Martial arts and your life.

[Samraiwise]

I am sure that there are many members here in BB.com who practice martial arts, one form or another.

What's your story, how/why you started it (especially your choice of martial arts) and you are still doing it.

Why you love it so much?

Humor this old man, ANYTHING!!

Share your story with us or forget it forever.



*Sorry my English sucks as always. *shrug*

[BustaCapp]

I practice the ancient discipline of fisting myself.

[Brozef]

Wow such ninja

[ChristmasFnatic]

I practice BJJ now(on and off due to schedule with work and knee problems). Blue belt.

As a kid, I enrolled in Taek Won Do. As a white belt, I made a yellow belt kid cry cuz I kicked him and hit his face, and that was during a show where parents watch. I was promoted but Korean said the higher the belt, the more $$$ I should pay. I grew up poor, so cant afford it.

During highschool, we were taught Arnis as part of PE, cuz its the national martial arts here in philippines.

[I3igAl]

Did some Taekwondo as a kid, but it sucked since we weren't allowed to spar at all.

Always wanted to do some martial arts though, but I never enrolled in a gym. Started lifting instead. Had a pretty bad time finishing my bachelor's degree due to bedridden relatives. Also lost some time before I could enroll into a masters program.
When I started my masters I also went to a local MMA-gym and started training. Despite being a big and strong dude I was smashed all the time. I decided to focus on Grappling first and slowly learned, that I had chosen a great gym. Nearly everyone there had a pro record, while the monthly cost was dirt cheap. I got along well with everyone and learned a lot.
Soon I placed in some local BJJ and grappling tournaments and started feeling pretty happy.

Recently I had to move due to work and switched to a Bjj gym. The training here is a lot lighter and the partners weaker on average. A lot less sparring and more technique and drills. But the coach is good and I hope to refine my technique there.

[byzantine75]

Been doing martial arts since I was 21 now 44
Different styles but mainly Japanese
Trained in Judo, Japanese Ju jutsu, Aikijutsu,Go ju Ryu krotty, kickboxing.Also done Tae Kwon do, hapkido and Ninjutsu. Now picking up Kyokushin krotty and Muay Thai for the harder training
Also starting my own business in martial art training aids and apparel , so it's fair to say martial arts has influenced my life
Also love the discipline it instills, though these days I'm more likely to stay home and rot than go to the club lol

[FuzzCod]

Been doing bodybuilding for 4 years. Everytime my friend was doing some "kickboxing" with weird thai music. He introduced me to muay thai. Our gym got some heavy bags so I just started muay thai. I felt like it was one of the best martial arts. Muay thai + BJJ will make you win any street fight. So I started for more self confidence. Might go to thailand one day. Might start some taekwondo one day. Just for the fancy kicks.

[yellowfeverbro]

Lost 2 street fights. Punked by older brothers. Did boxing cause I’m from the states. Now my brothers don’t even try me. Wish they would I would fuk them up real quick for childhood experiences. It’s weird now I could fight no one messes with me. I got decent headmovement and counters. Just ready for someone to test me. But it never happens so I don’t even go to the gym anymore. Sparring is fun and keeps your hand skills ready but no point anymore. I’m not learning anything new just fighting so Fuk that lift and look good. I do cardio in case I do have to fight

[nosirrahx]

I really miss it.

I was in TWD and BJJ about 3 years before the UFC started. We didn't call it MMA back then but the principle was the same, expanding the tool set.

I put about 7 years in, got pretty good as a clash/counter striker (was not very fast) and decent on the ground, mostly elbow attack submissions.

One of my favorite memories was while TKD sparing. We had an extremely tough woman in class that actually cut my shin open with a block, blew my mind at the time.

[JonV10]

My dad signed me up to karate Tang Soo Do style at age 8, made it to black belt stopped at age 16. I got on to boxing at 15 for a little bit, I'm starting to go again. I just love the exercise and concentration involved, I enjoy giving it my 100%.

