Brazilian jiu jitzu and other martial arts

Off topic a bit, but have you watched the Ameridojo videos? Sooooo funny.

So what I've studied, Korean karate and American freestyle kickboxing. I also wrestled for a long long time. I wish bjj and MMA were available when I was in my competition days.

Round house is a powerful weapon to the legs and the ribs and the head. Front kicks are a waste for the head but can be devastating to the solar plexus. Hook kicks are a great surprise tool but limited like a spinning back fist. Having a few good kicks is great to extend your range and push back an aggressive opponent. Trade off is kicks can be caught and leave you in a world of trouble.

Can a gal join in this or is this an all-guys' deal?

I started Tae Kwon Do (WTF style--as in the moves they do in the Olympics) back in January of last year, and getting ready to test up for orange belt in March--if this respiratory infection I've got right now doesn't completely slow me down first. I started it for fitness' sake thanks to my chiropractor and his office assistant's recommendation: they're the teachers, and they are AWESOME! But I also joined because I'm finally realizing my little-kid-self's dream of taking martial arts, and I am having a blast!

I've also read about Krav Maga, which I hear burns some serious calories as well, to say nothing of it sounding just as fun as TKD. I'm hoping to lose a bit more weight before trying KM, just because it *is* intense, and I feel like I want to be more fit before trying it, just because I *am* in my late thirties and recovery time could be slower than if I'd found out about it in my 20s. I could be wrong about my way of thinking, but in the end, I go with my gut, and it never steers me wrong.

I do Krav Maga when I'm not traveling. Hoping to get back to it in a couple weeks. Love the confidence it gives me especially since I often travel alone, love sparring, like the workout. Ah, the endorphins.

I prefer sparring the small to medium sized men the most. I have to pull too much with the women (generally), and the largest men just have too much on me.

I try to practice the techniques on people of all sizes. The first time I did a proper single leg takedown (whole body off the ground) on my 6'7, 280+lb friend, I actually shouted and did a little dance (then gave him a hand up and a high five)

I did some Muay Thai through a class in my uni with special student price, got a little tied for cash this year so couldn't even afford that but I loved it! I found the school the instructor teaches at and they do a lot of different martial arts including bjj and some weapons stuff so I think I'll do a couple drop in classes once I'm out of school to see if I like it then hopefully get a membership there because then you can go to whatever classes and I definitely want to dabble in a few different styles!

ki aikido is run as a non-profit organization fees are low...sensei's are volunteers... it is truly about the art and philosophy of the founder... there is zero brute strength involved... I was so skeptical off an on for the year that I practiced.. BUT when you start to buy in and employ the principles... you can do some weird stuff... check it out on youtube

I started BJJ a little over a year ago, then had a hysterectomy. I'm so ready to get back and enjoy my first roll. I made my 10 classes (a requirement at my BJJ/yoga gym) before getting your first roll, then had to have my surgery. I'm super competitive at all sports and I'm hoping to compete in a BJJ tournament sometime this year. I also love striking. Great workout and tons of fun

Former kickboxer here... loved it and right now I'm in a bit of a slump as I don't have the fitness for it I used too or the enthusiasm. Some of it is down to numerous operations I have had, including a laparotomy and colostomy, which knocked not only my confidence (although I did kickbox with a colostomy bag, hell I even did a big grading with it) but messed up my core strength as I'm now left with pain and spasms when I do core exercises.

I also messed up some ligaments in my finger last summer doing a BJJ takedown on my girlfriend (don't ask) and now require hand therapy on it as the pain is still there, which means I can't hit a punching bag right now. I loved kickboxing and I loved how flexible I was. The enthusiasm dwindled as many of my former class mates / Senseis (I used to teach it) moved on and part of what made it for me was the sense of family.

I'm switching to a gym with a punch bag and when my hand is better, I will do my old routines but not sure if I will return to kickboxing. I loved grappling from some of the BJJ I used to learn from my old Sensei. Hard but loved the technicality of it

I am a 2 Stripe Bjj Purple Belt under Draculino at Gracie Barra Texas. I started training 8 years ago and taught 4 of those years at his school. We have Muay Thai, boxing, wrestling and all levels of BJJ there.

Also a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, won all city and state sparring competion and took 2nd in the Jr Olympics. Fun for a sport but I prefer other striking arts for self defense and enjoy Bjj over everything.