martial arts

[JB88]

been thinking about practicing a martial art.  the most appealing to my sensibilities so far has been aikido.  my interest in this form stems from my desire to learn a purely defensive art.  i have no desire to learn how to hurt others for fun and profit.

i am reading a book right now called Aikido and the dynamic sphere.  very well written and it is quite informative.   of course, i know that i will not really learn to practice it with a book, but feel that i may come to know its essence.

unfortunately i have not found anywhere in  my area that teaches it, so i cannot be sure.


i know a man nearby who teaches chin-na, (a chinese form which uses control or locking to subdue opponents) he is well respected in the area and is associated with some even more respected teachers in the area.  

an aquaintance of mine has invited me to join him at a class and i may try it.

(my only real concern on that level is that the chin-na instructor once had a thing for my girlfriend and he got shot down.  i fear this may realize itself in the business end of a lock/break.  eek.)


anywho.  i am curious about the differences between forms and practices (particularly between aikido and chin-na, but certainly not limited to then.

i am also wondering if any of you have any specific knowledge of martial arts that you might wish to share or suggestions about which might go well with my philosophy.

[Sandman]

I spoke to my son's anesthesiologist the other day after his shoulder surgery. The doctor was interested simply because both of our sons wrestle in high school.

His son also practices ju-jitsu and he spoke of it for a while. It sounded very defensive. He remarked that his son's favorite position was to fight while on his back on the ground.

[cav58d]

Ninjas are kick a $$ =)....Aikado is very similar to Ninjitsu correct?

[cav58d]

What would you rather be??????

An assassin ninja?  Or a defending samurai?

[Nilsen]

Originally posted by JB88

i am also wondering if any of you have any specific knowledge of martial arts that you might wish to share or suggestions about which might go well with my philosophy.

What do you want to know?

I studied something called Nanbudo from age 10 minus the last couple of years. Its very similar to aikido in many ways. If you want a defencive sport then aikido  is the way to go. You could try Krav Maga, but thats not really a martial art in the tradtional sense.

[eagl]

I really enjoyed the few aikido courses I've taken.  The spiritual bit is just as silly as any, but even without "believing", the spiritual exercises do a great job of focusing your mind and body.  It's amazing what people can do when they're REALLY focused and mind/body are in sync.

A simple aikido focusing exercise I did back at the Academy sold me on Aikido.  The instructor had us imagining a center of energy (chi) at our center of gravity, behind our bellybutton.  He had us point our arms and fingers at a door, and imagine energy flowing from our center out our hand and out the door.  He led us through a mind focusing exercise for 10 minutes based on this imagery.  Then he had every other person hang onto the wrist of the person next to them and lift their feet off the floor.

I straight-armed my roommate, 140 lbs.  He hung on my wrist and picked his feet off the floor, and I didn't move more than half an inch.  Freaking amazing.

Of course, the next day I found that I'd pulled ever muscle in my back and shoulders, but still the lesson was very clear that a fully focused mind and body can do things that are not typically thought possible.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

All of this martial arts contains a huge amount of show. Look at the typical Aikido demonstration with all the fancy throws, effortless and really cool looking.

Put that Aikido master in a mixed martial arts cage fight and you see him boxing, kicking and finally going down on the mat for a dirty clenchfight like a streetbrawler. In mixed martial arts fight where there are very few rules, show manner fights just won't happen. And cagefights are more like it would be in a real world self defence situation.

I've always liked submission moves myself and they seem to be really effective in the cage too.

As a sidenote, brasilian ju-jitsu fighters seem to be real monsters in the cage.

[Nilsen]

Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]


As a sidenote, brasilian ju-jitsu fighters seem to be real monsters in the cage.

They are, and its the most "brutal" form of Jiu-jitsu.


Most streetfights are over in a few seconds if one of the fighters have training of some sort. In real life you will extremly seldom see anything even close to cage fights unless both are drunk, on drugs or clumsy.

[Hornet33]

I practice  Muay Thai (Thai Kickboxing) with a bit of BJJ tossed in the mix. I totaly understand wanting to study a martial art for defensive reasons but at the same time what are you looking to get out of the class? Muay Thai is actually a very offensive form of martial art with the types of striking techniques that are used, but as far as a workout goes it is very intense. I've lost over 25 pounds since I started just over a year ago and I've decressed my total body fat % by 6%. It has also helped my stress level go way down. Nothing like kicking and punching the crap out of the pads after a hard day at work. It is also very practical in a real world situation. The head instructor at the school I attend is a guy by the name of Frank Cucci. Here is a link to the school I attend. There is some good info on the site in case you might want to check it out. LINXX Academy of Martial Arts

Good luck and I hope you find something you enjoy.

[storch]

for purely defensive purposes aikido or jiu jitsu are good martial arts discipline.  I'd also suggest any of the go-ju disciplines if you have a difficult time locating an aikido practitioner in your area try googling phillipe chenique see if that produces any results.  contact him, maybe he can point you to someone in your area.

[dmf]

I could teach you some mma if you lived nearby

[Jebus]

I take an MMA class (UFC style fighting).  I like it because it just doesnt teach you one style.  It focuses on Mui Tia, Kick boxing, American Wrestling (not WWE style), and of course Jiu Jitsu.  

I tried just taking a Martial art like Kung Fu, and I just didnt really like it.  Now Mix Martial arts is the future, you know how to fight on your feet, in the clinch, and on the ground.

Just like hornett33 I have lost 20lbs and i just started 6 months ago and that is doing it on and off.  

Here is the place I go to http://www.hackneyscombat.com/    If you ever watched UFC the guy that runs the place is Keith hackney.  If you remember the early days of UFC he took on a 650lbs black guy and broke his hand over the dudes head knocking him out.  Also If you watch the Ultimate fighter 4 on spike  one of his projects were on the Ultimate fighter 4.  His name is Gideon Ray.

But if i was looking for a martial arts place i would be looking for an Mix Martial arts place, Or a place that Teaches Mui Tia, and Jiu-Jitsu.

[dmf]

My teacher doesn't teach all the hype of the UFC style, he just teaches us how to win a fight or a competition, if we decide to go to one.

I started when I was 12, so the only weight I lost was baby weight after Amber was born

[Jebus]

Yeah we dont focus on the UFC.  Even though he does have fighters in it.  He more or less teaches if you get in a fight how to win.  Most of the people there are there for self defense, not to fight in the UFC.

When we spar it isn't what are you going to do in the cage.  It is if you get in a fight how to protect yourself, and win.

[Thrawn]

My aikido sensei would take issue with you saying that it's a purely defencive martial art.  


Aikidoka are totally allowed to kick someone's ass, but we try not to hurt them anymore than necessary.  The letting the other person strike first is a matter of tactics not necessarily ethics.  However, the brand of aikido we practice is based on O- Sensei Ueshiba's earlier style.