Stigweard Posted February 18, 2009 Obviously many of us Bums are martial artists of one sort or another. I would be very interested to find out just how many of us are MA's and what types are trained. So if you post "Yes" I would be very grateful if you post down below what martial arts you are involved in. Â Thank you in advance for your kind participation. Â Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shontonga Posted February 18, 2009 (edited) p.s. Stig, you forgot to say you do Tai Chi  Lol,Oh, funny! Yer so cute Mal!   Tai ji but i like tai chi better! (?) Play(have played) with black dragon kung fu, love bagua, love the kung fu staff, have done some very cool/nasty conditioning classes, would love to try just about any! though Xingyi makes me want to fall through the floor. Don't like it! Don't want to ever have to do it ... but think someday will have to study it to learn better ... but it's all for tai chi!  Love it Yang Lu Chaun Style, some odd number of years. been awhile but not long in how these things go. Love it!  In all truth i feel my training is getting simpler and simpler. Harder and Harder because of that, and deeper and deeper too.  Until this year though the tai chi was done to further other studies.  "now" seems to be just for the sake of tai chi.  Am having to learn new ways of practicing and approaching it now because of that. Would have been much simpler to learn tai chi for tai chi! Something about an empty cup, lol??? Oh well! (My tai chi sucks, but I LOVE it!)  Have fun kids!  Shonton Ga  Stig?  What kinda tai ji do you practice again?  Edited February 18, 2009 by shontonga Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wenwu Posted February 18, 2009 currently studying yin style bagua and aikido, also hold a balck belt in traditional TKD, have dabbled in jujitsu and taiji stlyes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crippledhobo Posted February 18, 2009 I mainly study wing chun, I have studied the longest in TWC (William Cheungs version), been breifly introduced to Leung tings version (WT) and now study Wong Shun Leung wing chun which I've found to be the most effective for me. Once and awhile I'll do some bjj, boxing, and eskrima. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhiteTiger Posted February 18, 2009 (edited) I voted yes, although it seems i'm currently out of a martial arts place... Â I did a Little of Tien Shan Pai 2+ years. Â I've in the past Generally go to a martial arts place that seems decent, and willing to teach fast pace (of course only as fast as the student, me, can learn) Everywhere i go i seem to not find what I'm looking for. I often look for internal martial arts. Â I'm not so sure I can find what I'm looking for at a school that only teaches Martial Arts. Â Edit to add: been trying out places for a little while now... ones that seem promising I stick around for a while see what happens. Edited February 18, 2009 by WhiteTiger Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sloppy Zhang Posted February 18, 2009 I voted yes, although it seems i'm currently out of a martial arts place... Â Yup, kinda like me. I did karate (it was mostly shotokan but the teacher had thrown in some TKD stuff in there too, also incorporated some Judo and aikido) for several years.... but the way it was taught was really crappy, so I wound up learning pretty much nothing about fighting and nothing about internal stuff. Â Then I explored some schools, mostly Wing Chun and a general self defense school. Those were both good, but either expensive, too far away, or had a wacko teacher...... Â So with no other options, I got Stephen K. Hayes' To Shin Do DVD's.... and thought they were awesome Really addressed stuff that you'd actually see. I have the first two, I experiment with the techniques with my brother, and also get the chance to test some stuff out with some friends, one who does BJJ and one who does Aikido and boxing (interesting combination, I know). Â I also got some tai chi books on Yang style long form, started going through that (meticulously, constantly reading then re-reading the instructions on alignments, body feeling, then watching videos of the masters doing it). Â People say you can't learn from books/DVD's, but it's worked out pretty well for me so far.... you have to be honest with yourself, I guess, and not fool yourself into thinking you get something when you don't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
minkus Posted February 18, 2009 as a kid: judo, pak mei pai, tang soo do  today: chen style taijiquan (2x week class), hebei xinyiquan (1x week class), cheng baguazhang (1x week class)  rest of the days practice at home or in the park  gotta love the internal arts ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Long Yun Posted February 18, 2009 Chang Moo Kwan. It's a Korean style that originated in the 50's I think. It's a blend of Okinawan Shotokan and various Northern Kung Fu styles. I think Choy Le Fut also? I've been out of it for a while, but I've just recently been re-training myself so I can return once I go home. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VCraigP Posted February 18, 2009 Chang Moo Kwan. It's a Korean style that originated in the 50's I think. It's a blend of Okinawan Shotokan and various Northern Kung Fu styles.  Um... (preparing to open up can of worms) Isn't all TKD really a blend of Shotokan and Northern Kung Fu? Despite Korean explanations that Korean arts are indigenous. I once had a friend who was a multi ethnic black belt (high level in Karate, Kung Fu and TKD/Korean arts) he showed me a set of Shotokan forms that were 80% identical to the modern TKD 8 forms (Taeguk sets).   Anyway on to my resume, which I have probably posted before, but I can't control my EGO so here goes another version.  TKD Steady from the age of 16 for about 25 years, then intermittent til present. Reached 4th Dan. Mainly Jido Kwan with focus on Olympic style sparring for a large chunk of that. Teacher was black belt in Judo and Hapkido as well as Gojo Ryu (sp?) so when we got to a certain point we started training very non-sport material.  learned to roll and fall with Judo when I was 8. Brief training in Karate when 12 (nasty mean mofo of a teacher, didn't like him, liked the Karate)  Began study of Qi gong (back then we called it Chi Kung ) when I was about 21-22.  Started being informally trained in Bagua and Hsing I when I was about 30, which was when I really began to question some of my earlier Chi Kung training. THis teacher was very advanced Chen Taiji practitioner and I didn't think I would ever be good enough to approach that training.  Finally graduated to Zhaobao Taiji (aka Wudang He style Taiji) over the last 2.5 years. Now I have the whole form and can really start learning it.  