Xtra Tribal

Yo Jerry! Mande Muda is actually a system comprised of 18 Pencak Silat styles, incuding Harimau. I also strongly disagree with your stance that south east asian martial arts which retain some of their cultural aspects have less to offer as a martial art. How did you come up with this conclusion?

They are illegal in Canada too. It's a shame. If the balisongs are really bladed, then they are illegal. I've seen people with dull aluminum practice bladed balisongs, so I imagine those are ok.

Jerry Love, Have you even sparred with foam, wooden or aluminum training knife? Do you know how long before someone is "cut"? You will notice if your opponent has a blade because if you don't have one you're done, whether your "keeping his energy low" or not. I'm saying that using a knife as a scare tactic is a bad survival strategy. Like a gun, you pull it if it's the last resort. To promote any other ideas on this forum is criminal.

I agree with Delta1 that you shouldn't head hunt. Why? You have a knife. You don't intend to knock anyone out. But, Jerrylove, I guess I'm getting a kick out of certain remarks about flaws in FMA. That's like saying there's Flaws in Kung Fu. (which gungfu? who what where?) Got any specifics about those remarks?

they become an extension of your body or we wouldn't train weapons granDmaster Chen Why you have a chinese name when you are clearly pretending to be in japan?

yes, or tell the person not to push you.

These comparitive topics sure get redundant: X vs Y = N

tai chi is suposedly internal but the tao is a whole. The tai chi symbol is really about external and internal in balance. I see it as integration of strong mind and strong body, can't be good at martial arts without good health and spirit. It's a silly poll. I also agree with Cross that one develops a strong body (health, conditioning) faster than your mind (strategy, coordination, distancing, timing, all the fun stuff)

Pekiti Tirsia Kali Mande Muda Capoeira BJJ Krabi Krabong Ooh! I guess I'll be a wellrounded fighter when I'm 60.

Silat is a generic term for the 100's of styles in Indonesia, while wing chun is more easily identified. Jati Wassesa and Mande Muda have some really interesting stepping patterns and takedowns. Exotic blades too. I believe wing chun is more of a self defense fight from what I've seen since some practitioners I know practice muay thai kb to extend their fighting range abilities. WC is a closer fighting system, isn't it? (except when they have the butterfly swords I guess) Please let me know if I'm wrong.

My buddy who is a war buff told me that Krav Maga is the martial art that infantry can perform without being hindered by their 45pound gear they hump on the field. All the techniques are direct and straight forward so it doesn't take long to master. (the definition of a combative art by the way easy to form a fighting unit in the least amount of time) They do a lot of drilling to the point of exhaustion (good conditioning for the mind and body). Many repetitions (for muscle memory) and they will get fit very fast. It is very combative and like in the army, they will engage your fighting spirit. San Shou Kuai Jiao is very combative too but less of the military attitude, their throws and takedowns are not like judo or jj because they do not engage in grappling or submission. Which is always risky when not one on one. It is also called fast wrestling because they do not follow their opponents to the ground, they try to inflict maximum damage from the throws. (the throws are designed to impact to the head, shoulders.) I saw a demo last year and was really impressed, kickers beware, but I have never seen it in any other context.

