NightOwl

Aye, agreed. Bjj isn't just a carbon copy of Judo or JJJ- it honed and introduced so many techniques in a particular range (the ground), that it really is its own unique art.

I think that judo and BJJ are great for different things- certainly BJJ contains anything you need to know about newaza and a whole lot more, but Judo has nice throws that (I at least) would prefer to use in a self defense situation (initially). Judo's weakness is its rules and pin to win sparring that doesn't take into account that fights don't end when you got the guy on the ground...although I suppose that unless you are fighting a BJJer, you definitely have a dominate position. Really I look at the grappling styles as such: Greco-Roman: Strengths- Clinches and take downs Conditioning (these guys are tough) Some good holds Weaknesses: Ground game No teaching of the majority of locks No chokes A wrestler on his back is kind of like a turtle...not good Pins end match ---- Judo Strengths: Judo is the quintessential expert on throws (which sometimes are almost as much of an attack as they are of a take down) A nice array of locks and chokes A more expanded ground game Weaknesses: Pinning, one throw, etc, type wins that shorten a match beyond its potential full conclusion Heavy Gi usage Ground game is constrained by rules ------ BJJ Strengths: Specialization= Efficiency...best ground game period Extensive knowledge of locks and chokes, perhaps even the best Uses what seem like bad positions (like your back) and turns it into a weapon Most people are not comfortable fighting on the ground Weaknesses: No stand up (which is where you have to start out anyways) Sometimes you set yourself up for a good ground and pound Outside of the gym, the ground tends not to be soft and squishy

Agreed- too often over compliance and full committal lunging attacks are used in Akido training. I do like their wrist locks though, which if the right moment comes along can be pretty swell. As for the video, I don't know if it was a demonstration or randori, as the events being filmed are not explained.

Even in boxing matches though, you'll often see the two fighters get into a clinch at least once. Of course all they can do from that point is throw short range body shots due to the constraints of boxing rules, but that would be the perfect range for a throw or take down

Great post. I think especially in a situation like a rape attempt, you have to be willing to try to hurt- even kill the other person as much as possible if it means your safety...it's a decision that is not easily made on the spot. Any situation where your life or the life of others is threatened (and I consider rape at that level of assault-not just some bar brawl), you have to have pre-made up your mind if you are willing to inflict that much harm on another human being, or else you are more likely to hesitate at great risk to yourself. I think it is especially important for women to decide whether or not they could grab and attempt to crush an attackers eyes, groin, etc, or bite with the attempt to take out bits of arm, even though it would be gross to do; because once you are there you are forced into that decision, and you only have seconds (if that) to decide. Personally, the well being of an attacker does not take precedence over that of my own or those that I care about, and I am willing to ride out the consequences later if it means that I can live another day. Some bum throwing punches at me is different , as they are not trying to kill me per se- and thus my goal would be to take the fight out of them to where I could get away rather than go into jungle survivor mode-

Stick with groups of friends and ignore him. If it gets even more out of hand, try and have a talk with school administrators. It is sad but, if you fight back, you will probably get in just as much trouble as him...so goes school justice eh? To tell you the truth (and I am not advocating violence, this is just my story), I got bullied by this one kid all of the time in 6th grade- I asked him to stop, told numerous teachers about it, and avoided him whenever I could but we had a lot of classes together in which he would never let up. So one day after telling him to stop and him laughing I kind of snapped- threw the kid over a bench. Of course he then hit me which caused me to curl up into a ball and cry but I prefer to leaved that part out of the story . Anyhow, even though I lost the fight, he never bothered me again after that...

Congrats! Sounded like it was a rough ride but you made it! Thank goodness for moms everywhere and their driving

As a long term career, bouncing is definitely one that you can look forward to some... interesting challenges. To be honest, if you don't have the build, you wouldn't be a good bouncer. The primary purpose of the job is prevention rather than intervention, and no matter how good of a fighter you are, if you don't look physically big you are going to have to handle a lot more people thinking that they can push you around because you aren't bigger than them. Yes, many meat heads focus on lifting rather than fighting, but they are an intimidating sight to behold. On the other hand, a lot of the UFC fighters are not necessarily hulks, but could take almost anyone to town (not to mention Bruce lee was hardly an imposing figure). You need intimidation first, skills second. (other security positions might lean a bit more towards skill than looks, depending on what you are doing) Career fighting might bun fun, but you must weigh in the fact that only a few really make it into the big leagues. Personally, stunt work sounds fun to me- but you must keep in mind that show is what counts there. If you go this route, you might want to try out Wushu a little bit. Lastly there is the secret agent route...but that's a secret...

I'll keep an eye out for it next time I'm near a bookstore... sounds like an interesting read

I didn't know that karate systems did this kind of training usually- I'm glad to hear it! I've done the equivalent kind of training before in a more or less boxing setting, but it's a good option to use instead of a block if you can.

Kickboxing wouldn't expand your fighting skills as much as a grappling style would, simply because the method and range of attack is so similar to a striking art like karate. If you cross train, it is best to choose very different styles at first.

