darksoul

I'm not a TKD guy but I've fought plenty for TKD guys. Very strong kicks, so-so punches, no ground fighting. It's a great art if you're going to keep them at a leg's distance. But yes... learning it will be worth it in the long run. Techniques you learn in TKD can be applied to other martial arts if you ever chose to go into another style such as Karate, Shotokan, Hapkido, etc...

Awesome post! I really enjoyed those vids. Thanks!

Thanks for all the welcomes, guys! I figured I would post a picture so you can place a face to the name. http://www.karateforums.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=481 This is with my cotton belt. I'm just waiting on my silk/satin belt to arrive so I can embroider it.

So I've looked around and called a few places in Montreal, there are a few Gracie schools with direct lineage to the Gracie brothers but they charge an arm and a leg. I mean McDojo prices. I also did a bit more research. BJJ is interesting, but I can't see myself doing it. I'm not a wrestler. Being slight of frame, I can wriggle out of most holds fairly easily and my strikes are focused enough to find pressure points if I'm really stuck. So Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is out for me. I might actually go for Aikido. While it's not a grappling art, I feel it will add to my Shaolin Kempo and make me a better fighter. I haven't fully decided yet. We'll see.

I don't consider wrestling a martial art, but that's probably only because I think it's lame

I'm not looking for competition, just to fill the holes I have from Shaolin Kempo. I'd be doing this along side my Kempo, so getting a black belt is not really important. Took me nearly 7 years to get my black belt in Kempo and I'm more than happy with that Although... another black belt... *ponder* Looks like I might have to go with BJJ, but more of a fighting form. I don't so much care about the sport aspect of it. Thanks for the info!

I'd love to

GREAT POST! I love love love LOVE historic western martial arts! LOVE them. My only issue with them is that, nowadays, all you find in these clubs are weapon fighting. I don't know about you, but I don't really carry a sword around with me when I'm walking down the street. Just the same, I don't have a full set of plate mail I can put on when I go downtown This is where I think the empty-handed Asian martial arts beat the western swordsmanship. That being said, I wanna do it There's a historic western martial arts club here in Montreal that just looks like a blast - http://compagniemedievale.com/ It's in french, but there's an english version in the top right. Video of the club -

Late reply, but yes! Very good! I hate admitting that I was in a McDojo, but I find comfort is knowing that my instructors were bang-on and taught me a solid, viable, and effective martial art. Not many in the corporate entity were.

So I'm thinking of starting Jiu-Jitsu, I just don't know if I want to go towards the Brazilian side or the Japanese side. I'm also thinking of trying out Aikido and Aiki Ju-Jitsu. Thoughts? Opinions?

This is a question for the black belts... How many belts do you have? So far I have 2, one plain, one with a dan stripe on it and tomorrow I'll have my "nice" belt. It's gonna be a Satin/Silk belt with my dan stripe on the left and the Chinese Characters for Shaolin Kempo(少林拳法) on the right. Both in red. *edit* I'm also upgrading from the standard 1.5" width to a 2" width. I've heard that Silk frays quickly and that Satin is an "in the middle" for durability. I like the "old" look, but I also want a belt that will last me the next 40years. Also, I'm paying $130 for this belt so it better last! haha. So yeah, I'm happy. What are your thoughts on Cotton, Satin, and Silk belts?

Oh and here's... Men's Boxing Welter Custio Clayton Super Heavy Simon Kean Women's Boxing Middle Mary Spencer Sorry about only posting Canadian athletes, but hey, I'm Canadian! You guys feel free to post the athletes of your country

So I'm not a huge fan of TKD (no offense to the TKD guys here) but I'm definitely looking forward to Judo. Canada's got the following in the martial arts sports: Men's Judo -60kg Sergio Pessoa -66kg Sasha Mehmedovic -81kg Antoine Valois-Fortier -90kg Alexandre Edmond Women's Judo -57kg Joliane Melancon -70kg Kelita Zupancic -78kg Amy Cotton Men's Tae Kwon Do -80kg Sebastien Michaud +80kg François Coulombe-Fortier Women's Tae Kwon Do -67kg Karine Sergerie While this isn't a traditional martial art, I still think it deserves notice... Men's Fencing Individual Sabre Philippe Beaudry Individual Foil Étienne Lalonde-Turbide Women's Fencing Individual Sabre Sandra Sassine Individual Foil Monica Peterson Individual Épée Sherraine Schalm

