General Chat & Info Board

Since there are 51 pages of posts here and I lack the luxury of reading every single one, may I pose a couple of questions? They might have been answered already, but if they haven't, I’d appreciate some insight. If they have, please don't come after me for asking...

I am interested in Tai Chi (I can't even be sure of the spelling anymore given the variations out there), and my questions are as follows:
1. Does this actually qualify as a martial art? Some sites list it under "martial arts," while others seem to imply it's something else entirely—perhaps just a sport or a discipline. Is it truly for combat?
2. Can it be practiced without the supervision of an "expert," a "teacher," or a "master"—whatever you call those who pass down the knowledge? Could one simply read a book, watch a video, and replicate the movements?

To be honest, I visited the Tai Chi thread on this forum, but the users there seemed mostly preoccupied with arguing. Given that this practice is supposed to be about relaxation, one has to wonder how much credibility they actually hold. (That second point is particularly curious to me.)

If my post violates any rules of this thread, please feel free to penalize me; I apologize in advance. I simply wasn't sure where else to turn. If you could direct me to a more appropriate place to find answers, I would be grateful.

Thanks.

What are all the clubs in the area? I'm a student—looking for some kind of martial arts to hit about three times a week.

analogmoose2 said:Since there are 51 pages of posts here and I lack the luxury of reading every single one, may I pose a couple of questions? They might have been answered already, but if they haven't, I’d appreciate some insight. If they have, please don't come after me for asking...

I am interested in Tai Chi (I can't even be sure of the spelling anymore given the variations out there), and my questions are as follows:
1. Does this actually qualify as a martial art? Some sites list it under "martial arts," while others seem to imply it's something else entirely—perhaps just a sport or a discipline. Is it truly for combat?
2. Can it be practiced without the supervision of an "expert," a "teacher," or a "master"—whatever you call those who pass down the knowledge? Could one simply read a book, watch a video, and replicate the movements?

To be honest, I visited the Tai Chi thread on this forum, but the users there seemed mostly preoccupied with arguing. Given that this practice is supposed to be about relaxation, one has to wonder how much credibility they actually hold. (That second point is particularly curious to me.)

If my post violates any rules of this thread, please feel free to penalize me; I apologize in advance. I simply wasn't sure where else to turn. If you could direct me to a more appropriate place to find answers, I would be grateful.

Thanks.

1. Yes, it’s a martial art, but definitely not a combat sport. A sport is a physical activity built around some kind of competition. In a martial art, winning isn't the main goal, though some training sessions might include simulations or sparring that reflect the spirit of the discipline itself.

2. To put it briefly and conditionally: No.
It's conditional because a master, coach, instructor, sifu, or sensei—whatever label you prefer—can correct your mistakes right from the start and while you're performing the techniques, which makes progress much faster. You can certainly pick up the basics through books, videos, and tutorials, but that's really only if you already have some experience practicing under someone who knows what they're doing; in that case, those materials just help you absorb new information more quickly. I wouldn't recommend it for absolute beginners, though, because if you learn a technique incorrectly, it becomes incredibly difficult to fix later. You'll end up spending way more time unlearning bad habits than you would have spent just working with a professional from the beginning. Of course, it's technically possible to pick everything up perfectly on your own, but let's be honest, it's highly unlikely... 😉

You're probably looking at that short (or long) Yang style form you see people doing in American parks for "moving meditation," health, and things like that. Even though it looks simple and seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, there are plenty of nuances that a beginner won't notice. They'll think they're doing it right when they're actually messing almost everything up. But hey, why not give it a shot? Download a bunch of instructional videos—books are good for extra info, but videos are key—maybe there's something written in a book that a video won't explain, so just dive in and try.

As for the arguing, that's pretty standard in any martial arts community, especially in traditional ones, so don't let it discourage you. We honestly enjoy reading those debates from time to time just for the entertainment value... 😁
You didn't get the topic or the location wrong.
👍

If you need anything specific regarding training, advice, or Tai Chi, feel free to post. Someone will eventually show up and answer you.🙂

wearynomad9 said:What are all the clubs in the area? I'm a student—looking for some kind of martial arts to hit about three times a week.

