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At 8/7/07 04:20 PM, dsmking wrote:

At 8/7/07 03:42 PM, Tombulgius wrote: Hello everybody.

Well, I'm back too. For today. :D

Well for that, we are better off. I have no idea how confused I feel after we have one of our discussions on.... stuff. I really don't know

That's my purpose, is it not? To confuse and divert conversations on any topic? :D

The club looks like it's doing okay. Sort of. I see a severe lack of Leth. :)

Hello everybody.

Well, I'm back too. For today. :D

At 6/25/06 10:15 PM, Monocrom wrote:

To: Tomb -

Any chance someone will be going with you, so we could get some nice pics of the competition?

Yep. A few people will be coming with me.

If anyone is going to the Junior Nationals TKD competition in Atlanta, GA, I will be there. I am in the Heavyweight (179lbs+) Green Belt 16-17 (by december) Male division, which consequently has only a handful of people for both sparring and forms.

At 5/22/06 02:50 PM, ThebanLegion wrote:

:: Is Taekwon-do a sport?

It can be. In tournaments, it is....but basically, it's got the same elements of every other mainstream martial art: there are defense aspects, sport aspects, and lifestyle aspects, but it's up to both the teacher and the student as to what part is actually followed. I personally follow all three in the order of lifestyle, defense, and sport. I believe the competition aspect is nothing more than an exciting diversion. I don't believe in honor being earned from trophies.

Edit: Thanks, TheBan, for asking basically what I wanted to know before I did. XD I didn't read that one beforehand

At 5/19/06 11:59 PM, WawaneesA wrote: I practice Taekwon-do.

Current situation:

- Black Blet I dan.
- ITF Taekwon-Do association.
- "Valérie Forget" dojang - CEPSUM, Montreal.
- Actually practicing for exam that will happen in 2 days.

Prizes:

- Ranked 2nd in Canada: in Forms (trophy)
- Ranked 4th in Canada: in Combat (trophy)
- 12 bronze medals won (8 combat, 4 forms)
- 21 silver medals won (9 combat, 12 forms)
- 7 gold medals won (3 combat, 4 forms)
- Racognized as Best plank breaker of the dojang (trophy)
- Winner of the breaking course (a course where you needed to break planks in a certain order, in a certain way, as fast as u can) during the West Canadian Championship.
- Teaching two groups of white blets to red belts.
- Recognized as the oen who passed an exam (from red Belt I to Black Belt) with 96%.

I love this sport.
Helps me controling my strenght, and helps me earning coonfidence.

Always nice to have new members. I do Taeguek-style Taekwondo.

For a better explanation as a member of the club, what exactly drove you to Martial Arts? Also, what is most important to you: The lifestyle offered by MA, the defensive value, or the excitement of competition? All three balanced? Tell us what you think.

It's somewhat easy to get as efficient in front, heel, and axe type kicks as a punch :)

Just stretch alot, practice kicking up high and mid very fast, and suddenly high kicks aren't so unrealistic anymore :)

At 5/8/06 10:04 PM, fremen13 wrote: In a real life situation, most MAists won't use their legs to much*, Legs are the best for movement, not kicks.

* My shihan told me taht :)

That doesnt mean the average thug knows how to defend from getting kicked in the face, though. :)

To Mono: I'm not relaly worried. They just know I'm a wierd nerdy quiet kid who sits near them; I may or may not come to their minds when they get in trouble. I'm probably going to turn them in anyway---my school has an anonymous turn-people-in-for-crap box.

Sorry for triple-post....but I just checked again, and no 700 posts. I could've sworn..

Note: W00t, MAC page 150 and Tombulgius post 700!!!

To Shin: Hehe, the Outer Banks are pretty cool. (I still haven't been to that area of them yet, though).

To everyone: I have a MA dilemma of sorts that I've already presented to my long-time net buddies on a different forum, (and to DSM, I think, but not specifically...this only surfaced again yesterday anyway) and now I'd like to present it here. For me, it's not particularly troubling, and it could be said that I have my solution already. I'll explain.

For one, I hate drugs and druggies. I've been exposed to alot of anti-drug propaganda over my liftetime, and it's affected me just like "they" wanted it to---I am "racist against drugs" in effect. No matter what logic there is for drugs, I see them as, for one, a huge danger, and for another, something that sort of brings a FALSE sense of enlightenment or somesuch state one can achieve with enough meditation.

