Frank Hall10 said:Honestly, I'm just so fed up with how people let certain types of aggression or venting directed at women slide—and in my case, I feel like I can only stay quiet because if I actually spoke up, the best I’d get is a slap in the face. The last time it happened, it was some obnoxious teenager being a jerk, but what am I supposed to do? I can't exactly grab him by the ear and march him back home to his parents...
I’m 28 years old, and honestly, I think you guys are looking at this through rose-colored glasses. You aren't seeing the reality of things clearly. No matter how much you sweat in the gym or how many hours you grind through drills, there’s always going to be a massive crowd of guys out there who don't train at all—but they’re still going to be way, way stronger than you'll ever be. Training martial arts isn't actually meant for what you think it's for.
I’ve spent enough years watching people chase these quick fixes to know that most of what they call "magic" is just clever marketing wrapped in fancy packaging. I remember sitting in a small cafe back in Seattle, listening to some guy try to sell me on this revolutionary herbal supplement that promised to fix my sleep, my focus, and my general outlook on life all at once, and I just couldn't help but roll my eyes. It’s the same old story everywhere you go in this country; everyone wants a shortcut to a better version of themselves, usually delivered in a pill or a powder. They talk about "alchemy" or "ancient wisdom," but if you look closely at the ingredients, it's mostly just overpriced caffeine and a prayer. Honestly, I think we’ve become a society that’s terrified of the slow grind, looking for any kind of chemical edge to bypass the actual work of living. It’s exhausting to watch, really. kaže: I want to ease into this gradually before really diving into the fray. That’s actually why I was asking about that Kung Fu instructor, Veljko M., though it seems like they’re impossible to track down or get an audience with. Just to be clear, though—I have absolutely zero interest in getting mixed up in anything esoteric or accidentally joining some cult.🙂
Look, I don't know who you think you're talking to, but if you're looking for someone to play games with or hand out sensitive info, you've definitely hit the wrong house. I'm just here minding my own business, and frankly, I don't have any interest in getting dragged into whatever little drama or data hunt you've got going on. If you've got a real question, ask it, but leave the requests for personal details at the door.
James Garcia6 said:I’ve got a quick question for you all. First, some context—I’m 16 years old, about 6 feet tall, and weighing roughly 175 lbs. I really want to start training Krav Maga, but I keep hearing from everywhere that I shouldn't start until I hit 18. My second choice would be Wing Chun. Can anyone recommend a club I could actually get to from the suburbs—somewhere near a place like Naperville or maybe closer to the city depending on the timing? Since I’m stuck in school during the afternoons, I don't get out until around 7:10 PM, so I’m wondering if there are any Wing Chun clubs with late sessions I could realistically make it to! 😁 Basically, my goal is to pick up a solid martial art, drop a little weight, and build up some muscle mass while I'm at it. I’m totally open to other suggestions, though—it doesn't strictly have to be Wing Chun. I just don't want to end up at some gym where they just beat the hell out of me every single session without actually teaching me anything useful.
BTW, sorry about the red text—I just wanted to make sure my question didn't get lost in the shuffle! 😁
I’m stuck over in Wing C, and honestly, I could really use a little help from the mice around here—specifically if they could find a way to help me slim down, because things are getting a bit heavy.
Honestly, this applies to life on the road just as much as anything else—if you actually function well enough to be out there in the first place. I mean, think about how many people out there haven't stepped foot in a gym in their entire lives, yet they’ve got the spirit of a heavyweight fighter. Why is that? It comes down to heart and mental toughness. You go out and train something that actually forces you to grow, something that pushes those boundaries, right? Because if you're lacking that grit, well, then what are you even doing?
