General Chat & Info Board

Hey, first question, anyone here from Cleveland or maybe someone who knows the area and its surroundings?
I’m looking for some kind of self-defense sport—one-on-one, or even more than one against me (assuming I'm the one outnumbered)
I haven't taken any beatings yet, but there's always a chance. If that happens, I'd like to know how to defend myself and maybe land a few good hits too :P... Cheers and thanks.

Hey everyone, I’ve been thinking about picking up some recreational Jiu-Jitsu over in Zadru. If anyone here has actually rolled there or knows the scene, hit me up and let me know how it is!

placiddrifter47 said:Hey, first question, anyone here from Cleveland or maybe someone who knows the area and its surroundings?
I’m looking for some kind of self-defense sport—one-on-one, or even more than one against me (assuming I'm the one outnumbered)
I haven't taken any beatings yet, but there's always a chance. If that happens, I'd like to know how to defend myself and maybe land a few good hits too :P... Cheers and thanks.

Alright, I took a quick look at what's available in Allentown via the ProFightStore directory.

There's Lok Yiu Wing Chun (www.wingchun.com).
Wing Chun is, in my opinion, a phenomenal thing, though I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. At least not in this part of the country.
But go take a look. It's a complete self-defense system, designed with a lot of perfectionism. It covers everything you asked for, and then some. The catch is that such completeness comes at a price—the training duration. You have to train for a very long time and sweat quite a bit to achieve anything meaningful.
Watch how the advanced students move.
If it looks solid and convincing, give it a shot.
If it doesn't look like much, find something else.
The quality of instruction really varies from club to club.

Then you have boxing:

Club Name: ALLENTOWN
Martial Art: Boxing
Address: 168 Main St,
Allentown, PA
Phone: 610-382-002

I think we all know what boxing is. It isn't a "complete" system, but if you're interested in the sport...
At least you'll learn something specific quite well. That seems better than trying to learn everything and mastering nothing.

There's also Judo:

Club Name: Mihovil
Martial Art: Judo
Address: 7 Jakova Gotovca St,
Allentown
Phone: 610-373-111
Contact Person: Milan Kolac

To put it bluntly: these are the people in kimonos throwing each other around. 😬
Again, it isn't a total system, but what you learn, you learn properly. Mostly.

There are a few Karate clubs as well.
http://www.profightstore.com/content...sar&aID=Karate

I'm not sure how current this data is, but... have a look.
And, more importantly, actually try it out.
🙂

Maybe you'll find something you like.

There might be more out there, I suppose... I don't feel like searching further.
You have Google.
😘

slybadger25 said:Hey everyone, I’ve been thinking about picking up some recreational Jiu-Jitsu over in Zadru. If anyone here has actually rolled there or knows the scene, hit me up and let me know how it is!

Club Name: Zadar Jiu-Jitsu Club
Martial Art: Jiu Jitsu
Address and City: 32 Ivana Mažuranića Street,
Zadar
Phone: 098 449 068
Email: vedran-ikic@net.hr
Website:
Contact Person: Vedran Ikić

Maybe someone on this forum has some insight into this club. I don't personally. Though, I suppose most clubs are mostly recreational anyway, aside from a few fanatics keeping the lights on.
👍

It looks like they offer jiu-jitsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and submission wrestling. Something in there will probably suit you.
Give it a shot and let us know how it goes. 😎

Google is your friend, people. 👍

Eric Alvarez3 said:It’s honestly pathetic. We’re the second largest city in the US, yet we don't have half the amenities you find in New York City. It's embarrassing. Let me try rephrasing my question more clearly... hmm...
So, I'm looking for a martial art—and it doesn't necessarily have to be a competitive sport—that blends striking with takedowns and grappling. I need something that actually works on the street, specifically training that covers defending against multiple attackers and handling weapons like knives, clubs, sticks, and whatever else comes your way. My first thoughts were Krav Maga, since it's been field-tested in real-world scenarios, or maybe Ninjutsu, given how aggressive its approach can be.
But since there isn't a single decent school for either of those around here, I'm starting to lose motivation, which sucks because I was really getting hyped up for this.😎 😛

Maybe you should just stick to eating burgers; don't go touching any beer yet, you're only 15.

