If you could do it all over again...

[MightyB]

If you could hit a reset button and start your training all over, what would you change?

[sanjuro_ronin]

If you could hit a reset button and start your training all over, what would you change?

More orgies with sexy co-eds.

[Bernard]

Girls were certainly my downfall.... :o

[sanjuro_ronin]

Oops, I think that mighty may mean Martial arts training...:D

[MightyB]

Cough <bullsh*t> cough cough

[MightyB]

I'd stayed with my first teacher for longer when I was a wee lad in elementary. He was a hard core Shorin Ryu guy who liked to fight. I would've started Judo around the same time. I would still have done the kung fu, cuz it's cool - but there was an opportunity to cross train Thai boxing that I didn't take and I should have. Over-all, I've been pretty happy with my MA choices.

[Bernard]

I'd definitely start with judo. In fact, when my nephews asked me about kung fu, I actually took them to judo instead. Not that I didn't learn any tumbling in kung fu, its just that we do too much of it 'cause we didn't have any mats.

I've dabbled in many other systems. In fact, I would've stay with my first teacher and still have taken the other systems as a supplement. Mainly judo or GJJ.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I'd stayed with my first teacher for longer when I was a wee lad in elementary. He was a hard core Shorin Ryu guy who liked to fight. I would've started Judo around the same time. I probably would still have done the kung fu, cuz it's cool - but there was an opportunity to cross train Thai boxing that I didn't take and I should have. Over-all, I've been pretty happy with my MA choices.

I don't think I would do anything different.
I was always practical-oriented and tried my hand at every MA I could get access to.
When I had access to boxing I did boxing, had access to wrestling and did wrestling, some for Judo and BJJ for example.
Some arts I seeked out, like BJJ and TKD, others it just made sense to try.
Sometimes I look back at my time in WC and wonder if it was worth it since it was too "Unnatural" for me BUT every time I use trapping I am thankful for it.
I can't think of one MA that I would say was a wast of time, except maybe systema but the good thing about exposing yourself to certain questionable systems is that you learn first hand about them.
Nothing develops your BS meter better than exposure to BS.

[MightyB]

I'd like to find a Sambo school. I think I would like Sambo. I certainly steal enough of their techniques.

[MightyB]

I can't think of one MA that I would say was a wast of time, except maybe systema but the good thing about exposing yourself to certain questionable systems is that you learn first hand about them.
Nothing develops your BS meter better than exposure to BS.

Sucka :) Lol

[sanjuro_ronin]

Sucka :) Lol

In my defense there was this blond Russian babe that was very bendy...

[YouKnowWho]

If you could do it all over again...

More bag work. Less forms.

[MightyB]

In my defense there was this blond Russian babe that was very bendy...

They all are... mmmmm - Russian girls...


Bathroom Break - be back in 10, I mean 4 minutes! :D

[Bernard]

They all are... mmmmm - Russian girls...


Bathroom Break - be back in 10, I mean 4 minutes! :D

4 minutes! Braggart!!!

[Orion Paximus]

Not take a two year break in the early 2000s. It cost me a lot of great training time. Plus I'd invent Kung Fu Magazine before Gene and take all the phat l00ts.

[Bernard]

If you could do it all over again...

More bag work. Less forms.

I agree. Also more strength training.

[sanjuro_ronin]

They all are... mmmmm - Russian girls...


Bathroom Break - be back in 10, I mean 4 minutes! :D

yep...
http://gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs4/4069643_o.gif

[MightyB]

I'd definitely start with judo. In fact, when my nephews asked me about kung fu, I actually took them to judo instead. Not that I didn't learn any tumbling in kung fu, its just that we do too much of it 'cause we didn't have any mats.

I've dabbled in many other systems. In fact, I would've stay with my first teacher and still have taken the other systems as a supplement. Mainly judo or GJJ.

Judo's got another rule change for the worse... 15second ippons on hold downs - 12second wazari - means ground work is going to go to shiite. No grabbing below the belt at all, even jacket, and the grip shidos they're calling now suck a little arse. Basically they're trying to make it so it's standard grip and go Judo, like the pictures in the books. So Judo's on it's way to dead, no more Ronda Rousey's because there's no need to be good at arm bars or shimewaza if all you have to do is hold a person for 15seconds! Yup, do Sambo if you can, it's a good cross between Judo and BJJ.

