Hi,

I've recently begun taking Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido. My belt is still blinding white. Any other practitioners out there?

I was just having a conversation with one of my friends who is taking kung fu lessons. I did karate a few years ago, but had to stop for medical reasons.

The thing that got me interested in martial arts, aside from the self-defense aspect is the spiritual side of it. It was relaxing, and very calming. It taught me a lot of other disciplines, such as balance, co-ordination and AWARENESS. The awareness about your own mind, body and surroundings is a very satisfying aspect of martail arts (I did a defensive form of karate)

Gear freak - enjoy your lessons. take in the spiritual side as well as the physical, and have fun!

I studied Ju -jitsu and Judo while stationed in San Francisco. My Sen-Sai was the Grand National Japanese Champion several years in a row and later a Soto Zen monk. My barrackmates were trying to convert me to their church. I was trying to convert a pretty navy corpsman in their young adult group. One evening a navy yoeman announced he was a Ka-ra-taa expert and was going to teach all the sisters to defend themselves against godless gentiles. My roommates replied, " Oh Chris here studies judo and buddhism with some monk." Well, I prefer to break wrists not throw them,"came the retort. I stood up in a loose ju-jitsu stance. "Break mine" He went into some contorted pink flamingo stance,screamed and charged me. I threw him onto the hardwood floor, still holding his wrist. I told the group "This is an example of Ju-do, or The Gentle Way." I retreated to a french restaurant. My friend the Matre' de immediately brought me a glass of wine." You've had a bad evening, oui?" I told the story. Within minutes I was getting an impromptu lesson in Savat. Turns out my mild mannered friend was a Legion e'tranger veteran. Martial arts teaches many things besides "breaking wrists." Like,that elderly 5' Japanese man or some french restauranteer can probably break your neck, so be kind to everyone. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ENJOY!!

What's Savat?
And what is a Legion e'tranger?

Anyway, I could never really get into doing Martial Arts (never could make the time to go), but I have the utmost respect for people who do. My best friend in a black belt currently going for his second degree. I still joke around with him though "Don't try anything now, I can still beat you up" I tell him......which is true being I have about 150lbs on him, im a lot stronger then he is, and for a man my size im pretty nimble. <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Savat is the french martial art. It was created by french sailors who observed the various fighting forms of the world. It teaches many kick fighting moves. The Legion Estranger? Snoopy- Fort Zinderhoff ? Beau Gest? The outfit that actually responded to my letter (after a base Officer gave me a double watch while on sick status ) with a letter, recruiting poster, enlistment depots and a huge official stamp? Had him really upset when I began building a gondola for a hot air balloon in the boathouse, cutting butcher paper envelope patterns and acquired aerial charts. He went to the base executive officer with my plot to desert. The XO dropped by and asked me to stop tormenting the poor ensign until they transferred him to an isolated duty LORAN station. <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Savate : the french name is "la savate", where you mainly use kicks to disable your opponent. AKA French kick boxing.

Foreign legion = "Légion Etrangère".
Created in 1831, this corps is mainly made of foreigners.
One of their most famous act of bravoure took place in Cameron, Mexico : 65 men, under Captain Danjou command, held back a mexican army, of over 2000 men.
Nowadays, the recruitment takes place in France only. An average of 1 candidat out of 8 is in fact recruited.
"Légionnaires" are tough guys, used on tough missions. Some 30 years ago, it was men from the 1st R.E.P. (foreign paratroopers regiment) who jumped upon Kolwesi, in the then called-Zaïre, Africa, to ensure security of french (and belgian, canadian, aso..) nationals.

www.br-legion.com/ang/accueil.htm : that's the english version of the official site
www.legionetrangere.fr : site of old timers, in french
www.legion-etrangere.info : the english version of this site is only an automatic translation by google (not really nice ...)


Alain

Does Jean-Claude Van Damme use Savate techniques? (not necessarily in his movies, but when he was actually competing). The class I attended today was taught by a Korean Grand Master. This guy can do some amazing things! I'm learning a lot from the senior belts. Today we practiced roundhouse kicks. I have muscles that are sore that I didn't even know I had!

Van Damme is from Belgium. I see elements of Savate in his theatrics. Some people remain in one discipline while others become proficient in several and mix and adapt the different schools. My Sensai admonished us not to get into ego trips about one discipline being superior to another. He much prefered the pleasures of the Tea Ceremony anyway.

I took Tae Kwon Do for a little while about a year or so ago, up until the school closed. I only made it to Green belt, so I won't pretend any expertise in the subject. I can assure you that you're going to discover a number of interesting new muscles you didn't know you had! Hapkido has always intrigued me, though I don't know of anyone locally who teaches it.

I've been playing off and on (mostly on) with Tomiki Aikido for about the past ten years, and I'm currently getting ready to take my second degree Black Belt test. If I had to offer one word of caution, it would be this: learn to fall properly! We Aikido practitioners spend a lot of time learning to fall - not because we expect to fall per say, but because we have to practice throwing one another - and it amazed me how poorly equipped most Tae Kwon Do practitioners were to handle even a moderately hard fall...and I'm talking Brown Belt and Black Belt level. Statistically, most fights end up on the ground sooner or later, and so it behooves all martial artists to familiarize themselves with this vital skill. If your Sa Bum teaches falling techniques, consider yourself lucky to have found a realist. The most beautiful Tolyo Chagee (Roundhouse) kick in the world won't do you a bit of good if your opponent manages to sweep your support foot and you knock yourself unconscious hitting the pavement! <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Hi Gearfreak,
I too study Karate of which is an Okanawan style.I have been at it for around five years and I am a brown belt.I agree with Chris when he says be nice to people.I have seen black belts in our style from little old ladies to big biker types and they all can kick serious behind.