Which Martial Art and Why?

[karatekid1975]

You know what? I just changed schools not too long ago, and TKD is nothing like I thought it was. The school I came from is sport. But this school rocks (my new school). It is TKD, but it has what I'm looking for. Self defense all the way, dudes! It's more to it than kicking and bunching! It's REAL TKD! I love it

Hey, Mt. Tang Soo! I miss TSD

 

[Zepp]

Originally posted by karatekid1975
You know what? I just changed schools not too long ago, and TKD is nothing like I thought it was. The school I came from is sport. But this school rocks (my new school). It is TKD, but it has what I'm looking for. Self defense all the way, dudes! It's more to it than kicking and bunching! It's REAL TKD! I love it

Hey kkid, does your new school belong to a larger organization? If so, I'm just curious which one? (I've decided to keep track of self-defense oriented TKD styles, since they seem to be hard to find.)

 

[chaosomega]

I didn't really choose MMA. I started out in the martial arts by sparring with my friends, and we just did everything. Once I became I fan of UFC and Pride, I realized that I've been doing that sort of thing for the better half of my life! So I looked up the local MMA school and signed up. I've had to move to a new city now, and I'm currently training solo and with partners until I raise enough funds for a school in my new location.

 

[Aikikitty]

Which martial art do you train in?------Aikido

Why did you choose this art?------My mom and I needed to learn how to defend ourselves from my (rarely violent) mentally ill brother and we asked around and heard Aikido would be one of the better arts for us to learn how to defend ourselves without hurting him.

What do you like about it?-----Almost everything. I really like the people there and I think a lot of the techniques are really awesome. It's a lot of fun too!

What do you NOT like about it?-----Having to learn how to do scary things like breakfalls! I can't do them very well yet so they still hurt! :wah: (I'm a wimp and don't like to be hurt.) There are also several techniques that I really don't like but that's mostly because I can't do them either----YET!!!

Robyn :asian:

 

[khadaji]

Which martial art do you train in?

Systema

Why did you choose this art?

A good friend of mine inited me to join the campus club. I then became addicted to its method.

What do you like about it?

I like its lack of forms, and its adaptibility. Also I like how it uses natural movement and versitility. The no nonsense philiosophy of it appeals to me.

What do you NOT like about it?

After 2 more weeks the club will break up, and there will be no where in Minesota to train in it any more.

 

[DeLamar.J]

I belive it is a must to mix the arts. You cant train in striking only or grappling only. You have got to have a well rounded fighting style to be effective aginst all the different fighters there are out there. So I choose MMA.

 

[MartialArtsChic]

Which martial art do you train in?

Combat Hapkido.

Why did you choose this art?

It chose me.

What do you like about it?

EVERYTHING. Throws, kicks, grappling, jointlocks, pressure points. Great self defense.

What do you NOT like about it?

I like everything about it.

 

[Ceicei]

Ed Parker's American Kenpo.

It was the only available karate class at the time taught at college.

I like it very much--there is so much to learn!

What's there NOT to like? Haven't seen that yet, as I'm still learning....

- Ceicei

 

[Cryozombie]

Which martial art do you train in?

Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu

Why did you choose this art?

I was studying Hapkido, and it did not seem effective enough for me. Taijutsu seems more combat effective.

What do you like about it?

It has a strong mix of skills, and it is an ever evolving art.

What do you NOT like about it?

The politics involved in the organizations.

 

[Jmh7331]

Which martial art do you train in?

EPAK

Why did you choose this art?

I can't kick like I did when I was young and studied other arts. Also, I've always been interested in Kenpo ("The Perfect Weapon" helped that) but until recently I wasn't near a Kenpo school.

What do you like about it?

Everything

What do you NOT like about it?

All of the infighting

 

[satans.barber]

Originally posted by Nightingale
Which martial art do you train in?

Kempo Ryu Karate (American Kenpo Derivative

Why did you choose this art?

Nothing else on offer in my area at the time I started, that I knew about.

What do you like about it?

It's fun, it's effective, it's as complex or as simple as you want it to be, there's no japanese to learn, it's quite informal, it's a good workout and I know by looking at people high up in the art that I'm working towards something worthwhile.

What do you NOT like about it?

In my case, that's tricky, but rather than comment on kempo ryu i'll comment on kenpo in general.

I don't like that sometimes there's more talking goes on that actual action, and, um, that's about it actually. Oh, all the politics as well, that gets right on my nerves! Oh, and people arguing about whether to spell it kenpo or kempo when there's really no difference!

Ian.

 

[jwreck]

I study Kuk Sool. I started kuk Sool because its a very versatile art that covers all ranges. I can go from acrobatic kicks to throws to ground work.
What do I like about it? Its close to the house, its pretty complete, and I like the weapons work.

What do I not like about it?
We hardly ever practice full speed, our sparring is extremely limited, each technique is taught as a stand alone technique with self defense aplications rarely discussed. Also, the people at my school seem to scoff at the idea of branching out and studying anything else, feeling that Kuk Sool has everything you'd ever need, and I think that's a limiting mindset. I'm probably going to be studying something else soon, at least for a while. However, I still like Kuk Sool, I just think it could be taught a lot better than the way I'm learning it.

