JP Fitness Forums - View Single Post - Why did, do, you would you want to practice a martial art?

gnome · 01-16-2009, 12:52 PM

I started in TKD when I was about 14, because I bugged my mom enough (too much watching Karate Kid when I was little), and because she wanted me to have some sort of self-defense experience before I went off to college. I continued all through high school, with some minor breaks (broke my wrist, broke my nose) during that time. It gave me more discipline and self-confidence. While I have always had a temper, and got into a few fights as a kid, there is something about KNOWING you have the skills and knowledge to break someone's knee or elbow that keeps you from actually doing it (well, I suppose it does as long as you are not a sociopath or something). I've tried to go back, and found a good school, but couldn't afford it at the time, and moved away, and haven't found a good one since. I tried Okinawan Karate for a little bit, but again, money was an issue.

Now that I'm 30, I'd like to get back into it, and have looked into Krav Maga, mainly for self-defense. I like that it takes your instinctual movements during an attack and turns them into techniques to use, and that there is a bit more freedom than in traditional martial arts, as you only follow the philosophy of the techniqe rather than the specific movements. Supposedly, at least...

I would also like to get back into a more traditional martial art, as I think my fiance would prefer something with less emphasis on pure violence. TKD would be nice, but I have always wanted to learn weapons in addition, just for the added challenge of it. If I can find a Tang Soo Do school I would like to learn that.

01-16-2009, 12:52 PM	#54 (permalink)
gnome Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 48	I started in TKD when I was about 14, because I bugged my mom enough (too much watching Karate Kid when I was little), and because she wanted me to have some sort of self-defense experience before I went off to college. I continued all through high school, with some minor breaks (broke my wrist, broke my nose) during that time. It gave me more discipline and self-confidence. While I have always had a temper, and got into a few fights as a kid, there is something about KNOWING you have the skills and knowledge to break someone's knee or elbow that keeps you from actually doing it (well, I suppose it does as long as you are not a sociopath or something). I've tried to go back, and found a good school, but couldn't afford it at the time, and moved away, and haven't found a good one since. I tried Okinawan Karate for a little bit, but again, money was an issue. Now that I'm 30, I'd like to get back into it, and have looked into Krav Maga, mainly for self-defense. I like that it takes your instinctual movements during an attack and turns them into techniques to use, and that there is a bit more freedom than in traditional martial arts, as you only follow the philosophy of the techniqe rather than the specific movements. Supposedly, at least... I would also like to get back into a more traditional martial art, as I think my fiance would prefer something with less emphasis on pure violence. TKD would be nice, but I have always wanted to learn weapons in addition, just for the added challenge of it. If I can find a Tang Soo Do school I would like to learn that.