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Yo. Another recruit for the legions of Shotokan guys here.

It has. I tested that theory and had my arm turned into a pretzel by the man who is now my Aikido sensei. Mr. Ueshiba was dead-on, and his martial art is among the best in the world. Almost any art will protect you, but a few stand out as the greats, and Aikido is one of them. It takes a long time to learn, it takes a long time to perfect, and it is hard to do, but for self-defense, it is unrivaled once mastered.

Jiu Long Baguazhang teaches handgun combat at close and long range. Gunmanship has been a Japanese war art since the 1100s. Merely aiming and pulling a trigger is not an art. Being able to fire off volleys and get consistent bullseyes, Zen-archer style, is an art. When you're talking about mobile gunfighting, such as with pistols, knowing how your enemy moves, knowing how and when to fire, where to move, and how to keep focus, is in itself an art. I believe that, applied properly, gunfighting and sharpshooting can be very deep and powerful martial arts, not simply martial, but artistic as well.

'Ey, just 'cause you're a redneck doesn't mean you have to get pissed off so easily. Most guns (unless you pack tranqs in yours) are potentially lethal. Any weapon can be used to deter an enemy, as a gun does, but a gun cannot effectively defend. It can either attack or not attack. And when it does attack, it can either do massive damage or kill. Any weapon can do anything. I read about a cop in Germany who chased a drunk guy down the Autobahn at 85 mph, then shot him twice in the shoulder. Perfect aim at that speed. But that is the exception, not the rule. All I'm saying is this: the INTENTION of a gun is to either deter or kill. There are more effective weapons for laying an enemy flat without hurting them badly, an enemy than a gun, such as a jo staff or shinai. That is why many people are naturally uncomfortable around guns. They are not designed to restrain, they are designed to kill, effectively. You can simply injure your target with them, but that's not a gun's purpose. That is why people are uncomfortable with them. That's all I'm trying to say.

Yeah, kata is a wonderful thing. What I like most is that it is not merely a training excercise. It is art. Through your kata, you represent your style in a beautiful and aesthetic way. Western sports are full of age-old and proud traditions, and similarly, Okinawan Karate has its long-running tradition, kata. To practice Karate without kata is like Evel Kenivel jumping without first doing his seven tricks.

At a younger age, you can absorb more mental and physical ability, but at an older age, you can refine it more. It has to do with focus and discipline, which usually comes with age.

Yo.

Ok, I came on too strong. Let's start from square one: What do you think America is doing, that we should judge to be right or wrong?

I thought this over, and I think I know why people are uncomfortable with guns: They can only be used for attack. And generally, they can only be used to kill. Think about it.

You haven't had to put up with this guy. I'm normally a very peaceful person. I've only been in one real fight in my entire life, and I don't recall ever having any enemies, not for more than half an hour or so. But this guy...no.

Soke Hatsumi is not a ninja. Considering his 'knowledge', Hatsumi is a joke in a black gi. The only ninjutsu that is taught is that of clans/lineages that are no longer around. The Koga, for example, all died in one bus wreck, all 34 of them. If any survived, they have not made it known. Therefore, the style is extinct, and can be taught publicly. Ninja were actually northern Chinese. Imperial spies dressed and performed much like Japanese ninja, the closest link being something like what you see in Iron Monkey. The word Ninja comes from the Mandarin Ni'n-Sha. Something like 'secret soldier'. Ninja started out as rebellious farmers, but after the fall of the Togukawa shogunate, they formed clans. The best of them created their own lineages, and that's how the Yakuza got started. This was around the late 1860s, at the end of the Bakumatsu era. Even before then, as early as the Sengoku, ninja had formed large underground orginizations. A ninjutsu practitioner is not a ninja. This is not an opinion, it is a historical fact. A ninja is a member of a specific type of Japanese underground orginization that rose at the fall of the shogunates. This member was a spy, assassin, and theif. Since then, the arts used by these orginizations have been publicized, but none of the people practicing these arts are ninja. They are doing simply that, practicing the ninja arts. Are you a spy, assassin, or thief? Would you ever be proud to call yourself one? If not, you are not a ninja, nor do you ever want to be. And if you do, I am sorry, 400 years of Japanese history stands solidly against your career choice. Don't quit your day job.

