Martial Arts

Anyone take any martial arts out there?

I take Israeli Krav Maga. It is a military martial art, so you can't really compare it to things like Karate or Kung Fu. It is built for speed, effectiveness and sheer brutality, while others are often based around concentration, balance and discipline.

I'd be happy to discuss Krav Maga more, but I'd be interested in hearing about martial arts that others take (boxing and wrestling ARE martial arts, so discuss that if you take it) and what you think their advantages and disadvantages are, or any interesting facts about that martial art (it's history, interesting moves, etc.).

 

Wow, really? Nothing? That's more than a little disappointing.

 

I did Judo for two years and am currently doing Wing Tsun. Its built for self defence and most of the moves are for breaking bones or incapacitating/killing.

 

I've never heard of Wing Tsun. I'll have to look it up.

 

Took western boxing and did some Krav maga and wrestled for sport. If I could I want to get back into the Krav Maga, but time always seams to be the biggest issue.

 

When I was young, I studied judo and karate. Later (when I was in my 20s) I studied taekwondo. I enjoyed taekwondo most, because the workouts were the best I've ever had, but I suffered an injury and had to stop.

I haven't done any martial arts for over twenty years now.

 

It is a great one, isn't it? Which style did you take? The style I'm learning comes directly from the original progenitors and includes some Kapap, a more aggressive version which includes training that Israeli commandos receive.

 

Sorry to hear that. Injuries mess up a lot of things. Still can't do any martial arts?

 

I did karate and judo when I was little, and when I turned 14 I started doing kick boxing, which I did until I was nineteen and I had to stop because I got... well, ill I guess. I didn't know it at the time, but I have Hypothyroidism which causes me to have very little energy. After a long period of trial and error the doctor seem to have found the right medicine dosage for me, and I'm feeling better so I'll probably start again. I have kept it up with yoga in the meantime.

I really loved kick boxing, but I don't think I was every really all that good at it, despite years of practice. I think I could still give a random joe a serious kick in the groin should I ever have to, though

 

I've been a big martial arts fan ever since I saw Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury when I was a kid. Since the age of 10 I trained in Shaolin Gung Fu then it was Karate in high school. After that I trained in conventional boxing with my cousin who is an amateur boxer. I'm currently training in MMA which consist of Brazilian Jiu Jistu, Muay Thai Kick Boxing and wrestling.

I really enjoy training, I like seeing myself improve against better opponents and seeing my hard work pay off.

 

I've done lots of martial arts. I've done Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Hapkido, Western Boxing and I'm soon going to start Muay Thai Kickboxing and Brazilian Jujitsu.

I find the most fascinating part is the different philosophies behind the martial arts, and where they come from.
Most of the Asian martial arts are based on Yoga, which is why they're all about breathing, ballance and focus. But the movements, weapon choices etc are all situational based on what was at hand.
In Kung Fu, a lot of weapons were chosen because that's what the farmers would have had near by. It was developed to defend against bandits.
But it goes even deeper than that. Wing Chun kung fu looks at the elbows as control points. You can see where a fist is going based on what the elbow's doing, and you can move the fist, by moving the elbow.

Tae Kwon Do is all about kicking, but it's kicking with the foot, where as Muay Thai uses the shin as the contact point. (Having had my foot injured during Tae Kwon Do, I can see the wisdom in this.)
It's all really fascinating stuff.

 

I'm not sure if Kendo or Iaito are classed as martial arts since they involve using weapons...but I definitely am looking to get into one of them! Preferably Iaito since I'm really intrigued by the spiritual side of it!!

 

I'd certainly consider Kendo a martial art. Kung Fu, Karate, Tai Chi and Hapkido all involve weapons at some point so I don't think that weapons really matter.

 

Yeh I was just wandering because those two focus on weapons while the others only incorporate them. It makes sense though I guess ^^ Also if I take part in one of them I have an excuse to buy a katana since its illegal to possess them in the UK