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Thread: Beginner Martial Arts advice....

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    Default Beginner Martial Arts advice....

    I am looking to take some form of martial art with a certain goal in mind:

    To strengthen and develop a more disciplined and flexible body structure
    ---->leading to gaining knowledge of my body's performance limits
    ---->leading to confidence to help with the physical aspect of my acting career
    ---->leading to expanding my resume for acting and for self.

    What I am looking for is some advice as to WHICH form of the art would be suitable to give me a very well rounded base of the main aspects, ie. hand combat, weaponry, etc, without having any prior experience.

    I realize that it will not happen over night and I am willing to dedicate myself to it as it is very important for me to help futher my career, but I want to save a bit of time and money not trying a bunch of arts that are less effective or helpful for achieving my goal.

    Stage combat/fighting is something I will be going into as it is specific for stage and film, but I want to develop prior to it.

    Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to give those that can help, a clear picture of what I am trying to accomplish...

    Thanks in advance

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    Hapkido (www.flyingeaglehapkido.com)

    I have found Hapkido to be the most well rounded of martial arts styles and focuses on REAL fighting not competition fighting. The areas you will study are...

    - Ground fighting
    - Punching/Kicking
    - Self Defense
    - Joint Locks
    - Pressure Points
    - Throws/Falls

    Master Langin at Flying Eagle is a 5th Degree Dan (Black Belt) who was trained by his master in Korea. His master Lee Chang Soo is the founder of the Jin Jung Kwan Hapkido (www.jinjungkwan.com - watch the videos) style and has dozens of schools around the world. He was just in Calgary a few weeks ago and kicked the CRAP of out Master Langin (not bad for a 5'7 guy in his 60s) Master Langin is also the head of the Korea Hapkido Federation for Canada and has 3 of his own schools in Canada (but is in the Calgary school 95% of the time) and is responsible for maintaining the Hapkido curriculum and keeping it as traditional as possible.

    In terms of acting Hapkido is also VERY useful as it is what Jackie Chan and others have studied for movie fighting. Once you are familiar with the Hapkido style you will begin to recognize it all over the place. The Die Hard 2 "wing fight" comes to mind. Weaponry fighting is generally reserved for Black Belts however it is sometimes taught on a casual level. Defence from weapons is quite common though, as Hapkido was refined as the Korean Military's form of unarmed combat.

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    Awesome, thanks! That is exactly what I am looking for....

    Anyone else have ideas, discussion on which would be better, pros and cons?


    Thanks

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    Hrm Jiu-jitsu and hapkido don't sound like what you're looking for IMO - it's more military/police style that doesn't look very pretty.

    You might enjoy Akido - it's more traditional, and you get to try boken (wooden swords) along with short staffs. Stephen Segal is Akido.

    Another would be Wushu - more artsy than practical but that's what looks good in the movies.

    And tai-kwon-do would be good for fitness, flexibility and cool looking kicks.

    Most schools will give you free classes to try it out - I'd look at a few and see what you like. There are a lot of crappy schools out there so don't judge a whole style based on a school though.

    Khyron
    That's not sweat. It's your fat, crying.


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    Thanks a lot guys!

    Khyron: Sputnik gave me a link to a Hapkido school that he thought would be good, do you recommend any particular Akido and Wushu schools?
    Last edited by ZorroAMG; 06-16-2004 at 04:24 PM.

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    Originally posted by sputnik
    Hapkido (www.flyingeaglehapkido.com)

    I have found Hapkido to be the most well rounded of martial arts styles and focuses on REAL fighting not competition fighting. The areas you will study are...

    - Ground fighting
    - Punching/Kicking
    - Self Defense
    - Joint Locks
    - Pressure Points
    - Throws/Falls

    Master Langin at Flying Eagle is a 5th Degree Dan (Black Belt) who was trained by his master in Korea. His master Lee Chang Soo is the founder of the Jin Jung Kwan Hapkido (www.jinjungkwan.com - watch the videos) style and has dozens of schools around the world. He was just in Calgary a few weeks ago and kicked the CRAP of out Master Langin (not bad for a 5'7 guy in his 60s) Master Langin is also the head of the Korea Hapkido Federation for Canada and has 3 of his own schools in Canada (but is in the Calgary school 95% of the time) and is responsible for maintaining the Hapkido curriculum and keeping it as traditional as possible.

    In terms of acting Hapkido is also VERY useful as it is what Jackie Chan and others have studied for movie fighting. Once you are familiar with the Hapkido style you will begin to recognize it all over the place. The Die Hard 2 "wing fight" comes to mind. Weaponry fighting is generally reserved for Black Belts however it is sometimes taught on a casual level. Defence from weapons is quite common though, as Hapkido was refined as the Korean Military's form of unarmed combat.
    where can you learn that in Calgary? where do they hold classes and stuff? anyone has any idea about how much these usually are?
    thanks in advance

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    if its mainly for acting..... maybe you should invest in acting classes first??? My assumption would be that you will probably need that more than anything, considering they will provide you with proper instruction for which ever "action role" you may fill.

