Whats you Favorite Martial Art and Why

OMG awesome video. He knocks the f out of that guy and then just walks off the mat. Perfect timing too. He wasn't impressed with that kapuera (sp) I guess.

I agree with the other posters about TKD being poor in a street fight. and in having limited offense. next to no defense. With all the kicks you have to commit and you become vulnerable to someone rushing in and locking you up and wailing on you with in close body work. Plus there is a counter for just about every tkd kick there is. iee. roundhouse kick... counter with spinning heel.

I don't know if that vid was real or not, but it makes an interesting point. Capoeira is a beautiful art...and most are. People take the teachings and try to use it in real scenarios...and they don't work. You have to know what you need, and what you don't. What is not needed, should be discarded immediately.

But, in all, Tae Kwon Do is not a bad art, I just won't use it if I need to survive. I would use some things it teaches, like balance, strength and power. These are the elements one should take from an art, and if they see that art as impractical, use the practical elements of it and learn an art that will utilize those elements well when it comes to quick survival.

Another Interesting Point

ALOT of Martial Arts do not teach how to handle yourself on the ground, which is important. They teach, how to avoid going there...but, in reality, sometimes you end up on the floor, you will need to to learn how to defend, as well as decimate your opponent on the floor.

These are crazy to.

Capoeira vs. Kickboxer

Kiai master vs. MMA fighter

Muay Thai vs. TKD

Royce Gracie vs. multiple martial arts masters

I respect all forms of martial arts, but I think some of them have an edge on real world situations. But, when it all comes down to it, it's about the fighter not the art! That's what really matters to!

Shaolin Kung-Fu all the way! Those monks are.... well, I cannot find the words to describe what I mean, but a video sure can:

Monk in Training



But on a serious note, I would have to put my endorsements behind Aikido and Judo. Those forms allow you to do so much with so little energy, letting your opponent do all the dirty work.

[edit on 21-8-2008 by Rashaverak]

I guess it's only natural for a thread like this to become a contest in what martial arts kick other martial arts' butt.

Is there anyone, though, that train to not be the most effecitve killing machine? I mean, other than me. Personally I train Bujinkan to strengthen my body and mind. Basically I do this so I can apply Budo to anything I do in life. As I see it, Budo isn't used primarily for fighting, althought it's very possible to do, but more as a way of life. It's a mindset. You gain posture, composure, certainty, wisdom and peace.

For instance, I love watching people, especially crowds. I love walking on a crowded street and try to calculate how people are going to move so that I get the smoothest path to where I'm going. I like being aware how my determination can almost move people out of my way from time to time. Sometimes I do 'chicken races' with strangers when we meet on a crowded street, just to see if I can get the other person to yield first without harming or offending.

I try to use my entire body and mind in what I do. A simple thing such as not opening a door with my arm, but rather use a fluent body movement. I try to move in stance and by that I don't mean I walk around in strange Katas as a Ninja. But rather think of everything I do as a stance, and how I can find a less strainful, easier, faster way to do it.

I realise I may come off a bit odd, and I suppose I am, but this is Budo to me. Comparing youtube videos of people destroying each other is just such a small part of the whole. I'm not saying is not interesting to watch, because it's always fun to see how people use their bodies in live situations. But to me Budo is more than fighting, it's a lesson for living.

Originally posted by Szticks
I guess it's only natural for a thread like this to become a contest in what martial arts kick other martial arts' butt.

Is there anyone, though, that train to not be the most effecitve killing machine? I mean, other than me. Personally I train Bujinkan to strengthen my body and mind. Basically I do this so I can apply Budo to anything I do in life. As I see it, Budo isn't used primarily for fighting, althought it's very possible to do, but more as a way of life. It's a mindset. You gain posture, composure, certainty, wisdom and peace.

For instance, I love watching people, especially crowds. I love walking on a crowded street and try to calculate how people are going to move so that I get the smoothest path to where I'm going. I like being aware how my determination can almost move people out of my way from time to time. Sometimes I do 'chicken races' with strangers when we meet on a crowded street, just to see if I can get the other person to yield first without harming or offending.

I try to use my entire body and mind in what I do. A simple thing such as not opening a door with my arm, but rather use a fluent body movement. I try to move in stance and by that I don't mean I walk around in strange Katas as a Ninja. But rather think of everything I do as a stance, and how I can find a less strainful, easier, faster way to do it.

I realise I may come off a bit odd, and I suppose I am, but this is Budo to me. Comparing youtube videos of people destroying each other is just such a small part of the whole. I'm not saying is not interesting to watch, because it's always fun to see how people use their bodies in live situations. But to me Budo is more than fighting, it's a lesson for living.

Well, I train in martial arts to fight. Not to look at crowds,have "chicken races", or opening doors different. I like to actually use the martial arts I learn in a ring, cage, or mat. So, when I compare other martial arts, i'm going to apply my opinions and experience to gain a opinion. So, i'm simply sharing videos that I like!

I do apply the discipline,devotion, and the inner strength learned from martial arts to my life. I already know i'm a warrior by profession, but it's my hobby to! It's as much as a art as poetry,painting,ballet, or music. All martial arts deserve a formidable respect. I just apply my learnings different then you.

