Teras Kasi Archive
Thread: OT: Name Your Martial Art
When I took the Japanese arts, we did some easy warm ups with a couple blocking forms and some katas and then moved into learning new stuff or practicing self-defense techniques, maybe some point sparring.
The Chinese classes where, stance work, about 120 push ups of varying type, too many crunches to count, leg work, arm work, die for a few minutes and start doing forms or free sparring. Easily the best workout I have ever had.
My Kung Fu studies didn't give me much new grabbling experience though. Maybe only one or two classes. I can say pretty freely that Juijitsu works very well.
My favorite activity to date: 3, 3 minute rounds of free sparring.
There is only one thing I really dislike about the martial arts in general. At just about every school, some people are taking it for the wrong reasons. Some of them flip out if they get hit a little too hard during sparring and come at you just swinging with everything they have, or just trying to show off. I've seen a whole school of overconfident 13 year old black belts who just want to fight which makes me sad.
Loshuss wrote:
I used to study Kenpo, Jiujistsu, Karate. I've since switched to Pak Mei, Shang Tung and some misc. animal styles with a little Muay Thai thrown in. The crazy contrast between the Japanese-evolved styles and the traditional Chinese forms and method amuse me all the time.
When I took the Japanese arts, we did some easy warm ups with a couple blocking forms and some katas and then moved into learning new stuff or practicing self-defense techniques, maybe some point sparring.
The Chinese classes where, stance work, about 120 push ups of varying type, too many crunches to count, leg work, arm work, die for a few minutes and start doing forms or free sparring. Easily the best workout I have ever had.
My Kung Fu studies didn't give me much new grabbling experience though. Maybe only one or two classes. I can say pretty freely that Juijitsu works very well.
My favorite activity to date: 3, 3 minute rounds of free sparring.
There is only one thing I really dislike about the martial arts in general. At just about every school, some people are taking it for the wrong reasons. Some of them flip out if they get hit a little too hard during sparring and come at you just swinging with everything they have, or just trying to show off. I've seen a whole school of overconfident 13 year old black belts who just want to fight which makes me sad.
First off, I'm glad to see my post back. I though it hadfallen victim to the GarVinator 
Loshuss, I think from your descriptions it just sounds like a contrast of two different instructors. I've been to schools that practice in both manners you decribed. My first martial art, Moo Duk Kwon, we would start by meditating,doing our stretches, going over our basic punches and kicks, and diving right into the lesson for the day.
I've also trained at schools that from the minute you come in, you are running in place, performing situps, pushups, wall sits, deep knee bends, squat thrusts...before you learn anything for the day.
Both styles have their benefits and drawbacks, but create a more complete environment for aspiring martial artists.
I will also add that the most fun I've had was when my first instructor decided to include outdoor training in our regimen. We had a small lake and beach nearby, I had never felt so connected to the world spiritually until I was there in the sand, meditating as the water lapped at the shoreline...
I still mourn his passing to this day, and have not taken a new master, though I think one day I will.
BountyHunter_1503 wrote:
I'm starting to learn Wing Chun Kung Fu. Its very hard for me since I train and chi sou (type of sparing) with people alot older and stronger than me. I'm 14 btw.
keep at it. i studied wing chun with my best friend in high school. it wasn't comfortable for me, i felt to rigid but he loved it. it is a great style if you feel comfortable doing it. chi sou is one of the most difficult exercises i ever did in martial arts. never get discouraged by age and streinght. that goes against the very base of martial arts.
my styles were shaolin long fist, tae kwon do, and freestyle wrestling. my teammates in wrestling all taught ourselves brazilianjujitsu in practice to give us an edge in competitions. we didnt really do to well in teaching ourselves that style, but we did well enough to excell in our league. when i finaly did meet a brazilian jujitsu artist and sparred with him, he was impressed that i learned as much as i did on my own, but he still pwned my butt all over the mat.
TravonLepen wrote:Loshuss, I think from your descriptions it just sounds like a contrast of two different instructors. I've been to schools that practice in both manners you decribed. My first martial art, Moo Duk Kwon, we would start by meditating, doing our stretches, going over our basic punches and kicks, and diving right into the lesson for the day.
I've also trained at schools that from the minute you come in, you are running in place, performing situps, pushups, wall sits, deep knee bends, squat thrusts...before you learn anything for the day.
Both styles have their benefits and drawbacks, but create a more complete environment for aspiring martial artists.
I will also add that the most fun I've had was when my first instructor decided to include outdoor training in our regimen. We had a small lake and beach nearby, I had never felt so connected to the world spiritually until I was there in the sand, meditating as the water lapped at the shoreline...
Outdoor training is pretty great.
The difference in training went way beyond just the intructor's differences. I had 4 different instructors so far and they all stress aerobic exercise for a good 15-20 minutes before drilling or form work. Stretching was done before and after class in a seperate room. It just felt like I had to apply myself a lot more just to make it through class when constrasted with my Japanese styles. There was nothing worse than my sifu saying he was cold when it was already 75 in the room. The heat would get turned up and we'd just keep trucking. They just liked to push us to the brink constantly.
I'm definitely not saying the Japanese were bad, just that they didn't center around fitness as much.
Just my experience.
It was a sad time for all of us.