MW Martial Artists

[Mechamaniac]

So, with all the Japan aficionados we have here, I imagine that many of us must be studying one martial arts form or another.

Too many types and schools to make this a poll, so how about listing them straight up?

As for me, I never got much into the hand to hand stuff, so mine are....

Iaido - Kendo Renmei Sei Te Gata

Kendo - Natural progression of swinging my sword at nothing for hours on end

Any belts yet??

[Anubis]

Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do.

[Duymon]

Okinawan Shorei ryu here, but only Brown Belt First Degree.

At my uni we have kyuudo which is Archery with old-school yumis. Hard as heck if you're used to easy to use western hunting bows that actually have...er.. a grip

Funny thing is... the university I'm at has a Tae kwon do club but not a Karate club... kinda weird for a Japanese University you'd think...

Edited December 10, 2003 by Duymon

[BoBe-Patt]

I studied Aikido, but stopped only because it was getting expensive. I'd like to go back one of these days and finally get my black belt.

[yellowlightman]

I took kendo for a while and thing wing chun kung fu.

Probably gonna restart kendo so that I don't have that $500 piece of bogu sitting around saying "Use me... use me..."

[Mechamaniac]

I studied Aikido, but stopped only because it was getting expensive.

That's the best thing about where I study.

It is run the traditional way, no contracts, no 60 dollars a month, no snakeoil salesmen teaching out of a book. We go once a week, and pay a mat fee since we are using someone else's dojo. Basically, we contribute for the use of the dojo, and the electicity, but if you don't go, you don't pay.

I would never sign a contract to learn martial arts, that's not the way it is done in Japan, and it has become too much of a ripoff industry here in the states.

[Ladic]

I used to be blue belt with 2 stripes in Tae kwon Do, but retired at the age of 8 due to knee injury.

[estacado06479]

a little sharingan with a side of kage bunshin no jutsu

[007-vf1]

Southern Shaolin with wushu foundations. I got there half way( blue belt)

Hapkido; blue belt green stripe. Again over half way gone

It sucks to have to quit a job for a better pay and then give up everything else that follows along..

At least I have some of the tumbling and acrobatics to keep in relative shape.

Hope one day to continue wushu...If the body allows it

[Opus]

I studied Kenjutsu for about 10 years. Now I dabble mostly in Iado.

[gnollman]

Aikido, for ten years now. Studied both in the States and in Japan....

[yellowlightman]

That's the best thing about where I study.

It is run the traditional way, no contracts, no 60 dollars a month, no snakeoil salesmen teaching out of a book. We go once a week, and pay a mat fee since we are using someone else's dojo. Basically, we contribute for the use of the dojo, and the electicity, but if you don't go, you don't pay.

I would never sign a contract to learn martial arts, that's not the way it is done in Japan, and it has become too much of a ripoff industry here in the states.

The black belt is basically a scam perpretated on the general public, and in actuality doesn't have much historical backing or importance. Most martial arts never used belts; it's something that's been popularized recently because it makes for good business. People taking martial arts have a hard time feeling satisfied with that they've accomplished; nowadays people like concrete evidence of "improvement" and that's what belts provide to people. Every six months or so the teacher hands out another belt so that people feel like they're doing a good job.

I cringe every time I hear of somebody who got a black belt in three years; that's total BS. The idea of reaching the highest level in a martial art in such a short amount of time is laughable not to mention the training itself.

Nowadays generic karate and tae kwon do teachings are are a sport, not a real martial art. They train the practioner in a very controlled environment; only a few places to attack (which are the most well protected on the human body); with plenty of padding and no use of anything remotely dangerous or deadly (i.e. effective).

[Wes]

That's the best thing about where I study.

It is run the traditional way, no contracts, no 60 dollars a month, no snakeoil salesmen teaching out of a book.  We go once a week, and pay a mat fee since we are using someone else's dojo.  Basically, we contribute for the use of the dojo, and the electicity, but if you don't go, you don't pay.

