Question for the Ladies

[LadyDragon]

Quick question for all the Ladies.

How long have you been training and what Martial Art do you study? And for what reason if any did you pick the particular art you're in?

[MartialArtsChic]

2.5 years - Combat Hapkido.

This art actually picked me. I left my 1st school and after a hiatus went looking but couldn't find anything but McDojo's in TKD. My brother trained with the Master Instructor here and told me to go there. Told me he was good and I'd learn. Well, it pays to listen to your big brother for once. I really lucked out, found a great school, great instructors, great fellow students and I've learned from day one. We play hard and have fun while doing it.


Lorrie

[KenpoGirl]

2 years, a hybrid Tracy/Parker Kenpo system, then moved to strictly an Ed Parker system and Modern Arnis year and a half ago.

The first school I picked because it was close by, my current school I moved to because my instructor from the previous school started his own school and started teaching American Kenpo and Modern Arnis.

Dot
:asian:

[Shodan]

17 1/2 years in Ed Parker's American Kenpo. I'm from a small town and was at the fairgrounds and saw a man AND a woman (which interested me cuz it showed that women could do this) doing a demo. I wanted to join after that. There really, at that time, were not many more styles available to me.......luckily, it was a good system!!

The journey has had some gaps in it due to instructors leaving, studios going out of business, one instructor passed away......or my going to college and not having access to the system.........but in those times, I have always reviewed my material on my own and tried to keep up until I could go again. I also tried out Goju for about a week (didn't like it), Wu Ying Tao Kung Fu for about a year (simultaneously with Kenpo)- wasn't too thrilled with that either. I did Modern Arnis (and really liked it) for two years (also with Kenpo)- cuz my instructor introduced that to me.......but mainly, it has always been Kenpo.

Right now, I am still studying Kenpo and a little Doce Pares cuz the current place I work out has people there learning it.

What about you?

:asian: :karate:

[LadyDragon]

I originally started EPAK when I was 14. Unfortunately at little thing happened here in So. Fla at the time called Hurricane Andrew and I had to stop my training.

I started up again at 21 and managed to find the same instructor I had when I was 14. And I've been doing it ever since. I love it and wouldn't leave it. But of course I don't get bored. My instructor exposes us to alot of different types of MA styles. (i.e. judo, modern arnis, grappling etc...)

[Ceicei]

I started EPAK at college 18 years ago (the only style taught at the college that time). I had always been interested in karate and loved sports. A good friend persuaded me to get started after he saw I had a bad experience with a relationship.

After I left college, I had been in Kenpo off and on for various reasons. I then returned back to Kenpo again, this time with a school I really like (my sixth). I have started over and reached intermediate rank three times. Now I plan to stay with it until I reach black belt.

- Ceicei

[Quick Sand]

I've done two styles of martial arts. I started Ju Jutsu when I was 15 and did it for about 2 years before I had to stop because I was doing too much extracurricular stuff and the class wasn't going in quite the direction I was interested in.

I started Tae Kwon Do at age 20 and now I've been doing it for almost two years. I'm enjoying it but after next term I graduate from my degree and I'm moving to a different province so I guess I'll be starting over again. I don't know what will be available there but I do know that my current style is not. I'll have to wait and see.

Both times I joined, I chose the style and studio bases partly on what I knew about the style but mostly on location, cost and a class schedule that worked with my own school activites. It's definitely not the best way to choose but I can't afford a nicer place right now. On campus classes are dirt cheap. :shrug:

[KenpoTess]

8 yrs Kenpo & Samurai Jui-jitsu.. Started in Tracy's and currently EPAK. Also training in Indonesian Arts.
Seig dragged me to class and I've been hooked ever since :)

Tess

[MommaCoke]

Eight years in Kenpo. I've always wanted to take a MA, and God brought me to the right school at the right time. I haven't looked back once.

[triwahine]

I started when I was nine and that last for a year. It was traditional karate and it was paid for in advance by my father. After that, I lost interest. Wish I had never stopped because as i got older, I wanted to start training again.

Currently I train in Kajukenbo. I have been doing this for almost 5 years, inbetween two knee surgeries and an Ironman Hawaii. The program was offered at night at the high school where I work. So, why rush to another dojo when this one was so close. Glad I did. Really enjoy the hard style of kajukenbo. Now, I cross train in an adult beginner judo class. Good for my other skills. I also started EPAK about six weeks ago to compliment the kaju. Both are styles are beginning to flow well with each other. What a good mixture. My home is kajukenbo, but I love learning other styles as well.


