Introduction

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by niftyniffler, May 6, 2012.

  1. niftyniffler

    niftyniffler Valued Member

    hi all

    Firstly thanks for this awesome and all inclusive forum.
    My name is Anna and I am 39 years old (but really still feel about 25). One of my regrets in life is that I didn't do something about my desire to learn a martial art sooner but better late than never. I studied karate for about 18 months and was pretty much ready for green belt grading when I stopped and reassessed what I was doing. Not only was I unhappy with the business ethics of the school I was with but I was also feeling that the usefulness of what I was learning was distinctly limited. In short - after 18 months of weekly training plus a little practice at home - I didn't feel I was even coming close to being able to defend myself with any confidence. I had always wanted to learn kung-fu but there was no class that was really within easy reach....until March of this year!
    In short a branch of Sifu (will be Sigung to me) Shawn Rawcliffe's school was opening - practically on my doorstep, so I took myself along and have been training hard in Wing Chun ever since - I don't think I have ever been more excited about anything. I practice daily between classes and have absorbed myself in reading all around the subject. In the 5 weeks I have been learning wing chun I have probably learned more than the 18 months I studied karate (as much due to me applying myself more than the way I was being taught and what I was learning). I just hope that when the 16 weeks beginners course is up and my assessment is due that they like me well enough to continue teaching me.:D
    As well as wing chun I have been training regularly at the gym for the last 3 years to work on cardio and strength, enjoy running (training intervals and endurance). I am also into lots of nerdy things like star wars and Dr Who, and also like..................knitting (I love to make hats) ..... yes knitting. lol.
    I am mother to fabulous identical twin boys (age 8) and am married to an American man from Florida who supports me and encourages me in pretty much everything I do. I was a secondary school teacher until the twins came along and have been self employed working basically on ebay from home - which is great because it can be fitted in when it suits me.
    Edit...I am from Yorkshire and now live in the Midlands UK.
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2012
  2. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Welcome to MAP.

    Martial arts and a nerd, you'll fit right in here.:D
     
  3. niftyniffler

    niftyniffler Valued Member

    Thank-you.

    I just saw the "may the fourth be with you" thread... should have signed up a few days sooner.
     
  4. Frodocious

    Frodocious She who MUST be obeyed! Moderator Supporter

    Welcome to MAP! Like Simon says if you like MAs, training and are a nerd, you'll fit in perfectly here! :D
     
  5. CrowZer0

    CrowZer0 Assume formlessness.

    Welcome! Sounds good that you have found something you're really excited about, since you put so much effort into your training and studying daily, I'm sure you will do fine after the trial.
     
  6. Griffin

    Griffin Valued Member

    Welcome to MAP :cool:
     
  7. LT987

    LT987 New Member

    welcome to MAP, im new here myself but i think that this is easily one of the best sites i have been to. most of what im saying has been covered by everyone else, but im sure you will like it here- keep up the training.

    -luke
     
  8. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Welcome aboard :)

    Mitch
     
  9. Seventh

    Seventh Super Sexy Sushi Time

    Welcome to MAP, you'll fit right in. Also, Doctor Who for the win :)
     
  10. niftyniffler

    niftyniffler Valued Member

    YAY
    Thanks for making me so welcome. I have been reading and reading and reading - so much useful stuff here. Also lots that is just plain interesting.
    I need to tear myself away..I am giving myself a headache.
    :)
     
  11. Lord Bathmat

    Lord Bathmat Valued Member

    I am sorry to have to tell you but Wing Chun isn't effective at all especially for woman. You will find a number of threads on this website and also on Bullshido explaining the non-effectiveness of wing chun.
     
  12. Alansmurf

    Alansmurf Aspire to Inspire before you Expire Supporter

    Chose your own path and ignore internet experts

    Welcome to MAP

    Smurf
     
  13. Lord Bathmat

    Lord Bathmat Valued Member

    If you are lookings for an effective martial arts consider the following

    Boxing
    Thai Boxing
    Judo
    MMA
    Sambo (if you can find it)
    Kick Boxing
    BJJ
    Full Contact Karate (Kyoshinkai)
    Jujitsu

    But ignore Wing Chun
     
  14. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award


    Ignore this^.

    Do this^.
     
  15. niftyniffler

    niftyniffler Valued Member

    Considering you have no idea precisely why I am studying Wing Chun nor what I hope to gain from it I really don't see why you feel even remotely qualified in the subject of me to say that.

    My motivation for studying a martial art has zero to do with either competition fighting, mixing it up against other arts in order to prove my art is the best, or proving myself to be badass. This is a very personal journey for me and Wing Chun ticks all my boxes. Other arts may be more effective but I am very happy with my choice, my school and my journey.

    The probablity of me ever having to practice self defence for real are very low - I know how to moniter my safety circle and never put myself in high risk situations.

    Seriously though - thanks for your opinion but thats all it is - your opinion and welcome to being the first on my ignore list. I can't be doing with arrogance. :).
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2012
  16. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    I'm not the greatest fan of Wing Chun but...

