Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

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James Y
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1141

Post by James Y »

You Get Better With Age - Self-Defense Training at Home

(Video below)

Good stuff. I've been doing my own variations of the types of things shown in the video below for years now, and simple training methods are indeed very effective as you get older.

I hear TONS of guys, older AND younger than I am, saying things like:

"As you get older, you're going to be ****ed up, your body and mind are going to go to ****., you're going to be hating life," etc., etc., etc.

I understand that health issues do crop up, and injuries do happen in life, unless you've been extremely lucky or blessed. But too many people (mostly men) say the above like it's already a foregone conclusion. Then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The mind (along with the will) is an incredible thing. Your deepest thoughts and beliefs do create your reality.

Then I've seen a few (very few) other men, even some who had injuries or health challenges, who never gave up and quit. Their minds stayed sharp, and they were spry for their ages and/or conditions.

I know of one guy around my age who's a lifelong martial artist, who many years ago fell nearly 50 feet, ultimately landing on his back while working at a construction site, which broke his back in multiple places, among other injuries. He was confined to a wheelchair for (IIRC) a couple of years. Through physical therapy and sheer will, he made a recovery and continues teaching Choy Lee Fut style. He said it was his burning desire to practice martial arts again that pushed him in his recovery process. And although he gained a lot of weight, and is much heavier than he was before the accident, he hits like a freight train. Again, the mind, along with the will and self-belief, is an extremely powerful tool. Will we use our minds and self-beliefs to self-sabotage, or will we use them to make ourselves the best that we can be?

Although I can no longer run as fast as I did in my youth, and due to an injury I can no longer do any of the high kicks or high jumps i used to do, and I don't lift heavy weights anymore; my hand speed and my reaction speed and timing are still intact; I can still do my footwork; I actually generate deeper, more penetrating power in my strikes now than before. My low kicks are still intact. This isnt my imagination. It comes from consistent, daily (or almost daily) training. As you become older, you need to emphasize quality over quantity, and substance over flash.

https://www.youtube.com/live/2hEonXolR6Y?feature=share

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1142

Post by Naperville »

JUDO COMPETITION: Tashkent Grand Slam 2023

:party-face

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1143

Post by Naperville »

Great video James!

I will be getting moving soon. Will be going out to see if I can walk 1 to 2 miles soon. Spring is almost here and I'm either going to walk 1 to 2 miles every other day with no problems or I'm going to ask my Dr for a rehab class(es) for my back. Spinal stenosis was my problem more than a year ago and I need to see if it is better with me having dropped 35lbs.

Maybe I'll ask my Dr to rewrite the prescription in either case and take the rehab class.

If everything works out and I can move, I'll start to train on escrima in the basement. Maybe buy a strike bag too.
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1144

Post by James Y »

Naperville wrote:
Sat Mar 04, 2023 2:08 am
Great video James!

I will be getting moving soon. Will be going out to see if I can walk 1 to 2 miles soon. Spring is almost here and I'm either going to walk 1 to 2 miles every other day with no problems or I'm going to ask my Dr for a rehab class(es) for my back. Spinal stenosis was my problem more than a year ago and I need to see if it is better with me having dropped 35lbs.

Maybe I'll ask my Dr to rewrite the prescription in either case and take the rehab class.

If everything works out and I can move, I'll start to train on escrima in the basement. Maybe buy a strike bag too.

All the best to you!

For the walking, maybe try starting out with a goal of 10 minutes of walking in the beginning? That would allow the body to adjust into it. I've always walked a lot, but after my 2 hernia surgeries, in 2018 and in 2021, each time I started off walking a bit again for maybe 5 or 10 minutes a few days after the surgeries. After the first surgery, I actually started the walking by doing circuits inside of my house; boring, and the time doesnt fly when you don't have outdoor air and scenery, but I didnt want to risk an accidental fall outside with a newly-repaired and healing hernia. Then I shifted back outdoors and gradually built back up again to 1 or 2 miles a day.

After each of my surgeries, I followed the suggestions and didn't do any strengthening exercises like ab work, push-ups, etc., for 6 weeks. I also didn't do any martial arts during that time either; and when I restarted practicing, I started out in slow motion, with no big twisting, and without any power generation. I wanted to ensure that the tissues around the hernia mesh were healed well before I did any forceful movements. Then I gradually built up to it again, which probably took a total of about 10 weeks each time.

Sounds like you have a good plan there.