If I had to fight it would probably look like Taekwon/Bagua but I am far to spiritually advanced to be in such a situation  Craig Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoda Posted February 18, 2009 Isn't all TKD really a blend of Shotokan and Northern Kung Fu? Despite Korean explanations that Korean arts are indigenous. Â ah... I haven't seen reference to Shotokan in quite some time!! That was my first style!! Now I'm a black belt in wei wu wei. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bukejian Posted February 18, 2009 I practice Northern Shaolin and Yiquan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yuen Biao Posted February 18, 2009 In chronological order:  Judo - from age 8 to 10 yrs old.  Karate (Isshinryu) - from age 12-14 yrs.  Qigong from about 20 yrs old.  Taijiquan (Yang / Ruyi style) - from age 20 yrs to present.  Wing Chun - from age 20 yrs to present, sort of off and on!  JKD - from age 22 yrs to same as above  Muay Thai - one year practise.  Ninjutsu - from age 24 yrs to 26 yrs old.  I'm 31yrs old now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squatting Monkey Posted February 18, 2009 I voted no. After 28 years of various disciplines, I don't feel the need to practice martial arts anymore. Neigong, zhan zhuang, bodyweight and cardio exercises plus meditation are enough for me now. Â Â In the past I've trained: Â Shotokan Karate Judo Bujinkan Ninjutsu Ju Jitsu Wing Chun Muay Thai Taiji Xingyi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wayfarer64 Posted February 18, 2009 I started fighting to keep my lunch money in 2nd grade' ... later I studied Judo - as my pops was a practitioner, then wrestled in high-school - learned and taught Hatha Yoga in High-school also- then studied Hung-Gar (Shaolin) with Grand Master Bill Chung for about 6 years - In the 80's I had a short period learning moves from a "Family system" in Taiwan and continued scrapes on the streets of cities around the world... Â Meditation practice has been pretty continuous since 1968...At 55 I hope i'm done with the scrapes! - but who knows? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhiteTiger Posted February 18, 2009 People say you can't learn from books/DVD's, but it's worked out pretty well for me so far.... you have to be honest with yourself, I guess, and not fool yourself into thinking you get something when you don't. Â There is nothing wrong learning from a book or DVDs... Their are also programs where you send videos to teachers to get corrections (which is even better) and i suggest you try that route if you can... Â Books and DVDs are just seen as the lesser choice between having a face to face teacher. Although in my experience you can have a face to face teacher that doesn't wanna teach you crap... (although Oftentimes it can be traced back to the way your interacting or what your doing wrong) You can endlessly fix yourself... although if a teacher doesn't wanna teach you he aint gunna. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kronos Posted February 18, 2009 Past: Yoseikan Budo Kickboxing Thaiboxing  Now: Pammachon sometimes Hsing I and of course bitchslapping Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goldisheavy Posted February 18, 2009 I also voted no, although what I practice can be converted into a martial application. I don't have much intention to fight using fists and I don't foresee a lot of fighting in my life. For the little fighting I may have to do, I am fast and ruthless enough when I have hostile intentions that I don't usually go beyond 1 or 2 hits. To me, if the fight drags on beyond that it's either a loss or a sport or I am not serious in my intentions, and I am not interested in any of those scenarios. I much prefer peace. Â Instead what I like to do is calisthenics, like push ups, pull ups, running and kettlebells. I do those primarily for health and self-exploration purposes, and secondarily for strength and stamina development. Â I'd be open to learning either Systema or Southern Style Praying Mantis if there was a teacher within 10 minutes of me. There is no way I will travel more than that, because I am not desperate for it. I'd also be interested in an internal style, but the problem is that every internal stylist I've seen or heard of so far was a moron of some kind who didn't understand basic spiritual truths, i.e., was basically a fraud who taught movements but not the essential wisdom. Alternatively they don't speak English, and I am not motivated enough to learn Chinese yet. You name it. Nothing to brag about, but that's my situation/perception. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhiteTiger Posted February 18, 2009 (edited) I started fighting to keep my lunch money in 2nd grade' ... later I studied Judo - as my pops was a practitioner, then wrestled in high-school - learned and taught Hatha Yoga in High-school also- then studied Hung-Gar (Shaolin) with Grand Master Bill Chung for about 6 years - In the 80's I had a short period learning moves from a "Family system" in Taiwan and continued scrapes on the streets of cities around the world...  Meditation practice has been pretty continuous since 1968...At 55 I hope i'm done with the scrapes! - but who knows?  Good stuff... what family system if you don't mind me asking?  /bows with respect  wT Edited February 18, 2009 by WhiteTiger Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wayfarer64 Posted February 18, 2009 Good stuff... what family system if you don't mind me asking?  /bows with respect  wT  I'll email my buddy who introduced me to that system in Taiwan... I don't recall the actual style's name -if there was one?! we mostly trained at disarming a knife-weilding assailant from a sitting position...my friend is now teaching Chinese studies at U. Texas Austin, and may need some time to respond - Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xtwicebornx Posted February 18, 2009 I've recently started practicing Chen style Tai Chi. Interested in Wing Chun as well, but haven't found a teacher nearby. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted February 18, 2009 Highschool: Shotokan Karate (excellent taught by strict traditional teacher) College: TKD (after Shotokan this felt very..commericial, it was the only one offered) then 13 years Shin Shin Toistu Ki Aikido (good stuff, mellow, hands on, included meditation, healing, breathing, body/mind explorations)  These days, Kuchi waza and Wu Wei   Michael      Kuchi waza = tongue technique. Generally used as sarcastic device in dojo As in "Excellent Kuchi Waza Michael, now get on the mat and practice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
