What is everyones experience in martial arts? Mine is back in 1995 I started boxing then in 1998 I started muay thai and quit the western boxing and also started jujitsu in 98. Currently I thai box and practice jujitsu and I just started regular western boxing again.
10 years of Tae Kwon Do. Second degree black belt.
Began in '97: Ryobu-kai Karate. Same year, began boxing, later began kickboxing. Quit karate in '99. Began again in 2000, with a different dojo that also included MMA training. NOW, I’m getting back into Western boxing - may join Ko for some MMA training as well. That’s where I’d like to focus: boxing.
I got my black in Tae Kwon do, then studied American kenpo. After that, i kinda floated from school to school (Aikido, Kyokushin karate, etc.) Then I met a guy who trained with Joe Lewis and learned that system. I studied with him for about 3 years, and then dabbled in Gracie Jiu Jitsu. I am now going to start training at Randy Couture and Matt Lindland’s school here in Portland.
I have two black belts, one in Sambo and the other in Shuai-chiao (both grappling arts).
Currently I’m studying Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai.
Guys,
I am very interested in studying martial arts. The thing is I have alot joint pain already for lifting for the past 14 years. Shoulders keep me from swinging or punching. Is there a martial Art you guys reccomend that is both effective and easier on the joints? (not Tai Chai) LOL…
15 years total, Classical Kenpo, American Kenpo, dabbled in Kajukenbo, a family version of Karate I started in Singapore, a little Brazillian jiujitsu. Looking into some internal Chinese arts now. You may think that Tai Ch’i is a joke, but if you’re lucky enough to find a good internal arts teacher, that may be the way to go. If you’re in the DFW area, there is one that I know of.
14 years in total, Started with a TKD Thai boxing mix (2nd Dan) back in 1987/88 - does anyone else remember the days before sport TKD when it actually used to be a decent and fairly practical MA?? I persoanally am embaressed by the direction TKD has taken these days, dont get me started about the olympics - how embaressing…anyway , Kick boxing (Black belt), now studying Hapkido (about 18months) and “Real” Jujitsu ie: Japanese (just messing with the bjj guys 
for about 3-4 years.
I'm pretty surprised to hear that a lot of bjjers dont realise that their style is actually based on the grappling techniques of the japanese style, and why they then go to another art (ie thai) to learn striking - dont get me wrong they are both great arts and it is a damn good combo, but why not learn a complete art in the first place? plus in traditional jujitsu you get a lot more than just striking, what about pressure points, joint locks and joint destruction and unbalancing/throws? I realise it is pretty hard to find a decent jj school these days but when you do......I guess what I'm asking is with the realisation these days that you need to both know how to strike and grapple, why have people tried to reinvent the wheel when its already been done a couple thousand years ago?? Do you seriously think humans were less violent back then?? Hand to hand combat was a lot more common and a lot of fights were to the death, so dont you think they knew what they were doing? I know that I used to think traditional styles = soft, wimpy, not training hard but I tell you I've been proven wrong. Not all traditional styles are hard core but neither are all the newer styles....anyway just curious to hear some thoughts on why you learn two incomplete styles instead of one that covers everything?
The reason so many people go to different styles is that so many are incomplete. From what I understand, many styles have been watered down over the years, unintentionally, because a master wouldn’t always teach his complete style to every student. A master would pass the full system onto a “lineage disciple”, and everyone else would get an incomplete system, or they would leave before finishing their training. The problem was that they didn’t know it, and would go off and teach what they had, unknowingly passing on an incomplete style. A number of very good styles have died out this way, due to the paranoia and secrecey of the master. That’s pretty much what’s gone on in the Chinese arts, I’m not so sure about the others.
Right now, BJJ seems to be the “popular” style in the States. Back in the 80’s, it was TKD. Who knows? Taebo may be the next wave of schools to open. Shudder.
Good question, Martin. When I began MA training, I knew it would be a traditional style. Since my background is Chinese, I wanted to begin a Chinese style - however, after much searching I did not find a good school. They were as what Paul stated: “watered down”. I was invited to train in a Karate dojo by one of the blackbelts that knew me from the gym. After checking out his dojo, I knew this was it. My dojo was a little more hmm, “hard core” I guess, than some of the other Karate dojo’s around here. And many of the members were very knowledgeable - so I joined. But, it doesn’t teach everything. And karate (that’s being taught here) is not the best to learn for “street combat” and the tournaments are not full contact. SO, I got my taste of MA, knew what I wanted to pursue, and began training in other areas to obtain a well rounded program.
So here is my perspective: not all traditional styles could be considered "complete". But "complete" has a different meaning to each individual. My idea of "complete" is "combat". To be "well rounded" (fighter) in my training. I tell you what, if a dojo came along and taught Kyokushin Karate - I'd be THERE. That is the Karate I wanta learn. Anywhoos, (I apologize for taking too much space), one more thing to remember: most (if not all) styles were/are created by a "individual". A style that benefitted that individual, but how well it benefit you? Kinda what Paul said, but I thought add my 2 cents.
