Discussion
I just wondered who else does martial arts on PH and if so what and where etc? 
I know there's a bit of a stigma towards martial arts from some but in my personal opinion it's far from (or shouldn't be anyway) about being tougher than anyone else but something that's disciplined, beneficial to heath and confidence. I guess like any form of exercise and/or passion.
I actually got back to Ju Jitsu last night after a 9 month 'break'. Basically work got in the way and I got out of the habit after 4 years going solidly. Forget how much i enjoy it as it's really the only form of exercise that motivates me. Hurting today but it's a good feeling.
I'm sure there's plenty of others on here who do these too so interested to hear about it.
I know there's a bit of a stigma towards martial arts from some but in my personal opinion it's far from (or shouldn't be anyway) about being tougher than anyone else but something that's disciplined, beneficial to heath and confidence. I guess like any form of exercise and/or passion.
I actually got back to Ju Jitsu last night after a 9 month 'break'. Basically work got in the way and I got out of the habit after 4 years going solidly. Forget how much i enjoy it as it's really the only form of exercise that motivates me. Hurting today but it's a good feeling.
I'm sure there's plenty of others on here who do these too so interested to hear about it.
Thanks for the replies by the way. I was hesitant in putting up a post on here as I've seen people get a little flayed for referencing them. I just find it all quite interesting.
I did Kung-Fu when I was younger and did a got of competitive Sanshou (essentially kick boxing) but nothing overly serious and stopped when I was 21. Took up Jui Jitsu at 29.
I did Kung-Fu when I was younger and did a got of competitive Sanshou (essentially kick boxing) but nothing overly serious and stopped when I was 21. Took up Jui Jitsu at 29.
Autopilot said:
I've recently stopped 
.....
I'm not surprised you're having a break, sounds like you've done a lot of training, fighting etc. Some of the guys who teach us have competed at different levels and have to take it fairly easy now. Various injuries and wear and tear seems to be the main cause. That said we have one instructor who I believe is nearly 70, is about 5ft tall and has her 2nd dan black belt, which she got in her mid-60s. Not physically that strong but amazing technique. .....Pete102 said:
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu here , around a year or so now
How do you find it? Enjoying it? , around a year or so nowOut of interest, how is your progress marked in the various martial arts mentioned in here? Gradings etc.
The club I belong to allow you to grade, assuming you're ready every 6 months so it can be steady but you're not able to rush through it.
I am sometimes surprised by other places where hear of people getting through belts every couple of months. Without wishing to put them down, that seems a bit quick.
Also, in terms of the Ju Jitsu I'm doing there is a lot to the syllabus and some of it is not as relevant to real life as other parts. It's generally the far less fancy stuff that would be more effective if you needed it.
The club I belong to allow you to grade, assuming you're ready every 6 months so it can be steady but you're not able to rush through it.
I am sometimes surprised by other places where hear of people getting through belts every couple of months. Without wishing to put them down, that seems a bit quick.
BRR said:
i love about martial arts is that it can both boost your confidence but also make you very aware of how vulnerable you are, when i was younger i thought i was indestructible, a few sparring sessions soon showed me I'm not
I couldn't agree more. I'm not a petite guy so I'm not fearful of people as such but when you do martial arts you realise how much you shouldn't underestimate people and how strength/size can be pretty irrelevant. Also, in terms of the Ju Jitsu I'm doing there is a lot to the syllabus and some of it is not as relevant to real life as other parts. It's generally the far less fancy stuff that would be more effective if you needed it.
BRR said:
I haven't graded in any of the martial arts i do, i guess in MMA your progress is measured by how well you do in sparring/competition
for No-Gi grappling we don't grade but when competing you usually do it on time served which typically lines up with BJJ gradings i.e. under 2 years = white, 2-4 = blue, 4-6 = purple, 6-8 = brown, 8+ = black
I intend to grade at BJJ but am keen to ensure my progress through the ranks is based on what i learn in BJJ rather than the advantages i carry over from MMA/Wrestling/No-Gi
The No-Gi grappling sounds very much like the Kung-Fu that I used to do. Essentially graded with coloured sashes but only a red, blue and black sash. Sounds similarly graded to the grappling you're going. for No-Gi grappling we don't grade but when competing you usually do it on time served which typically lines up with BJJ gradings i.e. under 2 years = white, 2-4 = blue, 4-6 = purple, 6-8 = brown, 8+ = black
I intend to grade at BJJ but am keen to ensure my progress through the ranks is based on what i learn in BJJ rather than the advantages i carry over from MMA/Wrestling/No-Gi
Sounds like you're intent on progressing with BJJ in the most thorough way possible, best way by the sounds of it.
