Beginning Martial Arts

stretching and warming up

I know it's too late to ask this qestion but I read some where that warm up AND stretching should take at least 30 mins before starting the practice!
in my class we warm up and stretch for only 10 mins, is this right?

 

by is there "all" to it do you mean, just punching and kicking and no grappling etc? then yes, all there is is punching and kicking.

 

Learning through books and videos?

Hi everyone. I am obviously new to this site and I have a question about learning a MA. I was in Shaolin Kung-Fu for a little less than a year (only got second yellow), but I had to leave that school because of some problems with the teacher. I have wanted to get back into it for a while (I missed it :cry: ), but I don't really have access to good MA schools closer than a 3 hour drive. I was thinking about "learning" Ninjitsu or some variation of Kung-Fu by either books or video. I understand you can't really learn an art like this through books or videos, but It's the best I can do right now. Can anyone recommend a video or book series that I could use to train with for now? Ninjitsu actually interests me the most, but as I said I have done Kung-fu as well. This is becoming a long post, but I have one more question. Are Richard Van Donk's video series any good? I know he advertises a lot and so on, but can I actually learn from it? Thanks in advance!
PS:I like this site, everyone here seems very helpful.

 

Hey everyone, I'm new here too.

I live in a pretty small spot in Europe, so unfortunately my options are just Taekwondo, Jui-jitsu and Karate.

I've been doing taekwondo for nearly two years now (I just got my blue belt / 6. gup), but I don't know what style.. we don't really care about that in our club ^^.

I'm 16 years old, and I am sick of envy to all you ****** ninjas who where cool enough to start doing martial arts when you were younger.. Damn! Imagine me, with the second or third Dan? Wow.. I envy you, totally.

Okay, I'll get to the point: I've decided that I want to include acrobatics (you know, somersaults and stuff) in high degree into my training, and I was wondering.. does any of you know somewhere with good information about how to learn stuff like that? Handstand, flying kicks and other funny stuff that doesn't come with ordinary training?

In advance, thanks a lot.

Peter, Denmark.

 

Maybe a gymnastics gym?

 

Hmm... A bit late to post this I quess, but here's some sites about those tricks we all want to land

www.multilevelmoves.com
www.trickstutorials.com
www.thefiveelements.tk
www.club540.com

Just see the tutorials and you're good to go

 

Very cool sites, thank you for posting!

 

Hi everyone.

First off I just wanted to say hello as this is my first day on these forums. Now for the questions and such. I've never done anything MA related, however I've decided that I want to start. My problem is i have NO idea what I want to start in. I can't even pronounce the names of half the arts i know of. But thats becides the point realy, I came here so yall could help me decide. And just up front, Im not looking for the best, because i know there is not one. So here goes the long list of information.

Im 16, 5'9-5'10, about 145 pounds. Im an avid weight lifter, so I am well built for my size, and strong. Im a very athletic person, so I play most sports. I think thats about all the personal information that matters.

Here are the different things i would like to learn. I am very specific in what i will list here, so if yall could simply post a few MA's that envolve some of the thigns i listed id be appritiative. Dosen't have to encompass all, but mre is better. So here goes this list. I would like to focus on an MA that focuses on speed, agility, and reflexes. One that deals with quick strikes, and kickign and punching equally. I would like it also to rely on somethign other then strength to beat an aoponent larger then you. I would like something that has a lot of counters, and ways to stop your aponent without really hurting either party, but agian, can also be used offensivley. I would like something that is practical in real self defence. Lastly i would like something that teaches a variety off weapons. Enparticular i would like to learn to use staf's, tonfa, butterfly swords. But more is always better IMO.

I think thats about all the information I can give, and thanks everyone who can help.

 

Have you looked round to see what is in your area....thats going to be a big deciding factor....

 

Dosen't matter.

I'll find that out after I find out what i want to take. I can drive a long way for lessons if need be.

 

Not the best plan. Someone told me Capoeira was good, but my nearest club is 4hrs away. Best to look first, decide after.

Obviously I'll say silat, we cover upright and ground fighting....as well as everything else you mentioned....

www.cimande.com

^ = wealth of knowledge on my style

 

what style(ryu) does the karate academy teach?
I've been doing hayashi-ha ****o-ryu(****o style, hayashi line, as in hayashi's version of it) for two years now, and i can say my academy has most of what you want, but it all depends on the sensei(master/teacher/instructor) and his level of knowledge/open-ness to influence.
or sensei passes a lot of self defence(and knows enough to fling the whole class around with a single arm woohoo! :woo: )
about quick striking and stuff, we train to execute everything fast, so if you're athletic and you dedicate yourself it shouldn't be that much of a problem(besides on a street fight the greatest asset is not strenght or speed but logic, if you know where to hit, when to hit and how to hit no matter your position you can overcome most others who relie only on their physiques)
we also do quite a lot of sweeps and grappling sweeps as self defense(the most simple and fun one: grab him by the shoulders and push him backwards)
about weapons we learned a little staff but i think it's not exploited until black belt and i think tonfa and nunchaku are also ****o-ryu used kobudo weapons but i'm not sure, besides weapon training depends on the sensei's weapon training.

