[Mars Djinni]

Probably one of the world's most diverse and vertasile "sports". One of the most fun, in my opinion <_<. What is a Martial Art? Stupid question, I know. In short, it's a traditional way to kick butt (literally). Basically, it's any kind of training that involves combat of any sort.

I'm an Assistant Instructor in TaeKwonDo. My belt rank is black-stripe, which is a red belt with a black line across; one rank below Black Belt. I should get my exam for 1st Dan Black Belt this October, which I have to do all 10 TaeGeuk Poomses (Choreographed Patterns) and break pine boards with 8 different techniques. To top it off, I have to spar with one of the present black belts, and I can't lose by more than 5 points. Good fun. :o

I also do a some Tricking, which is basically performing moves to entertain, much like the Brazilian "Capoeira". The 540-degree Roundhouse kick, Ladder 360 and Double-leg Slapkick are the moves I like to use most.

It's a pretty interesting thing to try. Anyone else participate?

[Nosferatu]

I used to do some Karate, techniclly the same I guess, for awhile, but I decided to break from it. Forget how high I got.

[Bexie]

I joined karate when I was seven. But being the easily bored child that I was, I quit. I quit before I was even given my uniform. xD Wish I didn't now. Been thinking about taking something like it up again, but I'm not going to, because I'd feel stupid. Why? I've watched a few martial arts classes in my time, and all the people starting out are about six. I'm seventeen. I'd look a bit of a prat, wouldn't I?

My friend Nic does karate, tho. She's a black stripe at the moment.

[FlamingDuck]

I always wanted to learn karate or tang su do(is that how you spell it?), but I never had the time or initiative.

[Aquamarine]

I trained Aikido a few years ago, but stopped in the end. I was very un-motivated when I was a kid. I'm looking all over the place now to find where I can do a fighting style involving the katana, or even better the staff, since I've done quite a lot of rod training on my own and I'm surprisingly good, considering I trained myself.

Congratulations MD, that's great! And good luck for October.

[Mars Djinni]

Thanks. I self-trained myself with the staff as well. In Black Belt level, staves are an extra feature that is taught at my Dojang, I beleive.

At the class that I volunteer for, there are two twelve-year-olds in a sea of six-year olds. They don't mind, since the rest of the assistants keep them company. As you get more advanced, there would be more people around your age group. Trust me, the beginnign might sound tedious, but when you get higher, it'll get more fun.

For those who don't know TaeKwonDo is based around flashy kicking techniques. Even though I'm as inflexible as a rock, I make up for kicking range with jumping height.

[Golden Legacy]

Impressive, MD.

I joined for a few months when I was around nine. I reached the third belt (green belt?) before I suddenly stopped going.

MD, is it still possible for a person my age to learn Martial Arts? As much as I would hate having to be in a crowd of six-year-old white belts, I'm rather interested in learning.

[Split Infinity]

Of course, although you'd be right about the six-year-olds. I tried a bit of TaeKwonDo myself, but it was far too tireing.

[Mars Djinni]

Golden Legacy, on Aug 27 2006, 05:48 PM, said:

Impressive, MD.

I joined for a few months when I was around nine. I reached the third belt (green belt?) before I suddenly stopped going.

MD, is it still possible for a person my age to learn Martial Arts? As much as I would hate having to be in a crowd of six-year-old white belts, I'm rather interested in learning.

If ever I'm around New York or in the Niagra falls area of Tornto, I could teach you what I know over there. =)

I wouldn't worry about it. In my Dojang, they usually don't mind the people near them unless they know them already. Not too embarrasing. Green Belt's where the fun starts, IMO

Split Infinity, on Aug 27 2006, 05:55 PM, said:

Of course, although you'd be right about the six-year-olds. I tried a bit of TaeKwonDo myself, but it was far too tireing.

The most powerful kicks require a lot of stamina. I suggest taking up track or basketball to build stamina.

[Split Infinity]

I have mental stamina, but I guess that just won't cut it in this case.

[Aquamarine]

You mean, you're mental... without the stamina part. :!:

My staff is one of my most prized posetions. I love it, and train with it every single day. Yes, I keep accidentaly hitting lamps, walls and any other unfortunate objects that might be in the way, but I don't care. I have loads of fun teaching myself new moves, which I actually mostly get from Soul Calibur II :(. I love Kilik, even though he has an annoying voice.