[BlackJojo]

I did karate for a year when I was 10 but I quit because it was a Mcdojo and I felt like I wasn’t really learning anything. When I was 16 I did Muay Thai for 5 months and then I quit after one day where the teacher pushed everyone so hard that I ended up vomiting all over the bathroom. I was embarassed and didn’t want to go back. I’m 21 now and I might try boxing later this year. I keep coming back to martial arts because it’s badass and seems like a great way to stay in shape

[TypeNirvash]

I really didn't set out to become a boxer.

I was kind of hitting the bags at my lifting gym one day some four or five years ago. This guy came up to me and told me I looked terrible. He mentioned he could teach me, but his whole approach sort of turned me away from the idea.

I ended up training at the only local boxing gym in my area for about two months before they told me it would be $300 monthly. Couldn't afford that, so I just trained on my own for a bit.

I bumped into that guy in the gym again, and he offered to train me for a bit cheaper. So I agreed.

I spent some time working with him, before I realized that I had outgrown what he could teach.

In that time, another gym had opened with a fairly good program and some fighters that seemed like they were going places. I joined, not intending to fight.

One day coach asks me if I want to fight, and I didn't know what to say.

I said yes.

Spent a few months being serious about training and finally fought... Decided I liked it.

[ragingcrayon]

I started kickboxing recently because I needed a hobby. My six year old niece signed up and it inspired me... so now I punch things all night instead of coming home and drinking and playing video games

[SuperHercules]

That's awesome OP, it's great seeing older people in such good shape

よくやったね

[iloveus]

My mom is Korean so she made me do Taekwondo since I was a kid.

Moved to Korea later in life. There I took up Taekwondo again and Hapkido. I met this US Solider who took me to this martial arts studio. The instructor taught Savate, Kali-Arnis Escrima and Krav Maga. We also did some Muay Thai tournaments.

After I moved to Korea, I moved to Iowa. The Soldier told to call this Pastor over there. So I did. Apparently the Pastor trained at Miletich FIghting Systems(Later it disbanded). I got to train with Jens Pulver(Last I heard he was at One FC. Not 100% sure.) and Spencer Fisher(Moved).

I've been doing BJJ, Boxing and Taekwondo in my spare time.

Plus, of course I'm still in love with old Jackie Chan, Wu-Xia/Shaw Brothers/Golden Harvest movies and Bruce Lee(Ahead of his time). John Wick was awesome in its use of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ and Judo.

Anyway, it's been a journey.

[iloveus]

Been doing bodybuilding for 4 years. Everytime my friend was doing some "kickboxing" with weird thai music. He introduced me to muay thai. Our gym got some heavy bags so I just started muay thai. I felt like it was one of the best martial arts. Muay thai + BJJ will make you win any street fight. So I started for more self confidence. Might go to thailand one day. Might start some taekwondo one day. Just for the fancy kicks.

[PAU1]

TKD as a kid, a bit of wrestling as a teen, MT and boxing as an adult.

I started TKD because of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Karate Kid movies.

[iloveus]

TKD as a kid, a bit of wrestling as a teen, MT and boxing as an adult.

I started TKD because of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Karate Kid movies.

[PrimarisIn]

For it started with ea sports fight night lol. I would get so amped up playing it. I remember one time i played from 11pm to 9 in the morning. Also started renting out all the pride mma dvds at the store. Was epic.

Eventally joined a bjj gym to practice it. Then a mma gym. But now i cant afford to get injured so now i just use the heavy bag at the rec centre and watch events lol.

[mark2288]

I used to do TKD as a teenager/early 20s. I wanted to do more BJJ but it's ridiculously expensive in NYC and I just stopped training. Every so often, I visit the BJJ sites and I want to enroll just to have fun, have a new hobby, maybe even compete, but then I see the prices here ($225/month+) and I just can't justify that amount for martial arts. More power to the brahs who do it, but on top of my gym membership, eating clean, etc., not much room in the budget for these high level, expensive gyms. I miss the old days where $100/month or $125/month was the norm.

