Combined Styles...

[Mugen Tenshi]

Salutations everyone.

I`m a student of bujinkan ninjutsu, and I`m looking for exotic styles to combine with it.

Specifically, I`m looking for a mix that is deadly, sthetically pleasent and calm.

I was thinking abaout combining Ninjutsu, Muay Thai and Tai Chi.
If anyone has any better suggestions, please let me know.

[Kinjiro Tsukasa]

I have no experience with Muay Thai, but Tai Chi and Ninjutsu work really well together (I do both). In either one, you will recognize elements from the other (I recognize many similarities, because in my Tai Chi class, we learn the martial application of every posture).

BTW, welcome to MAP (I see this is your first post)!

[Mugen Tenshi]

Yes, I like the way Tai Chi begins with softness and develops into force, while ninjutsu has a constant flow of both... these are respectively soft and meddle, now I need to combine a hard style to complete the balance in offense and defense.

Muay Thai seems a good one at that, for it trains not only to dodge and counter, but also to strengthen the body to take and withstand solid blows.

But it is not very fluent and I fear it might compromise my posture in the other styles...

[Sweeet]

'Muay Thai and Tai Chi'

Seems like... black and white to me.

One is the essence of pure efficient, quick, powerful brutality.

The other is the essence of graceful, precise, soft, intricate technique.

Muay Thai on the one hand focuses on conditioning, strength and power - Thai Chi focuses on technique, finese, relaxation & mediation in many cases.. ect.

Seems like a really really weird mix - and a bit 'off' quite frankly. Depending on your personality type and what you're looking for, I'd think you could find a ... slightly better comination.

It seems you've just isolated the two extremes :)

[WhiteWizard]

Tai Chi is actually good for conditioning too in a different way of course

[Adam]

Muay Thai and Tai Chi? Why not learn sumo wrestling and capoeira, that would complement each other just as well ;)

[Mugen Tenshi]

Hahaha, perhaps you're right.

I thought of muay thai for the conditioning benefits of its harsh training sessions. And the mix isn't as 'off' as one may think.

T'ai Chi focuses mind over body, proving a very good mental discipline, while Muay Thai, on the other hand, conditions physique to take harsh treatment and undergo damage without compromising your performance.

They actually balance each other out.

But as you pointed out, they may be way too different to practice at the same time...

I'm naturally aggressive, so Muay Thai would match my personality better, but the point is I'm trying to counter my aggressivity, I want to find a more peaceful state of mind and have emotional balance... so I dont know wich style to ditch...

[Mugen Tenshi]

Originally posted by Sweeet

Seems like a really really weird mix - and a bit 'off' quite frankly. Depending on your personality type and what you're looking for, I'd think you could find a ... slightly better comination.

It seems you've just isolated the two extremes :)


ANy suggestions are welcome! :)

[Joe karate]

Tai Chi shouldn't hurt. Well hear is what i think after talking to an instruvtor. He said he wasn't going to teach me how to fight. He was going to teach me how to make my Kempo better. Kempo would teach me to fight and throw say a punch. Tai Chi would teach me how to throw a harder punch through teaching my whole body how to move. So would hitting a heavy bag. Both will compliment my puch so why not use it?

Well thats it for now....does it make sense?

I see no reason why Tai Chi should not b done with MT.

[Sweeet]

Originally posted by Mugen Tenshi
ANy suggestions are welcome! :)

To be perfectly honest, if it works for you I don't see any problem with the mix. As you pointed out, they do isolate different aspects of martial arts and 'balance' each other out. But it's a hell of a switch one day to be doing a Muay Thai class and the next to be doing Tai Chi! :p

As far as recommendations go - and keeping in mind you want some discipline, I'd recommend a bit more traditional 'styled' approach to martial arts. The one I have experience in is Hapkido:

It's an eclectic art, in that it combines all the ranges & elements, linear and circular techniques, hard/soft movements, but is also quite traditional in approach - at least in my experience.

You get all the aggression-stifling discipline, while still getting well-rounded, effective training. At least, in my experience.

Although I'm tempted to say - if you have problems with aggression, perhaps training in physical combat is not the ideal solution? :D I mean, Muay Thai certainly tries to bring out the aggression in a person.

I've found that when you get to a certain level of skill/proficiency and you have alot of confidence in your abilities, you lose the aggression because it's kind of like 'What's the point?'.

If you know you could 'kick someone's ass' very easily, and quite easily hurt them badly, for some reason you seem alot less inclined to do just that. IMO.

[Mugen Tenshi]

Yes, that`s exactly my point.
I`m not about to hide that my excessive aggressivity is, in part, due to my lack of confidense in my skills.
The other half is due to a lifetime of repeated desception with others... I guess I built a `wall` around me because of it.


I thought maybe if a had an escape valve for all the aggression (say in MT trainning) I`d be less inclined to it outside the ring.

However, my final aim is to turn martial arts into a lifestyle, not a sport.


Thnx for your answers.

[stump]

Are you in Brazil???????(your location says so)


FFS go for BJJ!!! I think you should be beaten severely with smelly month old fish for being a martial artist in Brazil and not doing so already :)

You won't regret it.

[yangtaichi]

the school I am enrolled in currently is a member of the plum blossum society here in the states, the curriculem is both yang tai chi and choy li fut kung fu. since taichi came from kung fu i would have to definatly recommend kung fu, shaolin or choy li fut