Any martial artists here?

[TheMunster]

Anyone here actively practice martial arts? If so, what style and for how long? And, how do you incorporate it into your bodybuilding schedule?

[TheMunster]

Thanks, Biz. I'll do that.

Anyone else?

[xenabeachgirl]

I think Chad Mower (Ifearnoman) was getting back into martial arts quite a bit.....

Chad? Chad? Where art thou?

[Arbel]

me

kung fu , did that for 6 years

[Troyster]

I followed several disciplines for a few years (all taught at the same school).

I did some competitive kickboxing (freestyle) and submission grappling. I was actually training for NHB (never did a fight) when I decided to quit and pursue bodybuilding competitively (about three or four years now). The full contact sparring and years of submission holds destroyed my joints: elbows, knees, wrists, shoulders in particular. My shoulders have never recovered fully.

I was more attracted to the discipline than anything else and, though technially I was really good, I was not a particularly good fighter. I am not a violent person and had trouble attacking someone with "no cause"... in the ring, if you wait till your given reason to attack... it's too late, you're screwed

T

[Fenris]

I started as a powerlifter/strongman, but I've been practicing martial arts for a few years now. I did some sporadic training in Judo and Muay Thai, then let it go for a while until 1997. In that year I started fighting in the Pancrase MMA group in Japan, and trained at their dojo in Yokohama for a couple of months.
I started Kickboxing in '99 and am now the undisputed Canadian SHW Muay Thai champion. I will be making a return to MMA next year.
As I get older, I find that that bodybuilding/powerlifting is not really compatible with martial arts training. Your best bet is to do speed/strength exercises like power cleans, etc. This will best augment your performance in the ring or on the mat.

[ifearnoman]

xenabeachgirl said:

I think Chad Mower (Ifearnoman) was getting back into martial arts quite a bit.....

Chad? Chad? Where art thou?

I is here..

I started my martial arts quest in 1994. I was 14 at the time, and was the smallest in school (same sh*t different day). I was always teased and harrassed and beat up by older kids, so I decided it was time to learn to defend myself.

I started in Tae Kwon Do under a former South Korean Army Special Forces member named Young Kim. I was one of the only white kids in the school, which was a traditional style TKD. When I was a white belt, I had to fight brown belts and black belts. When I would get knocked down, I would jump right back up, b/c if I didn't I would get kicked in the head and such (tough TKD school). Master Kim took a liking to me right away, and I quickly became one of his prized students.

I later, at his urging started to take Mudo Hapkido (Combat Hapkido), and Judo under a friend of his, Hans Yarborough. I received my brown belt in TKD and Red Belt in Hapkido respectively under those instructors. Finally, as I was getting ready to get my black belt, Master Kim's and Master Yarboroughs schools shut down due to attendance and rising rent in the city. So I was forced to attend another school. I recieved my black belt in Hapkido at the age of 18, and my first degree about 18 months later, and my 2nd degree soon after that.

At 20, I started boxing and got into Shootfighting. Shootfighting, (sometimes called shooto) is a Japanese style that combines Kickboxing, Freestyle Wrestling, and jiujitsu principles. It is highly explosive, and is hardcore MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). I studied boxing under Coach Monty Vargas, and Shootfighting under a guy named Brian Banks. I moved from the area, about 2 years later, and didn't train martial arts for about 1 year or so.

Finally at about 23, I moved into the city of Chicago, where I met Pro MMA Fighter Shonie Carter. I studied Submission Wrestling with him for a bit, and am where I am today.

Thought a bit about going back into MMA, but we shall see what happens. I just want to lift right now, at see where it takes me.

So in short, that is my martial arts story lol....

[Tim Wescott]

Very impressive bro!!

[ifearnoman]

Tim said:

Very impressive bro!!

thank you!

It was a lot of concussions, headaches, muscle pulls, a bone break or two, and hours upon hours of training and preparing for tests.

My black belt test alone in Hapkido took 5 and a half hours to complete.

[TheMunster]

Thanks for your input, Chad.

I started in TKD as well. And like you, only studied traditional TKD.
I started in Vacaville CA under a white instructor named Randell Tillery who studied under a Master who was one of 7 Masters brought over by a Moo Duk Kwan Association Grand Master from Korea to CA in the 70's.
I tested for my 1st Dan Black Belt when I was 15 years old.
Shortly after, my family moved to Abilene, TX and I studied under Master Lim (Master Lim's is now run by Chip Townsend -who I trained with- who holds many world power breaking and creative breaking records). Very traditional ITF TKD. I tested for my 2nd Dan Black Belt there when I was 18.