[MightyB]

Not take a two year break in the early 2000s. It cost me a lot of great training time. Plus I'd invent Kung Fu Magazine before Gene and take all the phat l00ts.

Gene was a bonafide writer way before KFM. He's got crazy street cred.

[Bernard]

Judo's got another rule change for the worse... 15second ippons on hold downs - 12second wazari - means ground work is going to go to shiite. No grabbing below the belt at all, even jacket, and the grip shidos they're calling now suck a little arse. Basically they're trying to make it so it's standard grip and go Judo, like the pictures in the books. So Judo's on it's way to dead, no more Ronda Rousey's because there's no need to be good at arm bars or shimewaza if all you have to do is hold a person for 15seconds! Yup, do Sambo if you can, it's a good cross between Judo and BJJ.

Always been interested in Sambo. I don't think there's too many instructors when I live. Could be wrong. I did run into a couple bogus guys claiming to teach it.

[MightyB]

Always been interested in Sambo. I don't think there's too many instructors when I live. Could be wrong. I did run into a couple bogus guys claiming to teach it.

well, an old angry bastid Judo instructor will still know and teach all the good stuff. So it's good to do now, but as the new rules take hold, competition dictates the training, so the training will be geared to the rules. It should be relatively easy to find a gritty old Judo Sensei.

[sanjuro_ronin]

well, an old angry bastid Judo instructor will still know and teach all the good stuff. So it's good to do now, but as the new rules take hold, competition dictates the training, so the training will be geared to the rules. It should be relatively easy to find a gritty old Judo Sensei.

We had two judo teachers where I trained ( Japanese cultural centre), one did strictly competitive judo and the other guy was more "combat" oriented with some nasty chokes and subs.

[MightyB]

Always been interested in Sambo. I don't think there's too many instructors when I live. Could be wrong. I did run into a couple bogus guys claiming to teach it.

I think you'll start to see ol' school Judo guys becoming "Sambo" instructors. Judo and Sambo are basically the same, especially pre rule change Judo instructors. Allz we have to do is ad a couple of leg locks and the Judo we learned is the same as Sambo.

[sanjuro_ronin]

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/6906760192/hAF2A21F6/

[MightyB]

We had two judo teachers where I trained ( Japanese cultural centre), one did strictly competitive judo and the other guy was more "combat" oriented with some nasty chokes and subs.

Nothing's more fun than catching a BJJ guy with Ryote Jime. They never see it coming.

[MightyB]

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/6906760192/hAF2A21F6/

Sweeeeeeeet.

[YouKnowWho]

I think you'll start to see ol' school Judo guys becoming "Sambo" instructors. Judo and Sambo are basically the same, especially pre rule change Judo instructors. Allz we have to do is ad a couple of leg locks and the Judo we learned is the same as Sambo.

I'll have a new student coming this weekend who is a BJJ and MMA guy with 11 years experience in Judo training. Since he is far from a beginner, I have to arrange his 3 hours private lesson a bit differently. Since he is a MMA guy and also a Judo guy, I'm not sure I should skip the gi-environment and go directly into no-gi environment. May be I just separate the

- winter time ski slop combat skill, and
- summer time sand beach combat skill.

I have just taught a pure wrestler with 15 years wrestling experience. Now I'm teaching a MMA guy with 11 years Judo experience. It's an excellent opportunity for me to help people to integrate different grappling skill all together. It's also nice to see the Chinese wrestling will be integrated into wrestling, Judo, and MMA in the future.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Nothing's more fun than catching a BJJ guy with Ryote Jime. They never see it coming.

even monkeys fall off trees

[MightyB]

even monkeys fall off trees

The time to do it is when you have someone in guard and they're going both arms out looking to pass. It's just not a technique that's seen that often, even in Judo. It works, you just have to have the grips to do it.

[GeneChing]

I should have committed more to mantis. I've always dabbled in it but as a peripheral study, mostly because I couldn't really identify with a bug. But it has stayed with me throughout my practice and I still suck at it.


Plus I'd invent Kung Fu Magazine before Gene and take all the phat l00ts. I wish I could say I did invent KFM. No, wait, I take that back.

Actually, I wish I had stayed in the Yoga world. There's far more money in there. And the models are very bendy. ;)

[MightyB]

I'll have a new student coming this weekend who is a BJJ and MMA guy with 11 years experience in Judo training. Since he is far from a beginner, I have to arrange his 3 hours private lesson a bit differently. Since he is a MMA guy and he is also a Judo guy, I'm not sure I should skip the gi-environment and go directly into no-gi environment.