🤣 🤣 Burgers are terrible, but the beer? That might be okay.😬

Look, you've got Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. There's a Gracie Barra academy with a purple belt instructor, and if I recall, there's an Alliance gym too, though their coach is just a blue belt. You should go give it a shot; once you get hooked on BJJ, it’s incredibly addictive.

placiddrifter47 said:Hey, first question, anyone here from Cleveland or maybe someone who knows the area and its surroundings?
I’m looking for some kind of self-defense sport—one-on-one, or even more than one against me (assuming I'm the one outnumbered)
I haven't taken any beatings yet, but there's always a chance. If that happens, I'd like to know how to defend myself and maybe land a few good hits too :P... Cheers and thanks.

You can find Lok Yiu Wing Chun in the Youngstown vicinity

Darko Bek 234-567-8901 (Youngstown)

Krunoslav Tišlarić 234-567-8901 (Boardman)

Damir Vuk 234-567-8901 (Canfield)

hollowbear65 said:You can find Lok Yiu Wing Chun in the Youngstown vicinity

Darko Bek 234-567-8901 (Youngstown)

Krunoslav Tišlarić 234-567-8901 (Boardman)

Damir Vuk 234-567-8901 (Canfield)

Well, that's it. That guy completely overwhelmed me.
I wasn't aware of those details.

Hey, take a look. If you're actually serious about this, and if it's something you're into... go for it, I guess. 👍

What kind of martial art is that?
Thanks a lot

Is there any Muay Thai training available near Seattle, Tacoma, or Auburn?
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. 🙂
If you could include details like pricing, class schedules, and a contact number if possible, that would be wonderful.

Also, how does the scene work here in the States? Is the focus more on skill development or competitive fighting? I'd also love to know roughly what I should budget for gear...

Thanks!

I'm thinking about carving out some space at home for a dedicated sparring area, and I’m trying to figure out where I can pick up some mats without completely draining my bank account. If you guys know of any cheap alternatives—something that won't break the bank but can actually handle a decent amount of heavy use? I really need a surface that’s going to cushion those inevitable falls.

I’ve been doing a bit of window shopping online, and the absolute cheapest mats I could find were 150x100x5cm pieces for $200. Since I’m aiming for a space that’s at least 3x3m, I’d need about six of them, which brings the total to $1200. Honestly, that's pushing my budget a little too far for comfort.

If anyone has recommendations for a shop in the greater metropolitan area or somewhere nearby in the suburbs, please let me know.

Thanks!

Sean Price6 said:I'm thinking about carving out some space at home for a dedicated sparring area, and I’m trying to figure out where I can pick up some mats without completely draining my bank account. If you guys know of any cheap alternatives—something that won't break the bank but can actually handle a decent amount of heavy use? I really need a surface that’s going to cushion those inevitable falls.

I’ve been doing a bit of window shopping online, and the absolute cheapest mats I could find were 150x100x5cm pieces for $200. Since I’m aiming for a space that’s at least 3x3m, I’d need about six of them, which brings the total to $1200. Honestly, that's pushing my budget a little too far for comfort.

If anyone has recommendations for a shop in the greater metropolitan area or somewhere nearby in the suburbs, please let me know.

Thanks!

Tatami isn't even that pricey. Plus, it does a great job at softening those hits.

rustyangler02 said:Tatami isn't even that pricey. Plus, it does a great job at softening those hits.

Kwon has some about 1x1 meter pieces.
I can't recall the exact price, but I guess they're much cheaper than this.

Ugh... so I just took a look at Kwon’s website... honestly, it would be pretty great if they actually made them :P

I did a little digging online regarding tatami mats, and this is basically the only thing I could dig up:

100X100X2, KARATE (COLOR ON REQUEST) PCS 440.00
100X100X1, KARATE (COLOR ON REQUEST) PCS 254.00
JUDO TATAMI 200X100X4, JUDO, PLAIN BASE PCS 898.00
JUDO TATAMI 200X100X4, IJF, NON-SLIP PCS 990.00
FOLDABLE COMBAT AREA TATAMI PLEAT UP m2 801.00

Now, that karate option looks a lot more budget-friendly, doesn't it? But then again, does it actually offer any real protection? I highly doubt that one or two centimeters of padding is going to do much for you when you hit the floor. On the flip side, those judo mats are somehow even more expensive than the wrestling mats :P 8m2=$1200

I guess I can only hope that Kwon’s prices are significantly lower... and by "significantly," I mean a massive difference :P

Kwon Inace isn't exactly known for being budget-friendly... but take a look anyway. Maybe you'll get lucky.
You can always pad the impact with those old mattresses, if you really want to. I guess they absorb the fall quite well.
Perhaps that was a bit much. I suppose.

