!!!! The OCUK Martial Arts Thread !!!!

I've been doing Pak Mei Wu Chi Yun for about two and a half years now. Thoroughly enjoyable. A lot of fast and precision punches. Excellent for self defence. When I start back next week we will be doing more work on Chi. The Sifu of our class has been doing martial arts for over 40 years now and is the highest rank in europe. Spent a number of years in China training so we are getting traditional training methods.
 
Wow Pak Mei "white eyebrow" is a VERY powerful art... far more powerful than most IMO, especially Wing Chun.

You are VERY lucky to have a Sifu that teaches it... never mind on that's being doing it for 40 years! :eek:

It is one of the most difficult styles to master, yet has a variety of ground techniques, weapon systems and Chi Kung!

You lucky git! Where are you based? :)
 
Indeed

Its a shame really as a lot of people who start it do it for like six months and then drift onto the next one they think is closest to Jackie Chan or Jet Li. don't know how privelaged they are to do such an art and from such an esteemed master.

He is Sifu John Blackledge. He is quite often on Eurosport reffing(sp) Muay Thai.

Im based up in Manchester. If you are ever up that neck of the woods I am sure you would be welcome to come in and train with us
 
I can't see me ever going to Manchester unless upon pain of death but I sure wish I had someone near who taught that.

While Muay Thai and Boxing are effective in the short-term during your youth, the older you get the weaker your offensive and defensive powers get.

With most Kung Fu internal styles such a Wing Chun Pak mei, and especially Tai-Chi... the older you get the more ownage you can dish out if necessary. :)
 
I've been training for nearly 8 years now. I started off doing TKD when I was at uni, and was lucky enough to train under a fantastic instructor, Chris Williams. Alas when I finished uni I moved to another TAGB club in my home area, and although it was good and I stuck with it for a while it wasn't in the same league. I also fancied trying my hand at some real close up work, so had a year out, then started a little known freestyle martial art called Chongshindo.

It's based on TKD, Mu Thai, Aikido and Jujistu. We take bits and pieces from everywhere and blend it all together. It's great since it gives you a grounding in virtually everything, and the head instructor has links across the martial arts world meaning we have some great seminars from experts in all kinds of martial arts. Ive been doing it a while now and I'm blue belt. Follows the same belt system as TKD, so I'm just over half way to black :) Got a grading coming up soon, which I'm not looking forward to! :D
 
Lowe said:
Got a grading coming up soon, which I'm not looking forward to! :D
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Pffft! I love gradings me! I also love the weeks coming up to gradings. Our Sensei basically hands us a sheet containing what we need to know, we pick a partner and proceed to throw each other about for 90 minutes. For my yellow belt next month for example I have to demonstrate 4 throws, 8 armlocks, 4 leglocks, 8 chokes, defence from a roundhouse punch and defence from a front kick plus some groundwork techniques. We're free to pick and choose from anything we've learnt so far which is probably what makes it so fun. You learn more in the month before a grading than at any other time!
 
FishFluff said:
Pffft! I love gradings me! I also love the weeks coming up to gradings. Our Sensei basically hands us a sheet containing what we need to know, we pick a partner and proceed to throw each other about for 90 minutes. For my yellow belt next month for example I have to demonstrate 4 throws, 8 armlocks, 4 leglocks, 8 chokes, defence from a roundhouse punch and defence from a front kick plus some groundwork techniques. We're free to pick and choose from anything we've learnt so far which is probably what makes it so fun. You learn more in the month before a grading than at any other time!
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True, but I have to do similar to the above, then continue to do a similar amount of TKD style fighting, then finally break 2 boards. It's absolutely knackering! 45 mins of full on Jujitsu is bad enough, but that's pretty much the warm up :o
 
Lowe said:
True, but I have to do similar to the above, then continue to do a similar amount of TKD style fighting, then finally break 2 boards. It's absolutely knackering! 45 mins of full on Jujitsu is bad enough, but that's pretty much the warm up :o
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Good point. Ask me if I still love gradings when I get up to 2nd Kyu and have to do tons more for each belt :p
 
PaulStat said:
I'm thinking about starting Aikido as there is a Dojo just opposite my work place. Anyone know much about this MA?
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Very placid MA, not nearly as effective as Tai-Chi, barely any attacking moves and takes just as long to get to a point where you can use it in real-life.

