Martial Artists

[KuKulzA]

I am training in Chi Shing Tang Lang Chuan (Seven Star Praying Mantis 'boxing'). It is a type of northern Praying Mantis style of Chinese Martial arts (known as Kung Fu, Wushu, Kuoshu - but corruption of the term hapens).

I know I have made a thread liek this before but I was very imature of it then (compared to my experience and outlook now)... so who are martial artists and maybe we can discuss, or maybe even if you aren't a practitioner of a martial art. I like how a real martial art is truly an art, you can keep exploring it and never truly master it, but you can keep getting better... the only limit is yourself...

[Mormacil]

I did some years of Judo and Karate, that's about it. I never got the build for any sport really

[Trankintor]

I'm doing karate at the moment...Did you get far, and by far I mean what color of belt? if we now did the same branch of Karate, I do Shotokan(or how it's spelled), and I have the 1st brown belt, and then it is 2 more, then it's BLACK!!! Woho!

[KuKulzA]

@ Mormacil
well, if you ever want to take it up again i'm sure you could. Though I don't think martial arts should be focused for sport, I feel it should be focused on practicality and martial skill, but everyone has their own tastes... I'm a relatively aggressive don't-mind-if-I-hurt-someone-in-a-fight kinda guy

@ Trankintor
I personally don't measure skill by belts, and I feel it isn't a good system
however, usually in a legitimate martial arts school (that uses belts) the belts DO reflect the skill level...
in not-as-good schools, oftentimes the student cares only for that belt, or they are simply awarded it later
lots of phony business going on... gotta find good teachers :yes:

I am actually still in Ji-bun Gong... as in Fundamental Kung fu... learning to use kicks, blocks, strikes, and maneurving in a fight... keeping in mind stances, transitions, distance/range, etc.... its much harder than it looks to do it all perfectly, but I try hard anyhow...
I dunno how to equate it with the belt system, however I know that after this level of training I will be starting to actually use and learn the techniques involving the tang lang gow (mantis hook) and learning techniques specifically for Tang Lang chuan.... but right now I am learning to apply basics, having learned and gotten good at them in the previous 'level' so to speak...

I hear Shotokan is very hard-hitting and rigid, though i think that's partially up to the practitioner... are you hard and rigid? or is that only upon impact? I have sparred with rigid folks, some effectively and fluidly maneavuer but maintain rigidity when striking, and some are just so tense I'm afraid they'll pull a muscle :lol:

[Mormacil]

Well my problem is that I got problems with musslebuilding, that makes the exercises kinda hard And by bad luck I missed 3 exams on karate (illness, migraine and traffic-accident)

Anyway my dojo did use belts but they weren't a bad dojo We had several dutch champion in different classes. And we did focus on the mental part as well. Yeah maybe in the future I'll continue.

[KuKulzA]

its all good :goodjob:

I feel that if you are going to do a martial art, it should be a life-long thing if you really enjoy it and have a passion for it, afterall it only helps if you have your emotions under control since it will give you good self-defense and exercise

but each to his/her own

[Mormacil]

I go my artistic skills to control my emotions that and building stuff up. I proberbly get a big depression somewhere in my life I'm just to good with putting stuff away.

And well I'm a introvert person and moved quite a bit in my childhood, not the best combination...

[Seniosh]

I took tai kwan do for about 3 years, and it really exemplifies how sad the state of martial arts is in many places in the U.S. Much of what we did was not very practical, and it was too easy to advance. The only useful bits were the sparring and excercises, but even then we were not well instructed.

Also, my friend's 12 year old brother is a blackbelt, despite being a bit overweight and out of shape hrug: don't ask how, but in many places, martial arts is much more a display than a practical skill

Of course it sounds like you actually take an authentic martial art, which trains you will for defense combat. It's always good to have a sport (i guess that's what you could call it) that you can do for a good bit of your life, and true martial arts are excellent in that regard. The trick is finding someplace to teach you stuff.

Physical activity's just not for me If anyone tries assaulting me i'll just block and attack with my 1000 page hardcover history textbook a textbook to the face should deter any would-be attackers, and luckily someone skilled enough to dodge or mitigate the textbook should have the self-control to not attack in the first place

[KuKulzA]

Originally posted by Seniosh
I took tai kwan do for about 3 years, and it really exemplifies how sad the state of martial arts is in many places in the U.S. Much of what we did was not very practical, and it was too easy to advance. The only useful bits were the sparring and excercises, but even then we were not well instructed.

I've seen way too many martial arts school like that X(

but I am happy I found a legit school

[Kodama]

Originally posted by KuKulzA

I know I have made a thread like this before but I was very imature of it then (compared to my experience and outlook now)...

I'm a relatively aggressive don't-mind-if-I-hurt-someone-in-a-fight kinda guy

You are obviously still not very mature now KuKulzA

You should mind if you hurt some one, and you should never hurt some one unless you have no other choice

I hope you don't get a da-dao any time soon, the thought of that scares me