Ask a Martial Arts Instructor

[TheDanish]

In other words : what is the most important is you, your dedication, your mindset and your abilities. After that, just take the martial art that you feel the more in adequation with your mentality and physical abilities, and then don't be in a hurry. Like all arts, it's something you will never "master", and it will take a LOT of time to actually bear fruit.

Well, dedication and fitness is most important to me, but I already have that doing TKD. I've practiced forms elusively for five years, then I went and did three years of hard Olympic-style training. Right now I want to round out my skills by being able to physically defend myself. I have learned a lot about the mental game of self defense (knowing when to leave, knowing how to avoid escalating violence, etc.) but there's more to it than that.

 

[Akka]

True, but then isn't your statement basically tautological and unhelpful in deciding what martial arts to learn if real combat is important to you?

Not really, it simply says "there is no clear-cut answer to that", considering it's more about personnal preferences and physical tendencies than about finding the "one true king of martial arts".

Well, dedication and fitness is most important to me, but I already have that doing TKD. I've practiced forms elusively for five years, then I went and did three years of hard Olympic-style training. Right now I want to round out my skills by being able to physically defend myself. I have learned a lot about the mental game of self defense (knowing when to leave, knowing how to avoid escalating violence, etc.) but there's more to it than that.

From what you say, it seems you've been more into "fighting sports" than into "martial arts" (the line being very blurry when it comes to martial arts that have changed, or at least have been often adapted, into sports, like it's the case in TKD).
If you'd like to learn more about self-defence and rounding up your skills, I'd advise you to go for either the modern military martial arts (Krav Maga for example), or on the contrary looking for "old-school" traditionnal martial arts, like kung-fu or (my favourite) jujutsu.
The important part in the latter being to find a truly "traditionnal" teacher, who teaches you what the martial art was initially about (survive and fight in whatever situation you are) and not some kind of revised "sport and competition" version (which removes lots of the "forbidden" or "dangerous" content, and focus more on dueling and sparring in ideal conditions).

 

[nc-1701]

I'm a 2nd kyu in Aikido with close to 6 years of training, additionally I have trained with my universities martial arts club for 2 years and am currently preparing for a semi-knockdown karate tournament (under the yoshukai organization) in late September.
Here are a few questions...

What level are you at competition wise? Have you done any competitions? What level of physical conditioning do you keep yourself in? Do you try to keep yourself in shape where you could prep and enter a serious competition (whatever style I'm just asking about the conditioning part) and be competitive?
When you spar/compete do you do point systems or full contact? If you do point do you do continuous or break? What are your thoughts on these?
What do you think of the rep TaekwonDo has in the martial arts world? Do you think it's accurate, what would you like to say about the misunderstandings about it?

 

[Mad Man]

is your rent to damn high?

 

[_random_]

Class starts again tomorrow and I can't find my belt. Any idea where it could be?

 

[Pacioli]

How old was your oldest student?

 

[ParkCungHee]

Do you yell/grunt/make noises when kickin' dudes?

Yes, in TaeKwonDo we call it Ki-Yup (which is also the usual sound). In Kickboxing you still grunt or at least breath hard enough to hear it. The reason is two-fold: When you're striking you're at your most vulnerable, so exhaling causes your stomach muscles to tighten.
The second is that you remember to breath. This might seem obvious, but I actually had trouble boxing for a while because I wouldn't breath when I'd punch. I'd tense up, and hold my stomach tight to expect blows and...eventually would give up exhausted usually.
Sometimes you let out a good loud yell because it can mess with opponents. Against an inexperienced one it can be frightening, against any opponent it can be surprising, and if you let out a good yell before hitting someone, well, it says "I know this is going to hit you." It's very nice to let out a good yell and then they have to take a standing 8 count.

What level are you at competition wise?

In TKD, once you hit Black Belt it is open competition, so in that sense at the highest level.
As for how well I do, well, out of a group of 5 or 6 I usually finish second or so.

Do you try to keep yourself in shape where you could prep and enter a serious competition (whatever style I'm just asking about the conditioning part) and be competitive?

Generally I only put an emphasis on fitness just before a competition. Learning techniques can last you a lifetime, but conditioning can be built up rather quickly.

When you spar/compete do you do point systems or full contact?

Both! TKD and kickboxing both use point systems and allow for limitless force. Both allow knockouts and injury to result in a win, assuming such a blow follows the rules. However there's a time limit, and when time runs out whoever has the most points will win.

