why did you choose your art?

[onibaku]

just interested to know what made you decide to choose and continue your art
I hope you reply openly

saraba

[bydand]

I chose my art because it "fit" what I was looking for. I continue, because it still fills my needs and is still FUN to do for me. I had tried several different arts and just never found an art that fit the way my body could move, what I knew worked, and the right feel to the school. I have trained with people who were really talented, but their teaching styles were horrible, the inverse is also true; I've trained with people who were dynamic teachers, but their skills were shaky. When I walked into what was to become "MY" art and home dojo, the feeling of family between students there was one you couldn't miss, the skill level of the Instructors was almost scary good, and their teaching styles were the perfect blend for me. I have changes schools and my Instructor is somebody I started this art with as white belts together, but the family feeling and "togetherness" of his Dojo is the same as when we started together many, many years ago.

[Kennedy_Shogen_Ryu]

I originally began in Aikido because I spent way too much time watching Steven Seagal movies and thought the way he foughts was the be all end all (back in the day.) I then changed my main style of study to Shogen Ryu Karate mainly because of the instructors. I have stayed there because everything we do makes sense to me.

[Kacey]

I didn't choose it... it was chosen by the guy I was dating at the time, who had earned his blue belt in TKD in high school and wanted to get back into it; after a month or so of convincing me and trying to teach me things he half remembered (it had been 6 or 7 years) I tried it, under protest and more interested in exercise than any MA - and purely by chance I found an art and an instructor that was right for me.

[newGuy12]

I am not in a position to join an American Kenpo School, as there is not a school in my area, only private instruction. But, if I were to have my first choice, that would be it, because it is a standardized curriculum, and very interesting to me, with many different strikes, locks, throws, kicks. Many different motions.

Because it is standardized, you could move from one area to another, and still people would be doing about the same techniques. Parting Wings is BASICALLY Parting Wings whether in Louisville KY or in Washington DC.

Also, the students of American Kenpo have FAST HANDS!!!



Robert

[tellner]

Back when I was in kindergarten the school librarian read us a story about a monkey who learned fencing. It sounded fascinating.

There was a number of martial arts over quite a few years. I ended up with Silat for a few reasons. It seemed very practical and looked like it would go well with the FMA that I was very into. My wife had seen some while she was in grad school and spoke highly of it. And a Silat teacher showed up at the Arnis school I was at. I was a lot more impressed with him than the Arnis I was learning. Eventually I ended up with my current teacher.

Why do I stick with it after all this time? Some of it is personal and social. I like the group of people well enough to hang out with them for a decade and a half. The teacher really is world class in terms of his technical skill, understanding, ability to fight and quality of instruction. The material is well-suited to my personality and physicality and is taught with great depth. Sometimes narrow and deep beats wide and shallow.

[Steel Tiger]

When I was younger, much younger, I started studying a form of JKD, very pragmatic, very straightforward. Come 1986 and I had to relocated to a different city to attend university, but I still wanted to study martial arts.

The university had a wide variety of choice, though most were of Japanese origin (no TKD, which was kind of surprising), but there was one class in a CMA which just suited me. The instructor was in the same department as me (classics) and we just clicked. It was just a bonus that it was an internal art which fascinated me. And so, 20 years later, I am still doing the same art and have not looked back.

[william276]

I started studying Hapkido simply because of what I had heard about it.
Now i'm doing it, I love it because it's so well rounded.

[searcher]

Back when I was in kindergarten the school librarian read us a story about a monkey who learned fencing.

Was that Journey To The West?



OP- I did not choose to train with My Father, it was expected in my family. I then went to Kenpo due to the lack of striking ability and the desire to break away from My Dad. I then left when the school started having problems and went to what is now my primary, Chito-ryu. I started studying Kobudo at Orange belt, it is a stand apart style from C-ryu. I also studied Isshinryu and someother styles while teaching C-ryu. After teaching it for several years I had some trouble with the head instructor and soem of the other BB's, so I decided to leave and start teaching on my own. I have kept with it due to the diversity I have been allowed to explore with the Okinawan arts. While training in C-ryu is great I felt it was lacking in developing my kicking skills, so I started up training in TKD. I have stuck with TKD in addition to my C-ryu and Kobudo training. I have been fortunate to have now trained in several styles and with some great instructors. My only regret I have is not getting up to BB level in Kenpo. I love the system and would love to have the knowledge base it can give me.