Anyway, my dilemma is this: To anonymously turn in two retard druggies and dealers who act like it's some macho thing, or to let it be and risk them hurting someone or getting hurt. (they talk about drugs constantly in my class, and have also mentioned handguns they have purchased and intend to use.) Note that they are 15 or 16.

Turning them in may do nothing. I know there would be a locker search, etc. The two would be questioned, etc...but what in the end? Rehab? They aren't super-addicts or something. One is just a dumbass somewhere in-between a self-important idiot believing the entire world is a "street" where fights are completely unavoidable and a jock. The other, from what I can tell, is just the former.

So, what are your opinions? Should I turn them in anonymously for whatever weak effect (and possibly my own endangerment), or should I let it go, possibly having someone shot and a large, retarded drug trade continuing on?

Forms are extremely important. I wouldn't be half as sharp or clean as I am at punches, movement, or kicks without them....and yes, those things are important in battle, lol

To Ts: I do things such as forms for fun, to sharpen my technique, and because I feel that, whether I want to or not, I'm obligated to do them and do them well out of respect for the art.

At 4/17/06 09:08 PM, Tsuchiya wrote: then we will see who is the TRUE CHAMPION OF THE MARTIAL ARTS CLUB!!!!!!

Hahaha. To Mono and Tsuchiya: Semai and I may be in the same division if this all works out, I'm not sure. I don't have all the information on the tournament yet. It is possible that I'll be able to spar him, and I probably will regardless of our position in the official matches. ^_^

To DSM: The tournament is in Virginia, ya know. :) If you came as well, you would most likely be in a different division, but meh. We'd work sometihng out anyway. :)

It's a cross-style non-invitational tournament, and I'm probably entering just for sparring and maybe traditional forms. I'm mainly doing it for fun. I put competition t the bottom of the "three components" of Martial Arts that I use.

Shinro and I may be going to the same tournament in late September. ^_^

Sorry for the double post, but I just read all of Mono's post, and I must say that DSM isn't "a trophy fighter". I'm pretty sure that, like me, he believes in competitions as an exciting and fun activity set aside from "the real point" that MA presents us. Be mindful of that.

Note that I wasn't attacking knife-fighting styles, people. I was attacking the people who are actually proud of their twice-curved thrice-spiked gangfighting knives just to be macho.

Martial Arts is a unique and mature angle of how one chooses to live life through vigilant endurance, discipline, and through a steady and personal gain of wisdom; it helps decide the "how" in life, how one approaches true dilemmas, how one views others, how one judges and percieves his universe; if one chooses so, it can permeate every fiber of his being and improve their entire life, be it incredibly deprived or incredibly fruitful. It promotes and creates confidence, social understanding, tolerance of all kinds, yet still prepares one for any physical or mental danger or malevolent influence. It is a beautiful institution that enhances society, spirit, and cultural exchange, and one that should never be barred legally or socially...

But you see, everyone....Martial Arts is not about a 8" Stainless Steel Knife. (BUY NOWW!!!!!! CHEAP CHEAP EASILY HIDDEN! BUY BUY BUY, UNBEARABLY MACHO CUSTOMER WHO IS PUBLICLY PROUD OF HIS KNIVES!!!)

If we are to have any sort of sucess here, we must share our dilemmas; we must help eachother make decisions and judgements based on our situations and those of others; family matters, social troubles, drugs, and philosophically unsettling questions are just as relevant to this thread as dilemmas of public or private violence, or indeed the proper way to execute a certain throw or how not to injure yourself while performing a tornado kick.

That will be all. Call me elitist or whatever, what I have stated is inevitably and will forever be what this club is based on.

Hehe. Two pages worth of alt. accounts and levelling. I see no Samurai in sight.

Unless you are a master-level practitioner and a certified (if possible) soka, making your own style is futile for anything other than recreation, defense, and motion art.

Sounds fun, but officiality cannot be obtained without due experience.

Jpker, please strive to know what you're talking about, because at the moment, yeou don't. You also don't know what punctuation is.

As Tsuchiya said, Bushido has nothing to do with a fighting style or making one a better fighter. It's a complicated philosophy that you likely don't know anything about.