Make sure to check your local laws on owning them...because you can always carry a gun but with nunchaks you'll shoot your eye out kid! (seriously though, find someone who knows how to use them before doing any intense training)

Reviews coming soon: Fearless The Karate Kid

Beautiful

True, and that's where (High School wrestling at least) has one of it's biggest weaknesses. Nevertheless, it has some of the nicest clinches you can get!

Books etc, can be used as nice supplements to training. But if someone who knows what they are doing isn't practicing with you, then it at best may give you a rough idea of what to do with a move (but not very helpful on training you to apply it) and at worst it can ingrain bad habits. I can watch a football game, and then read books on football strategy, but that won't help me unless I already know how to play football in real life.

Maybe so, though I don't really have a place to do it. I checked one of those books out from the library, the one for beginners. It's pretty good, but it doesn't say exactly how to do the different moves and it stops short of some of those that I remember. It was a good refresher but I will look for the other book. Hey Baron, what kind of grappling are you looking into?

I've been digging on ninja and Hatsumi lately, and haven't been liking what I have found...more to come

Movie: (Close) Encounters of the Spooky Kind Directed by: Sammo Hung Released: 1980, HONG KONG Starring: Sammo Hung, Lam Ching Ying, Yuen Biao, Chung Fa, Peter Lung Style(s) showcased: None in particular for awhile, then some nice Northern Shaolin, Monkey, and Wushu kung fu Trailer:http://www.amazon.com/Spooky-Encounters/dp/B000I8ENWA/ref=sr_1_2/002-3361703-1872047?ie=UTF8&s=digital-video&qid=1175940332&sr=8-2 Clip: http://youtube.com/watch?v=f4QL2yKBrwU http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8626/esk4xe7.jpg Side note: This movie was so popular, that it spawned its own sub-kung fu genre! You can read a little more about the 'hopping corpse' here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopping_corpse http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4033/b00005ow2f02aa240sclzzzfs3.jpg Plot: When 'Courageous' Chung (Hung) starts to get the suspicion that his wife is cheating on him, her lover (who is a powerful official) starts to get nervous. Knowing that it is only a matter of time before he is caught, he hires an evil taoist priest to bump Chung off by making a bet that he isn't brave enough to spend the night in a haunted temple. But unfortunately for the undead that lurk there, Chung just so happens to know Kung fu... http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/599/spooky5hl8.jpg http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5791/spooky4po8.jpg Review: Many of the MMA generation complain that all of the flashy movie stuff doesn't work...but when was the last time that Ortiz beat a vampire? Yeah, that's right...never. That's where Sammo comes in to clean up house in this Kung-fu/horror/comedy film that became an instant hit in Hong Kong and set up the stage for a whole sub-genre in kung-fu cinema. Be mindful however, that the actually kung fu doesn't come into play until later on in the movie, not really until almost halfway through. But by no means is the buildup a chore to watch, rather it is a fun and bizarre Abbot and Costello-esque romp with Chinese superstition and physical comedy mixed in with plenty of hopping vampires. Certainly this is not a movie which can be accused of being uncreative: long armed ghosts, beheaded chickens, and dueling taoists don't really fall into that category. However this movie is not for everyone, and the lack in martial art fighting until late in the movie may be a turn off for some. But regardless, this is a great popcorn kung-fu flick with a spooky twist and great choreography, that I highly recommend if you want a Hong Kong classic that's a bit off the beaten path. (Note: I recommend the Hong Kong legends or Golden Harvest dvd version of this film) Pros: Great Choreography Bizarre but very amusing plot Martial arts and vampires...what more could one ask for? Cons: Chicken scene is kind of gross Ending ================================ SEE THESE MOVIE OR BRING DISHONOR TO YOUR FAMILY: Ong Bak Drunken Master Kung fu Hustle Samurai Fiction Once Upon a Time in China II Project A Iron Monkey Encounters of the Spooky Kind RENT 'THE NOTEBOOK' FOR A BETTER ACTION FLICK: The Big Boss 3 Ninjas Romeo Must Die Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