[KogaTengu]

I heard about my style being used by people in real life and that it was efffective, so I went and checked it out. I enjoy realistic training and this is as close as it gets for me.

[jks9199]

just interested to know what made you decide to choose and continue your art
I hope you reply openly

saraba
Dumb luck...

I wanted to learn a martial art. I was fascinated by ninjutsu (this was in the mid '80s...) but couldn't find any classes in my area. A few of my friends saw a demonstration by my instructor, and they started taking classes. They told me what they were doing, and I gave it a try... After more than 20 years... I'm still learning. I like the people I associate with in my system, I've found that it works under pressure and in the real deal... So, till I've mastered everything I've been taught -- that's where I'm staying.

[Blindside]

Kajukenbo and Kenpo - best instructor(s) in the area
Pekiti Tirsia Kali - I wanted the weapon skills

[Big Don]

I didn't really choose Kenpo. In the town I live there is one martial arts school and one boxing gym. Aside from Rocky movies, boxing never appealed to me. My son was about to turn 9 and wanted to learn karate, I called and spoke to the man who became my Sifu for nearly an hour and enrolled my son the next week. The first week my son was in class I sat with the other parents and watched, and it drove me nuts, I just HAD to be on the mat. Two and a half years later, I have earned my Green Belt and the dojo is a second home.

[tshadowchaser]

I first studied TKD because it was the first school to open in my area. When it came time for me to find more training and to learn more I had two choices that I considered worth while. One was in Conn. and one in NH. I got a job in NH first and thats where I studied until it came time for me to move around the country. I stayed with that style all my life, until poliics got in the way of truth, but have also studied the system of the man in Conn., because I wanted that training also

[tellner]

Was that Journey To The West?

It's been over 30 years, and the memories are hard to access. But I don't think so.

[KempoGuy06]

I always wanted to learn MA but never got into it as a kid. I hurt myself and needed something to get me back in shape. After searching a while I found my current school, I joined up there because of the instructor, He was very nice and very passionate.

I stick with it because I love it. In all honesty I didnt think I would stay in it, I thought I would give up after a while, but the more I learn the more I want to learn

B

[Darth F.Takeda]

What I do now is a progression that started when I was 10 or 11.
Step Dad was my first instructor, teaching me things he learned from Muay Thai,and TKD from when he was in S.E. Asia and stuff he learned from being in street fights. So my intrest has allways been SD 1st, I was allways concerned with combative reality, but with an open mind that basic slam and bang, while effective was not the most efficient way to dominate an enemy.

I studied TKD under Jung Soo Park, who taught it with an eye towards fighting for life and limb more than tournaments for 2 years as a teen.
Durring that time, a man named Kenneth Burchum mentored me. He was a multiple BB holder and had a background in Judo, Jujutsu and Aikido as well as TKD,Karate and Boxing. From this I allways had an eye out towards old school hand to hand combat Jujutsu, but could never find a school that really taught it, just Karate schools that taught watered down Jujutsu locks and BJJ to me looked like it focused on only 1 part of Jujutsu.

I fought a good deal as a teen and young adult, so I was not going to waste my time with anything that did not focus on the street.

I did some Choy Lay Fut Gung Fu, Goju Ryu and Kenpo between then and 1996.

One day I was walking my dog and saw these guys at the rec center doing what looked to me as Judo. I got a flyer from the office that said " Traditional and Street Combat Jujutsu" that was the class I saw, so I went for a trial session the next available class.

In 10 minutes I knew I had found real Jujutsu, the first technique was from a gun jammed into the back of your head. You came off line, hit him with an elbow, enveloped his neck, bent him back and used a killing move on the attacker. The head Sensei was a former NY Street cop, his #2 was at the time still in Special Forces, the rest of the class were all SF, cops and Marines, with a couple civillian hard cases mixed in. They did everything up to the point of blackout pain or damage, so you knew if the technique would work or not. The Sensei said "We are not here to make you better people, attain inner harmony or any of that stuff. If that happens, good for you. We are here to train to kill or maim some lowlife that would attack your family or yourself. We are here to give our Military students tools to use when they are to close to use their weapons.
I was hooked. I am still with them, I am a Nidan in Icho Yama Ryu Aiki Jujutsu and a student of Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu Kodo Kai.
I also study Pekiti Tarsia and Silat with Dave Wink, my former Sempai (the afore metioned SF Officer, Jim Tirey R.I.P.) introduced me to him, I occasionaly crosstrained with them, but when Sempai died in March, Dave asked me and my training partner to come on board and help complete the crosss pollination of the FMA/IMA they do and the Jujutsu we do. I love PT alot, as I have studied knife work under Jim since starting Jujutsu and PT and Silat are taking things to a new level.

