[jeremey wisor]

try kickboxing, it will definitely get you in shape and teach you how to handle yourself but its not really a self defense style

Hmm I'm looking more for a self defence style

[jess hughes]

I always doubt things that I see like that. The idea of 'mind over matter', though as cool as it seems, doesn't help but make me wonder why we can't all do it. Wonder where all the people in the world are that think they can take a baseball bat to the stomach but soon find out that they can't. Must admit it'd be amusing to watch.

Has anyone seen Kung Fu Hustle, or Shaolin Soccer? Both films are hilariously funny. It was just your comment of 'an iron shirt' that made me think of them. If you've not seen them, then I really recommend them.

chi is real and those who master it can do amazing things...we all can do it but we all dont train.
I've witnessed 1st hand the power of chi and theres all kinds of scientific tests that have proven its existence.

Even the show superhumans has shown a man from shaolin take a power drill to the belly, throat and temple without the drill penetrating, only breaking the skin. His chi was strong..

[Shannon Marie Jones]

Hmm I'm looking more for a self defence style

is there a krav maga school nearby? its a israeli military style that teaches how to defend and disarm armed opponents but its a hardcoe specialty style that isnt common so you might not find a school.

I recommend aikido, its purely defensive/non aggressive and you dont have to be strong to be good. The founder was in his 70's tossing students like dolls....stephen seagal uses a basterdized version in his movies, you're supposed to stop before you break bones

[Sweets Sweets]

is there a krav maga school nearby? its a israeli military style that teaches how to defend and disarm armed opponents but its a hardcoe specialty style that isnt common so you might not find a school.

I recommend aikido, its purely defensive/non aggressive and you dont have to be strong to be good. The founder was in his 70's tossing students like dolls....stephen seagal uses a basterdized version in his movies, you're supposed to stop before you break bones

No krav maga nearby, and I wouldn't take aikido because by the sounds of it it wouldn't get me in shape. What is Judo like?

[Emmanuel Morales]

I'm thinking of learning a martial art, but I don't really know what to take, any advice?

I'm not really fit so I could do with something that would get me in shape, and something that is good for self defence without killing or seriously harming someone. Has to be available in Liverpool.

Special Forces are trained in Wing Tsung. Nuff' said.

[Marina Leigh]

Special Forces are trained in Wing Tsung. Nuff' said.

What's that?

[laila hassan]

No krav maga nearby, and I wouldn't take aikido because by the sounds of it it wouldn't get me in shape. What is Judo like?

Judo is the same but it uses throws more, whereas aikido focuses on grabbing the wrist and controlling your enemy with it. Neither get you in shape. Might wanna try jusjitsu, or like I said karate.

Wing Tsung is a type of kung fu that uses very quick hand motions to beat others up by aiming for vital points. I don't believe any kicks are used and almost everything depends on speed. You may have seen Jackie Chan movies where he is practicing hitting wooden logs with stick coming out of them (like weird coat-racks). That I believe is a way to practice Wing Tsung. I personally wouldn't recommend it for self-defense as an experienced fighter can either A. Kick the life out of you while maintaining distance. or B. Get in real close and start grappling, at which point it is a wise decision to have a quick conversation with your deity of choice. It seems very useful if you make the first move and use your speed to land a bunch of vital blows, at which point you probably win the fight.

[Miss Hayley]

Anyone else here practiced http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdptkfJ8PMk?

[Rob Smith]

Judo is the same but it uses throws more, whereas aikido focuses on grabbing the wrist and controlling your enemy with it. Neither get you in shape. Might wanna try jusjitsu, or like I said karate.

Wing Tsung is a type of kung fu that uses very quick hand motions to beat others up by aiming for vital points. I don't believe any kicks are used and almost everything depends on speed. You may have seen Jackie Chan movies where he is practicing hitting wooden logs with stick coming out of them (like weird coat-racks). That I believe is a way to practice Wing Tsung. I personally wouldn't recommend it for self-defense as an experienced fighter can either A. Kick the life out of you while maintaining distance. or B. Get in real close and start grappling, at which point it is a wise decision to have a quick conversation with your deity of choice. It seems very useful if you make the first move and use your speed to land a bunch of vital blows, at which point you probably win the fight.

