Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

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James Y
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#741

Post by James Y »

twinboysdad wrote:
Wed Apr 06, 2022 1:53 pm
James Y wrote:
Tue Apr 05, 2022 12:57 am
Judo vs Freestyle Wrestling

Good match between two very good practitioners. IMO, both combat sports are roughly equivalent on the mat, all else being equal. My personal preference happens to be Judo, but YMMV...

https://youtu.be/cMLzQD6o4Ts

Jim
I favor wrestling for the ability to find decent instruction and compete at the school level, but my exposure was personally to Judo and I took about a year in my mid 20’s. Very effective but we moved and a BJJ school was closer
Yes, Judo schools are generally harder to find than other arts. Judo never was as big commercially as, say, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, etc. Compared to wrestling, which can be found with quality instruction virtually anywhere.

My Judo sensei was Benso Tsuji, an excellent Judo instructor who produced many excellent students. Sometimes I wish I'd stayed with it longer than I did, but other things called out to me.

I don't know much about the Judo nowadays, other than what I've watched in the Olympics. It looks like the emphasis has.become more about muscling and forcing techniques. Whereas when I trained in it, if you attempted a takedown or throw and it was checked, you immediately switched up, instead of trying to force it to work. IMO, martial arts start losing essential elements when they gain inclusion into the Olympics...Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Karate, etc.

Jim
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#742

Post by twinboysdad »

James Y wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:32 am
twinboysdad wrote:
Wed Apr 06, 2022 1:53 pm
James Y wrote:
Tue Apr 05, 2022 12:57 am
Judo vs Freestyle Wrestling

Good match between two very good practitioners. IMO, both combat sports are roughly equivalent on the mat, all else being equal. My personal preference happens to be Judo, but YMMV...

https://youtu.be/cMLzQD6o4Ts

Jim
I favor wrestling for the ability to find decent instruction and compete at the school level, but my exposure was personally to Judo and I took about a year in my mid 20’s. Very effective but we moved and a BJJ school was closer
Yes, Judo schools are generally harder to find than other arts. Judo never was as big commercially as, say, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, etc. Compared to wrestling, which can be found with quality instruction virtually anywhere.

My Judo sensei was Benso Tsuji, an excellent Judo instructor who produced many excellent students. Sometimes I wish I'd stayed with it longer than I did, but other things called out to me.

I don't know much about the Judo nowadays, other than what I've watched in the Olympics. It looks like the emphasis has.become more about muscling and forcing techniques. Whereas when I trained in it, if you attempted a takedown or throw and it was checked, you immediately switched up, instead of trying to force it to work. IMO, martial arts start losing essential elements when they gain inclusion into the Olympics...Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Karate, etc.

Jim
It also seems different countries coach it different like soccer in Brazil vs Mexico. French Judo differs greatly from Japanese
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#743

Post by James Y »

twinboysdad wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:42 am
James Y wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:32 am
twinboysdad wrote:
Wed Apr 06, 2022 1:53 pm
James Y wrote:
Tue Apr 05, 2022 12:57 am
Judo vs Freestyle Wrestling

Good match between two very good practitioners. IMO, both combat sports are roughly equivalent on the mat, all else being equal. My personal preference happens to be Judo, but YMMV...

https://youtu.be/cMLzQD6o4Ts

Jim
I favor wrestling for the ability to find decent instruction and compete at the school level, but my exposure was personally to Judo and I took about a year in my mid 20’s. Very effective but we moved and a BJJ school was closer
Yes, Judo schools are generally harder to find than other arts. Judo never was as big commercially as, say, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, etc. Compared to wrestling, which can be found with quality instruction virtually anywhere.

My Judo sensei was Benso Tsuji, an excellent Judo instructor who produced many excellent students. Sometimes I wish I'd stayed with it longer than I did, but other things called out to me.