 

[Ninway J]

Which martial art?

Shorinjin-ryu Saito Ninjitsu

Why did I choose it?

Back in 1993, the other classes offered were karate, aikido, kendo, or american boxing, and they all didn't really appeal to me. The techniques and dances(kata) performed in Saito Ninjitsu looked cool and very different from the other martial arts I've been exposed to. It looked more flowing and circular unlike karate...more strikes than aikido...more self-defense oriented unlike kendo...and more well-rounded than american boxing. I felt it was about time for me to learn some form of self-defense as well. At the time, I thought it would be cool to learn the art of ninja (I was later told by my instructor that this was not the art of ninja.)

What do I like about it?

The dances (kata) are very circular and flowing, comparable to Wu Shu, and the schemes (techniques) are very practical, comparable to japanese jujitsu or taijutsu. It is self-defense oriented, rather than for sport or tournament. I like the internal and philosophical aspects of it.

What do I NOT like about it?

Complex. Lots of dances and schemes to practice and remember. It is also controversial in it's history, lineage, and use of the Japanese language. Lack of teachers...none on my island. My sensei retired from teaching in 1998. The nearest school is on another island, a plane-ride away.

 

[Tapps]

WHAT: modern Arnis


WHY: I lucked into it. I signed up for a community education class and found Datu Hartman (in my opinion one of the best in the world) on my doorstep.


I LIKE: The fact that it allows me to devlop my own strengh within it's framework. That it is a complete art that teaches punch, kick grapple and weapons.

that I felt like I was learning to defend myself from day one.


I DON"T LIKE:
The fact I don't have time to train like I used to.

That the traditions of the art are so new every green belt feels they can change/improve on them.

 

[KenpoTex]

Which martial art do you train in? EP American Kenpo

Why did you choose this art? Because they had a joint-break in one of the techniques in the intro. course (Lone Kimono for you EPAK people)

What do you like about it? The logical approach to fighting, natural motion, econony of motion etc.

What do you NOT like about it? I would like to see some more offensive weapon training, i.e. knives

 

[2fisted]

I'm currently studying traditional Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate-do.

I'm doing this because I had the opportunity to learn from a teacher who earned his black belt in Okinawa. It's a great cultural experience, and it's interesting to see the differences in American schools and the way my Sensei teaches.

I like it because it brings out the best stuff from the other two arts I studied (Shotokan and Wing Chun). It really feels natural and right to me.

There's not much that I don't like about it, other than I can't train anywhere near as much as I'd like.

 

[Douglas]

Which martial art do you train in?
Right now, WMA, specifically medieval longsword, Fiore dei Liberi
Why did you choose this art?
Always wanted to learn it; studied kendo, iaido, escrima, modern fencing previously just to get as close as I could to it.
What do you like about it?
I like the fac that it's new, in that it is just developing as a modern martial art, and we are just starting to figure out the techniques from the manuscripts. It's also quite old and entrenched in European culture.
What do you NOT like about it?
The fact that there is so must guesswork involved, and that it will be a long time before it becomes a competitive art.

 

[MichiganTKD]

Which martial art do you train in?
Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do

Why did you choose this art?
I wanted to practice a martial art, and it was offered at the local YMCA. I got really lucky-not your typical YMCA "McDojang" class.

What do you like about it?
The beauty, awesome power, difficulty, and effective self defense it offers.

What do you NOT like about it?
People who don't practice it who try to tear it down.

 

[Spaniard]

Which martial art do you train in?
Tae Kwon Do Ohdokan (old-style) & Kajukenbo

Why did you choose this art?
TKD-My then best friend's dad was a 4th dan and I thought that I was going to have to fight someone ('85)

Kaju-my friend's dad died ('87) and Kajukenbo always reminded me of how he taught Tae Kwon Do and I found a school nearby.

What do you like about it?
TKD- effective, no frills, my first MA

Kaju- effective, no frills, room to expand into other MA aspects as it is a blended style (i. e. I can expand on the Chinese influence or- as in my school- work on more ground fighting.) One is part of a big family. OHANA.


What do you NOT like about it?
TKD has lost much of it's MA respect because of the sport aspect

Kajukenbo- politics

 

[karatekid1975]

I should give a better answer than I did before LOL.

Which martial art do you train in?
Tae Kwon Do (Moo Duk Kwan).

Why did you choose this art?
I didn't choose the art really. I was looking for a school that taught self defense as well as the fun stuff (kicking for me ). This school does teach more than the typical TKD school. We also learn throws, grappling (standing and ground), takedowns, jointlocks, ect. Plus The forms after BB are the same as in TSD (my old style).

What do you like about it?
The curriculum.

What do you NOT like about it?
The fact that we do not have a student oath or tenets. It shows in some people's attitudes (egos and such .... no modesty there).

Because of the throws and such that we learn, I'm about to dabble in Judo again. I have done stand-up striking art(s) for awhile, and this school showed me that I am truely interested in the throws. So I decided to look into that Judo school I looked at before.