    If its for fitness, who cares try them all its not like its detrimental

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    For Aikido, check out Calgary Aikikai. I studied there a few years ago. If it's hasn't changed too much i would highly recommend them.

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    What about that Hapkido thing? i want to check this out. where in calgary? i bet sputnik knows. also, where is this Calgary Aikikai?

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    Originally posted by Fuji
    if its mainly for acting..... maybe you should invest in acting classes first??? My assumption would be that you will probably need that more than anything, considering they will provide you with proper instruction for which ever "action role" you may fill.

    Umm thanks tips LOL I have been studying various acting techniques for quite a while.....you didn't read my first post fully did you?

    Sillyd, thanks i'll check them out...

    Any recommendations from anyone for wushu?

    Turbo equipped: try clicking the link that sputnik provided...:tongue:
    Last edited by ZorroAMG; 06-16-2004 at 05:59 PM.

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    http://www.calgaryaikikai.com/ - they are at Southland Leisure Center (you don't need to pay admission). My jiu-jitsu school works in the same room at different times though so make sure you go to the right one.

    I don't personally know of any Wushu schools in Calgary but a quick google found this one:

    http://members.tripod.com/shaolinwushu/calgary.htm

    I'm also getting into Iado which is very traditional art that deals with the drawing of a sword. Unfortunately there's no school in Calgary.

    Khyron
    That's not sweat. It's your fat, crying.


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    i did a short 3 week course in Jiu-jitsu IMO that was the most worth while thing i could have done with those 3 weeks, what i learned just left me thursting for more.

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    Jiu-jitsu huh? I'll check it out, thanks

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    Originally posted by turbo_equiped


    where can you learn that in Calgary? where do they hold classes and stuff? anyone has any idea about how much these usually are?
    thanks in advance
    click the link...

    www.flyingeaglehapkido.com (they are on 19th st NE at 32nd Ave NE)

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    I wouldn't waste time with things like Aikido, or any other grappling based martial art. You should be looking for a style based on striking, probably kung fu based since it is the most showy/pretty. I'm sure some of the kung fu places teach weapons also.

    Sorry I can't help you with a gym, I don't know of any.

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    I guess it really depends on what kind of martial arts acting Zorro wishes to do. Pure martial arts movies that are very "showy" and elegant will probably be out of the question as it would be unreasonable to take a few years of martial arts and then expect to get such a role. Also most martial arts actors/actresses have been studying martial arts since they were children and it is truly what completely consumes them.

    I figured that Zorro would be looking for something that would give him some experience fighting on a more raw level (street fighting style) so that he doesnt look like an idiot when he needs to "defend" himself or kick the crap out of someone.

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    Akido isn't grappling - it's showy, and easier to get good enough to look decent at than say, Kung Fu. As mentioned the Akido and my Jiu-jitsu school are both at the Southland Leisure center, and you're welcome to try it out - I just don't think a street level self defence fits in with what he listed above. We don't do hard cardio - you can do our class even in poor shape. I suppose learning how to fall might be useful to him.

    Anyways ours is:

    http://members.shaw.ca/gojiujitsu/index_page0001.htm

    Though just to mix things up we're doing weapons only on Mondays.

    Khyron
    That's not sweat. It's your fat, crying.


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    Ok, so yesterday, I sat and watched the adult class at Calgary Aikikai and was intrigued with what I saw. They learn balance and movement, take down methods, hand against sword and some throws. This class looks interesting, the price and schedule is good (70$/month go as often as you want) 250 for the frist 3 months and a gi (is that spelled right?) Thursdays they do weapons, which I will sit thru tonight.

    There is no kicking or punching really in Aikido though and do you guys think that I should also learn basics in that? Perhaps Jiu Jitsu or Hapkido? Would it be unwise to take two at a time?

    Thanks!

    As for movies, yeah I understand that I will never reach the skill level or calibre of a Jet Li or even Jackie Chan without years of dedication, I just want to have the basics and ability to throw kicks, punches, block, throw and use weapons without looking like a n00b, as Sputnik iterated....

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    You don't need to take 2 arts at once - Friday in the same room (assuming you were at southland) is ours. 2 hours, from 6-8 first 45 mins is a new cardio workout we're trying out - can come for that or just the last 75 mins. We have joint locks, throws, strikes, ground etc but we don't do it all in 1 class obviously.

    Khyron
    That's not sweat. It's your fat, crying.


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