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I do a Martial art called Choi-Kwang-Do, and on Saturday, there was an International Seminar, and the GrandMaster was there. He is 63, and is flexible like no-ones business!

There were over 500 people there (I'm not sure, there might've been 1000), and i began to think. How many different Martial arts are there? I mean, there are obvious ones, like Kung Fu and Karate, but how many of them are there, and does anyone go to them?

I did about two months of Jujistu when I was about 13-14, but I left/was advised to leave because I lacked the necessary discipline. It was alright, really, nothing especially different from any other martial art. Couple of holds that disable an attacker here and there, one of which I remember, still.

Well, first of all, Kung Fu comprises of dozens of styles (Shaolin and Wing Chun, both types of Wushu, come to mind) and Karate comprises of at least a dozen variations (Shotokan and Kenpo come to mind). I wouldn't be surprised if the number of "martial arts" variations worldwide numbered in the thousands. I personally haven't heard of Choi-Kwang-Do; the name sounds Korean, but the only Korean martial arts I've heard of are Taekwondo and Hapkido (sorry if those are misspelled; I'm neither a martial arts expert nor Korean), both of which have several variations.

I used to take Wing Chun lessons at my friend David's martial arts studio where he works (he's a Wushu instructor and gives demonstrations), but I only took them for a year before I decided to drop roughly half of the activities I took part in to concentrate on school, band, and quizbowl. The lessons were fun and interesting, especially since I'm not exactly a bendy person and Wing Chun does not emphasize flexability or acrobatics. I'm also convinced that all of the balancing forms I learned also helped my posture for marching band. The studio also had random demonstrations and one-session classes every month or so in styles and forms that didn't have regular lessons. While I was taking Wing Chun I partook in Escrima classes twice, and was qutie happy to discover that drumsticks make fairly good impromptu Escrima sticks .

So yeah, long story short, I used to take Wing Chun, and I know a fair amount about martial arts because I've been friends with a junkie for a long time. Frisbee's better.

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I personally haven't heard of Choi-Kwang-Do; the name sounds Korean, but the only Korean martial arts I've heard of are Taekwondo and Hapkido

You are correct, Choi is South Korean. And, although it is not very well known, it is expanding quite rapidly.

I got up to a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do when I was younger, but that was many years ago.

Although recently, I've felt an interest in learning Kung Fu...

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Jeet Kun Do.



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Join the Army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill them.

~Pacifist Badge, 1978

Choi-Kwang-Do is most certainly Korean, seeing as I am both interested in Martial Arts and Korean. I don't really know much about this particular Martial Art, but what I can gather about it right at the moment, it's a very recently created style, and it takes roots from Taekwondo. The way it was developed and the way it is trained, however, sounds sort of Kung-fu-esque, with fluidity of motion, maximum power through movement, practicality, and avoiding hits instead of taking them.

For a more in-depth opinion, wait for Super_Moogle to hit this topic.


And, as a small but important side note, try not to make this topic into a "Let's see how many Martial Arts we can name!!!!!" because there are thousands of styles and it would be futile to try to name them all.

Edit

Oh, I completely ignored the second part of the post. I currently take Tian Shan Pai Kung fu, and I took a lot of Taekwondo when I was younger, like a good little asian boy.

This post has been edited by Kappa the Imp on 27th September 2005 00:20

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I find your lack of faith disturbing...

The only martial art that I've taken is judo, and I'm quite fond of it. It focuses more on using your opponent's energy against them, rather than attacking with kicks and punches. You start a fight by basically grappling, gripping each other's gi (uniform) and trying to throw them to the ground (there are dozens of throws). I was in it off and on for about 4 years and got to orange belt (the second earned belt), but moved in December and haven't been able to find a good dojo yet.

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I had an old signature. Now I've changed it.

The martial arts are a major aspect of my life, and consume a vast quantity of my time, effort, and interest. Personally, I study Tien Shan Pai kung fu, a composite Northern Long Fist external style that is primarily based on parrying and swift counterattacks. Though ostensibly formulated in Taoist monasteries of the Tien Shan mountain range in China - the style's origins are somewhat a matter of dispute - today it is a largely Taiwanese based art with roots in practical kuoshu, as opposed to modern mainland wushu (a.k.a. dance aerobics).

I also have some limited experience with taekwondo and hapkido from earlier years, though most of it is forgotten now. I hope to someday study Muay Thai, as I consider it a fascinating and extremely effective style that I would like to work with alongside my current training.