Hmm, maybe I could just pick one and go the gym alongside it. Jiu Jitsu looks good too, I think I'd be better with a grappling one than a striking one, it seems more practical for the real world.

[Ricky Rayner]

Anyone else here practiced http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdptkfJ8PMk?

Seems a bit similar to Aikido.

@Pokoyo That would be best, most martial arts either A. are meant to be effective regardless of physical shape, thus they don't get you into shape (judo, aikido etc) or B. already require you to be in good shape (Muay Thai, Shorinji Kempo etc.).

[Cayal]

Seems a bit similar to Aikido.

It is, but it is more aggressive. There are more attack tactics' there (as far as I know) than in aikido.

[abi]

I've been doing Martial Arts since I was 11 and have been loving it. Used to practice Tae Kwon Do and Karate, but I had to quit because of financial problems. One Martial Art I want to learn the most is Jeet Kune Do developed and created by Bruce Lee.

[Taylor Bakos]

I've been doing Martial Arts since I was 11 and have been loving it. Used to practice Tae Kwon Do and Karate, but I had to quit because of financial problems. One Martial Art I want to learn the most is Jeet Kune Do developed and created by Bruce Lee.

That's great! I hope you can return to doing martial arts soon.

[Danielle Brown]

Krav Maga is pretty badass, and the offshoot CKM is good for getting in shape. Karate is also rather active, as is a good Kung-Fu school.

Karate has a lot of variations, mind you, some of which svck. I have taken Shotokan, Wado-Ryu, and Kenpo. Kenpo is very fluid, and Shotokan was too traditional. Wado-Ryu was my favorite and my recommendation, if you have a school of it nearby.

Judo focuses mainly on throws, balance, and control. It's not very active.

If you want to get in shape and be active and aren't worried so much about the actual fighting practicality of it, Capoeira is crazy. I have a friend that does it, he's ripped.

[Brandon Bernardi]

training kung fu for free by a police officer :3

[saxon]

I agree with you on ju-jitsu, it's very effective against one person at a time (hence great in MMA and any normal fighting competition) however, you have a real hard time going up against two. I recently heard of a technique called brawl-and-sprawl that is utilized by strikers to avoid getting taken down by wrestlers/grapplers. Here is a link to it, it would be hard to explain; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KviIkLyHTQ

I also agree on the mixed styles, I plan to continue with Aikido and then go into Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and Muay Thai (always admired it greatly )

Vs two opponents is for Hollywood, not real life. You aren't gonna spin kick your way to victory vs two assailants. Real life fighting just doesn't work that way. If you have two people assailing you, your best bet is to flee. No kicks, no punches, no fancy moves will help you.

I was never a fan of Karate...it annoyed me that most of it had no real-world application to it (having said that, I was learning at 14, so it may just be that I hadn't got to the 'juicy' stuff). It also didn't really play to my strengths.

After a conversation with Exorince the other day, I signed up at the Bulldog gym, around 30 miles from where I am. I've started Kickboxing again, and taken up Muay Thai aswell. I was considering doing a 3rd course in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but if I'm doing the other two properly, I shouldn't need a ground game

It's the other way around. If you're doing BJJ properly you shouldn't need a stand up striking game. In all fairness, MMA fighters do not need to stand and strike except for ratings. There's tons of videos of BJJ fighters dominating strikers or stand up fighters because once the BJJ fighter closes the gap it's all over...and you're not gonna prevent that gap from closing if you yourself aren't a BJJ fighter. I'll link a few:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQXlg7DksvY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlleDPgmDVM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RawPYGzYOQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEm-SVGlJrg

For anyone serious about self defense, grappling should be the foundation. That's including law enforcement and military who already train in BJJ. From that foundation you add striking, and Muay Thai is a great supplement because it's strikes from a clinch. The only problem is there has to be a BJJ/MMA academy near you. If you're serious I recommend staying away from karate, kung fu, taekwondo etc. because they have no real world application and their training does not focus on sparring which is essential.

