Chinese or Japanese?

[Batucada]

Hi all,

I'm from South Africa, a very dangerous and violent country indeed. I have no martial arts experience at all and I need to learn how to defend myself.
I visited a Kendo/Iaido/Jodo Dojo and the Sensei told me to take Aikido if I wanted to learn how to defend myself but I feel that Japanese martial arts are not as hard and effective as Chinese martial arts. I'm probably wrong, I don't know.
Anyway, I am interested in taking up Chinese Martial Arts; can you please check out this link: http://www.ymaasa.co.za/ymaasa/index.htm and tell me if you think it's worth learning the arts that are thought by this association or am I wrong about the power of Japanese Martial arts?

Thanks,
Batucada.

[danfaggella]

YMAA is highley respected all over the place. I think thier training is a bit geared in tradition from what I have read and heard, though that is a good place to train and you will likely learn to defend yourself if you truely train for that purpose seriously.

Aikido is not a good art to learn if you want to defend yourself. There are a thousand more logical systems for the purpose of self defense. Aikido can do a lot for you and you could learn some good stuff from it, but the philosophy and concepts, and ESPECIALLY the training method, will prevent you from effectively defending yourself. You're better off boxing.

Obviously swordsmanship is a great art in itself, very interesting. However, you aren't going to be carrying a sword around, and I'm not even sure how that sword place trains, it could be all kata.

Check out YMAA, and understand concepts of self defense and conflict avoidance. Get determined, get occustomed to weapons, possably even carry a knife if you feel like you are in danger durring your day.

Last comment: Get a good sprint. In most confrontations (where there will likely be a bunch of guys and possibly weapons, against YOU), you will want to get away from there as soon as you can, or just give them your money. Fighting is your last option, but when you have to fight you need to fight well, train dilligently, friend, and good luck in the wide world of martial arts.

[jubaji]

can you guess what comes next punk?

Aikido is not a good art to learn if you want to defend yourself.

What in your Aikido training led you to that conclusion?

[aseepish]

If you're in Jo-burg, you should check out Rodney King's gym (although I hear that Mr. King no longer coaches in SA) - http://www.alivenessnow.com/

[Mephariel]

Chinese and Japanese both have good martial arts. As a martial artist, keep an open mind to accept and absorb the effective elements of other styles. In turn it will help bring your skills to a higher level. It just depends on what you are looking for. Judo and Jujitsu specialize in takedowns and grappling. You might want to learn that. If you decided to take Chinese Martial Arts, MAKE SURE your master actually knows how to fight and he is not just a form teacher. Some teacher would teach you years on forms but never real fighting applications. If you want to go fight in the ring, I suggest you to take San Shou or Muay Thai. Avoid arts like Tai Chi. Tai Chi can be use for fighting, but I doubt you can find a teacher that knows how to use it that way. San Shou, Wing Chun, Hung Gar, Bajiquan, Shuai Jiao, Xing Yi Quan are all more focus on fighting application in the Chinese system.

[jubaji]

Avoid arts like Tai Chi.

Avoid categorical statements.

[Mephariel]

Avoid categorical statements.

My point was not to put down the arts in those category. I am saying that very few teachers can teach those arts in a real combat situation and he should watch out for it. If he wants to learn Tai Chi and he can actually find a good teacher, then by all means go head.

[EmptyneSs]

Hi all,

I'm from South Africa, a very dangerous and violent country indeed. I have no martial arts experience at all and I need to learn how to defend myself.
I visited a Kendo/Iaido/Jodo Dojo and the Sensei told me to take Aikido if I wanted to learn how to defend myself but I feel that Japanese martial arts are not as hard and effective as Chinese martial arts. I'm probably wrong, I don't know.
Anyway, I am interested in taking up Chinese Martial Arts; can you please check out this link: http://www.ymaasa.co.za/ymaasa/index.htm and tell me if you think it's worth learning the arts that are thought by this association or am I wrong about the power of Japanese Martial arts?

Thanks,
Batucada.

you would probobly want to learn some weapons training, like stick and knife. carry some kind of weapon with you, like a blade.

[danfaggella]

Yep, thats what I meant. Aikido could in thoery be used well to defend ones self, though there is no striking and the technique is limited. However, most places train in extreme uke-tore fashion, and no real world aplicaion i gained. There is an aikido place like this in North Kingstown, and though it may be a col place run by a good guy, its not ANYONE's best bet for practical self defense.

[jubaji]

there is no striking and the technique is limited.

How long had you trained in Aikido before reaching these conclusions?

[Kungfoolery]

Rodney isn't teaching anymore?

[danfaggella]

jubaji, you yourself would be the first person to tell anyone that Aikido is not the answer if you are looking to learn self defense.

I did not train there, my freind Jaden did, for a few years. Again, all he got form it was some nifty looking uke-tori routines. Even when I threw slow jabs he was unable to actually use his technique because his training method (and that training method of most Aikido places) is very coriographed. "If a guy comes in and does a karate chop, you spin in here and do such-and-such." Striking is also a super-important aspect in self defense, and in Aikido you will never learn such vidal techniques.

[jubaji]

I did not train there.

Oh, where did you train?

[danfaggella]

WOW jubaji sticking up for Aikido as a good way to self defense, this is bizzarro world.

IF you haven't read any of my other posts (which is likely if you just select 4 words per post to comment on) then you can check my profile or older posts.

Rehearsing cool wrist locks and flips is not a great way to become proficient in self defense. The technique and the training have to be oriented to the real conditions of the streets if you are looking to martial arts for self defense.

[jubaji]

you can check my profile .

I did. It doesn't say where you studied Aikido.