[ladyflames]

I'm not sure if a thread like this has been started before, if it has then sorry. This is a thread to discuss all traditional martial arts. This can be anything from any culture, including traditions still practiced today, such as archery or swordfighting. The only requirement is that it has to be practiced today, and have cultural origins. Please do not discuss things like WWE, and boxing, since it is not the purpose of this thread. Also, as always keep things civil and remember all martial arts have beauty and there is no need to start up arguments about which one is "better". They are all unique and awesome. If anyone has questions about a martial art, please post them here and maybe an experienced person can help them out.

To start off the discussion; I have recently gotten a membership at Japanese Cultural Centre, where there is a wide range of martial arts to choose from. I originally wanted to start Iaido, the art of practicing katas with a samurai sword, with the goal of perfecting your movement, but unfortunately it will have to wait as I cannot afford a sword at the moment. Meanwhile, I have started Aikido which is similar to judo in that you use the momentum of the attacker and turn it against him, however there is also a special class for weapons practice. Aikidio was started byMorihei Ueshiba (Osensei), as a form of achieving Budo, or the lifestyle of the warrior. This would include martial arts such as Kendo and Iaido as well as arts such as calligraphy and performing the tea ceremony. However, one does not have to take Aikido to such a highly spiritual level, as it is an extremely efficient way of disamring even several opponents at once, and can harmlessly turn attacks. Aikido does not contain any attacking moves (unless it is a weapons class, which according to some is not strictly Aikido), and relies upon redirecting the enemy's force to ellegantly and effortlessly negate attacks from both weapons and empty hands. I have found this martial art very much to my liking as it does not contain any additional moves that are for show, and relies on maximum efficiency while retaining the spiritual aspect of Budo. Here is a video of a very talented aikidoka utilising Aikido; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWxdBOaj1o0&feature=related I also practice traditional Magyar horse archery, which is basically the same as used by Huns and Mongols, except currently we have no horses, so we have to make do with practicing firing technique.

As I said, please feel free to discuss martial arts here, I have no idea if there are many martial artist here on these forums, but it would be nice to have these thread for those of us who are. remember, you don't have to be a pro (neither am I).

EDIT; MY MISTAKE FOLKS MMA IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.

[Yonah]

The definition of traditional is a bit of a debate.

Does tai kwon do qualify as traditional?
What about judo?
Or styles that have been around a long time but are not from Asia, like sambo or krav maga?

I have been doing martial arts for 20 years and in that time have done two forms of Kung fu, two types of karate, a little jujitsu and kick boxing and bits and pieces of some other strange stuff.
In my opinion the best martial art I have done is krav maga because it is so practical. Krav maga has the same problem that a lot of Kung fu styles suffered from in the 80s. The problem being that as it has become popular a huge amount of fake schools are floating around that have no direct link to anything real.

[Bad News Rogers]

I must confess, I'm rather interested in the Russian fighting style of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkfJoOsldEg although I can't find anywhere that teaches it.

It seems to focus a lot on pressure points.

[Louise Lowe]

The definition of traditional is a bit of a debate.

Does tai kwon do qualify as traditional?
What about judo?
Or styles that have been around a long time but are not from Asia, like sambo or krav maga?

I have been doing martial arts for 20 years and in that time have done two forms of Kung fu, two types of karate, a little jujitsu and kick boxing and bits and pieces of some other strange stuff.
In my opinion the best martial art I have done is krav maga because it is so practical. Krav maga has the same problem that a lot of Kung fu styles suffered from in the 80s. The problem being that as it has become popular a huge amount of fake schools are floating around that have no direct link to anything real.

I thought Krav Maga was a bit of a modern mix. Right? It is very useful in a combat situation, a bit brutal for me perhaps, it seems it's not possible to practice without seriously injuring your parnter. Along the lines of brutality, I find Muay Thai to be efficient. Oh and yes, I would consider everything you mentioned traditional. Like I said, it doesn't have to be Asian. I agree, fake scholls are a bit of a pain, that's why it helps when there's an organization which recognizes a school as a professional instituion to learn the respective martial art (i.e. International Aikido Federation).

