What kind of martial art have yo studied?

Wow, that's cool! Was the blue belt the last one before the black belt? I don't remember anymore. Anyway, I also recall being able to hit high targets with my foot. I trained hard to develop a powerful foot kick in order to knock out my opponents fast.

I was a few weeks away from testing for my Blue belt when I found out I was pregnant. Blue belt was when you had to spar as part of your level up test and i was not going to risk it. We have since moved to a small town. I have a 2 year old and am working full time. Just not time to get there for class. At my best, little ole me (5ft. 2 inches) was able to hook kick my over 6ft tall instructor in the head.

blue belt was in the middle. there was red after blue, then brown then black. there were a couple of levels of each in there.

Wu-shu. Dragon dude

speaking of Kung Fu... what type of Art(name) your Kung Fu is?????

Dragon Style Wu Shu? therefore, your art really likes to grab my attacking forearm... most of your actions are done in circular movement... you have some types of crescent kicks (outside or inside) Dragon's stretches Right Leg is different to Left Leg (positions of figure) i really like a kind of Dragon Technique's that when execute, those two clawing palms facing each other on front of the chest.... i know it's purpose, it's purpose is to grab my head and using both claw palms to pull my head in a circular (clockwise or counter-clockwise) as i know, Western Dragon is very different compare to Chinese Dragon

I have never seen Thai boxing, but do watch UFC which is a mixed martial art. They can be absolutely brutal.

mantis have you ever watched the show where they decide who is going to have a prize fight based on how they do in house. they film the training routines and in house fights until it is down to 2 people. It is interesting.

the only thing that i can say with this UFC is they are only good in ground fighting situations..... therefore..... Striking arts plus UFC ground techniques equals or makes a fighter the best fighter....

my university had an aikido class. i only attended one or two classes though. I just couldn't get into it at that point. I wish my small town had martial arts outside of they YMCA. That is taught by volunteers and not consistently.

for what i know, Ai Ki Do (Yi Chi Tao) is effective only if it's opponent executes Straight Line of attacks.... therefore, Aikido is not effective if fighting against Boxers.... because Boxers most of their attacks are all "bend elbows" (135 degrees bend of elbows) therefore, it is hard for the Aikido to Neutralize, hard for the Aikido to lead the attacking force to "Emptiness" except for Boxer's Straight Punch because the elbows doesn't bend.... especially the "Boxer's Jab" hard for the Aikido to Neutralize boxer's leading fake strike while follow-up with quick powerful jab....

Our sparring sessions were about control. You pulled punches and kicks so as to not hurt the other person.

in Tai Chi Chuan, they usually neutralize (whether it's an opponent's kick or a punch) and lead the opponents attacking power to emptiness....

Yaw Yan??? the meaning of it is "saYAW ng kamataYAN" a Filipino version of Muay Thai (martial art from Thailand)

Yes, thanks for clarifying it Mantis.

I can honestly say that I do not know much of kung fu other than a show I saw in Beijing when I visited several years ago, and of course Kung FU Panda(an animated movie). As for the popularity, I really do not know. It may just be that there are not as many masters stateside for it to have a gathering in the US. If it is not easy to get to classes, people are not going to go.

There are several types of Chinese Martial Arts.... 1. Kung Fu If you used the term "Kung Fu", then you are exposed to American Movies of the Chinese fighting arts.... 2. Wu Shu If you used the term "Wu Shu", then you are pertaining to the Chinese Martial Arts found in China today (the present time or day).... meaning, Communist China.... 3. Kok Sut, or Kou Shu Your Chinese Martial Arts belong to a non-communistic Chinese Fighting Arts.... the Chinese Fighting Arts are not water-down... the term used by the Chinese Martial Arts Practitioner and Student found in Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, US, Taiwan... Note: From China, the best instructors of the Kok Sut (Kou Shu) already migrated to other foreign countries before the advent of Communism in China.... if you are a good Chinese Fighter, you should have plenty of students... even the students of other Chinese Arts they will transfer to you if you defeat their instructor just once... and they will become as your additional students.... since you are a good Chinese Fighter and having a plenty of students, therefore, you will have plenty of money, if you have plenty of money therefore, you have a money to travel or migrate to another country before China turns to Communism before year 1900's as i guess... and what left for China is only the students and the senior students who kept on practicing fighting arts.... therefore, their skills is not so impressive.... they live in a communistic way.... if whoever students having the best knowledge of fighting is forced to stop because weapons is their counterpart.... the reason why there are no best fighters in Shaolin... because the best fighters there are already migrated to another democratic country.... what's left in shaolin is only a tourist destination.... later, they realize that Chinese Martial Arts as a treasure to China, then that is the reason why they bring it back and called it WU SHU Wu Shu as the combination of only "What's left" and it is a performing art rather than a fighting art..... "What's left" may be compare to attending a food fiesta celebration... since you are late when you come for eating.... you did not receive the main dish... the only food that you eat is the "left overs" food... and claiming that the party food is not good.... therefore, claiming that Kung Fu is not a good fighting art compare to other Martial Arts Descipline..... that is the reason why....

I tried to find a dojo when I was living in Japan, but they were few and far between. The one I did find, did not have classes when I could attend. That and no one spoke english. it would have been hard to learn without at least some verbal instructions that I understood.

i did not start taking classes until I was 25. It was kind of hard at first. My body just was not as flexible and did not easily retain the muscle memory of the forms.

I stumbled across the class and asked if I could just watch one. He told me to take my shoes off and join in. I was kind of hooked. I like the discipline of it, and i liked the work out aspect of it.

I think "Arnis de Mano" is actually not a Filipino Word.....

you said: "Kali actually works on street combat even with empty hands and it is very effective than any other martial arts around" how can it be very effective than any other martial arts around? maybe what you mean is, one of the effective art compare to the leading.... I am a Filipino too but i reject that art of Arnis or Kali because that art is not meant for me.... my favorite weapons of martial arts is the Tai Chi Chuan(Tai Chiaek Kun) Chinese Straight Sword (Jian Shu) Kiam Sut but instead of using my real sword, i use long umbrella (not sharp at the end point and a hooked handle on the other end) unlimited techniques compare to kali or arnis the only advantage of kung fu sword is having double blades and a sharp edge compare to the stick.... making the sword more deadly as a "one strike one kill"

I like the discipline and the way the instructor pushed me further than I would have pushed myself. i would like to get back into it, but there is not an instructor near me.

is Wado Ryu an OKINAWAN type of Karate or simply came from pure Japanese Mainland? i heard from someone said that there are two types of Karate: 1. Okinawan Version example: Okinawan Shorin Ryu Karate Okinawan Gojo Ryu Karate Okinawan Isshin Ryu Karate 2. Non-Okinawan but with a "Do" on the names end (Karate-Do) example: Tang Soo Do Karate Kenpo Karate Kyokushin Karate Shotokan Karate