America harnessed immense power afterward. Just look at the way it strutted around the Nazi trials and Russia afterward. Just look at all the propaganda and war movies. It's sickening. The simple fact is that there is no humanity left in the American ideal. Everybody is restrained by laws, like dogs on leashes. Just look at the absurd amount of laws we have on everything. Why? Because people are fanatics. They will go to any length possible for anything. Tell me, who needs laws, good people or criminals?

Studying for 11 years now. And yeah, you can call me Frying or anything you want. On shaolinwolf.com, they call me everything from Small Fry to Frying Ant Piss. All in good fun, though.

Sticky Hands is generally a good excercise for grappling and countering. Along with Push-Hands, it helps build coordination and balance. You don't necessarily have to be in contact with your opponent; just know their range and move through it, keeping them off balance.

Definitely. You can't really explain that gut instinct, but it's usually reliable. Maybe it was something about the instructor, the attitude of the school, or the skill generally displayed. Either way, if Wing Chun feels right, go with it.

Shuai Chiao is a great art to look into. Teaches sufficient groundfighting, with a lot of hard, fast strikes thrown in. Very good for street defense.

Hehehe...nasty little technique where you twist one arm at the wrist and use it to push against the guy's throat. You basically make them strangle themselves.

Yeah, you can call me Smiley. And Kensai, that is what I am stressing. PRACTICING NINJUTSU DOES NOT MAKE YOU A NINJA. BEING AFFILIATED WITH A CLAN, KILLING PEOPLE, AND BEING ABLE TO FIGHT TO THE DEATH UNCONDITIONALLY WILL MAKE YOU A SHINOBI, BUT UNLESS YOU ARE BORN A NINJA, YOU NEVER, EVER, EVER WILL BE!! Someone who practices Ninjutsu is a Ninjutsu practitioner, simple as that! Nothing more! How many times do I have to say this to get it through to you!? If you know sniper tactics and can fire a rifle, does that make you a Marine? NO! If you know Ninjutsu and study at a dojo, does that make you a ninja? NO!! Simple as that! Ninjutsu is the martial art that was used by groups of assassins, and the extinct lineages are now taught as a martial art. You are not a ninja. You never will be a ninja. And most likely, you do not want to be a ninja!! Very simple!!

Sadly, he IS serious. This guy is complete trash. I have never, ever, ever hated anyone in my entire life, except this one person, whomever, or whatever, he may be. He is serious about this. He's a MMA masochist who thinks all traditional martial arts are useless. Just read his article about chi. This guy is a disgrace to all humanity, and he is the only person on the face of this earth that I wouldn't hesitate to, or regret, killing on impulse.

Randori is Jujutsu and Judo free-sparring, I think. Might also be used in Aikido, but I don't see the point...

On other forums, I'm Frying Mantis (I'm infamous on shaolinwolf.com). But I decided : - ) - : would be cool for a change.

I take traditional Ueshiba Aikido. I have been practicing for 11 years, but am a white belt. That's because you're either a white belt or a black belt, and I nowhere near ready to give my blackbelt exam. It involves you holding off 4 attackers for several minutes, and doing so properly. They can and WILL hurt you, badly.

There's little difference. Jeet Kune Do is not a style itself, it's just a philosophy. And for that matter, Bruce Lee's JKD was based on Wing Chun. So stick with Wing Chun. It's the same thing.

What exactly in your eyes is a 'true' ninja? Someone who carries a tanto and throws smoke bombs? That's just a hollywood stereotype. Ninja vary with the ages. Since the 1700s, ninja have been using guns over blades, and have had gernades in wide use since long before. There are probably still ninja clans, and they probably still ninja active today. If you want to become one, I guess I'll just sum it up this way: TOO BAD.

My point is that America thinks it is doing good by helping 'good' countries and fighting 'bad' ones. But there is no such thing as good and bad. To us, what makes money and potential capitalist allies is good, and everything else is bad. The people are force-fed this bull about justice and liberty. Are these wars just? Is that what you call it? I've lost a cousin, an aunt, and countless other relatives and friends to all this bullshit in Pakistan. All because America and Russia decided to make Pakistan and India their chess board. America is a great country, but it's doing some twisted things, and I will NOT smother my opinion for the sake of others' sensitivity.