Treebranch

Even if you give him a good fight, the chance of his harassment increasing in unlikely, but I guarantee everytime he slaps you, if you respond with a strike, he will think twice about slapping you again.

If the school is a affiliated with Master Hatsumi, then it is Bujinkan and they should be teaching Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu which dates back 1000 years to it's origin. Don't believe what people say about Ninjutsu, they are just watching to many bad 80's movies, Like American Ninja and crap like that. If you see people doing spin kicks and round house kicks it's not Taijutsu. It is a great art, it is very effective and it covers everything. So if you want to learn weapons and to fight effectively take Budo Taijutsu which is only a part of Ninpo Taijutsu. If you want to be a well rounded Martial Artist, study Ninpo Taijutsu or else just study a bunch of different martial arts that interest you. Don't let the Ninja stigma scare you away, it's a great art.

I hate to advocate violence in any way, so I would say your best weapon is indifference, just ignore the ignorant. If this doesn't work and you are pushed in a corner, fight him. Whether you lose or win he won't be picking on you any more, sometimes you have to fight. I had the same problems, don't try any high kicks keep them hidden and low, and follow up with some strikes, don't let him grab you. Hopefully you won't have to do this, but if he persists and have no other choice, teach him a lesson than charge him for it.

I know they're not wielded the same way, I think there is no way to illustrate what I'm trying to say with words. Think about the footwork and what's happening with your center, your Ki if you will, Kamae, Chi? Your principles behind your body movements are essentially the same, the difference is your distancing, timing, moving subtlly or bigger. I hope this kind explains it a little clearer, if not oh well I guess you have the right to disagree.

Sorry for using the analogy of the wheel, I'm just trying to make a point. The wheel has it's physical characteristics and structure that is unique to it as will as it's physical applications and we as humans have our characteristics and structure unique to our species. You know I don't mean you or I are a wheel, right? The firearm example is really not what we were originally discussing. Yes, a firearm is weapon, but not one used for striking, slashing, or weilding, unless you feel it can be used that way, I don't think it's the best use for it, do you? I can use a Claymore effectively and a three-peice staff, and an Axe, Katana, Nodachi, Yari, Chain and Sickle, I never fired an M-60, but I'd like to. I think if you look closely enough you can see the similarities between the car and the unicycle, bicycle, tricycle and every wheeled contraption, again your talking cosmetics and I'm talking physics. For the sake of this debate let's not bring firearms into this, although eventually in my studies we will cover firearms and other modern weaponary, only weapons accessable to the public of course.

No problem.

A wheel is round, it rolls. Some made of metal, some of rock, some of wood, some of plastic, it is still a wheel. The form in all MA's it's core is the same, because Martial Arts at it's core comes from the human structure and your balance points are the same place for everyone, you guys are talking about cosmetics. The principles are the same, I never said the styles are the same. In Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu we are trained to use our Taijutsu in such a way that we can pick up any weapon and use it. In the battle field you may find a weapon that differs from yours that you may need in a hurry. You should be able to use it, we train in such a way that the principles are the same for any weapon, adjustment in distancing and timing, but changing the principles for every weapon, silly, not practical for combat. iIf the principles differ so much so that you are lost with each weapon you pick up and can't figure out how to use it effectively, you are being misled in you studies. I hope this makes sense, if it doesn't I encourage you to research some of what Hatsumi Sensei says about this subject, which can be found on the Bujinkan website, he was Knighted in Germany and has studied European Weapons as well as Japanese ones.

Well Cung is closer to being well suited for UFC, that's why. UFC is the closest thing to a real brawl, more so when it started than now of course.

JerryLove I feel the exact same way when I am attacked, what other conclusion can you draw from someone you don't know attacking you? You got a good head on your shoulders, that's your deadliest weapon.

OK my bad I was told wrong, my mistake. I didn't know it was only used for training, no hard feelings I hope.

There are plenty of street fighters that don't complete, they are thugs. The Mafia uses guys like this to rough people up, these guys are mean. Competition fighters would do well on the street, but I think it's silly to think you can take anyone on in a street fight. Never underestimate anyone! I think getting into streetfights will make you a better streetfighter and fighting in the ring will make you a better ring fighter. You absolutely do not have to be a competition fighter to be a good streetfighter, I knew guys who didn't know any MA's and could kick ass.