This is strange because the skills(strategy, timing, distancing, coordination), discipline, health benefits, confidence and the fun fun fun (lest we forget), are shared my mixed martial artists and traditional martial artists. The reason, we don't give no holds barred contests is because you might as well give these guys blades then, human cockfights with people killing each other. That's no fun, and BAD public relations for martial arts in general. The MMA people and Trads are the same in most ways. A contest is a contest and there are rules. What's the difference between point fighting and UFC? No one trains to fight for real, unless you are in the military and no one uses martial arts, its all guns, missiles and dropped bombs. Why is everyone so obsessed with what other people are saying and doing? If someone thinks their martial skills are adequate in modern warfare, then why not? They can believe what they want. Some people think figure skating is a sport. I still don't care about figure skating. Martial arts is a common bond. It is universal. All cultures have martial traditions. If we stop seeing the benefit in them they will disappear. There is great intrinsic vale in these arts even though we no longer kill each other with our hands. (or not a lot) Otherwise, why do it? We know, we do it for our own personal reasons. Some people like the sport, some like the self defense, some like the outfits and image for gosh sakes. Some like it for the sake of the art. Whatever, we love it. It's nice I enjoy watching thai KB, boxing, UFC, Pride, whatever. I like watching capoeira roda's, people practicing forms in the park, fencing, it goes on for a while.... There are a lot of martial arts out there. I love the differences, the approaches, strategies, philosophies, ah the cultures too. The food, the people, the sounds of the music, etc. God I would be bored if everyone trained, fought, thought, looked, and cooked the same. I would be very very unhappy. Thank goD we're all different somehow. I'll just enjoy my life learning, honing skills, developing new ones, new cooking recipes, broadening my knowledge of other cultures in the process, maybe do some travelling to train in other countries, enjoying people the whole time. I guess this is long winded but I needed to get it out as this is my first day at this forum. Fighting is good when it's fun. PS You don't need to learn to bite and scratch(humans are carriers of nasty bugs), just learn to make really sonic full range strange hysterical shreaks close to your opponents ear in a clinch. It is truly disturbing and you can use that moment to gain advantage. Of course, this works before you break the eardrums.

Fighting is mostly psychological. Egos start fights because parties don't want to back down. Most fights can be avoided, but at least if you've sparred, thrown someone hard or vice versa, and been knocked out or knocked someone out, you know how much easier it would be on the concrete street for someone to die, get hurt, someone to get sued, or do jail time. Fighting is never a good option, ever. In self defense you may respond with complete commitment because you are fighting for your life, jail or not. If you aren't interested in living, you will lose. In this extreme scenario where you are fighting because you have no option to run, your physiology changes, especially in your nervous system.Your bag of strategies, techniques, and calm shrinks or even vanishes if you aren't into regular adrenaline bursts from full contact fighting with little or no protection. Huge chemical change, you see different, hear different, feel different, your synapses fire harder making subtle small movements gross and less fluid. (An earlier post mentioned the adrenaline, which is just one thing, but if the adrenaline rush is too great, you may actually get sick and vomit or lose your ability to stand. ) You'll remember a handful of fundamental movements you've trained the most as a martial artist because of amount of repitition creating stable neural pathways for the movement, muscle memory, simple and direct. The neurochemical response to intense stress is pretty interesting supplementary research besides fight psychology

Sorry, If I'm coming off as cynical. I just read a post from a kid who has a crush on a girl and felt a stirring in his hara. A youth. we have other senses than the eyes. haven't you felt someone looking at you before? Whether you believe in chi, ki, rasa, ache, or not, it doesn't matter. Some might call your experience intuition. Just labels for abilities human beings possess without a better popular explanation. here's some articles on senses: http://www.hhmi.org/senses/c110.html I think a lot of it will be scientifically explained in time. The human body is fascinating. Possibly the most versatile survival machine on earth. I think we need to get used to the fact that we are physically equipped to do "amazing" things. We shouldn't be so quick to come up with conclusions about proving ki theory. We should just suspend judgement and focus on observing until we do understand.

I would be inclined to think that you like this person. Stimuli from the girl triggering a chemical response. You've been training a month, you're getting in shape, you're horny. When you train your body you develop a better body awareness. You know what you did, when you did it when you feel a pain or ache. Usually Ki is a term used to explain energy, I believe that what you are experiencing is in the realm of explainable physical dimensions. Stop Thinking about Ki and Just ask her out.

Chi Kung means vital energy work. (engine tuning) When you get good internal energy, you can save a lot of gas Martial techniques are in Tai Chi Chuan (driving the car) Ba Gua and Hsing Yi are good to start with (Strong Chassis, roll cage, and wheels), to give you strength before you go ultimate (off road freestyle). Have fun and don't rush. Yet.