That was the summer before my freshman year at college and unfortunately, I haven't trained much since. I'm now 32 and I'd really like to start training again. I have no aspirations to compete or fight in MMA. I just want to get back into the life and I'm curious about how people integrate weightlifting/bodybuilding and martial arts because I know I'm never going to stop lifting and trying to make progress in the weight room.

And, I'm wanting to get my daughters into martial arts too. The oldest is 9 which I think is a good age to start. I'm set on finding a traditional school (be it TKD or something else) that pounds the basics home for the first few years. I'm not interested in the raging black belt academies that are on every corner now. I want to start them out in a very strict, traditional style and then down the road start integrating other styles (grappling, hapkido, etc). I could care less if my girls know how to dance around and spar with someone. I want them to be able to break fu*king ass if they have to. Know what I mean.

[ifearnoman]

I did forget to mention that I studied for a while under Carlson Gracie Jr in Brazilian Jiujitsu

[Canongirl]

Nice thread here.

I started shotokan back in 2000 and studied for several years. I found it very difficult to both study and train in the gym. I would come to class very stiff and have to force myself to stretch to the point of near pain to get through the class. My sensei didn't like seeing me not be able to do everything required in class. He was very tough on us, and especially me for some reason. Needless to say, I didn't make it to black belt but am close and hope to one day be able to return to the dojo. I miss it!

My husband taught at this same dojo that I attended for over ten years. He started studying there when he was 12 and today is a 3rd degree black belt. He became one of their most popular instructors, never missed a class in ten years. He has since quite teaching class there and now pursues bodybuilding.

I hope one day we both get to go back to studying shotokan again. I truly miss it.

[kobus]

Great Stuff!

I didn't know there were so many of us on this board!

I'm a professional martial artist - have been doing martial arts now for 20 years.
You can check out my website: www.ko-bus.com
Also wrote a training book (includes gym routines, mental preparations, etc.)

This would be great - we can share our training knowledge in this field too!

[Fenris]

Kobus--


Good to have you on board. I checked out your website and your credentials are very impressive.

I know Denis Kang well and agree that he is a world class grappler. I'm sure that as your training advances you will become able to handle yourself on the ground with guys like Denis. I much prefer kickboxing with him to grappling--Denis HATES getting punched in the face!

For which film did you work with Funaki? I fought him in 1997 and saw him recently in "Shadow Fury" with Bas Rutten. I didn't have the first clue of what I was doing when I fought him--it makes me laugh to watch the fight today.

All the best to you in your fighting and business careers.

[kobus]

Hi Fenris
Great to hear from you.
Yes, Denis is a good grappler. I've lost to him and to another Korean who got a lucky punch. If I made decisions based on ego, I would have challenged them both again (I know I can beat them standing up). But I'm getting older and I also have a corporate career (fighting part-time) and my decisions are purely financial.

I played with Funaki in "Into the storm" - a Koream/Japanese television series - was quite fun.

But, retirement is around the corner - focusing on giving seminars, wrote a book (www.lulu.com/kobus) on training and so on. Enjoying this much more.
Have one more fight scheduled for Pancrase next month - If they pay what I want, I'll fight - if not, I'll retire...

So if any of you guys want some information on how to incorporate bodybuilding into martial arts - I'll share...

[Fenris]

If you go back to Pancrase, please tell Oitate that Paul Lazenby from Canada says hello.

And don't sweat the losses. I lost my first six fights--yes, six--then won the next seven in a row. Bas told me once that EVERYBODY loses the odd one eventually. You just learn and move on. And it sounds like you have bigger things on the go anyway, and no reason at all to hang your head regarding your fight career.

Good to have you on the board.

[Tim Wescott]

Guy`s if there is enough interest here,I would be glad to add a MMA category but I would want to be sure that it was participated in enough to warrant creating one.

Let me know your thoughts and we`ll (the mod team) will take it under consideration!

Thanks,
Timski

[Fenris]

Yeah, maybe an overall MMA/Kickboxing/Fighting Sports section.
I would definitely be in favour of that!

[kobus]

Fenris - when Oitate and I are on speaking terms again, I'll tell him...

Tim, I think it would be great to add one - not only for bodybuilders doing martial arts, but also for martial artists lifting for their power.

I've had a lot of fighters ask me about my lifting (I did a 4-year stint as powerlifter) and how to attain power, etc.

I will gladly share my info with you guys.

[Fenris]

OOPS--if you have heat with Oitate, you don't have to say anything, Kobus. Didn't know it was like that!

What are your best lifts as a powerlifter?