What Martial Arts do you/did you take?

[Zeonic Freak]

I had some dream last night that had me involved in some Tae Kwon Do group or something, even got a uniform too. Which when i woke up i was like "man, its been a long time since ive taken martial arts".

Last time i took it was when i was in 5th grade, made it to 2nd Degree Red Belt, or was short getting it the first time (because of school, which was the reason i had to leave). But i know if i was to go back, i rather just start from square one and relearn everything (because ive forgotten most of it, and its good practice).

In some ways i miss it, so in case i have to defend myself or prove a point with my fist, i do it the right way. That and i get some good exercise, cant go wrong with that.

So im asking you TZ'rs, if you did take martial arts, what did you learn/master?

Also, if you play Capcom vs SNK alot or played Street Fighter till your fingers comes off and you say you learned from a video game but never put it to practice, i wouldnt be saying much here, just a fair warning for due respect for people who do martial arts out there...

[KuwabaraTheMan]

I took Karate when I was younger, and I did eventually get my blackbelt. I haven't done anything with it in about 8 years now, though, so I've forgotten much of what I learned, although I can still recall most of the basics, and a few more advanced things.

[Kurokawa41]

Took karate for a very short time when I was much much younger.

[Rolling Cloud]

Took karate for a while when I was younger. Stopped going for various reasons, though.

[Tay the Cat]

Shotokan karate for a very short time a few years ago.

Beginning next week, Shaolin kung fu. I might try out Tai Chi one of these days.

What I really want to do is Tae Kwon Do and Kendo, except that I would have to go out of my way just to do either of those.

[Classic Speedy]

I got a black belt in Tae Kwon Do right when I hit high school. That was as far as I got, though; school busyness combined with getting tired of going to TKD class every week both measured into quitting.

That said, I do enjoy going to my home town's TKD demonstration every year. It's always fun to see what the class comes up with.

[Zeonic Freak]

I accually went back to my old Dojo in Pineville which is south of Charolette NC like i think 4 or 5 years ago, but i dont know if my old master is still there or not.

And apperently, i hear my area has a lot of places to learn and diffrent dojo's. I hear theres and archery place and i think Kendo too, and of course the handful of Karate and Tae Kwon Do dojo's as well.

I would like to get back into it, but i gotta see if there in my budget first...

[redDragon]

Been doing kendo for about three years now. Hope to learn Iaido at some point.

[Hanshotfirst113]

I studied a style which blended Wing Chun and Tai Kwon Do for a few years. Hopefully, I'll be able to take some again someday.

[DarthGonzo]

Took karate for a very short time when I was much much younger.

Seconded.

[Captain Highwind]

Yeah, I tried karate for a couple of weeks around '96-97 (what is it with me and dates?).

I would like to get back into it, preferably Tae Kwon Do (that's what seems to be available here locally, too). At least I would be able to get in some decent stretching exercises.

[Lazerboy5000]

No fighting, that's what my mom said. ;)

[Zach Logan]

I'm enrolled in Taekwondo at my university at the moment. I'm a green belt, but trying to get to black by the time I graduate.

[Lazerboy5000]

so, what order do the belts go? I know Black is the highest, but what about the other belts?

[Zach Logan]

so, what order do the belts go? I know Black is the highest, but what about the other belts?
In my TKD school:

White (10th)
Yellow (8th)
Green (6th)
Blue (4th)
Red (8th)
Black (10th/1st)

[Tay the Cat]

so, what order do the belts go? I know Black is the highest, but what about the other belts?

It all depends on which art you're doing. Some styles (most Chinese martial arts, certain karate styles, Capoeira and some others) don't have belts at all.

[KuwabaraTheMan]

In my TKD school:

White (10th)
Yellow (8th)
Green (6th)
Blue (4th)
Red (8th)
Black (10th/1st)

My memory is a little fuzzy, but at my Karate place I believe it went:

White
Yellow
Orange
Green
Blue
Red
Brown
Black

[guinaevere]

I took some basic karate class at the local rec-center about 20+ years ago. Enjoyed it a great deal, but I was so afraid of disappointing the (rather intimidating teacher), I never tested for belts.

