Martial Arts
-
Does anyone know of a good martial art to take up?
I was thinking of taking up a martial art..but not sure which to go for.
I've read that most instructors don't really care about self defense anymore, but more on competition elements.
Besides, I'm kind of dubious about taking the neighborhood TKD classes as I've seen some kids there who are half my height having a brown belt or something, and looking at the way they punch and how it ends up in a flabby shake, I seriously doubt even with all the right techniques they have enough strength to ward off a full sized attacker. (No offense intended)
I was thinking of Muay Thai as it seems more unique and adapted for street defense plus it brings fitness and really good physical conditioning, had a patient once who looked like he could take a piece out of Jean Claude even though he was a really small sized dude.
I don't need anything fancy, just something that works. Any ideas?
From a site I've seen, they tell you that Karate is really good for blocking, if you're fast enough to think about which stance to use to block any punch. And tae kwondo is more for performing really cool kicks. The funniest part this guy said was "Animal kungfu is great, if you're the animal that they're teaching you to fight like, so if you're learning the praying mantis style, you best be a praying mantis yourself"
Would appreciate some information on this, thanks
-
Take wushu or taijutsu
-
I know wushu...but what's taijutsu? Sounds like something from Naruto..Originally posted by Oyster Omelette:Take wushu or taijutsu -
qi gong counted?
-
chinese martial art is the best!!!
-
I want something for self defense..Originally posted by Rusesabagina:qi gong counted?
I appreciate there's lots of power behind the stances, but I'm not sure I can take the slow pace.. or did I mistake qi gong for tai ji? I'm not sure myself lol -
yep, taijutsu is indeed a method of using the body for self-defense.Originally posted by PeRsEuS:I want something for self defense..
I appreciate there's lots of power behind the stances, but I'm not sure I can take the slow pace.. or did I mistake qi gong for tai ji? I'm not sure myself lol -
But really depends on what kind of martial arts culture do you prefer? Chinese? Japanese? Thai? American?
-
I don't really care where it comes from. I just need something to defend myself in a real go for your life event, not something that makes me kick 5 meter high into the air during competitions. I'm interested in real martial arts, not cool looking ones to impress anybody. As long as it works.Originally posted by Oyster Omelette:But really depends on what kind of martial arts culture do you prefer? Chinese? Japanese? Thai? American? -
do you find yourself in danger recently? feeling vulnerable in public places?Originally posted by PeRsEuS:I don't really care where it comes from. I just need something to defend myself in a real go for your life event, not something that makes me kick 5 meter high into the air during competitions. I'm interested in real martial arts, not cool looking ones to impress anybody. As long as it works.
-
Looking for something practical? Take up boxing. Personally I think any Martial Arts class is fine... it's really up to you how hard you want to push yourself and how serious a Martial Artist you want to be...Originally posted by PeRsEuS:Does anyone know of a good martial art to take up?
I was thinking of taking up a martial art..but not sure which to go for.
I've read that most instructors don't really care about self defense anymore, but more on competition elements.
Besides, I'm kind of dubious about taking the neighborhood TKD classes as I've seen some kids there who are half my height having a brown belt or something, and looking at the way they punch and how it ends up in a flabby shake, I seriously doubt even with all the right techniques they have enough strength to ward off a full sized attacker. (No offense intended)
I was thinking of Muay Thai as it seems more unique and adapted for street defense plus it brings fitness and really good physical conditioning, had a patient once who looked like he could take a piece out of Jean Claude even though he was a really small sized dude.
I don't need anything fancy, just something that works. Any ideas?
From a site I've seen, they tell you that Karate is really good for blocking, if you're fast enough to think about which stance to use to block any punch. And tae kwondo is more for performing really cool kicks. The funniest part this guy said was "Animal kungfu is great, if you're the animal that they're teaching you to fight like, so if you're learning the praying mantis style, you best be a praying mantis yourself"
Would appreciate some information on this, thanks
If you want to be like those movie Martial Artist that can take on 1000 guys alone... Go take up several different classes. One Martial Art on it's own isn't enough. -
Haha no la I don't..it's just something I wanted to do for a long time since young but never had the chance to, until now. So might as well take up something. Besides I hate running, so it's another avenue to burn up frustration and condition myself..Originally posted by digicharat:do you find yourself in danger recently? feeling vulnerable in public places? -
hate running?? errr...then maybe yoga is the best for youOriginally posted by PeRsEuS:Haha no la I don't..it's just something I wanted to do for a long time since young but never had the chance to, until now. So might as well take up something. Besides I hate running, so it's another avenue to burn up frustration and condition myself.. or maybe yo ucould take up jeet kune do, it's a kind of boxing martial arts, you might want to take a lookup on that one. -
if u wan totally pure defence, take up aikido
-
Okay..thanks, where do I search for information on these arts?Originally posted by Oyster Omelette:hate running?? errr...then maybe yoga is the best for you or maybe yo ucould take up jeet kune do, it's a kind of boxing martial arts, you might want to take a lookup on that one. -
In your case, try traditional Jujitsu. Teaches you joint locks, chokes and throws. Several kinds of fighting form are evolved from Jujitsu. Judo and Brazilian Jujitsu are among them.Originally posted by PeRsEuS:I don't really care where it comes from. I just need something to defend myself in a real go for your life event, not something that makes me kick 5 meter high into the air during competitions. I'm interested in real martial arts, not cool looking ones to impress anybody. As long as it works.