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1145

Post by Naperville »

Sorry to hear about your ailments.

I think around 10 to 15 years ago I walked 5 to 10 miles per day, 3 to 4 days a week, no problem. But then I put on all of this weight. I weighed 180 for the longest time and then I ballooned to 235!

My brother(ex cop) had a hernia, they fixed it, and within 9 months he had to have it fixed again. Not sure what happened. He had a mesh put in the 2nd time, not sure about the 1st time.

He also had wrist surgery. I was looking for a training partner but he wasn't capable. Not sure how his wrist is now.

He was thinking about shoulder or elbow surgery too, but after hearing how difficult the shoulder is to operate on, I think he backed out.

After hearing about all of his ailments and operations I was glad that I got out of construction work after ~10 years. 25 years of hard physical labor is too much for the body to take. When I last worked in 2017 I was installing PCs /servers, routers / switches, some of it racks but mostly hundreds of systems a week and I would get off the train as if I was a cripple. Really got me worried that it would effect me physically for years to come, but then I unexpectedly had the heart attack. I think it was the physical stress of the job.

Your body lets you know when it has had enough.
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1146

Post by James Y »

Naperville wrote:
Sat Mar 04, 2023 3:54 pm
Sorry to hear about your ailments.

I think around 10 to 15 years ago I walked 5 to 10 miles per day, 3 to 4 days a week, no problem. But then I put on all of this weight. I weighed 180 for the longest time and then I ballooned to 235!

My brother(ex cop) had a hernia, they fixed it, and within 9 months he had to have it fixed again. Not sure what happened. He had a mesh put in the 2nd time, not sure about the 1st time.

He also had wrist surgery. I was looking for a training partner but he wasn't capable. Not sure how his wrist is now.

He was thinking about shoulder or elbow surgery too, but after hearing how difficult the shoulder is to operate on, I think he backed out.

After hearing about all of his ailments and operations I was glad that I got out of construction work after ~10 years. 25 years of hard physical labor is too much for the body to take. When I last worked in 2017 I was installing PCs /servers, routers / switches, some of it racks but mostly hundreds of systems a week and I would get off the train as if I was a cripple. Really got me worried that it would effect me physically for years to come, but then I unexpectedly had the heart attack. I think it was the physical stress of the job.

Your body lets you know when it has had enough.

Yes indeed, the body really does tell you that. Sorry to hear about you and your brother's health challenges as well. We have to take care of our bodies; it's the only one we've got.

TBH, the two hernias I had operated on were different from each other. The 2018 one was the one that was fixed when I was a toddler, which reopened in late 2017. It was in my right inguinal area. The one I had fixed in 2021 was a new one that occurred in my left inguinal area. Other than working around the effects of a nagging injury I had back in 2005 (non-martial arts-related), my health has actually been good. The fixed hernias aren't a problem. After the hernia operation, they do tell you not to lift more than 10 to 15 pounds until the healing period is over (generally 5 to 6 weeks). I've heard of people reinjuring a hernia that was just fixed by ignoring the advice to take it easy for that 6 week period and doing heavy work too soon.

My brother-in-law has had all kinds of back problems and surgeries, and takes pride in ignoring doctors' advice to let his back heal post-surgery until it's sufficiently recovered. Then he gets severe pain, and then complains about it. He seems to take a bizarre pride in all of his health problems, because they're all he ever talks about.

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1147

Post by Naperville »

LIVE: Japanese Kickboxing

MAROOMS presents - KNOCK OUT 2023 SUPER BOUT “BLAZE”


https://youtu.be/JDoigbn8HGA
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1148

Post by Naperville »

JUDO: Bobonov Davlot

https://youtu.be/h_7piJo1YX8

https://youtu.be/iNtSyZ-4Xgg
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1149

Post by James Y »

Ex-CIA Explains the Truth About Krav Maga...

I'll share a 'dirty little secret' of my own: The most practical and effective techniques/skills for self-defense in ANY martial art OR self-defense/combatives method are basic and simple. And used aggressively. Even though different people's choices of techniques may differ. And the skills must be designed to work outside of the constraints of combat sports.

This 'dirty little secret' really isn't a secret at all.

https://youtu.be/kjNODeSVgYQ

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1150

Post by Naperville »

Interesting. I've never seen a Krav Maga school or known anyone who took a Krav Maga class.