I would never sign a contract to learn martial arts, that's not the way it is done in Japan, and it has become too much of a ripoff industry here in the states.

The black belt is basically a scam perpretated on the general public, and in actuality doesn't have much historical backing or importance. Most martial arts never used belts; it's something that's been popularized recently because it makes for good business. People taking martial arts have a hard time feeling satisfied with that they've accomplished; nowadays people like concrete evidence of "improvement" and that's what belts provide to people. Every six months or so the teacher hands out another belt so that people feel like they're doing a good job.

I cringe every time I hear of somebody who got a black belt in three years; that's total BS. The idea of reaching the highest level in a martial art in such a short amount of time is laughable not to mention the training itself.

Nowadays generic karate and tae kwon do teachings are are a sport, not a real martial art. They train the practioner in a very controlled environment; only a few places to attack (which are the most well protected on the human body); with plenty of padding and no use of anything remotely dangerous or deadly (i.e. effective).

I had a really good instructor, and he never gave me the impression that he handled out belts. He would say that when a person got a black belt then they were ready to start learning.

[Anubis]

My sensei does it the right way, too. No contracts or anything. We rent the gym of a local elementary school, and all chip in quarterly. That's it. If you don't want to, don't come. More time for those who do want to learn. And he doesn't test anyone until they show they are ready, no handouts, and the tests take several classes, and he works you. I remember for my Black test, it was an hour or two of straight sparring, a couple of classes worth of forms and technique, and for the finale he broke some boards on me and I had to break successive boards. 4 or 5 hour and a half classes. I think he expanded the tests some, even since then. With school I haven't been able to go to Tae Kwon Do this semester, and my brother just took 3 classes to finish his 3rd brown test. Good class.

Took me 5 years to get my black, and my sensei makes sure everyone knows there is much more to go from there, that getting the black belt means you've got the basics down. I keep going to improve more. After all this time I still can barely lay a finger on the man. Good guy. Him and his wife have taught the class for years now. I started in 8th grade, so going on 11 years I guess since I started the class.

Eventually I would like to try Kendo or Aikido out, I just don't want to be dragged into the contract crap. I agree it kind of cheapens it when it becomes franchised or commercialized, i.e. Kim's Karate or another of the chains. No offence if any of you have gone to one of those.

[Graham]

At age 9 studied Judo for a Year.

At age 14, did Field Archery and Sabre Fencing for 2 years.

At age 24, took up IPSC shooting for 5 years.

At age 32, studied Wing Chun for 1.5 years.

Now I'm studying 'Arnis', a type of Philippine stick fighting (similar to kali & Escrima). Just got my yellow belt a few weeks ago.

Graham

[hikaru]

At age 9 studied Judo for a Year.

At age 14, did Field Archery and Sabre Fencing for 2 years.

At age 24, took up IPSC shooting for 5 years.

At age 32, studied Wing Chun for 1.5 years.

Now I'm studying 'Arnis', a type of Philippine stick fighting (similar to kali & Escrima). Just got my yellow belt a few weeks ago.

Graham

Wow I never thought that you'll be interested in Arnis I remember learning it in high school.

Edited December 10, 2003 by hikaru

[Mechamaniac]

Eventually I would like to try Kendo or Aikido out, I just don't want to be dragged into the contract crap. I agree it kind of cheapens it when it becomes franchised or commercialized, i.e. Kim's Karate or another of the chains. No offence if any of you have gone to one of those.

Exactly. In Japan, it's about preserving a part of their history and culture, and not letting an ancient art die out. That's the way it is supposed to be.

In America, it's a cash cow that started back in the early 80's after Chuck Norris, and Bruce Lee, and those god awful Ninja movies. I remember being a teenager, and every other kid wanted shuriken, or nunchaku, or a ninjato, and the black pj's. Sorry, but it never appealed much to me, even after they made "Gaijin Ninja movie number 403".