If you do point do you do continuous or break?

We fight for 2-3 rounds (depends on the competion's rules) usually for 3 minute rounds. If one fighter scores a point, the fighters are broken up and placed back together. A point is scored by a decisive impact.

What are your thoughts on these?

I think these breaks usually help the fights from becoming a mess. They encourage aggressive action by giving the fighters a chance to recuperate, and they make the fight more psychological by giving each fighter a chance to analyze what they each did in the previous round.

What do you think of the rep TaekwonDo has in the martial arts world? Do you think it's accurate, what would you like to say about the misunderstandings about it?

I think it has an unfair reputation in the Martial Arts world. It suffers from problems similar to Judo: there's already an effective outlet for talented fighters, but it's completely isolating. The best TKD fighters train for TKD tournaments, and many schools only train you for that. There's only a few that trickle into Kickboxing and MMA.
That said, I think TKD has a lot to offer MMA. I've seen this with the sudden rise of back-kicks in the UFC. Most MMA fighters rely fully on leg checks to stop kicks and very little in the way of footwork. When I trained MMA everyone was taught to kick the Muay Thai way. Their kicks were very slow and they left themselves open to easy counters after them. At the same time, they had trouble attacking and adapting to quicker kicks, especially against a moving target.

is your rent to damn high?

Hell yes my rent is too damn high. 12,000 dollars a year, just for a place to live, before food, taxes, transportation. Tell me how is someone supposed to do that when the minimum wage isn't even $15,000 a year? If I lived two miles over I'd be voting for Jimmy McMillan and I wish someone would stand for the RIS2DH Party here.

Class starts again tomorrow and I can't find my belt. Any idea where it could be?

I don't know, but you better find it. Most schools aren't lax about that.

How old was your oldest student?

I don't know exactly, but I've taught people in their 60s.

 

[Hygro]

Not really, it simply says "there is no clear-cut answer to that", considering it's more about personnal preferences and physical tendencies than about finding the "one true king of martial arts".

Good reply and that's how I originally read your statement.

 

[The_J]

Some days ago some of my friends talked about martial arts, and now i want to hear the opinion from a pro about some aspects .

- How much influence does body height and weight have? If you meet an untrained bully, let's say a head taller and 50 kilograms heavier than you (assuming that's possible, don't know you ), would you be able to beat him? What about if he was also trained (okay, i guess that answer is clear, but still...).
- Same for weapons. If someone has a knife or some brass knuckles, what are your chances? How high are the chances to successful disarm him (well, not in the second case)?
- And about groups? Do you think you'd go well out of an encounter with more than one person?

 

[_random_]

I don't know, but you better find it. Most schools aren't lax about that.

Well, it's been found, thankfully. What's the harshest penalty you've ever given for being out of uniform? Also, what's the lamest excuse you've ever heard from a student wanting to get out of class? And just for you, what's your favorite depiction of martial arts in a comic book?

 

[ParkCungHee]

Well, it's been found, thankfully. What's the harshest penalty you've ever given for being out of uniform?

Having to sit out of class!

Also, what's the lamest excuse you've ever heard from a student wanting to get out of class?

I've never gotten one! Usually if someone isn't at class, they aren't at class, and no questions are asked.

And just for you, what's your favorite depiction of martial arts in a comic book?

Frank Miller's Run on Daredevil. Fun interesting fights, that while superhuman actually seem I don't know, if not realistic, feels like a real fight. So many great moments. Bullseye trying to mash DD's face with a brick and his attack on Black Widow, their "choking contest", his fight with Kingpin in the Subway.
I liked a recent run on Iron Fist but it was more Asian fantasy then Kung Fu. It was a little weird when they started chucking lightning at each other.

- How much influence does body height and weight have? If you meet an untrained bully, let's say a head taller and 50 kilograms heavier than you (assuming that's possible, don't know you ),

Lets see that's about...6'5 225 pounds? I don't know really. I've fought with someone that much bigger then me but not that much taller. He shoved me over and I got him in the guard, and just walked away at his eye until he gave up but that was a few years ago.

What about if he was also trained (okay, i guess that answer is clear, but still...).

A little training can go a long way. The best advantage a martial artist has over someone untrained is that they can do things someone without training won't know how to counter. Few people know how to pass guard, see a joint lock coming, or step and punch.

