Martial Arts & Fighting Forms | Asian American Poll

MARTIAL ARTS & FIGHTING FORMS
(Updated Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 06:39:09 AM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

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WHAT YOU SAY

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NHB,

I used to take Judo. Most schools don't exactly teach you the most effective technqiues and are too focused on the tournament aspect.
My friend took boxing, but he's extremely ignorant when it comes to techniques other than hand strikes.
High school wrestling isn't exactly what I'd call self-defense.
Jay... the hapa Thursday, March 07, 2002 at 03:34:45 (PST)

Tukong Moosul: Korean Special Forces Training. They teach you everything you need to know to take your enemy down.
MJK Thursday, March 07, 2002 at 00:19:45 (PST)

Happy Clan,

If your son has the balance and natural athleticism, Tae Kwon Do is perfect. TKD caters to children and the basics are not complicated like Kung-fu or the Japanese/Okinawan styles. In my opinion, four years old is too young for judo. Judo requires knowing how to do break falls, grabs and throws. Too dangerous for a four-year old, he might land the wrong way and break his arm or worse his neck!! Jeet Kune Do is Bruce Lee's style and strictly for teenagers and adults; its street fighting oriented and uses the principles of Wing Chun, Filipino Arnis and Western Boxing; too intense for small children.
I stated in an earlier post that TKD is not for me because I wanted something more self-defense oriented. But, TKD and Tang Soo Do are good "base" martial arts to build on. For example Chuck Norris created his own style Chun Kuk Do from his "base" art of Tang Soo Do combined with judo, Japanese Karate(more hand-oriented than Korean style) and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu. TKD will build on your son's natural balance and coordination. The poomse(forms) will help a child focus and the sparring and tournaments will enhance his competive skills. Again, TKD is not for an adult or teenager who want to learn Self-defense, but is perfect for a parent who wants to get a "starter" martial art for their child. I hope I've helped. Good Luck!
Drmidnite Wednesday, March 06, 2002 at 18:11:32 (PST)

Happy Clan,

Tai Chi is usually taught as one of later systems, because it builds on prior martial art knowledge. If you want him to learn Tai Chi you just need to find a good kung fu school in your area, to build up the basics skills. Look for the proper 8 stances, twisting of the waist, fluid shoulder and arm movement, look for full extension during warm-up routines. Warm up kicks should be straight legged. Punches should be fully extended and twisting from the hip in a strong stances.

He will need to understand how to perform the traditional forms in a fluid and powerful manner most Chinese Kung Master request before he is ready for Tai Chi.
The more modern martial arts will have very stiff and rigid forms TKD, Judo, karate when compared to traditional Chinese forms. Since these modern martial skill don't readily lend themselve to Tai Chi may influence the way he thinks about Tai Chi.

I would go to the various schools in your area and just watch them practice. It should not be too hard to pick a school that you think would be right for your kid.

My kid goes crazy when they had the kid Gap commercial doing freestyle karate forms were on TV. I tried to correct the 3 year old master's side kick, but I was immediately scolded for not spinning prior to posing in a power ranger stance. C'est la vie.
AC Dropout Wednesday, March 06, 2002 at 16:41:09 (PST)

Happy Clan

I'm probably biased but I've been praticing Northern Shaolin Kung-Fu for a few years and I have found it to be extremely balanced in developing strength, grace, flexibility and coordination. We have many smaller children in my school who seem to thoroughly enjoy the practice, as it provides not only a physical challenge but means of artistice expression. And as with all Martial Arts there is the practical, defense oriented aspect which is not taken lightly in my school. Perhaps it's just that my Sifu values all these aspects of Martial Arts equally or that Kung-Fu is by nature a very general and broad minded fighting style. Choose an art and a good teacher to go with it ...

Asianite Wednesday, March 06, 2002 at 15:49:57 (PST)

Jay,

That's my point the military trains people for the a very specific environment of combat. Urban setting, or underwater setting, etc. They don't ask a soldiers trained in one field to go into another. Even Seals, Ranger Team, Special Forces members are trained for a very specific area.

Hence, if you goal is learning the in and out of street fighting and how assault someone in a street without picking up a police record. Then yes, you will need to fight on the street a lot or find someone to show you the ropes.

As for what I did learn in fighting in the street. Nothing new in the area of technique or individual strategy. But I did learn a lot about "determination" and "will" from those conflicts.

But this is really digressing from my original post about martial arts.
AC Dropout Wednesday, March 06, 2002 at 14:27:10 (PST)

Hey, I just saw Pride FC 19, Bad Blood. Man, that was dope! Silva from Brazil whooped Tamura from Japan. The main event was Ken Shamrock vs. Don Frye. That was EPIC! There was no knockout, but if you want to see some hardcore grappling, the way it's supposed to be done, you have to check it out.

So, AC, you think Ken Shamrock will be afraid of you when he runs into you and your boys on your tough NYC alleys?
TSJ Eric@KristinKreuk.net Wednesday, March 06, 2002 at 11:33:08 (PST)

TSJ,

"Most kung fu schools here are aligned with the Triads/Tongs. So, in essence, they are training you for gang warfare."

Kung Fu School and magnet highschool are the recruiting for the Asian Youth Gangs here in the New York City. Strong or smart is what they would look for. It's kind of sad.

My Kung Fu school was hired by the Taiwan government to act as the Vice President of Taiwan bodyguards in NYC, when he came like 10 years ago. Another misconception, as if kung fu practitioner know anything about securing perimeters.

That was my point from the very beginning, every environment is different. To be good in any one environment require a lot of training.

AC Dropout Wednesday, March 06, 2002 at 10:57:21 (PST)

Soldier of God,

Basically that is correct. Martial arts have forms and sparring competition. Both require a lot of practice to be good at.

If your goal is to be a good fighter, then you are correct. The forms will not help you much in your endeavor. Unless you want to look good when you kicking butt, which by the way is a something I always aim for.

Because there is nothing like a showy crowd pleasing technique when it is safe to throw one in a competition, builds the ego and get female phone numbers like nothing else.
AC Dropout Wednesday, March 06, 2002 at 10:50:19 (PST)

NHB,

I don't think people are idiots on the board. I just think there are a lot of misconception going around.

In ring sports you need a lot of experience in that environment to be good at it. Yes, martial training from different area (i.e. street fighting, traditional martial art, etc.) can be translate into the sport. However, most of the time they can be regarded as exclusive skills or frame work to be used in the new enviroment. Because each sport is a different environment with different rules. It is understanding the nuances of the rule and the environment that one will have a chance to win.

In other words I don't expect Mike Tyson to win in a Muey Thai Ring or Po Tong to win in a Boxing ring. Or a the current UFC Champion to win in a Muey Thai or Boxing ring.

A case in point so why did the my TKD master and Kung Fu master have police records for public disturbance and assualt. Not because they couldn't fight and tested their skills in the streets, it was because they did not understand the rules of street fighting.
AC Dropout Wednesday, March 06, 2002 at 10:46:09 (PST)

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