I don't know much about the Judo nowadays, other than what I've watched in the Olympics. It looks like the emphasis has.become more about muscling and forcing techniques. Whereas when I trained in it, if you attempted a takedown or throw and it was checked, you immediately switched up, instead of trying to force it to work. IMO, martial arts start losing essential elements when they gain inclusion into the Olympics...Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Karate, etc.

Jim
It also seems different countries coach it different like soccer in Brazil vs Mexico. French Judo differs greatly from Japanese

That is true. Thanks for pointing that out.

I wonder if many non-MMA affiliated Judo schools nowadays emphasize much of the floor grappling. When I studied Judo, it was an essential part of it. So much so that when I trained BJJ for a year in my mid-40s, it felt very natural for me, almost like picking up where I'd left off, even though it had been nearly 30 years since I had quit Judo. The main difference was that in Judo, ground grappling was a part of the curriculum, whereas the BJJ academy I trained at ONLY emphasized ground grappling. If I had to pick between the two, I'd still choose Judo over BJJ.

Jim
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#744

Post by James Y »

'This Fake Tough Guy Gets Exposed'

The real truth is, you shouldn't be starting anything with anybody, verbally or otherwise. In the video, something very bad could have easily happened over something that had been 100% avoidable and unnecessary. Someday, the guy with the bag's mouth is going to write a check that his @ss can't cash.

https://youtu.be/cKrg2kfeX6g

Jim
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#745

Post by Naperville »

James Y wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 1:04 pm
'This Fake Tough Guy Gets Exposed'

The real truth is, you shouldn't be starting anything with anybody, verbally or otherwise. In the video, something very bad could have easily happened over something that had been 100% avoidable and unnecessary. Someday, the guy with the bag's mouth is going to write a check that his @ss can't cash.

https://youtu.be/cKrg2kfeX6g

Jim
They're both problems waiting to happen.

I try to be the gray man. I don't say anything to anyone. Avoid all eye contact. Give people a wide berth. Allow people to do whatever they want to do. If I have something to report to the police, I do it from a locked car far away from the scene of a crime.
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#746

Post by Naperville »

My typical day....

As an ancient I say nothing to anyone as I travel on foot. I have a 2 foot long silver-gray beard, wear sandals that strap to my shins and I dress down like a lowly peddler, carrying a shoulder pole(a staff that breaks into two arnis weapons) and two baskets hanging from the pole. I'm only 62 but move far slower, as if I'm 162 and have a dozen maladies and diseases. As an expert in disguise, hiding my true abilities, and desired targets...I remain ready to strike in any direction like Sun Wukong.

For short battles to the death that last under a 5 minutes, I'm good to go.

This is how I stay out of trouble.
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#747

Post by James Y »

I tend to be a gray man, anyway. Nothing about my appearance stands out that I'm worth much, or that I'm worth messing with. I'm alert and aware, and walk like I know where I'm going, because the places I go, I do know where I am and what I'm there for. I don't mess with my phone, or wear ear buds, or keep my head down. It's not being paranoid; I liken it to driving a car, keeping a constant, relaxed awareness. That also sends a subconscious signal to anyone who may be scanning for targets that you're aware of your surroundings.

Jim
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#748

Post by James Y »

Never Slap a Killer (video by Tim Larkin)

Great video. I DO have a bit of an issue with the title. A slap CAN be an effective strike in SD. I'm not talking about a weak, soap opera-style finger slap like Will Smith gave Chris Rock. I'm talking about a fully-committed, whole-body power slap with the slightly cupped flat of the palm, or palm heel. But I think the actual point of the title is not to go around voluntarily starting something with others you know nothing about.

There are countless instances of stupid, rage-and-ego-driven fights that ended up with a fatality, and prison for the survivor. Physical engagement should only be a last resort, when there are no other options.

Tim Larkin seems to think the incident in the video was gang-related. I'm no expert on that, but I highly doubt it. I just don't get that 'rival gang members' vibe from this. They look more like a couple of 'good ol' boy' types to me.

https://youtu.be/8QFR5bpNEVo

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#749

Post by Naperville »

As Larkin said in the video, treat everyone as if they have a gun and they are ready to use it in less than 6 seconds. Otherwise, "bang, bang, bang...."
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#750

Post by James Y »

Naperville wrote:
Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:21 pm
As Larkin said in the video, treat everyone as if they have a gun and they are ready to use it in less than 6 seconds. Otherwise, "bang, bang, bang...."

