Posted: 2/12/2025 6:12:12 PM EDT
| Title says it all. What kind of martial art/self defense do you train in? What have you done in the past? |
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Wado Ryu as a kid in the '70s when everything was just "karate". As an adult, I'm a 4th in American Kenpo and my training partner is a BB in Hapkido, so I have a lot of that blended in and I've started dabbling in Jujitsu, but I'm getting old and not seeking rank, just something to blend in with my base in Kenpo. Anyone that asks a similar question, I tell them to train in whatever you like that fits you where you are in your life, your physical attributes such as speed, strength, age, etc. Many people have learned to apply what they learned in sport TKD to self defense. It's mindset as well as training. Good luck with whatever you choose and enjoy it. My wife says my training has made me a happier person.  ETA: I still teach a small Kenpo program that's nestled within a TKD school. They're good folks for having me and invite me to their functions and black belt exams as a judge. |
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| As a teen I did kenpo in the 80s at Tracy's studio which I think is an off shoot of Ed parker. I made it to brown belt. It was ok but way too commercial and not that practical. My kids and wife did Bjj at an mma gym. I went and watched but didn't get involved. I trained in powerlifting for a couple decades. I didn't think my joints would appreciate it. |
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Gun Kata |
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Me: Started off in Olympic TKD and earned my 2nd degree after competing for the Ft Bragg and All Army TKD teams. Havent done TKD in a long time though. Started messing with BJJ/GJJ in the early 90s when a local Kempo guy would bring Rickson in for seminars and continued training via instructional tapes until I landed at a Marcelo Alonso affiliate for a short period of time in the early 2000s. From there I stayed with the same instructors until one died in a car wreck and I took a few years off each time. After spending time with Carlson Jr, CheckMat, Alliance, Traven, and Nova União schools; I'm now at a Gordo affiliate and just started working out at the local Gracie CTC (doing the Combatives material) for some supplemental mat time and work purposes. Currently a 2 stripe purple. I've also worked with the Scientific Fighting Congress, Tony Blauer, and a few others from the "realistic" self defense side of the house. Round that out with some FMA through time with Remy Presas and Bobby Toabada. Theres been other stuff along the way too, but that is the notable stuff.
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Grew up backyard boxing and wrestling (no official matches). Did Judo and TKD in college. Post college some BJJ, which is funded through my employer. I've been considering hiring a boxing coach and doing 2 sessions per week lately as my new gym has a coach that does private sessions. Also know a guy that has a bunch of amateur boxing matches who is considering going pro this year so I'd have a good sparring partner for that. |
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Started training no-gi jiu jitsu about 10 months ago and got into Muay Thai about 8 months ago. Every once in awhile I do attend the wrestling classes at my gym, so have dabbled in it a bit because guard pulling is gay. Since joining the bjj gym and doing some weight lifting about twice a week, I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life at age 39. I have since lost 13 pounds and I’m happy with where my cardio is but continuing to improve it. |
“Mejor morir de pie que vivir toda una vida arrodillado” - Emiliano Zapata
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees" - Emiliano Zapata
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees" - Emiliano Zapata
| I’ve been training in Hawaiian kenpo systems as my base for nearly 4 decades with cross training in other arts, such as tang soo do, tae kwon do, kung fu, BJJ, and kali silat. I hold belts and instructor certifications in most of these. |
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TKD as a pre-teen, Tai Chi Yang Long as an adolescent and Army combatives with some unofficial BJJ and Grecco-Roman mixed-in. I'm about to pick Tai Chi back up. My son does 7-star Mantis Kung-fu. He's 12 and got his first black belt this past Fall. |
Why is the sky blue?
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What makes the green grass grow?