[Mars Djinni]

Mental stamina will help you concentrate when doing poomse. Breathing control is a key element in TaeKwonDo. Every time you kick, you have to do something called a kihap, which is a yell to release the tension and pressure from inside of your body. The louder, the stroger. It's either that, or you just release the air by forcing it out via the diaphragm. The sound it makes varies. Mine makes a "Tsuh!" sound. o_o

By using breathign control, it's easier to relax your body, because of releasing the inner stress, then making it easier to concetrate and stretch a lot easier.

Example. Usually, my jump-slapkick can't go very high because I tensed myself up too much. When I relaxed a little, I kicked the target, which then flew out of the other assistant instructors' hands and hit the ceiling, almost breaking the panel. That was an arm's length above my head, which is mandatory for Black Belt testing.

I broke a lightbulb with my staff, actually. u_u; I want a bamboo one (Philippine IMPORT!), I just have a makeshift plastic one (A halloween scythe with the top cut off).

[Bexie]

Hahaha. I've been thinking, trying to remember the exact reason why I quit karate back when I was seven. I remember now. The main reason I quit was because I didn't like having to work at things. I was one of those people (and still am, really, though not as extreme as I was) who, if they can't do something the first or second time, they give up. And as a kid I was pretty used to being able to do anything the first time I tried. If I couldn't, I'd throw a tantrum and never attempt it again. ^^;;
Also, I quit because I obviously wasn't allowed to do some of the stuff the higher belts could do. That also relates to my "I'll give up if I can't do it first time" thing - I was also an arrogant little girl who believed she could do anything, and didn't like it when she was told "You can't do that yet." Result = tantrum. xD
And I didn't like the warming up stuff. It was lots of running from one end of the room to the other. I didn't like that, so that's another reason I quit.

Basically, when I was a kid, if something wasn't done the exact way I wanted, I'd throw a tantrum/give up.

Damn, I was a brat. >.<

[Toasty]

I tried Karate for a day, didn't like it that much, but then again, you never really learn to like something until you've done it a while. One main reason though, is that I prefer to be self taught at many things. Piano is one, and I have a natural talent to hear something, then be able to play it right once I've found the first key, and from there, find the rest of them. It took me about five minutes to play the Star Wars opening theme on the piano that way. I would like to know some martial arts though, and kind of regret quitting so soon.

[Mars Djinni]

That's the thing. It's alright to self-teach, but that's just half the experience. No one likes the first class. I got feedback from one of the 12-year old students after the first week. "It's boring, I hate it..." She said. Next season, she was the best in the class. I wouldn't be surprised if 6 years later she'd be snapping that last pine board that I had trouble on. All she needed to know was why we have to do things certain ways.

It's enough to learn through experience on your own, but it gets you on your feet faster if you have someone to train by. (No, Maxi doesn't count =P) Gives you a lot more time to scale higher heights.

[Somia]

I've always wanted to take lessons when I was little, but I ended up not taking any. I'll see what I can find on the Fall & Winter Edition of the "Toronto Fun Guide".

[Mars Djinni]

I'll be your online customer assistance, if you want. ^_^;

[Aquamarine]

I love my little collection of Eastern weapons. It includes the staff, one of my favorite things in the whole world, a nunchaku and a shuriken. The nunchaku is made of metal sticks(handles) connected with a chain. That sounds quite dangerous, but I still spin it arouns quite often in my room. I can tell you one thing, it's not pleasant to accidentaly whack yourself over the head with a hard piece of metal. :blink: Thankfuly that doesn't happen anymore now that I'm a bit more skilful.
The shuriken is awesome, just throw it into the air and it'll almost certainly pin itself into something. Most often it will be the wooden floor, but it may also happen to a picture frame and boxes like it did to me. Even though someone can easily be killed by it, one of my idiotic friends practicaly threw it at me. He managed to chip a huge part of the wall with it. That's how dangerous it is!
Sorry, I know this hasn't got a lot do with martial art really...

[Somia]

Did you know what you could use Ribbons as a weapon if you take "Shao Ling"? o_o''

[Mars Djinni]

I have black handwraps that I can somewhat use as a weapon. As for other equpment, I have my sparring gear (Feet + Hand pads). Looks like halfglove versions of Boxing Gloves. What I'm aiming to have are those Adidas TaeKwonDo shoes. I don't want to go barefoot, as the constant movement and spinning on my toe really gets to it.