======================================================
Traditional Jujitsu involves fighting in a stand up position in which various kinds of joint locks, chokes and throws can be applied. The advance level will teach some forms of "Ki" attack. The link below are one of those in singapore that teaches Jujitsu.
www.jujitsu.com.sg
======================================================
Judo resembles jujitsu in a fair bit except some moves which are practised by the latter are not used as it is deemed too violent. Typically, judo involves more throws then take down move like armbar or chokes.
www.ijf.org
www.singaporejudo.org.sg
======================================================
Brazilian Jujitsu is another form except the belief is that all fights will eventually go to the ground. This form of martial arts teaches you how to fight on the ground and how to win. Check out the below link for more info:
http://bjj.org/
Not sure where you can learn brazilian jujitsu in Singapore. If you do come across, let me know. If I not mistaken, a few years back, Royce Gracie won a couple of fights in US against other free style martial arts competitor who are bigger and stronger than him.
======================================================
If you do pick up Jujitsu, at least it lets you decide which form you like best and proceed from there. -
woah,look at the person above me for more information ;POriginally posted by PeRsEuS:Okay..thanks, where do I search for information on these arts? -
Royce Gracie is a faggot... he won the competition 2 years (I think) in a row and lost the 3rd year... and HOW did he lose? He got hit once, and he threw in the towel immediately.Originally posted by mfscrewu:Not sure where you can learn brazilian jujitsu in Singapore. If you do come across, let me know. If I not mistaken, a few years back, Royce Gracie won a couple of fights in US against other free style martial arts competitor who are bigger and stronger than him.
======================================================
If you do pick up Jujitsu, at least it lets you decide which form you like best and proceed from there.
-
Maybe Royce Gracie was a faggot but then that's probably another issue. The idea here is to go into any form of training with an open mind. If you really want to be an all rounder, take up Jujitsu and Muay Thai boxing. This will really give you a very solid foundation if you end up practising mixed martial arts form.Originally posted by Bloop...:Royce Gracie is a faggot... he won the competition 2 years (I think) in a row and lost the 3rd year... and HOW did he lose? I got hit once, and he threw in the towel immediately. -
Yeah... that's what I said. Take up several classes. One Martial art on it's own usually isn't enough.Originally posted by mfscrewu:Maybe Royce Gracie was a faggot but then that's probably another issue. The idea here is to go into any form of training with an open mind. If you really want to be an all rounder, take up Jujitsu and Muay Thai boxing. This will really give you a very solid foundation if you end up practising mixed martial arts form.
You take up different Arts then you start to see the pros and cons of each... you can probably even start to come up with your own effective methods rather that just what's thought. -
any idea where got adult class for aikido?Originally posted by monkeybusiness:if u wan totally pure defence, take up aikido -
People's Association... don't know if they are still there. Instructor's name is Francis ChongOriginally posted by Xcert:any idea where got adult class for aikido? -
go to www.aikido.com.sg they will give you the list of dojos.Originally posted by Xcert:any idea where got adult class for aikido? -
Here's another one - http://www.ki-aikido.com.sg/ Slightly different Aikido... softer, more fluid... uses Ki and even less strength than the other Aikido.Originally posted by CenturionMBT:go to www.aikido.com.sg they will give you the list of dojos. -
Hey Perseus,
You portray yourself as a novice, but you've got good eyes....
I'm a hobbyist and amatuer....but I'll air my views anyway.
Honestly and sadly, there is no such thing as self-defence. "Self-defence" is a term invented by lawyers for court cases. Like it or not, this is often how a street situation is won:
- Hit first (the one who hits first usually wins).
- Hit from behind.
- Have some reliable friends with you, even in a so-called "one-to-one" fight.
- Run damned fast - only an idiot will stand around after a fight.
I'm not kidding....the above DO happen and no martial art can teach you how to handle them.
Coming back to the arts.....its not really the art that counts, but the person. Give a Ferrari to a lousy driver, give a Honda Civic to an expert driver......let them race through a difficult circuit.....after the Honda crosses the finish line, the novice in the Ferrari will still be wondering what the appropriate gears are for each part of the track.
Being a not-so-bright person, I favour arts which are simple, easy to grasp and definitely without all those complicated fancy helicopter acrobatics. The simplest ones are also usually the free-style ones which leave a lot to your own creativity (eg. boxing, kickboxing, Judo, etc.)....which makes them not so monotonous. Having said that, if you've trained hard and smart enough....any common art (TKD, Karate, Judo, etc.) can be good.
Importantly, there must be that element of human-to-human interaction - ie. contact sparring. The closest thing you can come to fighting is contact sparring (although they're still very different). Here's some places which have it:
- Muay Thai at BXG (http://www.bxgfitness.com).
- Wing Chun (there's a Kiwi teaching, quite rough, but no website).
- Boxing at Kadir's (http://sgboxing.tripod.com/).
- any other place with contact sparring, regardless of the art.
I've recommended only stand-up styles this time because its best to learn stand-up fights before going into groundfighting.
Lastly, please realise that this is something you can't learn by watching, reading, etc. You have to be out there sweating it out, drilling, training, conditioning....
Hey, if you don't mind, after your decision is made, let us know which direction you're headed.