A good mix of boxing, judo, BJJ, and savate would give you just about all you would need. Maybe a little Muay Thai to boot.

I train in a holistic method now, various but I dont hold a marriage to any one art. I use Tai Chi as a healthful benefit more than fighting. I am playing with Bagua to try and replace or enhance my hard system.

when I was younger I did an exploration into the hard arts of the world, so numerous it is now just a blur, I was so obsessed I read anything an everything

I didn't do this alone, I had one or two friends that were just as obsessed. We lived out in the country of Texas so we would see one of those great kung fu movies that came out in the 70s (my fav was martial Club) they were all in Chinese and we didn't understand the plot

so we would try and copy their training techniques, we made balance beams, stuck poles in the ground and tried to spar on them, dug a ditch then filled it with water, and tossed logs into it, then tried to walk across without falling in the water (which hurt alot cuz of those logs)

we did alot of absolutely crazy things that I would never recommend unless your just looking to get hurt. we cut down saplings, and beat the crap out of each other like samurai idiots

watched this tried that, made it part of my own mutt art. We would focus on an art for half a year, and were able to switch arts mid fight just like the movies even though we were only using stances and strikes only. and not the whole art.

we were on a quest to find this "chi" thing we kept hearing about, we thought we had it but we didn't it we managed to break a few boards, and a brick or two, but mostly bones and egos

we had other friends come into our little kung fu gang for a while...then leave. We all took a class in this art or that so we could pool our knowledge and learn even faster.

we would buy all kinds of weapons, and play with them until someone got so hurt we had to go back to sparing as best we could.

but we had an absolute blast, this is all I did from age 17-24. We are all still in touch and we talk on the phone a few times a year. It made a huge impact on our lives.

we would spar every day for at least 4-5 hours when we weren't thinking of other ways to damage our bodies. I have a million stories that come from that part of my life.

So even though I have taken some classes I cant say I have any real formal background in training, but for the movies and books and the occasional unexpected teacher coming along at the right time. Thats how I learned Hung Gar...or so my teacher told me I had learned, it was nothing spectacular because it just wasn't as fun as what I was used to

you would think that you couldn't learn that much on your own, but from my experience...all you do is parrot you teacher anyway until he says your doing it right, or until you find the "feel" for it. We just found that feel on our own.

I eventually created my own art and called it Ho Lon Do which translates to way of the white dragon and really wasn't an art but a philosophy in how to train the internal warrior or instinct and overcome fear. I thought it was special at the time, but it isn't. I was young and most posting here already has it to some degree.

I have done some stupid things...I have been in some stupid situations because of my sometimes brazen need to test myself, where I have hurt others and myself for it.

Then I grew up. Now I am 45. I still spar with the younger kinds in the neighborhood and I have taught my kid alot and he has surpassed me, he is the best of me in alot of ways. He totally kicks a$$ with the quarter staff and looks like the guys in the tournaments do.

now that I have a better understanding of the chi and the internal arts I have really been diving deep into it for the last 5 years. Using qigong to cultivate and manipulate chi etc. I know some chi stuff, I can do some "parlor tricks". But nothing serious, all of it internal chi. Its really not that hard, and everyone does it to some degree anyway.

I want to shift to the internals only so that when I am all old and frail I will still be able to kick butt with just a light blow. I have seen some pretty incredible things involving chi and some people think that this stuff isn't real, but I have seen it with my own eyes , I couldn't put the end of a boning knife into a mans leg because there was something there preventing it. It sounds impossible, but I swear to you, I was there, it was impromptu and my knife. I later learned it is based on iron shirt. I am still on the path. I am the path. I wanna be able to do this:

one thing most dont realize about UFC is that its rules rule out most extreme forms of gong fu, such as small joint locks, tiger style muscle tears or eagle style small bone breaks. If you are fortunate enough to see the true unbarred martial arts competitions of china, you will see that these masters fights are over very quickly, there is almost no ground fighting, and there are frequent deaths (that are televised plainly) broken bones, etc. The UFC, Pride, and other mainstream MMA are the children of MA, and if shao lun ever sent a representative, or any of the many true masters of internal arts you would see a rude (and quick) awakening.

Originally posted by Szticks
I guess it's only natural for a thread like this to become a contest in what martial arts kick other martial arts' butt.

Is there anyone, though, that train to not be the most effecitve killing machine? I mean, other than me. Personally I train Bujinkan to strengthen my body and mind. Basically I do this so I can apply Budo to anything I do in life. As I see it, Budo isn't used primarily for fighting, althought it's very possible to do, but more as a way of life. It's a mindset. You gain posture, composure, certainty, wisdom and peace.

For instance, I love watching people, especially crowds. I love walking on a crowded street and try to calculate how people are going to move so that I get the smoothest path to where I'm going. I like being aware how my determination can almost move people out of my way from time to time. Sometimes I do 'chicken races' with strangers when we meet on a crowded street, just to see if I can get the other person to yield first without harming or offending.