Most real world fights end up with grappling, or wrestling on the ground. That's a fact. All your fancy karate katas may as well be flushed down the toilet at that point. High school and college wrestlers are more skilled at self defense than most karate black belts.

(edit: some taekwondo techniques are effective when part of an overall training regimen that includes grappling, so what I said above is not totally correct. Just don't train it exclusively. It's not that useful an art by itself, unlike judo or jiu jitsu or sambo or even olympic wrestling.)

[zoe]

Vs two opponents is for Hollywood, not real life. You aren't gonna spin kick your way to victory vs two assailants. Real life fighting just doesn't work that way. If you have two people assailing you, your best bet is to flee. No kicks, no punches, no fancy moves will help you.

That's incorrect. Krav Maga for example, has techniques for being assaulted by more than one person at a time. Cool vids though, I agree JJ is awesome, I am aiming to learn it at some point along with Muay Thai.

[TOYA toys]

No krav maga nearby, and I wouldn't take aikido because by the sounds of it it wouldn't get me in shape. What is Judo like?

dont know much about judo but most styles that focus on defense wont get you in shape, they're taught to all shapes and sizes...i know my brother was chubby when he started tae kwon do and was lean when he got his 1st black belt.

@Holycannoli..real fights dont get fought with flashy movie fu but its possible to take on multiple opponents with any form of fighting if you're more skilled then your opponents

[e.Double]

I have a few questions; are all martial instructors supposed to be certified to take money to train students and have a school?

If so what or who are they certified by in order to legally be paid to train students?

Do schools normally hide their fees or make it difficult to see what the rates are?

Do students normally receive a receipt every time they pay for their classes?

Another question is, is it strange for a student to start taking classes in the middle of a month do they really have to wait for the first of every month to start classes?

There is more to why I am asking this and its because of a controversy between me an my Sifu.

[Annika Marziniak]

I have a few questions; are all martial instructors supposed to be certified to take money to train students and have a school?

If so what or who are they certified by in order to legally be paid to train students?

Do schools normally hide their fees or make it difficult to see what the rates are?

Do students normally receive a receipt every time they pay for their classes?

Another question is, is it strange for a student to start taking classes in the middle of a month do they really have to wait for the first of every month to start classes?

There is more to why I am asking this and its because of a controversy between me an my Sifu.

It sounds like you go to a shady school and the so called "sifu" doesnt sound like a true master. I will tell you that my aikido teacher is a 7th dan recognized by japan officials. When i found him his rate was a little pricy at $100 a month but when i spoke to him he told me that the rent he pays for the school is high so he asks that amount but in true master form, he told me i can donate whatever i can afford as he doesnt want money to be an issue if the student is willing to learn.

My brother had a true korean tae kwon do master who found out he was having financial problems so he ended up letting him train for free. A friend of mine was allowed to sleep in the dojo he trained in because he had nowhere to live...these are traits of true masters who teach true art for good reason, not to make money.

I suggest you shop around for a better teacher as yours sounds like a fraud. Also beware the big name schools like kum sung because they're more fitness and form then true martial art

[tegan fiamengo]

I have a few questions; are all martial instructors supposed to be certified to take money to train students and have a school?

If so what or who are they certified by in order to legally be paid to train students?

Do schools normally hide their fees or make it difficult to see what the rates are?

Do students normally receive a receipt every time they pay for their classes?

Another question is, is it strange for a student to start taking classes in the middle of a month do they really have to wait for the first of every month to start classes?

There is more to why I am asking this and its because of a controversy between me an my Sifu.

1. Not that I know of but prestigious senseis will be certified by the international organization of their choice of martial arts (i.e. an aikido sensei will be certified by the World Aikido Federation etc.) As for money, the senseis at my dojo are volunteers.

