General Chat & Info Board

SiB said:http://ultimateclub.forumsplace.com/...u/pages/op.htm

😉

That's a solid, informative link right there.

SiB said:http://ultimateclub.forumsplace.com/...u/pages/op.htm

😉

For some reason, this link just isn't working for me.👍

I was wondering if anyone knows where I can pick up some gear from Alliance JJ—you know, T-shirts, kimonos, and that kind of stuff... A friend of mine has a birthday coming up and we wanted to get them one of their shirts, but I haven't had any luck finding an official shop online... Any leads would be appreciated... Thanks

Just ask Uncle Jacarea 😬

SiB said:I know there aren't any kimonos specifically for BJJ—what I'm actually looking for is a blue kimono for Judo... because where I am in the States, there’s basically zero chance of finding a blue one locally.😕

If you head over to the new shopping mall, there’s this boutique called Star Sport that carries Adidas judo kimonos—they have both white and blue ones available. In my experience, they seem to be decent quality and the prices are pretty reasonable (around 62 miles).

Sarah Booth said:Does anyone know where I can pick up some gear—you know, T-shirts, kimonos, and all that good stuff—from Alliance Jiu-Jitsu? I’m looking to grab one of their shirts for a friend's birthday, but I haven't had any luck finding a shop online... Thanks!

I could probably shoot you a private message with the cell number for the guys over at the Alliance gym here in the States, if you’d like?

stormycobra812 said:I think I saw somewhere—I can’t quite recall the specifics, honestly—that some BJJ club from Mostar might be coming down to Dubrovnik for some seminars around August or September? Does anyone actually know anything about this?

Actually, those Dubrovnik seminars were wrapped up last month. There were four two-day sessions held at the Dubrovnik Bank Judo Club facilities, specifically organized for the members of the Gladiator MMA club—all thanks to an initiative by Mara Perak, who, if I recall correctly, is a national judo champion and a submission wrestling winner from Zadar.
There are plans for more seminars on the horizon, including potential visits from Brazilian masters to Dubrovnik, mostly because the interest from the Gladiator crew has been—well, let's just say it's been pretty intense.

hiddenseal68 said:They’ve got Adidas judo gis in the new Star Sport boutique—white and blue ones. Seem decent quality to me, and the prices are alright (around 62 miles).

Can you tell me where this new Star Sport is located? 😁

Good grief, you sound like you actually believe the blue lane is better than the white one.😉
Just go buy him the club logo, some patches, and stickers; you don't have a real gi without all that, haha.

.

Jujigatame said:Good grief, you sound like you think blue is somehow better than white.😉
Just buy him the club logo, some patches, and stickers too. You can't have a real gi without all that junk, haha.

And maybe someone actually just wants a different colored gi.😕

🙂

Sure 😉

Gerald Smith76 said:yeah 😉

There are tournaments like that too :P

Look, there’s this shop in Ottawa called BB right by the main entrance to Skenderija. You can order a blue kimono through them.😬

Hey there!

Here's the deal:
I’m stuck in indecision regarding which martial art to pick up—so I figured I'd lay out the situation here and ask for some input. Looking for advice...

I'm looking at three options: Wing Chun, Aikido, or Ninjutsu.

I'm 20 years old and living in a massive US city packed with different gyms—which means right out of the gate, I've got the usual headache of trying to find a decent, high-quality club that won't absolutely drain my bank account. But we can get to that later...

First, let's talk about the style itself. My main priority is effective street self-defense. I want to learn this stuff and seriously train—not because I'm trying to act like some neighborhood tough guy, but more as a way to sharpen myself and fill my free time. Basically, I want something that actually adds value to my life while being practical...
I did a month of Wing Chun a while back, but had to quit when I moved. I liked the style, but the old gym is miles away now—literally on the other side of town. Plus, I'm honestly not sure how effective it really is in a real fight. As for Ninjutsu, I've heard the instructor is solid and the gym isn't too far from me... but I have no clue what the actual training looks like or if the style holds water.
To narrow things down—and I don't want to overthink this—I generally prefer styles that involve striking rather than just throws, locks, and whatnot. In my case, that gives Wing Chun an edge over Aikido. On the flip side, Aikido appeals to me more because of its philosophy and teaching style. Besides, striking isn't always the answer when you need to defend yourself—where Aikido might actually have the upper hand.
Ninjutsu feels like some kind of hybrid mess of Karate, Judo, Aikido, and swordsmanship—which, to me, makes it seem like the most effective option for real life. What do you guys think? I know I'm rambling, but yeah—I'm torn!
Just for context, I’m not exactly a powerhouse—I'm about 140 lbs and 5'9". That’s definitely a factor in what I should be learning.

One last thing: Are there any actually reputable, tried-and-true clubs out there for Wing Chun, Aikido, or Ninjutsu?
Help me out please! Thanks.

Jack Walker6 said:Hey there! How's it going?

Ovako:
I can't make up my mind on which martial art to start training, so I figured I’d lay out the dilemma here and toss out a few questions. I'm looking for some advice...

It really comes down to three specific styles: Wing Chun, Aikido, or Ninjutsu.

I’m 20 years old and living in a massive metro area like Chicago, which is absolutely packed with different clubs. Because there are so many options, I hit a wall right away: trying to find a spot that’s actually legit and high-quality without breaking the bank. But hey, I'll get into that in a bit...