I try to use my entire body and mind in what I do. A simple thing such as not opening a door with my arm, but rather use a fluent body movement. I try to move in stance and by that I don't mean I walk around in strange Katas as a Ninja. But rather think of everything I do as a stance, and how I can find a less strainful, easier, faster way to do it.

I realise I may come off a bit odd, and I suppose I am, but this is Budo to me. Comparing youtube videos of people destroying each other is just such a small part of the whole. I'm not saying is not interesting to watch, because it's always fun to see how people use their bodies in live situations. But to me Budo is more than fighting, it's a lesson for living.

I can totally relate to everything you said

for me it is a way of life, I too walk on purpose

even when I am cooking I use kung fu

and it is the human condition to compare and compete

it cannot be helped, and I welcome it

I enjoy finding someone who can kick my but because there it is...something to learn, so I ask for more

like Buddha says, it is better to travel well than to arrive

I have not yet arrived, and when that day comes, a new adventure awaits

peace

Originally posted by pexx421
one thing most dont realize about UFC is that its rules rule out most extreme forms of gong fu, such as small joint locks, tiger style muscle tears or eagle style small bone breaks. If you are fortunate enough to see the true unbarred martial arts competitions of china, you will see that these masters fights are over very quickly, there is almost no ground fighting, and there are frequent deaths (that are televised plainly) broken bones, etc. The UFC, Pride, and other mainstream MMA are the children of MA, and if shao lun ever sent a representative, or any of the many true masters of internal arts you would see a rude (and quick) awakening.

The funny thing is I bet you any practicers of these "true" martial arts would probably not say what you just said. All martial arts have a very common ground and should be equally respected. Any practicer of martial arts could recognize that. MMA fighters dedicate their lives to fighting. Many of them practice different forms of martial arts as well. They are far from the "children" of martial arts.

after being a big fan of bruce lee...i have taken on his own style... to fight with out fight and to be formless..."if you pure water into the tea pot, it becomes the tea pot...be water..."

when you say you studie X style...any experiance fight will be able to be able to know what you may or may not do...if you are formless...they will not...

Kama Sutra

I prefer this martial art because it is the most fun to practice and even when you think you achieved the highest rank you find there is a lot more to learn.

Originally posted by derfred33
Kama Sutra

I prefer this martial art because it is the most fun to practice and even when you think you achieved the highest rank you find there is a lot more to learn.

I heard that one is expensive...like 20 bucks and hour right?

Is there a martial artform that involves the use of guns? I had first seen the idea purposed in the movie Equilibrium and I thought to myself, "WOW if ever their were a martial artform I wanted to learn, THAT would be the one.

This thread has really shown up so many of the posters to just be wannabe thugs. Seriously folks, your Kung Fu may be strong Grasshoppers, but that does not make you the apparent heir to the jungle. All forms deserve the respect of all other forms. Where's your dicipline and understanding of the arts? Your appreciation for all the unique orms that Martial Arts takes is a part of the understanding and humility that must be achieved before you will ever reach the levels you speak of.
Sure, I did Taekwondo, which has copped a decent share of the put downs in this thread. I dont mind that. Everyone is entitled to their say. I know that combined with Judo how many MMA bouts I won, but I also respect that at any given one of them another style could have just as easily defeated me too.
I have a healthy resect for all forms of Martial Arts. They key to any is to start young, practise like there's no tomorrow and always strive to learn more.

Actually, there is no "best" martial art. It all depends on the fighter. To best defend yourself in any situation you must make yourself adaptable. Study a couple of striking styles and at least one grappling style. Preferably Brazilian Jiu Jutsu. That is why Rampage Jackson is such a badass

Modern Arnis: Filipino Art of Stick Fighting.

I have a walking stick that comes apart and makes a set of sticks 2 1/2 foot long.
or tougher it can be used as a staff.
I have carried it just about every were but on a plane after 9/11
I carried it on a commuter train and had a guy that commented that it was a good looking walking stick, It is black iron wood with polished brass end caps, slip joint and brass rings around the wood ever 6 inches down the stick. Later in talking i found out he was a police detective.

The thing is that the cops don't recognize it as a weapon.
I have carried it in LA Calif for years.

It with the mix of Judo, Jujutsu Aikido,Kendō,and Kyūdō training thrown in is all i ever needed..

For the average person who wants to know how to defend themselves in a violent or lethal confrontation then my answer is Krav Maga.

I hear a lot of people talk about Aikido and other more ancient arts and the problem with these arts is that they are arts. They don't teach you how to deal with fear, anxiety, stress and others physiological factors that take place when you are in a violent situation. When you fear for your life all the lovely complex motor patterns that you learned go right out the window and the only thing you have is you raw primal movement patterns. So you may be able to perform a 10 move grapple technique but when you meet a street thug who likes to hit people, your technique turns into your pummeled face.

So I will break it way down:

offense: Boxing, mauy tai
Defense: Krav Maga, cqc ( close quarter combat)
Ground: You don't want to go to the ground! but if you must Brazilian ju-jistu
All around: Krav Maga because it has all of these components

reply to post by BASSPLYR


Druken style.

Because even if you lose you dont fell $%&£