Though people would no doubt disagree with me, I don't reccommended to anyone wanting to learn in a practical fashion how to fight or defend themselves.
 
Does anyone have a link to a site that covers the different type of MA styles etc?

I used to practice Shotokan Karate for many years but stopped about 8 years ago after reaching 3rd Dan. I used to love it but found I didnt have the time or energy to continue. Reading this thread has opened my eyes to the other MA around and I'm interested to research them in the hope I may take up something in the future.

Cheers,
OP.
 
Orange Peel said:
Does anyone have a link to a site that covers the different type of MA styles etc?

I used to practice Shotokan Karate for many years but stopped about 8 years ago after reaching 3rd Dan. I used to love it but found I didnt have the time or energy to continue. Reading this thread has opened my eyes to the other MA around and I'm interested to research them in the hope I may take up something in the future.

Cheers,
OP.
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Have a browse around the forums on www.martialartsplanet.com or www.bullshido.net Both of those have a good cross section of martial artists posting there, with Bullshido having more of an empthasis on stuff proven to work in MMA.
 
Richdog said:
Very placid MA, not nearly as effective as Tai-Chi, barely any attacking moves and takes just as long to get to a point where you can use it in real-life.

Though people would no doubt disagree with me, I don't reccommended to anyone wanting to learn in a practical fashion how to fight or defend themselves.
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Yes and no.. just because they don't teach you to punch, doesn't mean you can't when it comes to it. What do you think Jujitsu is? ;) (ok, very lose comparison there)

In my own style we use Aikido techniques to disable an opponent, but usually not before we've lumped em a few times to soften them up. :D Aikido is great for learning about posture and balance and how simple movements can focus energy.

I agree it takes a long time to learn, especially to become effective in its use, but that shouldn't be a reason not to study it. The best things come to those who wait... ;)
 
I know a few Aikido stylists and even they cross-train with harder arts in order to gain some decent fighting ability.

I agree with you about Aikido being great for learning about posture, balance, and directing energy but as I said, Tai-Chi does the same and is far more effective as a fighting martial art. Perosnally, given the choice out of spending 10 years learning either of them Tai-Chi would win the toss each time. It's health benefits are greater through extensive use of Qi-Gong, and it's principler imo sounder in nature. It combines devestating palm and fist strikes, kicks, jointlocks/breaks and throws with a grace, fluidity and seeming effortlessness that most other arts can only dream of. Plus a good teacher will have you sparring contact as well as learning push hands. Did I mention a great weapons set consisting of sword, saber and pole? There's a reason it's name means "grand ultimate fist" or "grand ultimate boxing" depending on which way you look at it. In olden china it was regarded as the deadliest fighting art one could master.

I think Aikido is a great way of learning self-discipline and posture etc, but as a fighting art I seriously doubt it's effectiveness. The way you are taught i.e: "co-operating" with a partner to learn throws etc I see as ineffective in comparison to judo/Jiu-jitsu where you get down and dirty to learn the techniques. Aikido is 99% defensive, and without a decent range of attacks I do not consider a fighting art a fighting art. It is known as the "non-violent martial art", something that has never really sat right with me.

But that is just a personal opinion, I do not speak for anyone else, and i'm sure MANY people would love aikido and get a lot out of studying it. :)
 
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im at Kent uni...and the stuff they have to do at the uni is:

Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Tai-Chi, Kickboxing, and there is a Kung Fu thing, which consists of traditional shaolin and wing chun.

I currently do the kickboxing, its good for punches and kicks etc, but i would also like to learn something more martial arty, like mui thai, but they dont do it at the uni.

Which of the other stuff they do would be best to do? As in more action, not just fitness and pointless movements etc.
 
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