I'm open minded. I'd check it out.
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1151

Post by James Y »

Naperville wrote:
Mon Mar 06, 2023 2:02 am
Interesting. I've never seen a Krav Maga school or known anyone who took a Krav Maga class.

I'm open minded. I'd check it out.

There’s Krav Maga around here, but I’ve never checked it out myself. I have looked at a good bit of different Krav Maga people teaching or demonstrating on YouTube. Some of it looked good, but some of it looked rigidly systematized; meaning, “The form of a strike has to be done just this way,” etc.

I have been told that the KM taught to civilians is noticeably different from the KM that is taught to the Israeli military, and that the quality of instruction in KM can vary quite a bit. I wouldn’t know either way.

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1152

Post by James Y »

Mick Coup - Non-Telegraphic Punches?

https://youtu.be/lcNawqDm4IM

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1153

Post by James Y »

Easy Trick to Spot Bad Guys ... It's Not What They Look Like

https://youtu.be/FkI5_C5p9Gg

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1154

Post by Naperville »

James Y wrote:
Sun Mar 12, 2023 2:03 pm
Easy Trick to Spot Bad Guys ... It's Not What They Look Like

https://youtu.be/FkI5_C5p9Gg

Jim
Definitely do not be using a phone when out walking. Look at people and see where they are going and what are they doing.

As far as tattoos, I don't have a problem with people having them, but if they have neck and face tattoos watch out they could be trouble, especially if they have face tattoos. If they are neo-nazis and have swastikas and things like that don't go near them either, they are used to brawling, do so frequently, and might attack anyone but especially minority friends that may be walking with me. If a person is completely covered in tattoos they are a hard core idiot and I avoid them too...

If I am in a coffee shop and somebody is not at the counter waiting to give an order, or waiting to receive an order, they may be trouble. And this goes for all shops and retailers. If you are in Home Depot and somebody is walking around empty handed, they may be trouble....after all, how long does it take you to find the first product you want and pick one up or put it in a cart?

If you are walking and someone looks like they are looking away, what are they looking away from? If they do not have intent to go somewhere, they may be looking for YOU!
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1155

Post by James Y »

Naperville wrote:
Sun Mar 12, 2023 9:11 pm
James Y wrote:
Sun Mar 12, 2023 2:03 pm
Easy Trick to Spot Bad Guys ... It's Not What They Look Like

https://youtu.be/FkI5_C5p9Gg

Jim
Definitely do not be using a phone when out walking. Look at people and see where they are going and what are they doing.

As far as tattoos, I don't have a problem with people having them, but if they have neck and face tattoos watch out they could be trouble, especially if they have face tattoos. If they are neo-nazis and have swastikas and things like that don't go near them either, they are used to brawling, do so frequently, and might attack anyone but especially minority friends that may be walking with me. If a person is completely covered in tattoos they are a hard core idiot and I avoid them too...

If I am in a coffee shop and somebody is not at the counter waiting to give an order, or waiting to receive an order, they may be trouble. And this goes for all shops and retailers. If you are in Home Depot and somebody is walking around empty handed, they may be trouble....after all, how long does it take you to find the first product you want and pick one up or put it in a cart?

If you are walking and someone looks like they are looking away, what are they looking away from? If they do not have intent to go somewhere, they may be looking for YOU!

All very true. Thanks.

Although I will admit, I have walked into Home Depot a couple of times where I ended up not buying anything, because I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. However, I was in and out pretty quickly, and didn't loiter around.

🙂

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1156

Post by Naperville »

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1157

Post by James Y »

Crafty Old Guy Shows Multiple Bad Guys Who's Boss

As you get older, you may not get faster or stronger, but you can always become more crafty, more resourceful, and fight dirtier/more ruthlessly. A high percentage of young guys, especially many who have some martial arts or combat sports training, try to fight clean in actual self-defense. Which, if the other guy or guys aren't playing by your rules, is a great way to get yourself badly hurt, or killed.

https://youtu.be/TCBxpiIVeg0

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1158

Post by James Y »

79-Year-Old Karate Chops Armed Intruder

The intruder was lucky. If I were the homeowner (who has firearms) and an armed intruder was trying to break into my house, I would have shot him. But I'm glad that everything turned out alright. And at least the homeowner can live out the rest of his years without having a shooting on his conscience (or the legal aftermath of a SD shooting).

Unfortunately, you have to click the link to watch it on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/u0RANp9l0kY

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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1159

Post by James Y »

Susan Walters: The Woman Who Faced Her Hit Man and Won!