Aloha,
brandi
:angel:

[7starmantis]

It seems most women on the boards are involved in TKD or some type of Kenpo. Thats interesting, I wonder what art has the most women practitioners....most likely one of those two.

7sm

[theletch1]

I noticed the kenpo abundance as well. I'm surprised that there wasn't a higher representation of aikido. Maybe there just aren't a lot of aikido-ka on the boards. I'd like to hear a little more about the Samurai Ju-jitsu from Tess.

[Michelle]

6 years (some gaps along the way from injuries). Started in JKD with a heavy kali/escrima component and migrated to straight escrima after a year and a half (mostly Bahala Na). Now I am doing weird hybrid stuff based around the karambit. Traditional silat based work as well as miliatary compenent and also kenpo-karambit. The guys I train with have various backgrounds in everything from kenpo to krav maga to systema to BJJ so there is a lot of adaptation work and I get exposed to a lot. I guess I can't really pin it on any one "art" any more.....(making me the dreaded cross-trainer I suppose) :D

Michelle

[KenpoTess]

Originally posted by theletch1
I noticed the kenpo abundance as well. I'm surprised that there wasn't a higher representation of aikido. Maybe there just aren't a lot of aikido-ka on the boards. I'd like to hear a little more about the Samurai Ju-jitsu from Tess.

Hey TheLetch :)

Samurai Jui-jitsu is very complementary to other systems, the art is based on striking, locking and throwing techniques that allow the practictioner no matter what size to defend themselves. We incorporate falls and rolls, the joint locks and using your opponents mass and body movement against them. Leg bars, arm bars, chokes, and all forms of grappling. No holds barred. :)
I find it to be an excellent system for Women.

I hope you have a Fantastic Holiday~!
Tess

[Aikikitty]

Originally posted by theletch1
I noticed the kenpo abundance as well. I'm surprised that there wasn't a higher representation of aikido. Maybe there just aren't a lot of aikido-ka on the boards.

I've said this before in other threads around but I will here too, I guess.

To try to summerize, my older brother was born with Down Syndrome. We've all lived together happily for many years but for some reason none of us really know why, he changed. Maybe it's a male hormonal thing or possibly he became mentally ill, we're not sure. Anyway, he developed sudden move swings from happy and loving one minute to raging mad and violent the next. :( It was quite scary and he trashed our house and attacked my mom more than once. We talked to a Probation Officer friend of ours about our situation, who in turn discussed it with his Police partner and friend--who also teaches Aikido. Since my mom and I needed to learn how to defend ourselves without hurting my brother (to get away or immobilize him long enough for him to calm down) we were told to try Aikido. That was 3 1/2 years ago and even though Aikido does take a LONG time to learn, I have effectively used a bit of it on him when things got scary (2 or 3 times since then) and none of us came out hurt! Hurray! :D :-partyon:

My mom and I love Aikido (it's become a passion of mine) and even when my brother eventually gets put in a home, we plan to keep going and learning (for many, many years, I hope!) :)

Robyn :asian:

[SBlue]

Nine years... WTF Taekwondo.

Why? Well... I tried it, and I liked it, and it grew on me. Sorry I can't provide some deep-seated, heartfelt story or explanation but that's the truth. Hehehe.

[Kenpo Mama]

5 years - Kenpo. My son started first, really liked the school and the instructor was really patient! I wanted a workout that would challenge my mind as well as my body, and have trained consistently since. Gotta love it!

Donna

[ellaminnowpea]

I was actually trying to find something for my son and he was resisting my attempts to get him off the couch. I'd settled on martial arts, and just went to get some information on it. Started at the kempo dojo, near my house, and ended up enrolling myself..I love it

a few months later, jealous with how cool mommy was, boy had to join too. Boy is off the couch, now..and verrrrrrry respectful to mommy..Gawd I love kempo

[BlondeTiger]

Quick question for all the Ladies.

How long have you been training and what Martial Art do you study? And for what reason if any did you pick the particular art you're in?
I started with Chinese Kenpo and a smattering of Tai Chi in 1997, but after one year moved on to Hung Gar.
I would go to sparring class every week and the school I went to had mixed style sparring. I absolutely LOVED sparring with the Hung Gar guy and what he was doing made so much sense to me. Even before I switched over, his stuff was bleeding through to how I was doing Kenpo. It's effective self-defense and it suits my body type and personality quite well. :)

[rainbows]

I'm doing ITF TKD at the moment, 19 months training and im a blue belt. Before that, i'd been doing kenpo (another one!) for 7 years and had a junior black belt. I changed style when I went to college and it was one of the best decisions I ever made, because my kenpo club imploded about 8 months after I left and I discovered TKD suits me better anyway. I'd like to try brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing as well.