[steve brewin]

I must confess, I'm rather interested in the Russian fighting style of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkfJoOsldEg although I can't find anywhere that teaches it.

It seems to focus a lot on pressure points.

Some of this stuff is similar to Aikido (the throws). Although I was always a bit of a skeptic about pressure points. I mean if you miss then it turns out kind of silly eh?

[Ebou Suso]

I've been with Muay Thai for over two years. I'm pretty good with it now, though I sometimes still get hurt. Right now I'm sitting out becasue my leg took too many kicks above the knee and was starting to swell. I'm also in another gym now than I used to be.

I've also wanted to try something softer like Aikido. I used to want to join a Hapkido school, but everything I find for that looks too expensive for me right now.

[Ashley Tamen]

Systema has some really dodgy schools. Make sure you research the school first.

As for training in krav maga being to brutal to train in.
If the school does not practice with padded jackets and head guards it is not real krav maga!
(expect some bruises from the areas the padding does not cover)

Hapkido is a pretty good style if you get a good instructor.

Capoeira is not a martial art, it is a form of dance ( no man would wave his legs around like that if he could be punched in the nads)

[Lyndsey Bird]

I did a style of Karate for a long time before I left for University. I enjoyed it, but found it to be a little routine, if that makes sense. Learning the steps to grade up was more like dance than martial arts and although I appreciate some of the moves practicallity, I felt that some were a little unecassary. When it comes down to a proper fight it's very rare that someone will be able to remember and execute any moves other than a few solid blocks, kicks and punches.

I would really like to experiment in Kickboxing or even maybe Muay Thai, but can't really find the time at University.

[LijLuva]

I did a style of Karate for a long time before I left for University. I enjoyed it, but found it to be a little routine, if that makes sense. Learning the steps to grade up was more like dance than martial arts and although I appreciate some of the moves practicallity, I felt that some were a little unecassary. When it comes down to a proper fight it's very rare that someone will be able to remember and execute any moves other than a few solid blocks, kicks and punches.

I would really like to experiment in Kickboxing or even maybe Muay Thai, but can't really find the time at University.

I used to do karate and this is exactly what I thought too! I found the katas to be extremely impractical.

@klawhammer I never heard of Hapkido before, I'll have to research it. As for capoeira, it's probably the most impractical martial art of all but you have to remember it was originally invented to be disguised as a dance, and from looking at their training it looks like a great fitness training and a method of developing balance.

EDIT; if you guys want to share vids of martial arts, please do so, I for one am very interested.

[u gone see]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6cmS2DR0bk is a pretty awesome video. I'd really like to learn some of these moves, alas I'm not so flexible yet.

[rebecca moody]

I once did wing tsung.

[Rachael Williams]

About 12 years in Tae Kwon Do with a bit of dabbling in Hapkido here.

I used to do karate and this is exactly what I thought too! I found the katas to be extremely impractical.

While I've never taken Kung Fu, Kata's appear to be the Kung Fu version of TKD's forms. The actual moves are not meant as an actual combat guide. Forms/Katas are intended to improve your stances, and get you used to following up your attacks/defenses with certain movements. Where most techniques try to stay towards the practical side of "What if someone comes at you with the 'quadruple spinning chaos dive kick'", forms and katas tend to stay on the technical end. So that in the future, you can more effectively position yourself.

[Trent Theriot]

I once did wing tsung.

THAT is some awesome stuff man. I'll have to give that a try at some point.

@Cecilff2 I see what you're saying but when a dojo focuses too much on teaching katas, instead of sparring (such as was the case with my [censored]o Ryu dojo), then that is a problem as students are unable to apply their technical knowledge. Some say that an equal balance between the two is best, but I think more focus should be put on the practical side.

[Chloe :)]

Kata's are a great way to assess technical ability, and I never complained at having to learn them. I just found them a lot more boring than the actual practising of certain moves/techniques and sparring.

[Jon O]

Learning movement patterns is a great way to teach children but not so great for advlts who have too much other formal stuff in daily life already.

Karate is great for people who are new to martial arts. Most people who do martial arts into advlthood start mixing in a bit of jujitsu and kick boxing into it.