Absolutely. Or another way to say it is, “Don’t underestimate anyone.” That not only applies to physical prowess, but to anything. A skinny little 11-year old kid can pull a trigger just as easily as a hulking, 6’ 10” giant; in fact, the kid is probably more likely to pull the trigger on you.

Jim
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#751

Post by max808 »

James Y wrote:
Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:33 pm
Naperville wrote:
Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:21 pm
As Larkin said in the video, treat everyone as if they have a gun and they are ready to use it in less than 6 seconds. Otherwise, "bang, bang, bang...."

Absolutely. Or another way to say it is, “Don’t underestimate anyone.” That not only applies to physical prowess, but to anything. A skinny little 11-year old kid can pull a trigger just as easily as a hulking, 6’ 10” giant; in fact, the kid is probably more likely to pull the trigger on you.

Jim
Amen to that, just overheard a streetfight unfold a couple of floors below me, barely dawn, lots of grunting and running up on, kicking and slapping, women screaming and finally children crying. From what I could make out a father had caught up with his teenage daughter after she got drunk with her friends, the whole thing lasted about ten minutes and escalated several times with the boyfriend, perhaps a bad influence, eventually begging for forgiveness. After that mom deescalated the situation quickly and the fight was over. Now imagine that same situation where just one of the kids has a pistol... add any number of controlled substances to the mix and there's just too many ways where that scenario ends badly.
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#752

Post by James Y »

max808 wrote:
Sun Apr 10, 2022 12:29 am
James Y wrote:
Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:33 pm
Naperville wrote:
Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:21 pm
As Larkin said in the video, treat everyone as if they have a gun and they are ready to use it in less than 6 seconds. Otherwise, "bang, bang, bang...."

Absolutely. Or another way to say it is, “Don’t underestimate anyone.” That not only applies to physical prowess, but to anything. A skinny little 11-year old kid can pull a trigger just as easily as a hulking, 6’ 10” giant; in fact, the kid is probably more likely to pull the trigger on you.

Jim
Amen to that, just overheard a streetfight unfold a couple of floors below me, barely dawn, lots of grunting and running up on, kicking and slapping, women screaming and finally children crying. From what I could make out a father had caught up with his teenage daughter after she got drunk with her friends, the whole thing lasted about ten minutes and escalated several times with the boyfriend, perhaps a bad influence, eventually begging for forgiveness. After that mom deescalated the situation quickly and the fight was over. Now imagine that same situation where just one of the kids has a pistol... add any number of controlled substances to the mix and there's just too many ways where that scenario ends badly.

Thank you for sharing, Max.

Jim
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#753

Post by James Y »

Thomas Pitera (AKA, Tommy Karate): The Mafia's Most Infamous Hitman/Serial Killer

Something a little different here, and more proof that training extensively in martial arts does not necessarily produce a better person. He began training in Karate as a child, and as a young adult, he spent 27months living in Japan and studied Togakure-ryu Ninjutsu.

https://youtu.be/GkGTXF_uVV8

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#754

Post by Naperville »

I've met some really crazy dangerous people 30 years ago, and all that I was doing at the time was riding around on a motorcycle. Gangs can be found riding around in groups of 3+ and they will try to pull you in. You think cool, somebody to ride with, and then instead of talking shop about motorcycles when they dismount, they are showing you their rifle racks and other weapons.

You have to be really careful. Real life is freakishly worse than a movie and bad people are everywhere. Some people are so corrupt and diabolical they belong in prison doing hard time. Some are drug runners. Other are molesters or murderers.

Chicago Police only solve 30% to 40% of the homicides! That is a ton of murderers running around on the loose, and most of them look like you and I.

Think about all of the people involved selling stolen goods or drugs and stolen guns.

