[Rmtt]

Like the title states....who else in here trains in a combative art? Since the sub-thread lists that as well, but I rarely see threads on it.

I'll start. My dad was a professional boxer, so I've had gloves on by the age of 5. Boxed for years.

At 11, dad put me in a Korean art....Tang So Do. Had my black belt in it by 16. Then went into the Chinese art of Wing Chum for 4 years until my teacher moved. It was a lot like boxing but more linear. They also cross trained Muay Thai and a lot of Phillipino arts.....especially weapons.

Around 19-20, discovered Aikido and Aiki-Jitsu. Fell in love with it and been with it ever since. Currently hold a 2nd degree black in that, and now mostly train others such as law enforcement and women's groups.

I was still boxing on and off through all of this, and fought amateur bouts with a club called Head Hunters around here. My coach had actually went 12 rounds with Roy Jones Jr. back in the day in New York...but lost by decision.

I fought for almost 5 years before starting weight training ironically to improve my boxing. However for some reason....I had very good genetics for the weights and ended up growing too quickly which moved me up two weight classes.

Being only 5'7"....that killed my boxing "career" as everyone was a good 4" plus taller than me....and with their reach it meant I would typically get pummeled just trying to get "inside" to work.

So I gave it up although I still hit the heavy bag and speed bag for cardio workouts.

Now I just focus on Aikido and plan to continue as long as my joints will allow it!

[King Rudi]

I studied Kenpo, Isshinryu and BJJ when I was a teen. I don't have nearly the span or the experience that you have. I would like to get back into BJJ, but I have to do some major realigning of time management before I could start again. I do miss sparing, learning other techniques and body movement/placement. Not only is it physically challenging, it's also great for the mind I found. Perhaps it's just me, but it seemed to consume my every thought when I was younger.

[BSM n54iS]

My first class in BJJ was last night, never done anything before

[lsturbointeg]

i'm pretty good at Street Fighter! does that count

[marrk]

I do! Boxing, MT, BJJ and wrestling. But now mainly train bjj since it ages better with my old self, lol. And I can still tap out the young bucks!!!

[Ickdeep]

I've been doing the Sikh martial art of Gatka for since I was like 14. I still do it but been phasing out since I've been getting older. Recovery takes a bit longer now a days. https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gatka

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by lsturbointeg

i'm pretty good at Street Fighter! does that count

It does in my book!

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by Ickdeep

I've been doing the Sikh martial art of Gatka for since I was like 14. I still do it but been phasing out since I've been getting older. Recovery takes a bit longer now a days. https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gatka

Nice....I have always been very interested in the more obscure arts you never see a lot about.

Years ago I was very heavy into the softer stuff such as Tai Chi and Baguazhang....but mainly for health purposes.

I also got to train with some Krav Maga guys.....they were brutal.

[marrk]

Question: Does anyone else differentiate between martial 'arts' and 'functional' martial arts? Definitely thinks this is super important if you train martial arts for self defense or sign your kids up for it.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by Now_Rudi

I studied Kenpo, Isshinryu and BJJ when I was a teen. I don't have nearly the span or the experience that you have. I would like to get back into BJJ, but I have to do some major realigning of time management before I could start again. I do miss sparing, learning other techniques and body movement/placement. Not only is it physically challenging, it's also great for the mind I found. Perhaps it's just me, but it seemed to consume my every thought when I was younger.

We had a school in my area ran by a guy named Mike Sanders who was heavily into Kenpo.

Since our Korean instructors heavily regulated sparring, we would go to his place once a week or so.

He was a tough SOB.....all of his students were. And he encouraged full contact to a point.

Ironically even though I had boxed for years, my first broken nose came from his place!

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by marrk

Question: Does anyone else differentiate between martial 'arts' and 'functional' martial arts? Definitely thinks this is super important if you train martial arts for self defense or sign your kids up for it.

Definitely. In our aikido school, we don't even allow you to test for black until you are at least 17 years old.

I don't care what anyone says, a 10 year old with a black belt just has a false sense of security as even against an untrained adult....the odds aren't in their favor.

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

It does in my book!

lol for real tho the only thing I do is boxing. and that's pretty much for cardio

[Ickdeep]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Nice....I have always been very interested in the more obscure arts you never see a lot about.

Years ago I was very heavy into the softer stuff such as Tai Chi and Baguazhang....but mainly for health purposes.

I also got to train with some Krav Maga guys.....they were brutal.

Gatka compared to most martial arts because its a weapon based arts. We use curved swords, archery, horseback, etc... I mainly do it for religious purpose and to keep the traditional alive. With modern times, a lot of older arts are phasing out because people just don't have time to do it.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by Ickdeep

Gatka compared to most martial arts because its a weapon based arts. We use curved swords, archery, horseback, etc... I mainly do it for religious purpose and to keep the traditional alive. With modern times, a lot of older arts are phasing out because people just don't have time to do it.

That's great for you. I wish more people were like that. Can you imagine how much knowledge has been lost because people don't have time these days.

Also in the past, a lot of knowledge was lost because a Father may not have a Son to pass it down to, and a lot of the variations were traditionally taught only through the family unit.

We also learned an art called Daito Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu. It was developed by the Takeda clan and taught from Father to Son through centuries. These guys once served as the Japanese Emperor's personal body guards.

It would have been lost had they not allowed an "outsider" in who helped to preserve it.

But it is a really brutal art....very aggressive and works on the premise of you attack and incapacitate your opponent first if you sense there will be trouble.

Morihei Ueshiba learned that art, but after so called achieving enlightenment...he took it and softened it up quite a bit creating Aikido. So harmony in Defense without hurting your opponent while defending yourself.

In our school...once you attain Black Belt you start learning Daito Ryu which was the basis of everything. It's really then that you realize just how ruthless the art was to begin with.