[tshadowchaser]

I love that instructors out look on TEACHING

[dru123]

I chose Kajukenbo because I wanted to study a MA that combined both striking and ground work (if you are not familiar with Kajukenbo, it stands for "Ka - Karate, Ju - Judo/Jujitsu, Ken - Kenpo, and Bo - Chinese/American Boxing).

Also, the more I read about Kajukenbo and it's nononse approach to self-defense, the more I knew it was what I wanted to do. After I met my instructor, I knew he was the one I wanted to train under.

-Dru

[IcemanSK]

My best friend & I were really into Chuck Norris movies & Black Belt magazine in jr. high. When I was 14, my folks bid & won several weeks of TKD lessons at an auction. He was a natural athlete, I wasn't. Eveyone thought he'd do it forever, & I'd quit after a few months. He quit after 6 months. I feel in love with it & have been doing it for 25 years.

[tellner]

I chose Kajukenbo because I wanted to study a MA that combined both striking and ground work (if you are not familiar with Kajukenbo, it stands for "Ka - Karate, Ju - Judo/Jujitsu, Ken - Kenpo, and Bo - Chinese/American Boxing).

I studied Kajukenbo with Sifu Al Dacascos for a number of years. I never found anything in the curriculum which addressed groundfighting in any realistic fashion. Nothing. Which branch of the family tree do you belong to?

[MrE2Me2]

I chose my art because it was what I was looking for.
It had the right blend of practical and traditional.
It was fun and hard.
No matter if I trained to exhaustion or not; couldn't get enough of it.
The fact that I could learn it one on one also helped a lot.

[bmcgonag]

My first art, TKD, because it was all that was offered in my town of 20000.

Second art Hapkido, because it was a great chance to mix it up a bit.

Third Art, Aikido, because it looked like a lot of fun!

Brian

[dru123]

I studied Kajukenbo with Sifu Al Dacascos for a number of years. I never found anything in the curriculum which addressed groundfighting in any realistic fashion. Nothing. Which branch of the family tree do you belong to?

Tony Lasit branch. My instructor says he teaches more Judo/Jujitsu then most Kajukenbo schools, but reading the posts on http://www.kajukenbocafe.com/smf/ I would say most schools include ground fighting in their training. My instructors instructor was Dan Baker who is also 2nd degree black belt in Judo.

[SifuJason]

I studied Kajukenbo with Sifu Al Dacascos for a number of years. I never found anything in the curriculum which addressed groundfighting in any realistic fashion. Nothing. Which branch of the family tree do you belong to?


I am surprised that you found that to be so; I have studied with Sifu Al for a number of years, and he has always covered ground fighting in the curriculum. It is not BJJ-style ground fighting; ie fighting from your back in a guard; but he always covered sprawling, takedowns, escaping mounts, etc and then going into a good old GnP (although not using that terminology). Did you train with him in Portland? If so, we probably trained together for a while...

[tellner]

Yep. It was Portland at the old school out on Murray and the newer one off of Highway 8. For a few years in there he had me editing the IKF newsletter and sometimes teaching the stick class. Sifu Endrizzi's move to Portland was about midway through my Kajukenbo/WHKD career. I remember some throws and a few wrestling defenses, mostly out of the formal Kajukenbo curriculum. They weren't bad as far as they went. I just didn't learn anything that was for what to do once you were off your feet. The Judo influence just wasn't terribly strong.

That's not surprising. Sifu Dacascos had a lot more Kenpo, Chinese boxing and Escrima in his background than some others. And if memory serves Senseis Holck and Ordonez were not with the Black Belt Society for as long as, say, the Emperados.