[yellowlightman]

In America, it's a cash cow that started back in the early 80's after Chuck Norris, and Bruce Lee, and those god awful Ninja movies. I remember being a teenager, and every other kid wanted shuriken, or nunchaku, or a ninjato, and the black pj's. Sorry, but it never appealed much to me, even after they made "Gaijin Ninja movie number 403".

Nothing says cool like a black ninja outfit that says NINJA in bright neon pink down the side of the leg.

I've never seen kendo taught by using a "contract," or aikido for that matter, but really it depends on the teacher. My kendo was $10 a month, plus something like $30 for 6 months of federation dues (for tournaments). But kendo's expense is more in terms of the one-time cost of buying your bogu, which I think scares a lot of people off from the art.

[Mechamaniac]

But kendo's expense is more in terms of the one-time cost of buying your bogu, which I think scares a lot of people off from the art.

Damn skippy - Iaido is much the same.

Dogi & Hakama were a couple hundred. And a good quality Iaito will run you at least $400 - $500 bucks these days.

I never got that much into kendo, because I couldn't afford more than the Shinai.

What's a good online source for Bogu?

[isamu_dyson]

green belt at ju jitsu

[kensei]

That's the best thing about where I study.

It is run the traditional way, no contracts, no 60 dollars a month, no snakeoil salesmen teaching out of a book.  We go once a week, and pay a mat fee since we are using someone else's dojo.  Basically, we contribute for the use of the dojo, and the electicity, but if you don't go, you don't pay.

I would never sign a contract to learn martial arts, that's not the way it is done in Japan, and it has become too much of a ripoff industry here in the states.

The black belt is basically a scam perpretated on the general public, and in actuality doesn't have much historical backing or importance. Most martial arts never used belts; it's something that's been popularized recently because it makes for good business. People taking martial arts have a hard time feeling satisfied with that they've accomplished; nowadays people like concrete evidence of "improvement" and that's what belts provide to people. Every six months or so the teacher hands out another belt so that people feel like they're doing a good job.

I cringe every time I hear of somebody who got a black belt in three years; that's total BS. The idea of reaching the highest level in a martial art in such a short amount of time is laughable not to mention the training itself.

Nowadays generic karate and tae kwon do teachings are are a sport, not a real martial art. They train the practioner in a very controlled environment; only a few places to attack (which are the most well protected on the human body); with plenty of padding and no use of anything remotely dangerous or deadly (i.e. effective).

I've been doing Yoseikan Budo or Yoseikan Aikido whatever you want to call it, for five years. I've attained green belt so far, or 3rd kyu. I got a white belt in tsutsumi ryu jujitsu I really should be grading, the two arts are very simular!

I agree with yellowlightman. Here in Australia there are programs which can get you your own class with your black belt in two years. In tae kwon do, its worse, after six months you can get your own class, without your black belt! In my opinion, that is just so wrong, and so dangerous to think that you've mastered the art after just two years and consider yourself able to teach other students to defend themselves. There's a ridiculous tae kwon do school here too, everytime they stand in line and peform katas in unison, they have to shout out in rhythm to their strikes: Rhee, Tae Kwon Do! The strongest and the best! Also they have to follow certain rules and aim for certain places to score, what a crock! This stuff is meant for combat blokes, what the hell do you want to bring rules in for?! On the street there are no rules!

I know that I seem to be knocking tae kwon do here, I acknowledge that is IS an effective martial art, but these days like some karate has just become a simple sport where people complete not to improve their own skill levels but for trophies and bragging rights. Is is so hard now to find a school that aims to teach the art for the sake of art, rather than money or competition. There is only one school that I know of that teaches the art properly, and they've got a cool instructor.

Hey guys, please do not devalue the belt ranking system. When used properly, it is an effective method of getting the student to set goals and to provide the student with a proper curiculum (sp?) for training. At my school we set out these gradings, there is a good structure that builds the student up, and always emphasises the foundations. You will find yourself always going back to what you have learned the first time you stepped in the dojo and if you don't you will score poorly for your gradings. Also, I don't really know what goes on in other schools, but teachers here do not just hand out belts. You have to ask and be approved to be graded, which is your first bottleneck, if your teacher reckons you aren't ready, then he will not let you grade. Even if you do get accepted, you have to pass the grading anyway. But really, I reckon its a good way to set attainable goals. Also, just because you've got your black belt, your training doesn't stop there peoples...you're in it for liffe

yellowlightman is right though, these days the black belt is just a marketing ploy and an ego booster.