It's really bad out there.
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James Y
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#755

Post by James Y »

Naperville wrote:
Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:36 pm
I've met some really crazy dangerous people 30 years ago, and all that I was doing at the time was riding around on a motorcycle. Gangs can be found riding around in groups of 3+ and they will try to pull you in. You think cool, somebody to ride with, and then instead of talking shop about motorcycles when they dismount, they are showing you their rifle racks and other weapons.

You have to be really careful. Real life is freakishly worse than a movie and bad people are everywhere. Some people are so corrupt and diabolical they belong in prison doing hard time. Some are drug runners. Other are molesters or murderers.

Chicago Police only solve 30% to 40% of the homicides! That is a ton of murderers running around on the loose, and most of them look like you and I.

Think about all of the people involved selling stolen goods or drugs and stolen guns.

It's really bad out there.

Thanks for sharing.

I've known a few actual psychopaths in my life, though I kept a distance from them in our social circle. These occurred during different periods of my life.

When I lived in Taiwan, one of my teacher's teachers had an association with one of Taiwan's Triad organized crime groups, which are similar to the Yakuza and the Mafia. There were a couple times I was compelled to dine at banquets held for these groups.

The first time was when some of my Kung Fu class members and I were invited by this grand teacher on a free trip from Taipei to Tainan; all we had to do was travel by bus with two separate groups to do some forms demonstrations at some temples, of which there are many in Tainan. Some were tiny little roadside temples to local deities, and some were huge complexes that looked like Shaolin Temples in the movies. The two groups we traveled with lit firecrackers, waved banners, did lion and dragon dances, and 'spiritual boxing'/Shen Da self-mutilation demonstrations (sticking steel rods through their cheeks and hanging weights from them, hitting themselves with spiked balls on ropes, etc.). They also performed some Kung Fu, but they weren't very good at it.

What I quickly became aware of was that this 'free trip' was an extortion racket. These two groups were rival Triad factions, who were temporarily cooperating to 'bless' these temples in exchange for money and goods. And the temples had no choice; payment was mandatory. The 'big boss' in a suit and dark glasses had traveled separately in a big black limo with his bodyguards, and as a show of power, stood impassively while the temple keepers scurried out to hand large sums of money and countless boxes of cigarettes to the bodyguards to check and put into the limo.

Once the big boss had left, everyone sat at a huge banquet that was laid out at one of the temple courtyards. We were dining and drinking and toasting in style with gangsters, some of whom had probably killed people before. The ones we were with were obviously lower-level members, not involved in the higher-level dealings that the suits were involved in. The highest-level gangsters were businessmen, not street thugs. We actually had a good time, but a part of me won't forget that my classmates and I had a hand, however minor our role was, in extorting money from numerous temples in Tainan, Taiwan. And a part of me feels bad about that. That happened in 1991 or so.

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#756

Post by Naperville »

I used to go clubbing in SF back in 2001/2002. I ran into Triad members at one location and they took a liking to me. I did not know who they were when I met them and almost knocked their onsite leaderships eye out with a martial arts move. Immediately 5 to 10 guys jumped out of their seats and were going to tear into me, but I got lucky, the guy waved them off and laughed.

A few months later, at the same location, I was minding my own business and a Chinese guy who had to be 6'-6", 275lbs, built like a brick house walked by me and all that I could see was a wall of blue ink with dragons and tigers. I was dumbfounded and said hey what's up! He knew me but I did not know him. I was later told that I'd never see the guy coming if he was looking for me. How that guy even got in the USA remains a mystery to me.

I quit hanging out there because I had a wonderful Shanghai girlfriend and only took her there once to dance. Once was enough and I did not want them having anything to do with her. They had my phone number and called me, and I graciously told them I had a new gf and was going to be spending time with her. They left me alone.