I've actually taken a little longer to complete my last couple of belts prior to black. Mainly as the fitness takes a step up, as you'd expect and the syllabus and Kata is more complex.
ben5575 said:
I'd like to say it's a healthy fear of brain damage, but in reality it's because I'm a pussy.
I'd say it's probably more likely a sensible decision than being a bit of a girl pants!! haha Seriously though it's something you don't think about when you're younger but I'm 34 now and have a daughter, job and all that grown up stuff. I train for personal gain now but when i first started out as a teenager I didn't give injuries a though. Fozziebear said:
Judo for me, just got in from training. I've been away from it for some years, nice to get back into it at 45!
Judo is one of those martial arts that I totally underestimated I will admit. I did it when I was about 13 and did my first belt then stopped. Having started Ju Jitsu at a club that teaches Judo and Karate, I've seen how Ju Jitsu crosses over with Judo. I've also seen some of the highly experienced Judo guys train and it's awesome. One of our instructors in Ju Jitsu started out in Judo and has something like 20+ years under his belt. His ground fighting is awesome and he's probably around your age. Age is less relevant when technique is s**t hot!
Fozziebear said:
One of my coaches won a medal in Japan at 60! He's only 63kg and strong as an ox. My dad taught me from 5, I stopped at 15, big mistake. I got hammered last night at training, great feeling
Goes to show though at 60, if you've kept yourself in good shape there's no stopping you!! It is a good feeling coming away from a session being reminded how tough it is but you know it's doing you good. My shoulders are aching like mad today but it's good to know it's pushed me enough to feel it for a couple of days.
Fozziebear said:
Anything is possible if you believe in yourself. I had a non stop session last night, restless sleep due to body refusing to shutdown, got up and did a 5 miler for some active recovery. I don't intend to ease up yet, fitness is the only thing that keeps me sane!
I must admit, I had that real buzz on Tuesday after that session and although I was physically exhausted my mind was still on the go. Well was back to the Friday session just before the weekend. This is more of a syllabus class so getting to grips with the next Kata for the next grading in the summer.
I was pretty worried that everything would have gone out of my head but I guess when you have practiced something thoroughly, your brain remembers things. I was pleasantly surprised.
I was pretty worried that everything would have gone out of my head but I guess when you have practiced something thoroughly, your brain remembers things. I was pleasantly surprised.
crashley said:
So i did my first Judo session in prob about 17years on Friday and God i have missed it, it really is fantastic. Really ached Sat but felt good for it. Session split between groundwork and throws. Be good to get really up to speed for when Crashley Junior can start (a few years).
Question tho - during the ground work, i seem to have effectively sandpapered the tops of my feet/toes - any suggestions to get them to harden up quickly? Don't recall this ever being a problem as a kid. In the meantime the healing/scabbiness is gonna mean lots of bloody socks!
How did you find being thrown after so long? After 9 months or so I was feeling it the next day. Even with break falls there's still a fair old thud on some of the bigger throws. Question tho - during the ground work, i seem to have effectively sandpapered the tops of my feet/toes - any suggestions to get them to harden up quickly? Don't recall this ever being a problem as a kid. In the meantime the healing/scabbiness is gonna mean lots of bloody socks!
In terms of protecting your feet, I would say you could go for some soft shin guards that have foot protection. Only thing is with Judo you don't use kicks so maybe feel a bit conspicuous.
crashley said:
Actually felt/feel ok, kind of like i'd had an all over beating, but in a heavy work out sort of way. In fact, i feel a lot more pained from slipping on my kitchen floor on Sat and landing on one side of my arse.
There's no way i'm wearing protective stuff, i'd feel a right tit - i'll just hope that heal up a bit harder then! I'm not really sure what i was hoping for. I'm more annoyed that i feel bad about going back to train this wk, because my scabby toes will get blood on their mats.
