Poll: Martial arts and your studies.

[Aries_Split]

I've taken fencing for over 12 years.

The footwork and dexterity it builds are amazing.

I even carry an umbrella with a point at the end. Incane I need to defend mysel.

 

[Ultramarine Peon]

judo, definitely the martial art that translates best to not just real life fights, but life itself as well as philosophy.....fightin for the thinkin' man.
Ive never studuied anything else, but judo is, in my oppionion, the best sport out there

 

[Labyrinth]

Awesome, and you say you live in Oz? Where did you study Hap Ki Do? And where do you live in Australia?

I'm in NSW. There's a local Hap Ki Do club, I'm not sure if it's still running however. The Judo club near me is getting stronger, along with the fact that my father's one of the instructors there it prods buttocks.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

Judo - Lots of throws and joint locks. Quite a few techniques seem to rely on the opponent wearing a gi, so that reduces the practicality a bit.

really? i mean ppl never ever wear a jacket or a shirt when they are out and about and pick a fight?

it's overly practical

Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu - Graceful, swift and absolutely deadly. It requires a lot of flexibility and precision and favours parrys and traps as opposed to direct force on force blocks. Has a good balance strikes to vital areas, limb breaking counters and throws. That said it's not something you'd probably want to use as you could seriously hurt someone and it is a bit "flowery".

ummm sorry you can't use it cause it's NOT overly functional or practical, try doing those moves on someone who is resisting you

JKD - Takes a lot of the great elements of Wing Chun (close quarter traps and strikes), Muay Thai Kickboxing (elbow strikes and kicks), Western Boxing, Philippino Kali and Escrima and boils them down to the bare essentials. It emphasise economy of movement and that makes it incredibly practical. I really liked it, but for some reason I missed the graceful flamboyance of Kung Fu. My brother stayed with it and is now a black belt.

most of the wing chun stuff was taken out of JKD, the tao of jkd was published after Bruce's Death and compiled from notes of his and he mostly didn't use it

also there's no belts in jkd, at least according to Bruce

Muay Thai Kickboxing - Simple(ish) and brutal. There is not that great range of techniques but what there is is absolutely punishing. It's physically very demanding, but it is a very practical martial art.

next to judo it's the only overly practical art in your list. it very easily translate into the real world

as for practical arts, look at the ufc and who does the best

Anderson Silva - muay thai and bjj
Wanderlai Silva - muay tahi and bjj
Randy Couture - wrestling and boxing
GSP - wrestling and bjj and a bit of thai
BJ Penn - bjj
Antonio Rodrigo Minataro Nogeria - bjj and boxing

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

Judo - Lots of throws and joint locks. Quite a few techniques seem to rely on the opponent wearing a gi, so that reduces the practicality a bit.

really? i mean ppl never ever wear a jacket or a shirt when they are out and about and pick a fight?

it's overly practical

Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu - Graceful, swift and absolutely deadly. It requires a lot of flexibility and precision and favours parrys and traps as opposed to direct force on force blocks. Has a good balance strikes to vital areas, limb breaking counters and throws. That said it's not something you'd probably want to use as you could seriously hurt someone and it is a bit "flowery".

ummm sorry you can't use it cause it's NOT overly functional or practical, try doing those moves on someone who is resisting you

JKD - Takes a lot of the great elements of Wing Chun (close quarter traps and strikes), Muay Thai Kickboxing (elbow strikes and kicks), Western Boxing, Philippino Kali and Escrima and boils them down to the bare essentials. It emphasise economy of movement and that makes it incredibly practical. I really liked it, but for some reason I missed the graceful flamboyance of Kung Fu. My brother stayed with it and is now a black belt.

most of the wing chun stuff was taken out of JKD, the tao of jkd was published after Bruce's Death and compiled from notes of his and he mostly didn't use it

also there's no belts in jkd, at least according to Bruce

Muay Thai Kickboxing - Simple(ish) and brutal. There is not that great range of techniques but what there is is absolutely punishing. It's physically very demanding, but it is a very practical martial art.

next to judo it's the only overly practical art in your list. it very easily translate into the real world

as for practical arts, look at the ufc and who does the best

Anderson Silva - muay thai and bjj
Wanderlai Silva - muay tahi and bjj
Randy Couture - wrestling and boxing
GSP - wrestling and bjj and a bit of thai
BJ Penn - bjj
Antonio Rodrigo Minataro Nogeria - bjj and boxing

I wouldn't use UFC as a yardstick, it has rules and in a street fight they go out the window. Try and shoot someone in a street fight and watch as your nose gets driven back in your face by a knee, even in reflex (seen it happen). BJJ is great if the fight goes for a while, but given most street fights are broken up within a minute you need to get in, strike hard and get out.

You're obviously biased toward the ground based martial arts, which is all well and good provided you get within range and that's where I found Judo lacking (although combining it with a striking martial art like Muay Thai makes a difference).

