General Chat & Info Board

Well... unlike my colleague's inquiry from a couple posts back, mine is a bit more specific—does anyone here actually practice Kempo in the States?^^

jadeseal81 said:Hey guys, can someone explain what Wing Chun is (correct my spelling if I've got it wrong)? Also, where can I actually train it? Maybe a quick breakdown of the techniques or a comparison to something else...

There have already been a million threads about this specific style, so just use the search bar. You can look up "Wing Chun" or "Wing Tsun"... honestly, Google and YouTube are your best friends here. If you want to see the real deal, you should definitely check out the masters at: http://www.garylamwingchun.com/ — they have some great clips, or maybe http://www.ninobernardo.com/;

As for finding clubs in the States:
http://www.profightstore.com/content...&aID=Kung%20Fu. There are probably others not listed there either... maybe try looking for local martial arts academies in major cities like Chicago or New York...

Alright, here’s the deal. I’m looking to dive into learning Japanese. Does anyone out there have an e-book recommendation, or maybe some solid advice on where a total beginner should even start? 👍 I’m open to book suggestions—honestly, anything for someone just starting from scratch. Thx

Jerry Thompson said:So, I'm looking to dive into Japanese. Does anyone have an e-book or just some general advice on how to get started? Maybe a book recommendation... anything for a total beginner. Thanks. 👍

Honestly, you might want to look into a local language school. I signed up for one earlier this year, and things tend to click much faster when you actually show up... besides, the language is pretty incredible.
First step though, you really need to nail Hiragana and Katakana: http://www.japanese-online.com/Downl...i_1024x768.jpg
Also, check out this site for the basics if you want to study online—you’ll just need to sign up first: http://www.japanese-online.com/scrip...em_lessons.xsl
Though, even if you go the classroom route, there are so many weird irregularities in the grammar... you'll definitely need someone to walk you through them.

And there isn't a single one in New York. I've looked everywhere. 😢 That’s why I’m asking. I can handle Katakana and most Hiragana just fine, but I need help with the actual grammar and the language itself. Do you understand what I mean?

Forget about it.
I don't get you. At least not when you use this "polite" way of talking...
Look, that website has lessons, you just have to sign up and that's that. If anything isn't making sense, just send me a PM.

Jerry Thompson6 said:So, I’m looking to start learning Japanese. Does anyone have an e-book recommendation, or just some general advice on how to get started? If you could suggest a specific textbook... anything for a total beginner would be great. Thanks! 👍

http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/s_jgrammar.html

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Time-Jap.../dp/1400021286

You can probably find it or order it through Best Buy. I actually managed to track down a set over in Chicago for $50.

That’s excellent. Thanks 👍, I have to head to the store anyway, so I’ll check it out then. And honestly, having this online is fine by me. Thanks 😁
.

Justin Adams5 said:self-defense course🤣
Just five minutes a day, five days a week, and you'll be able to defend yourself against anyone; plus, if you call right now, you'll get this beautiful pot and hairbrush set too...
Sorry guys, I just had to; Adam Fox5, stay far away from any "self-defense course."

Why is that?

When someone tries to tell you they can teach you self-defense in just a few months... honestly, just walk away. Justin Adams5 made a good point about how much the word "course" rubs him the wrong way, and I get it. If you actually want to know how to defend yourself, you have to put in the work constantly. You can't just stop. The second you quit training, your body starts to let go and those techniques... they just start slipping through your fingers...
If all you really care about is staying safe, though? Just buy a stun gun.

Adam Fox5 said:Why?

Because there is nothing more dangerous than false confidence.

placidbison20 said:because there is nothing quite as dangerous as false confidence.

Perhaps there is another factor at play, such as pure ignorance?

Jonathan Johnson67 said:Look, if you're actually worried about self-defense, just go out and buy a stun gun.

But what about those telescopic batons? I mean, does anyone here actually have experience using one out on the street or in some kind of sketchy situation? And honestly, is it even legal to carry one around, like, am I going to run into massive trouble with the cops if they bust me on a Saturday night carrying one?

Brenda Adams4 said:What about telescopic batons? Does anyone have experience using one out on the street or in a dangerous situation? Is it actually legal to carry one, or am I going to run into trouble with the cops if I get caught with one on a Saturday night?

I believe all types of batons are banned here in the States.

As for how effective a telescopic baton is, it’s enough to say that more and more special military and police units are adding them to their standard gear.

placidbison20 said:I think all forms of batons are basically banned here in the States.

But honestly, when you look at how much those telescopic batons are actually being used, I guess it’s pretty obvious since more and more special military units and SWAT teams are adding them to their standard gear, so there's that.

I’d really love to sit in on one of those training seminars... so if anyone happens to hear anything about workshops like that being open to the general public, please just let me know. Cheers.

Adam Fox5 said:Sure, maybe just pure ignorance?

There’s different ways to be ignorant, I guess... and when you layer that on top of a certain kind of unearned confidence, well, you get a special kind of cluelessness that's almost impressive...

Brenda Adams4 said:What about using a telescopic baton? Has anyone actually tried using one out on the street or in a dangerous situation?

Yes, she😬

Hey everyone, I was thinking about signing up for some kind of martial arts, but I’m totally stuck. I considered kung fu, but there isn't anything left for me here in my hometown. Now I'm looking at IPA or Wing Chun.
Here's the deal: I’m graduating soon and heading off to college in New York next year. I want to find something to do these next few months before I move, because just sitting around at home sounds miserable. I thought about Aikido, but I don't want to learn it for a few months just to ditch it for something else later. Honestly, I have no idea. I think I lost my train of thought halfway through typing this. 🤣

I’ve no idea what the scene is like in San Diego right now, but if you’re only staying for a few months, you might as well grab something you can carry over to NYC once you land there... or just find somewhere to build up some serious grit and conditioning. Maybe boxing, wrestling, something like that... just to get that foundation ready for whatever fighting style you end up picking later on.

neonmaker45 said:Hey everyone, I was thinking about signing up for a martial art, but I can't decide which one. I originally thought about Kung Fu, but there isn't a school for it in my area anymore. Now I'm looking at Jiu-Jitsu or Wing Chun.
The situation is this: I'm graduating soon and moving to Chicago for college next year. I want to find something to do for these next few months before I head out, because staying home doing nothing sounds terrible. I considered Aikido, but I'm worried about training it for just a few months only to switch to something else later. Honestly, I feel a bit lost just typing all this out.🤣

Look into BJJ in your city. I think you'll see the best results in a short amount of time if you go that route.
Or maybe boxing.