Off-topic

[Kangleton]

I just dont like the limitations of soccer. I got sick of using my feet, and prefered to pick up the ball and knock somebody onto their ass. Its satisfying. Especially since I'm like, 5'8 and 130 pounds... thats pretty small, all things considered. When you make a big person fall, you get this rush of arrogant pride. Its a good feeling, I tell you! Until someone picks you up and hurls you into the stands.

Soccer just bugs me though, rough or not. It seems too one-dimensional, but maybe I just dont get it. The only sports I like are rugby and martial arts, really. There is so much to them!

[Aries1918]

but maybe I just dont get it.

I think that's the problem most people have with it.

[Peridan]

bahaha, personally, before boxing, I was a student of American Kenpo. Ed Parker ring a bell with any one? =P

Also, I agree that MMA is kinda crappy. It's a hypocritical sport. It's supposed to be 'anything goes' type of fighting, but I find it extremely limited in that respect. No eye gouges, biting, etc. So I can't say I like it. If you want to fight like that, go hit someone in a bar.

Boxing though, is a sport and they recognize it as such. And I grew up watching old reruns of Ali and Frazier.

[Jaeram]

Especially since I'm like, 5'8 and 130 pounds... thats pretty small, all things considered.

YES! go short people! I'm about 5'8 but I'm more like 230 pounds lol (I'de probably have to post a picture of myself to prove that I'm not a complete lard ass, because 5'8 - 230 sounds like I would be). The art I practice is Yoshokai style Aikido (this is a 'hard' style devised from aikijujustsu used by japanese samurai, not the wierd kind that you might see on youtube sometimes about some guy knocking people around with out even making contact with them, claiming he uses KI to do so, ours is completely technical). They don't allow this style in MMA because if a real Aikido expert got a hold of another martial artist, the first thing he would probably do is break the guy's wrist or shoulder as fast as he can, but because they don't want MMA fighters leaving every match (I'm not trying to say Aikido is better than any other martial art or unbeatable here) with broken joints that could potentially end their martial arts careers. It's a fully defensive style which is why I mentioned (and I've heard other practitioners,including black belts, say) kick boxing was a good supplement to it, because you learn the ability to stand up in the fight and guard/distract long enough to assess your opponent accurately, land a grab, and execute the technique, which done properly should cripple your opponent. The nature of Aikido is not to hurt your opponent though, that should be reserved as a last resort, the path of peace is ultimately preferred over a confrontation and it is not an art to learn if you are looking for flashy moves and 'ass kicking' abilities. I have to say I am pretty lucky though because about 1/2 an hour from my house and where I currently train is a place called the Genyokan which is essentially the Mecca of Yoshokai style Aikido, where I will hopefully one day be able to train with numerous black belts and a direct founder of the art.

Sorry for the long post, I just felt compelled to explain it a little bit since he asked what art it was, and every time some one says 'Aikido' other people seem to like to flame and say things like 'that's garbage, that doesn't work' etc... Saying Aikido doesn't work is like saying Judo would never work, or boxing, every martial art will have it's strong points and I don't believe I've heard of a martial that doesn't at least have some valid content for self defense, other wise nobody would train in it.

[Kangleton]

Damnit! I love Aikido! I've only read about it, but it is one martial art I've always, always, always wanted to train in! Toronto doesn't have any clubs worth joining though, in respects to that particular style. I've looked all over the city, unless I'm just inept at searching. I got my black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, which was worthless because I don't actually respect the combat styles of that art, though I did get to train under a world-champion kickboxer. Never formally competed for kickboxing, though.

And MMA is not hypocritical at all. "Everything goes" isn't a label it gave itself, it was the label adopted by the public. The name it self only states Mixed Martial Arts, and it offers just that - multiple martial arts are permitted, and the style is not restricted to the customs of any single discipline.

[Jaeram]

Hmm... yeah, I checked the AYANA (Aikido Yoshokai Association of North America) website and according to that, they have no club's in Toronto. They have TONS in Michigan though, because the founder of the Yoshokai style (not O'Sensei the founder of general Aikido, Yoshokai is a separate style, I'm going to stop myself here so I don't go into a huge history lesson lol) Takashi Kushida settled here in central Michigan in the 70's and since then a lot of clubs have been started all over. My current teacher (a 3rd degree black belt) trained with him during the 70's. I have to say though not only do I feel that it is an exceptionally effective martial art for self defense, it is amazingly fun to practice. I had taken some other martial arts a little bit, like Tang Soo Do and Tae Kwan Do, but I didn't enjoy them nearly as much. I guess if you ever move closer to Michigan (like Windsor) or ever decide to attend a Michigan University (I thought you mentioned you were a college student), there's a good chance that a club will not be far away. Most Michigan Universities have one, including mine in Detroit. (Wayne State University)


Edit: I have to say this has, so far, been one of the most interesting, fun, topics I've ever posted in, kudos Aries.