*Video below.

This is one of three accounts I'm aware of (off the top of my head) in which women successfully defended themselves bare-handed, with fatal results, in life-or-death situations, against larger male attackers. And oddly enough, not one of the three women who did so were highly-trained fighters or martial artists, nor did they come from rough backgrounds; but they were women who had learned some basic self-defense.

This is why I always say, Never Underestimate Anyone. Nowadays, there are YouTube videos where men state that women learning self-defense is a sham; that no woman can defend herself against a man, because of the natural differences in size, strength, and bone/muscle density.

This is true in men's and women's sports, or if you're talking about a straight-up, put-up-yer-dukes, squaring-off type of ego fight, when the man isn't going easy on the woman. And I'm not speaking for those delusional 'woke' women who think they can beat up any man in a fight (and who are themselves ignorant and guilty of severely underestimating others, to their own detriment).

I am talking about a close-quarter, last-ditch, self-defense situation where the alternative is death, among other things, which can be much different. The whole point of learning self-defense is to give a person with lesser size, strength, or numbers some chance of survival in an unavoidable and potentially deadly situation, not to turn them into a UFC fighter.

There are women who have successfully defended themselves. It also has a lot to do with what is INSIDE of the individual. Some people have a ferocious fighting spirit they've never had to tap into before, and they only discover it during the moment of a crisis.

People who underestimate anyone because of their size, weight, appearance, sex, race, mannerisms, lifestyle, etc., are fools. Even if the stereotypes they buy into are right a lot (or even most) of the time, they aren't right all of the time.

To switch the subject of this post around; this is why, even if an attacker happened to be a woman, and I had no way to avoid a serious physical attack from her, I would treat it the same as an attack by a man. As a saying goes: Equal rights also means equal lefts.

In the account in the video, it's clear that Susan could have finished off her attacker much sooner than she did, if she hadn't tried to show him mercy on more than one occasion during the fight. There is an old martial arts saying: "If you are kind to your enemy, you are cruel to yourself."

https://youtu.be/KIvK0P2RQ3c

Jim
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Re: Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

#1160

Post by James Y »

2 Videos Below:

I wasn't sure if I was going to post these vids of former star of Hong Kong and Korean films, Casanova Wong (alternate screen name: Ka Sa Fa; real name, Kim Yong-Ho) here, or in my Favorite Movie Fight Scenes thread. However, I just found the first video in this post of his active life today, which includes him living and teaching martial arts in his native South Korea, so I'm posting it here. Unfortunately, the video is only in Korean.

Another reason I'm posting these here is because many so-called "internal-style" martial artists claim that "external" stylists age badly, while "internal" stylists rely on Qi (Chi, or Ki) development, so they will age gracefully and preserve their health and skills. Which is nonsense. Look at Casanova Wong. He's about as "external" as you can get. Hard-style Tae Kwon Do master, former martial arts film actor. Yet in his 70s, he's still vigorous, in better shape, in better health, appears more mentally sharp, and moves better than the vast majority of elderly "internal" masters of Taiji (Tai Chi), Xingyi, Aikido, etc., that I've seen. A lot has to do with attitude in life, how one takes care of one's self, lifestyle, and even genetics.

Casanova Wong was, of course, a screen name. It sounds ridiculous, but he was one of my favorite martial arts actors, and he's still active today at 77 or 78 years old (he was born in 1945). He's aged EXTREMELY gracefully, and is a perfect example of a healthy and spry elderly martial artist. The man he clowns around with outside of the restaurant near the end of the video is his friend Hwang Jang-Lee, another real-life Korean master, who played the arch-villain in Jackie Chan's Drunken Master (1978), among many other films.

"Casanova Wong"/Kim Yong-Ho was a genuine bad@ss. His Tae Kwon Do was old-school style, and it's well-known how he endured extreme hard-core training in his youth, like many of the martial artists who came up in his era.

https://youtu.be/xmzHBRT3pCg

Below is a general tribute to Casanova Wong. The video contains some inaccurate information. He was actually nicknamed "The Human Tornado," due to his famous consecutive spinning outside crescent kicks. He was also renowned for his long-distance jump spinning back kick, and his flying triple kicks. However, he never appeared in Jackie Chan's Drunken Master, but did star in a separate movie, The Story of Drunken Master.

https://youtu.be/Dd11yR_1hfo

Jim
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