While Bruce didn't advocate belts, they've invariably crept in over time. FYI the club that I went to the instructor was trained by Guro Dan Inosanto, one of the few people to have directly learnt it from Bruce himself. The whole idea of JKD is it is not a dogma and it can be adapted within reason.

With Kung Fu, I agree with you that the forms themselves aren't really practical (many assume you are surrounded by multiple attackers), but that basics that they are built on are. I have had someone try and attack me before and it was the attacks I learnt with this style that I used to drop them like a bad habit. Have you actually bothered to study it or just watched the 'Kung Fu guy gets his ass kicked by BJJ guy' on Youtube?

 

[Jobz]

I took Northern Shao Lin King Fu for about a year. The place I took it at also incorporated elements of Chinese Kickboxing and submission grappling to make it more practical for self defense. The weapon training was the best part

 

[cleverlymadeup]

I wouldn't use UFC as a yardstick, it has rules and in a street fight they go out the window. Try and shoot someone in a street fight and watch as your nose gets driven back in your face by a knee, even in reflex (seen it happen). BJJ is great if the fight goes for a while, but given most street fights are broken up within a minute you need to get in, strike hard and get out.

actually that's wrong, bjj was refined by the Gracies going out and picking fights on the street, and as for using the UFC as a yard stick, it's the closet thing there is to a real street fight

You're obviously biased toward the ground based martial arts, which is all well and good provided you get within range and that's where I found Judo lacking (although combining it with a striking martial art like Muay Thai makes a difference).

for judo you had someone who didn't teach it right and easily adapt it to a real situation, look at Karo Parisyan

While Bruce didn't advocate belts, they've invariably crept in over time. FYI the club that I went to the instructor was trained by Guro Dan Inosanto, one of the few people to have directly learnt it from Bruce himself. The whole idea of JKD is it is not a dogma and it can be adapted within reason.

just because Dan was taught by Bruce doesn't mean he is teaching it like Bruce did, most ppl think of JKD as the Tao of JKD, so Dan teaches where the money is

btw Jigoro Kano didn't like how ppl taught judo and Helio Gracie doesn't like the way ppl give out black belts in bjj, hence why he wears a purple belt now

With Kung Fu, I agree with you that the forms themselves aren't really practical (many assume you are surrounded by multiple attackers), but that basics that they are built on are. I have had someone try and attack me before and it was the attacks I learnt with this style that I used to drop them like a bad habit. Have you actually bothered to study it or just watched the 'Kung Fu guy gets his ass kicked by BJJ guy' on Youtube?

actually i've done it in a controlled environment and had several ppl with many years of training, also many interviews with mma guys

 

[Jark212]

Ninjitsu, I'm only a green belt.
Only white guy in my dojo... Master hated me

 

[Zac_Dai]

Did Jitsu Foundation for a few years got to second belt (yellow); no idea what other martial arts are like except from what you see in movies.

It was damn violent, nearly every move ended in breaking something or some other nasty shit like eye gouging, jaw dislocation, breaking there wind pipe etc. I would actually be afraid of using it in a real fight due to how messed up it is.

Did a lot of weapon disarming as well stuff like bottles, knives and other ojects people might use in fights. The throwing techniques were the best, you could throw anybody if you got technique right, I could effortlessly throw this massive Brazilian guy built like a tank.

Grading was damn hard though, not sure I would want to grade later belts as they use real weapons, my Sensei even had a scar on his hand he got from grading with sharp knives.

The hardcore blackbelt crowd who did it were crazy bastards, one guy got banned from an all martial arts tournament because he broke some kick boxers leg due to taking it too seriously. Another was sent to prison for GBH after he got drunk and went to town on some guys who insulted his hair length.

So yeah thats my experience of the martial arts world, wouldn't mind trying something with traditional striking techniques in it, what I learnt mostly consisted of the attacker making the first move and then fucking him up, weren't really any cool punches or kicks.

 

[John Stalvern]

Kenpo karate and Lao Tzu Do. Breaking arms and hurting pride.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

I wouldn't use UFC as a yardstick, it has rules and in a street fight they go out the window. Try and shoot someone in a street fight and watch as your nose gets driven back in your face by a knee, even in reflex (seen it happen). BJJ is great if the fight goes for a while, but given most street fights are broken up within a minute you need to get in, strike hard and get out.

actually that's wrong, bjj was refined by the Gracies going out and picking fights on the street, and as for using the UFC as a yard stick, it's the closet thing there is to a real street fight

I can't argue with that, it is the closest thing to street fighting (excluding those god-aweful backyard brawls with Kimbo Slice) and I certainly admire the domination the Gracie's have had over the years. If it wasn't effective, they wouldn't have dominated.
I just think that the UFC rules definately suit some styles over others and while it is probably the best opportunity we have to analyse combat styles vs other combat styles, it is by no means comprehensive.