And to be honest it might have been personal background. My first or second training was in Judo, and I had done some wrestling. That put me a bit ahead of most beginning Kajukenbo students and may have biased my view. This was about the time that Sifu Owens was investigating Capoeira and other teachers were talking more about Judo and Ju Jutsu. It may well be that by the mid-90s things had changed a bit. By then I was hanging out with evil-minded guys with clubs, knives and bad attitudes :)

I've always thought that something like Dog Kung Fu or Ground Boxing would have fit nicely with Kajukenbo, especially the more Chinese- and Filipino-influenced branches of the tree.

The only thing that I regret and will have nothing to do with under any circumstances is the classic Kajukenbo knife defense curriculum. There's no way to sugar coat it, and it's serious enough that I wouldn't even if there were. They are bad technique. Bad as in "They can get you killed." This isn't a slam at the Kajukenbo family.

I don't know if you knew Tim Gagnier. I think he's fifth or sixth dan. He was with Sid Lopez for a long time. He was also in Guru Plinck's Sera class on and off for a while. At the time we were doing a lot of beginning knife defense. Tim said that he had been looking for something to fill the void. He had ditched all the knife defense techniques and would not teach them. That was pretty harsh coming from someone who had put that much time, effort and love into his Art. We asked why.

It seems that one of his students, a Black Belt, had been with a group of friends who were attacked. And yes, that's what the police report concluded. It wasn't one of those "I was trying to stop them from fighting" or "Uhh, it was self defense Your Honor. That's right. Now I remember" things. As his friends were getting out of there Tim's student stayed to back to defend, did his knife counter crisply and correctly and was stabbed to death. After that Tim gave one of his senior students a practice knife and tried to make the knife defense curriculum work against an adaptive determined opponent. He couldn't get any of it to work for real or even semi-real.

I can only imagine how hard it was for him to make the decision. The man deserves a hell of a lot of respect for his integrity and personal honesty.

[Doc_Jude]

I read about Silat and googled it & found a guy right down the street, a long-time student of Rudy Terlinden, that moved like greased friggin' lightning at 60 years old!

[tellner]

DJ, you wouldn't expect them to send the rich, would you? The Lower Orders are supposed to do the grotty nasty jobs. Not the People Who Matter.

What are you, some kind of commie?

[SifuJason]

I know Tim, at least in passing. In all likelihood, we may have trained a bit together at the Highway 8 school, although I started there in late 90s after training with one of Sifu Al's black belts earlier. As for the lack of Judo, etc, that is interesting that you had that experience; Sifu Al's first art was Judo, and he loves throwing people. It's probably a result of the fact that Sifu Al changes his focus every few years.

As for knife fighting, I understand your point completely; that's why Sifu Al and others have started to incorporate a lot more Escrima into their knife fighting, which adds a lot of effectiveness.

[KajuJKDFighter]

I know Tim out of Oregon, he just talked at a big seminar at my school this Saturday and we actually discussed knife self defense. His mind set is a lot different now. I'm very realistic in my knife training and have been teaching it for 20 yrs, he thinks the same. By the way he was recently promoted to 8th degree, he had been a 7th for many years....

As far as ground work when I started teaching it in the early '90's people ignored it sometimes walked out of seminars. My training was for the most part under Larry Hartsell. We had been scouting the Gracie under ground tapes before the UFC.... We realized the ground work we had judo, jujitsu, wrestling......was lacking.. Hartsell was way ahead of his time......

[MarkBarlow]

I signed up for a Judo class just because I needed the credit for P.E. and was fascinated by the instructor. Mr. Marshall was in his 60s and around 5'3" and completely dominated a mat full of young men who were all bigger and stronger. He never quit smiling and his love of life was contagious. After a few months of judo, he allowed me to join a small jujutsu class he taught on weekends and the practicality hooked me even more. Before I knew it, a couple of decades had passed.

[MantisStyle21]

Well, there's many reasons I chose my art, I had grown up around martial arts all my life because my brother was in it, so I knew it was only a matter of time before I got in it.

I've always respected my brother who has been an absolute father figure, So I decided I'd learn from the same instructor as he did. Then, I got there and fell in love with the school. The people were amazing, Sensei was as nice and caring as he was when I was 8, and the sense of family was so strong anyone could feel it the minute they walked in the dojo. Now I stay in it for the people and the fact that Shaolin Kung Fu never ceases to amaze me.