Taking a class these days would be fun, though. Anything recommended for ancient, out-of-shape women?

[Zeonic Freak]

My memory is a little fuzzy, but at my Karate place I believe it went:

White
Yellow
Orange
Green
Blue
Red
Brown
Black

And apperently, Karate belts take longer to get than Tae Kwon Do belts. I know i got to Red in like almost 2 years, while for Karate, its like what 2 years for Green if not longer?

I also have another fond memory of my Tae Kwon Do days, i remember training Carolina Panthers Linebackers when i was like Blue and they were getting there Yellow belts, and ive got one of thier autographs somewhere where ever my broken boards are in a box somewhere...



I took some basic karate class at the local rec-center about 20+ years ago. Enjoyed it a great deal, but I was so afraid of disappointing the (rather intimidating teacher), I never tested for belts.

Taking a class these days would be fun, though. Anything recommended for ancient, out-of-shape women?

Cant go wrong with Tae Kwon Do, but just do whatever your interested in, and can afford. Your like what, 12 years older than me, so ill be catching up to your age bracket not too long from now (funny how time flies)...

[Tay the Cat]

I took some basic karate class at the local rec-center about 20+ years ago. Enjoyed it a great deal, but I was so afraid of disappointing the (rather intimidating teacher), I never tested for belts.

Taking a class these days would be fun, though. Anything recommended for ancient, out-of-shape women?

Anything you want to do and can afford.

[Kagetsu]

I've a 1st Dan Black in Tae Kwon Do. Avoid Dojangs that make you test for more than Yellow, Green, Purple, Brown and Black. Some want testing for extra belts and stripes for each belt. Money machine.

TKD seems to be most popular because it works, you learn quickly, and there isn't alot of contact, except a few shots not pulled properly in an over excited spar.. It's good for women because we use feet so well and their center of gravity is lower. :sweat: In sparring and three steps practice, I have no trouble brushing aside girl fists, but their kicks are wicked.

Oh, and watch teaching little boys. All they want to do is step around your demo strike and nail your leg as hard as they can. Then look up at you with "how was that?" expression. All you can really think of is "why you little,,,," Once you're a brown, you'll start teaching the lower belts.

Karate takes a bit longer because there are odd fist and toe strikes the require body hardening to do right. It hurts building up, but they are very deadly strikes.

Kempo dojos seem to be a bit of the flash of KungFu, with a good bit of TKD

Aikido is hard to find but is a softer redirection style like Taichi combat, (not Taichi excersize)

Jujitsu/Judo are good close styles, but you'll have to like grappling sweaty people. And you'll likely want to stay away from tournaments. You spend most of your class time learning to take a fall without getting hurt, but in tourney, a fall is a point. So you brace against a fall, then you get hurt. Go figure.

Krav maga seems to be a lot of jujitsu with TKD kicks (minus spin strikes) Their object is "take hold and batter from all direction." It helps if your big, so they can't simply lift and drop you.

Weapons are even harder to find beyond a few seminars. I like escima,(there's also another two stick style that escapes me now) Bo-jutsu and cane fighting (many styles use canes a bit because they are easier to carry than short or long sticks.)

Knives I tend to prefer to practice defense. Offense really comes from a knowledge of major blood vessels. It's nearly impossible to use a knife and not be covered in blood. But if you need to defeat a large group, a blade is the way to go.

I've only had TKD, the others I've just dabbled in. :sweat:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/kagetsu/Banners/Humanweapon.png
Friday's at 10pm, History Channel. They do a good job, though I didn't think they did Okinawin Karate enough justice. But their shows for Escrima and Tai kick boxing was great.

[Charlie]

When I was 8 I took a couple months of some form of karate, but quit after my parents sat in on a class and realizing how horrible of a teacher he was (constant swearing, excessive yelling, and generally being a jerk).

[Kurokawa41]

Friday's at 10pm, History Channel. They do a good job, though I didn't think they did Okinawin Karate enough justice. But their shows for Escrima and Tai kick boxing was great.

Hey, I saw that show the other day, they were doing an episode about some kind of French sailor fighting style.