I suspect the kitchen floor is probably harder than the mats so I'm not surprised. There's no way i'm wearing protective stuff, i'd feel a right tit - i'll just hope that heal up a bit harder then! I'm not really sure what i was hoping for. I'm more annoyed that i feel bad about going back to train this wk, because my scabby toes will get blood on their mats.
That's all I could think of really. There's only one person who wears any protective gear otherwise it's just the gi. I must admit apart from the odd black/blue toes I've not really found my feet get too grazed from ground fighting. On the odd occasion though, it does bloody hurt! haha
LordHaveMurci said:
Really like the idea of Jiu Jitsu, Wado Ryu incorporates some. Tried a local club a few years back but it wasn't very good so I never went back.
Strikes me that many MA clubs go too easy on students to keep them coming back & paying their fees, my old instructor never earned anything from it, the fees went towards the overhead of the building etc, more like a traditional boxing club.
The overall feel of a martial arts club really can make all the difference. I have been lucky that both clubs I have trained at have been really nice places. The club I have been with since 2012 are very nurturing and there's a real sense of community there, plus egos are at an absolute minimum which means everyone feels at ease. Strikes me that many MA clubs go too easy on students to keep them coming back & paying their fees, my old instructor never earned anything from it, the fees went towards the overhead of the building etc, more like a traditional boxing club.
Also the fees are only £5 per session and you pay on the day. Other places will charge X amount for so many sessions and take it monthly. The first club I was with changed to that where it worked out that you'd pay for a month whether you attended or not. Put a lot of people off but I suspect how my club runs is in a minority.
ben5575 said:
Ours is monthly as well.I think times have moved on with MA clubs. I did Wado BITD as a teenager and it was painful. There was this macho BS that somehow it had to be hard to be good. There is absolutely nothing macho about senior students or even instructors beating the s
t out of lower ranks. Fortunately this attitude has largely died out now mainly because it was always a western construct and bore little or no relation to what was happening in Japan.
The last thing I want to do (and I suspect it is the same for most people) is get hurt or injured whilst training. It is singularly pointless.
Nowadays if you find the right club you can go along, practice technique on pads and bags and get fit. There is nothing wrong with this as long as you recognise its limitations. For a lot of people in MA this is fine and if gets more people involved, so much the better.
Yeah, it's not a good attitude that you have to come home from a training session black and blue! Like you say, it seems to have been a more Western mentality that bred that macho crap rather than martial arts origins, which seem to be far more humble. t out of lower ranks. Fortunately this attitude has largely died out now mainly because it was always a western construct and bore little or no relation to what was happening in Japan. The last thing I want to do (and I suspect it is the same for most people) is get hurt or injured whilst training. It is singularly pointless.
Nowadays if you find the right club you can go along, practice technique on pads and bags and get fit. There is nothing wrong with this as long as you recognise its limitations. For a lot of people in MA this is fine and if gets more people involved, so much the better.
We are repeatedly reminded to be careful as it is training and we're not out to injure anyone. You get the odd bump and bruise but no one is out to send anyone off with injuries.
I guess it's about not being out to prove a point but nurturing people to be as keen and enthusiastic as you are about it.
Autopilot said:
While I'm not knocking the £5 per session clubs, I've trained at many and with some amazing instructors who've compete all over Europe, as pointed out by somebody else, 'some' seem to want to just keep the money coming in.
I've also trained in places with monthly subscriptions where they actively want to churn out fighters, so unless you're prepared to put in the effort, they aren't interested in you. These places also have better bespoke facilities so the quality of training can be better. My first MMA fight at a ticketed event was also the first time I'd ever stepped in a cage!
Sorry only just spotted this post. Yeah there's plenty of clubs out there which are run as businesses so want to keep the cash churning in.I've also trained in places with monthly subscriptions where they actively want to churn out fighters, so unless you're prepared to put in the effort, they aren't interested in you. These places also have better bespoke facilities so the quality of training can be better. My first MMA fight at a ticketed event was also the first time I'd ever stepped in a cage!
The first club I trained with went from paying on the day to monthly sessions and if I'm honest it was pretty clear why. The chap who ran it gave up his day job to run the club as his business as well.
I'm lucky now that the fees go directly to the club and it's not run as a business. In terms of the overall mentality behind the club, people are encouraged to go as far as they want to go. So there is an element of competitiveness but more so an encouragement to be fitter, be able to defend yourself etc. The option is there to compete but more in a traditional sense than an MMA/Cage type situation.