The idea of naming all the martial arts systems in the world is truly futile, seeing as there are over a thousand different versions of Chinese kung fu alone. Even the term "martial art" allows itself for a vast amount of interpretation, expanding the number of potential systems to a staggering degree. Instead, I suggest that this topic focus on a discussion of specific martial arts or personal training.

I have heard of Choi Kwang Do, though I cannot say I've ever met a practitioner. From what I know of the style, it is a very recent offshoot of taekwondo that places emphasis on realistic self-defense and traditional training methods as opposed to the more modern, sports-oriented approach to the style. This is definitely an idea that I support, because I have long believed that many martial arts suffer from the modification of their original intent to fit an athletic or entertainment purpose. It really robs the martial arts of their heritage, and diminishes the reason for their existence.

However, having never met a Choi Kwang Do fighter or seen any demonstrations, I cannot be sure as to the effectiveness of the style for self-defense or physical training purposes. I can make some reasonable conjectures based on its close association with traditional taekwondo - it most likely places an emphasis on speedy long-range standup/striking, with kicking as the primary mode of offense.

In terms of self-defense reliability, my advice is to either cross-train or at least pick up some close-up inside moves from other styles, unless your current teacher has added them to the curriculum. It's very important for primary strikers to know how to handle themselves in a clinch, and avoid a takedown. (I assume that CKD has little emphasis on groundfighting, though due to my lack of first-hand experience I could be wrong.) Gain lots of combat or semi-combat experience through sparring, if possible; when it comes to fighting, experience is the best teacher by far.

More important than any of these things, though, is that you train hard and well, and listen to the advice of your instructors. Practice makes perfect.

This post has been edited by Super Moogle on 27th September 2005 04:29

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"I always have a quotation for everything - it saves original thinking."
~Dorothy L. Sayers

"The truly remarkable thing about television is that it allows several million people to laugh at the same joke and still feel lonely."
~T.S. Eliot

"Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as reality - in your own mind!"
~ Bruce Lee

I studied judo when I was young, then stopped, then picked up Jett Kun Do and Kali Philipino Eskrima from one of my neighbours, whom I met while running in the park, and who was apparently training in various martial arts ever since I was born (which gives him a good 26 years of experience...). I stopped training almost two years ago due to incompatible timetables with my studies and work, but I plan on picking it up again if my future job allows me to.

Martial arts. Amusing yet trivial. You think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face when I’m wearing these bad boys?



Forget about it!

In all honesty, I messed around with judo a little while until I figured it'd be a great idea to go ahead and drop a bench on my foot, crippling me for three months. My days in the ring have been a shadow from the past ever since...

This post has been edited by Djibriel on 27th September 2005 15:11

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The Collapse of Heaven and Earth

I've taken some Muai Thay, Kendo, and Karate in the past.

I know very little about martial arts but if there's one hobby I really want to take up, it's Judo. I really like the idea.

Unfortunately there are no clubs in my area... I'm thinking I may go a few towns away to a club anyway, as I really want to try this.



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'Let that be a lesson to all oppressive vegetable sellers.'

The martial arts, specifically Tae Kwon Do have been a major influence in my life. I went so far as to consider becoming a full-time instructor before unfortunate circumstances prevented my doing so.

I studied Shotokan Karate on and off from ages 5-16. When I moved to a different town in 11th grade I wasn't motivated enough to find another dojo and have been out of practice since.

As has been said, the most important things are patience, discipline, and practice. Unfortunately, I must say that I was lacking in all of these things at the time of my training.

Studying Shotokan again, and this time taking it seriously, is high on my list of priorities. I'll probably wait until I'm out of my parents' house and back in school. Part of the reason I've put it off is because I want to make sure I study at a proper dojo, i.e. not commercialized. I want to earn my belts, not receive them simply because I've paid my fees. Thankfully some of the schools I'm looking at seem to have nearby dojos dedicated to serious study.

well to list a whole lot of them
wikipedia

not many people know it but wrestling a.k.a grappling is a martial art

lets see i've done judo, juijitsu, and wrestling

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"Have you ever seen a baby do that before?"

I am doing Kajukenbo (been in it for over 2 years now), I want to do Akido, and I might take Kendo. I have trained myself in swordplay, but nothing special.

Kajukenbo is basically street fighting. It is a mix of many martial arts combined into one. My current status is Blue belt (progression for adult classes: white, purple, blue, green, brown, black). I've learned a lot and I have lots of fun. We also don't hold back our punches unless in the case of White belts. I should show you the blood my friend got on his white belt.

