Marital Arts

[luke]

Originally Posted by bru_tkd

Loki, I did TKD for 17 years - hence where the back end of my name comes from. It's a martial art, similar to Karate but more kick intensive. It can be very intense in terms of training, it will definately teach you how to punch well if you don't understand or know how to punch. Also, it will give you the ability to kick well if you follow the principles well.
Now to the downside. Whilst being excellent in terms of long to mid-range, it is useless for cqb i.e. pub brawl.
Muay Thai is much better for that - I have a friend who has been doing it for 20 years and has his own gym in Bolton. Nice and nasty and the training is hard too. Don't be taken in by the Olympics TKD as that is all about winning points and is useless. The TAGB is about the best affiliation in the UK, unless you want to put body armour on then it's WTF for you. BUT, the TAGB aint what it used to be. When I started in '87 gradings would take over an hour to complete. When I gave it up they were lasting about 20 mins. Full of money grabbing twonks. Luckily my instructor embraced other MArtial Arts and regularly had other peopel come along to demo.

But, it depends what you want from a Martial Art. Is it because they look great and flash? Or do you want to be able to protect yourself? Again, it depends on your mentality and how you percieve yourself when you are "downtown". If you fancy squaring up to someone then maybe you'de be better suited to Boxing. If you are someone who would rather watch from the edge or walk away then you will need not a martial art but a defence system. Ultimately, if you get into a scrap you'll be standing up for a max of 4 punches before it goes into a clinch and ends up on the floor. That's when you need good groundwork. BJJ or Jiu Jitsu are great for ground work.

In this day and age, traditional martial arts are ok, but ideally you want to have knowledge in other disciplines, hence the reason why MMA is so devastating.

I'm currently practicing Krav Maga which imho is awesome. Keeps you away from trouble yet is devastating when put into action. Developed by the Israeli Army and developed to be able to be picked up quickly. It does help if you have some knowledge of punch/kick but as it's a defence system it isn't a pre-requisite.
You'll need a good groin guard though as it's one of the main areas of attack. Mainly deals with Hand/Kick/Knife attacks. But also deals with hand gun defence and the stick attack defence is similar to that of Balintawak/Eskrima but on a smaller scale.
It aims to be as realistic as possible in that it emulates how an attack would be - continual thrusting of the knife etc so it's hard work and you'll come away nicely battered after each lesson






@ Luke - Ramon Dekkers was my hero



Sorry for the meandering waffle, Train Hard/Fight Easy

deckers is a legend mate

favorite of the crrent breed is iron mike zambidis, absolute pit bull



his overhand rights are something else

[Jingo]

I agree with Bru on his comments about TKD... Several organisations are somewhat 'soft' - notably the TAGB sessions I have watched but that is not to put people of TKD as I also know of some truly excellent students of awesome capability.

I've followed Martial Arts of several disciplines since the age of 7/8 when I first attended classes in my tracksuit bottoms!

Here I studied Wu Shu Ky BuJitsu Ryu, a mixture of JuJitsu and Wada-Ryu Karate under the Malcolm Burt. I trained for 6/7 years to attain a black belt 1st Dan alongside current Director of Sport Kickboxing Stuart Davies. During my time under Malcolm I won several competitions including 1st place in the UK club weapons championships and 2nd place in the high-grade Kumite in the same championships. At the age of 15 the combination of school commitments and dojo relocation meant I had to sadly leave.

I moved into Western Shotokan Karate after ~12 months break and found the transformation difficult; despite the benefits of experience, Kumite (sparring) ability and transferable knowledge - I found it difficult with the contrasting stances and Kihon.

Old habits die hard I guess!

I attained 1st Kyu after ~3 years but then had to take a long break due to a rugby injury (broken scapula, humerous and collar bone). Upon my return the club had undertaken a major overhaul administratively; my sensei looked to expand, leaving this club in the hands of an instructor who was frankly obnoxious.

This instructor also put up training fees dramatically and decided against the inter-grade training- namely taking me aside one day and aggressively informing me how "you're not to help out the lower grades any more, I'm the instructor, not you, you got that."...

His moronic actions didn't go unnoticed and after myself and several other high grades left the club I have not seen him in any of the newsletters/papers.

The medical issues I experienced in the following 2 years stopped me getting 'back into' exercise or hobbies and I am still in this quite frankly horrible state right now.

Who'd have thought it - I used to be a successful long distance runner, multi-schooled high grade martial artist, county championship winning rugby player trialling for Bristol Shoguns, and now I'm an unfit, overweight and polluted individual who can't even sustain a basic training program. *sigh* anyway,

Martial Arts is a discipline that will always remain a part of me, I grew up with it during arguably the most influential years of my life and the lessons and mindset I achieved and developed throughout that time will never be forgotten I highly recommend it to anybody who has the initial interest.

Sorry about the length of this- but it's been rather therapeutic, if a little upsetting.

[cleanbluesky]

Originally Posted by bru_tkd

I much prefer the stick action myself

Based on 3 ranges, similar to Balintawak - fist/knife/stick, with 11(?) target points

I've been looking into Kali more and there seem to be lots of derivatives. This is Sayoc Kali, which looks ace but there is no opportunity to train in it in the UK. I've narrowed it down to Doce Pares and Bahad Zu'bu, might visit both classes and see what I prefer.

[cleanbluesky]

Originally Posted by James

Who'd have thought it - I used to be a successful long distance runner, multi-schooled high grade martial artist, county championship winning rugby player trialling for Bristol Shoguns, and now I'm an unfit, overweight and polluted individual who can't even sustain a basic training program. *sigh* anyway,

How big are you? It's rare that long distance runners are the size of rugby players.

[phykell]

Originally Posted by James

Who'd have thought it - I used to be a successful long distance runner, multi-schooled high grade martial artist, county championship winning rugby player trialling for Bristol Shoguns, and now I'm an unfit, overweight and polluted individual who can't even sustain a basic training program. *sigh* anyway...

Having read your post, the only bit I do not believe is highlighted in red.

You can.

[Jingo]

Originally Posted by cleanbluesky

How big are you? It's rare that long distance runners are the size of rugby players.

I wasn't what I would call a professional long distance runner - did more things like 10 milers, half marathons etc. But I really enjoyed it and used to be out everyother day/4 times a week.

That along side my rugby training/matches, and martial arts once/twice a week I was the best fitness level and very happy with myself

During the peak of this I was around 14 stone and at 5'11, it highlights how I was fairly well built around the chest, shoulders and arms.

Now I'm more like 14.5 stone but have lost alot of muscle from my biceps/back/chest and it has migrated south to the dreaded "dohnut ring".

Originally Posted by phykell

Having read your post, the only bit I do not believe is highlighted in red.

You can.

It's something which I will do. I need to do it really, and now with my medical specialist making my annual appointment for August - I think it is time to get something finally set in place.

[bru_tkd]

James I feel for you - just had my MRI scan on my lower back and hamstring today - both been knackered for years but decided enough was enough... I only train once a week now and need to step up by cross-training jogging... hamstring also affects my road/mtb riding so I have done very little cycling over the last 3 years (but that is mainly due to my daughter being born - amazing how your priorities change ) I walked about 1.5 miles across London to the hospital today for the scan to agravate my injury and I have to say I now want it sorted more than ever - just walking distance hurts

All I can say is that it's very easy to sit back and take it easy. I'm 42 this month and believe me, I have to work almost twice as hard as someone in their 20's to try and keep up a decent level of fitness. Don't give in to the armchair man - just eat less/drink less and at least do some power walking - anything to get that metabolic rate up again then you will start getting the old buzz back