Do you study martial arts?

[LGodamus]

To the orginal poster,
If the original poster wants to learn how to fight, then the original poster should join the armed forces. Period. There is no civilian garbage out there that will teach you to fight in any way rivaling what you will learn in the armed forces. In the armed forces you learn how to fight to kill.

I have to disagree with you , Ninpo taijutsu is recognized by the military as the worlds most combat effective martial art, and as of now all army special forces are required to take an 18 week crash course in it. I know this because my sensei was a special forces op, and his sensei was the one who got this course implemented.

p.s. one of ninpo's weapon curriculum includes modern firearms

 

[Lannon]

I have to disagree with you , Ninpo taijutsu is recognized by the military as the worlds most combat effective martial art, and as of now all army special forces are required to take an 18 week crash course in it. I know this because my sensei was a special forces op, and his sensei was the one who got this course implemented.

p.s. one of ninpo's weapon curriculum includes modern firearms

Yes, you are right that they do teach martial arts as described here, in the armed forces. You missed the main point of my response. No one here is discussing combat, everyone here is discussing martial arts. The differences are extreme.

 

[rackabello]

Lannon,

I'm sure you make some excellent points about the pragmatism of the martial training provided by the Armed Forces. Certainly, it is crucial for soldiers to learn highly effective and battle-tested martial skills. It's that training that makes them best at defending civilians like myself.

However, may I respectfully point out that the original poster asked which martial arts others here on the boards study?
And may I also point out that the replies have mentioned a wide variety of reasons for their study -- self-discipline, fitness, spiritual development, social interaction, and more. The thread is emphatically not about the "best" fighting style.

That said, as I don't practice any martial art myself, I'll return to being a fascinated lurker.

--Rackabello,
self-proclaimed Master of the Marital (sic) Arts
"I'm a lover, not a fighter"

 

[Hypersmurf]

To the original poster,

The fellow who probably knows teh most about actual combat and who has also said very little in this thread has been the fellow below. If the original poster wants to learn how to fight, then the original poster should join the armed forces. Period.

... and...

No one here is discussing combat, everyone here is discussing martial arts.

Huh?

The original poster just asked people to post their martial arts stories and experiences, and some advice for people who want to start studying.

Everyone is discussing martial arts because that was what he asked about. The original poster never mentioned actual combat.

"Civilian garbage" is a tad inflammatory and insulting, don't you think? My reasons for practising Taekwon-do have nothing to do with wanting to know efficient ways to kill someone. If I discuss breaking boards, it has nothing to do with combat - it's because breaking boards is something one can practise for its own sake.

I respect an Olympic archer for his skill in his chosen discipline. I don't insult him because he can't kill someone as efficiently as a Special Forces veteran. It's not what he trains to do.

A World Champion power breaker might not last five seconds against your special ops with his fast draw... but I bet he can break more boards.

The thread lasted five pages without degenerating... don't start now, hmm?

-Hyp.

 

[LGodamus]

Yes, you are right that they do teach martial arts as described here, in the armed forces. You missed the main point of my response. No one here is discussing combat, everyone here is discussing martial arts. The differences are extreme.

Incorrect , while most martial arts in modern day are reduced to sport, artistic, and esthetic forms they are still in their basis a form of combat training. The very name martial art assures that much, martial meaning war or combat . The differences are minimal at best. The art I described as being taught to special forces can be learned by anyone, in its unaltered form that is designed for combat. I know I am there doing it 4 times a week 4 hours at a time.

 

[Hypersmurf]

However, may I respectfully point out that the original poster asked which martial arts others here on the boards study?

Snap

-Hyp.

 

[Blacksad]

I did Judo and french boxing, when you begin those sport, you learn how to not get hurt first, so I think those are good sport for someone who wants to do some martial arts without broken nose and such.

 

[Mobius]

To me, it's a punch, and if I'm going to drill punches, I'm bloody well going to drill punches, not dance steps. Does that make more logical sense to you?

It sure does to me. I left my Shotokan class because all the other students at my belt level (black)didn't have the basic concept behind the entire martial art down - striking someone with force to disable them and blocking their strikes with force so that you didn't get injured. They literally waltzed through class and got their asses handed to them at any inter-dojo tournament because they were pretty, but not effective.

As there were only 5 blacks in the whole club, me included, and the 3 other than my sensei were useless, my only option for decent practice was with the sensei himself - which didn't happen often.

I distinctly remember one of my friends bitching in a line drill that I was repeatedly hitting him in the face. I was so angry that I actually spoke out during the drill. I pointed out that I was smaller, slower and less trained ... so I should never have hit him at all. That I was doing so only indicated that he wasn't actually looking to block my punches but was rather looking to appear to do so. Any time he wanted to block me, he could. He was ashamed at the public ridicule, but he didn't let me hit him for the rest of the drill. I had to work my ass off to keep him from drilling me, which was the training I wanted in the first place.

 

[Magic Rub]

Re: Cool Thread.

BTW no disrespect intended, but every time I see you guys type wtf with tae kwon do I think of something else, and it's cracking me up, lol.

ROTFLMAO

 

[Magic Rub]

Re: Re: Cool Thread.

Heh.

Some years back, as a second dan, I was sparring with one of our top instructors (ITF Taekwon-do, New Zealand). From memory, I'd landed a flying back kick earlier in the bout - which I was rather pleased about, since it was rare for me to manage a touch on the guy.

I guess he'd decided to remind me who was boss I saw the axe kick coming - we tend to throw them in an arc-up, straight-down motion, and one of the simplest blocks is to interrupt its motion just before the peak. Most people don't have the strength to power through the block horizontally - all the power in an axe kick is vertical. So the leg drops harmlessly off the block, never coming close to the body.

I saw the axe kick coming, and I blocked it. I blocked it, damnit. And started to counter... FLASH!

His heel bounced off my forehead. Ow.

Instead of dropping, his leg just stayed up, at full vertical extension, until my irritating little block went away... and then he finished the kick.

Seemed frightfully unfair. Legs aren't supposed to work like that

-Hyp.

I too have seen this happen, & yes it sucks. You think you're all good, you've block his/her kick, & then BANG on your head... Then stars.