D'oh! My job has 24fightingchickens blocked! Luckily I've got a VNC tunnel to my home computer

^this

See... I find that fishy. I don't bounce. I did once and got caught with a roundhouse in the calf that, if standing still wouldn't have done anything. Instead, I got sweeped and landed square on my side. As was previously stated, bouncing, while concealing your attacks, give a predictable tempo. I now love to do full contact sparring against a bouncer, I just gauge their timing and attack when they're mid bounce. 7 times out of 10, I knock them off balance, the remaining 3 times they're on the ground. I do shift my weight though which can soft of give the illusion of bouncing, but to a much lesser extent.

It definitely does depend on the instructor. I would still stay away from the Karate For Kids chain of TKD. I've heard nothing but horrible things from them.

Firstly, there weren't many in my dojo. I was the 6th or 7th, I think, and there is a black belt class that was run by Master Chryssolor. When a black belt was in the advanced class (blue to brown,) then they would spar lower ranks, but again, once you hit black, you'd go to the black belt class to learn all the newer stuff. I was with the dojo only about a month after reaching black until I moved cross-country, not sure how Master Paquette does it yet as I've only been to 1 class. Before moving, I still attended the advanced class and I sparred every rank. From my experience, it's just natural. The moves themselves are learned throughout the journey from white to black, they just get focused on at black, so the mechanics and power generation are worked on for a few years before black. Cool! I saw some very similar moves when I was at the BC Open tournament last year.

Hahaha, so I was right! When I saw your name I thought "I wonder if he means Doctor Who." since "qui" is who in French

Thanks! I'm very much looking forward to it I'm going to go train tomorrow actually. Stupid work keeps me fairly busy so I end up training on my own most of the time.

You bet! The techniques themselves, yes. There are less front punches, and straight kicks and start revolving around the 5 animals. Snake techniques will snap at pressure points and soft tissue and coil around an opponent. Tiger techniques will use rakes and sheer aggression. Leopard techniques will be fast combos, etc... All these are trained from the very beginning, it's just they really start being put into practice at black. 1st and 2nd Dans, not so much. When a 3rd or 4th dan step in, you'll usually see them standing open handed with much more circular blocks. Generally, black belts do not spar pre-black students. 1st dans will spar 1st or 2nd browns but rarely below that. Quite simply because they become more effective more quickly if someone has no previous training. Basically they are easier to put into practice in the real world. Example - It's easier to block with this early on: than it is to block with this: or this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT9mbYwbTow You bet! I love talking about Shaolin Kempo! It really has become the style for me and I am very proud to have reached black belt in this system.

Used to be United Studios of Self Defense, but they broke off of the franchise (my Sensei didn't want to adhere to the McDojo mentality that was being pushed on him) and eventually Ancient Path in North Vancouver, BC Studied under Alia and Andy Chryssolor (2nd and 5th Dan) Now it's simply Shaolin Kempo Karate in Montreal, QC under Master Claude Paquette (7th Dan)

The Japanese forms are more linear, much like traditional Karate. In Kempo, we add some strikes I don't believe are in Japanese karate (chicken wrist, immortal man, leopard paw, etc...) but the forms, until later somewhat mimic Karate. In later belts we incorporate more Chinese movements in forms such as the Two-man Fist Set, Stature of the Crane, Kata 5 and Kata 6. Now things are getting even more circular. Lots of deflection and fluidity of movement. We definitely don't discard anything, and oddly, it seems like a very fluid and efficient transition.

Where I studied Shaolin Kempo, it's almost 100% Japanese until black belt. Once you reach your first Dan, you move into the Shaolin forms and techniques exclusively. From what I've experience, it's straight Kung Fu. The forms I'm expected to learn at this Dan (which is weird saying in the context of Chinese martial arts) are: Circle of the Tiger Swift Tigers Hansuki Northern and Southern Ninglese I haven't started learning them yet, but I'm very much looking forward to it.

Welcome!