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10 Years Ago
Hey JC,
This is what I studied. http://www.kokondo.org/
That wrist lock was something I was taught. That's a fantastic throw and can be quite effective.
I studied for about two years before I had to stop due to lacking funds. I wouldn't mind going back to it.
R
10 Years Ago
I'm not particularly fond of being touched, hit, or thrown. I carry a walking stick which I know how to use, but a club, a "sharp" thing or a thing that goes bang - I know how to use all of them. I never have gotten into a fight to lose - I don't intend to start a this age. No such thing for me as a fair fight - fair is "I" win - you lose.
10 Years Ago
Cool Roseann... My lack of funds is why I am not active myself.
LOVE the shmellows Heather.
I agree Roy but living in NYC limits my sharp things and the ones that go bang as most are illegal. The technique above was used on a drunk first sergeant that was trying to start a fight with a guy that would have killed him. I didn't want to actually hurt him but needed to prevent the fight so a submission technique worked well...
10 Years Ago
One of the advantages of living in a small town - your advantage - you get to sell art.
10 Years Ago
I studied Aikido off-and-on between '85 and '00. Schedules & moves got in the way mostly. Last time I quit was when my months-long battle with appendicitis started. Schedule & money got in the way since, but I'd like to go back some day, maybe do it father & son.
Leah Saulnier The Painting Maniac
10 Years Ago
I can chop a piece of spaghetti with my right hand clean
10 Years Ago
Studied under Shihan Gary Alexander, where you earned your black belt and you didn't buy it.
10 Years Ago
Shihan Arel was a powerful man. 5'2" and he was in the Corps. (pause a moment and consider that) Was in Okinawa and started his study there.
I remember one all day lecture and work out series he did. Walking up to six foot tall guys and with simple pressure points really got their attention quick. I talked to one guy after and he was still amazed. Said no one had ever dropped him that fast.
Was a great and caring teacher.
10 Years Ago
But can you do that with cooked spaghetti Leah?
There is a huge difference between earning and buying your black belt. Always amazes me when I see ten year olds walking into a store after practice with their blackbelts. I mean, really?
My primary discipline is Krav Maga and went to Israel to train in it but did quite a bit of Aikido too.
10 Years Ago
I've heard of "McDojos" but have never been in one to my knowledge.
In my first, the Sensei was initially very casual about testing, telling us just to come to him when we felt ready. After a couple years or so of nobody coming forward to be tested he just observed us all for a bit, then surprised us with new ranks at the next yearly class banquet. I went from nothing to 5th kyu out of 10 in one night. After that he instituted regular testing, and I went up another rank, but soon other things got in the way. Since then I've studied under three others, but never long enough to get to testing.
10 Years Ago
I never tested at all in KM as I had different purposes for training and was doing a lot of law enforcement/military only training. I did spar with the higher levels though and found it a hoot....
10 Years Ago
I used to train in what would be more accurately described as Combative Arts. The base of what I trained in was Modern Arnis, but there were other Filipino stick and knife fighting arts incorporated, as well as small circle jujitsu.
I was never interested in testing for rank or anything, and the guy who was leading the training wasn't in it to make money...he had a good paying day job as a Corrections Officer. I paid him, but not much. I probably did about 4 or 5 good solid years, then went back to it off and on for about another year. I did a lot of one on one training with my instructor and also assisted him when he'd teach seminars and stuff.
Fortunately I've never had to get physical with anyone in a violent encounter. I've surprised more than a few people who tried horsing around at work or whatever. I suppose I can't say what violent encounters I've avoided either through awareness or the way I carry myself as a result of my training.
10 Years Ago
I know exactly what you mean Andrew. Awareness is really the best self defense technique there is when combined with avoidance.
The people that knew me pretty well knew not to surprise me too.
Yupp, belts do not matter to me at all but being proficient enough to act subconsciously and do it correctly does.
10 Years Ago
I took American Kenpo for 6 yrs, Studied Uechi Ryu for 3 yrs, a few months of ju jitsu and a very short span of aikido before a road block in my life forced me away from the class.
Yes I have had to use what I have learned over the years on several occasions after not practicing my discipline of being a better man and turning the other cheek.
10 Years Ago
Tae Kwon Do, as a family, along with my sons. Took the classes together and practiced together. Lots of fun and many things learnt along with the physical moves...like respect, discipline, etc.
10 Years Ago
There is also no greater incentive to predict and avoid a physical confrontation than the knowledge and a** whoopings you get when you train in any discipline. It makes you realize you're not going to get lucky just because you can though a pretty good punch.
Like they say...you never rise to your expectations, you fall to your level of training.
10 Years Ago
4 years of Taekwondo and Hapkido, 3 years of BJJ, 4 years of Northern praying mantis kung fu (Peng Lai). I loved the kungfu the most - the fluidity, the speed, the history. Fondest memory was the 2-man drills - this video is Shrfu Kevin Brazier, he taught out of Tampa Fl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIOk-dZhJXA
And these are my arms after a seminar with him. Ah... good times. I miss training.
http://www.curious3d.com/cyn-arms.jpg
10 Years Ago
JC don't know if this would be of interest to you, but if I move back to the city, it's a place I've thought about checking out.
http://www.usashaolintemple.org/
10 Years Ago
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for 4 years. Muay Thai Kickboxing for 2 years. Mainly did it for fitness, I believe in walking away first. I'll only ever use it for self defense.
10 Years Ago
Thanks Roseann
I found Krav Maga at SOME gyms very practical. (At others it was no more than a stylized Tai-Bo)
That said, I absolutely love Kung Fu for the reasons mentions above. Such grace.
10 Years Ago
I did 6 weeks of Tae Kwon Do BC (that's "before children") - it was an introductory class to see if you wanted to plop down the 500 bucks for a year (this was back in 1972).
After everyone else quit and I was the only one left in the class, I traded in my white belt for Yoga classes. I do much better with the Om.....
10 Years Ago
Nearly six years of judo plus a tiny bit of karate. It was beneficial at company picnics when the guys thought it would be fun to throw the young blond coworker in the pool...they ended up in the pool while I generally stayed dry. :)
10 Years Ago
Ok, I listened to it again (my French is a little rusty), and it was better the second time...I get it now.
The first one you posted is pretty funny..
10 Years Ago
Let's give a little equal time to the ladies, shall we?
Cynthia Rothrock 3 times World Champ in Weapons and Forms.
Michelle Yeoh
And of course Michelle remains my favorite Bond girl. Advance to the 5:40 mark for the fight scene
10 Years Ago
And let's not forget this one. For me, this will always be the greatest Martial Arts movie ever.
10 Years Ago
I read somewhere once, they usually have to speed up the martial arts fight scenes in movies. In the case of Bruce Lee, however, the man was SO fast, they actually had to slow some of his fight scenes down so you could actually follow the action!
10 Years Ago
I've been a student of Universal Kempo Karate under Professor Garland Johnson.
Professor Johnson's profile and Boot to the Head Skit.
10 Years Ago
I do martial arts with my tripod.
Greetings,
Juergen
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Twitter @NatureFineArt
10 Years Ago
I see much emphasis on the fight scenes in the cinematic examples above, but for my money you have to go with something like House of Flying Daggers for a really beautiful martial arts film. I think it would appeal even to the non-martial-arts-fans here. :)