# Have you ever practiced martial arts?



## Jaune (Jul 11, 2013)

Elsewhere on the forum, I had an interesting conversation with someone about martial arts, which inspired me to create this thread.

Anyway, I'd like to hear about your experiences in martial arts. Which ones you've tried out, what they were like, how much you practice, how much they've helped you, and basically anything else you want to share regarding this topic.

To start things off, I started taking Krav Maga lessons around 5 months ago and I've been addicted to it since then. I took a qualifying test last month and passed, promoting me to level 2 (yellow belt). I attend around 5-10 hours a week and it's really helped me gain confidence and become much more physically fit.

Not really sure if anyone really cares to hear more and I don't know what else to say about my experiences right now, but I'm pretty sure I'll respond to some of your posts.


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## Six (Oct 14, 2019)

JVal said:


> Elsewhere on the forum, I had an interesting conversation with someone about martial arts, which inspired me to create this thread.
> 
> Anyway, I'd like to hear about your experiences in martial arts. Which ones you've tried out, what they were like, how much you practice, how much they've helped you, and basically anything else you want to share regarding this topic.
> 
> ...


I don't think I was really in the headspace for it when I first did Muay Thai I was just doing it because a friend was.

However as the world started to fill me with something more demonic the idea of punching someone in the face or getting punched in the face became more attractive, so I did 6 months of defensive boxing exclusively so I could get comfortable with not just the idea of getting hit but holding what I wanted to do to the person inside myself.

That was all about holding my anger and using it slowly in a controlled way - I've been looking at wing chun or akkido, I don't know, it's all about getting a grasp on that elusive fi.


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## Abbaladon Arc V (Jan 16, 2018)

Black Belt in karate and a high Boxe and MMA fighter. 

Fight is good to feel like a man


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## Sybow (Feb 1, 2016)

Got a near black belt in something called Shisundo, its practically MMA. We grapple, kick, punch etc.

The biggest change that it gave me was that I'm really hard to anger these days. I can be really patient, if I need to.
It also gave me alot of confidence and a better look at myself.

But to be honest, my dream would be to go to brazilian jiu jitsu. Personally, the kicking and punching is fun, until you have to punch someone you are actually close with. My personal prefference goes to grappling.

In total I think I've done the sport for about 10 years. Also tried Tae Kwon Do for about a year, but it wasn't my thing.


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## The red spirit (Sep 29, 2015)

Practiced a Kudo (also known as daido juku karate) bit. It became really boring after one year.


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## incision (May 23, 2010)

Taekwondo, tai chi, kick boxing and self-defense classes for me. The first three were for fun and fitness and weren't taken to any level. Self-defense incorporates aspects of assorted types of martial arts and was obviously for self-defense.


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## lokasenna (Apr 7, 2019)

I did about four years of kuk sool won. The instructor incorporated juijitsu and we ended up learning a ton of ground work in addition to the self defense techniques, forms, strikes, etc. I briefly tried taekwondo at one point but it wasn't for me. I'd like to do krav maga or shaolin someday. Maybe both.


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## Judson Joist (Oct 25, 2013)

I have a 1st-degree black belt in the Jidokwan style of Taekwondo and I also practiced some amount of Jukido (basically the Korean version of Judo). It always irks me in movies and TV shows and whatnot when they use Japanese nomenclature instead of Korean when referring to things pertaining to Taekwondo. For example, on the back of the box to 'Napoleon Dynamite', it mentions Rex Kwon Do's "dojo" instead of "dochang."


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## Shale (Jan 17, 2012)

I'm little over 2 years into Kajukenbo and have a blue belt (right at the half-way point, there are only 4 belts left) and will be testing for my green in January. I train 3 hours/week and occasionally go to the free-sparring fight night (also kickbox twice a week.) I can train more often, but I don't want to burn-out on it. It's more of the journey of learning and fine tuning skill rather than achieving belt level. 

It really does help me to focus, to be more self-aware, to be more assertive of my surroundings. I enjoy the "family" at the dojo, there are NO ego-maniacs there. I do it for the challenge, for the brain exercise as well as physical exercise, for the humility and for the reward of improvement. It's such a positive experience, but I attribute the positivity to the dojo environment. My 15 year old son is also a part of the class (belt level under mine, but that is because he was in the junior class and has to go back over all the adult material.) It's still very awkward for him to spar with me, but he'll overcome that in time. He's GOOD too! Tall, long legs and long arms with quick reach.

I'm the oldest woman there at 45, I think that's pretty cool. I'm treated like "one of the guys" and it doesn't bother me. There's just a few other females there. I wish more women would take martial arts, especially teenage and young adult. I was complimented by one of the moms of a teen girl with whom I train, that she appreciates her daughter to be around strong minded women. (Even in this scenario, it takes a village to raise a child, or to be a good influence on one.)

The biggest thing that is my obstacle is how to remain calm under such pressure. I've improved drastically, but it takes more fighting practice to overcome that one. We have bullrings, where the person in the center fights for 5 minutes with various attackers. If it's just to practice material ... no problem. If it's pure fighting, I'm gassed after the 3 minute mark. Doesn't seem long, but the ring seems like an eternity when you are inside it.


