Okay ladies and gents, it seems like there are quite a few martial arts fans and practitioners here on BAIC, so let's start an open thread for discussion, comparison, networking, etc. all about martial arts! Find the right gym/dojo, perfect that one throw you've had trouble with, start learning a new style, discuss recent trends, find your soulmate.... er, scratch that last one

So c'mon everyone! Let's make this a cornerstone of the BAIC :banana:

 

I'll start! I just started Muay Thai, and I train at Fight and Fitness on Bryant between 5th and 6th in the City (www.fightandfitness.com). Why did I pick Muay Thai? Because I always thought it was very impressive: as a striking form, it's unbeatable, and also it's a window into Thailand's rich and deep culture. The opening ceremony of every fight, called the Wai Kru and Ram Muay, is already a very rich and meaningful ritual.
For more info, the official World Muay Thai Council at www.wmtc.nu Enjoy!

 

I took shaolin kung fu when I was a teenager @ Yee's Martial Arts Acadamy http://www.vkungfu.com in Pinole (now in Hercules). It's definately rich in history and shows in the amount of form that you learn. They also teach Judo (which I unfortunately didn't learn) which is a damn good combo w/ kung fu.

 

Did they teach Northern or Southern style Shaolin kung fu? Either way you cut it, it's bad ****

Oh, and BTW, Fight and Fitness has Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well. Like doodoobrown said, a grappling art combined with striking art is a GREAT combo!

 

southern style...

ahhhh....I remember being in the horse stance until my legs gave out

 

Hehe, I still to try to horse stance as much as possible to train up leg staimina. I'm shooting for 30 minutes per day, everyday :banana:

 

im trying to master the drunken bat technique. you start off with a regular sized bat, and a can of beer, but at the very end, you end up with a mini bat and a 40.
maybe you can teach me some muay thai later, and i can teach you some drunken bat. although if you gain a bellow, its not my fault.


oh and im pretty good at the kick you on the groin and run technique.

 

I trained Muay Thai for 2 years. 1 year at Saber Thai Kickboxing, which was sharing the same space as The Gladiators(UFC's Eugene Jackson and Tim Leicheck(sp)). My instructor was my co-worker at my former employer, and he was born in Thailand and got his instructors licesnce from France.

I also trained for 1 year at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, when I moved to Campbell. Nice gym, but they teach American Style kickboxing. So I got pretty un-interested over that year. Although, one instructor on one day a week was starting to mix up Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai in the classes he taught. That was pretty fun.

I have been trying to find an authentic type Muay Thai gym here in San Jose. I would also like to learn a little Jiu Jitsu and mix each other up. Too bad there is no Vale Tudo type gym here in the Bay Area.

Kurlee Daddee
(THE ORIGINAL)

 

i did latosa escrima for 3 years a long time ago

 

does jazzercise count?

 

I'd really like to get into it. I am looking for things to help me fitness wise and I'd love something that could help me improve my balance.

Self defense wise I don't really need it. I don't like fighting and I've never had a problem defending myself or others when needed.

I'd be really into learning a combo of kung fu and judo or jiu jitsu. I had a friend that learned from a gracy (sp) and he tought me some things years ago...guy could drop me with 2 freakin fingers. haaa. Shoot I'd even be really into someplace that does boxing. I am more of a close quarters guy when it comes to that stuff.

 

I used to practice American Kenpo here in Sacramento and made it to Brown Belt. I was practicing my Blackbelt form's and realized the dojo, like most other dojo's these days, had become FAR to commercialized. I knew something was wrong when i could challange any blackbelt (minus a few instructors) in a sparing match and win everytime as a purple belt.

My buddy now owns the dojo and is trying to make it a little more traditional.

I then quit and joined a much more traditional Aikido dojo where i couldn't even touch my instructor. If i get more time in the future i'd love to go back to that dojo. The Instructor, a 4th degree, used to use my Kenpo experience as an example for everyone else on how to literally destroy me. Very fluid motions and i could never touch him even if i tried my hardest.

I then left for the Army, took a few Jiu Jitsu courses from the Army (OJT) and became a basic hand to hand instrucor for one of my units. Mostly quick choke and kill techniques.

 

It still makes me laugh that olmek was trying to arrange an extra-cirricular asskicking with salty. I can tell just by the words "choke and kill" that he could kick my *** into next tuesday, and im like 6'1 and 210. The only things i can choke are chickens and the only thing i seem to be good at killing is time.

Ive been meaning to start some sort of training to try and work off this doughvest i've built since moving down to the city - but i could'nt take myself seriously doing hamstring-choked kicks in front of an entire street full of san fransisco urbanites. Are there any places where you can go train in relative private? I'm sure that if i tried any sort of training i'd look like a retard trying to breakdance on fire while trying to put himself out with a bucket of water attached to the top of an RC car driven by an epileptic homo.

 

That's pretty hot. I would like to try this some day, just never had a regular enough schedule to do something like this. I could ride a bike to that pretty easily I think. Maybe someday.

Constellation - dig the description, that would be me if you take out the R/C car, and add a greased up Twister mat with moving spots. I would probably end up kicking myself in the face at some point.

-Jacob

 

constellation, I'm with you mine. I'd like something pretty private and much more traditional that commercialized. comercialized is why I rarely visit my gym. It's a damn meat market.

I may be overweight right now but I'm still vein. I used to be extremely fit but my work schedule, live style changes and injuries have created a body I hate. I'd love a place where I could get fit in relitive privacy..no huge windows. No pretty boys talking ****. And a place I could learn traditional values like meditating and discipline along with a beautiful art form> I'm not talking karate kid private home lessons or anything like that. I just don't want a store fron yoga class while I flop around like a fat panguin on a buttered frying pan.