style selection

[meljudah007]

I practice baguazhang, but am looking for a system or style that is either external or one that can be more rapidly used for fighting. I've explored many, b ut can't seem to decide because it seems so immense. I need a few things in a style 1) easily and quickly applied to combat 2) interesting, a good number of forms, but not tremendously broad & 3) needs to be good for fitness. I know body type is also important. i'm 5'8'', 170, extremely flexible( thanks bagua), with short legsbroad shoulders, and very big hands. Also, I'm coming back from a leg injury, but am looking to begin training now. I can't afford a school right now, but plan to learn solo until I can( 1-1 1/2 years). Where i live though almost every major style is taught. Can any of the more knowledgeable members help? Thanks!

[MasterKiller]

Baji Quan.

[Water Dragon]

You're in Atlanta? Go talk to David Lin.

[SPJ]

Ba Gua Zhang is already good for fighting and health.

There are plenty of throws and pushing palms in BGZ.

If you want to pick something quick and "easy" to apply; you might have to attend or sit in or preview several schools before you decide what is good or better for you.

Ba Ji may be too hard. You may try Pi Gua.

I studied Tong Bei similar to Pi Gua but not the same.

I studied Tai Tzu before I studied Liu He Mantis.

The idea was to have a big and soft plus a short and hard for myself.

Every school may have all of them and yet stress differently.

If you have a strike (Da and Ti, punch and kick) for arm length, short and close range. If you have grappling and throws.

Well depends on what you want and what your body tells you.

[Dark Knight]

.
but am looking for a system or style that is either external or one that can be more rapidly used for fighting

Go to the Straight Blast Gym ( www.straightblastgym.com ) and buy the Functional JKD series, its only $99 for the first series, it was voted on of the top five self defense videos of all time by Black Belt magazine, it should be call "How to kick a$$"

(Store http://www.straightblastgym.com/store.htm )

Then get a friend and start practicing.

It is not a complete system or everything in BJJ, JKD or boxing. It is high percentage fighting material.

If you are looking for a quick fast way to learn to fight effectivly, this will do it.

[Dark Knight]

BTW, when you get a few more bucks buy Rodney King's "street boxing" - Power striking for NHB, and the street!

"In this groundbreaking three tape series Rodney King demonstrates his world renowned stand up training skills, and walks viewers through an entire training program designed to teach you how to defend against bard knuckle punches, strike back with power, and stay safe on your feet, in the street, in the ring, or in the cage!"

he does do something different from boxing that will improve your hands skills substantially.

(Also available from Straight Blast Gym.)

[shane2112]

i would suggest karate

[sean_stonehart]

www.atlantamartialarts.com

[Dark Knight]

i would suggest karate

The word Karate is as generic as Kung Fu.

Hundreds if not thousands of styles.

[Hua Lin Laoshi]

Don't know what part of Atlanta you're in but check out Hung Sing Choy Lay Fut in Powder Springs (west side). Not as hard on the legs as some styles and the basics are combat ready.

http://www.hungsingatl.com/

[Judge Pen]

I was going to suggest Hung Sing CLF also.

[mickey]

Greetings,

You may want to try a different branch of Bagua. What branch are you studying? And for how long? Continuing your practice may help facillitate your healing.

Aside from that, your physical dimensions suggest that you could be a frightening Hsing Yi man if given the time. Also the long arm styles like White Crane/Hop Gar/Lama may also suit you.

The best advice that I usually give is to simply shop around until you find something that you would want to literally throw yourself into the "water" of.

mickey

[Samurai Jack]

Short stocky guys tend to make good grapplers: Judo, Jujutsu, Sambo, Wrestling, and Shuei-Chiao would be good choices.

I concur with the Hsing-i recommendation also, you could be an excellent fighter using that style and continue to build on your internal work at the same time.


I also highly recommend Kung Fu San Soo. It's really more like military combatives training as opposed to a flashy kungfu style, and you can very quickly develop some lethal fighting techniques.