Religion is linked with spirituality but religion is an organization, a larger thing. Spirituality lives in the individual whether they belong to a church or not. It is a personal thing. When you are at a training hall, there may be religious customs from the past linked to it, but this is normal. Nothing because it doesn't mean it invades your spirituality. When you bow, or salute, or whatever, to your instructor, you may not know what the symbolic gestures come from, but you know it's just a form of respect; To him, the lineage of instructors, the culture where all this great stuff is from. If someone has religious conflicts with anything, they can hopefully resolve it with their spirituality. If not, then a real earnest talk with the teachers and see where it goes. I hope religious issues will not build resentment towards another cultures traditions unnessesarily. Martial arts is often about getting along and resolving conflict efficiently. Also, if you don't like something at a school because of a teacher, whether you feel religion is being imposed, or s/he smells, or pinches your bum, or is drunk all the time. Consider looking elsewhere. You want a teacher you respect and respects you. Ciao!

I dunno about killing but all the theory of acupressure which is used for healing is merely a form of technology, right? You understand a science, you learn to manipulate it and you get a result. Technology is neutral, not good or bad. However, what we use technology for can be considered as good or bad. A gun or martial art can be used for good or bad. If someone can heal someone or revive someone, using reiki, or acupressure, or acupuncture, or drugs, or whatever, wouldn't that person know how to harm someone? Our modern doctors do it all the time. or kill people, we call it malpractice. I don't think Dim Mak is "magic", it must based on something. However, most practitioners of chinese martial arts do not practice chinese medicine. It used to be something students would learn. So they could mend their sparring partners broken bones, cuts, etc. So is Dim Mak malpractice or just bad bad evil doctor/killers? :B

Yeah. Unfortunately there is racism in the MA world because there are racists everywhere. It is ironic that some visible minority teachers are racist when they probably have experienced discrimination numerous times in their lives and that it is the white folk who have the short end of the stick here, especially since these are open minded people who are interested in components of other cultures. Racism affects everyone. Hopefully racism will die when these "old school" generations pass. Besides the racism, I'm sure some of you have witnessed talented women martial artists struggling to get respect for their skills and efforts, especially from their peers. I love that more women are getting into martial arts, it makes me feel less geeky, like when I meet a girl trekkie , but I often hear pretty sexist remarks sometimes, which makes me hope that these women not be discouraged. I'd hate to hear replies not supporting women in martial arts because discrimination is discrimination, right? What I do find really interesting is how martial arts are getting so much attention, that it's generating more interest in the culture's from where they originate. People will even travel to the country to train. I think it's great. It's also interesting that people outside of the country where a martial art is from are more interested than the original people. I hope that this kind of movement is a positive thing, especially in terms of promoting respect and appreciation for other cultures. This racism thing has got to go and hopefully, our martial art communities will have a hand in it. Cheers!

yes! improves: reflexes, coordination, timing, distancing, speed, weapon awareness and it's FUN

Bad Bad Knife Ideas: Scare tactics (Bad for guns too) Fighting for a disarm Engaging in a knife fight Thinking you won't be cut Not running when you had the chance

For weapons, especially knife, check out some Filipino Martial Arts or Indonesian Martial Arts. Especially if it is for self defence. Having a blade and not knowing how to use it will mean your assailant may either disarm you and use it against you or he may pull a weapon he knows how to use against you. Also, when you learn what a blade can do to somebody, you might just carry a retractible baton or even a kubaton, you can use knife point percussion and targeting instead of the cutting and slashing. If you pull a blade, you may have to use it. Yuck! Having weapons as a scare tactic is a bad strategy. Well good luck. Weapon training sharpens your empty hands. Oh, I'd only suggest videos as a supplement and only after you've been instructed in the fundamentals from a qualified instructor.