Martial Arts

[Jacksons Shred]

Any guys here into Martial Arts? Not that UFC ground and pound tapout bullshit.. Legit martial arts like Tang Soo Do, Hung Gar, etc.. I've always been interested, my cousin has a few black belts in different styles (been fighting for 20+ years) and I've been searching around for studios that I like. Anyone else into it?

[Hellbat]

Sports or lifestyles that involve punching things aren't always good bedfellows to guitar playing...

[Alvin_Wilson]

My daughters, ages 9 and 8 both have their red belts in American Karate. They are at the Dojo 5 days per week, on 2 of those days they are sparring and taking weapons class. They really do kick ass.

[DRM]

I study Aikido and Krav Maga.

[etepbbb]

I'm a ninja.

[Grandturk]

I want to get into some MMA myself - mostly for the workout as a substitute for just hitting the weights.

[Pointy]

So what makes a martial art legit for you and why do you think that MMA is bullshit? Or to put it another way, what do you want from a martial art?

[Shawn Lutz]

the UFC is MMA so it is Martial Arts...that is about as real as it gets imho. The mixed imho is the best option, if you well trained in everythign no on is going to hand you a beatdown

[Spivonious]

I've thought about it, but everyone I know who's done martial arts is an arrogant prick, and I don't want to become one.

[Pointy]

Quite a few arrogant pricks try out martial arts, but MA certainly don't turn you into one! In fact the experience is quite humbling, especially at first. And if people claim that they can kick your ass, it is probably a statement of fact, they are not necessarily being arrogant

Unless your local school is more about posturing than training, you know, Cobra Kai stuff

[Flatpicker]

Sweep the leg.

I did a few years of Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo, but it's been years ago.
Like it better than the ground and pound stuff, but it's purely preference. Had a friend who used to box, wicked tough guard if you were sparring against him.

It's great fun if you want a workout w/o weights. Just lifting used to bore me.

I'd do it again if I could spare the time.

[Jason1212]

You can learn Scotland's martial art Fuk Yu. It's a lot of head butting and then kicking people when they are on the ground.

[CMH (OH)]

I'm a ninja.

This might be a statement of fact, but it still made me laugh out loud when I read it!

[LouSiffer]

Martial arts is a great way to get focus. If you are just a fan wanting to get involved for personal reasons, pick a style that impresses you and go for it. I am on the fence about traditional martial arts..... There are some good techniques that can give you basic fundamentals, however, alot of the traditional moves are more "art" than fight and will leave you short when you walk into someone that is just plain fucking mean.

If you are wanting to learn as a way to be a true fighter, my personal recommendation would be to learn MMA style fighting. A mix of several styles/techniques that use the most direct forms of attack. This is what Bruce Lee was trying to do when he developed Jeet Kun Do. Take out all the old world, traditional flashy stuff and make every move count. No energy is wasted. -Lou

[Jacksons Shred]

There's some great responses here. Perhaps I should clarify why I think MMA is bullshit. It's not necessarily the fighters you see on TV, but the want-to-be's that think because they joined a MMA studio that teaches some washed down Brazilian Ju-Jitsu that they're Martial Artists. Martial Arts is an Art, and a beautiful one at that. Those MMA guys learn to fight quick, and get decent, but they lack the discipline and knowledge to continue themselves as fighters. The art is more then fighting.

Flatpicker, that's awesome! I just checked out a Tang Soo Do studio and I signed up today after checking out numerous places. This guy is a world champion fighter, and is just awesome. I'm obsessed with bodybuilding and I've always wanted to get into martial arts (Damn Mortal Kombat...).

I can't help but feel this generation of mixed martial arts isn't necessarily what Bruce Lee had in mind, but to each his own I guess.