I have just taught a guy with 15 years wrestling experience. Now I'm teaching a guy with 11 years Judo experience. It's an excellent opportunity for me to help people to integrate different grappling skill all together.

Awesome, I'd love to try SJ. You guys have a lot of cool, tricky set ups that might actually play well to the new Judo competition rules.

[goju]

I would have learned how to grapple years back

Im tempted to say i wouldnt have done those few months of shaolin doh back when i was a teen but it was fun beating up grown men who were black belts.:D

[Frost]

i would have scrapped the first 10 years of my training in TCMA completly (i dont regret it but i honestly dont use any of that style anymore) and kept the kick boxing lol)

and when i found grappling and MMA a decade ago I wish i hadnt stopped my hakka, hung gar and CLF training and concentrated solely on MMA and grappling.... actually i say this BUT to be honest i couldnt have gotten to the level i did in grappling and clinch stuff without dedicating as much time to it as i did....

I would have started power lifting sooner as well lol

[sanjuro_ronin]

I would have focused more on balance
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-83hxRCPCVok/T2a1By1CehI/AAAAAAAAJ-Q/LNpyg8lsC2k/s1600/0+0+4a537f1a77g_tits_gif.gif

[Frost]

I would have focused more on balance
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-83hxRCPCVok/T2a1By1CehI/AAAAAAAAJ-Q/LNpyg8lsC2k/s1600/0+0+4a537f1a77g_tits_gif.gif

i would have started hot yoga sooner as well (for the chicks)

[Orion Paximus]

I should have committed more to mantis. I've always dabbled in it but as a peripheral study, mostly because I couldn't really identify with a bug. But it has stayed with me throughout my practice and I still suck at it.

I wish I could say I did invent KFM. No, wait, I take that back.

Actually, I wish I had stayed in the Yoga world. There's far more money in there. And the models are very bendy. ;)

ha, my wife is about to start teaching Yoga out of my school once she finishes her certification... i'm sure she'll be making more money than me :(

[David Jamieson]

Nothing.

Everything is what it is. I'm ok with what I have and what I continue to do. :)

[Syn7]

I didn't start taking MA's seriously till I was in my teens. I would start sooner. I wish I had started MA's at the same time I started gymnastics. Bout 3 or 4 I guess.

[Syn7]

Nothing.

Everything is what it is. I'm ok with what I have and what I continue to do. :)

Just in MA's or are you saying you have no regrets whatsoever? I call bull****. Everyone has regrets. Doesn't mean you can't be good by your choices. But we all have lil things that in retrospect could have been better.

[YouKnowWho]

Everyone has regrets.

We all wonder if we had married to another girls, our life whould have been happier.

[Syn7]

We all wonder if we had married to another girls, our life whould have been happier.

Is that a regret tho? Maybe for you. I hope not for the sake of your wife. A regret would be you believe your life would have been better married to another. Wondering is just wondering.

[MasterKiller]

We all wonder if we had married to another girls, our life whould have been happier.

*fist bump*

[David Jamieson]

Just in MA's or are you saying you have no regrets whatsoever? I call bull****. Everyone has regrets. Doesn't mean you can't be good by your choices. But we all have lil things that in retrospect could have been better.

Dude...wtf?

This was the OP I was responding to.

If you could do it all over again...
If you could hit a reset button and start your training all over, what would you change?

why the platitudes? Jeez. :p

[YouKnowWho]

Is that a regret tho? Maybe for you. I hope not for the sake of your wife. A regret would be you believe your life would have been better married to another. Wondering is just wondering.

My wife is the most pretty girl that I have ever met in my life time. No regret for me and that's for sure. Since she is also a TKD black belt, when she side kicks at my face, I believe my other grilfriend won't kick this hard. When I get her into a head lock, she wishes her husband is not me.

[Syn7]

Dude...wtf?

This was the OP I was responding to.


why the platitudes? Jeez. :p


So there is not one single thing you would change about your training? Nothing?

[Lucas]

transgender mma...i coulda been the champ.

[Ben Gash]

I'd have done Judo as a kid
I'd have done Enshin instead of TKD
I'd have started yoga early on
I'd have learned WAY more about fitness and conditioning

[Vash]

Would love to change the first five years; but ATA TKD was literally the only game in town. Did that from 89 to 94, moved over to a TKD/Muay Thai blend, with monthly Machado 'wrestling' (I was a wee tyke, and that's what it looked like. That and the judo my gpa had shown me) thrown in.

