username19853

Thank you very much! And sorry about all the posts. I get ideas or learn some things and get so excited I want to tell people about it. I'll definitely consider physical education!

I agree, no martial art is the best. As far as popularity goes, I constantly hear about Wing Chun, JKD, Hung Gar and Tai Chi. I also recommend as neoravencroft said, try out the places near you. Almost all martial art schools allow a free class or two so you can see what it's like. Try a bunch out, see which one fits your interests the most.

The university of Bridgeport offers a BA in Martial Arts Studies. I AM GOING TO DO THIS. My question is, what would be good to do this with? I'm not a high enough rank to teach martial arts, although I'm pretty sure you have to train in either TKD, Karate or a Chinese MA in order to graduate, in most cases 4 years is how long it takes to get your black belt. Sensei8 said not all black belts can teach and I agree. But it's an option. Otherwise, Id minor in business. If I shouldn't minor in business, does anyone have some suggestions? I know some of you are thinking that's a stupid major and that it's not smart, but I've been constantly looking at other choices and none of them interest me whatsoever. Here is the link to their website, along with a list of classes that I'd be taking: http://www.bridgeport.edu/academics/undergraduate/martial-arts-studies-b/curriculum-and-requirements/#

Thank you so much! And I hold the rank of Yon Kyu in Matsubayashi Ryu, but I moved away from that dojo and my best option now is to start studying Chito Ryu.

Hey guys, I've always loved martial arts and want it to be in my life as long as I live! I've been trying to figure out what to do for college but I'm too indecisive. So I want to know if you guys have any ideas on how I could make a profession in martial arts? Other than teaching in my own dojo or fighting professionally. I would LOVE to teach martial arts, but having a backup plan that I could work towards while I continue my study in Karatedo would help out a lot. So if anyone could give me ideas, ways to accomplish these ideas, or any advice at all, id really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

If you see this: You mentioned you have no equipment. Look up Calisthenics on YouTube or google for ideas. You can get really creative with push-ups. You can also find a place to do pull-ups or chin-ups. DO NOT neglect leg exercises. Air squats, lunges, wall sits, squat jumps, lunge jumps, pistol squat, etc. power comes from your LEGS AND ABS FIRST. So do a bunch of core exercises as well. And you can't go wrong with running. Start slow and increase over time. But I highly recommend sprints. Builds power and speed in the legs. I ran track for a year as a sprinter and after the season I picked up Muay Thai and my kicks were a lot harder than any average joe starting out.

I noticed this in Shorin Ryu! When I first started I wanted to learn how to kick really bad and didn't understand why I was doing Karate and barely doing any kicks. Personally, I think kicks are more often than not ineffective in a self defense scenario. Not to mention Karatekas were all about ending fights quickly. A front kick to the groin or a stomp on the head after a quick takedown would end it pretty fast so you can get away. As for the other variations, I could see them being useful against multiple opponents. A side kick or back kick to keep one of your attackers at bay while working on the other. otherwise, I only see the roundhouse and side kick used in tournaments for sport. I think the back kick is just one of those things to keep in the back of your head in case you're ever in a situation where you could use it. If I said anything wrong, I apologize. Just wanted to share my opinion, even though it wasn't a direct response to your question 😁

Hey guys, if anyone knows it, I used to train in the Okinawan style of Matsubayashi Ryu Karate. I've been looking for a place near me but there are none. There's a Hung Gar place near me that also teaches Muay Thai. I'm not interested in Muay Thai because I prefer traditional martial arts, just thought I'd throw that in there. I doubt it, but does anyone know if Hung Gar is similar at all to Matsubayashi Ryu? I know Okinawan martial arts basically came from China and Kung Fu, so in wondering if there might be some roots from Hung Gar that may have helped develop Matsubayashi. Also, if anyone could just give me some info on Hung Gar, their opinion on the martial art, how well they think it could be applied to self defense in a street fight, etc. I would really appreciate. Thank you in advance.

RW, I see what you're saying, but I have to share a quick story. When I first started training I wasn't very knowledgeable on fighting. And I didn't understand the Kata. But it was very repetitive. My dojo also taught Judo, so I had fun doing that as well. I went to Karate 5 days a week and judo twice a week. A few months into training, I got in a "fight" at school. My attacker went to throw a punch, and my INSTINCT was to drop down into a cat stance (not like I would in kata, but the "street" version I guess) and block it with a knife edge? I think that's what it's called. I immediately grabbed his forearm and pulled him just slightly towards me, since his body weight was already coming my way, and I used a hip throw to get him on the other side of me on the ground. You think he was shocked? I was shocked! That was the first fight I had ever been in and it made me love Karate 1000x more. I also believe the "Do" aspect is important. If I went looking for this fight, it wouldn't have gone half as well as it did.

When I was training for my first tournament, my Sensei had me practice one move in particular. A sliding lead leg round kick, followed by a lead hand strike to the face (faking it), followed by a rear hand chest punch. The kick was to close some distance, the lead hand lunch was to baffle the opponent because nobody wants to get hit in the face, or at least get them to lean back a bit, and the rear hand punch was to score the point. Otherwise, he had me get use to moving around on my feet a lot, moving on angles instead of straight back. Practicing that combo a lot kind of gave me a building block for other combinations, or at least give me something to go off of. I recommend practicing combinations on a bag, in the air and on a sparring partner! The hardest part was just getting used to moving around with an opponent. I came in first place for Kata and second place for Kumite 😁

Hey guys, I used to study Matsubayashi-Ryu under Sensei Jerry Figgiani in New York. I loved it so much. I Joined the Marine Reserves and now live in Pittsburgh, PA. I have the Essence of Okinawan Karatedo that I picked up while I was in NC. It helps a lot, but I miss being in a dojo and all that fun stuff. There's a dojo near me that teaches Chito-Ryu. A member told me its Okinawan, but I've never heard of it. So my main question is, how similar are these two styles? I plan on returning to study under Sensei Figgiani someday but for now I just need something to supplement Matsubayashi. Are they close enough? Too different? Am I better off trying to keep studying Matsubayashi on my own for the next 5+ years? I think you guys know what I'm trying to say. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!