Are you looking for something specific, though? You've got Aikido, kickboxing, Judo, Wing Chun, Karate, Taekwondo, Krav Maga... there's plenty out there if you know what you're after...

analogmoose2 said:Since there are 51 pages of posts here and I lack the luxury of reading every single one, may I pose a couple of questions? They might have been answered already, but if they haven't, I’d appreciate some insight. If they have, please don't come after me for asking...

I am interested in Tai Chi (I can't even be sure of the spelling anymore given the variations out there), and my questions are as follows:
1. Does this actually qualify as a martial art? Some sites list it under "martial arts," while others seem to imply it's something else entirely—perhaps just a sport or a discipline. Is it truly for combat?
2. Can it be practiced without the supervision of an "expert," a "teacher," or a "master"—whatever you call those who pass down the knowledge? Could one simply read a book, watch a video, and replicate the movements?

To be honest, I visited the Tai Chi thread on this forum, but the users there seemed mostly preoccupied with arguing. Given that this practice is supposed to be about relaxation, one has to wonder how much credibility they actually hold. (That second point is particularly curious to me.)

If my post violates any rules of this thread, please feel free to penalize me; I apologize in advance. I simply wasn't sure where else to turn. If you could direct me to a more appropriate place to find answers, I would be grateful.

Thanks.

Of course you can. Mind you, teaching yourself through books or DVDs definitely has its downsides—it’s generally a slower process, and there is always that nagging risk of picking up bad habits along the way. Learning alongside an instructor is usually faster and, frankly, a bit more secure.

Then again, it really all comes down to the quality of the instructors themselves. There is a huge spectrum of talent out there—and I'm not just talking about Tai Chi—so sometimes, honestly, self-study via books or videos can yield better results than learning from some mediocre instructor (you can find plenty of folks in our other chat threads who will back me up on that one).

Now, what if you learn a movement incorrectly? Well, in most cases, nothing catastrophic happens; you can always correct it later—unless, of course, we are talking about a discipline involving high-impact physical maneuvers or heavy weightlifting. In those scenarios, improper form can lead to permanent, irreversible injuries, making professional supervision absolutely indispensable.

Since Tai Chi doesn't really fall into that high-risk category, if you happen to get a movement wrong, it's not the end of the world... you simply head down to the studio, and the instructor helps you fix it.

There is this common thesis: "If you learn it wrong once, it will take far more time to unlearn the mistake than it would have taken to start correctly from the beginning." In my experience, this claim is rarely supported by reality—except for the specific injury risks I mentioned earlier. Or, perhaps, if you look at it purely mathematically: if you spend five months practicing incorrectly and then five months practicing correctly, you aren't suddenly "behind" by years. It's not like five months of bad form requires five years of good form to balance the scales.

It is quite interesting, though—I notice a lot of people who take up recreational running never bother looking for a coach to teach them proper gait or technique, yet for much less demanding forms of exercise, they immediately start hunting for "instructors" all over town.

Hey everyone, I could really use some help here!

I have a few questions regarding combat sports. Basically, I’m looking to start something this fall, though I haven't quite made up my mind yet. I live near the Fourth Ward, close to Petro. I used to do some BJJ a few years back, but life happened—college, the commute, just various other nonsense... and I drifted away. I’ve been fascinated by boxing since I was a kid, and lately, watching MMA has made me pretty obsessed with grappling. An old buddy of mine, who trained in Judo and actually knows his stuff, keeps teasing me. He’s been bugging me to start wrestling since I was twelve because his friend runs a famous club, but I wasn't interested back then. Now, he’s telling me that at 25, I’m basically an "old man" for these sports because my joints and bones are already shot or whatever... as if I'm trying to become a professional model or something... anyway:

1. I was thinking about getting into grappling over at but I’d love to hear from anyone with actual experience in grappling or wrestling first. Back when I did BJJ, the Judo throws and those endless rolls absolutely drove me crazy (we'd spend an hour and fifteen minutes just warming up!). If I’m going to be forced to do forward somersaults and all that nonsense again, I might have to pass, even though the idea sounds great.
2. My first alternative was wrestling, but the only two clubs I found were PitBull and UFK Trešnjevka, both over in the Trešnjevka area. That feels way too far for me since I rely heavily on public transit. I’ve never actually taken a bus or train out that way, so maybe it’s not as distant as it seems? I don't know.
3. The third, and most likely, option is boxing. There's Barun down on Sučićeva. Does anyone know what the membership fees are, how many sessions are included, and if they provide gym access? I’ve heard there are some unhappy people training there...
I see a lot of people mentioning Barun Trenk, specifically the facility over on Harambašićeva, but I was under the impression Trenk was located out in the Dubrava district. Did I mix things up, or is there a branch in the Harambašićeva gym? (Is that right near Maximirska or further south past Zvonimir?)
Another option is Lokomotiva over in Crnatkova. So, I'm looking for info on pricing, weekly class frequency, and weight room availability for these three clubs, along with general vibes (crowd size, etc.). Any help is appreciated and any advice is valued—other clubs aren't really an option because most of them are in Dubrava, and I really don't want to head out that way. If there are any gems nearby that I’ve missed (though I doubt it), please let me know.

- Sorry for the long rant, but every time I ask someone in person, they just start complaining about how everything sucks, which probably isn't true. I just need to find a healthy way to burn off this negative energy. Yesterday, I almost—and I mean almost—went full "ghetto blasting" on some bald jerk because he cut into my lane just to make some unnecessary little loop to grab a parking spot, and then he had the nerve to wave and yell through his closed window at me! While I'm standing there by my car, traffic on Ilica is honking like crazy because nobody can move, and I'm yelling at this idiot to pull over and face me if he's got something to say. My girlfriend is in the passenger seat screaming that I'm being a total caveman... man, maybe I should just take up yoga.

Please send any answers or advice via PM so we don't clutter the thread, as I'll probably have more specific questions for the experts.

Thanks a ton!

UF you've got it in the woods too, there's a thread right here in the combat section

I heard there might be some Kendo training happening over in Karlovac... does anyone happen to know the exact location, the weekly schedule, or perhaps a contact number or something similar?

Angela Barnes6 said:Hey everyone, I could really use some help here!

I have a few questions regarding combat sports. Basically, I’m looking to start something this fall, though I haven't quite made up my mind yet. I live near the Fourth Ward, close to Petro. I used to do some BJJ a few years back, but life happened—college, the commute, just various other nonsense... and I drifted away. I’ve been fascinated by boxing since I was a kid, and lately, watching MMA has made me pretty obsessed with grappling. An old buddy of mine, who trained in Judo and actually knows his stuff, keeps teasing me. He’s been bugging me to start wrestling since I was twelve because his friend runs a famous club, but I wasn't interested back then. Now, he’s telling me that at 25, I’m basically an "old man" for these sports because my joints and bones are already shot or whatever... as if I'm trying to become a professional model or something... anyway:

1. I was thinking about getting into grappling over at but I’d love to hear from anyone with actual experience in grappling or wrestling first. Back when I did BJJ, the Judo throws and those endless rolls absolutely drove me crazy (we'd spend an hour and fifteen minutes just warming up!). If I’m going to be forced to do forward somersaults and all that nonsense again, I might have to pass, even though the idea sounds great.
2. My first alternative was wrestling, but the only two clubs I found were PitBull and UFK Trešnjevka, both over in the Trešnjevka area. That feels way too far for me since I rely heavily on public transit. I’ve never actually taken a bus or train out that way, so maybe it’s not as distant as it seems? I don't know.
3. The third, and most likely, option is boxing. There's Barun down on Sučićeva. Does anyone know what the membership fees are, how many sessions are included, and if they provide gym access? I’ve heard there are some unhappy people training there...
I see a lot of people mentioning Barun Trenk, specifically the facility over on Harambašićeva, but I was under the impression Trenk was located out in the Dubrava district. Did I mix things up, or is there a branch in the Harambašićeva gym? (Is that right near Maximirska or further south past Zvonimir?)
Another option is Lokomotiva over in Crnatkova. So, I'm looking for info on pricing, weekly class frequency, and weight room availability for these three clubs, along with general vibes (crowd size, etc.). Any help is appreciated and any advice is valued—other clubs aren't really an option because most of them are in Dubrava, and I really don't want to head out that way. If there are any gems nearby that I’ve missed (though I doubt it), please let me know.

