General Chat & Info Board

stormypilot94 said:Right now I'm hanging out over in rural Pennsylvania, but I'll be moving into Philadelphia pretty soon, so spots in Center City or maybe somewhere near University City would be ideal for me...

There are a few solid clubs in those areas.

Hey everyone 👋
I was wondering where in San Diego I could sign up for some kind of self-defense class—maybe just to start out?

Jessica Jones9 said:Hey everyone 👋
I was wondering where in San Diego I could sign up for some kind of self-defense class—maybe just to start out?

http://www.kravmaga-sandiego.com/

maybe check that out.

There's also that JJ Club Storm, but honestly, I haven't heard great things about them...

Zachary Hayes5 said:http://www.kravmaga-sandiego.com/

maybe check that out.

There's also that JJ Club Storm, but honestly, I haven't heard great things about them...

Awesome, thanks! 🙏

So, I’m thinking about picking up a martial art again—Karate is calling my name. I actually did Taekwondo for about three years back in the day and made it up to a high green belt level. Lately, I’ve been watching these clips of people using nunchucks, and now I'm hooked. I'm curious, though—which specific martial arts actually incorporate them, and at what stage of training do you typically start using them?

Also, while I have your attention, let me throw another question out there related to my previous one.
I was wondering which martial art specifically uses the sai weapon? And more importantly, can you actually buy one somewhere? Assuming, of course, that it's even legal to own one just for the sake of having it.
If anyone here happens to be an expert on this, I’d really appreciate an answer. Thanks!

They're definitely using them 😁 😁 😁

How much do you charge?

What’s the deal with Samba in the States? Anyone got any intel? I just stumbled upon this UFC Crows thing and some random "review"...

I’ve been feeling this itch lately to pick up some kind of martial arts training for fun. I was pretty active in sports for about ten years or so, though I haven't really been hitting the gym in a year now. I've been bouncing around the idea of which discipline to dive into, but I'm stuck on where to start. I know, instead of overthinking it, I could just show up at a local gym and see what sticks, but let's just say my current schedule hasn't exactly made that easy.
I’ve never actually done any combat sports before. I'm 23, and my work schedule keeps me busy during the mornings and afternoons. Honestly, MMA is what really catches my eye; I’ve been watching a lot of it lately, and it seems like the most well-rounded choice since you get both the stand-up and the ground game. That said, I'm not looking to kill myself in training like a maniac—this is purely recreational for me, mostly for my own health and just to shake up my lifestyle.
So, does anyone have recommendations on where I should go to try out some classes? I’m living on the East Side of Chicago.
Feel free to chime in if you have any advice. Is MMA a good entry point for a beginner? I'd love to hear your thoughts or any suggestions you might have.
Thanks!

bluecyclist18 said:I’ve been feeling this itch lately to pick up some kind of martial arts training for fun. I was pretty active in sports for about ten years or so, though I haven't really been hitting the gym in a year now. I've been bouncing around the idea of which discipline to dive into, but I'm stuck on where to start. I know, instead of overthinking it, I could just show up at a local gym and see what sticks, but let's just say my current schedule hasn't exactly made that easy.
I’ve never actually done any combat sports before. I'm 23, and my work schedule keeps me busy during the mornings and afternoons. Honestly, MMA is what really catches my eye; I’ve been watching a lot of it lately, and it seems like the most well-rounded choice since you get both the stand-up and the ground game. That said, I'm not looking to kill myself in training like a maniac—this is purely recreational for me, mostly for my own health and just to shake up my lifestyle.
So, does anyone have recommendations on where I should go to try out some classes? I’m living on the East Side of Chicago.
Feel free to chime in if you have any advice. Is MMA a good entry point for a beginner? I'd love to hear your thoughts or any suggestions you might have.
Thanks!

Maybe Google "Cromma Gym" and check them out. Might be close to you. They do way more kickboxing than grappling, but go ahead and see if you vibe with it.