Picture: http://www.bushido.ca/catalog_images/_images/_product_group/display/5133/5133_0.jpg

[Toasty]

I have absolutely no "Eastern" weapons (though I do have a really crappy air soft gun :blink: ). However, whenever I find a long skinny pole or stick or something, I'll pick it up and practice. [smart]But I always do it outside, Aqua. :lol: [smart/]

[Mars Djinni]

I actually barely use weapons. Hands and feet are fine, but if there's a loose pipe or something, I'll take that with me.

[Nosferatu]

Mars Djinni, on Aug 31 2006, 07:01 PM, said:

I actually barely use weapons. Hands and feet are fine, but if there's a loose pipe or something, I'll take that with me.

Heh. You should play Dead Rising. Lots of martial arts moves you can do, and more loose pipes then you can shake a....loose pipe at.

Anyway, I might start it again just for the heck of it. Karate, not Dead Rising. That I've already started.

[Aquamarine]

I don't use these weapons I have, to like, learn to kill someone, I just have a lot of fun wielding them. That's all. Of couse, if spinning a stick around comes in handy one day all the better...

[Mars Djinni]

I use Martial Arts primarily for demonstration. It's like my form of dance. Like I said before, Tricking is like Martial Arts with dancing (breakdancing in my case). The thing is that there are a lot of situations that can be brought to mind, as everyone at one point in their lives threw a punch once, to hurt or no.

If you want to take a look at some of moves of TaeKwonDo, check out Fox and Falco from SSBM. In the brackets is the button you have to press.

Punch - (A) Basic punch in L-Stance
Roundhouse/Turning Kick - (A 3x) Most used kick. Aimed at the Ribs or side of the head.
Ladder Sidekick - (A Repeatedly) Kick used to stomp the opponent. This ladder kick attacks like kicking the steps off of a ladder from the ground up.
Reverse Kick - (Forward-Smash A) A sweeping Kick. Spin on your front foot, then swipe your back leg 270 degrees. Aimed at the head area, used to crash them to the ground.
Jump Sidekick - (Dash, A) A classic. One leg is out in front, the other is pulled back, white the hands balance out. This is all in midair. A personal favourite of mine.
540 Kick - (Forward Air Repeatedly) My tricking move. It's a tornado like spinning motion. If done properly, the same leg takes off, kicks, and lands, successfully completing a 540 degree spin.

[Piers Watermaster]

I too enjoy the noble art of stick-spinning... and I have honed my knife-fighting skills to perfection.

[Somia]

Well, I picked my classes and all, now I hope me and friens all gets in and yea.. ^-^''

Can't wait. >w<

[Caael]

Normally, I wont need to have Martial arts- I have no mortal enemies out to kill me. I can fight ( if dirty fighting) well enough, but I dont see the need to go to classes.

I'd have to pay also, which is a bit crap.

[pHantOm]

Im considering taking up Aikido, im rather skinny and martial arts would be useful for self defense against a much larger opponent.

[Mars Djinni]

Somia, on Sep 16 2006, 07:30 PM, said:

Well, I picked my classes and all, now I hope me and friens all gets in and yea.. ^-^''

Can't wait. >w<

Good luck and have fun, which I know you will. If you need/want pointers, I'll be in the fireplace. ;D

pHantOm, on Sep 17 2006, 07:19 AM, said:

Im considering taking up Aikido, im rather skinny and martial arts would be useful for self defense against a much larger opponent.

Did I mention I'm always paired up with 6'+ tall people in Sparring? ;_; (I'm 5' 5", so their feet have 7 inches of advantage. Lucky I have one foot's worth of aerial advantage)

[Toasty]

I'm very light on my feet, and can jump over things 1'+ higher than most people I know. I've taught myself a few things, but I'm still not sure if I would ever take lessons or anything.

[Mars Djinni]

There's an interesting concept of Patterns.

It's called the Sine Wave. If anyone knows anything a out it, it's a frequency that looks liek this:

http://fluidiom.v2.nl/images/sine-wave.jpg

Now, Breathing Control and the grace of the Patterns actually come into play based on it. See, the movement goes as Down, Up, Down. Your body should go down to build momentum, go up to position, and down again to strike. Your body should make a motion as the top arch of the wave. It makes concentration a lot easier and makes the patterns look a lot more authentic, fluid, and nice to watch.

[FlamingDuck]

Yes, but how exactly do you get yourself to do that? Like, just breath in, out, in, out, or is there is just some special way?

[Mars Djinni]

More or less in and out, but you force it out so that it makes a sound. Should sound like you're hushing someone, but louder.