italian_guy

I tend to agree with bushido_man. Mindset is important but 90% is maybe exagerated, technique, physical shape with the appropriate preparation is very important. I would say a more conservative 50-50% between mind and body (including muscle memory). Having said that, I think that in martial art schools we do not have enough mindset training.

Hi Jason welcome to KF

I was already 42 y.o. when I started my first MA (kickboxing) and yes I had problem with general athletism and flexibility (due to age and long period of inactivity) and gradually and not completelely I overcame these problems. Now that I'm 56 and I re-started after 5 years of stop I have the same kind of problems... and still the confidence I will overcome them... oh well I choose an art (wing chun) where this problems are not a big issue but this somehow part of the game.. chosing the right art according to your tastes and physical capabilities too.

I fully agree with this.

Very nicestory thank you for sharing. Lots of passionate Martial Artists here. Grazie italian_guy.You also must be passionate, welcome to KF, sharing that passion makes it twice as much fun. We have a few things in common, especially with all the styles and systems in your avatar, such as: karate, Wing chun, krav Maga, Kickboxing, Tai chi chuan and JKD. Did you also practiced many styles? Which ones? Some of the style you see in the avatar were practiced for a short time (unfortunately) JKD and KM for a few months, TCC and KB for 1.5 years and goju for 7 years. Starting from next June I should have some more spare time in my busy schedule so I think I will do some cross training either with Tai chi (still yang style same school of my Wing Chun) or back to KM.

1 to 1 is the best way to learn IMHO. After 1 week my one-to-one period ended but now I'm practicing with all other newcomers (that actually started before me) and I completed the first part of the siu lim tao. Everything is going well I thimk I've chosen the right art and also the right school.

Very nicestory thank you for sharing. Lots of passionate Martial Artists here.

End of the first week of training. Very good general impression. Last evening I had my first encounter with the sand bag... it was ok (no bruises ). This week I learned salutation and performed various drills. Since I'm a beginner out of the usual year cycle of the school ( the MA schools in italy begins their activities in Sept/Oct and stop for summer at the end of June) I benefit of one-to-one teaching (all the other newcomers have already 2 months of activity now) and this is good. Thats all for now!

I recently had some scheduling problems for the attendance of my krav Maga (and kickboxing) training, so I had to quit. Trying to find a MA school that fit my schedule I've found this wing chun school. Although my first experience with chinese MA (namely tai chi) was not very satisfactiory, at a first exam seemed that this art could fit my tastes and physical capabilities (age 56, not very good with high kicks). So yesterday I went for a test lesson and both the art and the teaching looked ok. So I think I will join the school and start from scratch a new adventure.

Congratulations

Let me restate the question in a different way: does JKD deserve to live? My answer is yes, because its techniques and concepts are meaningful, usefoul and effective. Everything evolves in human history so we don't expect that JKD today to be the same as in 1973,but Bruce Lee successors like Dan Inosanto or Kris Kent had preserved the concepts and techiques in a reasonable way and so what they teach (or teached) is still to be considered JKD.

Welcome to the forum... and welcome back to MA

I think that the problem is that very few instructor are able to teach the combative aspect of Tai Chi. Immagine that you teach only the katas of karate (especially goju ryu) for years, at some point it will become like Tai Chi. Inside the forms there are hidden techiques like in katas, there are strikes, armlock, low kicks etc. but since only the meditave aspects have been taught very few techer knows the real Tai Chi Chuan (I underline Chuan)

Yes and in principle they are quite easy technique from the purely body mechanics point of view however to make them work you need a lot of training both physical and psycological

As I said above, You cannot consider it a traditonal MA. It is purely self-defence oriented kind of thing. However self-defence is the essential of any martial art so I consider it very straght to the point and formless. I think that Bruce Lee, if he was alive, would have appreciated it.

My first class was kickboxing in a gym some 14 years ago (I was already 42 y.o.) and after a couple of lesson as "observer" I made up my mind and joined. The fist impression was that for me MA was easier then expected. Although I was not very flexible (and this is somehow still a limit for me) I was kicking not so bad. I did kickboxing for about 1.5 years and then I stopped to join karate (and cross-train in several other arts like JKD/Kali, TCC yang style) which I did for 8 years before stopping for working schedule problems. Recently I met in the same gym where I'm doing krav Maga my first kickboxing instructor.... and I think that next season I'm going to cross-train KM with kickboxing.

Regarding krav Maga I recently bought Complete krav Maga by Darren Levine. Quite a good book with lots of well illustrated techniques.

Our insructor has annouced a lesson on improvisational weapons next thursday... I think it is going to br fun! Let us all know how your lesson went, I'm curious and so will everyone else here also.Since last evenining lesson was the last of the season (and then we had social dinner ) it was quite a short lesson. The instructor showed us the usage of kubotan (or as an alternative a robust pen). Then he showed us some techinques for gun disarming .. not as good as expected, let's hope better for the next season. Anyway kubotan is quite a useful self defensive tool I think I'll buy one.

Our insructor has annouced a lesson on improvisational weapons next thursday... I think it is going to br fun! Let us all know how your lesson went, I'm curious and so will everyone else here also.Since last evenining lesson was the last of the season (and then we had social dinner ) it was quite a short lesson. The instructor showed us the usage of kubotan (or as an alternative a robust pen). Then he showed us some techinques for gun disarming .. not as good as expected. Anyway kubotan is quite a useful self defensive tool I think I'll buy one.

Concerning Gis my school was more conservative instead. The rule was: white only.

I think that every school has its own tradition. When I was in karate I use to wear a Black belt with amber embroidery gifted by my head instructor just after my shodan examination.

Hi Antonio, welcome to the forum. If you look for self defence Krav Maga is a good option...although many art can do the job, but KM is expressly made for this purpose.

Leaving aside the considerations made by LLEARNER (that I agree) , I think that TKD/BJJ or Judo is a better cross training combination because it will add to your curriculum a grappling experience which is more useful than learning the same things done in different manner.

Our insructor has annouced a lesson on improvisational weapons next thursday... I think it is going to br fun!

Congratulations!