Also, I doubt you know what your style is, either. No form of Ninjutsu was created by Tibetan monks to protect themselves from robbers. The closest thing I can think of is Toshindo-ryu, which was created be Steven Hayes, one of the dalai Lama's (sp?) bodyguards. It is not recognized in the Bujinkan, but still does have connections to Masaaki Hatsumi.

I don't carry a weapon anyway, so it never has affected me before. :)

At 3/12/06 06:39 PM, Monocrom wrote:

Anyone else remember catching a martial arts con-artist?

I saw a video of one once who was trying to "teach people to knock others over with their ki/chi" via a SET OF DVDs. Something's up there. -_-

On another note, Monocrom, you live in Ocean City?! (someone's earlier post quoted you saying that, I think) I go there every year! (unless it's one of the other Ocean Cities in the world. I go to the one on the coast of Maryland)

The only people in the list that I would not respect are the ones who stop teaching because they believe that can't win. People who stop teaching because lawfulness is within their philosophy and people who stop teaching because the philosophy is more important than the combat are fine for me.

This is what I believe would happen if Martial Arts were somehow banned at the same time in all of the major practicing countires. (completely implausable, I know, but easier to explain :))

Part 1: Congresses, Parliaments, and Boards worldwide would decide that, having banned firearms as well as antiquated weapons, that Martial Arts teach the weaponization of the body, and should be eliminated as to create less injury and more peace. To their minds, it is the elimination of a dangerous institution that, though culturally important cannot be maintained if a more peaceful world is to be established. Such an argument can easily assimilate anyone's mind.

Part 2: The verdict would be released and a global outrage would begin among Martial Arts insiders. There would likely be very little violence, but protests would be held by Martial Arts institutions worldwide. Many ordinary citizens would likely agree with the ruling of the governments, since they commonly have a skewed, if not compltely ignorant view of the Martial Arts and their complex purposes.

Part 3: Many higher-ranking teachers would understand that such a fight can't necessarily be won. Some would hold true to a lawful policy and "bow out" of the fight, abandoning their Martial styles in favor of their philosophy. Others would hold to a policy of inaction, since it would be somewhat hard to do anything at all in the situation. Some masters would advise students to let go of combat styles and remember that the Arts are only there for us to learn how to live life. Some would continue to protest peacefully. Some would cry. Some would go underground, teaching their arts with all the superiority (or condescending thinking, whichever way you so please) they believe in their hearts that they posess. Some would not give a damn and would continue teaching with all the chaotic policies they hold.

In countries with superior cultural connections to the Martial Arts, those who think in the "older ways" would likely hold more adamantly to their styles or philosophies, resulting in the same conclusions as everywhere else, just in a more serious way.

Students, on the other hand, would likely follow each of these types of people in certain increments....however, there would be some lost in the process. There would be lost teachers, as well. Many of the the lost students and unrefined teachers would likely do one thing: rebuild. In secret, these people would form a new group of Martial Arts with philosophies as differing as the ones we have today. Think about it: how many students would think "I'm not the best at this, nor the most devout, but don't the Martial Arts deserve to continue?" I believe many would. This angle is why "lost" students and instructors would begin anew, using old ideas as well as new.

Basically, there would be many different types of martial artists doing many things according to their philosophies, and a very likely movement of "lost" practitioners starting anew. That's what I think would happen.

........Is this club in any way related to Ninjutsu....I mean, is there anything at all in this club about Bujinkan or Toshindo or any of the other styles? No history, nothing?
...........

Why, then, does this exist, lol.....

At 3/5/06 12:38 AM, tom3rulz wrote: yeah, you should definitely read "rurouni kenshin" by nobuhiro watsuki, it is easily one of the best animes/mangas ever. its set in meiji japan, and is informative about it, while not shoving a history lesson down your throat. this manga is also what got me into liking sakabatos, or reverse bladed swords. give it a read, it's great. you *might* also like gto, but thats aon a different beat than most mangas, but thats what's good about it :0

It's a good story with great characters, but it's got disadvantages....much of the combat has nothing to do with reality........I personally like the OVAs alot better. They are just all around better........better visuals, action, drama, story, authenticity.....It's the real base that made me care about Kenshin. Without the backstory, there is nothing in Rurouni Kenshin. Overall, it's part of my anime journey, so it's special to me...it's just got it's flaws. :)