Ueshiba was all "love your fellow man" and just use enough to evade danger.

A Daito Ryu Master was like "How dare you think of attacking me...you will die"!

Kind of crazy.

[No one]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

But it is a really brutal art....very aggressive and works on the premise of you attack and incapacitate your opponent first if you sense there will be trouble.

Morihei Ueshiba learned that art, but after so called achieving enlightenment...he took it and softened it up quite a bit creating Aikido. So harmony in Defense without hurting your opponent while defending yourself.

In our school...once you attain Black Belt you start learning Daito Ryu which was the basis of everything. It's really then that you realize just how ruthless the art was to begin with.

Ueshiba was all "love your fellow man" and just use enough to evade danger.

A Daito Ryu Master was like "How dare you think of attacking me...you will die"!

Kind of crazy.

It's like completing the circle: going from the black belt back to white (by wearing it off so that it discolours).

AFAIK, the evolution of martial arts was from attack to defence, from "brutal" shit to non-violence. Even regarding (famous) masters' personal development: they often admit practicing martial arts reduced their initial aggressiveness, turned them into peaceful people and that's the correct way to go, don't they?

Preemptive attacks are mostly for beginners, to save them from their poor defence yet. I do feel I have to consider that only due to losing confidence in my defending skills because of severe lack of practice. When you are confident you just don't need that. And when you do you just aren't.

Killing someone because you mind his way of thinking is steaming bullshit, isn't it? "We all got it coming." One shithead yelled at me just recently: "Who are you to tell me that (I must go fuck myself)?!!". The funny part is he (apparently) only lived from not knowing who I was. Less funny part is he damaged my car for not enlightening him. "At the end of the day we are likely to be punished for our kindnesses."

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by No one

It's like completing the circle: going from the black belt back to white (by wearing it off so that it discolours).

AFAIK, the evolution of martial arts was from attack to defence, from "brutal" shit to non-violence. Even regarding (famous) masters' personal development: they often admit practicing martial arts reduced their initial aggressiveness, turned them into peaceful people and that's the correct way to go, don't they?

Preemptive attacks are mostly for beginners, to save them from their poor defence yet. I do feel I have to consider that only due to losing confidence in my defending skills because of severe lack of practice. When you are confident you just don't need that. And when you do you just aren't.

Killing someone because you mind his way of thinking is steaming bullshit, isn't it? "We all got it coming." One shithead yelled at me just recently: "Who are you to tell me that (I must go fuck myself)?!!". The funny part is he (apparently) only lived from not knowing who I was. Less funny part is he damaged my car for not enlightening him. "At the end of the day we are likely to be punished for our kindnesses."

I agree. There has to be a balance or you can easily lose your identity.

Kind of similar to the Samurai also being master's of the opposite end of the spectrum of other things that did not include warfare.

Most of the "greats" do end up taking the path of peace. When you are confident in your ability, you have nothing to prove to anyone.

And in today's society, I assume that most people are typically armed. And that is an escalation that is best prohibited by walking away if at all possible.

[HapkidoNinja]

For what it's worth...

Two years as a teen studying Shotokan.
One year studying Kung Fu.
After military service, while at University, studied one more year of Shotokan, followed by one more year of Tae Kwan Do & Krav Maga. Shifted away from those and replaced it with 3 years of Ninjutsu.
Moved to Boston, added 1 more year of Shotokan and 4 more years of Ninjutsu. Started to get closer to 1st Dan and then moved out west.
Here I completed my first Dan in Hapkido, and added a half year of Aikido for fun.

In Ninjutsu and Hapkido we trained extensively unarmed and with both edged and non-edge weapons. My favorite weapon form is Korean double sword.

I have not been active in martial arts for about 10 years, following a non-related back injury. I have taken up target sports in the past year...

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by HapkidoNinja

For what it's worth...

Two years as a teen studying Shotokan.
One year studying Kung Fu.
After military service, while at University, studied one more year of Shotokan, followed by one more year of Tae Kwan Do & Krav Maga. Shifted away from those and replaced it with 3 years of Ninjutsu.
Moved to Boston, added 1 more year of Shotokan and 4 more years of Ninjutsu. Started to get closer to 1st Dan and then moved out west.
Here I completed my first Dan in Hapkido, and added a half year of Aikido for fun.

In Ninjutsu and Hapkido we trained extensively unarmed and with both edged and non-edge weapons. My favorite weapon form is Korean double sword.

I have not been active in martial arts for about 10 years, following a non-related back injury. I have taken up target sports in the past year...

Hapkido is in my opinion one of the most complete Korean arts there is. Our Tang So Do instructed was also highly ranked in Hapkido, and would cross train us at times. He was a very prominent instructer in South Korea and taught on military bases. He also was a multiple time national champion over there, but one of the most humble guys you could ever meet.

[UncleWede]

Non-combat, I continue with my Iyengar yogic-lifestyle.

[infinitekidM2C]

Did you wanna go OP?!?!

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by infinitekidM2C

Did you wanna go OP?!?!

Me?

I'm not calling anyone out other than some interesting conversation.

You never know what anyone may have done in life without asking questions, and I find others people's opinions and experiences fascinating.

[HapkidoNinja]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Hapkido is in my opinion one of the most complete Korean arts there is. Our Tang So Do instructed was also highly ranked in Hapkido, and would cross train us at times. He was a very prominent instructer in South Korea and taught on military bases. He also was a multiple time national champion over there, but one of the most humble guys you could ever meet.

Hapkido is derived from Aiki-Jujutsu, Tang So Doe, and Royal Court martial arts. It is fun as it covers a broad range of striking, grappling, and weapons of various types. The classic Hapkido weapon is the hooked end cane. Suprising how much nasty stuff one can do with that.