Sorry Oso I guess I worded that badly. What I mean is that based on everything I’ve read and seen, kung fu appeals to me the most. I probably havn’t had enough exposure to other martial arts though, so maybe I’ll change my mind after taking some of the courses at college.
Speaking of which, I searched all of the different names I listed before and Vale Tudo basically seems the same as or at least very similar to bjj/judo. This seems like a great way for me to start. Thanks for all your advice guys.
Ray is right in that Brazilian/JMA arts that focus on ne waza do tend to produce a higher % of practitioners that can actually use their skills than CMAs do. I think many BJJ schools have become too sportive these days, teaching things like pulling guard while still standing which are applicable only in a MMA/sub grappling situation. If you go for a grappling art I would lean towards judo, sambo, or silat, as they were not quite as influenced by the current mma craze. And for tradition, if you can find shuai jiao or a good koryu jujutsu sysytem, you'll get plenty of that.
That said, a good CMA teacher can definitely teach you to fight, and CMAs are a whole lot of fun. I used to view CMAs as flowery and ineffective in my Japanese/Okinowan MA days until I had my as$ thoroughly whupped by an eagle claw guy. His chin na was every bit as painful as the jujutsu locks I had been training. CMAs work when you develop real gong fu, but that's a long (but very rewarding) road.
definitely do something you like. i get what you’re saying now.
just realize that, unfortunately (and I’m basically a CMA guy), that CMA teachers who can fight and can teach you how to fight are a rare find.
just keep your mind open and figure out what YOU want your training to be about. sounds like you’re late teens/early twenties…take a year or two to try some different things and figure it out for yourself…taking mine and others advice with a grain of salt.
BPB: there is some history that talks about Maeda and his roots…tried to find it and couldn’t…7* is right I think…Maeda was connected to one of the jujitsu schools that predated Kano but merged with him or something like that…but, at any rate, you are also right that the school specialized in nei waza.
I think it was a Matt Thornton article that I’m trying to remember…but maybe someone else.
ok so all the people that are talking about studying judo vs studying bjj. what about studying judo vs studying jjj? they offer jjj on the naval base where i work and its really cheap but right across the street they offer judo on the same days at the same price. i haven’t had a chance to check either of them out yet to see which school is better but i was curious what you all thought as a general rule. i want to supplement my cma with a primarily grappling style just because i miss grappling. anyway, let me know what you think.
regards,
~steve
I’d personally recommend Judo, simply because its everything that Jj is but it also includes the sport element which adds an exciting addition to the training.
However it depends on your goals. If you want to be a cultural hobbyist, go with Jujutsu. If you want to be a martial athlete go with Judo. Neither art will magically turn you into a badass who beat 100 Ninjas or Thugs, and neither art will guarentee your success in a violent situation. But as Don Draeger said, “its better to have a Judo guy backing you up in a bar”.
This is a Kung-Fu forum and he asked a Kung-Fu question … so how is BJJ, Judo or any other style even in this conversation. No reason to have your flame wars here.
Semp what college are you going to, maybe we can find a school for you?
I don’t think anyone is flamming here. Just trying to inform a potential martial artists about potential pit falls.
If they go to the yellow pages under Martial Arts and visit “Kung Fu” schools… chances are they will find themself in a strip-mall form factory. Maybe not. But they should be made aware of the difference between some guy in his late 30s, early 40s, whos ego and pockets enjoy the fact that he gets to be sifu and teach a bunch of guys ancient Chinese forms, from Bohdidharma and Shaolin.
If they can find an honest man who wants to pass along his system to a student, a system that knows how to handle various violent forces, that is awesome! Personally, I believe Chinese methods, at least in theory, are more suitable for self defense because they are designed for the small to overcome the large (Chinese are small compared to their notheren neighbors). But this is not so easy to find. However, Judo and BJJ schools are plentiful. And their links to sport combatives generally keep them more honest.
So while they may learn to pull guard (which might not be great on the street) they’ll learn how to divert locks and forces, apply forces and locks, and flow with someone with control, setting up movements. These are all basics in all martial arts but may not be trained so seriously at your average Kung Fu school.