[meth18au]

I was always kind of mystified with Muay Thai, and had shown some interest in it. Plus my Uncle has been involved in the martial arts for 25+ years, and recommended my current teacher as being very credible. I checked it out, loved the feel to the place, and then signed up. Just love the methods of training, the people at the gym, and also the culture/traditions of the Thai people and Muay Thai.

[Jdokan]

Proximity....I started in Uechi-Ryu, when that instructor closed shop I found the closest thing at that time...A Kenpo school...that was a long time ago....

[bookworm_cn317]

TKD was the only martial art offered at the Y my mom & I were members of at the time. And I had matured enough to not chicken out (like I did at 13- what can I say? I was shallow.) I stuck with it when I realized that it was a lot of fun.

[NDNgirl4ever]

I went in to watch a class, and I was really impressed. I decided to try karate, and I love it. I've made some friends, and I have a lot of fun.

[thunderfoot]

I chose my art after observing a class once. I had some exposure to taekwondo (brother), but when I saw how easily it was for the karateka to take out a kicker, I knew this was the style for me.

[dru123]

The only thing that I regret and will have nothing to do with under any circumstances is the classic Kajukenbo knife defense curriculum. There's no way to sugar coat it, and it's serious enough that I wouldn't even if there were. They are bad technique. Bad as in "They can get you killed." This isn't a slam at the Kajukenbo family.



I am not saying you are wrong, but there is a police officer over on the Kajukenbo Cafe (http://www.kajukenbocafe.com/smf/index.php) and in a knife related thread, he says he encountered many (untrained) knife wielding attackers and he states (I hope he doesn't mind me quoting him) "The techniques that worked for me over the years are the only ones I know-the standard knife defenses from Kajukenbo."

I have asked my instructor if he is going to teach us the Kajukenbo knife counters, and he said he would, but he also said the best defense against a knife is another knife.

[dru123]

Here is a good post from people (police officers) who have encountered knife attackers and what they did to survive them: http://www.kajukenbocafe.com/smf/index.php?topic=513.0

[Jai]

I was five years old and I remember watching a Bruce Lee double feature one Saturday and BEGGED my mom to let my take lessons of any kind. At the time there where only two schools in my area. So my mom and I hopped on the bus and went to check them out. I walked into this old apartment complex behind the local drug store. In the basement of this building was a middle aged man beating the crap out of six students and I fell in love. I never even went to look at the second school. I stayed with that school for seven years until it closed down. When it closed I moved to the local TKD school where I stayed full time but also went part time to other schools that had opened over time. Generally I would trade services, I would teach a night of TKD in exchange for a night of whatever the school had to offer. I did that until I met my wife and we moved to Minnesota. When I decided to start up again I again only had two options for schools. Choice 1 was god awful, to the point where I don't want to talk about it. I was actually glad for the knee problems that forced me to quit for a few years. When I started again I went to the only other school in the area. Not the most glorious of stories, but that is mine.

[whitetiger2001]

Like many who finally settle on a style, I went to several schools before finding the one I wanted. Some were too formalized for me with bows anytime the instructor even blinked. Some had material that I felt wouldn't work for me because of my limited flexibility hipwise. What I finally settled on was a school that offered a range of styles within it that would allow me to strengthen my weaknesses while taking advantage of my strengths which are speed and power. The instructor was knowledgable (which all the others were according to my limited knowledge at that point) but he was also personable. I watched a couple of classes and like the "feel" of them. He was there because he enjoyed not just his art but the art of teaching. The instructor understood that the students were the reason he was there unlike others who seemed to feel that they were there to feed his ego.

[HelloKitty]

just interested to know what made you decide to choose and continue your art
I hope you reply openly

saraba

I first wanted karate because it was the most popular MA in every gym in my city. But when I came to try a class, gym's owner suggested me to take taekwondo because they have a good class of girls of my age and karate had no women, and it would be more comfortable for me.

I accepted with doubts, but the class and the instructor were very good, and taekwondo develops all the habilities i'm interested in.

Once a man attacked me when I was coming back home from university and I could beat him easily. I think I really fell in love definitely with this style.

