Poll: Martial arts and your studies.

[Bronzebow]

In college, I studied yang style Tai Chi. I was fortunate enough to meet a master who had emigrated from china a few years back. It was an experience that I really enjoyed; he taught the form as a context of self defense, and myself and a few other college students would go and do his yard work on saturday morning for a few additional lessons a week and some good tea. I remember how physically balanced I was, and it was cool showing off the sword form when I finally got the hang of it.

Shuffling a sword, however unsharp it may be, in and out of dorms was a fun challenge. My RA thought I was lugging a pool stick around in a leather carrying case. Good thing I never played him, or he'd know how much I suck at pool.

 

[rossatdi]

I did fencing for two years.....stop laughing! Bruce Lee studied it for footwork!

It was pretty good fun but I just never stuck with it. If I was to defend myself in a street brawl with an average level martial arts student there wouldn't really be an advantage for him (I've done a lot of amateur drunken wrestling!) however with swords I'd have a massive advantage!

From my experience 4 years of Tae Kwon Do has basically just proven that my friend would be unable to fight his way out of a paper bag. Granted he'd be able to kick over it, but I don't think it's that useful.

Our spar went as such: I charge him, get kicked in the arm/shoulder (ouch), floor him and pin him pretty easily. Admittedly a higher kick could have done some damage but I had my arm in the way anyway. Yeah I had an awesome bruise on my arm for a couple of weeks but I certainly won!

Krav Maga is something I've wanted to try though.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I fenced for four or five years.

 

[Chiasm]

If fencing counts then flying high fives for all fencers here, Been studying it now for almost 5 months, I think it is kind of underrated in peoples eyes as there is a great deal more to it then picking up the the foil and poking at people.

 

[irrelevantnugget]

I do capoeira, if you're fine with my classifying it as a martial art in this context.

 

[rossatdi]

I fenced for four or five years.

If fencing counts then flying high fives for all fencers here, Been studying it now for almost 5 months, I think it is kind of underrated in peoples eyes as there is a great deal more to it then picking up the the foil and poking at people.

High five pedro! High five Chiasm!

I was pretty good at foil, poking is a pretty central technique! They footwork is very useful when doing anything physical.

 

[TheBadass]

I did Judo for, like, a week. I can still kick some ass though, don't be steppin' on me: I know fung sheu.

Actually, I don't know that either. Huh. I'll have to smack you about with my phone or something, so watch out guys.

 

[irishdelinquent]

I studied Kenpo for seven years, until I earned my black belt.

 

[BladesofReason]

I just tested for my second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do, which is essentially the practical version of Tae Kwon Do.

I used to take fencing, did it for a few years along with some dueling in there. I've touched very briefly on Ai Kido, Capoeira and Tai Chi.

 

[Phillosophic]

Always wanted to try fencing, could never find classes though :"(

 

[Danny Ocean]

Tae Kwon Do is spelt with an 'e'. For the record, Taekwondo isn't all kicks, you know. It nicks a lot of hand movements from Karate.

 

[Lluevos Redondo]

I'm currently studying Shaolin Kung-Fu, I've got my orange belt. It's pretty hype, the first 2 belts (3rd is orange) is all about learning sequences and proper forms, how do move more swiftly, then it gets into putting the strength into it and multiple kicks and punches.

 

[Drift-Bus]

Hap Ki Do, though it wasn't on the list, so i clicked not on the list, clever aren't I?

 

[RAWKSTAR]

Does Boxing count?
If so I coach that!

 

[Drift-Bus]

I've done Judo (Which I'm going back to.) a bit of Hapkido and a bit of Karate. However, in my experience Judo is the most useful of the three, as most fights descend to a grappling match very fast.

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

 

[RebelRising]

I do Ninjitsu, it appeals to my stealthy, strategic and slightly psychotic self.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

I've done Judo (Which I'm going back to.) a bit of Hapkido and a bit of Karate. However, in my experience Judo is the most useful of the three, as most fights descend to a grappling match very fast.

it is the most useful, it's one of the few arts that will actually translate into a real fight in the real world

I did fencing for two years.....stop laughing! Bruce Lee studied it for footwork!

his brother is/was a champion fencer

as for the topic at hand, i studied Bruce Lee's true intention of Jeet Kune Do, which means if something doesn't work, don't use it or learn it and use what does work

tho i'll probly go take some brazillian jiu jitsu again, i miss it and it's a ton of fun

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

It's Krav Maga BTW; the martial art developed by the Israeli military.

I've done:

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.

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".

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.

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.

 

[PureChaos]

i did judo a few years ago but stopped because i was crap at it

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

I don't do martial arts, I do Parkour. Not much ass-kickery, but still fuckin' cool!