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Various stuff. Getting too old to really do it for its intended purpose, just keep doing it as fun exercise, though I haven't yet sunk to the low point of ladies' cardio 'kickboxing'. One sad truth is that you can't learn to fight without being punched in the face repeatedly. Any place that just does some bs stuff that's 'too dangerous to use in sparring' is a scam. |
| I've been training in various martial arts for almost 40 years now. The current system that I've been involved with for over 25 years is a combination of Japanese striking arts like Shotokan and Kyokushin along with some BJJ and Judo. The primary focus is on self-defense, and what actually works in realistic street defense scenarios. When we spar we hit each other. There's none of this pulling your technique 8 inches from your target. In the early days I used to fight in garage dojo's. Now that I look back on it, it was pretty brutal but man did I learn a lot. |
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Lordy, where to start. Ni-Dan in Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Dan in Aikido Brown Belt in Tae Kwon Do Did a few years of wrestling Judo (my personal favorite) 4 years of Praying Mantis kung fu Several years of boxing I am almost 50 now and my joints remind me every day how hard on your body some of these sports are. |
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I started training in April 2004, so like 21.5 years. 4th degree in Kempo Jiu Jitsu Black Belt in red dragon Jiu Jitsu Black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I spent a few years training Muay Thai, and a decade or so studying Erik Paulson's STX kickboxing system. Trained Shaolin kung fu/5 animal kung fu/fu jow pai for close to 20 years although never formally ranked. I've studied Sayoc Kali, Pikiti Trsi and currently working with someone in Doce Pares. |
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Been training both Gi and No-Gi BJJ for around 5 years All of the coaches/instructors lean heavily into the self defense side of things It’s also the most competition focused gym I’ve been a member of. I haven’t competed in a few years but i do enjoy being involved with a group of people who are continuously pushing themselves |
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Started training in Tang Soo Do at 6. Have my 2nd dan in it. Wrestled in high school where I would have gone to the Illinois state champ but I graduated early to enlist. I wouldn't have placed fwiw. Brown belt in mcmap. While stationed in okinawa I trained at a local shotokan dojo for 8 months and was nearly identical to TSD. During that time I did dabble in some judo and jujitsu which helped my wrestling. Not much since then though. I spent 10 years bouncing then started working in psych hospitals so a constant use of body mechanics. My son has been training the last 2 years in bjj and kickboxing and ive been sorely tempted to at least start one night a week after his class. |
Do Good
Be Dangerous
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Be Dangerous
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Originally Posted By 03RN: Started training in Tang Soo Do at 6. Have my 2nd dan in it. Wrestled in high school where I would have gone to the Illinois state champ but I graduated early to enlist. I wouldn't have placed fwiw. Brown belt in mcmap. While stationed in okinawa I trained at a local shotokan dojo for 8 months and was nearly identical to TSD. During that time I did dabble in some judo and jujitsu which helped my wrestling. Not much since then though. I spent 10 years bouncing then started working in psych hospitals so a constant use of body mechanics. My son has been training the last 2 years in bjj and kickboxing and ive been sorely tempted to at least start one night a week after his class. Go for it. I've been tempted to follow my son into his Kung-fu training. |
Why is the sky blue?
What makes the green grass grow?
What makes the green grass grow?
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Originally Posted By 11boomboom: Go for it. I've been tempted to follow my son into his Kung-fu training. Originally Posted By 11boomboom: Originally Posted By 03RN: Started training in Tang Soo Do at 6. Have my 2nd dan in it. Wrestled in high school where I would have gone to the Illinois state champ but I graduated early to enlist. I wouldn't have placed fwiw. Brown belt in mcmap. While stationed in okinawa I trained at a local shotokan dojo for 8 months and was nearly identical to TSD. During that time I did dabble in some judo and jujitsu which helped my wrestling. Not much since then though. I spent 10 years bouncing then started working in psych hospitals so a constant use of body mechanics. My son has been training the last 2 years in bjj and kickboxing and ive been sorely tempted to at least start one night a week after his class. Go for it. I've been tempted to follow my son into his Kung-fu training. Its kinda a time thing and then my son would be forced to wait for my class to finish. It would be a good time for him to read or something. Then by the time we get home it would be his bedtime and since I work 2nd shift we try doing fun stuff after dinner and before bed on my days off mon-tue. It would be better if he was in the adult class so I could roll with him. |
Do Good
Be Dangerous
Live Free
Be Dangerous
Live Free
|
3-4 years of shorin-ryu karate til HS sports took over. Just got my black belt in TKD a few months back. Not sure I really deserve it, though I know the material. My daughter has her 2nd degree, son tests for his 2nd in Sept. He also wrestles. Our studio has a BJJ class once a week, so try to get us all to that We have a small boxing program in our town, trying to get them to do that, if only over the summer. |
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Since this popped back up........ I'm still doing Balintawak and Ilustrisimo though a lot more of the latter to be honest. I left the BJJ school I was at and have been checking out different places. I've been to a "modern" Krav Maga school a few times I've been surprised by how much I've liked it and overall mindset/training approach used. They have a BJJ program there as well though I'm not really interested in going back into BJJ at this point. If I do sign up, I'll probably hit the BJJ class once a week/every other week. |