Sweet. I’m going to take the boxing 101 class in the spring. Thanks for the help.
[quote]chitown34 wrote:
Avoid TKD like the plague. [/quote]
LOL. Thank you.
A. I don’t think you should give up on tkd without even trying it, you can learn a lot more than fighting: discipline, patience, focus, coordination…
B. Why are you getting in fights that you would lose in the first place? I feel that as someone over 18, I should be able to talk myself out of pretty much anything.
C. Bar fights are going to consist of either some wild right-hand punch to your face or someone trying to tackle you. Martial arts have rules, barfights do not.
[quote]RynoSmash wrote:
A. I don’t think you should give up on tkd without even trying it, you can learn a lot more than fighting: discipline, patience, focus, coordination…
B. Why are you getting in fights that you would lose in the first place? I feel that as someone over 18, I should be able to talk myself out of pretty much anything.
C. Bar fights are going to consist of either some wild right-hand punch to your face or someone trying to tackle you. Martial arts have rules, barfights do not. [/quote]
THIS.
Read THIS.
No no no, you don’t need TKD or Boxing or that super pansy BJJ crap, this is all you need
Take a hard look at what the training REALLY is all about in the class. Most typical TKD classes are pure “sport” classes, and don’t do much to prepare you for the realities of the street. There are some TKD versions that are more about personal combat, and often are called Go Shin Do (“self-defense way”)that have stirred in some Hapkido and other arts such as some grappling/groundfighting.
Other solid systems include some of the styles mentioned by the other people who have responded. For example, MMA is great stuff…but to be well-rounded, you also need exposure to an art that teaches you to defend yourself against armed assailants as well. (Not everyone in the world will just attack you with a punch or kick.) Some arts like Kenpo, Jujitsu(the personal combat styles)or Krav Maga focus on hand-to hand combat, and not sport. These are not the only ones, just some examples.
I’m not knocking sports-based arts by any means…they have and develop many admirable qualities…but if you are TRULY looking for a self-defense art…make sure that is what you actually train in. Ask yourself is the focus of the school that you are looking at the development of a well-rounded warrior, or just the attainment of trophies for their dojo wall?
I have trained in combat-oriented (and yes, some sport-based) arts for 25 years as of this past month, and have seen a lot of good stuff, but also a lot of fluff out there.
Another man said it better that I can…“The field of martial arts is particulary rife with flamboyant showmanship, with commercial popularization and profiteering on the part of both those who teach the science and those who study it. The result of this must be, as someone said, that ‘amateuristic martial arts (those geared towards “show”…my words) are a source of serious wounds.’…” The irony of this statement is that it was not said by some modern-day warrior, but rather Miyamoto Musashi, in 1643 AD. It seems he observed the same problem in his time as well.
Anyway…good luck and train hard.
[quote]elano wrote:
Sweet. I’m going to take the boxing 101 class in the spring. Thanks for the help.[/quote]
Personally I prefer boxing to TKD/Karate, but you just gotta find what fits you best. Some folks just gel with one form over another. Try both if you can. And don’t forget to practice at home. Too many folks think they can learn it all in 3 hours a week.
[quote]Xen Nova wrote:
RynoSmash wrote:
A. I don’t think you should give up on tkd without even trying it, you can learn a lot more than fighting: discipline, patience, focus, coordination…
B. Why are you getting in fights that you would lose in the first place? I feel that as someone over 18, I should be able to talk myself out of pretty much anything.
C. Bar fights are going to consist of either some wild right-hand punch to your face or someone trying to tackle you. Martial arts have rules, barfights do not.
THIS.
Read THIS.[/quote]
That’s the best first post I’ve ever read
Let me throw in my two cents about TKD…
I have been practicing tkd since I was 5 and although my time is a bit longer than most in martial arts, I really think tkd could be beneficial in all aspects of fighting.
You really need to check out the instructor and see how knowledgable about the art he really is. I have been in fights with MMA people, Karate,Ju Jitsu and all kinds of arts tkd has dont nothing but helped me because WTF tkd emphasizes one thing that is very important in a fight…DISTANCE LOL…
Why would anyone ever let someone get close enough for them to choke them out?That is beyond me in my opinion. And if its free why not?
LOL i know this a bit of rant,but TKD gets two bad of a rap because of the sport aspect of it… If you have a good instructor and he teaches you how to use the art for good, then you can be effective(for example, an leg check in tkd competition could be used to kick in someones knee)…
Thats just my two cents. But look at ALL the arts. They are all beneficial in someway.