2. See above.

3. A good school won't but some back alley "school" (I'm sure we've all seen these) might try to scam you.

4. I do, but again I can't speak for everyone.

5. Students normally wait until a period (usually the first class of each month) when new students are accepted, since they have some special instructions to help get them moving.

Hope this helped.

It sounds like you go to a shady school and the so called "sifu" doesnt sound like a true master. I will tell you that my aikido teacher is a 7th dan recognized by japan officials. When i found him his rate was a little pricy at $100 a month but when i spoke to him he told me that the rent he pays for the school is high so he asks that amount but in true master form, he told me i can donate whatever i can afford as he doesnt want money to be an issue if the student is willing to learn.

My brother had a true korean tae kwon do master who found out he was having financial problems so he ended up letting him train for free. A friend of mine was allowed to sleep in the dojo he trained in because he had nowhere to live...these are traits of true masters who teach true art for good reason, not to make money.

I suggest you shop around for a better teacher as yours sounds like a fraud. Also beware the big name schools like kum sung because they're more fitness and form then true martial art

Wow, these are some really nice guys.

[Jack Bryan]

For a while I was in Shorin Ryu - Yama[censored]a style. I loved it, but time got limited and had to quit. I still do some of the katas when I'm bored and want to do some exercise. (edit: dang culturally insensitive autocensor...)

I've seen a growth in realistic or applicable marial arts rather than studio-bound practices. Something I liked about my sensei was that he was a former personal bodyguard (not military). With that in the back of his head, he taught us a lot of self-defense. What sticks out is goign out in the parking lot and incorporating vehicles: how to defend from inside a car, bouncing people off the car, using the car for defense, etc. Another was that he made it a practice to head out in the parking lot in winter. These were real Wisconsin winters, so we were dressed in parkas and snow boots. Kind of fun doing unintensional spinning kicks After reading some more posts, yes, we regularly sparred and did things other that strick karate (how to break holds, kicks in the jimmy, joint popping, chokes, groudfighting, etc.). Sounds like it was pretty well-rounded. The dojo definitley held its own in forms and sparring (even when shorties like myself weren't allowed to go for the groin

I'd love to get back into it, but it's cost prohibitive. I'd really like for my youngin's to try it as well. My girl is at a good age and would get into the chreography of it - and needs the exercise. My boy is still a bit too young and irresponsible.

[Emma]

Just got back from my favorite class of the week; weapons practice!
Practiced using bokken today and it was awesome.

@rumblyguts Sounds like you had a great, practical sensei. I've never heard of practicing car defense but is sounds useful, hope you and your kids can start again soon.

[Marcus Jordan]

Most real world fights end up with grappling, or wrestling on the ground. That's a fact. All your fancy karate katas may as well be flushed down the toilet at that point. High school and college wrestlers are more skilled at self defense than most karate black belts.

Grappling is crucial to a good self defense technique, this is absolutely true. If you don't know how to wrestle, you will find yourself in trouble when somebody grabs ahold of you. And that happens in most fights.

I also recommend some basic knowledge of hand weapons, like you get from Escrima. Sticks, rocks, small things to be held in the hand can make a huge difference during a fight. Knowing how to use them, and what to do when someone else uses them, is also crucial.

Not surprisingly, they are linked. If your opponent comes at you with a hand weapon, your best bet is to close the gap as soon as possible and get a grip on that arm or wrist. Time to grapple.

[Marcus Jordan]

Hmm I'm looking more for a self defence style

Depending on where you live, try calling your local police department and ask them where you can find a self defense class. Some places have courses specifically for that and they'll teach you some tricks so if you absolutely have to you can gain an advantage to escape from an attacker. If you're being victimized into a fight getting away unharmed is a win.

Grappling is crucial to a good self defense technique, this is absolutely true. If you don't know how to wrestle, you will find yourself in trouble when somebody grabs ahold of you. And that happens in most fights.

Most of my training is in submission wrestling, in a real fight there are very few useful holds. I can explain more than 20 different techniques but I can only claim 2 of them have ever benefitted me. One of which I had to use in self-defense I don't want to talk about it but after what happened with that I would never recommend it to anyone, ever.