There are plenty of casual people there too, so you'll fit right in. The coach is awesome. A bit further away, but in the industrial district you've got Guerilla Athletics, which are cool and super cheap. You also have Cro Ryu Jiu Jitsu, which is similar to MMA and really interesting. That one's in the Fourth Ward.

Anyway, hope that gives you something to look into...

Thanks so much for the reply! I’m going to look over everything you mentioned, and I’ll definitely make sure to drop in for at least one training session somewhere. 😉

Yo, anyone know a judo club in the city that actually takes adults? Like, I'm 21, but everywhere I look, it feels like they only want little kids in preschool or elementary school age.

Michael Ross3 said:Yo, anyone know a judo club in the city that actually takes adults? Like, I'm 21, but everywhere I look, it feels like they only want little kids in preschool or elementary school age.

Seems like the club over in Chicago might...

Sam Roberts said:Seems like the club over in Chicago might...

From what I can see on their site under enrollment, they list ages as kids of preschool/school age.

Hey everyone, I’ve recently started boxing just for fun, but the goal is to actually join a real MMA gym soon and get serious about it. I picked up some Everlast gloves from $67, and honestly? They're a joke. You can see the stitching coming apart already, and they feel stiff as a board. Not exactly what you want when you're hitting pads, right? If anyone can point me toward something better, I’m willing to drop $400-$$167. Look, I know I won't be walking away with top-tier pro gear for that price, but I want something decent—something that won't fall apart in a month. What’s the best bang for my buck in that range? Any specific models or links would be huge.
Thanks.

Hey there,
I wasn't quite sure where to direct this question—so I figured I’d just drop it here
I'm 20 years old, currently a college student, and I've really been feeling the urge to start training some martial arts—specifically looking at Wing Tsun, Jeet Kune Do, Systema, or maybe Silat. The thing is, I have no clue if there’s anything like that available in the Chicago area, so I would truly appreciate any intel you guys might have; things like pricing, the quality of instruction, contact info, how many sessions per week, and so on.

Hoping someone catches this—thanks in advance!

(Just saw this thread pop up, so I just copied my post over)

Betty Foster452 said:Hey everyone, I’ve recently started boxing just for fun, but the goal is to actually join a real MMA gym soon and get serious about it. I picked up some Everlast gloves from $67, and honestly? They're a joke. You can see the stitching coming apart already, and they feel stiff as a board. Not exactly what you want when you're hitting pads, right? If anyone can point me toward something better, I’m willing to drop $400-$$167. Look, I know I won't be walking away with top-tier pro gear for that price, but I want something decent—something that won't fall apart in a month. What’s the best bang for my buck in that range? Any specific models or links would be huge.
Thanks.

Everlast shouldn't be an issue. They'll hold up fine for recreational use. You might want to look at Adidas, Lonsdale, Twins, Hayabusa, or Venum... you could check www.promfightstore.com to see what they have in stock right now.

Don't bother buying gear from Pride.com, the quality there is a total disaster...

Sam Roberts said:Don't bother buying gear from Pride.com, the quality there is a total disaster...

Yeah, I actually went ahead and ordered from Pride. Might just try some Adidas gloves instead. Thanks for the heads-up, everyone.

Nicole Cook4 said:Hey there,
I wasn't quite sure where to direct this question—so I figured I’d just drop it here
I'm 20 years old, currently a college student, and I've really been feeling the urge to start training some martial arts—specifically looking at Wing Tsun, Jeet Kune Do, Systema, or maybe Silat. The thing is, I have no clue if there’s anything like that available in the Chicago area, so I would truly appreciate any intel you guys might have; things like pricing, the quality of instruction, contact info, how many sessions per week, and so on.

Hoping someone catches this—thanks in advance!

(Just saw this thread pop up, so I just copied my post over)

Honestly? You aren't going to get much out of those specific styles. I have a buddy who’s been deep into Wing Tsun for a while now, and the first time he actually stepped into a real sparring session, he basically admitted his techniques were useless in a practical fight.

Can anyone help me out with an up-to-date list of BJJ gyms in the city? My current spot is going on summer break starting next month, so I'm looking for a new place to train...

Thanks