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Neneko is Neneko because Neneko couldn't be Neneko if Neneko wasn't Neneko!
--as quoted from Neneko, Mahoraba {Heartful Days}

I can stab a man with a thick paperback book thru the ribcage.

I used to be into boxing quite a bit. I always thought it would be interesting to see a world class boxer go up agaisnt different kinds of other martial arts. I found a story from the 30's, I think it was, that had a judo expert and a boxer go agaisnt each other in a ring. If I remember correctly, it was declared a draw.

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Join the Army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill them.

~Pacifist Badge, 1978

Quote (Djibriel @ 27th September 2005 07:23)

Martial arts. Amusing yet trivial. You think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face when I’m wearing these bad boys?



Forget about it!

YES!!.

...Anyway i don't think any one person can name all the styles of martial arts. (But it's not like this hasn't been said) I am corrently training in kung fu but i'm not to far along just a beginner. Still it's my goal to become a master.

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Do you like Horny Bunnies?

Quote (Hamedo @ 3rd October 2005 07:59)

I used to be into boxing quite a bit.  I always thought it would be interesting to see a world class boxer go up agaisnt different kinds of other martial arts.  I found a story from the 30's, I think it was, that had a judo expert and a boxer go agaisnt each other in a ring.  If I remember correctly, it was declared a draw.

I've always been an advocate of boxing as a legitimate martial art. Though it is limited in the sense that it only deals with stand-up striking and rarely hits "below the belt," I admire the boxer's emphasis on strategy, agility, and footwork. Boxing has always had its roots as an athletic event, but I believe that boxing is also a perfectly legitimate form of self-defense, with plenty of applications outside the ring. When doubled with a grappling or clinch oriented martial art to fill in the holes of the specialized style, boxing is very effective.

This post has been edited by Super Moogle on 4th October 2005 03:20

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"I always have a quotation for everything - it saves original thinking."
~Dorothy L. Sayers

"The truly remarkable thing about television is that it allows several million people to laugh at the same joke and still feel lonely."
~T.S. Eliot

"Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as reality - in your own mind!"
~ Bruce Lee

I agree, boxing's a very interesting sport to watch.

I can't imagine how I'd go up against a boxer, myself, as a judoka. (well, it'd have to be a low-level boxer.). You don't punch in judo, but you'd have to learn how to fend off the blows and attempt to get in for a throw. Without, I'm assuming, the boxed grappling you back, which is what you do in judo. Very challenging. And of course the boxer has to be able to strike without risking the other one getting in too close.

If anyone knows of a video or something online of a boxer and judoka fighting, I'd love to see it. Or any sort of cross-discipline fighting.

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I had an old signature. Now I've changed it.

I was a green belt in Karate eons ago, as a 10-year-old kid. In fact, I might as well not've taken it at all, as I currently can't remember squat.

If swordfighting counts, I once took similar classes (okay, fencing rather). Nothing that would technically qualify as "martial arts."

My passion for the past few years has been kickboxing. I'm not as well practiced as I probably should be though, seeing as I only take classes at the gym during the spring rather than all year long.

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Words of Wisdom:

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If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.

If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. - Murphy’s Law

Boing! Zoom! - Mr. Saturn

1. Choi-Kwang-Do is derived from Tae Kwon Do, it's like alot of modern forms. Fun for begginers, a good work-out, a mixing-pot of various philosophies, geared towards self-defence in 'street' situations. That is all I know.

2.

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Jeet Kun Do.

Jeet Kun Do is not a style/form. It's a philosophy to be taken to any Martial Art you learn. Take the most effective techniques from it, dump the rest.

3. If I could learn any Martial Art, from a real master, I would choose Okinawan Karate. The old stuff. The real stuff. All about putting them on their arse within a blink of the eye. Thats an art. Though theres no point me taking classes around here. It'd be some fitness instructor with a Judo book from the local library.

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Whether you take the doughnut hole as a blank space or as an entity unto itself is a purely metaphysical question and does not affect the taste of the doughnut one bit.

http://slightly-bitter.blog.co.uk

Quote (BASSsic @ 4th October 2005 06:15)

Jeet Kun Do is not a style/form. It's a philosophy to be taken to any Martial Art you learn. Take the most effective techniques from it, dump the rest.

Jeet Kun Do, in essence, is really just a philosophy. It's more of a mindset of strategy rather than a series of techniques. This leads me to the conclusion that Jeet Kun Do can't be taught at all, and is probably not intended to be. Besides, the only way to make Jeet Kun Do ultimately effective, considering its ideals, is to be like Bruce Lee. And that's damn well near impossible.

