The Martial Arts Society

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Guvnor

Depends what you are looking for really, Yes I train in JJJ in the area.

just having a look to see if their was anyone who i could spar with from another martial art other then wing chun (but im open to wing chun offers to) as i'm intrested in building up some knowledge from other arts plus im realy lacking in anyone to spar with outside class

Reply 1081

Rich2cool4u

Where are you based? Look for local clubs involved in MMA. Usually a good mix of different styles to be found.

Richard

Reply 1082

Jonjitsu

Barton1

I live in leicester, I train at leicester shootfighters, coached by Nathan Leverton who also trains Jimmy Wallhead, Dean Aminsinger & Andre winner. Both Dean and Andre feature in this seasons ultimate fighter. Very good gym, I'd reccomend it to people who want to join a good no gi gym as quite a few no gi places are pretty lackluster.

Where'd you train?

Carlson Gracie BJJ / MMA in Suffolk. We have Royce coming next week in fact for a seminar.. can't wait!!

Reply 1083

Barton1

Royce? Damn, how much is that costing you?

Reply 1084

Rich2cool4u

How do you guys rate your gyms classes? For example at London shootfighters we do very intense warm ups, followed by some practicing of technical moves with a partner. These will depend on what the lesson is focusing on, eg attacking from a mount, from gaurd or whatever the case may be. Each lesson will have a distinct focus on a certain part of the ground game and you will be taught various attacks and defences from each position. This is then followed by full on sparring until everbody has sparred with near enough everybody else. Well thats just for the MMA classes.

I would be interested to also hear what combinations of Martial Arts people do in an attempt to become a well rounded fighter?

Cheers, Richard.

Reply 1085

Barton1

Depends really but an average day at our gym is opens at 5:30 but classes start at 6:30. So if anyone wants extra rolls you go early.

But first 15 minutes is warming up + stretches, warming up might include clinching, hip movement etc. Next 45 minutes is techinques, so what ever we're learnign though usually its mondays is more stand up wrestling while wednesday and thursdays are ground. Then second class, 30 minutes rolling, then 30 minutes techinques.

Reply 1086

Rich2cool4u

Do you do much sparring at all? I have found that I have learnt most through the trial and error of sparring, once you learn the techniques sparring is the best way to learn how to really apply them properly.

Richard

Reply 1087

Barton1

Yeh 30 minutes, which is normally 5x5's of sparring. I agree sparring is where trial and error comes through but nathan (my coach) really likes to emphasise the basics and stuff. If you want to do more sparring people just go to the class early.

Reply 1088

Guvnor

cousto

To be honest I doubt it anybody from here would be willing to spar with you off the mat, there are too many risks involved, plus things can get out of hand easily. Your best bet would be to get yourself down to a few clubs and have a go at sparring with the teachers/Sensie's etc , and if you like the sport so much then perhaps consider taking it up.

Reply 1089

slideyfoot

Guvnor

To be honest I doubt it anybody from here would be willing to spar with you off the mat, there are too many risks involved, plus things can get out of hand easily.

Without mats, yeah, but outside class? Loads of people. For example, there's a bunch of us meeting 2pm this Sunday at the Andy Roberts Academy: see here for full details. Feel free to pop along if you're looking for a friendly spar (on mats, naturally :wink:

).

I regularly attend throwdowns, which are basically an open mat when anyone can pop down, giving them the chance to roll with people from different schools.

Reply 1090

Rich2cool4u

Its a great idea to spar and roll with others, the problem is without correct regulation or any instructors present then its possible that you may get some idiots who either have something to prove or who think they are great. They may go to far with moves, lock in too hard or not release despite considerable tapping. I rolled with somebody once who got me into a fairly strong and painful armbar and it took a considerably large amount of taps to make him release. Funny thing is he looked at the instructor for praise and was met with "Release if somebody taps you K**b"

Was funny but there is potentiol for some serious damage when rolling unregulated. However I must say, I would still go for it! Rolling is definatley addictive!

Richard

Reply 1091

slideyfoot

Rich2cool4u

Possible, but in four years of attending throwdowns, I've never seen it happen. It could be I've just been lucky, but it seems that the kind of people willing to meet random strangers from the internet to spar are also sufficiently in control of their ego that they don't then try and smash you up.

