Shaolin Bushido

I can't believe * was censored. I thought that was a pretty tame choice of words.

Yeah, you only have one life and if you're living in reality you know it's foolish to throw your life away for such a silly reason. You always have to consider your loved ones ... like it or not, you getting killed hurts them worse than any opponent can hurt you. You have to be a naive, selfish self absorbed bastard to hurt them so frivolously. Put them eyeballs back in your gourd. Think about that for a moment.

He meant everyone stopped posting.

hahahaha, oh man.

That's something he and they would have to work out. None of your business.

I didn't know that. And that IS welcome news!

Take em both if possible. I would.

If the kid didn't take off the necklace when you told him to the first time, he had an attitude to begin with. You can't control people. It's not your fault.

OHHH, and the stance training! Much more grueling than the little stance training I got in TKD.

GET SOME PROSSER!Damn, that's motivating!

Once you find that an instructor REALLY is as good or better than natives of the country's the art originated in ... it doesn't matter. I used to think it did but if one of my old instructors who trained under a Korean national from like age 7 to age 32 ain't got it yet ... what hope do I have?

Well ... you never know in America; some guy trains hapkido as well as tkd and then ....... but NO, I've never heard of hapkido competition and I know it's philosophically verboten! It's for self defense and they usually teach asian philosophy/meditation as well.

Yeah, to an extent with control. Balls and all; punch to the face without contact ... most of the time.You really have to defend, there's no faux defense like "changing side" so your back is no longer a legal target ... or turning your back and back kicking as you flee the mat or collapse to it. *throws up*

Yeah really. Very few hapkidoists claim that kinship unless they really just learned some hosinsool(self defense techniques) and CALL it hapkido.

Hehheheh, I love those movies! Zatoichi often perceives more than sighted people in his movies! Great storylines in addition to action in each of those episodes!

They're the same art. Not similar. Exactly the same. Now, back to your regularly scheduled program ....

Not knocking him but he doesn't sound like an instructor you can rely on to be there long term ... even with the kung fu(both styles you mentioned), your primary consideration should be the quality of the teacher FIRST! Not the style or some preconceived notion of what style is the best because that's usually not true. There's no "best" style. It depends on the quality of the instructor and YOU. What effort and time you put in.

Wing Chun/Ving Tsun ... the only difference is the spelling and the lineage!

Well, I ain't gonna act like I've never seen that before ... it wasn't pretty though. Sorta like a "girl fight". Apologies to the women on this site but hopefully you catch what I'm saying. I've seen guys do it too! BLECCCH!

That's funny. Tear up the belt on purpose to impress only people who are easily impressed. People.

No, it's not. I mean, that's a GROSS simplification. It actually depends on who you believe; Korean or Japanese genesis.

Heh, I wish I could do like The Matrix and download you guys MA experience and ability! Oh well, maybe the journey is more enjoyable than reaching the destination ... I'll get there, yet!

Y'know, according to most stuff I've found on San Soo from sources other than died in the wool supporters, Jimmy Woo's material was lots of stuff that worked from (possibly) Choy Li Fut and other Chinese systems that were particularly effective for self-defense. He must have really been particularly on point as he taught martial arts in a community that didn't tolerate charlatans and he also taught non-Chinese which wasn't that prevalent back then. Does anyone know why there was such a huge gap between his immigration to the States and the time he opened his first school?

Right on, brother. Pleasure meetin you all.

Yeah ... it's the styles that are the problem, of course, it couldn't be that I've become a weak-minded, sissy over the years who becomes daunted at the first sign of adversity! Just kiddin. I think I just need to buckle down and get "Marine mind" all over again. There just wasn't a reason good enough to accept defeat back then! I'll do it man; at least I believe it still! AND THANKS TO ALL YOU GUYS FOR THE WARM WELCOME!