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## Jaune (Jul 11, 2013)

lokasenna said:


> I did about four years of kuk sool won. The instructor incorporated juijitsu and we ended up learning a ton of ground work in addition to the self defense techniques, forms, strikes, etc. I briefly tried taekwondo at one point but it wasn't for me. I'd like to do krav maga or shaolin someday. Maybe both.


Awesome! I'd definitely recommend krav. And I've been pretty interested in taking up jujitsu sometime, it would be great to improve my grappling and groundwork. Cool that your instructor incorporated it.


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## Jaune (Jul 11, 2013)

Judson Joist said:


> I have a 1st-degree black belt in the Jidokwan style of Taekwondo and I also practiced some amount of Jukido (basically the Korean version of Judo). It always irks me in movies and TV shows and whatnot when they use Japanese nomenclature instead of Korean when referring to things pertaining to Taekwondo. For example, on the back of the box to 'Napoleon Dynamite', it mentions Rex Kwon Do's "dojo" instead of "dochang."


That's really cool! I see you a lot on the forums and never knew that about you. How long did it take you to get your first-degree black belt? Do you still practice regularly?


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## Jaune (Jul 11, 2013)

Shale said:


> I'm little over 2 years into Kajukenbo and have a blue belt (right at the half-way point, there are only 4 belts left) and will be testing for my green in January. I train 3 hours/week and occasionally go to the free-sparring fight night (also kickbox twice a week.) I can train more often, but I don't want to burn-out on it. It's more of the journey of learning and fine tuning skill rather than achieving belt level.
> 
> It really does help me to focus, to be more self-aware, to be more assertive of my surroundings. I enjoy the "family" at the dojo, there are NO ego-maniacs there. I do it for the challenge, for the brain exercise as well as physical exercise, for the humility and for the reward of improvement. It's such a positive experience, but I attribute the positivity to the dojo environment. My 15 year old son is also a part of the class (belt level under mine, but that is because he was in the junior class and has to go back over all the adult material.) It's still very awkward for him to spar with me, but he'll overcome that in time. He's GOOD too! Tall, long legs and long arms with quick reach.
> 
> ...


Thanks for such a detailed reply! Good luck on your belt test! I agree that it's more important to improve upon techniques rather than to just go for belt promotions. I mostly go so much because I am addicted, I even skip my college classes for it. I really hope I do not burn out soon.

And I agree so much that I love the family environment! There are a couple of ego-maniacs in my own classes but I try to avoid them and partner up with those who are helpful. I'm 21 years old and I find that the people around your age are the most supportive, almost like parents to me. You seem really badass.

What is kajukenbo like? Excuse my ignorance but I haven't heard much of it. What kind of techniques are emphasized and what do you think sets it apart from other fighting styles?


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## Penny (Mar 24, 2016)

i used to practice Chung Moo Doe at a school near my house. (They have since changed the name of the school to Tang Soo Do) It is Master Kim's korean style of 8 martial arts united. An excellent school. It was a blend of tae kwon do, kung fu, tai chi, judo, jong bong(stick), swords and I forget what else. we didnt have color belts but it was 6 sections to black belt. I made it to 4th section before I got pregnant and moved away. Loved that school. After I have gone to two differnet Tae Kwon Doe schools and have attended Tai Chi 
classes with Scott Aronson and Peter Payne and medical qigong classes in. My favorite part of "karate " class was doing kung fu forms, yang style taichi and I really liked medical qigong. I never was into the self defense aspect of class but it has come inhandy in my life. Mind you this was a long time ago. My ex-bf was really into MMA especially Jeet Kun Do, Kali and Silat which I have informally learned some of also.


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## Mange (Jan 9, 2011)

Did karate for a year or two as a kid. I liked the sparring.


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## Xool Xecutioner (Jul 8, 2018)

I did wrestling in my last year of high school.


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## Judson Joist (Oct 25, 2013)

JVal said:


> That's really cool! I see you a lot on the forums and never knew that about you.


Yeah, I used to train dorks to fight just like Undyne.
:tongue:


> How long did it take you to get your first-degree black belt?


Three years. I was in it from 1990 to 1993 and earned by 1st-degree black belt when I was 13 (and I had a Chuck Norris mullet). I double-tested once, though, so I skipped over blue belt. I acquired the knowledge for the rank on my own time, so it just made sense to double-test. It's not really like I technically "skipped" the rank since I actually did take the time to acquire the knowledge associated with that rank.



> Do you still practice regularly?


No, but I probably should. It just got expensive.


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## incision (May 23, 2010)

If people are into martial arts, this kukri flow sparring, some scripted, some not, is really cool. You can see how there's some mixing of styles.


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## Cacaia (Feb 5, 2018)

I practice ninjitsu. Am at a hiatus at the moment.


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

I studied Okinawan Karate (Chito Ryu) and Shaolin (Southern Style) Kung-Fu, Tai-Chi, and Chi-Gong.


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## Eren Jaegerbomb (Nov 13, 2015)

I got into karate when I was 15... did it for a few weeks or months then I just... found it boring.

I probably should have kept doing it, but, you know...


I could try it again, but martial arts is an expensive sport to get in to. So, most likely not.


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