[Kangleton]

I'd be pretty damn brilliant to be in colledge at 16 years of age. But then, I am pretty damn brilliant. I'm just unrecognized. Its unfortunate.

[Aries1918]

bahaha, personally, before boxing, I was a student of American Kenpo. Ed Parker ring a bell with any one? =P

Yes, Ed Parker does ring a bell. I used to practice in American Kenpo. I only got to yellow belt in that style, but I learned more there than I did in any other style. I also got to train under several of the Grand Masters (Frank Trejo is the shit). I can't say that about any other style I've trained in. When I get the chance, I am going to go back to training there. I loved it.

[Peridan]

I dunno, it just seems like the whole mixed martial arts thing has just moved to a point where it isn't mixed martial arts anymore. Every time I watch it, I see them use strikes for a medium distance (kickboxing, boxing, etc.) and then they move to a wrestling style when they get in close combat. And then they wait until someone either gets a submission hold on 'em, or someone gets a lucky elbow strike in. It just seems redundant to me.


Whoo! A kenpo artist! Yeah, I trained under Bill Packer's style until he passed away (Rest in Peace) after that the whole organization kind of went to hell, so I decided to broaden my horizons with some other styles. Although I find that in whatever style I do, it always has the same principles in fighting as Kenpo, so I fell like I'm just getting more in-depth training in a certain aspect of Kenpo.

[Kangleton]

Wow, everyone likes Kenpo? I musty have just had an unlucky experience, when I tried it... because I ended up hating it. Maybe I'll look at all of this as a referal, and try again somewhere new.

[Jaeram]

I thought about supplementing my Yoshokai Aikido with American Kenpo (I saw a video about speed hitting that looked really interesting) but I was going to wait until after I receive a black belt in my current art before trying a new one. My kick boxing is a lot easier for me to keep training on as well because I've got a heavy bag in my basement that I use on the weekends and I'm not cramming new techniques in to my head by doing it. Between my Aikido and other classes I've got enough going on for now.

[Kangleton]

What else does everyone do that is interesting? We have a good number of martial artists, a paintballer or two, some athletes... what else?

I, for one, am a pretty good illusionist. Cards, coins, fire, stage magic - you name it, and I've touched upon it. I just wish I had the dedication to pursue it in depth.

So come on people, whats your thing?

[Jaeram]

I happen to be a Chemistry major at my University, so one thing I've been looking in to is becoming an amateur pyro technician. I uderstand the mechanics and chemistry of the things I want to build right now, the problem is getting a hold of the materials. I guess our government is afraid that I'm going to start cooking up nukes in my back yard to start the next home grown insurgent group, when all I want to do is make a couple fire crackers and sparkly bottle rockets *sigh*. I'm also working on a heavy leather armor project right now but school side tracked me after winter break, although I have a week off after next week for spring break where I'm hoping to make some real progress, if not it'll have to be the summer time. Hmmm... I know there's got to be other strange hobbies of mine that I just can't think of right now, I do watch a lot of anime though, I've heard some people voice their distaste for it, but I honestly can't get enough of it.

[nickbeat]

I've an expert at origami.

[Kangleton]

lmao, that made me laugh really hard. Scrolling through the long, massive posts on this page, all the way to the bottom, just to find a one-liner. Hah. Visually amusing.

I'm wierd. Wierd things make me laugh.

And Jaeram, you're a freak! You have the wierdest assortment of characteristics I've ever seen displayed in a believable fashion, but can you top THIS:

I'm a psychological enigma. I took a court-granted psychological assessment, and the results came back reading "Invalid". Generally, this means that the individual lied on the answer sheets, or wasn't paying attention, or contradicted theirself a million times. I took a different test though, months later - PhD certified, given by a psychiatrist. The results came back "Invalid" once more. However, upon comparing the two sets of "Invalid" results, the doctor noticed that the graph sheets were identical. I produced entirely similar "Invalid" results two times in a row, almost a year apart, on two different tests. Therefore, the results were actually valid. I couldn't have contradicted myself, lied, or just been making things up, as you cannot mimick such things identically, twice, under different observation, and with a totally different test.

I am validly invalid! I am a paradox of the psychological world! I defy all that is sanity and insanity, both! Baha. I recieve consistantly impossible results on carefully constructed observations of the brain!

Its scary to think that such a person is trained in combat, and performs with fire.

Who else is a freak!? COME ON!