in a different, more interesting world.

 

[Adabiviak]

I'm a yellow belt in Jarate.

lulz

I practiced fencing in college for two years. Super fun, but not enough interest and the class closed. I don't suppose that's a martial art though.

 

[Maestro]

Why no sparring, repiV?

 

[Eejit]

See there's no actual fighting in jiu jitsu so it's difficult to benchmark in that regard. I'm aiming to do my first grading on Thursday, to get a red stripe on my belt.

There was when we did it. Of course our senseis back home were generally built bald tattooed white guys whom we suspected were associated with the paramilitaries so maybe it wasn't exactly standard for the rest of the UK.

 

[MRG]

I wear a black leather belt on a daily basis. Does that count for anything? Otherwise I have zero training in any fighting style. I have thus far been lucky & not been in any kind of fight since H.S. 15 years ago. My 6'4, 260lbs helps hide an otherwise teddybear disposition. I have dreamed of learning the noble art of Kung Fu since I was a child, but something always got in the way. Either no money or no time. Mostly no money. Still the dream is there.

My uncle, Mike Jolicoeur, taught Jiu Jitsu at his dojo in Rhode Island for about I believe 25 years. Been awhile since I talked to him, but I believe he sold his school a year or so again due to the poor economy. Quite sad.

I did a wee bit o' fencing in H.S. Mostly in the improvised drama club.

-MRG

 

[repiV]

Why no sparring, repiV?

Not sure, really. All the techniques we learn are defensive - in the sense that, the other guy throws a punch (or strangles you or whatever) and then you respond to that by evading or deflecting the punch, usually a weakening strike and then applying an armlock/wristlock/throw etc. Which may then lead into subduing them on the ground.

Whether the complexity of it is significantly raised for the higher belts I don't know, as there's a separate class for the light blue belts and above. But as we practice it at the moment, I can't see how sparring would work anyway because by attacking you'd be inviting the other guy to take you down using the techniques we actually learn...

Jiu Jitsu This might demonstrate it more accurately, he's performing specific techniques on people attacking him, who are doing so for the purpose of allowing him to practice those techniques rather than to "win".

From my (lowly) perspective, jiu jitsu isn't about fighting as such - it's about neutralising a threat as quickly as possible and escaping.

There was when we did it. Of course our senseis back home were generally built bald tattooed white guys whom we suspected were associated with the paramilitaries so maybe it wasn't exactly standard for the rest of the UK.

What form did it take?