    I watched Shawn Rawcliffe's classes for about a month while cross training in Birmingham back in 1993. I can remember reading his magazine articles back then too. He's a good instructor who knows his stuff. Whatever the system, such people are rare.

    Welcome to MAP. :)
     
  17. niftyniffler

    niftyniffler Valued Member

    He certainly knows his stuff. I have read his book "simply Wing Chun" and what blows me away is all the science and physics behind the art. It works my brain as much as it works my body and that is big fun for me.
     
  18. Lord Bathmat

    Lord Bathmat Valued Member

    The reason i said don't do Wing Chun is because you said in your you wanted to be able to defend yourself confidently.

    Have i seen Wing chun work effectively? yes but the person using it weighs 18 stone and was sparring someone weighing 12 stone (infact this 18 stone dude can make ballet work for him). Have I ever seen a 12 stone man (let alone a 10 stone woman) using wing chun to defend themselves effectively against a heavier, aggressive opponent? no never.

    Secondly a brother of a friend of mine is a police officer who was very versed in the art of Wing Chun but when he tried to use he always got defeated.

    If you are doing the art for the art's sake then i hope you enjoy your journey but if you are doing the art hoping it is an effective form of self defense then i wouldn't recommend it.

    Also the majority of the people on this forum and on bullsido will agree with me.
     
  19. Herbo

    Herbo Valued Member

    I get the point of your original post, in fact I agree that alive training methods are the only reliable way to produce competent practitioners. However, you didn't even mention alive training or progressive resistance, you just bluntly stated that OP was wasting her time and should do as you say. What response did you expect?

    Furthermore in your defence of your initial post you bring up anecdotal evidence, one of the very things that myself and others who frequent bullshido would slate someone for using in an argument! e.g. "It doesn't matter that we don't spar with contact, grandmaster X once killed 10 attackers at once so the system must work". Your 18 stone 12 stone story was no different in principle.

    Also this is MAP, not bullshido so don't assume everyone shares your worldview.
     
  20. niftyniffler

    niftyniffler Valued Member

    Since someone has now quoted and responded to the post I had ignored I will respond to one point only. I didn't say I wanted to be able to defend myself confidently ...I stated this

    " I was also feeling that the usefulness of what I was learning was distinctly limited. In short - after 18 months of weekly training plus a little practice at home - I didn't feel I was even coming close to being able to defend myself with any confidence."

    What I am saying is this. After 18 months I would have hoped to feel even a slight confidence that I could defend myself against a minor situation (such as a car key grab) but I didn't. We covered that stuff but the techniques were long winded, impractical and I just wasn't confident with them.
    My first line of self defence is to avoid - if you can't avoid, get safe and get out. I run - pretty fast for my age and run 5k regularly - this combined with a few basic "get out" methods is hopefully all I need. I have already worked principles of Wing Chun to much faster and more effective responses to a car key grab scenario than anything I learned in karate - although if I could see an attack coming I would probably want to avoid it anyway. The harsh reality for me is that if I don't see an attack coming then there is only a very limited amount I can do anyway - which is why I keep a very close eye on my safety circle and the environment I am in. I think this is actually true for all Martial arts. I don't care how good you are in any style of martial art - if someone you didn't expect leaps out behind you and clubs you on the head - you are not in a good place. Similarly if someone pulls a gun on you or thrusts a knife into your gut ... what are you going to do? I think it would be foolish to try and encourage the kind of confidence in a person such as myself, that would make them think they can take on a knife attack or an attack from multiple opponants etc. My sifu has already worked us on practical application but he is realistic about self defence. Being realistic is wise I really do think.
    I practice wing chun for the love of the art, the preservation of the tradition, the personal growth and journey. It has already taught me more than a few things that would probably help me keep safer in a minor situation. Jumping into a ring to mash it up with people half my age and twice the experience at my age is about the last thing on my mind. Anyone practicing martial arts should know better than to start a fight with a woman keeping herself to herself (ie me) on the street anyway so I don't really feel too worried about getting a beating from the MMA or BJJ etc crowd.

    I wasn't planning on joining the police either - just to reassure you on that one... and my sensei of 18 months already reassured us that it probably isn't best to even try and fight back against a drunk or drugged up person - they don't feel pain or react in predictable ways so again - best get out.

    Get safe then get out. If not you really do run the risk of being in trouble with the police yourself for reacting with more than reasonable force.

    Its probably worth adding in here - a 63 year old woman from my old karate class successfully averted a youth stealing her purse from behind by simply employing a couple of simple tools she picked up in the karate class. She was watching in the shop windows as the person approached her from behind and when she was sure he was going for her bag (by which time he was very close up) she pulled her elbow back hard. The guy was startled - never saw it coming, and fell over - then was apprehended by security. This wasn't karate, Wing Chun or any other martial art. It was just a few clever tricks (and probably about the most useful thing I took away from 18 months of karate class).

    One of our rules is to never disprespect other arts or teachers. I do so wish all other arts would have a similar way of thinking. :)
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2012

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