Treebranch

It's just that I used to study TKD and Lima Lama which are very similar. After being very disillusioned by those arts, I went to study San Soo which is a Combat Art. Now I do Budo Taijutsu which is Combat Art as well which uses alot of grappling techniques. Many of the high kicks and snapping types kick used in TKD can be easily used against you. The reason you saw alot of karate based arts get destroyed by grapplers in UFC is that TKD and other Karate based arts don't teach you how to fight against anyone of any system of fighting. They teach how to fight against another TKD person. I know I studied TKD. It's great if your not concerned about real situations and love the sport. I can respect that. But the reason people bash TKD is that it is very limited to a specific arena of fighting. If I were going to train people to defend themselves on the street, I wouldn't teach them TKD. There are MA's better equipped for that purpose. TKD is an elegant and graceful looking art.

Try a grappling art and get back to me.

I'm with you, Tibby. Yeah, I'm all "Broken" up over all this. You guys are "Breaking" my heart. Hehehe. This conversations got me "Split" in two. "Wood" it be too much to ask to discuss this another time? Hehe, haha. "Wooden" it be nice if you all could agree one this? Hehehe!

I see what you're saying Black Dragon and it's good to have passion for the MA that you are studying. But have you studied anything outside TKD? I have, and I found that what I was learning in TKD was not very good for real situations. Maybe my teacher sucked, both of them. I don't know, I was young at the time. But before you get all bent out of shape, you should go study something different so that you can really evaluate what it is that you are studying.

Hey if it works for you, break away.

MonkeyGirl this is not meant to be insulting, but only to make a point. What's in a name? "Chick" or "Sweety", "Babe", I'd say everything. Certain words are loaded. I think you know what I am saying.

The Katana or Nodachi or whatever Japanese Sword you want was not made for bashing or blocking another sword. The technique is to slip the other persons blade and guide it away. This is much faster than blocking the sword and you use the other person now changed angle to your advantage. There are many ways to fight with a Katana, if you've studied this, you'd know what I'm talking about. The Japanese Sword during the Warring States Period were of excellent quality. Basically the Katana is a very strong 3 foot razor blade and if you know it's limitations it is one of the world best swords. I have no doubt that Europeans had great swords, especially if they were made of Spanish steel which are my ancestors by the way. But the European Martial Arts were lost to the advent of the gun and any credible historian will say the like. If any of you know of any true European Martial Artists practicing today, please by all means send me the information. The other thing about learning how to fight with a weapon is that once you understand the proper body movements adapting to other weapons is fairly quick. Any good system of fighting taught the same body movements over and over in order for them to become second nature so that a warrior in the field could pick up any weapon and use it. I am of course talking about piercing weapons and blades. About penetrating armor. Japanese Swordsmanship isn't about slashing alone. It's also about levers and grappling with the weapon and disarming your enemy. Then you find the gaps in the armor and kill him. I wasn't comparing a Knight to a Samurai, we were merely discussing the different blade and fighting systems. That's great that a lot of you are so knowledgable about European weapons and such, that's great. I like that stuff as well. In my opinion the Japanese Sword is the best for cutting through flesh. It's design and folded metal are the recipe for a very sharp and strong blade.

How much are you willing to spend?

How is a Long Sword better? Better for cutting, I don't think so. Better for wacking people around wearing metal armor, OK. It's how you use the Sword that really counts, unfortunately the Europeans MA's are virtually non-existent and have been reduce to Stage Combat.

Yeah, I've heard that a couple of times. Grandmaster Hatsumi says something similar.

A Hanbo is a 3 foot stick that you can do really cool techniques with. It's basically half a Bo staff. As far as sword go we practice techniques with bokkens and we practice cutting exercises with a live blade. We cut tatami mats rolled up, and watermelon is good to cut, but you might get your sword all sticky. With Kendo armor you can practice full contact with a Shinai. What for? For fun and you learn alot about your basic body movements. When you put a weapon in you hands it makes you aware mistakes, or if your technique is good.

I don't think you have to master all the weapons, maybe just a few. We mostly study Sword, Bo, Hanbo and Kusari Fundo(Chained Weapon with weighted ends). I personally love the sword.

For all you board breaking enthusiasts, what kind of wood do you break in your class? I doubt it's Oak, Hickory, Walnut and any hardwoods right. I used to study arts that break boards and they were pretty easy to break. The teacher would also break concrete slabs that he would light of fire. The trick is that the slabs are made a certain way so that the middle is somewhat soft. Also they are kept cold, refigerated and when the fire heats them slightly they expand and are easier to break. Don't focus too much on that board breaking stuff, it's mostly show.

You learn how to use all of them a little, then you can choose which one you want to master. To tell you the truth the un-armed skills will teach you to handle yourself in such a way that you will be able to pick up almost any weapon and know how to use it effectively. This is a great way to become familiar with a large variety of weapons to see what you like. Budo Taijutsu basically teaches the same stuff as well.

Yeah, I agree practice with a bokken the heavier bokkens are better. A real Katana is not light, it has a definite weight to it. It feels about twice as heavy as a store bought bokken. A really good bokken might cost you up to $60.00. A bo staff on the other hand maybe around $35.00 if it's made good wood. I wouldn't suggest those really light weight Bo's get something that has a little weight to it, it will teach you how move properly and it will clue you if your technique is wrong.

Icetuate study Koryu Bujutsu Samurai fighting arts, they have larger variety of weapons that they teach. They teach you how to use a katana, bo staff, jo, hanbo, katana, naginata, manriki, shuriken, knife, yari, and much much more.

I think since BJJ was introduced to the world by UFC things have changed a bit. Other fighters have found ways of countering the takedowns or simply the MMA's have become the norm for NHB fights. I think since BJJ is still a young art it should still be evolving and learning from it's short coming and adapt. I think they should go back to traditional Jujutsu and put some of the strikes back into it as well as some of the kicks. I think the Gracies came up with a very good grappling system but there is always room for improvement. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, I'm just giving an objective opinion.

Kendo came from Kenjutu which is a sword fighting art. Kendo is the sport version. It looks like fun.

My teacher taught us a few techniques with this thing and it was awesome. Have any of you tried this weapon, it's pretty cool. http://www.wholinks.net/Sports-and-Outdoors/Martial-Arts/Accessories/Fighting-Chain--Manrikigusari.html

Thanks for all the info Kirves. So basically I'm learning Jujutsu with some Ninjutsu.

Wushu is a beautiful art, I stress the word art.

Hey JerryLove isn't that the system of fighting used by Gengus Kahn? I would think it would be a pretty brutal system.

So what who do you think would win, Tibby?

Yeah, but you can have BBQ's every weekend.

LOL, how did you know? I guess I'm not the only one.