[Rich Parsons]

I'm doing ITF TKD at the moment, 19 months training and im a blue belt. Before that, i'd been doing kenpo (another one!) for 7 years and had a junior black belt. I changed style when I went to college and it was one of the best decisions I ever made, because my kenpo club imploded about 8 months after I left and I discovered TKD suits me better anyway. I'd like to try brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing as well.
Rainbow,

Welcome to Martial Talk. If you have any technical questions post them in the support forum and a staff member should reply.

Thank You for being a member :)
:asian:

[elcajon555]

I have been training for over 6 years in wtf taekwondo. When I was 16 my mom wanted something for me and my brother to do with our free time and enegry. She decided on martial arts and she knew the instructor at my school, so we went to him. It is one of the best things to have happened to me. I also studied judo for about a year, but I didn;t like the program, it was too much recreational and not enough discpline and whatnot. However I did like the art and if I could find a good school, then I might like to train in it again. I also tried tai chi once, I didn;t like it at all.

[buddah_belly]

Remember when the Karate Kid came out? I was like ten or so and Daniel was soooo hot. I did kenpo for about a day and a half.
Fast forward about ten years, I dated this guy that said he had done aikido for seven years. Turns out he'd been watching Steven Seagal movies for seven years but that's another story.
Fast forward another nine years. I watching a weapons forms competition on ESPN late one night, and it occured to me that I should try martial arts again. So I found the nearest aikido joint and fell in love. That was six months ago. Now, I do aikido, kenjitsu, and kung fu. We also have tai chi incorporated into our kung fu class.

[Feisty Mouse]

I took a year of Hapkido in college - had a fantastic instructor, really loved martial arts after that. He taught us very very basic Escrima, too, and I attended a silat seminar with him (mustika kwitang), which was wonderful.

Then I moved. And was too timid. And so forth, until a year and a half ago I finally screwed up the courage to go to a studio here in town that I knew had a very large kids and family program. I figured there wouldn't be too much of the "TES-TOS-TERONE!!!!" vibe that I'd gotten at another place when I was shopping around. And I LOVE my studio! I started in Jeet Kun Do/Jun Fan, and Kali - all my instructors being instructors under Guru Inosanto. I also (later) took up T'ai Chi, in the style of William C C Chen, and Pencak Silat, Mande Muda. I have been to seminars with Guru Inosanto and Guru Rita Suwanda, and they were both fabulous.

I took Combat Submission Wrestling for a bit, and would like to get back into it, but am having a personal conflict with a friend (?) who is taking the class, so I have stepped out for now.

[shesulsa]

7 years, Hwarangdo (non-WHRDA). Prior, I took Sam Pai Kenpo (Joe Dimmick's style) and, later, a Parker/Dimmick combo style. I've also taken Tai Chi.

I chose the HRD because once I saw it, the techniques and hand-to-hand were far and above anything else I had ever personally seen (no offense, Kenpo Ladies).

BTW, Tess, I like your new avatar!

HWARANG!!!

[Storm]

6 years of kenpo. Had done a little when at school but got bored, then as I was older got bored doing nothing. Actually wanted to do Kick boxing for a start but was talked out of it as some friends said I would get the s--t kicked out of me. A friend was doing Kenpo and told me to go to his club. Good art for someone who isnt 6ft and 100 kgs. Havent looked back since. Want more, need more cant get enough of it not enough hours in the day.

[kenpo tiger]

One and a half years shotokan-hybrid karate, one and a half years WTF tkd, and starting year four of kenpo.

[TigerWoman]

Quick question for all the Ladies.

How long have you been training and what Martial Art do you study? And for what reason if any did you pick the particular art you're in?

Eight years in WTF Taekwondo. My daughter and son picked it first. She wouldn't let up on me until I joined. I really dragged to class at first, tried to think of all KINDS of reasons not to go. Am almost 2nd dan BB now, have one more break. I must have posted that on at least two dozen threads now. I'm an almost, new category, been this way for a year+ sigh!
Hopefully I can remember all the threads, and update when I finally do this break. :)

[kenpo tiger]

I'm an almost, new category, been this way for a year+ sigh!
Hopefully I can remember all the threads, and update when I finally do this break. :)
Hang in there Tigerwoman. Yes, it's more difficult the older we get, but look at what a great example you are setting for the younger women.

This is the double break you've mentioned elsewhere? KT:ultracool