What is your favorite art?

beauty_in_the_sai

Green Belt
:) Hi everyone! I was just wondering what everyone's favorite art is. It can be an art you take, or just like to watch, or are just interested in.

Mine is pry either JKD or kung fu. Both I've watched, and they look very neat and effective. I tried JKD, but just couldn't seem to get the swing and rythm of it. I want to try kung fu, but there aren't any schools around here. The weapons, stances, and forms (yes I'm a forms lover) of kung fu are awesome. JKD has a cool philosophy behind it (but as to wether most people follow that philosophy is questionable to me) and is very effective in a street fight.

So what's your fav art and why?

Becky
 
From a spectator's viewpoint, I enjoy Capoeira the most. This art shows that you don't need anything fancy, extravagant, etc., to perform, and that it's something that everyone can enjoy.

At last year's martial arts symposium, one such Capoeira group put on a very nice demonstration, showing practitioners of all levels of skill and ability. Regardless of skill / experience, though, they were all relaxed, were having a good time, and certainly impressed the crowd.

While the most skilled ones put on a very impressive display of techniques, the ones who impressed me the most were those of lesser skills, as the folks in the crowd were all able to relate to them.

Very nice people to talk to, as well, and one day, I hope to get a chance to visit their school, so that I can take the mestre's offer to "come play with us some time."
 
Karate is my favorite art to train because of its methodical approach and attention to detail. You can really feel that what you learn build upon what you already know. Also, Wado ryu is a system that adapts to your body, not a framework you have to fit into.

Ju jutsu is my second favorite. It is a bit more fun to train since it includes more throws, ground work and sparrng.

As for watching I like to see bojutsu and ryoto (two sword fighting.) It is really impressive.
 
Hello, I new a man who was a friend, an Aikido Sensi...in his older years, we always talk about Aikido. I never train with him (live on a different Island) and his daughter was a friend.

I am in awe of Aikido art!

Kempo is impressive too! Fast and many strikes on each attack and the take downs with continune strikes (endless hitting and stomping). ...Aloha
 
Grenadier said:
From a spectator's viewpoint, I enjoy Capoeira the most. This art shows that you don't need anything fancy, extravagant, etc., to perform, and that it's something that everyone can enjoy.

At last year's martial arts symposium, one such Capoeira group put on a very nice demonstration, showing practitioners of all levels of skill and ability. Regardless of skill / experience, though, they were all relaxed, were having a good time, and certainly impressed the crowd.

While the most skilled ones put on a very impressive display of techniques, the ones who impressed me the most were those of lesser skills, as the folks in the crowd were all able to relate to them.

Very nice people to talk to, as well, and one day, I hope to get a chance to visit their school, so that I can take the mestre's offer to "come play with us some time."

Do you happen to know who the group was, and the name of the teacher? Where was this performance?

As capoeira guy, i'm always curious. thx.

michael
 
I have taken both TKD and HRD and I enjoy both. However I enjoy HRD much more because of the attention to detail. You can study a single form for months on end and instructors can still find something wrong. And the techniques.....ohh the techniques you can study them for a while and you think they start getting boring but just then an instructor teaches you a slight detail and you get so involved in getting it right. Don't get me wrong though TKD is a really good art to.

Farang
 
Flying Crane said:
Do you happen to know who the group was, and the name of the teacher? Where was this performance?

As capoeira guy, i'm always curious. thx.

michael

I'll have to look up my scribbles, but they were at the International Martial Arts Symposium in Columbia, South Carolina, that took place at the end of September / beginning of October, 2005.
 
Grenadier said:
I'll have to look up my scribbles, but they were at the International Martial Arts Symposium in Columbia, South Carolina, that took place at the end of September / beginning of October, 2005.

Hmm.. I don't have any idea who is teaching in that area. I guess it could have been a group from the New York area, but I don't know of anyone outside that area.

If it is convenient to dig up the info I'd be curious to know. thx.
 
rutherford said:
I think it's very strange to have a favorite art in which you don't train.

I dont think it is strange at all.
I take TKD and Shaolin Kung Fu.

I prefer Kung Fu over TKD cause of the movements. Feels more natural to me. The way it flows and the beauty of it is what grabbed my attention. (Plus I grew up watching all those Shaw Brothers movies) I dont train it in as often as I want too cause I have a private instructor so it is a matter of when can we can find time to train unlike TKD where I train 3 days a week.

So people could train in something for a little while but may have moved and cant find another school or cant afford it anymore and had to stop. They may still have a primary art but the prefer the other art which they cant train in anymore.
 
rutherford said:
I think it's very strange to have a favorite art in which you don't train.

One of my favorites is ninjutsu, which I do train in.

However, I am rather fascinated by Capoeira. I've enjoyed watching it, but there are no local teachers and I think I'd have a hard time getting my body to move in that fashion. For other people, it might be a matter of time... they love alot of arts, but can't train 10 hours a day 7 days a week. For others there may be no local teachers, or any decent teachers.

personally, I'd like to try my hand at Systema one day, but no teachers here that I am aware of... go figure :)
 
My favorite Art is coach pototoe monkey, but then again it is just plain old TKD and I mean Old TKD.
Terry
 
I train in more than one art. Not all of them regularly - if we're talking about in a class setting. Actually, due to huge life upsets, none of them regularly - at the moment. Hopefully tomorrow will be different.

When I am in a class, that art is my favorite art. That instructor is my favorite teacher. The students sharing the class with me are my best friends. The uke who is giving me the gift of being my partner is my favorite uke.

I can't imagine being in a class and saying, "I'd rather be someplace else, learning something different." If I ever feel like that, I promise I will bow out.

I train in all of my favorite arts regularly - if we're talking about visualizations, practicing alone, and grabbing like-minded friends and saying, "Damnit, I really need to do some Ichimonji. Got an hour?"

When I look at the art that guides my path, there is definitely one that is my favorite. I like it above all others, sure. And if it wasn't my favorite, it wouldn't be the art that guided my path.

So, yeah. I think it's strange to have a favorite art in which you don't train. I really don't see the point. But, please don't let my opinion affect you. We all have our own paths.
 
I train in Aikido so I love that, of course.

To watch, I also like watching Aikido, but I also really love watching any other MA. Especially Kung Fu! I have a lot of Jackie Chan's older kung fu movies and I LOVE watching his different kung fu moves and stunts. Pretty much if I happen to see anything on TV or in a movie that has martial arts (good techniques, I mean) in it, I'll watch and enjoy it.

Robyn :asian:
 
When I was out looking around at various arts, I felt like a kid in the candy shop. I knew I had to pick one art to do, but still... Plus not everything was/ is available close enough to me. I really can't pick a favorite art.
 
The arts of trained in: TSD. Maybe because it was my first art, and I really liked the forms, my fellow students, and my instructor. He was strict as "you know what" but out of uniform, he was a great guy (is, I should say. I still do train with him once or twice a year).

Actually, they all have stuff that I liked (or like) at some point. But I think Jujitsu is my fav right now (lots of mean self defense stuff hehehehehe). Don't get me wrong, I like TKD, too, but I really like the stuff I'm learning in Jujitsu right now.

Arts I like to watch: Aikido is one. I saw a demo on TV, and it was so impressive how they "flow." And any forms arts that have really impressive technique (I'm a forms and technique geek). I can watch a form over and over if it is done by someone that has really good technique. Hapkido is cool to watch, too.
 
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