Martial Arts

[spidey_17]

This thread is about what Japanese or Chinese martial arts you like or think are the best.
As far i am concerned, i have never taken a MA lesson, but i'll start Wing Chun, which as you know is a Chinese fighting style, as it seems pretty effective in combat and there were some people that recommended it to me.

As for Japanese fighting style, i don't think it's close to be one of the best, but i think Aikido is pretty cool and effective as well. I think i'll take some lessons someday.

So, what about you guys?

[Beatboks]

Aikido is pretty good. I studied it for a while to a brown belt. It's got similarities to it's sister art Judo and Jiu Jitsu. The primary difference is the use of KI (Japanese equivalent to Chi). The founder of the form Morihei Ueshiba was weak and sickly throughout his childhood, and developed the art as much to heal himself as a form of defense.
To use the "ki" while you inhale and exhale you imagine the breath coming in and going out through the body part you wish to strengthen or heal. In cases like internal healing you may envision it circling the area. You'd be amazed at the energy you feel when doing it. I'd assume the "chi" is used the same way in Chinese forms (thou I did a little study in Tai Chi I never got into the spiritual side of it).

Hwarung Do (a Korean art form) is another that I think very highly of. It stems from the Hwarung warriors as far back as 600(and something) AD. Many of the Korean forms (like Tae kwon Do, Hapkido have elements derived from Hwarung Do. Like the arts practiced by the Shaolin, it has a very spiritual way to it. the Hwarung believed that there should be a perfect balance. To this end as well as studying the forms of combat they also studied a method of healing called the "Royal Healing Hand". Basically is a form of acupressure. They also believed that they should strive to attain "perfection". To this end they sought to master both body and mind. They learned to control their own mind as well as others. The mind control they learned of others was little more than hypnotism (when I studied and got to that part the trick was to maintain a mono tone even voice and use subtle suggestion). The control of their own mind was meant to attain a sixth sense. I was told by some masters that if you were able to completely clear and control the mind you could see the future or the thoughts of others. I clearly never had the right levels of control (I thought they were on something)

Muay Thai (or more to the point Muay Boran from which the modern sports fighting is derived), is easily the art I'd consider the most dangerous in combat. I only trained in it for two and a half years.I thought I was pretty good, until I competed in a tournament in Thailand a couple of decades ago and got my @$$ well untruly handed to me several times over. What I'd studied was "Muay" , while what they study in Thailand is the original art of "Boran". It's a hell of a lot more intricate and vastly more useful. Muay Thai is brutal with strong offenses and defenses, while Boran turns every successful attack into another, as well as every blocked attack into it's own counter attack. For example when I would try to block a kick with a shin block an opponent who studied Boran would use my leg as a step instead of completing the kick, step up to my upper body lock his legs around my shoulders/neck whatever and throw me across the room.

[spidey_17]

WOW, that was really educational and helpful. Thanks beat.
I'm thinking of taking Muay Thai as well, to be honest. I have noticed that it had to do with nerve strikes and pressure points, right?

Btw, what do you think about wing chun. For now this the main art that i seriously considering of taking and i want to know your opinion about it.

[Beatboks]

Not too much about Muay Thai (at least from those I studied from) has to do with pressure points.
Pressure points play a much larger part in Chinese forms of Kung Fu (soft forms), Jiu Jitsu (which is almost entirely pressure point and leverage), Aikido, Hapkido, Hwarang do (which for some stupid I misspelled in my last post- who am I kidding considering I correct around 40 spell errors every post thanks to spell check the stupid reason is my poor spelling).

Muay thai is just a very brutal form of kick boxing. Many who don't use it watching it being used would consider it cheating. There is more of a focus on using every part of the body as a weapon (knees, elbows are used a lot more than in other forms). The training most practitioners receive to start with is how to take punishment or endure pain. The first teacher I had made us spend a half to two thirds of each lesson kicking a bamboo pole with our shins. Once you could kick the pole for 20 minutes without flinching you were ready to begin training in earnest.

From what I've seen of Win Chun (which isn't much honestly) it's good for close quarters fighting, but I'd be p@#ed off by the limited range of attacks (I've never seen a wing chun practitioner even kick above the legs.

[spidey_17]

Oh i see. My mistake then, but i'm pretty sure pressure points can still be learnt in Muay Thai, right?

As for wing chun, i have noticed that it is pretty good for defense ( the way that i see people blocking seem pretty good ) and it also has to do with the speed of your attacks.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU2-ZDFdjDY

=]

[Crom-Cruach]

There is no such thing as the best martial art.

[spidey_17]

I did not mean exactly this. I was basically asking which martial arts are most effective for you.

[Pirateking69]

Capoeira
Muay Thai
Taekwondo

are some pretty cool and interesting MA that would be pretty cool to know

[Zoom]

I learned all I know about martial arts from bad kung foo movies (ie all of them) and Castleking.

[spidey_17]

lol

[Crom-Cruach]

Jun 5, 2011 20:22:04 GMT -5 spidey_17 said:

I did not mean exactly this. I was basically asking which martial arts are most effective for you.

-Running away 101
-Advanced conflict avoidance techniques
-Calling the police-do
-nut shots, bitting and blinding-fu
-screaming for help katas
;D

[spidey_17]

lol

[spidey_17]

Bump!

[Erik-El]

Jun 5, 2011 23:29:52 GMT -5 Crom-Cruach said:

Jun 5, 2011 20:22:04 GMT -5 spidey_17 said:

I did not mean exactly this. I was basically asking which martial arts are most effective for you.

-Running away 101
-Advanced conflict avoidance techniques
-Calling the police-do
-nut shots, bitting and blinding-fu
-screaming for help katas
;D

You are master of combat sir!

[Khaos King]

The most effective MA are the simple and basic techniques with no flash Like Ryu from street fighter. It should be simple and direct from breaking to maiming a person. jumping kicks, spin kicks should not be the focus of any self defense MA.

Some members have jokingly used the Tiger Claw technique which is a surprise kick to the nuts that is one of the best moves a person can use.

I think for the most part you can strip down 90% of a MA style and take 10% of what is left over and make you a competent fighter of course size, speed, strength are a factor as well But that doesnt mean you cant beat someone who is stronger, faster and bigger then you b/c surprise also plays a big factor in self defense.

i have never really taken any Japanese nor Chinese MA but i have learned overlapping attacks and exercises from Korean, Tae Kwon Do, Kick Boxing, american Boxing, wrestling and Mcmap. I think one of the main focus MA's should focus on is body hardening and strength, it wont do you any good to be fast as Bruce Lee if you hit as hard as limp noodle or break as easily as dry spaghetti.

I think personally that MA's in its full form is more spiritual than physical so you can gain spiritual growth in whatever style you choice to take either Chinese or Japanese MA.

[spidey_17]

Castonopolis: Very interesting and i agree with you on most things.

[Power NeXus]

Capoeira would be really cool to learn, but it's extremely difficult and not very practical.

Krav Maga would probably be good, as it's probably the most practical martial art around.

I think maybe Savate would be a good happy medium between those two. A bit flashy and stylish, but not to the point where it's impractical.
Plus, it's the style that Gambit and Batroc use. How f**king cool would it be to fight like them.

[Khaos King]

[spidey_17]

lol
=]

[Crom-Cruach]

Jun 7, 2011 1:44:23 GMT -5 Erik-El said:

You are master of combat sir!

I am the barbarian king, appease me with sacrifices of blood and bones.

lol.

I took kung fu for a long time, quit the went at it again for a short while. One thing I've observed is that simplicity and efficiency beet style and acrobatics any day.