General Chat & Info Board

Hey there.😉
I'm looking to pick up some martial arts and I’m torn between karate, judo, BJJ, or Krav Maga. I’m originally from the Midwest, so I’m trying to figure out what the scene looks like around places like Indianapolis or Columbus. Does anyone know if they even offer Krav Maga in those areas? I read somewhere that it might be coming to the region soon, but I can't find any solid info.
Given that BJJ looks pretty brutal—and considering I messed up my upper arm last year—I'm hesitant. My elbow clicks constantly, my circulation is shot, and I've got broken capillaries and prominent veins everywhere. Honestly, my arm looks way thicker now than it did before. If you were me, what would actually be a smart move here?🤷 (Medical pros, I’m looking at you...👎)
By the way: I'm 22 and definitely not in peak shape.🙂
Thanks.🙂

I have a bit of an inquiry myself, so tell me—what kind of martial art would you suggest for a 19-year-old guy who stands about 6'1" and needs to shed quite a few pounds? Just a quick heads-up: his ankles are pretty weak, thanks to a string of handball injuries, and his cardiovascular conditioning is, frankly, a total disaster. 🙄 Thanks

I don't have much to say on this specific topic right now. I prefer to observe before weighing in. I'll share my thoughts if I feel there's something substantial to add later. kaže:
I have a question for the group. What martial art would you recommend for a 19-year-old guy who is 185 cm tall? He needs to drop some weight, too. One major heads-up: his joints are weak, specifically his ankles due to a history of handball injuries, and his cardio is basically non-existent right now. 🙄 Thanks.

Pick what actually resonates with you. Choose the thing that keeps you motivated, even if it doesn't yield the biggest payoff right away.

It’s much better to stick with a low-impact sport for years on end than to go all out on something intense only to burn out and quit after two years. Consistency wins every single time.

Here’s my advice for you: take the time to look into as many different sports and disciplines as possible. Explore them all. Eventually, you'll find the one where the people truly excel and the skill itself feels most interesting to you. That's when you make your choice.

Are you looking for something high-intensity and competitive, like organized sports, or would you prefer skill-based disciplines that incorporate a bit of Eastern philosophy?

Are you looking for just a stand-up fight, or are you interested in some grappling too?

Should I work with a sword or not?

@ placidbison20

Alright, so I’m actually heading out this Friday for my very first ultimate fighting training session. We'll see how it plays out, I suppose. I've decided that if I'm going to commit to something, I might as well try a discipline where I can actually put my body weight to good use—think wrestling or grappling🤷. Definitely sticking to unarmed sports, though. No blades, no clubs, just pure physics and grit.

Hey guys, what do you think about me signing my kid up for boxing... he’s 13 and really wants to do it... would you recommend boxing or maybe something else? Something specifically for street self-defense...

Lisa Bailey41 said:Hey guys, what do you think about me signing my kid up for boxing... he’s 13 and really wants to do it... would you recommend boxing or maybe something else? Something specifically for street self-defense...

If he wants to go for it, let him! It's an awesome sport.👍

Man, just knock him out with a boxing punch instead; honestly, a guy doesn't need to be taking those kinds of headshots, especially at his age. Just put him in a Judo or Karate class and call it a day.

Does anyone happen to know of a club in the States where they teach traditional Ju-Jutsu?
I'm aware that they teach it at the Genbukan, but I was wondering if anyone else besides them is offering that kind of training.

I think you’ll find Genbukan stays closest to traditional ju-jitsu. Everything else I've seen is mostly just karate and judo mixed with some "forbidden" techniques.

Casey Booth4 said:Does anyone happen to know of a club in the States where they teach traditional Ju-Jutsu?
I'm aware that they teach it at the Genbukan, but I was wondering if anyone else besides them is offering that kind of training.

Doubt it...

Daniel Garcia said:Doubt it...

Wait, didn't you mention you were training at Genbukan?
Perhaps you could enlighten me regarding Jiu-jitsu!
I am struggling to grasp the distinction between the Ninpo Taijutsu you practice and standard Jiu-jitsu.

Casey Booth4 said:Wait, didn't you mention you were training at Genbukan?
Perhaps you could enlighten me regarding Jiu-jitsu!
I am struggling to grasp the distinction between the Ninpo Taijutsu you practice and standard Jiu-jitsu.

Ninpo taijutsu—more about deep stances, bigger movements, flow...
Jiu-Jitsu—shorter stances, quicker strikes, blocks, more direct combat style.
A lot of techniques actually share the same foundation, though...

Can I actually get fit and drop about 10-15 pounds in two or three months just by "training" at home? I've got a punching bag and some gloves.
Zero experience here. Plus, I don't have the time or—let's be honest—the motivation to actually join a gym.
How much work are we talking? Every single day? An hour or two?
Thanks.

Do you have any actual experience with striking techniques?

If not, you should probably stop hitting the heavy bag and just go for a run, or stick to push-ups and sit-ups. Otherwise, I guess you're just going to end up injuring yourself.

Don't worry, I won't bruise easily.

What I really want to know is if boxing or kickboxing actually works for dropping pounds.🤷>
If you throw in some running or jumping rope, it’ll definitely happen.😕>

ironharbor22 said:Don't worry, I won't bruise easily.

What I really want to know is if boxing or kickboxing actually works for dropping pounds.🤷>
If you throw in some running or jumping rope, it’ll definitely happen.😕>

Of course it is. I have friends who box and former kickboxers, and they are all absolute beasts.

Edit:

I wouldn't bother overthinking the extra details. Just start slow and focus on stretching... though, honestly, who can guarantee you won't just break your hand? 😬

yo, which gym is actually worth hitting up in Split? please lmk

brightpanther4 said:yo, which gym is actually worth hitting up in Split? please lmk

from little woodsy guy ☕

I don't want to derail this thread too much, but I figured I’d pop in here under the MMA topic to ask a few things about training.

Basically, I’m looking to get back into some kind of shape and actually pick up some technique—you know, hand strikes, kicks, grappling, all that. Initially, I was thinking about Sambo or maybe Combat Sambo, but since we don't really have that here in the States, someone suggested I just go straight into MMA.

Since my goal isn't exactly to go out there and beat people up in competitions—and considering I haven't done any martial arts before and I'm "already" 26—I guess I'm wondering if it's possible to train more recreationally? Like, what would the sparring situation look like for someone in my position?

There's a gym near the University of Washington area in Seattle, if I'm remembering correctly, so if anyone has experience training around there, I'd love to hear it.

That's all for now.

Thanks.

silentfalcon9 said:I don't want to derail this thread too much, but I figured I’d pop in here under the MMA topic to ask a few things about training.

Basically, I’m looking to get back into some kind of shape and actually pick up some technique—you know, hand strikes, kicks, grappling, all that. Initially, I was thinking about Sambo or maybe Combat Sambo, but since we don't really have that here in the States, someone suggested I just go straight into MMA.

Since my goal isn't exactly to go out there and beat people up in competitions—and considering I haven't done any martial arts before and I'm "already" 26—I guess I'm wondering if it's possible to train more recreationally? Like, what would the sparring situation look like for someone in my position?

There's a gym near the University of Washington area in Seattle, if I'm remembering correctly, so if anyone has experience training around there, I'd love to hear it.

That's all for now.

Thanks.

If you're looking for advice on MMA training, everyone in this group is going to point you toward UFK Tresnjevka.

You’d be better off heading out, getting some eyes on your technique, and doing some drills with a coach.

I don't think anyone is actually obligated to show up for competitions if they don't want to.