We did not live anywhere near SF so I never ran into them again.
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#757

Post by James Y »

Naperville wrote:
Mon Apr 11, 2022 10:14 pm
I used to go clubbing in SF back in 2001/2002. I ran into Triad members at one location and they took a liking to me. I did not know who they were when I met them and almost knocked their onsite leaderships eye out with a martial arts move. Immediately 5 to 10 guys jumped out of their seats and were going to tear into me, but I got lucky, the guy waved them off and laughed.

A few months later, at the same location, I was minding my own business and a Chinese guy who had to be 6'-6", 275lbs, built like a brick house walked by me and all that I could see was a wall of blue ink with dragons and tigers. I was dumbfounded and said hey what's up! He knew me but I did not know him. I was later told that I'd never see the guy coming if he was looking for me. How that guy even got in the USA remains a mystery to me.

I quit hanging out there because I had a wonderful Shanghai girlfriend and only took her there once to dance. Once was enough and I did not want them having anything to do with her. They had my phone number and called me, and I graciously told them I had a new gf and was going to be spending time with her. They left me alone.

We did not live anywhere near SF so I never ran into them again.

Thanks. Yeah, you don't want to develop any relationships with Triads. I've even been acquainted with a few, all in Taiwan, and mostly because of that one grand teacher I had. But don't develop any relationships or accept any favors from them, because someday soon, you will be called on to return the favor.

One big English guy I knew in Taiwan had lived in Hong Kong, and told me he had become an honorary "Green Triad." He also told me at one of their banquets, he met old-school Kung Fu movie actor Bruce Leung (also written as Bruce Liang, or Leung Siu-Lung), who was a member, and showed me Bruce Leung's business card as proof. He mentioned that Jackie Chan was also a member; that he had to be in order to make movies in Hong Kong without being hassled by other Triads. I can't be 100% certain of his claims, but I at least partly believed him.

Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane wrote in her autobiography that one night in the early 70s in San Francisco, she and a male bandmate were playing around with martial arts moves on a sidewalk when a carload of young Chinese guys pulled up and threatened to beat him up for her. The men had no idea that she was Grace Slick. She declined and went with them out of curiosity to a gang meeting, where she became nervous when they began discussing a deal involving guns. She played stupid and begged off with some excuse. She was VERY lucky that they alliwed her to leave.

Jim
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#758

Post by James Y »

This Gang Member Describes a Prey's Mindset

I actually think this video should have been entitled, "This Gang Member Describes a Predator's Mindset." Because he seems to be describing that more.

Note: This video contains some offensive language. However, IMO, sugarcoating or censoring certain speech patterns of the person being interviewed will NOT help to gain any type of understanding of a predator's mindset, nor give any feeling of the types of predators you might encounter.

https://youtu.be/_-zz1qYRHok

Jim
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#759

Post by James Y »

Choy Lee Fut form demonstration

Performed by Sifu Wong Zen-Yem, during a Chinese New Year celebration in New York City in 2010.

https://youtu.be/nm_DuRzmgGc

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#760

Post by Naperville »

James Y wrote:
Wed Apr 13, 2022 1:31 pm
This Gang Member Describes a Prey's Mindset

I actually think this video should have been entitled, "This Gang Member Describes a Predator's Mindset." Because he seems to be describing that more.

Note: This video contains some offensive language. However, IMO, sugarcoating or censoring certain speech patterns of the person being interviewed will NOT help to gain any type of understanding of a predator's mindset, nor give any feeling of the types of predators you might encounter.

https://youtu.be/_-zz1qYRHok

Jim
The only difference between that guy and the neighbors that I had for 25 years is he is black, and they were white. Same criminals. They gang banged together and were from different gangs. They stripped cars for parts, for a business they had in the alley to "repair" cars. If you had a car they needed parts from, they stole it, stripped it, and then left the vehicle burnt out at the end of the block. They dealt drugs and God knows what else. Most of them had multiple arrests for auto theft.

My 14 to 15 year old neighbor shot another teen in the back at the park, where just 2 days ago there was another shooting/homicide.

I'm glad that I made it out alive, but I never hung out with them, never said much to them except stay away from our property.
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