[Azn00Superman]

Been doing bodybuilding for 4 years. Everytime my friend was doing some "kickboxing" with weird thai music. He introduced me to muay thai. Our gym got some heavy bags so I just started muay thai. I felt like it was one of the best martial arts. Muay thai + BJJ will make you win any street fight. So I started for more self confidence. Might go to thailand one day. Might start some taekwondo one day. Just for the fancy kicks.

Das it mane. Muay Thai = best striking martial art. Though I did tkd before and how anyone can go back to tkd after trying Muay Thai is beyond me.

Been doing martial arts since I was 21 now 44
Different styles but mainly Japanese
Trained in Judo, Japanese Ju jutsu, Aikijutsu,Go ju Ryu krotty, kickboxing.Also done Tae Kwon do, hapkido and Ninjutsu. Now picking up Kyokushin krotty and Muay Thai for the harder training
Also starting my own business in martial art training aids and apparel , so it's fair to say martial arts has influenced my life
Also love the discipline it instills, though these days I'm more likely to stay home and rot than go to the club lol

What sort of training aids and apparels are you looking to sell?

[FLman333]

I wrestled in high school and have been doing jiu jitsu for 5.5 years averaging 5 days a week along with some wrestling. 4 stripe on purple getting closer to brown.

I just love competing and what better way to compete against someone than fighting? Two knee surgeries leaves me with no kickboxing options and getting hit in the head drives me nuts so I work with what I got.

I was always drawn to martial arts but working in a bar for a long time made me know I needed to learn how to fight. Bars bring out some animals in people and fighting at work was a regular thing. Sound kind of douchey but I swear it's not. People punching girls, throwing things at you, trying to stomp some kids head in, all these things need to get dealt with.

[VeganBrahh]

I did Tang Soo Do for nearly a decade, went to college and stopped. Mainly did it at first because I lived in a small town and needed something other than video games in the evening, eventually couldn't stop after we starting traveling for sparring competitions.


During said competition, I once had my ass wrecked by a 50 year old woman that was 5'1" and like 108lbs, that chit was humbling lol.

[Azn00Superman]

I was a huge puss growing up, always chickened out in confrontation. Even my gf (now wife) took notice of it and it made me feel like ****. I did martial arts before, tkd and kungfu, pretty serious about it too. Well, one day I got in a fight with a football player and got my ass kicked. Wasnt even competitive, just an embarrassing ass kicking in front of everyone. I quit martial arts after that.

So for years i didnt train anything. Then 3 years ago decided to say fuk it and stop by a Muay Thai gym. Been training ever since. Muay Thai boosted my confidence like no other. Girls find it interesting, guys respect it. Even as a manlet I've been able to drop giants in the gym so it helps a lot with feelings of insecurity and masculinity, etc. My last fight was April last year but I've been on a break cuz I ran out of money. Coming back soon when I got taxes tho.

[RonaldMcflurry]

I do BJJ because I like waking up sore in the morning.

[FLman333]

I do BJJ because I like waking up sore in the morning.

This....

Holy moly. Sometimes I wonder what am I doing with my life the next day. I miss being in high school or early 20s when the worst thing you could be is sore. Now it's like my bones can hurt. Tendons and ligament not flared up is like a treat day.

[ANIMALISTIKZ]

fuark im jelly youre from japan. im in love with that culture and some of the hbbs it can produce

[SirFapsAIot]

I practice the ancient discipline of fisting myself.

I am a life long practitioner of Fap Fu

[thunderykoala]

I used to practice karate and judo. Although right now I don't practice one. However, I would like to take up another one at some point.

[PepperedAngus]

Moved to a new town and got bullied by a group of high school kids who all took karate at a local dojo.

Met an old Japanese man who had me wash his cars and do training montages on the beach to learn crane kicks and chit.

Fought bullies in the All-Valley Karate Championships and reached the semi finals but received an illegal kick to the knee and was doubtful I could continue.

Sensei used ancient technique on my knee to enable me to fight in the finals, where I used an illegal kick to the face to win the championship, respect of the bullies, and the girls love.