Movie: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Directed by: Ang Lee Released: 2000, HONG KONG Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Cheng Pei-pei Style(s) showcased: Hollywood-do Trailer: http://youtube.com/watch?v=OGcxD3H9KP4 Clip: http://youtube.com/watch?v=aPAjwRGu6kM http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/4667/crouchingtigerhiddendraaw0.jpg Artist introduction: This guy is looking for all of the martial artists that didn't show up for the movie (they all must be crouching and hidden) http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/636/b00003cxr301pe92crouchiqj4.jpg Story: A martial arts master decides to donate a legendary sword to a powerful noble and find inner peace (or something like that...should've gone with ebay really). However when the nobleman's daughter (who just happens to be the student of an EVIL kung fu master) steals the sword to escape from her gilded cage, the good martial artist and his friend must track her down and retrieve what was taken. http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/5997/crouchingtigerhiddendrazl7.jpg http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6134/crouchingtigerhiddendrazg4.jpg http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7818/crouchingtigerhiddendrahw9.jpg Review: What to say about Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon? Universally praised and given/ nominated for almost every film award imaginable, it took the world by storm and brought Chinese cinema in vouge. Critics have called it 'One of the best movies ever made', and it frequently appears on top 100 film lists. But 7 years on, and with the hype having finally died down, it may be time to make a burger out of this sacred cow. Firstly, as this thread is about films with a strong martial arts element, it is only fair to start off this review by looking at the fight scenes...needless to say, if you are looking for an amazing show of martial skill or even good old fashioned choreography, then you might want to skip this one. This movie to say the least, has some of the worst choreography of any martial art-centric film that I have ever seen, the worst part being the wires. Now I have already made my stance on wires known: most of the time they look horribly fake, and they don't allow for the actor/actress to show any martial skill. When a fight is going down and suddenly someone jumps up 20 feet in the air doing a back flip, it really destroys the suspension of disbelief. Yet the fights in this movie rely almost entirely on wirework to add any sense of excitement to the fight. People run up walls, do impossible jumps, and even stop IN MID AIR on a regular basis. "But Uncle Nightowl," you say, "What about Kung fu Hustle and Iron Monkey?" Well little Timmy, the reason why I gave the green light to the other films is that they are not meant to be realistic and serious, rather they are meant to be a fun and slightly (or very) over the top...and even then I almost didn't give Iron Monkey a positive review. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon on the other hand, is supposed to be a super serious epic masterpiece. Also due to the flying, often one character will be hit and be knocked 20+ feet back; this leads to gaps in the action which really slows fights scenes down. The only other thing that can be said is that there is a lot of spinning around...presumably to cover up any lack of substance. Despite bad action, a good storyline could have saved this movie from the brink, and certainly it is touted as having 'Best Picture' material in this regard. however upon closer look, the story, with its legendary weapons, kung fu masters, and revenge (to name a few), is nothing original in the least. Plenty of these themes have been explored before, and the illusion of creativity is shattered when you look back at Chinese movies and stories that were written before Asian film became widely popular. Another big problem is the heavy usage of lingering shots of scenery and other 'pretty' things that don't do much more than take an hour of your life that you can't get back. If I wanted to look at scenery for that long with no purpose other than to look at it, I'd go for a walk outside. The worst offender however, is a sidetrack 'sub-movie' about the spoiled nobleman's daughter falling in love with a bandit in the desert...trust me, by the time it is over, you will have gnawed though your hands in order to find something more interesting to do. Even the acting isn't anything special; not bad mind you, but nothing super great. With all of this ragging on the movie, I will give it some brownie points. The production value for this movie is simply phenomenal, and the track is as beautiful as it is haunting. But even the external beauty cannot make up for the inner beast: Horrible fight scenes, stereotypical plot, and terrible pacing all make this film a no-go beyond watching it just for the point of having seen it. This movie has also spawned a flood of wannabes: Hero, House of Flying Daggers, The Banquet, and most recently, Curse of the Golden Flower, each more beautiful and yet more hollow then the last. Please, PLEASE do your patriotic duty and rent Shower or some other film if you want a thoughtful and well done example from our friends in China. Pros: Outstanding production value Helped usher in acceptance of Asian film Soundtrack Cons- Terrible choreography Yawn inducing story Two words to describe the pacing of this movie: Arthritic Sloth +++++++++++++++++++++ SEE THESE MOVIE OR BRING DISHONOR TO YOUR FAMILY: Ong Bak Drunken Master Kung fu Hustle Samurai Fiction Once Upon a Time in China II Project A Iron Monkey RENT 'THE NOTEBOOK' FOR A BETTER ACTION FLICK: The Big Boss 3 Ninjas Romeo Must Die Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

exactly, as an instructor or someone 'majoring' in an art, it helps to be able to interact with practitioners of that style throughout the world. Besides, learning other languages is good for you!

Do you have to pay a penalty fee if you leave early? Or did you just pay for multiple months beforehand?

With most Chinese weaponry nowadays being made out of flimsy and light material in order to put on a good performance, it is nice to see a real blade (jian) being made...and it cuts as well as any katana . Now I just need a western sword demo... http:// http://youtube.com/watch?v=tv2PjFUKkEg

Actually I am going to have to disagree with you guys here (sorry! ) ! While 3 of the big MA countries speak English (USA, Canada, UK), the other huge ones are Japan and China. Therefore you are faced with teaching a curriculum that must apply to different people, languages, and cultures throughout the world. By keeping the original terms, anyone who is a practitioner of the style can understand what they mean when interacting, whether they are form Argentina or Thailand. Thus even though it may make things difficult at first, in the end it produces standardization.

I don't believe that it matters too much. Honestly, many western dojos are much more strict about getting all of the ceremony things down right than their Japanese counterparts. Either way, it doesn't hurt to ask your instructor.