Martial arts-help me pick one or two

[Angel Tarragon]

Taichi-Chuan + Kung-fu.

Tai-Fu or Kung-Chu?

 

[Kemrain]

I need to concur with Umbran. The teacher is the most important part of your experience. Find a great teacher and the style won't matter too much at all. The only way it will matter in in body style.

If you have short stocky legs, Tai Kwon Do might not be for you. If you're tall, thin, and gangly, Jujitsu might not be for you. You should give a little thought to a style that your body will accel at. I'm tall, thin, and not very strong in the upper body, so I would be best suited for a kicking style or Aikido, where my reach and balance can be best utelized. That said, I studied Shaolin Kenpo, which is a very upper-body intensive style, because my instructor was a friend of my mother's and a great guy who taught well. I had a blast and learned a lot, even though some of what I was asked to do wasn't what my body would have liked.

Your teacher is the most important part of the equation. Nothing else will matter even half as much. the right teacher will make your martial arts experience wonderful, and the wrong one will push you away fron it, sometimes in an ambulance.

- Kemrain the Martial.

 

[Bryon_Soulweaver]

I was thinking about a martial arts style that focused on preasure points, the kind that could daze someone for a few seconds. Like I said before, I just want to make them look like fools, not hurt them.

 

[mmadsen]

I was thinking about a martial arts style that focused on preasure points, the kind that could daze someone for a few seconds. Like I said before, I just want to make them look like fools, not hurt them.

You mentioned earlier that you've trained a bit in sambo, so I'm a bit surprised that you'd place much credence in pressure points. Anyway, if your goal is to control a confrontation without resorting to a beat-down, why don't you just go back to sambo? Or jiu-jitsu, judo, or wrestling?

 

[barsoomcore]

Look for a good teacher. I've found exactly TWO good teachers in my lifetime, and what I learned from both of them changed my life profoundly. The reason I haven't studied ANYTHING for the past nine years is because I haven't found a teacher I can study under here in Vancouver.

 

[BlackSilver]

See if you can find an instructor that that teaches a useful form (no joke). My first instructor was a former Navy Seal turned bodyguard (he trained in a large verity of forms) that my father hired to protect us kids. Later we (my brother and I) had a Karate Sensei that knew a little Judo and a lot of Aikido, he had also spent a few years in Japan learning the arts from masters. Start in the origins and you will learn more was his motto.

Presently I am taking classes wherever I can (junior college, YMCA, studios. etc). I have stayed in touch with my former instructors through email and the phone, so I get a lot of moral and philosophy support in the way- which is way important.

Be careful with what you know and how you use it.

Good luck.

 

[Bryon_Soulweaver]

I wrestle with my brother once in a while and I have tried judo when I was 12, whether I was too young to study it or not I will leave up to you, and got tossed around like a toy doll. Afterwards I took up karate and sambo, even a few kick boxing lessions. After that most people dont try to fight me but those few that do dont stop unless they're unconscious, which is why I want to learn a style that uses pressure points.

If anyone knows a style that uses pressure points I would be very thankful.

 

[Harmon]

Try "Chi Na"- if you can find a teacher.

You could learn massage therapy that teaches a lot of pressure points. Learm some Aikido along with it- go from one class to the next and question your Sensai about what you are learning in the massage course. Kinda round about way to learn it, but it would probably work <shrug>.

Try to keep in mind taht martial arts is not about fighting, its about life leasons, and not using what you know to hurt people. Concentrate on learning about life a nd you will have to fight very seldom.

I know of a 4th dan black belt that took a punch to the face (sucker punched). He looked at the guy and told him- "man, that was a good hit. You beat me; I lose," surrendering. The guy who threw the punch came again- laughing, Mr Karate parried, retreating, blocking and avoiding- "you won, dude, let it be."

He submitted the guy, tried to talk to him to calm him down so that he would not have to call the cops, but punch guy would not mellow. The police were called and the puncher was arrested. At the trial on the stand the 4th dan was asked why he didn't hit the guy- "it wasn't me, he was mad at, it was himself, I just happened to be there."

Understanding people is what martial arts is about, knowing yourself and understanding that fighting is not always the way.

 

[Chimera]

Never sign up for lifetime or long periods with an instructor you don't know, don't trust, or don't know well enough. Even thought it might be more expensive, go short term at all times. You never know what will happen - whether you'll be injured in or out of the dojo and not be able to continue, if your job will go away and you'll have to move, or what have you.

I'd say that Aikido is a good choice, but again, it's all about the instructor. I quit after 9 months because my Sensei was not a man of integrity or Ai Ki. Would dearly love to continue the art, but the next closest school is too far to consider.

 

[Bryon_Soulweaver]

I'm looking into Aikido right now, I also found a style call Choy Li Fut. Does anyone know what the training is like, does it help get rid of headaches and such when practicing, ect.?