Martial arts discussion thread

[Bartrim]

Just about to go to first martial arts lesson at the local KRMAS dojo

http://www.kumiai-ryu.com.au/mainpage.html

I'm pretty nervous

[GoktimusPrime]

I've never heard of Kumiai ryu before. Could you ask for some information about the style's lineage/history? According to the web site it seems to be a blend of various different martial arts and martial sports. I punched "Kumiai ryu" into Google but I couldn't find much information about it (other than from their site and local business listings - I can't find any independent sources of information; I couldn't find anything about Kumiai on Wikipedia).

Without having seen this school or style, I really can't comment about it. But my advice would just be mindful of the old saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none." But anyway, I hope it all goes well -- at the end of the day, as long as you enjoy it and the system works for you then it's all good. Your body will probably be pretty sore for a while now.

[Bartrim]

I've never heard of Kumiai ryu before. Could you ask for some information about the style's lineage/history? According to the web site it seems to be a blend of various different martial arts and martial sports. I punched "Kumiai ryu" into Google but I couldn't find much information about it (other than from their site and local business listings - I can't find any independent sources of information; I couldn't find anything about Kumiai on Wikipedia).

Without having seen this school or style, I really can't comment about it. But my advice would just be mindful of the old saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none." But anyway, I hope it all goes well -- at the end of the day, as long as you enjoy it and the system works for you then it's all good. Your body will probably be pretty sore for a while now.

Hell yes I'm sore today but I enjoyed myself and I'll be going back for more.

It is mainly okinawan karate (I think... sorry I'm only very new at this) but incorporates other martial arts to provide practical self defence techniques. I would like to study a set discipline but given my location my opitions are restricted. (ie: this is the only martial arts class in Ulladulla)

[GoktimusPrime]

It is mainly okinawan karate (I think... sorry I'm only very new at this) but incorporates other martial arts to provide practical self defence techniques.

There are numerous different styles of Okinawan Karate e.g. Gojuryu, Uechiryu etc. I tried Googling for Kumiairyu in Japanese with Google Japan, but I just found results relating to football (soccer)! (O_O)

I would like to study a set discipline but given my location my opitions are restricted. (ie: this is the only martial arts class in Ulladulla)

Yeah fair enough.

[SGB]

There are numerous different styles of Okinawan Karate e.g. Gojuryu, Uechiryu etc.

You forgot to mention the original style of Karate, Okinawa-Te.


If anyone is considering studying Go-Kan-Ryu Karate, don't. It's a useless style with a ridiculously limited arsenal. Took one lesson a couple of years back and regret wasting my time with it.

[GoktimusPrime]

I once sparred with a GKR Black Belt 3rd Dan (note: I'm not an advanced fighter - anyone who's met me or even seen a photo of me can easily see that I'm not the most athletic person in the world) and I managed to defeat him. Turns out he wasn't wearing a cup!

But before we all start ganging up on GKR, I will say that it is an alright style to choose if you've never done any kind of martial art or sport before (and are effectively unco). GKR is pretty good at teaching you the bare basics of fighting, like stances, punching, kicking etc. GKR's basics are decent. But in my observation I find that beyond the beginner's level it's not an impressive style. I would recommend Gokanryu to someone who had no prior martial arts or sport experience and also had difficulty with coordination or the gross motor skills required to master the basic movements in martial arts. I've encountered two people who had really poor coordination and physical skills and struggled with the basics of Muay Thai and Kung Fu - and IMO they would've been better off with something simpler like GKR.

So IMHO I think GKR can be a good preliminary style for people who may be experiencing difficulty breaking into more complicated forms of martial arts... but after mastering GKR basics I'd probably recommend changing to something else.

Gokanryu is the most popular martial art in Australia. It's also an Australian style of Karate and NOT a traditional style from Japan (let alone Okinawa). I remember once visiting a Gojukai Karate Dojo in Japan and - at the time not knowing that GKR was Australian - asked them if the knew about Gokanryu. The answer was, "What's Gokanryu??"

I suspect that Kumiairyu may also be a non-traditional Australian (or Western) made style too cos I've never heard of it and I can't find any independent information about it. But I could be wrong... maybe it's just a really obscure style (like Goroquan* Kung Fu - the direct ancestor of Okinawan Karate... it's freaking hard to find any information about that style!)

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*The Chinese characters (Kanji) for Goroquan is pronounced as "Goujuuken" in Japanese; 剛柔拳 I've never seen Goroquan IRL, never seen any videos -- saw one grainy black and white photo in an article once. The closest forerunner to Karate I've personally witnessed is Wuzuquan (Five Ancestors Fist); also a Fujian style of Kung Fu like Goroquan, but _much_ easier to find! One distinguishing characteristic of Fujian Kung Fu is the "Sam Chiem" (三戦) stance and form, which of course is called "Sanchin" by the Okinawans.

[Bartrim]

The rep from one of my supply companies came in today and told me he is brown belt at Kyokushin Karate and showed me some you tube videos of Kenji Midori. All I can say is