- Same for weapons. If someone has a knife or some brass knuckles, what are your chances? How high are the chances to successful disarm him (well, not in the second case)?

Also rough, I really don't have any training against a knife. Brass knuckles would be easier, I just have to make sure I don't get punched

- And about groups? Do you think you'd go well out of an encounter with more than one person?

If they're committed? No. One person is likely to begin grappling and then it's almost impossible to defend yourself against multiple attackers.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Yes. Breaking wood is quite easy. Most students will do it for the first time within 3 months.
The hardest object I've ever broken however was a cement block, which I broke as part of my black belt test, and a few times since then.

From what I understand, it's all about the will to follow through. It's like swinging a baseball bat. Would you say this is so?

 

[ParkCungHee]

From what I understand, it's all about the will to follow through. It's like swinging a baseball bat. Would you say this is so?

For basic strikes yes. Punching, hammer fist etc.
When you kick, the issue is more one of balance. If you can't balance, as soon as you strike the board you'll push yourself back, instead of the board in.
With more precise techniques, such as the Spear Hand it requires muscle control and support to maintain the strike.
This is why except at the extremely high level There isn't much focus placed on number of boards broken.

 

[Leifmk]

Also rough, I really don't have any training against a knife.

Did the old magic marker drill a few times back in the day. You know, one guy wields a magic marker as a knife, and you try to fight him barehanded, and wherever you're marked you're cut. It's a sobering exercise, that.

 

[nc-1701]

Did the old magic marker drill a few times back in the day. You know, one guy wields a magic marker as a knife, and you try to fight him barehanded, and wherever you're marked you're cut. It's a sobering exercise, that.

We broke so many magic markers we started using playground chalk instead... It's a little easier on our clothes too, lol.

 

[_random_]

Having to sit out of class!

Do you always do this, or only for repeat offenders?

I've never gotten one! Usually if someone isn't at class, they aren't at class, and no questions are asked.

Huh. My program is through my school, so I suppose it's quite a bit different.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Did the old magic marker drill a few times back in the day. You know, one guy wields a magic marker as a knife, and you try to fight him barehanded, and wherever you're marked you're cut. It's a sobering exercise, that.

Oooh, I'll have to try that.

Do you always do this, or only for repeat offenders?

I've never had a repeat offender. The usual punishment I give is that if you don't bring your belt, you're a white belt that day. Just go over the basic materials;.

Huh. My program is through my school, so I suppose it's quite a bit different.

Ah, that would explain it. For most private schools, the only one getting hurt by you sitting out class is yourself, since you paid for it.

 

[salty mud]

For someone who is pretty poor when it comes to physical prowess (not fat or unfit, just not an active person) which would be the best martial art to learn?

 

[Akka]

For someone who is pretty poor when it comes to physical prowess (not fat or unfit, just not an active person) which would be the best martial art to learn?

Jujutsu definitely comes to mind. It's one of its building principle (considering that you use technic because the guy in front of you is stronger, faster and bigger, and as such you'll lose if you go with raw power), and it's often described as a "martial art for women" (not because it requires or even is more efficient if you're a woman, of course, but simply because women are weaker and smaller).

As a side note to compensate for this : as for most things in existence, martial arts are either over-evaluated or under-evaluated, but rarely evaluated spot-on.
If you hear someone saying they are useless, he's just dead-wrong (more often than not, he's some idiot who thinks that they are fancy useless moves and "you just have to throw a big punch", confusing TV acrobatics with actual martial arts).

But just as often, you'll hear (or imagine) that with just technics, some tiny guy can beat effortlessly huge mountains of muscles. That's just as much of stretch.
Technics is extremely efficient, but it doesn't do everything. Think of it as a multiplier of your strength rather than a replacement - that is, it really becomes powerful when you also have some good fitness. Don't neglect your physical training.

 

[FriendlyFire]

For someone who is pretty poor when it comes to physical prowess (not fat or unfit, just not an active person) which would be the best martial art to learn?

Wing Chun
Its uses speed and deflection. Its pretty much a soft martial arts which all damage comes not from inflicting blows but getting in close, locking down and few strikes. Its actually designed for weak/low strength fighters to stand up against hard hitters/bigger persons.

You can kinda skip the fitness and stamina training somewhat but still need some fitness theres no getting away from that.

On the plus side we did weapons trainning very early and a lot of techniques. We also had good teachers and were taught many things from different arts as well.