Kyokushin?? Is that the style developed by Mas Oyama, the guy who used to chop the horns off the bull, then beat it to death with his fists? I started off in the standard kick/punch/throw styles, but over the past few years I’ve been looking for something a bit deeper. Either I’ve mellowed a bit, or I was never into beating the crap out of someone, but I’m really interested in the internal arts now. I’ve ruled out Taich’i, since there is practically no combat vaule to it anymore. Right now, I’m looking at Baguazhang, and I’m pretty excited about it, seeing as it’s right along my ethnic heritage, and I’ve even visited the same area that it came from. Depending on where you live, finding a good Chinese internal teacher is almost impossible.
Thats the one. They fight bare knuckle full contact. Not for the faint of heart.
I started off with Aikijutsu about 8 years ago. Got a blue belt in that, then a brown in Ninjutsu… but I question the quality of training I received at that particular school, and it’s been a long time since I studied either art, so I don’t really “count” them any more. More recently I studied Kali for about 2 years (off and on). Also played around some with Muay Thai, BJJ, MMA, Silat, and Kenpo. Lately I’ve decided that I want to concentrate on lifting because MA just took up too much time… if I find time in the future I’d love to get back into BJJ and MMA.
I no longer actively practice martial arts in a studio, just at home. I am a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do, and I have a Blck belt in a Martail art known as Shim Shun Do. It was originllay called Choi Kwang Do, which was a spin off of Tae Kwan Do, mixed with a more practical side. Self Defense was its major goal. NOT competition. The was like a mix of Tae Kwan Do, kickboxing and some grappling. The kicks being closer to Muy Thai amd TKD, and the punches and position of the body and hands resembling western boxing. Take downs and grabs for technques like knee thrusts were largely incorporated. It was a “New Age Martial Art.” Not so new any more, actually they went bankrupt, and I don’t think they have any remaining studios in the US. Choi Kwang Do was facing financial hardship, then it was revamped and became Shim Shun Do. I was a brown Belt with two black stripes before it converted. I recieved my black belt and continued to study for a year and a half before they closed the doors. Now , I just lift and do a “practice” session three morning of the week, as a form of cardio, and to maintain my flexibilty, and to keep my memory of the form current.
Well, I’d say I’m primarily a bjj stylist (blue under Sylvio Behring) although I’ve done some judo, Karate, TKD and even Pankration:). Nowadays I either practice sport bjj or (more often) vale tudo which mixes everything. The more quality fighters I’ve trained with the harder I find it to segregate based on style. I.e. I know judo guys whose groundwork is on the level of many bjj blackbelts even though judo is known for it’s throws. I’ve also seen Karateka whose hands looks straight out of western boxing.
Kyokushin-Kai? Great martial art but it’s fighters have a nasty habit of dropping their hands due to a no punching the face rule (too many broken hands with bare knuckles IMO). I know a lot of former Kyokushin who’ve switched over to mma - very tough but did lots and lots of boxing to correct the bad habits with the hands.
I’m really interested in stick fighting (esp. the Dog Bros.) but I don’t have the time to try it out (plus I’m a wuss). That is some hardcore stuff.
Paul, Another outstanding internal art is a cousin of Bagua called Hsing Yi. Very aggressive with few backward steps.
I’m familiar with the link between bagua and hsing-i. According to legend, two masters of the respective arts spent three days testing one another, and were so impressed with the others art, that they swore brotherhood, and their disciples were each trained in the others respective art.
I always look in on these martial arts posts and find them interesting. But after all this time I’m suprised to find no mention of Jim Harrison. He is the inventor of Bushidokon, and he teaches out of Montana. Bushidokon is a MMA, combining karate, judo, boxing, muay thai, ect. Mr. Harrison was a police officer in St.Louis and worked with, as I understand it, a somewhat special unit that worked in some of the more troubled areas of the city. I also read a quote from Bruce Lee stating that Jim Harrison was one of the only men that he knew that he wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to do the “My teacher’s teacher is the toughest mofo in the entire world, and you’re a pussy if you study anything else,” I’m just kinda surprised that Jim Harrison has never been mentioned in here (at least the posts that I’ve seen.) Has none of you ever heard of him or Bushidokon? Here’s another tidbit that really doesn’t mean anything but is kinda interesting. In the movie “Road house,” there’s a part where Patrick Swazey is sitting on the roof of the barn/room that he’s rented, and he’s reading a book. If you look closely or pause the video, you can see the title of the book, and it says something along the lines of “Jim Harrion’s Bushidokon.” Rumor was that Patrick Swayzey wanted to play the role of Harrison in a movie and was trying to kiss ass. ANyway, have any of you ever heard of him or this art? I’m sorely out of practice, but I studied Bushidokon for about four years and found it very functional and competant…until I had my nose badly broken. But that’s another story…
Geddy, never heard of Harrison - Bruce seems impressed though. Why should I have heard of him (tell me about him)? Being very involved in mma I generally know teams which succeed in the ring and I would suspect (since I don’t know him) he hasn’t had his people compete. Of course they very well may compete at high level mma succesfully and it’s merely a gap in my knowledge (one of many). A lot of great teachers have fallen out of the mainstream mma community because their students either did poorly in fights (in the ring) or they simply weren’t interested in martial arts for competition.
I started when i was 7 in traditonal martial arts (Karate etc) then stopped for several years and have now taken up MMA mainly because i enjoy watching it (and cus its so satisfying wrapping somone up in a triangle xhoke 