Any Martial Artists Out There?

[Smiddywap 0]

I have avoided the marital arts. As I understand, she seems great for the first year, increasingly moody for the second and downright shrewlike for the third. She then takes half your stuff and you never see her again.I trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for about a month. My instructor then left town and I've never seen him again. There's no joke here, that's what really happened.

[devilsslide 0]

Seems like I'm the first with an actual response here...I'm actually a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I started when I was real young (around 6 or so) and had my black belt by the time I was 11. The guys who ran my training were in the olympics, representing either Korea or the US, i'm not sure which (you can look it up if your interested, the name was y.h. park)To be honest, since I did it at such a young age, I really don't remember any of it, which is a shame. Honestly, I started out with a great instructor, who left around the time I got to my blue belt. Then a new guy took over who I couldn't stand. I absolutely hated going for the last 2 years, but my parents made me go through with it. By the time I finished, I wanted nothing to do with it, and quit. If I were to get into a fight, I'd definately be more apt to smashing a beer bottle over someone's face than snap kicking their legs out from under them, since I really don't remember any of what I learned.The belt looks bad ass on my wall though.

Pretty much my story exactly. I started Hapkido (Tae Kwon Do/Aiko) when I was six (cuz the ninja turtles rocked). I was a "black belt" at 12 and just kind of lost interest. I've retained a small portion of it, but most if it's gone. If anything happens, I'm more inclined to run away...

[essay 0]

I started ITF Tae Kwon Do when i was 12 ish. got 1st Dan around 17 cuz i took summers off for baseball. got my 2nd Dan around 20 then kind of tapered off. If i got back into it i'd be a 3rd Dan within a year and a half.The whole USTF/ITF split really turned me off to the whole thing, though realistically, it affected nothing.Since i was into it for so long its all still up there. its funny what comes out when you need it. A "friend" "jokingly" pulled a knife on me. now he claims i broke his wrist. i dont even know what happened.

[FOOSE1 0]

My wife is a black belt in American Style Karate. She also has been taking Gracie BJJ for over a year now. She can kick my butt!My 8 year old son received his black belt in American Style Karate when he was 7. He also has been taking Gracie BJJ for 6 months. He can kick my butt!My 5 year old son is a green belt in American Style Karate. He pretends he knows BJJ. He can kick my . . . ankles!I have been taking Gracie BJJ for about a umm . . . week . . . lol . . . and love it. PS . . . this is a legitimate response - no joke.

[BIG_L_RIP 0]

My 8 year old son received his black belt in American Style Karate when he was 7. PS . . . this is a legitimate response - no joke.

yeah, the American sort of McDojo approach is amazing. Very dangerous, teaches a false sense of security. Glad he is continuing other training, and the family as well.

[FOOSE1 0]

yeah, the American sort of McDojo approach is amazing. Very dangerous, teaches a false sense of security. Glad he is continuing other training, and the family as well.

Funny you comment on this without even knowing my son or his circumstances. Yes 7 is awfully young I know. However, he has trained 4-5 days a week since he was 4. He is quite the prodigy to say the least. He absorbs everything he is taught with an amazing ability to mimic very complex aerial kicks and so forth. He tested for his black belt with 4 other adults in front of a panel of 7 black belts . . . one of which was Keith Vitali himself. (Rick Vitali is his instructor). Even at his age he had to know 100% of the material that the adults testing had to know. Out of the 5 people that tested he received the 2nd highest marks in the test.Next time you want to be a jerk and downplay my son's achievement because of his age . . . don't. I can assure you that he probably has more skill and techincal ability than most other black belts out there . . . period. He has already been featured in several martial arts magazines and through the help of Keith Vitali may get to meet Jackie Chan (since Jackie used to live with Keith) about possibly making an appearance in an upcoming movie. So thank you for your sarcastic response about his "mcDojo". Oh and yeah umm . . . bite me.

[BIG_L_RIP 0]

nice to get unnecessarily defensive and not read the entirety of my comment. I am not doubting your son's ability, more the nature of the American grading system. Students from around the world remain white belts often as long as American students receive black belts. If you have faith that your son as a 7 year old can ward off grown men, then by all means. That's why I noted it's a good thing he's furthering his training. His apparently inherent gifts will only continue to serve him well. Fatherly pride is one thing, caustic and silly remarks based on vicarious living quite another.