Originally, i wasnt even looking for a martial art. I was regularly taking sports photographs for my university newspaper and at the end of my first undergraduate year, a course mate asked if i would come along to a martial art class he was involved with and take some photos for the fresher bazaar.
I was quite happy to do this and, as it was the summer term, their first session was a Saturday afternoon in the woods outside of town. The group were very friendly and chatty and we set off in a small convoy of about four cars, parked up in a layby and they all set of jogging down a country path into the woods.
I eventually caught them up and watched them going through a few drills, struggling with moving in ranks up and down a hill practising basic techniques, obviously having become accustom to their nice flat, consitent gym floor. They continued their session and finished off with some freestyle on the trunk of a fallen tree which had laid across a hollow and then all jogged back down the track to the cars and home for a well earned coffee.
This was all very pleasant being outside and i then went along to a formal session the following week to watch and get some idea of what would make good photos as i still didnt really know if i could capture everything that was happening. The normal instructor was absent on this session but the head of the artform who lived nearby was going to take the session.
This man was an ordinary guy who if you passed him on the street, you wouldnt look at him twice, he wasnt big and muscular but at the same time, he had a presence and was very capable of articulating things.
He expressed his concerns that many instructors of other artforms liked to make martial arts seem complicated in order to make the things they do seem all the more impressive but, himself being a simple fellow, he liked things to be explained in terms that were easy to understand.
By the end of the session, I was keen to know more and that's what started me on the road to training. I believe i've come along way since then and have learned a lot that has helped me, not just in a martial art but also in life in general.
If you are a new beginner, what is it that is motivating you to take up a martial art as opposed to some other sport ?
If you are a seasoned martial artist with several years training, what was it that first made you decide, yes this is for me and looking back did it provide what you were seeking and more or did your original purpose get lost when you found something much more ?
Maybe you took up a martial art expecting something and never actually found that, becoming disillusioned and finally abandoning your quest - did you ever find what you were seeking in some other activity or maybe you are still looking ?
Just been to the tetsudo website and, to be honest, it doesn't actually tell you a great deal about the art. An experienced martial artist could look at it and think that there are a lot of worrying 'Confuscious says....' moments about it.
Is it is 'soft style' eg aikido?
Is it a 'harder' style eg shotokan karate?
Is it more like boxing, muay thai, etc?
Is it structured like 'If you kick me like this, then I will block your kick like this' etc
Are there practiced forms, kata, etc.
A bit more explanation into what the art actually involves would be more helpful
Also, a worrying part about the website mentions that you can progress onto breaking boards, etc. This is one thing I absolutely HATE about certain martial arts - "Look how hard I am, I can jump through the air and break this board." The board however, is not able to block the kick/punch, recover and then kick your head in!!
Most martial arts, unless you reach the highest gradings, are not a great deal of use in real life. People can spend years training, but if you're not used to taking a punch, when it happens for the first time, you will be far too dazed and disorientated to do much. I did Muay Thai, for a few years, and spent the first few months getting the crap kicked out of me when sparring, but then later down the line you realise you can be hit and recover from it, while still thinking on you feet. Also Muay Thai is quite violent, using your knees & elbows which in a self defence street scenario would enable you to strike and run! It's probably why a lot of the ultimate fighters and mma's have a grounding in muay thai, as it's quite useful until someone takes you to the ground (then you need wrestling etc) not only that but it's still useful as a beginner.
I am looking into trying that Krav Maga soon. I saw a great programme on self defence recently and it made a lot of sense looking at weak spots on your opponent not on your own ability to strike hard etc.
Most martial arts, unless you reach the highest gradings, are not a great deal of use in real life. People can spend years training, but if you're not used to taking a punch, when it happens for the first time, you will be far too dazed and disorientated to do much. I did Muay Thai, for a few years, and spent the first few months getting the crap kicked out of me when sparring, but then later down the line you realise you can be hit and recover from it, while still thinking on you feet. Also Muay Thai is quite violent, using your knees & elbows which in a self defence street scenario would enable you to strike and run! It's probably why a lot of the ultimate fighters and mma's have a grounding in muay thai, as it's quite useful until someone takes you to the ground (then you need wrestling etc) not only that but it's still useful as a beginner.
I really value the same thing in Kung Fu - we do full contact sparring and ground fighting as well as our other stuff. It doesn't half help to focus you if you are used to taking punches at quite a powerful level. Also it is good to practise being knocked to the ground and still making your hit....most street fight injuries occur when people are on the ground.
Fishy is absolutely right in saying that you need to get used to reacting throuigh the shock of someone making a violent impact on you.
This is a really interesting strand - I'd like to come back to it when I've more time...at the moment I'm having a few drinks outside whilst the weather lasts!