[Hoptimus]

Judo,Aikido,Wing Chun,ShinKenDo.

Studied for 5 years.(Cept the Wing Chun. That was expensive so only 1 year)

[tom64ss]

You know, Scotland has it's own martial art. Yeah, it's call "fukk-yew!". It's mostly just head-butting and then kicking people when they're on the ground.

[Anubis]

I remember before I found out about my current class checking out one of those Kim's places once, the guy was a salesman, complete with a presentation, and basically guaranteed my parents that I would get my black belt in 3 years. Then gave a free lesson which was ass backwards. Needless to say I did not go back.

I had a friend that was on contract, early termination fee, and he had to pay 100+ for each test. Ridiculous. It's a shame that classes like mine are becoming rarer.

I would like to try Kendo out. The initial cost doesn't scare me really since I know it's something I would like, but I don't know if I'll have time any time soon working full time and doing college night classes. Someday I will.

One thing I do want to buy is one of those wood practice "dummies" to work with. I cannot remember the name (maybe someone can remind me), but its straight up, has a target on the top, and arm pegs scattered around to practice blocking on. Looks similar to a wierd coat rack. Expensive but pretty cool. My time in the Air Force weakend my shins from the lack of sparring and I want to toughen them back up and keep them that way.

That's another thing about "americanized" commercial martial arts schools: Pads. They make you suit up with armor basically to spar, and no head attacks. WTF. One of the things we stressed was not to wear pads. It's a hinderance actually. You get used to blocking with gauntlets on in class, then get into a real fight, you block one technique and hurt your forearm or shins because you're not used to the contact. It's better to potentially bruise your shins a little in class because then will toughen, and you will learn how take it a little. Coddling students with GBP armor does them no good on the steeet. They key is to stress control over speed in the earlier belts, to get the mechanics and techniques down, and get used to stringing multiple moves together. then as you advance and get better, you get faster, and by the time you get up to higher browns or black, you can really go at it for a while. Starting with yellow belt you could go to the head. Blue you were allowed open hand blocking and techniques (we had some broken fingers before we implemented that rule).

If anyone lives in the DC area (my zip code is 20886 in Montgomery County,MD) you're welcome to come try it out. We always welcome new students. Things have gone a little slower lately because we had a big influx of kids during the summer vs. the usual teens and adults, so we had to adjust our pacing for them, and devote more time to forms especially.

PM me for info if interested. You won't be asked to chip for the room until the next quater after you start to give you time to see if you want to stay.

We do our belts this way:

White

Yellow

Green

Blue

3 levels of Brown

Black

Expect to spend a long time in each, except maybe white, if you get it together right away, you may hit yellow in a few months.

How do you guy's belt structures work?

[usagiz]

Kendo - 3 dan

Iaido - 1 dan

remember kids, black belt= sho dan, or 1st row, which basically means you have have a basic grasp on your school's basics. And Kendo and our Iaido are not allowed to teach professionally for money, so dues are for rental, etc... So kendo is cheap, even after you buy your own armor:-)

[Hubert]

jujitsu, blue belt

to continue about the topic, who has interest into MMA ? pride, ufc and k-1 ?? what do you think about it ? ( about the result about of the last k-1 grand prix for example )

[yellowlightman]

I agree with yellowlightman. Here in Australia there are programs which can get you your own class with your black belt in two years. In tae kwon do, its worse, after six months you can get your own class, without your black belt! In my opinion, that is just so wrong, and so dangerous to think that you've mastered the art after just two years and consider yourself able to teach other students to defend themselves. There's a ridiculous tae kwon do school here too, everytime they stand in line and peform katas in unison, they have to shout out in rhythm to their strikes: Rhee, Tae Kwon Do! The strongest and the best! Also they have to follow certain rules and aim for certain places to score, what a crock! This stuff is meant for combat blokes, what the hell do you want to bring rules in for?! On the street there are no rules!