 

[EnzoHonda]

I'm a Judo-man. I haven't been there since I ganked my shoulder this summer. I'm good now, but I don't have the time or money right now.

As for my experiences with it, it is one of the finest martial-arts around. Yes, there is no eye-gouging, but that's not something one needs to be taught. As for moves relying on the gi, any worthwhile instructor will get you to spar without the gi every few classes. As for real-life application, Judo is really good. An arm-bar easily turns into a broken arm. And a choke doesn't need to be tapped-out. If you punch someone, and don't knock them out, you are left with a pissed-off person. Break an arm and the fight stops. (Admittedly, there have been a few professional fights where a guy with a broken arm wanted to continue, but it's a major inconvenience.)

 

[Shadowtek]

Does Boxing count?
If so I coach that!

Yea, boxing counts as well. Any form of self defence, wether it be eastern or western style. both require discipline as well as skill and dexterity. Great job people, I wasnt sure how popular this topic was going to be. Its staying interesting though.

 

[guardian001]

I've studied Karate, and found that it was good for keeping in shape and building stamina, although a lot of the early stuff is rather useless. It does start to get more useful later on though, with the throws and take-downs. I actually made it all the way to black belt, but at that point the school was bought out and the new head Sensei was kind of a jerk.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

I wouldn't use UFC as a yardstick, it has rules and in a street fight they go out the window. Try and shoot someone in a street fight and watch as your nose gets driven back in your face by a knee, even in reflex (seen it happen). BJJ is great if the fight goes for a while, but given most street fights are broken up within a minute you need to get in, strike hard and get out.

actually that's wrong, bjj was refined by the Gracies going out and picking fights on the street, and as for using the UFC as a yard stick, it's the closet thing there is to a real street fight

I can't argue with that, it is the closest thing to street fighting (excluding those god-aweful backyard brawls with Kimbo Slice) and I certainly admire the domination the Gracie's have had over the years. If it wasn't effective, they wouldn't have dominated.
I just think that the UFC rules definately suit some styles over others and while it is probably the best opportunity we have to analyse combat styles vs other combat styles, it is by no means comprehensive.

the older ufc's were closer to the real thing, they had very few rules, mostly pancration style rules, i think no eye gouging and no spinal strikes and that's it

If you punch someone, and don't knock them out, you are left with a pissed-off person. Break an arm and the fight stops. (Admittedly, there have been a few professional fights where a guy with a broken arm wanted to continue, but it's a major inconvenience.)

very true, tho if you choke them out and wait around until they wake up, which i don't recommend, you'll have a person that's scared of you and probly leave you the hell alone

 

[Labyrinth]

I'm a Judo-man. I haven't been there since I ganked my shoulder this summer. I'm good now, but I don't have the time or money right now.

As for my experiences with it, it is one of the finest martial-arts around. Yes, there is no eye-gouging, but that's not something one needs to be taught. As for moves relying on the gi, any worthwhile instructor will get you to spar without the gi every few classes. As for real-life application, Judo is really good. An arm-bar easily turns into a broken arm. And a choke doesn't need to be tapped-out. If you punch someone, and don't knock them out, you are left with a pissed-off person. Break an arm and the fight stops. (Admittedly, there have been a few professional fights where a guy with a broken arm wanted to continue, but it's a major inconvenience.)

Mm. I will admit that I added to my Judo selection of joint locks and choke holds then old favourite of a swift snap-jab to the throat, heel of hand under the nose, steel capped boot to the knee/crotch and thumb to the eye. If it gets to the point where I need the last one, I'm probably fucked if I don't. They'd have at least one broken arm by that time.

Fucking icers.

 

[qbert4ever]

Couple things.

1) I study what is called Combined Kenpo. It's a blend of all the effective things taken from Shaolin Kenpo, Parker Kenpo, Aikido, and we're just starting to add Gracie style Brazilian Ju-Jit-Su. Most of the flashy stuff is taken out, and it's being updated all the time to keep it as real and effective as it can be.

2) There was a thread like this a while back that was locked (from what I could tell) because it devolved into a "my style is better/yours will get you killed in the "real" world" pissing match. Please don't let that happen again.

3) Does anybody else notice the adverts between posts creeping in? It's starting to scare me.

 

[Drift-Bus]

Awesome, and you say you live in Oz? Where did you study Hap Ki Do? And where do you live in Australia?

I'm in NSW. There's a local Hap Ki Do club, I'm not sure if it's still running however. The Judo club near me is getting stronger, along with the fact that my father's one of the instructors there it prods buttocks.

Northern NSW. Like, Byron Bay?

 

[The Iron Ninja]

I did one year of Brazilian Ju Jitsu, but then I stopped for some reason.

Oh and uh *coughs* I totally know Ninjitsu too, Ninja Chef and all that.

 

[Labyrinth]

Northern NSW. Like, Byron Bay?

Nah. Bit south of Sydney.