Fish of Doom

 

So anyone have any sugjestions/advice? Hope im not being too impatient. And i don't think i really emphasized this, but trainging in tonfa/staf is pretty imprtant to me. Thanks again for all the help you all ahve ben offering.

 

a heavy punching bag is good to train with a staff
when you're fighting with a staff you'll want to combo a lot of blows, and when you hit some one hard with a staff they either A) remain in position and get your bo(staff) stuck in it's place enabling them to kick your butt- or - B) fly ten feet in the direction you attacked, and some people are impervious to that and will come back knowing what to expect and kick your butt.
so a heavy punching bag would be example A, so you must learn to quickly withdraw the staff and start another hit, and that leads to prevention of example B.
another good technique is to feint a lot, and fight dirty, like fake a smash to the head and drive the staff to the groin, slide it between the legs and pull, throwing the adversary to the ground, then smash away.
sword like gripping is also good if you have the time, skill to use it quickly, just grip near one end with both hands and smash horizontally, unless he/she's VERY VERY strong and skillfull you'll break half his/her bones

Fish Of Doom

 

You do know that on the emote with the guns... :woo: ... only one gun goes off... the right one doesn't.

 

Excuse me but what's that tonfa/staf you guys talking about?

 

Yet another beginner, yet another reply...

Hello everyone...

Wow... I spent almost whole day sitting and waiting until I get activated. Not that I don't know that patience is a virtue...

I'm thinking about taking up some MA but I don't know what do I want. So I hope I'll get an advice whith what could I start.

A lil' bit about myself (in metric system )

I'm 182cm high and about 75kg. I guess I'm athletic build (at least I was).
I lifted some weights and did some boxing when I was 16 but then I started smoking and I dropped it all. Now I just feel that I have to do something or I will become a complete fool (I still smoke but I will drop once I start training)

The thing is that I don't know where I should begin. I'm thinking about something Japanesse because I just adore that culture.
I consider syself quite high thus I want something that would really fit my height and would look awesome in contests. Self defence is secondary since I can do quite enough with the boxing skills I have.

I really hope to get a reply ASAP and even more than one

A HUGE thank you in advance!

 

The best thing for you to do mr vodka is find out what's in your area and go check them out.

 

My suggestions.

Striking: Karate, Kung Fu, Taekwondo, Muay Thai (Thai boxing). First, tell us what style of Kung Fu and Karate they offer. Is it real, traditional stuff or new-age watered down crap??? Most TKD schools (at least from my experience) are lacking in brutality and the physical aspect. Muay Thai is ALWAYS effective. I have yet to see and find a Muay Thai school that's crap.

Grappling: Judo, Jiu-jitsu, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Judo is a sport-oriented versino of Jiu-jitsu essentially, with LESS deadly moves. So ignore Judo. JJJ and BJJ differ on that BJJ is leaned more towards grandwork and submission, while JJJ is more standup-ish. I'd go with BJJ or JJJ, depending on what you are looking for.

Neglible styles: Aikido - takes FOREVER to learn from what I talk to people and read, and seems like one of the lessar street effective arts. No striking at all, very pacifistic. Streetfighting is about the destruction of the enemy.

Wushu - crappy Chinese Communist Kung-Fu wannabe dance routine. COMPLETE CRAP.

 

I suppose I'm asking a question which this thread is full of, but I also am stuck on the; Which MA question.

Some things about me, I'm female, living in the west end of Glasgow, 22, 5'2" (maybe thats generous!), and just under 8 stone. I haven't done any form of sport or excercise since my teens and so I'm, although not overwieght, I'm incredibly unfit - one of the main reasons I want to take up a MA.

I've never done any MA before, or anything like one for that matter. By nature I totally lack discipline, and about the only thing I've shown any commitment to in my adult life is drinking and smoking, so this is another reason I wish to take up a MA, to teach myself some discipline and focus.

Oh yeah, and being a rather small girl I've been attacked/mugged on a few occassions, and what with my super strength of your average 3 year old, havent been able to do anything about it. So a level of self-defense would be good, but more importantly, that i can be more confident in these situations.

So obviously I want one which I will enjoy, and that is accessible for absolute beginners. If there is such a thing. Oh and that I can do in Glasgow. Erm.. yeah I think thats it...

Cheers