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3. If I could learn any Martial Art, from a real master, I would choose Okinawan Karate. The old stuff. The real stuff. All about putting them on their arse within a blink of the eye. Thats an art.

Okinawan Karate...like MISTER MIYAGI?

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I find your lack of faith disturbing...

Kappa
Jeet Kun Do, in essence, is really just a philosophy. It's more of a mindset of strategy rather than a series of techniques. This leads me to the conclusion that Jeet Kun Do can't be taught at all, and is probably not intended to be. Besides, the only way to make Jeet Kun Do ultimately effective, considering its ideals, is to be like Bruce Lee. And that's damn well near impossible.

Yes.

Kappa
Okinawan Karate...like MISTER MIYAGI?

Errr. If you like.



This post has been edited by BASSsic on 4th October 2005 19:32

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Whether you take the doughnut hole as a blank space or as an entity unto itself is a purely metaphysical question and does not affect the taste of the doughnut one bit.

http://slightly-bitter.blog.co.uk

I want to be just like Mr. Miyagi when I grow up.

Jeet Kune Do is an interesting concept and philosophy, but I don't believe it was ever meant to be taught formally in a school setting, especially not for a fee. Though many of Lee's former students and students' students, most notably Dan Inosanto and Taky Kimura, have opened up schools teaching variants of JKD and "Jun Fan Gung Fu," Bruce himself disavowed the idea of teaching JKD as a set system, promoting instead its use as a guideline and overall perspective rather than a strict method. This would probably explain why modern-day JKD schools have so little in common with one another, as they all take their respective curricula from the divergent interpretations of the owners.

While we're on the subject of Bruce Lee, I might as well mention that he's my favorite martial artist of all time. I was never really sure of my love for the martial arts until I saw my first Bruce Lee movie (Fist of Fury a.k.a. the Chinese Connection), and I consider him one of the foremost inspirations and role models for my current training. I really respect and admire Bruce Lee for what he accomplished, and the virtues of hard work, self-discipline, and intelligent living that he espoused.

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"I always have a quotation for everything - it saves original thinking."
~Dorothy L. Sayers

"The truly remarkable thing about television is that it allows several million people to laugh at the same joke and still feel lonely."
~T.S. Eliot

"Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as reality - in your own mind!"
~ Bruce Lee

My old college roomate, who is an instructor at a Kwoon in Chinatown (his father is Sifu) hates Mr. Miyagi, Daniel-San, the crane kick, wax on wax off, and every other aspect of the Karate Kid franchise. He considers it to be one of the worst representations of the martial arts ever captured on film.

You could not have a sharper contrast with Bruce Lee.

Quote (Super Moogle @ 4th October 2005 18:05)

While we're on the subject of Bruce Lee, I might as well mention that he's my favorite martial artist of all time.  I was never really sure of my love for the martial arts until I saw my first Bruce Lee movie (Fist of Fury a.k.a. the Chinese Connection), and I consider him one of the foremost inspirations and role models for my current training.  I really respect and admire Bruce Lee for what he accomplished, and the virtues of hard work, self-discipline, and intelligent living that he espoused.

You and Spike Spiegel both.

I have a question for the serious martial artists. What would you rank as the most important attributes to develop for successful fighting? For instance, Jeffrey (my old roomate) was describing to me how size and muscle mass, which is typically taken as an indicator of strength in this culture, may not necessarily give one an advantage. He described how a 6'0, 200lbs fighter could cause more pain if he lands his attacks, but might be at a disadvantage against someone who was better trained and faster.

I realize that in certain situations different skills will serve someone better, but do you personally place more of an emphasis on some more than others?

Quote (MetroidMorphBall @ 4th October 2005 18:39)

I have a question for the serious martial artists.  What would you rank as the most important attributes to develop for successful fighting?  For instance, Jeffrey (my old roomate) was describing to me how size and muscle mass, which is typically taken as an indicator of strength in this culture, may not necessarily give one an advantage.  He described how a 6'0, 200lbs fighter could cause more pain if he lands his attacks, but might be at a disadvantage against someone who was better trained and faster.

I realize that in certain situations different skills will serve someone better, but do you personally place more of an emphasis on some more than others

That's a big question, and one with many answers. Different martial artists will tell you different things. Ultimately, I think it has a lot to do with how you view your training. By "fighting," I assume you mean practical applications for self-defense.