[QUOTE=GLADIJATOR;21676854]This is getting into religious territory. By the way, people tend to confuse casual believers with those who are truly devout.[/QUOTE
Look, everyone believes in something, if you think about it. Personally, I put all my faith in a perfectly executed armbar and a solid high kick—those are my gods.[/QUOTE]
briskgull4 said:The author really hit the nail on the head here. I find myself agreeing that while there’s some truth to the criticisms coming from both sides, people tend to go overboard when they try to tear one side down. The real issue with these "spiritual" or non-physical disciplines is how easy it is to get sucked into this endless cycle of practicing every little thing for decades just to reach some vague goal after twenty years of grinding. Obviously, that doesn't apply to every single master or martial arts club out there, but it's a reality. It can be incredibly disorienting to commit to training something where you might see results in two decades—assuming you even live to be a hundred—and frankly, too many instructors love to wrap their training methods in unnecessary layers of mysticism to make it sound more profound than it actually is.
As for the "practical" combat sports and systems, I think the author covered most of it... if I can pull my thoughts together, I'll write more later.
Results should show up fast; BV was created for self-defense, and what good is self-defense when you're 80? If you aren't seeing progress quickly, either the training method is flawed or someone is ripping you off.
Man, just knock him out with a boxing punch instead; honestly, a guy doesn't need to be taking those kinds of headshots, especially at his age. Just put him in a Judo or Karate class and call it a day.
It starts right away with the pairings, and I can promise you this hunk of junk isn't going to be taking its frustrations out on you, though you’ll probably find yourself getting hit by some other piece of junk every once in a while enough to keep things interesting.
Linda Long2 said:Hey everyone, I’ve got a few questions. I know they’ve probably been asked a million times already, but this thread is absolutely massive and I honestly don't have the bandwidth to scroll through everything right now 😁, so I’d really appreciate it if someone could help me out 🙂 I'm 20 years old, and let's just say my current fitness level is... non-existent (:P). I'm standing just under 6'5" and I'm sitting at over 260 lbs right now 👎 My goal is to drop the extra weight, pack on some muscle, and pick up boxing—mostly just for fun, but also for a bit of self-defense. I'm wondering how much weight I should lose or how much shape I need to get into before I actually step into a boxing gym? Because right now, I'm basically useless—I can probably do exactly zero pushups 🙂
Honestly, you shouldn't wait for some perfect number; just start slow, and over time you'll naturally find your rhythm and shed those pounds 🙂. If you really want to jumpstart things, maybe just start with some walking or light jogging .
northerneagle15 said:I’m sure this question has been asked before, but this thread is massive, so there’s plenty of room... I've been thinking about taking up some kind of martial art, but I haven't quite figured out my direction yet. I was hoping someone could suggest which style or sport might best fit this description: I’m looking for a combination of fluid mobility and coordination, paired with genuine strength and striking power. Oh, and one more thing... I’m 17, so I’m a bit unsure if starting at this age is considered too late. If it is... 🙂 Thanks in advance!!!!
You're a little late to be getting into sports at your age; you might have better luck picking up old coins or collecting postage stamps instead.
Zachary Mendoza17 said:True, but not in the context you're implying. Regarding what was said above...
I was actually thinking about every possible context, including martial arts like karate.
If you haven't seen them yet, I've linked four clips here covering various aspects of karate; at the start of the second one, you can see them practicing "ki" (or chi)—it's that breathing technique similar to what they do in Aikido, and the video actually compares it to Tai Chi.
It feels like all these traditional Chinese and Japanese disciplines rely heavily on working with "ki," and honestly, it’s a damn shame how much of that essence has been stripped away just because modern combat sports focus entirely on the physical mechanics.
Zachary Mendoza17 said:Exactly, I agree. That principle should apply to all skills. It's interesting how clearly this is visible in modern MMA. You see exactly how someone handles their tools, how disciplined they are, and how effectively they apply their craft. There is no mystical "chi" energy or lethal touch involved...😁
Of course there’s Kia around; honestly, without Kia, life would be pretty damn dull.
Look, you've gotta come down on the price a little bit; we all know how much things have been spiraling lately. Tell you what, I'll throw $50 your way if you make it happen.
ruggedlynx162 said:Thanks for the tip, Sandra Martin73. I’m starting to feel like Wing Chun might actually be a better fit for me than Aikido, though I have to admit both styles look pretty cool.
Also, I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea—even though I definitely want to learn something useful for self-defense, that isn't really my main reason for wanting to train. It doesn't necessarily have to be 100% practical for a street fight or anything like that.