For the guy who was thinking about hapkido it is best to keep in mind that some of the moves only work against other people who do hapkido or tai kwon do . The low spinning hapkido leg sweep is completely useless against anyone who is not bouncing around on his toes.

I had been collecting the bits of martial afts that I thought were effective for years from the stuff I had done when a friend recommended krav maga. The first krav class I did we were kicking people in The junk then throwing them onto the floor and kicking them in the head. I knew then that I was in the right place. I love the style. You will never develop the fine controll skills like you would in akido but on the other hand you an learn to fight in 6 months.
The advantage of a style like akido that takes about 8 years to train you to a point that you can actually use it in a fight is that it does not require you to be physically fit. Krav maga does require some level of physical fitness for it to be effective. A good krav maga class 2 or three times a week will get you very fit but it is not a style people should join just to improve fitness.

[Guy Pearce]

Learning movement patterns is a great way to teach children but not so great for advlts who have too much other formal stuff in daily life already.

Karate is great for people who are new to martial arts. Most people who do martial arts into advlthood start mixing in a bit of jujitsu and kick boxing into it.

For the guy who was thinking about hapkido it is best to keep in mind that some of the moves only work against other people who do hapkido or tai kwon do . The low spinning hapkido leg sweep is completely useless against anyone who is not bouncing around on his toes.

I had been collecting the bits of martial afts that I thought were effective for years from the stuff I had done when a friend recommended krav maga. The first krav class I did we were kicking people in The junk then throwing them onto the floor and kicking them in the head. I knew then that I was in the right place. I love the style. You will never develop the fine controll skills like you would in akido but on the other hand you an learn to fight in 6 months.
The advantage of a style like akido that takes about 8 years to train you to a point that you can actually use it in a fight is that it does not require you to be physically fit. Krav maga does require some level of physical fitness for it to be effective. A good krav maga class 2 or three times a week will get you very fit but it is not a style people should join just to improve fitness.

I disagree, it does not take that long, Aikido is very efficient against unsuspecting opponents, and from day one, you start learning efficient moves that can be used in real life (at least at the dojo I go to; by the end of my first class I had been flipped so many times I could barely sit down ). Or did you mean that it takes this long to be used without fitness (meaning that it takes less time if you're fit)? I also disagree with this statement as you concentrate on directing ki in Aikido and you do not need to apply unreasonable amounts of force (some say that if you do, you're doing it wrong). Though it's a huge help if you know how to fall. As for Krav Maga, I've heard it's brutally effective and I absolutely believe this, however for me it is missing the "art form" aspect, such as the mastery of Budo through Aikido. Personal preference I guess. In the end, they're all great in their own way.
EDIT; a question; do you guys actually...ummm kick each other in the nuts? What protection do you wear?

[x_JeNnY_x]

To start off the discussion; I have recently gotten a membership at Japanese Cultural Centre, where there is a wide range of martial arts to choose from. I originally wanted to start Iaido, the art of practicing katas with a samurai sword, with the goal of perfecting your movement, but unfortunately it will have to wait as I cannot afford a sword at the moment.

Honestly I would reccomend not skipping straight to a sword, consider getting a bokken first. I only say it because after I really sliced something the first time with a katana I was ready to plop down as much money for a bokken as I did for a blade. That and the first time I showed that blade to a trusted friend I handed it to him told him to 'be careful it's sharp' turned around to mess with my stereo or something first thing I hear is 'yoew! that's sharp!'.

[candice keenan]

I disagree, it does not take that long, Aikido is very efficient against unsuspecting opponents, and from day one, you start learning efficient moves that can be used in real life (at least at the dojo I go to; by the end of my first class I had been flipped so many times I could barely sit down ). Or did you mean that it takes this long to be used without fitness (meaning that it takes less time if you're fit)? I also disagree with this statement as you concentrate on directing ki in Aikido and you do not need to apply unreasonable amounts of force (some say that if you do, you're doing it wrong). Though it's a huge help if you know how to fall. As for Krav Maga, I've heard it's brutally effective and I absolutely believe this, however for me it is missing the "art form" aspect, such as the mastery of Budo through Aikido. Personal preference I guess. In the end, they're all great in their own way.
EDIT; a question; do you guys actually...ummm kick each other in the nuts? What protection do you wear?