[chinto]

just interested to know what made you decide to choose and continue your art
I hope you reply openly

saraba

it was very similer to a style I took long ago, and the instructor is the best in town for combat aplications.
so I went and tried it and have been very very happy with it all since.

[matt.m]

I am really wierd in this aspect......I believe that I didn't choose my art. It chose me. It is no secret that my dad is a hapkido master, I am a world champ in judo and am studying ITF/WTF tae kwon do as well as hapkido concurrently while teaching judo.

Anyway, I am a big believer in Pre-Destination. I think it was predestined that I joined the Marine Corps. I believe that you make your choices for better or worse. However, they are yours to make.

I don't care if it is White Crane, Shotokan, Aikido, Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do. Whatever, just train.

I do what I do because it is what I believe in.

[Brian S]

Good answer matt m. !

My dad's friend he worked with was starting up a new goju class, he and his brother. I went along to see what it was all about. I was fascinated by what they could do and I wanted to be able to do the same thing. They were both so powerful and precise about what they did. I started and I haven't stopped, never will.

As for the Judo, I just basically wanted someone to train with and sort of fell into it. Not many people get to do martial arts under good instructors, much less two arts under two of them.

[Xue Sheng]

just interested to know what made you decide to choose and continue your art
I hope you reply openly

saraba


How many times must I say this?

I chose my art so I could strike fear in the hearts of my fellow man

Why I continue…. I was successful :EG:

[theletch1]

How many times must I say this?

I chose my art so I could strike fear in the hearts of my fellow man

Why I continue…. I was successful :EG:
Xue, you must repeat it often because we mere mortals are too busy quaking in fear to hear you correctly when you say it.:uhyeah:

[Xue Sheng]

Xue, you must repeat it often because we mere mortals are too busy quaking in fear to hear you correctly when you say it.:uhyeah:

So very true :mst:

:uhyeah:

[Traditionalist]

That is pretty cool MattM. that we have a world champ among us. What event did you win? I would love to google it and read some crazy stuff about you.

[diamondbar1971]

I chose it because it was my first contact with any kind of Martial Arts period. This was over 40 years ago when Martial Arts was something new to most of us. Through this, I met some wonderful people over the years....Tino Tuiolosega, Ed Parker, James Woo and numerous others that were and still are known worldwide today...As I reflect back to the days when I was just a kid and how Martial Arts was then and compare it to how it is today, a lot has changed and a lot is the same, and the was I see it, Martial Arts is a never ending learning experience.

[Guardian]

When I first joined the service, I was a cop (Security Police) LE side of the house and figured I needed something more since I was not street smart and couldn't fight work a dang LOL. I saw an advertisement on our squadron board one day and the class was being taught by one of the members of our squadron and went to it one night and never looked back after that.

Of course as the years went by, we incorporated other aspects of self-defense/attack modes/methods into our training for it was geared for our jobs and going home at night (though being a base cop back then was safer then a) city cop, we took our jobs very seriously and it paid off more then once for me.

[Explorer]

I started with western wrestling in grade school even as I idolized Kato on the Green Hornet tv show and Odd Job from the James Bond movies. They just looked sooooo cool. I would pretend I was a 'martial arts master'. There was a little judo thrown in there somewhere. I remember a concussion that caused me to throw up on my parents bedding.

My dad (a Methodist Minister) was a Golden Gloves boxer and he taught all of us to box in our basement. We really had a lot of fun pounding on each other. Dad was the one who taught me to step on the other guy's foot as you punch him. Sure, it's illegal in BOXING but not when you're facing the neighborhood bully! I still use it today!

In high school a friend of mine was a brown belt in Shotokan and I was impressed with his technique ... and belt rank. I always wanted to train but school sports like football, rugby, wrestling, track ... and girls took up all my time.

After college I got busy and didn't train until my oldest son experienced a number of bullying incidents. After talking with the school resulted in exactly NOTHING. I went looking for a martial arts school that offered a broad range of training. I was also looking for an instructor that wasn't a drill sergeant. I found it all at the dojo I now run where classical Shorin Ryu is taught.

I'm glad to report that the bullying incidents ended when Ian started putting up a defense. It seems that bully's really, really hate receiving ANY pain in response to their ... activities. Imagine that.