If you could only learn one weaponless martial art, what would it be?

[The_Liquid_Laser]

If I were to pick one to truly master it would be Tai Chi. Tai Chi masters pwn all others.

[Usehername]

Krav Maga. (Always wanted to learn it after I heard that's what JG did for Alias training. But I was like 14 give me a break.)

[Lateralus]

Originally Posted by millerm277

Krav Maga. Has no competitions or levels, and the entire purpose is for real-life use to eliminate attackers. Created in Israel.

It's the only one I'd ever bother learning. I'd have already started training if I could find a teacher. When I lived in Florida, the nearest teacher was 2 hours away, while there were 100,000 generic martial arts schools within a 10 mile radius. I haven't started looking for a teacher in Minnesota, yet.

[Xander]

So most people are going for a fighting style which requires striking your limbs with sticks for hardness (Muay Thai), a sport based on a martial art (Aikido), a fighting style which half killed off the Muay Thai/ Kung Fu enthusiast I know (Krav Maga... the chosen style of guys with sloping foreheads and a job requiring standing outside doors with a sullen attitude) or a martial art which doesn't exsist except in reference to turtles???

Guys... really... a little class. Kudos to the Tai Chi enthusiasts though... 10 years down the track you could be really good. Even if you never fight it's supposed to be a wonderful look into the movements of the human body.

Oh and when are we doing the whole iron skin thing? Before or after we walk on hot coals?

[substitute]

Ahem Xander - and what about my bayonet fighting that I totally made up my own style (and possibly the entire concept) of? Hmmm?

It was more show/skill stuff though than actually effective fighting. Testing, improving and honing my dexterity by pushing the limits of what I could do, how fast I could move, how accurate I could throw etc.

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Originally Posted by substitute

Ahem Xander - and what about my bayonet fighting that I totally made up my own style (and possibly the entire concept) of? Hmmm?

It was more show/skill stuff though than actually effective fighting. Testing, improving and honing my dexterity by pushing the limits of what I could do, how fast I could move, how accurate I could throw etc.

I think the point of this thread is to pick a weaponless martial art.

[substitute]

Originally Posted by The_Liquid_Laser

I think the point of this thread is to pick a weaponless martial art.

Oh haha, shit yeah. I forgot. Soz

But still, it's cool, you gotta admit. Though ill-fitting for the purpose of the thread.

[kelric]

Originally Posted by Xander

or a martial art which doesn't exsist except in reference to turtles???

Don't know much about the others, but you're mistaken here, Xander. Actually, there are a number of "schools" of ninjutsu, all of which are taught under the same tradition (and have been for years, along with a number of traditional samurai disciplines). The official name of the entire realm of teachings is "Bunjinkan budo taijutsu". It's been 10 years or so since I did it, and they seem to have distanced themselves from the name "ninjutsu" a bit (probably due to the Hollywood-induced bad connotations, which aren't consistent at all with the actual teachings), but it does exist.

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Originally Posted by substitute

Oh haha, shit yeah. I forgot. Soz

But still, it's cool, you gotta admit. Though ill-fitting for the purpose of the thread.

Yeah it is cool. And I think it's in the spirit of martial arts, since a lot of technique was developed so poor people could learn to fight. Like nunchakus are just two sticks tied to a rope, and obviously a staff is something that is easy for a poor person to acquire. So simple make-shift weapons are definitely part of the martial arts background.

[millerm277]

Originally Posted by Xander

Guys... really... a little class. Kudos to the Tai Chi enthusiasts though... 10 years down the track you could be really good. Even if you never fight it's supposed to be a wonderful look into the movements of the human body.

If I'm going to put my effort and time into learning a martial art, it's going to be whichever one is most useful realistically. From my point of view, that would be Krav Maga, and I would like to learn it at some time in the future. The rituals and such of other martial arts don't interest me in the least.

Oh and when are we doing the whole iron skin thing? Before or after we walk on hot coals?

That's easy...move quickly and you'll be fine. (Don't blame me if you hurt yourself though).