Closest example I can think of to that is as per the below video from one of the Belfast throwdowns, but then it was still within the MMA ruleset they'd agreed to use. Despite the contact level, nobody got hurt:

I stick to pure grappling when I spar at throwdowns, so videos of me aren't quite so exuberant. :wink:

Reply 1092

Scarletwings92

hey,

I recently started jujitsu I love doing it but I'm having trouble with the breakfalls (I can do the sidways break fall and the backwards breakfall/roll easily) but I'm having trouble with the forward roll, and the farward fall, we were also told we'd be doing this hand stand one and I was wondering if you had any tips on improvements/ how to do them successfully...

with the forward roll I can do it up to the point of actually rolling over I go to the side more then forward and and told I need to push of my leg more...not sure how to do this as I've been trying. with the forward fall I can't seem to not collapse when making impact with the ground...I've tried but don't know how to accomplish it....

Any advice would be appreciated :biggrin:

Reply 1093

Sociallyanxious

I'm actually having the same problem as the person above so any advice?

Reply 1094

Alves888

Hello Ive just come across this room, Could anybody recommened any places in West London ( around Harrow ) that teaches begineers?
Thanks

Reply 1095

slideyfoot

Alves888

Hello Ive just come across this room, Could anybody recommened any places in West London ( around Harrow ) that teaches begineers?

Yes, several. As per map:

Mill Hill Jiu Jitsu
33C Bunns Lane Works
Bunns Lane
London, NW7 2AJ

Nilton Garcia JJ
Royal Masonic School
Rickmansworth Park
Rickmansworth
WD3 4HF

Roger Gracie Academy (Kilburn)
307-309 Kilburn High Road,
London NW6 7JR
0208 960 1112

Roger Gracie Academy HQ
237 Kensal Road, Ladbroke Grove,
London, W10 5DB
0208 960 1112

Carlson Gracie London
56 Glentham Road, Hammersmith,
London, SW13 9JJ
[email protected]

If you've got further questions on BJJ (naturally that is just one of many martial arts you could try, but as its the one I do, its the one I'd recommend :wink:

) more info in the BJJ thread.

Reply 1096

Guvnor

Alves888

Hello Ive just come across this room, Could anybody recommened any places in West London ( around Harrow ) that teaches begineers?
Thanks

What art do you want to learn ? Im sure most clubs do teach beginners :smile:

Reply 1097

Alves888

I wont lie, im unsure what 'art' I want to learn... I want to do it for self defence, you no in case I ever meet an idiot on a night out etc...

Reply 1098

Guvnor

Alves888

I wont lie, im unsure what 'art' I want to learn... I want to do it for self defence, you no in case I ever meet an idiot on a night out etc...

Why are you reading this?

So you have always wanted to do Martial Arts right?

You have seen the movies with Jean Claude Van Damme, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Steven Seagal.

You think to your self 'that looks cool', and put the thought on a shelf in the back of your mind.

You see an advert in a magazine about a new Martial Arts club near you, and off you trot to join.

Or do you?

I've met some people, who researched the subject of Martial Arts thoroughly before going anywhere near a club! More commonly people join a nearby club with some mates for moral support.

No two people think alike!
You say "Skateboard"; I say "broken leg".
You say "Coconut", I say "yuck".
You say "TV", I say, "Book".

This is one of the reasons for the diversity of the Martial Arts available. We are all individuals!

Before going onto the subject of 'choosing an art', I'd like to point something out!

While you may aspire to be one of the people spinning around, doing flashy techniques and looking cool, it can be very intimidating at first. You may think 'I'll never be able to do that'.

The trick to any difficulty in life is to ignore the boundaries that restrict other individuals. There is risk involved, and sometimes pain in failure, but the reward of inevitable success through persistence is the sweetest fruit of all.

When we say, "That's impossible!", we really mean;" 'I don't know if I could do that". The trouble is that we fear defeat, so we accept defeat without trying. Taking the easy way out!

Different people have different abilities!

