Martial Artist

Yes, I know how to avoid confrontation, but it isnt always possible

pinning the opponents foot to the floor and then punching the solar plexus or face

Of course. Praying Mantis kungfu has always been fascinating to me - especially your use of the crane strike so creatively - entrapments and jointlocks and such. I'd bet that alone is damn effective.

Haha sorry about that. I spent this week backpacking, and thus had no internet connection lol

Holy cow 8? Yea. See thats actually why my board screen name is "Martial Artist." I do not consider myself a Karateka or a Aikidoka or a... basically, I learn from every martial art that I can to gain the knowledge from them. Ok so that made sense in my head - its like one martial art cannot teach you everything, so I looked elsewhere (no I'm not claiming I know everything) to become a more rounded fighter. Karate and Kung Fu teach punching kicking and such, tai chi and aikido and wing chun teaches chi/ki, aikido and jujitsu teaches throws locks and take downs, kick boxing teaches endurance and speed. Ok so here's my average weekly schedule (except for this last week since I've been backpacking)... Monday: Wing Chun @ 3:30, Kick Boxing @ 6:15, Karate @ 7:20 Tuesday: Kick Boxing @ 6:15, Aikido and Jujitsu @ 7:20 Wednesday: Wing Chun @ 3:30, Wu Shu @ 5:00, Kick Boxing @ 6:15, Karate @ 7:20 Thursday: Karate @ noon, Kick Boxing @ 6:15, Aikido and Jujitsu @ 7:20 Friday: Kobudo @ 5:30, Black Belt class @ 6:15, Karate @ 7:20 (I go to both classes - black belt class refines technique and teaches the new, the karate class is for the regular colored belts, i go to further refine techniques and to assist in teaching) Saturday: Kick Boxing, Tai Chi Chuan and Wu Shu... this goes from about 8:30 in the AM to 2:00 in the after noon. Not all of its class time, there is room in there for me and my dojo buddies to goof off and spar or whatever. Sunday I avoid martial arts since I spend most of the day at my church running a sound and video mixer. Hehe, God did say he rested on the seventh day, and its nice to have a break once a week. Now the schedule stays fairly constant, but I still have no clue how I find time to see my girlfriend 3 times a week and hold a job at a computer store... lets just say the hours are funny. As for the belts and time... Karate took me 5 years, and the kobudo black belt was included. Aikido and Jujitsu took me roughly... 7 years. Wing Chun and Wu Shu took 11. I am currently 24 years old. I started Martial Arts at the age of 13, with Wu Shu and Wing Chun. When I turned 16, I began to study Jujitsu, and later Aikido (roughly around my 17th birthday). I decided to take up Aikido because sometimes Jujitsu can be overkill - smashing someone's head on the gound is not cool. At the age of 18, a friend of mine at church introduced me to Shuri-Ryu Karate, so I began training in this art. I can't remember when i started Kick Boxing... just that its a good work out - builds speed and endurance - and calloused knuckles. I began studying Tai Chi along with Aikido, since they both shared many similarities, in that both are internal arts. As for a special diet? No not really... although I eat around 3500 calories a day because I burn so much working out all the time. But its a pretty normal diet - food pyramid all the way. I do try to intake as much protein as I can in the mornings (aka 3 scrambled eggs, some energy drinks) to give me the energy I need. I eat a lot of sushi and rice tho... so I guess it isnt entirely your average "American" diet. Also, I eat a LOT of meat... like... um, A LOT. Yea. Good energy food, tastes good AND fills you up real quick. Yea its funny - 3500 cals a day, and I am still 6'4" at 190 pounds. As for my future in martial arts, I think I will continue in my current training, and maybe take up a few more weapons styles. I have always wannted to learn more about the Escrima/Kali sticks and the Chinese weapons I haven't practiced with. I've also thought that Iaido would be a fun art. Who knows. And I've always been fascinated with ninjas, so I want to check out Ninjutsu some time. Hmm maybe its just the fact that I'm a guy, but I think that would be cool. One things for sure tho - NO TAE KWON DO FOR ME. Hehe. I am a bit curious about Hapkido though, one of my school teachers in high school trained in it, and was one of the reasons I took up Aikido. As for the comments by "from the ground up," good point. Wu Shu is taught at the same school as Wing Chun, so when I say kung fu to my friends I mean both arts. You are right however, it isnt really kung fu, it is but it isnt. Its kind of a funny contrast - Wu Shu is all show-y, and Wing Chun is a lot slower and more combat practical. If the truth be known, I started with Wu Shu simply because it looked (and is) fun. Yes there is a dislike, but, I wanted to broaden my horizons and learn more. I'll update my profile on that one there, hehe big typo . It is actually a school of various chinese martial arts and thus teaches different styles.