I suppose I wouldn't go with mats to set up the space; maybe tatami would be better.
I suppose it might be better to practice on harder surfaces more consistently. Not that I’m suggesting overdoing it—you wouldn't want to spend all your time face-planting on the court. At least not constantly, anyway.

The real headache here is that the space I’m looking to convert isn't actually floored with hardwood or anything decent; it’s just raw concrete. And honestly, does anyone really want to deal with some thin little tatami mat or a flimsy foam pad that won't do a damn thing to absorb a fall? Not exactly ideal for training, is it? I’m weighing the option of laying down some actual flooring first, though I haven't quite made up my mind yet.

Honestly, I’m starting to get a real kick out of this whole project—trying to piece together my own personal home gym. It’s become a bit of a passion project, really, though I can't help but wonder if I'm just chasing a pipe dream at this point. If I keep going at this rate, the final bill is going to hit me like a ton of bricks; we’re easily looking at several thousand dollars, maybe even more, once everything is actually installed. Is it worth it? Who knows, but watching the budget evaporate is half the fun, right?

Sean Price6 said:The real headache here is that the space I’m looking to convert isn't actually floored with hardwood or anything decent; it’s just raw concrete. And honestly, does anyone really want to deal with some thin little tatami mat or a flimsy foam pad that won't do a damn thing to absorb a fall? Not exactly ideal for training, is it? I’m weighing the option of laying down some actual flooring first, though I haven't quite made up my mind yet.

Honestly, I’m starting to get a real kick out of this whole project—trying to piece together my own personal home gym. It’s become a bit of a passion project, really, though I can't help but wonder if I'm just chasing a pipe dream at this point. If I keep going at this rate, the final bill is going to hit me like a ton of bricks; we’re easily looking at several thousand dollars, maybe even more, once everything is actually installed. Is it worth it? Who knows, but watching the budget evaporate is half the fun, right?

If you're outfitting everything from scratch, you're lucky if it doesn't cost you a fortune.
😢

Greetings!

To put it quite plainly, I find myself wondering whether being seventeen years of age constitutes far too late a start to begin training
for ultimate fighting...

brisktiger30 said:Greetings!

To put it quite plainly, I find myself wondering whether being seventeen years of age constitutes far too late a start to begin training
for ultimate fighting...

It isn't, of course. 🙂

Maybe if you had started earlier, it actually would have been too soon...

If you're just doing this for yourself, rather than chasing a pro career, I suppose it isn't even too late at 50. 😬

Thanks. I'm going to reach out to them right away, and then we'll see how things actually shake out with all of this...

Rebecca Smith4 said:It isn't, of course. 🙂

Maybe if you had started earlier, it actually would have been too soon...

If you're just doing this for yourself, rather than chasing a pro career, I suppose it isn't even too late at 50. 😬

When he mentioned the Ultimate Fight, I assume he was talking about going pro, 🙂

Personally, I’d argue that 17 is actually the sweet spot if you want to take things seriously but haven't picked up a martial art yet.

Just a heads-up: if you’re looking at this from a professional standpoint, you’re going to need an insane amount of willpower. You’ll start out all hyped up and ready to go, but after a few months of grueling, soul-crushing training, most people just quit—unless, of course, you can survive that initial hump, because once you get past that, it actually gets a lot easier.

Instead of jumping straight into the deep end with something like the Ultimate Fight, I’d suggest picking one specific discipline first—maybe boxing, kickboxing, Judo, or Jiu-Jitsu—and really trying to master it. Then, if you still find yourself craving that Ultimate Fight chaos after that, you can try adding another discipline into the mix.