If my first real teacher had been in business when I started ATA, would have moved over five years sooner.

And more yoga; the instructors in this town are crazyhotflexible.

[Kellen Bassette]

I trained Shaolin under an instructor that also taught Tai Chi and Sanshou. My biggest regret in martial arts was training the Tai Chi instead of the Sanshou, during my time with him.

Other regrets...not fighting 10 years ago..since there were no real opportunities in my region back then...

Not having the opportunity to train Shuai Jiao...

Never mastering the back flip, butterfly twist or ariel, (yet, but I'm still hopeful,)....

[David Jamieson]

So there is not one single thing you would change about your training? Nothing?

I can still change what I want to change when I want to now. So there's no regret, no.

Like I said, it is what it is.

[YouKnowWho]

I just found this in another thread. It's so funny. Let me translate it.

很多人.年纪轻轻二十多岁, 说学的时间不够, 不讲手. 到三＋几四十岁又说老了, 又不讲手, 五. 六十岁又花甲了, 不打了,讲口,喷口水,讲武德.

When you are in your

- 20, you say, "I havn't trained enough yet. I can't fight you."
- 30, or 40, you say, "I'm too old to fight you."
- 50, or 60, you say, "Wude is more important than fighting."

[Yum Cha]

I wish I had a bit more of this and that, like High School wrestling, but generally I lucked out.
As a young fellah, I trained TKD with American Soldiers, and we played rough. Tournaments were bloody.
I did several years working it into kickboxing, and playing around with different folks.
After about 12 years, I hooked up with an old Chinese master who was slow, rigorous and hard core, if you wanted to go there. Fought in the toughest tournament in my life for him.
He set my foundations before he retired, and shortly thereafter died, and I hooked up with my current Sifu, who the old Sifu sponsored from China, introduced me to, and handed me off to.
That was 24 years ago. During that time I did a 6 month peek at BJJ, met and exchanged with maybe a dozen peers in different arts, and loved the experience.
I have no reservations or doubts that I've gotten the best of my art, and it keeps on giving. My only weaknesses are my own inabilities.

[GlennR]

Boxing.... id love to have boxed from the start

[sanjuro_ronin]

We all wonder if we had married to another girls, our life whould have been happier.

Really?
I realized that Lisa was the one for me the moment I stopped wondering about other girls.
To this day, 15 years later, I still do NOT wonder about other girls.
Of course I got that out of my system before I met her so that always helps, LOL !

[Frost]

Really?
I realized that Lisa was the one for me the moment I stopped wondering about other girls.
To this day, 15 years later, I still do NOT wonder about other girls.
Of course I got that out of my system before I met her so that always helps, LOL !

and all the pics you post are because.......

[sanjuro_ronin]

and all the pics you post are because.......

Women are hot !
:D

[David Jamieson]

and all the pics you post are because.......

Hey man, just because you're on a diet doesn't mean you can't look at the menu. :p

[SPJ]

nowadays

there are more safer and better equipments to practice

--

matts, pads, shin guard, knee protector, rubber and PCV staff etc

--

Learn 10 years boxing

or learn one day throwing

the latter may be better

--

;)

[GeneChing]

Women are hot !
:D Yeah, argue with that, why don't ya? :p It's a heckuva lot better than reading more accusations about who has fake Kung Fu...:rolleyes:

[MasterKiller]

Women are hot !
:D

Yeah?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Az5Jj33jsss/TIB-3U0_ilI/AAAAAAAAABA/nVTfZhQoNJI/s1600/cant_afford_me.jpg

[Lucas]

quit posting pictures of my wife online.

[bawang]

transgender mma...i coulda been the champ.

i can be your coach, super duper team adventur

[jimbob]

Even as a youngster, there were some things I saw that would make me think 'Is this really going to work?'. But sifu/sihing said it would so i would practice very hard.

I wish I'd had more faith in that little voice that raised the question marks when it did. I was very young though, so I didn't think I had any idea - and your teacher is just like your father who you don't question.

I would have liked to have learned grappling from the beginning too.

[YouKnowWho]

I would have liked to have learned grappling from the beginning too.

If you (general YOU) can look at the striking art training from the grappling art training point of view, your training path will be different.