Some people seem to be born with advantages!
We all know someone who is really strong, fast, flexible, intelligent, funny or good looking!
Something I have observed from experience though, is that the people at the forefront of Martial Arts today, are not the people with the 'natural gifts' of strength, speed, agility etc.
They are the people with an inner strength!
Something to prove, perhaps a physical or mental limitation.
Bloody-minded determination can overcome Mr or Mrs Lucky if you are persistent about it.
Learning a Martial Art is a 'War of Attrition' with yourself.
The people with 'natural gifts' tend to find things so easy, that they wander off and find something else to do that is easier still!

If someone ever says to you; "What you? Do that? You have no chance", just smile to yourself, and take steps to make them eat their words.

Choosing a Martial Art!

If you are looking at Martial Arts for the first time, you just opened the biggest box in the toy store! In fact you could spend your whole life just trying to decide what to start with!
I would personally recommend that you find a good instructor, rather than trying to choose an art.
All the arts have something to offer, if someone tells you otherwise, smile and walk away as this person has a lot to learn.

Please carry on... we are getting to the point now!

There are no bad Martial arts, only bad Instructors!

So you are now asking yourself 'how do I recognise a bad instructor?'

Most schools will let you watch a class before joining. If they don't, walk away as they may have something to hide.

When you watch the class, don't just watch the techniques, watch the Instructor! His/her eyes should be everywhere, ensuring the safety of his/her students and looking for ways of improving them!

If there is misunderstanding apparent on the face of a student, what does the Instructor do?

If there is negative emotion apparent on the face of a student, what does the Instructor do?

Do the students revere the Instructor?

Have you seen anything that would make you revere that Instructor?

Can you see yourself practicing that style, with that instructor for two to five year's minimum?

Has the club been established for a long time?

Has the instructor been involved in the arts for a long time?

You must ask questions, not just blindly accept what you read in an article or advert!

Once you have chosen your Art!

1/ Show respect and loyalty to your Instructor!

2/ Show respect and loyalty to your fellow students!

3/ Show respect and loyalty to your style!

4/ Show respect to practitioners of the other arts, as they have gone through everything that you have!

5/ Conduct yourself in a manner that others can respect!

Training in the Martial Arts, is like setting off on a journey!

As you travel to the mountain, there may be people ahead of you. You may pass some of these people on the way, and some of them may pass you. You are all going to the same place, so it is as well to be civil to each other on the journey!

Good luck on your journey, I hope that our paths cross, and we may travel together for a time!

This article was taken from another site and it is not my own work but I thought I would share it on here anyway.

Reply 1099

slideyfoot

Alves888

I wont lie, im unsure what 'art' I want to learn... I want to do it for self defence, you no in case I ever meet an idiot on a night out etc...

My standard response when someone doesn't yet know what they want to train is this, which naturally reflects my own biases and interests:

First of all, I'd recommend you take a look at the FAQ (if that's broken, use this link) on finding a good martial arts school. In general, signs to look for are a competitive record, regular heavy contact sparring and 'aliveness' (if you're unfamiliar with the term, Matt Thornton has a long article on the topic describing what it is and why it's important: he is the man most associated with popularising the concept).

If your interest is mainly in striking, the safest option if you want decent training is muay thai (which you'll also see as 'thai boxing'), along with martial arts like boxing and kyokushin karate. That's not to say there aren't good schools within other striking styles, but they tend to vary widely in quality.

If you're more interested in grappling, then BJJ would be an excellent choice, as the strong competitive element and ability-based ranking system generally results in high quality training. A cheaper option is judo, which is also much easier to find - the two styles are closely related, the main difference being that judo normally focuses on throws whereas BJJ is mostly about the ground. For more on judo, read the Bullshido.com article - there is an article on BJJ too (you could also check my BJJ Beginner FAQ). SAMBO is another good choice, but even harder to find than BJJ. Then there's wrestling, which is also great training for grappling.

Alternately, you could combine grappling and striking by cross-training in several arts, or at an MMA gym (though technically 'MMA' is a ruleset rather than a specific style). Examples of well known MMA gyms would be Team Quest and Miletich Fighting Systems.

There are also several school databases you could try. For example, for BJJ:

TrainJiuJitsu.com
Gym Database (BJJ, MMA etc)
UK Club Map