Boxing, Muay Thai, and San Shou are also great because you can work on your techniques at full speed against a resisting opponent, always a plus for self-defense training.

Finally, I'm quite biased, but you may find some surprising correlations to your Pa Kua with Aikido. Aikido might be great for giving you some practice with finding the applications in your current form, especially throwing and locking techniques. I'd go with the most martial school you can find though, and steer clear of the hocus-pocus brand of Aikido. Those Ki-Society peeps are especially notorious for thier airy-fairy nonsense, as well as thier awful technique.

Hope this helps!

[sean_stonehart]

Wow ****... I didn't even suggest CLF... hopefully the boss won't fire me...

[HopGar]

I'm a fellow Atlantan. I have a pretty good idea of what's around. Msot of the schools I know of are in the northeast side of town in Dekalb and Fulton Counties.

I'm wondering, are you one of Pittman's students?

There is is Sifu Ku Chi Wai and Hop Gar. www.hopgar.com Email Kevin. Classes are on wed night and sunday/ sat. mornings. It's on Shallowford Road, near the international village. It's a good class, I was a student there for a few years. Takes some time to advance though.

You can try Hsing-I. (Pittman knows that schedule.) It meets tuesday and thursday nights at 7, saturday mornings at some point in Decatur (Glenlake Park.) (I'm currently in this class.) Contact Allen Carroll for more information and to schedule a visit.

You can try the Hung Gar School. Gary Mitchell is the instructor. It's located near Edgewood/ Candler Park.

There is a shuai chiao school here, I don't know anything about it.

There is a southern mantis school that is part of Henry Poo Yee's organization around the city somewhere.

As far as I know, the hung sing gwoon is closed to people who are not attending Georgia Tech, but it's around. This is downtown on GT's campus (near North Avenue.)

There is a Fu Hok Yaw Gong class at Georgia State, I have no idea as to what their policy is. It's downtown on GSU's campus.

There is also a Ying Jow Pai school in the area. I don't know who it's under.

Then there are the typical japanese, korean, filipino, and indonesian martial arts schools, along with muay thai.

You can PM me if you want to know more

peace

[hungsingclf]

Hello.
My club in Powder Springs is available if you are interested. You can email me privately if your are interested we might be able to work something out: hungsingclf@yahoo.com.

[Royal Dragon]

Any good Northern Long Fist in Altlanta?

[HopGar]

if you consider Shaolin-do to be shaolin :D

[Royal Dragon]

No, I don't consider Shaolin Do to be anything other than Sin The's thing.

I am looking for GOOD Northern Kung Fu schools in Atlanta, prefferably Cha Fist or Northern Hong Chuan if not Northern Tai Tzu Chang Chuan.

[HopGar]

in that case, the answer is NO

[Royal Dragon]

Oh, how about good Tai Chi?

[HopGar]

Don't know of any offhand, look at www.atlantamartialarts.com

[Royal Dragon]

Thanks, looks like there is a school that does LHBF there.

[Samurai Jack]

Dang, Georgia looks like a veritable martial arts Mecca! I've lived in some big cities, but I've never seen such a variety of schools and styles in one place.

[Royal Dragon]

Im kind of lookin at this school

http://www.westga.edu/~kungfu/index.html

However, thier Red Sash curriculem apears to be all Of Hsing I at once.

http://www.westga.edu/~kungfu/redsash.html

Also, they teach Chung I Chuan. It's a weird combo that almost makes me wonder if they are teaching off of videos.

The rest of the Long Fist is mostly modern Nanjing/Chin Woo stuff I think.

Does anyone have any experiance with this school?

[HopGar]

never saw it until now. If you want Hsing-I, contact allen carroll, his (tiny) site is at the bottom of atlantamartialarts.com.

[cerebus]

Allen Carroll or Allan Pittman would ne my choices, but I haven't thoroughly checked out what's available either.