White: Tai Kyoku Exercises (Teach, Tarch and Meach) Yellow: Wunsu Blue: Anaku Green: Empi Sho, Dan Enn Sho Purple: San Chin, Heian Shodan, O' Naihanchi Sho Brown: O'Naihanchi Ni and San, Heian Nidan, Sandan, Yondan, Basai Dai, Go Pei Sho Shodan: Basai Dai, Kan Ku Sho and Kan Ku Dai, Te-Katana (Sai From), Kwanmu Katas (Sho, Ni and San) Nidan: Shudo So Sandan: Further mastery of all of the above, Ten Sho Yondan: Ten Dai And of course the TONS of weapons katas and the Ippons and Taezus and Shaolin Animal Forms.

Shuri Ryu

Shuri-Ryu Karate is VERY effective. Speed, power, control. See, we hit so hard so fast people don't even know what hit them till they wake up in an E.R. having their jaw wired shut. We do this by complete relaxation so the attacker can't see muscle tensation before the strike. Then, we tense up just as we hit, and throw our entire body weight and hip action into the shot. We don't deal with niceties - block, punch HARD, run away. No fance spinny kicks or crazy blocking sequences. EXAMPLE: I was at school (This was when i was a BLUE belt), someone pulled a knife one me and tried to stab me in the gut. I grabbed his hand, yanked him towards me and vertical fisted him right below the nose strait into the mouth. I broke 6 of his teeth and nocked 8 more out of his head, fractured his jaw and his nise in several places and knocked him out. ONE punch, ended it fast. And no I did not over react - he attacked with a LETHAL weapon, so I responded in like kind. Now as for self defense of say choking attacks and headlocks and whatnot... also effective. Again, we use speed and power to defuse the situation and cause mondo hurt on the attacker in a swift manner. EXAMPLE: I was in Canada a few days ago (Just got back), and I was attacked whilst walking through an alley. The attacker attempted a front choke attack and puched me back. I pinned his left arm to my chest with my right, wrapped my left over it and spun about. This forced him to let go, broke both of his wrists and elbows and rammed his face into a nearby dumpster. I left him and ran. How can that NOT be effective?

Yea basics are drilled for the first few months... as for power in a punch, rotate the hip as you punch... this was like class one in Shuri-Ryu Karate, sadly many Karate styles don't teach hip action till around blue or green belt.

Basically, in Aikido, we use a "Ski" (um i hope i spelled that right), that is, a hand extended and teh other bent next to and behind it. This represents something coming at you - a knife, fist, club... whatever. So in this sense, its pretty much defensive only, but isnt that the point of most martial arts? a means of self defense from one or more attackers?

That knowledge will come in time. Things like pressure points, merridiens and triggerpoints should really be taught by your Sifu, since its hard to explain on a BBS... you need a person to use the techniques on. I didn't startlearning too much about these things until around red and brown sash a few years ago... it REALLY kicks in around 2nd and 3rd degree black sash... well, it did in my Wing Chun system. May be different for you.

I've been to China and Okinawa a few times. I love it there.. great environbment, EXCEPTIONAL instructors (well duh, they are the masters of their respective systems eh?)

Actually not too much. It is still a fighting art - yes, we have a lot of flashy showy things, but we know that this is traditional and NOT GOOD FOR HAND TO HAND COMBAT. We still have your standard punches and kicks and animal strikes and grappling movements and Chi work. Good stuff. HOWEVER, teh other Kung Fu style I study, Wing Chun, is quite a bit more effective than Wu Shu.

Whoa, TKD runs the Basai katas... err.. "forms?" COOL, I didn't know that. Is it just Dai, or do you also do Sho (Since its a 4 part Kata: Basai Sho, Basai Dai, Basai San and Basai Tamari). Either way, thats cool. Good strong Chinese/Okinawan kata.

Whoa this is a GOOD thread, very common questions. I myself am a Christian, and struggled a bit with the whole concept of "Chi" and such in the beginning of my training many years ago. Obviously, the concpets were very alien to me, living in the western part of the world, and, they seemed potentially "demonic." HOWEVER I got over this very quickly. Once I learned more about Chi/Qi/Ki, I became more comfortable with it. Its actually not terribly "spiritual" in nature. Chi is a part of every person, martial arts just helps you learn to use it and to cultivate and control it. Now, I do not believe that Martial Arts are a religion, but, that they are certainly a way of life. Ever heard the Karatedo? Literally translated this means "The Empty Handed Way of Life." Karate is not merely a sport (hell, with the exception of certain styles of TKD and boxing, NO martial arts are "sports," they are killing and fighting/military arts), more than a self defense training ground, it IS a way of life. Same with all other genuine martial arts. Also, look at the Bible. It clearly states that the body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, and that we are to take care of it. The Martial Arts are easily the best method of staying in good physical condition (well thats my opinion anyway cuz I don't play sports). And, its not like you are worshipping Buddha or whoever... well, usually not but hey. Just remember to keep God first in your life. If you honor him, he will honor you. Seems pretty strait forward doesn't it?