First to answer your question we do kick each other in the nuts and we wear a special groin guard. The problem is even with the best groin guard on the market you still must be very carefully when kicking each other in the nuts as it still hurts like hell and can cause serious injury.

I used to do an anything goes class with a bunch of people from different styles including aikido. I have a lot of respect for aikido but when these guys were facing rapid punches to the head they had no defence at all and would go down in a screaming heap every time.
The only guys that had a worse head defence were the tai kwon do guys who hands were always too low to defend the head.
Aikido is a very good style and is deadly in its own way. Never let an aikido guy grab one of your hands or you are screwed.

Everybody cross-trains in different martial arts these days. I think it is important for guys who do very technical styles like aikido to do something like krav maga to get the more brutal side and vise versa.

When I get too old for the physical impact of krav maga I will switch to either aikido or Japanese jujitsu.

I Love the cultural Emerson that comes from aikido and real karate but it is not for everyone. I still hand people objects with two hands and cannot put on my shoulder bag without running my hand down the strap. When I am not carefully I also find myself carrying my umbrella in strange ways. Sometimes I even bow when I enter a gym.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcyRPAQRMo0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Louise Dennis]

I've been doing martial arts since I was 16. Judo, BJJ and Taekwondo. I also know some Muay Thai but I haven't had any training really, I just fought a lot of Muay Thai fighters while I was training with a MMA group.

I'm a big fan of martial arts and I absolutely love fighting, it's the ultimate competitive sport

I'm definitely more of a wrestler than a striker but that doesn't mean I can't punch or kick if I have to. It's just that people tend to get hurt if I use striking, which wouldn't be a problem except I'm mostly fighting my friends.

Let's just say that I've caused more (permanent) physical damage to my friends than I'd like and I don't want to do more of that.

[Lucky Boy]

It's just that people tend to get hurt if I use striking, which wouldn't be a problem except I'm mostly fighting my friends.

Let's just say that I've caused more (permanent) physical damage to my friends than I'd like and I don't want to do more of that.

Do you not use padding?

[Robyn Howlett]

Do you not use padding?

You think padding is enough to stem the might of exorince? Foolish mortal.

[darnell waddington]

Do you not use padding?

What Pokoyo said

Seriously though I have no idea how I do it. We wear padding at all times and I still manage to really hurt them. I broke my friends tooth last year even though he had a mouthguard. I think he kinda dropped his lower jaw after my first punch and then when I followed it with a left hook his upper teeth were unprotected. Just unlucky I guess

[m Gardner]

Seriously though I have no idea how I do it. We wear padding at all times and I still manage to really hurt them. I broke my friends tooth last year even though he had a mouthguard. I think he kinda dropped his lower jaw after my first punch and then when I followed it with a left hook his upper teeth were unprotected. Just unlucky I guess

Oh, we never used to allow face shots when we were sparring, but with a mouthguard I'd assume you'd be okay lol. Remind me never to spar with you.

[Lisha Boo]

Oh, we never used to allow face shots when we were sparring, but with a mouthguard I'd assume you'd be okay lol. Remind me never to spar with you.

Face shots aren't usually allowed but because this was in an MMA class and we had padding on the instructor figured it would be okay.

We go through very detailed training in the beginning on how to take a hit and fall down without getting injured. It doesn't always work of course but we haven't had any serious injuries so far. (A few concussions, a broken tooth and a dislocated shoulder is all I can remember... I may have been responsible for some of those)


Just a little warning for everyone in this thread who is new to martial arts. If someone gets hit in the head, or kicked and he loses consciousness and doesn't wake up after 30 seconds. Call a [censored] ambulance and don't move him. Seriously.


This is actually why I don't do striking marital arts anymore. I'm a better wrestler than a striker anyway

[Erich Lendermon]

Just a little warning for everyone in this thread who is new to martial arts. If someone gets hit in the head, or kicked and he loses consciousness and doesn't wake up after 30 seconds. Call a [censored] ambulance and don't move him. Seriously.

Sounds like you speak from experience....Fair enough though, MMA is much more vicious than most traditional martial arts.