[FireWarrior]

When I lived in Florida I enrolled in Shaolin Kung Fu around 5 years old. Did that for 4 years until I moved to Texas. Determined to continue my education, my parents sought out another school and managed to find one that had a great reputation in TX. Then I practiced Kung Fu again for another 9 years or so til I went to college. I still go when I get the chance when I head back home. I was a green belt in the first school and then a 2nd degree black belt at the second school. However the college that I go to offers very limited martial arts classes so they're either filled up, not available, or cancelled so I've forgotten a lot of what I learned.

Hopefully I'll find another martial art that I can get back into. Martial arts always did keep me in very good shape lol.:)

[Kagetsu]

Hopefully I'll find another martial art that I can get back into. Martial arts always did keep me in very good shape lol.:)
There's no reason you can't cross styles. A demo guy of TaeKwonDo had first trained in Kung Fu. Someone mentioned that in spars, you could tell when he switch from TKD to KungFu when his fingers pointed up.

I've found the hard part is finding a Sensei that matches your temperament. Some are so aggressive that they don't teach well because they always try to "one up". I found a srt of laid back ex-hippy pacifist, who was deep into the culture. "With enlightenment, comes the the knowledge of the use of deadly force" Right up my alley :D

[Zeonic Freak]

I've a 1st Dan Black in Tae Kwon Do. Avoid Dojangs that make you test for more than Yellow, Green, Purple, Brown and Black. Some want testing for extra belts and stripes for each belt. Money machine.

TKD seems to be most popular because it works, you learn quickly, and there isn't alot of contact, except a few shots not pulled properly in an over excited spar.. It's good for women because we use feet so well and their center of gravity is lower. :sweat: In sparring and three steps practice, I have no trouble brushing aside girl fists, but their kicks are wicked.

Oh, and watch teaching little boys. All they want to do is step around your demo strike and nail your leg as hard as they can. Then look up at you with "how was that?" expression. All you can really think of is "why you little,,,," Once you're a brown, you'll start teaching the lower belts.

Karate takes a bit longer because there are odd fist and toe strikes the require body hardening to do right. It hurts building up, but they are very deadly strikes.

Kempo dojos seem to be a bit of the flash of KungFu, with a good bit of TKD

Aikido is hard to find but is a softer redirection style like Taichi combat, (not Taichi excersize)

Jujitsu/Judo are good close styles, but you'll have to like grappling sweaty people. And you'll likely want to stay away from tournaments. You spend most of your class time learning to take a fall without getting hurt, but in tourney, a fall is a point. So you brace against a fall, then you get hurt. Go figure.

Krav maga seems to be a lot of jujitsu with TKD kicks (minus spin strikes) Their object is "take hold and batter from all direction." It helps if your big, so they can't simply lift and drop you.

Weapons are even harder to find beyond a few seminars. I like escima,(there's also another two stick style that escapes me now) Bo-jutsu and cane fighting (many styles use canes a bit because they are easier to carry than short or long sticks.)

Knives I tend to prefer to practice defense. Offense really comes from a knowledge of major blood vessels. It's nearly impossible to use a knife and not be covered in blood. But if you need to defeat a large group, a blade is the way to go.

I've only had TKD, the others I've just dabbled in. :sweat:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/kagetsu/Banners/Humanweapon.png
Friday's at 10pm, History Channel. They do a good job, though I didn't think they did Okinawin Karate enough justice. But their shows for Escrima and Tai kick boxing was great.

That reminds me, my Dojo had a group that i was part of called "The Demo Team", which at first i thought was for like the kids who did well or an "elite" group which made me fell cool, then it seemed the whole dojo was doing it, so it seemed the cool factor went down.

I remember our teacher had us do a spinning kick and i think i was the first, and i was laughing how i couldnt do it and didnt even try. Then i went back in line and saw that everyone else was doing it which made me think "hey, i should have done it". By the time i went to the front of the line again i asked if i could try, but the guy said something about how i failed to try the first time and lost my chance. Looking back now, it seemed a harsh respond, but i learned that i shouldnt laugh at a challenge and not try, but should have token the chance...

[Aizen]

I took Tae Kwan Do in 3rd grade for only 2 months.