I believe that the number one absolute most important attribute in terms of learning how to fight is simply practice. Regardless of how many fancy techniques you know, unless you train long and hard, they will be meaningless in the frenzy of spontaneous combat. Dedication is the key to becoming a good martial artist, and that means practicing self-discipline. Train until your skills transcend the intellect and become second nature.

Another extremely important factor in self-defense is experience. For better or for worse, the best fighters are the ones who fight a lot. Does this mean deliberately putting yourself in dangerous situations? While that is a possible route, it's not necessarily the smartest one - picking a fight with the wrong guy can land you in all sorts of trouble (and pain). Instead, I suggest participating in a lot of full-contact sparring with other martial artists of similar skill in a controlled environment. Sometimes the opportunity to do so has a lot to do with your teacher or school, because not all styles promote sparring. If this is the case, I think you should at least expose yourself to a few applicable situations. It is also always important to remember the environmental factor of self-defense; not all violent encounters will be in a sterilized, formal one-on-one competition.

It's true that the bigger man is not necessarily the more powerful one. Though being large and physically strong can be an asset, it never guarantees a win. Heavy weight-lifting is certainly of some value for increasing the strength of punches and kicks, but it is limited because it imposes a drastic increase in muscle mass, making it all the more difficult to improve speed. The traditional methods of training, currently found mostly in Chinese kung fu and Muay Thai, instead involves the acquisition of dynamic hitting power as a result of hardening the body through contact with tough physical objects. Examples for kung fu include the famous Iron Palm training methods, which involve hitting extremely hard objects (i.e. iron) continuously in order to strengthen the hands. Muay Thai fighters undergo similar training by kicking trees, tires, poles, etc. Training in such a way produces massive hitting power without excessive muscle buildup. A fairly small person can still develop incredible strength in this way.

So why doesn't everyone use traditional training methods? Frankly, they're extremely difficult. Aside from the overwhelming strain they place on the body, they also require literally hours of dedication and careful structuring of diet and physical activity in order to prevent the body from running itself into the ground. Normal people with jobs, school, or everyday concerns simply cannot devote that kind of time and effort to their training; after all, these methods were invented by monks and professional fighters who had little else to do with their lives. For this reason, modern exercise can be far more attractive and realistic. In kung fu, typically only the most serious, dedicated, and advanced students go into the extreme conditioning exercises, and some schools have cut them out of the curriculum entirely. However, there are other aspects of traditional physical training that are less demanding. My personal favorite is to take a punching bag and fill it with sand and/or rocks to make it much harder, and practicing strikes and kicks with it. This will harden the body in a similar way, without the excessive strain and invasive requirements.

Even outside of traditional martial arts, size is not a guarantee of success. A fine example would be the legendary Royce Gracie, who came into prominence in the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Though constantly fighting opponents at an incredible size disadvantage, he came out on top time and again thanks to his skill and technical expertise on the ground due to his training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Strategy and technique will almost always defeat stupid brute force.

This post has been edited by Super Moogle on 5th October 2005 04:27

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"I always have a quotation for everything - it saves original thinking."
~Dorothy L. Sayers

"The truly remarkable thing about television is that it allows several million people to laugh at the same joke and still feel lonely."
~T.S. Eliot

"Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as reality - in your own mind!"
~ Bruce Lee

Quote (Super Moogle @ 4th October 2005 23:24)

Strategy and technique will almost always defeat stupid brute force.

and then along came Mike Valley. lol.



anways, a friend of mine practices Jeet Kune Do and he tried to teach me, but i'd be damned if i could pick it up. i'll stick with kickboxing mixed with streetfighting. always gets the job done for me.

This post has been edited by Malevolence on 5th October 2005 17:20

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moé in the streets, senpai in the sheets

Quote

Quote (MetroidMorphBall @ 4th October 2005 18:39)
I have a question for the serious martial artists.  What would you rank as the most important attributes to develop for successful fighting?  For instance, Jeffrey (my old roomate) was describing to me how size and muscle mass, which is typically taken as an indicator of strength in this culture, may not necessarily give one an advantage.  He described how a 6'0, 200lbs fighter could cause more pain if he lands his attacks, but might be at a disadvantage against someone who was better trained and faster.

I realize that in certain situations different skills will serve someone better, but do you personally place more of an emphasis on some more than others

That's a big question, and one with many answers. Different martial artists will tell you different things. Ultimately, I think it has a lot to do with how you view your training. By "fighting," I assume you mean practical applications for self-defense.

