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so i've been thinking about this lately and i've decided i want to give up winter hockey and do some form of martial arts. but i'm not sure exactly what form i should study. i want something that's mixed, but mostly based on hand and foot striking, but i don't want to just go do kickboxing. i want to learn more advanced stuff.

 

have any of you ever studied? what would be the best form for what i'm looking for?

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I did tae-kwon-do, tore my left knee out, my body will never be the same....I don't recommend it ;)

 

It may be what you're looking for though.

 

If I were to take another class....I would head more towards something like Tai Chi.

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I was heavily involved in martial arts throughout my childhood and teen years.

 

There are a ton of different styles of martial arts out there that offer a whole lot of different things. No matter what style you choose, I would recommend checking out several clubs before signing up. There are a lot of schools of varying quality out there, and certainly a good number of them are just after your money. Don't sign up anywhere that requires you to sign a long term contract, especially if they don't have some sort of trial period first.

 

The style that I trained in mostly was Tang Soo Do, which is a Korean art, similar to Tae Kwon Do, but more focused on self defense than sport (most Tae Kwon Do organizations focus heavily on tournament competition). You may want to consider exactly what you want to get out of your training, as the focuses of martial arts club can differ quite a bit between self-defense and sport, even within the same style.

 

There are quite a few different martial arts that focus on striking, so it's hard to recommend one based just on what you've said so far, but among the more popular ones would include Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu (there are a whole lot of styles of Kung Fu, so you might want to research the particular style of any clubs in your area to know for sure if it is what you're looking for), Tai Chi (also several styles -- a lot of the more popular ones, like Yang style, which I did train in for a while, focus more on physical health than defense), Shorin-ryu and Shotokan. Chances are you can find clubs teaching those styles in your area.

 

Of course the most popular styles may not be the best for what you're looking for, so again, I'd recommend checking out several schools to make sure you're finding exactly what's right for you.

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i've got a list of all the local schools in the area, and i think i'm going to drive out monday and check each one out.

 

there are a couple of things i really want to do. i really enjoying boxing around and beating the crap out of my friends. no, i am not a violent person and i believe violence solves nothing. but, i really enjoy fighting. i don't want to go out and learn to break boards, because as bruce lee one said "boards don't hit back". but i don't want to do straight up kick boxing. i still want to learn some form of martial arts. have some style. if that makes any sense. i was really considering tae kwon do, but i've read it's more focused on kicks. and i want something mixed.

 

i'm afraid though i'll end up taking a class though where i'm taught stuff, but don't get to put it into use. i want a class where i can be taught, and then put in a ring where i can put what i learnt to use.

 

thanks for all the input. keep it coming!

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So there was this movie . . . "Bound For Glory" about the life of Woody Guthrie. Anyway, David Caridine played Woody , , , so now that we can link to Wilco . . .

 

That schtuff, Shaolin Kung Fu, referenced in the old Kung Fu series, incorparated a whole lotta styles. Mr Rain metioned Tai Chi which can used for health your whole life. There's a million people in China practicing Tai Chi every morning all ages.

 

There was a school here in so cal in the 70's and 80's Nothern Shaolin/Tai Chi Praying Mantis that taught some pretty creative stuff. Very effective and also very beautifull.

 

There a Kung Fu guy from my hometown who trained at Tai Mantis, Rob Moses. I think he has a PBS special next month.

Rob has been Caridine's training partner for over 20 years, went to China with him for "Kill Bill", got to visit the Shaolin Temple and everything.

 

O.K. this overly long, but I've wanted to metion "Bound For Glory" in VC. Seemed like the time.

 

Yeah, I know, Bruce Lee was suposed to have done the original Kung Fu TV series, and . . . life is what it is. Hope you find a style that suits your needs.

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Check out some Wu Shu for some cool drunken forms. Drunken Monkey is always a favourite. Seriously, I saw the Bejing Wu Shu Team in the 80's. The awsome Tai Chi and drunken forms were my favourites. Plus the spectactcular Kung Fu and weapons forms.

 

O.K. the PBS thing might start in some East Coast Cities as early as tonight, but I saw mostly next week listed when googling. It's called "Spiral Fitness With David Carradine and Rob Moses" I saw some listings for Detroit, Colarado, Alabama, Wisconson . . . and southern California . . . probably more, I don't know who else picked it up.

 

Rob's youtube clips are improv Kung Fu jams with music from Allan Holdsworth. He came up through classical Kung Fu, but this is all new stuff, new systems.

 

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