Martial Arts Discussion

[John M.]

After looking over the interest thread I decided I would make this thread for any MA'ists or people who would like to take up MA's. This way we share knowledge and help answer questions people might have about various martial arts.

Back when I was younger & had healthy lungs I was very well practiced in Gung-fu San-soo. I don't know what rank I achieved because those who trained me did not use belts or ranks.
These days I keep my Gun-fu skills well honed & keep the concealed carry permit renued.

Do you think you're art(s) would work in a street fight? What is you're favorite technique for restraining someone etc...

Was only forced into a fight once when I was younger & those skills worked well. In under two minutes the fight was over & my attacker was hospitalized & scheduled for kidney surgery.

It was always drilled into me that the art I was being taught was to be used to quickly maim or kill & I never took that lightly. As I understand it, this art is now being taught to CIA & Secret service officers.

[Master Boid]

Was only forced into a fight once when I was younger & those skills worked well. In under two minutes the fight was over & my attacker was hospitalized & scheduled for kidney surgery.

Holy cow Batman! I've been in a few fights (and I'm only 16 at the moment ) but I've never hospitalized someone, proably as they were always the aggressor and doing most of the fighting by themselves.

None of them ever really esculated to anything serious and I'm proud to have not caused anyone any serious harm, though only once did it come close when I headbutted a guy in an ICT lesson, made his nose bleed.

I do not ever mean to bash Karate but sometimes I come across that way...I've heard that Goju Ryu is a more...I dunno...close quarter orientated Karate Ryu? Is this true?

[Yaish]

I was taking Krav Maga last year and I love it. I had to stop due to finances, but things are finally getting right and I hope to start back up again next month.

Its a very powerful style, focusing on simple practicality over everything else. No katas, no forms, just simple, easy to use, and effective techniques.
Within one class you already had a good set of basic skills and some choke breaks, and it just progresses from there. Everything is very linear too. All the advanced moves are really just combinations/elaborations of the simple basic moves you learned on day one.

Granted, I havent gotten that far into it yet but it definately is an effective form for self defense. After I advance in Krav, I wouldnt mind taking some MMA that focused on whatever I find Krav to lack, but against the vast majority of opponents Krav Maga seems very effective.

One thing that that really struck home when I started the classes was how tired punching and kicking can make you. Really, I think as much as the techniques themselves, simply building your stamina and endurance for punching and kicking will hold you in good stead in most street fights. If your opponent tires first, they will probably make the first mistake, and that should be all it takes...

[Archangel]

Not to defend against the people not bashing Karate, it all comes down to the instructor. If that person is not able/willing to break down all the potential application of the kata, then the student cannot learn them. If the instructor only teaches tournament style, then the student will not have street applications.
All MA styles lead to the mountain top where they become one. The student can only go a little further than the master before needing a new master.

One of my favourite glory moments was a young lady I taught some techniques to in a Saturday beginner noon class. (Street [real] applications of a traditional yellow belt kata sequence.) After the class she was to meet her friend downtown. Two guys tried to rape her in the parking lot. When they pinned her to the car, she went right to what she had learned less than an hour before. She knocked one out, and scarred the other and ran. The police went through the downtown bars and found scarface, then they got groggy buddy, and they're both still doing time.

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together.

[John M.]

Holy cow Batman! I've been in a few fights (and I'm only 16 at the moment ) but I've never hospitalized someone, proably as they were always the aggressor and doing most of the fighting by themselves.

I've never been one to go looking for the fight. I've even had my nose broken a couple of times just to smile at the idiot and walk away. A tolerance to pain like that kept it from going any further in those cases.

In this case the person I had to fight was psychotic, off his meds & really intended to kill me so it was him or me.

Funny thing is, he started hanging around like my little toadie after that until the family moved a year latter. :rolleyes:

[Master Boid]

I've never been one to go looking for the fight.

Of course! That is the point of MA's imo, so that you won't have to fight but if you DO that you know how to defend yourself.

[Colin]

Let's try and keep this on the topic of types of Martial arts you lads study, and not turn it into a comparrison of scars and battle wounds please.

[Master Boid]

Hehe, I am sorry Colin, I've got no scars to show really!

[John M.]

Sorry Colin, that was not my intent. I only offered up a situation that answered one of the questions asked....

So getting back to the main topic.

I also highly recommend training with someone of another discipline. I had a couple friends who were very good wrestlers. Sparing with them really helped to hone close-in skills & forced me to think about how to break holds, as many here have already stated, most fights do go to the ground at some point.

Be respectful & stay safe people.

[Master Boid]

I totally agree with Colin! In fact I recommend practicing in more than one art, you never know what you'll be up against and if you've learned the style then all the easier to defend yourself against it.

If you give them to indication of what you practice until they attack you (because of course you'll be defending) then they'll be mildly suprised. If there's one thing I've learned its never to underestimate anyone.