Posts by placidbison20

Ethan Hayes6 said:There are about 5 or 6 MMA gyms in Chicago.
Not totally sure how the other spots handle the younger crowd—but at our place, we’ve got about ten guys in that 16-18 range, plus kids from elementary all the way through middle school. You’d fall into the beginner group—they train Mon, Wed, and Fri at 7 PM, and Saturdays at 10 AM.

Here’s the flyer info:
The local neighborhood gym and its ultimate fighting (MMA) division are taking on beginners and hobbyists. Training: Mon, Wed, and Fri at 7 PM, plus Saturday at 10 AM.
It's located over at the community center in the West Side area.
The advanced and competitive sessions stay the same—every night starting at 8:30 PM.
Monthly dues are $83.

For the youth grappling-MMA program—school-aged kids can hit the Tuesday and Thursday morning session from 10:00 to 11:30 AM, or the afternoon slot from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Price for kids is: $50.

Hey referee, you spammer, shame on you.🙂

Bryan Brown said:Hey there.

Got a few questions and some dilemmas spinning around in my head, so I figured I’d toss them out here. I’ve been scrolling through the forum for a bit, but honestly, there’s so much going on that I might end up asking something someone else already covered a dozen times. Sorry in advance if I’m repeating myself.

So, I’m 19 and decided it’s time to get back into some kind of martial art. I did Taekwondo for about five years, but then I spent the last four doing absolutely nothing. I’m really drawn to Eastern styles—specifically stuff tied to Japanese culture. Calling it a "sport" isn't quite right, though, because I couldn't care less about the competitive side of things. It's purely about the skill for me.

Physicality is key. I need the training to be intense enough to actually build some decent conditioning. I gave Ki-Aikido a shot recently, but it just didn't hit that level of physical demand I was looking for.

Now I’ve got Kenjutsu and Ninjutsu stuck in my mind. The problem is, I have zero clue what a typical session for either one actually looks like. What do you guys think? I'm based out of Chicago...

Thanks!

If you aren't sure what the classes look like, your best bet is to hold off for a few days until early September. That's when regular sessions start back up for everyone. Just head down and observe a class in person.
Once you've seen them, feel free to ask more questions.

crimsonbison10 said:So, that’s one interesting side effect of training.

I was actually wondering about the exact meaning of 😕

Richard Hall5 said:It’s been that way for a long time. You are essentially your own guide. These training sessions are pure; there’s no pretense or acting involved. It’s just peace and satisfaction. You get out exactly what you put in. You build your own > through grit, because you can't just go out and buy progress. Once you start sensing that there’s something greater at play—that your body acts as a conduit for energy—everything clicks. It’s incredible. To put it simply: Trainings rock!!

It’s beautiful how honest this skill is with everyone who practices it.
No one can do the work for you except your own effort.

How much have your motivations for training shifted from when you first started compared to where you are now?
For me, these mandatory two-month summer breaks are brutal. I can actually feel the lack of a regular routine weighing on my mental state.

To be honest, I can't even remember why I picked this up in the first place—that was ages ago. But today, I train because of that sense of peace and pure happiness I get after every session.
Every single summer, I realize just how much being skilled at something truly matters to me.

So, have you all successfully traded in your priest for a martial art?🙂

http://www.profightstore.com/content...=Kick%20Boxing

Take a look at this link. It’s specifically for kickboxing. I checked, and they don't carry anything for Muay Thai.

Kickboxing is pretty similar to Muay Thai. You might actually like this stuff.

Jonathan Thomas4 said:Yeah, a kimono—or whatever you want to call the outfit, I guess.

A kimono is just standard gear for any martial art.
It should be black and thicker.
Try wearing one at the Kwon studio.

Jonathan Thomas4 said:I was wondering where I might be able to pick up a ninjutsu suit—is there perhaps a shop in the States that carries them?

A ninjutsu suit??

Joshua Stewart34 said:I’ve been training Kung Fu for almost two years now, and I’ve finally reached the point where I need some tonfa. The problem is, I have no clue where to actually pick them up or what I should be expecting to pay. Can anyone point me toward where I can find wooden tonfa specifically designed for Kung Fu? I’m also curious about the price range. Every time I look online, all I see are tactical tonfa meant for police duty, which is definitely not what I’m looking for. Do you think local Kung Fu or Karate dojos usually sell them?
P.S. Ideally, I’d love to find something in the Greater Houston area or maybe Dallas if possible.

Well, you can pick up some tonfa in Houston, but I suspect they might be those "police" versions you mentioned.
Maybe check out a local martial arts supply shop. They should have the right gear.

Zak is an American, which is why he gets my vote.🙂

Justin Adams5 said:Yeah, I actually met that coach back when I was sparring with Benzon over at the Pit Bull gym.
Word is he spent some serious time training in Thailand, so he definitely knows his stuff. To be fair, I haven't really noticed a massive shift in technique among the guys at Pit Bull during fights yet—but then again, I don't know how long they've been working with him. Plus, most of the veteran fighters I've watched (or even gone rounds with) already have such established styles that it’s hardly surprising they haven't overhauled everything just yet.

It’s nice of them to finally admit they decided to upgrade the training program.

Justin Adams5 said:You won't find "authentic" old-school Thai boxing just sitting around, but honestly, your best bet would be checking out Pit Bull. They actually brought in a specialist trainer specifically for Muay Thai recently.

So, did they finally land someone who actually specializes in Muay Thai?

cosmiceagle42 said:I’m thinking about picking up a martial art, though I haven't quite landed on one yet. I want something dynamic, something with flow, but nothing overly aggressive. I'm curious if anyone here has any recommendations... also... I was reading online about this guy who started practicing with a Yawara stick or something similar, but I haven't seen anything like that offered anywhere around here. I’ve stumbled upon related gear, but nothing quite like that specific style.

Actually, using a Yawara stick as a weapon is part of Bujinkan, which you can find in the US.
But that's really just a tiny slice of the whole discipline.
Either way, I'd suggest looking into as many different styles as possible before you make a final call.

hiddensailor14 said:So, what's the point?
If you had actually broken his arm, you’d be facing charges. That wouldn't qualify as self-defense. There is a massive difference between neutralizing an attacker and going out of your way to escalate things by twisting someone's elbow. Seriously, man, stay away from the booze.😎

But he didn't break his arm.
Since everyone was clearly wasted, it’s no surprise they all took a massive hit. 🙂

ruggedhawk55 said:I’ve seen plenty of it. It started back when I was working security for various sports clubs, and after some training, I moved into personal protection. Now, I’m with the REACH (CERT). Honestly, most of what I do isn't really something you can just talk about openly.

Back when I was doing club security, the conflicts were mostly trivial—just dealing with some half-drunk "weekend warriors." We had a few more serious altercations here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary.

If you aren't sworn to secrecy, tell us a bit more about this.

steelscout9 said:It essentially means nothing; does nobody actually hold training sessions? How on earth are people expected to maintain their fitness through the summer?😢

They still train out at Tuskancy, but the crews just coordinate informally among themselves.

Bujinkan ninjutsu in the US won't be holding any official training sessions during July or August.
😢

A true master is someone who stays quiet and puts in the work.

Eric Alvarez3 said:Yeah, I’m getting a little desperate here, so I have to ask: is there anywhere actually training ninjutsu in Los Angeles?
If not, then I'm calling it quits on the whole thing. I'm heading back home with my tacos and a beer.

Unfortunately, there isn't any ninjutsu in Orlando yet either.

There isn't any Krav Maga in Los Angeles.
I asked Mr. Arman about the possibility of opening a school in LA over on the other thread, but I haven't heard back from him yet.