First off, let’s talk about picking a discipline. My main priority is effective street self-defense. I want to learn something real and train hard—not just to play the part of some neighborhood tough guy, but to actually build my own skill set and make good use of my free time. Basically, I’m looking for something that’s both enriching and practical. After chewing on it for a while, Aikido seems like a logical path. On the flip side, I realize that if you actually want to defend yourself effectively and apply techniques properly, you’d probably need to grind at Aikido for years before seeing results. I dabbled in Wing Chun a long time ago—maybe for a month—but I had to drop it when I moved. I still really dig the style, but the old club is practically on the other side of town now. Plus, I’ve always wondered how effective it actually is in a real situation. As for Ninjutsu, I’ve heard great things about a local instructor, and the gym isn't far from me at all. But honestly? I have no clue what the actual art is like or what a typical training session looks like.
Look, I don’t want to get too deep into the weeds with debates, but here’s my take. Personally, I’ve always leaned toward styles that focus on striking rather than all those throws, joint locks, and leverage moves. Because of that, I see a clear edge for Wing Chun over Aikido in terms of raw utility. That being said, I have to admit Aikido has a certain pull for me—mostly because of the philosophy and the overall approach to learning. Plus, let's be real: just relying on punching isn't always going to save your skin in a self-defense situation. That’s where I think Aikido actually holds the upper hand.
To me, Ninjutsu feels like this massive hybrid of Karate, Judo, Aikido, swordsmanship, and all that good stuff. Because of that mix, it seems like—at least in my book—the most practical option for real-life situations. I know, I know, I’m probably overthinking it, but I just can't make up my mind! What do you guys think?

So, here’s my question for the group: Which clubs are actually legit and worth the time if you're looking into WC, Aikido, or Ninjutsu?
Thanks.

Good grief...!?&%&/#$% 😬

Here’s my advice for you. You see all these criteria you’ve built up in your head about how things "should" be... Well, think about it, ask around, and dig deep until you find where your passions align perfectly with your actual skills or a specific sport. Once you've found that sweet spot? Go somewhere that is the exact, diametric opposite.

Straight talk.

(Jack Walker64) said:Hey there!

Here's the deal:
I’m having a hard time deciding which martial art to take up, so I figured I’d lay out the situation here and ask a few questions. Looking for some advice...

I'm looking at three options: Wing Chun, Aikido, or Ninjutsu.

I’m 20 years old and living in a major US city packed with different gyms, so even right at the start, the struggle is finding the right high-quality spot—without breaking the bank. But more on that later...

First, about picking the style... My main priority is effective street self-defense. I want to learn this and seriously train—not just to act like some neighborhood tough guy, but to build my own skills and fill my free time. Basically, I want something that's both enriching and practical...
I did some Wing Chun a while back (maybe for a month), but had to stop when I moved. I like the style, but the gym I was at is way too far now—literally on the other side of town. Plus, I'm not entirely sure how effective it actually is. As for Ninjutsu, I heard there's a great instructor nearby, but I don't know much about the style itself or what the training sessions are like...
To cut to the chase, I generally prefer styles that involve striking over those focused on throws, locks, and such. In my case, that makes Wing Chun look better than Aikido... On the flip side, Aikido appeals to me because of its philosophy and teaching approach. Besides, striking isn't always the answer in a self-defense situation, which gives Aikido an edge.
Ninjutsu feels like a hybrid of Karate, Judo, Aikido, swordsmanship, etc., so to me, it seems like it might be the most effective in real life... What do you all think? I know I'm overthinking this, but I just can't decide!
I’m not a big guy—about 140 lbs and 5'9". That's definitely a factor when choosing a style.

One last question: Are there any reputable, solid clubs out there for Wing Chun, Aikido, or Ninjutsu?
Help please! Thanks.

There isn't a single "right" answer here... You have to put in the work and research what actually clicks with you. You've already taken the first step by narrowing it down to these three... now it's time for the next move. If you want my honest opinion... I’d suggest Aikido from the list you gave. Though, the only Aikido practitioner I ever knew who was a truly skilled fighter doesn't teach anymore... I don't know the current masters. If there aren't any high-quality instructors around, there's no point in doing Aikido...

(Jack Walker64) said:Even so—just swinging punches can't always be the solution or the way to defend yourself.

Oh, I think it totally can. 😎

But seriously—lately, I’ve been leaning more toward full-contact sports rather than just technical martial arts (mostly because of some folks I know in real life and a few guys on this forum)—it just feels like there's way less BS and hearsay involved... but whatever you decide, just keep one thing in mind:

With Aikido, you can find a really nice recreational community and great people to hang out with—you can definitely find that inner peace and zen you're looking for—but you probably won't find much in the way of "actual ways to stop an attacker."

As for Ninjutsu, I have a lot more thoughts on that, but I don't know anything about WC, so I'll just stay quiet on that one. 👍

David Lewis7 said:How is that even possible? 😎

Seriously though, lately I’ve been leaning more toward full-contact sports rather than traditional martial arts—largely due to some real-life influences and a few people on this forum. There’s much less guesswork and hearsay involved. But regardless of what you choose, keep one thing in mind:

With Aikido, you can find great recreation and social circles, and you might achieve that sense of inner peace and calm you're looking for. You can find pretty much everything else you mentioned, except for one thing: the actual ability to defend yourself against an attacker.

I have much stronger opinions regarding Ninjutsu, but I don't know anything about Wing Chun, so I'll stay quiet on that. 👍

👍

Regarding pure self-defense: philosophy won't help you, other than perhaps maintaining situational awareness—being mindful of your surroundings, the people around you, and avoiding potentially volatile areas or conflicts before they start.
If someone intends to crack your skull, the only thing that will stop them is you cracking theirs. If you can't avoid the confrontation, you have to be brutal. Forget all this talk about redirecting energy, using levers, or dodging; especially if adrenaline or fear freezes you up.

I’d go with Ninjutsu. 😉

If you ever find yourself searching for true mastery in any craft, remember this: "the only person who actually knows what they're doing... isn't teaching anymore."