In grappling art, you develop your skill from partner drills. You then test it through wrestling (This is the advantage of the grappling art. It's much safter to test it). At home, you use equipment (weight) training to enhance, and solo drills to polish your skill.

If you learn a pure striking art, your striking art teacher may not follow this path. He may ask you to spend 20 years to develop your "xxx engine". After you have developed a perfect "xxx engine", you will find out that you are too old to test it. For the rest of your life, you will have a perfect "xxx engine" but never been used.

On the other hand, if your start your wrestling skill testing on day one, you will have all your life to develop whatever the "xxx engine" that you want to have.

[jimbob]

If you (general YOU) can look at the striking art training from the grappling art training point of view, your training path will be different.

In grappling art, you develop your skill from partner drills. You then test it through wrestling (This is the advantage of the grappling art. It's much safter to test it). At home, you use equipment (weight) training to enhance, and solo drills to polish your skill.



Yes - I agree 100%.

[TaichiMantis]

If you could hit a reset button and start your training all over, what would you change?

I wish I could have started at 13 instead of 43...*sigh*...and now I'm 53. :(

[ShaolinDan]

Start younger goes for me too. Dabbled in MA at a young age, but never got serious until 25...:(

[-N-]

If you learn a pure striking art, your striking art teacher may not follow this path. He may ask you to spend 20 years to develop your "xxx engine". After you have developed a perfect "xxx engine", you will find out that you are too old to test it. For the rest of your life, you will have a perfect "xxx engine" but never been used.

If you want to learn to fight, you should realize before 20 years pass that you weren't getting that from your teacher.

What legit teacher takes that approach?

Sounds more like you are talking about some kind of "tai chi for health" school or some kind of "used to be martial arts a loooong time ago" school.

[ShaolinDan]

25 is a great age to start. Bones do not fully mature until the age of 25 and you have a good 20 years of training and development ahead of you. Use your head and do not do not take any chances that could get you permanently damaged. To start training as a child is not necessarily healthy for a young, growing body. The cartilage is malleable and a child could develop some unwanted structural anomalies. I never allowed a young person below the age of 15 into my training hall. By that time, they have enough structural development and emotional maturity to handle the brutality of training. Once they entered my training hall, I treated them as adults and they sparred adults. You are in a great place. I wish you all the best in your training career.
SKM

Thanks, but I beg to differ. My Shifu started at 9 and I'm never going to catch up with him. at 28 I missed about 6 months because of a hernia, at thirty I missed about 9 (but took up taiji) from plantar fasciitus...I'll never compete full contact now that I can't fight without shoes...I'm glad to be doing gongfu and it's better late than never, but still I'm sure I could have been much better if I'd started earlier.

[YouKnowWho]

I wish I could have started at 13 instead of 43...*sigh*...and now I'm 53. :(

It's a trade off. When I took my SC team to China. After we had tournament with the Beijin Phisical Education University team. We had a party afterward. In that party, my guys asked them how long do they train. The Beijing PE University students said that they trained 6 day a week and 6 hours a day. One of my guys said, "I wish I can have that much time to train". One Beijing PE University student said, "I wish I have money to travel like your guys have."

In that party, I still remember a young Chinese girl who spoke pretty good English. Later on she won twice in Olympic women water jumping gold metal.

[bawang]

I wish I could have started at 13 instead of 43...*sigh*...and now I'm 53. :(

take steroids

[YouKnowWho]

I just got the joke from a WC Chinese article.

When you are in your

- 20, you don't want to spar because you think that you will need more training time and you are not ready yet.
- 30 and 40, you also don't want to spar because you think that you are too old to spar.
- 50 and 60, you start to talk about "fight without fighting" and "Wude" for the rest of your life.

[SPJ]

I just got the joke from a WC Chinese article.

When you are in your

- 20, you don't want to spar because you think that you will need more training time and you are not ready yet.
- 30 and 40, you also don't want to spar because you think that you are too old to spar.
- 50 and 60, you start to talk about "fight without fighting" and "Wude" for the rest of your life.

Jean Claude wanted to compete in a ring still at 40+ YO.

Steven Seagal started to sing more once he hits 50.

Ba gua guys still doing daily walk well into 80s.

---

:)

[annieb]

If you could hit a reset button and start your training all over, what would you change?

I be in my teens or 20's instead of my 40's and I wouldn't be afraid of looking stupid.