Posts by Gerald Smith76

Go get 'em, girl! 🙂

wanderingridge said:There are several BJJ gyms in NYC. Over in Martinville, the instructor is a blue belt, but I don't know much else about the setup there.

Not everyone can just walk into the Martinville gym; from what I understand, you have to be a student at the universities they have contracts with.
Elijah (the coach) is top-tier.
$17Regarding training, the beginner group isn't treated as a separate entity—meaning if you already have some experience, you aren't sidelined. It’s good because there are plenty of solid guys to roll with, so you get high-quality training without feeling like you're wasting your time.
The downside: They don't do stand-up at all (at least for now), and the mats can get pretty crowded sometimes.

I think there's something over at the Military Academy too; Bo might be able to give you the details on that...

Einstein, where are you even pulling these combos from??! Dim Mak??? Give me a break...

Yeah... When I'm at those big clubs in NY, I go with knee pads, a sidearm in a holster, and a vest. Over all that, I wear a 😁

...need them for accidental strikes, and during grappling or takedowns, I take hits to the groin way too often

Selling Combat Sport gear. Check the website, I've got price lists ready...
I was at the gym yesterday looking at the price list, but honestly, I wasn't looking at the prices—I was eyeing the groin guards. Might actually need one. Anyone have experience or advice on which ones are worth it? 🙂

Jeffrey Long said:How physically fit does someone need to be before starting martial arts? I'm specifically interested in Hapkido (or something similar), but I'm not sure if I need to be in peak condition first. I'm a bit more on the heavier side 😁, but I can still knock out 30 to 40 push-ups, and I'm pretty flexible!
Thanks 🙂

- Hey! You don't need to be in perfect shape. Doing 30 push-ups is plenty; you'll build whatever conditioning you need once you start training. Having some extra mass will actually help you during grappling sessions.
By the way, the crowd at the gym ranges from 20 to over 50 years old. Looking at them, nobody is a professional athlete, but everyone puts in the work. I sparred with an older gentleman once—I’m 19, and he was definitely over 50. Naturally, I had the physical advantage, but it was interesting how well he held his own. Without any Judo knowledge, my strength wouldn't have mattered much.
People show up and try.
Also, the instructors here are top-tier; very few people possess that level of specialized expertise.
If you're curious, just go check it out. I believe the group meets around 8 PM. 👍

- Melissa Williams25, I'd recommend Kyokushin if you can find a dojo. It's probably the most realistic and high-contact style of Karate out there.

- Roger Smith6, I don't know much about Wu Shu, but there's a similar discipline called Arnis (Escrima/Kali)—it involves knife, machete, and stick fighting like nothing else you've seen. I can send you links to videos and articles. It's a shame there isn't a dedicated Arnis club in the city right now, unless you count private lessons with Mr. Kukuljem, who originally introduced the art to the States.

crimsonbison10: "It would be wise to show some respect and keep your personal American biases regarding someone's looks to yourself."

That Canadian guy is a standout, and I didn't mean it as an insult.
What, do I need to clarify that I'm only on my fifth day of Kendo and sixth day of Iaido so you don't take it the wrong way?👍

Secular question:
Why did the gentleman—a Canadian expert, a master of both Iai and Kendo (who’ll be at the 101st on Sunday)
claim that true Kenjutsu is incredibly rare? He mentioned that any amateur who dabbles in Kendo or Iai just opens up a "McDojo" and pretends they're teaching Kenjutsu when they actually aren't.