I believe that the number one absolute most important attribute in terms of learning how to fight is simply practice. Regardless of how many fancy techniques you know, unless you train long and hard, they will be meaningless in the frenzy of spontaneous combat. Dedication is the key to becoming a good martial artist, and that means practicing self-discipline. Train until your skills transcend the intellect and become second nature.

Another extremely important factor in self-defense is experience. For better or for worse, the best fighters are the ones who fight a lot. Does this mean deliberately putting yourself in dangerous situations? While that is a possible route, it's not necessarily the smartest one - picking a fight with the wrong guy can land you in all sorts of trouble (and pain). Instead, I suggest participating in a lot of full-contact sparring with other martial artists of similar skill in a controlled environment. Sometimes the opportunity to do so has a lot to do with your teacher or school, because not all styles promote sparring. If this is the case, I think you should at least expose yourself to a few applicable situations. It is also always important to remember the environmental factor of self-defense; not all violent encounters will be in a sterilized, formal one-on-one competition.

It's true that the bigger man is not necessarily the more powerful one. Though being large and physically strong can be an asset, it never guarantees a win. Heavy weight-lifting is certainly of some value for increasing the strength of punches and kicks, but it is limited because it imposes a drastic increase in muscle mass, making it all the more difficult to improve speed. The traditional methods of training, currently found mostly in Chinese kung fu and Muay Thai, instead involves the acquisition of dynamic hitting power as a result of hardening the body through contact with tough physical objects. Examples for kung fu include the famous Iron Palm training methods, which involve hitting extremely hard objects (i.e. iron) continuously in order to strengthen the hands. Muay Thai fighters undergo similar training by kicking trees, tires, poles, etc. Training in such a way produces massive hitting power without excessive muscle buildup. A fairly small person can still develop incredible strength in this way.

So why doesn't everyone use traditional training methods? Frankly, they're extremely difficult. Aside from the overwhelming strain they place on the body, they also require literally hours of dedication and careful structuring of diet and physical activity in order to prevent the body from running itself into the ground. Normal people with jobs, school, or everyday concerns simply cannot devote that kind of time and effort to their training; after all, these methods were invented by monks and professional fighters who had little else to do with their lives. For this reason, modern exercise can be far more attractive and realistic. In kung fu, typically only the most serious, dedicated, and advanced students go into the extreme conditioning exercises, and some schools have cut them out of the curriculum entirely. However, there are other aspects of traditional physical training that are less demanding. My personal favorite is to take a punching bag and fill it with sand and/or rocks to make it much harder, and practicing strikes and kicks with it. This will harden the body in a similar way, without the excessive strain and invasive requirements.

Even outside of traditional martial arts, size is not a guarantee of success. A fine example would be the legendary Royce Gracie, who came into prominence in the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Though constantly fighting opponents at an incredible size disadvantage, he came out on top time and again thanks to his skill and technical expertise on the ground due to his training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Strategy and technique will almost always defeat stupid brute force.

long huh
let me put it this way, you'll see this most often in wrestling
there will be guys like jake varner who just have it all strength, quickness, technique, desire (a.k.a. a coaches dream)

and then you get these few random kids from nowhere schools who are natural athletes
but have no technique or training
(sometimes they're what are sometimes considered bad eses) just tough individuals

then you'll get the regualr joe schmoe who will work hard on technique
for a long time, then jump rope constantly to increase footspeed
and just don't stop working on technique(sometimes there will be guys who look like they can't even do a push-up, but they are so technical, they are "gumby", they use the stud's own muscles against him, they are very flexible, and understand leverage)

well let me tell ya consesus shows speed+techinque will win more often
that huge stud will try to muscle the guy around, but because "gumby" just so happens to be so good at technique he understands leverage perfectly and no amount of muscle can stop that(and when they're so buffed up they're inflexible it makes "gumby's" job that much easier)

so word to the wise
work on footspeed and technique
strech out often and have a steady weightlifting plan

so you don't have to worry about anyone being strong, faster, or technically better

because usually the main deciding factor is mental toughness; the willpower

because they're still those stories about the athletes with strength, no real trying, a lot of desire, and willpower that go all the way (collage coaches love these guys, the ones with the 'eye of the tiger', because you can teach anyone technique, but you can't always teach mental toughness)

take a look at ufc's matt hughes do you think he ever worries about choosing between footspeed and strength

he has so much willpower he works on everything and he the match he never stops, i have never seen him tap out

This post has been edited by Cloud_Strife510 on 7th October 2005 05:47

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"Have you ever seen a baby do that before?"