Interesting to see how other clubs work with their grading system. At the Kung-Fu club I was at first, there tended to just be three sashes but less emphasis was on grading. The only guy I knew of who got his black sash had trained for 11 years!
Where I am now the belt grades go white, red, orange, green, blue, purple/white, purple, brown/white, brown and finally black. In theory you can grade every 6 months which is hard work but gives you something to aim for. Often the higher belts take longer as the expectations obviously increase so you have to be sharper, fitter etc.
To train for a the first dan grade, there is a minimum of a years training which you are invited to partake in so it's a really big jump from brown to black.
Where I am now the belt grades go white, red, orange, green, blue, purple/white, purple, brown/white, brown and finally black. In theory you can grade every 6 months which is hard work but gives you something to aim for. Often the higher belts take longer as the expectations obviously increase so you have to be sharper, fitter etc.
To train for a the first dan grade, there is a minimum of a years training which you are invited to partake in so it's a really big jump from brown to black.
FredClogs said:
It was emphasised to me when I got both my black belts that the black belt signified the beginning of the journey, the end of the start nothing more than that.
Obviously within a year I'd slowly given up those arts and moved onto something else...
I would agree that a dan grading is far from being the end of the line in terms of learning. I suspect many people get their black belt, which as western as it is, should be a huge achievement and then stop there. Where as there are additional dan gradings that you can complete which are hugely involved. Obviously within a year I'd slowly given up those arts and moved onto something else...
That said, I knew of someone who did some kind of MMA and was able to grade every three months. Potentially ending up a black belt within a couple of years. I can't help thinking that it waters down the credibility somewhat.
HotJambalaya said:
Anyone done Krav Maga? thinking of giving that a bash
Did taekwondo years ago, but stopped once I hit uni.
Krav Maga does intrigue me as it sounds like a combination of other martial arts put together for realistic situations. Did taekwondo years ago, but stopped once I hit uni.
One of our instructors has a similar attitude that if you can do enough to basically get away from an attacker that's far better than sticking around!
Had a good session last night whereby I was in a position to teach some of the newer guys early parts of the syllabus which I did years ago but will be tested on again in following gradings.
Had a good session last night whereby I was in a position to teach some of the newer guys early parts of the syllabus which I did years ago but will be tested on again in following gradings.
It's all learning I guess mate. No matter how long you train for there's always someone out there who'll do things to catch you our or infuriate. With ground fighting it can be one of those things where people get themselves in a right pickle trying something over and over using brute force rather than technique.
I had a decent enough session on Tuesday as have started on some new throws for my next grading. Our syllabus varies a lot in terms of the belts. These throws are complicated and being sacrifice throws, ones you'd rarely do in a real world situation. That said they're a bit of fun and with quite a large syllabus, not everything is going to work in the real world. By contrast a lot would.
I had a decent enough session on Tuesday as have started on some new throws for my next grading. Our syllabus varies a lot in terms of the belts. These throws are complicated and being sacrifice throws, ones you'd rarely do in a real world situation. That said they're a bit of fun and with quite a large syllabus, not everything is going to work in the real world. By contrast a lot would.
Pete102 said:
Cheers Alex, I pinged the guy a message earlier and apologized for getting frustrated, I've accepted it as one of those things now and hopefully learn from it.
Best way really mate. Thing is we're always learning be it in life or with a hobby, there are guys who have trained where I go for years and years but are generally open minded. I'm not able to make my tomorrows sessions but have been roped into a Kumite session on Sunday. Should be interesting.
Chap I train with is also hugely into San Shou and competes. Can't tell you more than that but he's great to train with even from a Ju Jitsu perspective.
I attended the Kumite session on Sunday which was utterly exhausting but got some good training in. Last nights session was a standard class but I'm training for my next belt so learning some new throws. These throws/take downs are predominantly sacrifice throws so fun to practice but not necessarily something you'd apply in the real world, well not unless you're some kind of athlete....which I'm really not.
I attended the Kumite session on Sunday which was utterly exhausting but got some good training in. Last nights session was a standard class but I'm training for my next belt so learning some new throws. These throws/take downs are predominantly sacrifice throws so fun to practice but not necessarily something you'd apply in the real world, well not unless you're some kind of athlete....which I'm really not.
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