Ahh man, that's nothing. I knew a girl that used to go to a martial arts place (Karate? Tae Kwon Do? I forget) where the head teacher used to make up forms to go along to music. Music like Welcome to the Danger Zone it was totally ridiculous and I laughed in her face when she told me about it.

Also, Anubis, those wooden dummies are used in Wing Chun... usually cost around $800. Far more cost effective to beat up on a door way, thats what I used to do.

[pfunk]

was TKDO for a while (15yrs ago) and then just exercised in diferent movements and spared once in a while with my buddies. Didnt care for most martial arts in the sence that everyones body is and reacts diferently to fighting, I guess I kinda take the Bruce Lee aproach to fighting and spiritualism(have a few books and pictorials,,,somewhare in a box now). Wish I wouldve stayed practicing everyday, I was in great shape in my early 20s. Now I plan on building some training equipment in the basement once its finished like those log dolls (what Ive allways called them) bags and such. I really got good with chucks (both hands) now my left is definatly a lot slower. I quit places after they wanted me to pay for a belt that I felt I deserved out of acomplishment

[J A Dare]

Hsing-I Kung Fu (2 years in my younger days). Would like to get back into it when I can establish a stable life.

[Anubis]

Also, Anubis, those wooden dummies are used in Wing Chun... usually cost around $800. Far more cost effective to beat up on a door way, thats what I used to do.

Thanks, I've been trying to remember the name all day.

Damn, they're more expensive than I thought. Maybe one day, for now I guess I'll settle for a wavemaster bag when I have the space.

Or I'll just go attack a tree to practice like a friend of mine that took the class with me used to.

[yellowlightman]

Thanks, I've been trying to remember the name all day.

Damn, they're more expensive than I thought. Maybe one day, for now I guess I'll settle for a wavemaster bag when I have the space.

Or I'll just go attack a tree to practice like a friend of mine that took the class with me used to.

Yeah, they're only really worth it if you're really practiced and need it for everyday practice of the forms in Wing Chun. Otherwise you're better off doing conditioning with trees and other hard things that don't cost so much.

[Skull Leader]

I took one year of Shorin-Ryu Karate when I was in the first grade,

In high school I picked up Tae Kwon Do (USTF/later ITF). We did a lot of Jujitsu, Judo, and Kendo as well. I made it to Green Belt Superior before I had to quit due to financial and time constraints (in our school, a "superior" designation was given to those in the class that had a particularly good grasp of the techniques and patterns for that belt and were usually assigned as classroom aides to help those who weren't getting it).... that was after 4 years of training, so my instructor wasn't exactly handing out belts, we earned 'em pretty hard. I didn't think so at first, but when a red belt from a rival school attended a ground fighting seminar and was easilly taken down by pretty much everyone in attendance (including an enthusiastic yellow belt), I began to realize how much more discipline and effort went into each of our belts. We learned patterns and techniques on our regular classes, and friday nights were established as "fight night", when the free-sparring clinics were held.

I do think belts are an excellent way to measure out success and divide up teachings to make it easier for the student to grasp a section, exhibit it for the instructor and then advance to the next level

I still know most of my techniques (although joint-locks and arm-bars are all I've ever had to do in a defense scenario), but I've completely forgotten all of my patterns

[J A Dare]

Hey Kendo folks, I took this photo last year at Harbin, China's International Ice Festival. This was Japan's contribution. It's hard to see, but the sculpture is life size.

[Anubis]

Hey Kendo folks, I took this photo last year at Harbin, China's International Ice Festival. This was Japan's contribution. It's hard to see, but the sculpture is life size.

Awesome looking.

[Dragon Lord]

Yang style Tai Chi Chuan, had to give it up recently after two years due to work commitments. I'm really hoping I can pick it up again soon.

Joe P.