If you don't have that fighting spirit, your in for it, I get angrier when I get hit, controlled anger of course, some people freak out when they get hit. If you train hard, you will do well, don't let fear take it's hold. If your style doesn't account for unothrodox fighters, go to another school that does.

I found a big problem with Katas is that a lot of teachers have a DO AS I DO, BUT DON'T ASK WHY? mentality. If you know the reasons behind each movement of the kata and how it relates to real fighting, it would make a world of difference in the learning curve. Most of the Kata based Martial Arts I studied didn't explain Jack, but now that I'm studying with a good teacher that does explain, I see the practical application of the Katas I learned in the past. So ask your instructor what each move means and how it relates to real fighting. If he knows, then he's probably worth keeping.

Hey tommarker you can't think of a way to intercept a whip, I guess you study a limited Martial Art, oh well. LOL!!!!!!

I saw a demonstration once at Dragonfest 2002 and it look pretty effective. They use strikes to get you into some viscious locks and have grappling techniques as well. There is a 7 time Kumite Champ that is Atemi Ryu Jujitsu. It's not a competition type MA so it doesn't compare to Muy Thai, I don't know enough about Shito Ryu Karate to comment. I would look for a reputable school and check it out.

If your training for competition think about Muy Thai, BJJ or American Wrestling, Budo Taijutsu to teach how evade and use your balance effectively. You'd be very prepared for just about anything.

You have a good point there, ZeRo.

Togakore Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu, Kung Fu San Soo, Krav Maga, Atemi Ryu Jujitsu. Grappling Arts like BJJ can be used to kill, but they don't cover weapons and how to counter weapons. So I would say MA's that have extensive weapons training are deadlier than ones that don't, for the most part.

I read an article by a MA historian and he said that BJJ and GJJ is closer to the original traditional Judo than it is to Jujitsu. I'll try to find that link, but it made a lot of sense. So basically it would be Brazilian Judo, or Gracie Judo, still pretty cool.

Watch the movie Hunted with Benecio Deltoro, and tell me that they are not doing Wing Chun techniques. You've never seen STICKY HANDS used in Movies? I guess I watch a lot of MA movies. Sorry if I offended you, but some MA look better on film than others, doesn't mean they don't work. All I really said if you read what I said closer, was that Martial Arts in films are flowery and would not look like that in a real fight.

I think he would be a great challenge to anyone in his weight class, I've never seen his ground skills. His throws are lightning fast as well as his stand up skills, it would be interesting.

Look into it, Togakore Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu it's one of the only systems that teaches survival skills, and how to read people, accessing a situation before you go into it. Swimming techniques, fighting on hard terrain, multiple attackers, restraining someone, gun techniques, countless weapons, and I don't really mean it's the best, it's just really complete and really amazing. Basically it's a very wholistic approach to combat, that mixes old traditions with new concepts and it's always evolving. Yes and it does cover grappling, any new art that claims it is the best at something is looked into and studied to find it's weaknesses and possible counter to that art. You can learn a lot from an Martial Art that's 1000 years old and still evolving.

TJS I totally agree with you guys on sparring, I was being sarcastic when I made the statements about practicing groin kicks full contact, and the choke, we train the same way, hard with gear and soft with dangerous techniques. Sounds like you and JerryLove are knowledgable guys, thanks for the discussion, I try not to jump to conclusions next time.

Yeah, Cung Le does ruin his opponents fairly easily, I wonder how he would do in UFC.

I apologize to both of you, I misquoted you both, just can't stand it when people compare Sport Arts with Combat Arts, they usually don't know what they're talking about, it's annoying. "I think that better general training come from slow-motion than from speed; but without occassionally "mixing it up", I see the exact same problem that you do." I agree totally with your statement here, and again I apologize to you both TJS, and JerryLove. By the way the street fight I was in lasted to hits, one to the groin, and hammer fist to the nose. The problem was his 7 friends didn't like that too much and came at me, and I ran my butt off. I didn't start it either, he threw the first punch and I moved and began my attack. I agree mixing it up is probably the most efficient and realistic way of training in a Wholistic Martial Art.