You’re a Kung FU guy I take it. Have you ever been to a Kung Fu tournament? Have you seen the sparring that goes on there? Have you even seen MMA fights?
Which seems more violent? Which seems more prepared to handle themselves for real?
thanks for the advice. that was the direction i was going to since i used to study judo and already have experience. though it is all dependant on the teacher and school. now i just have to get back down to my fighting weight and drop the 20 lbs i put on since i quit smoking.
Yes, I have I have seen mma fights. Yes I have competed in San Shou. Yes I hav egoten in to drunk fraternity brawls using my Kung-Fu.
But you miss the obvious, not once did he say “hey i wanna kick A$$”. He likes Kung-Fu, no reason to knock it to him. Why try to sell him on something else?
Yes I agree that the most important thing is a quality instructor, but every other style faces the same questions of credibility as Kung-Fu does.
If semp has any questions about Kung-Fu vs other styles all he has to do is search the various threads. No reason to argue the same points over and over.
From my own college experience, I went to Binghamton NY, 240 miles from my Kung-Fu school. Take about a bummer. Binghamton is a dead town too, nothing goin on their except a 24 hour walmart. Low and behold though the school offered all sorts of martial arts. No Kung-Fu, but I was able to take some great Tai Chi, Tae Kwon Do and Karate Clases. No only did I get easy A’s, I was able to practice my basics over and over again, which are all pretty similiar across styles. There was also a martial arts club where we would rotate as instructors sharing our styles.
Chin Na, when Tiger or Eagle claw is developed sufficiently goes much deeper into grappling and holds than any other martial art I’ve ever encountered. A master can seperate tendons, twist muscles and dislocate bones by powerful grips alone. This gripping aspect is what is lacking in most other styles, though it is present it isn’t developed nearly so much. It is possible to render an attacker incapable of fighting with a simple arm grip without too much risk of long terms injury to your attacker if you are skilled. It takes three years of dedicated hard and soft training to the hands and arms and isn’t for the lighthearted or simple hobbyist. The drawback is it might take longer to learn the traditional Chinese way but the training is very well developed and with perserverance produces breathtaking results.
How many nights a week do you want to train? My recommendation would be to go to the Vale Tudo club for fitness, conditioning, sparring experience, to kickstart your fighting ability and to hang out with other martial artists, and go to the place in Acton once or twice a week for your Kung Fu fix.
ben gash- originally I wanted to go a minimum of three times per week, but seeing as how its 40 minutes away I seriously doubt thats a possibility.
I’ve read even more about the club and I’m definitly going to be taking the Vale Tudo courses, but if anyone knows any other kung fu schools closer to WPI than the one in Acton then let know me, because I’m not sure if I can make that trip frequently enough to justify whatever membership fee I’d be paying.
I thought 40 minutes wasn’t a long trip by American standards (anyway, route planner times tend to add 20% on to the time, if you’re travelling in the evening there’ll be less traffic). I’m in England (where gas is $1.80 per LITRE!!!) and one of my students travels 30 minutes. If you’re a student then I’m assuming your day will finish around 4, so you’ll have time to travel. If you talk to the Sifu and explain your situation, they may allow you to pay as you go for one or two nights a week.
This was my travel when my master had his school in Chinatown:
Walk 6 blocks to the train
1 hour train ride to Penn Station
Walk 2 blocks to Subway
10-15 minutes Subway to Canal St.
15 minute walk up Canal Street (slightly uphill) and down Bowery
climb 7 flights of stairs.
Finish training at 10:30 p.m. and do the whole thing in reverse. Waiting for the 11:30 train back from Penn getting home almost at 1:oo a.m. … on a workday.
Now that I train at his house and my apartment is closer:
I wish that I could say that I’ll definitly make that sort of commitment, but seeing as how its 80 minutes altogether during my first year of college where money will be tight enough as it is having never taken a kung fu course before, I’m not sure I can.
I just got an account at citysearch and found some more…