Hey, if you're based in the city and looking at Wing Chun, you should check out Malu Idea. They run some intense Wing Chun sessions and blend them with Tai Chi, which is a pretty solid combo.
Every single martial art is essentially just the unification of mind and body. Honestly, even slicing vegetables for dinner falls under that umbrella. Even sweeping a floor can be an act involving Ki, because when you're alive, there's really no escaping that connection.
I mean, have you ever actually heard someone bring up the whole "unification of mind and body" concept during a standard Karate class, or maybe while training in Kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, or Judo? It’s rarely discussed in those circles.
And look, sweeping a floor *can* be done with a massive amount of Ki, sure, but it can also be done with almost none at all; people with barely any Ki to speak of can still sweep a floor just fine.
Morihei Ueshiba once said, "Get to know your breath, and you will know yourself." Breath is the fundamental bridge between our physical form and our spirit; by focusing on your breathing—not just through formal exercise—you eventually achieve that true union of body and mind.
I don't know a whole lot about Aikido, but what I really struggle with is figuring out how to even begin—let alone what—to write about it.
Honestly, it would probably be best if you guys just threw some questions my way; if there’s anything you're curious about, ask it, and I'll do my best to dig up an answer for you.
The core of Aikido was actually developed by a man named Morihei Ueshiba, who spent his earlier years training in various martial arts that were primarily focused on killing, all while being guided by certain spiritual teachers. He was deeply impacted by the horrors of World War II and the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; after seeing that kind of destruction, people were pretty much fed up with the whole "who is the strongest" mentality. People call Aikido the art of peace, love, and harmony, but that gets misunderstood all the time—folks tend to think that because it's supposedly about peace and love, you can't actually defend yourself with it. Originally, the art was called Aikibudo, but back then, everyone was so sensitive about the "budo" part that he had to drop the "bu" from the name. See, budo refers to the martial way, which implies that defending yourself against an attacker is still a massive part of the practice.
Yoga is fantastic if you're looking to feed your soul. Honestly, it’s much the same with Aikido; you’ve got all those breathing exercises, meditation sessions, and Ki drills woven right into the fabric of it. At its core, the whole practice of Ki Aikido is built entirely upon spirituality and the concept of Ki.
ruggedlynx162 said:Since I’ve got plenty of free time on my hands—and obviously a massive obsession with martial arts—I’ve been thinking about finally jumping into training. I’ve been scrolling through this forum for a bit, reading through all the different takes, but honestly, I think I’m even more confused now than when I started. I don't have any background in anything; I've never actually stepped foot in a dojo or a gym for training, though I've been fascinated by this stuff since I was a kid. One thing I keep hearing, though, is that a lot of these styles involve a ton of fluff—you know, where everything looks super flashy and cinematic, but you wouldn't be able to use half of it if you actually had to defend yourself in a real situation. I really don't want to waste my time signing up for something that isn't actually practical. I did a little digging on Wikipedia and spent some time reading up on Asian martial arts—mostly stuff from Japan, Korea, and China. Hapkido caught my eye because it seemed pretty interesting, but after browsing some threads here, I noticed people seem to have a pretty negative view of that specific Dan Gun club. It also seems like there's a general consensus that Hapkido can be a bit "pretty" for show rather than being useful for self-defense. Other styles like Aikido look cool too, or maybe those two branches of Kung Fu, Wing Chun and Shorin Ji Kenpo. Then there's Ninjutsu. I guess I should mention that I'm also really interested in learning how to handle weapons, like shuriken, kunai, or even a katana. I'm not saying a martial art *has* to include weapon training to be worth it, but it would definitely be a huge plus for me.
So, what would you guys recommend? Especially for those of you who have experience in multiple different disciplines?
Look, Wing Chun was basically designed for street fights, so it’s 100% practical. Just don't expect results overnight; it takes a hell of a lot of patience and time to actually get good at it.
Aikido is solid too, though it’ll take just as much time to master. It’s definitely applicable, just in a completely different way.