- Sorry for the long rant, but every time I ask someone in person, they just start complaining about how everything sucks, which probably isn't true. I just need to find a healthy way to burn off this negative energy. Yesterday, I almost—and I mean almost—went full "ghetto blasting" on some bald jerk because he cut into my lane just to make some unnecessary little loop to grab a parking spot, and then he had the nerve to wave and yell through his closed window at me! While I'm standing there by my car, traffic on Ilica is honking like crazy because nobody can move, and I'm yelling at this idiot to pull over and face me if he's got something to say. My girlfriend is in the passenger seat screaming that I'm being a total caveman... man, maybe I should just take up yoga.

Please send any answers or advice via PM so we don't clutter the thread, as I'll probably have more specific questions for the experts.

Thanks a ton!

Up until this season, grappling in "Lika" has pretty much just been Saturday mornings—basically extra training for the competitors from Lika and UFK Trešnjevka. Probably gonna stay that way.
Training at UFK Trešnjevka doesn't necessarily mean an hour and a half of falls, but you gotta realize acrobatics are a huge part of the prep work. You might skip certain things if you're doing individual training or if you're just there for fun/beginner stuff, but even then—there are rules. We don't do acrobatics just to win gymnastics medals; it's about preventing injuries from falls, working on coordination, and building up overall conditioning.

Just a quick heads-up since I’ve lost my ability to edit posts, if anyone happens to have any intel regarding the situation in Karlovac, please feel free to shoot me a DM or just drop it right here in this thread...

Seriously, I’m dying to know, so if you could share anything at all, I would truly appreciate it...🙏

Hey there,

Is it even possible to pick up some nunchucks around here? I’ve been scouring the internet, but I can't find anything. How does it usually work with ordering stuff from overseas or having it shipped in? And more importantly, is it even legal to bring something like that into the country?

Try here
to check out the nunchucks.

Does anyone know where else I might pick up a decent bokken online besides Replikaart... I really need one for Iaido...

Nathan Hill13 said:Try here
to check out the nunchucks.

Great, thanks.

Hey guys, anyone training at that Domsa MMA kickboxing club run by Pokrajac?

Wait, wasn't there supposed to be a thread in here somewhere about selling martial arts gear?
I seriously can't find it?!

I'm dying to know, does there actually exist some kind of martial art specifically dedicated to knife fighting?

I mean, I’m not talking about playing around with butterfly knives, or short swords, or batons, or even just learning how to defend yourself against a blade with your bare hands—no, no. I’m talking about actual combat using just a plain, everyday knife.

Drew Sanchez said:Does anyone know where else I might pick up a decent bokken online besides Replikaart... I really need one for Iaido...

Check out this link for nunchucks, they carry bokkens too... But if you’re looking for something truly high-quality and unique, just reach out to our fellow member paart...

http://www.paart.com/

👍

hollowviper842 said:I'm dying to know, does there actually exist some kind of martial art specifically dedicated to knife fighting?

I mean, I’m not talking about playing around with butterfly knives, or short swords, or batons, or even just learning how to defend yourself against a blade with your bare hands—no, no. I’m talking about actual combat using just a plain, everyday knife.

Ninjutsu.
I assume there are others out there too...

placidbison20 said:Ninjutsu.
I assume there are others out there too...

...you've got Kuntao, Arnis, and even that traditional martial arts club over in a small town outside of Phoenix.

Nathan Martinez5 said:...you've got Kuntao, Arnis, and even that traditional martial arts club over in a small town outside of Phoenix.

I was thinking about martial arts that are easily accessible in America.🙂