Introduce yourself
Replies
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Howdy, I'm Jay.
As a child of the 80s and 90s, I've always been interested in the martial arts. My father was a Judo black belt and my maternal grandfather, was a boxer, and ran a gym in his twilight years, training amateur and Olympic hopefuls.
I've trained in a lot of things:
Boxing
WTF Taekwondo
Wing Chun
American Jiu Jitsu / Goshin Jitsu
Kyokushin Karate
Judo
Kajukenbo Kung Fu
Taijiquan
Sadly, only for short periods of time, sadly, due to injuries and life getting in the way.
My last severe injury was a motorcycle accident that left my right arm limited in movement for years.
It got to the point where I couldn't move my right arm, at all.
I just stopped moving and gave up for awhile until I got sick of that.
It was then I picked up 100 lbs of weight. Making me 300 lbs.
With that serious right arm injury, I decided to see a doctor and then a physical therapist and I received treatment for, in the last few months.
Acupuncture and physical therapy, mostly. Non-surgical.
Stretching, yoga, weight lifting, and cardiovascular workouts have taken my down to around 270 lbs.
I've been doing a P90X Lean rotation with Stronglifts 5x5 mixed in, 7 days a week since the mid of March.
Two days ago, I found my old judogis, in storage, and well, I felt some sort of regret about it all and began actively looking for a new school.
It's hard to find one to fit my schedule as I work evenings and nights, when most instruction is taking place traditionally.
Tomorrow, I begin what was and has always been, a life long dream to pursue 1 martial art to a point of proficiency.
The style is Tang Soo Do.3 -
Welcome! I hope your first day went well.0
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First two days, Tuesday and Thursday, were good.
The instructor has a background in Taekwondo (his highest rank is here, 5th degree) as well as Tang Soo Do (second highest rank is here, 2nd degree), Arnis, (third highest rank is here) and Brasilian Jiujitsu (and he is a purple belt here).
I am, of course, hilariously out of practice.
But, I didn't fall.
TSD, shares a lot of similarities as far as forms are concerned, with the Karate and TKD I have done in the past. Except here, there is an emphasis on kicking, not punching, unlike Karate.
And so, just like that I'm back in the game.0 -
Hi there! I've been enjoying reading everyone's intros. So, here's mine.
I've been training Kempo since August 2017 and I have been loving it. Just these last months I've been trying out BJJ and that has been amazing as well. I've wanted to do Martial Arts since I was a kid, but my parents thought "it wasn't lady like" So finally after 30 years I got to give it a go. I'm bummed I waited so long, but so happy I'm there now. I had been a fixture at the studio for a long time since my son and husband also trained there for about two years before I started. They've really become like family, and at this point I can't imagine life without training and the way of life associated with MA. It has been so much more than a workout for me. I guess thats how you know things will stick.
I'm glad to be part of the group!1 -
Glad you found us! Welcome!!0 -
Welcome! Jiu Jitsu girls are the best!0
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I was part of the old (now-inactive) MA group here on MFP for a while around 2016. I've floated to the top of my preferred weight range and my gi pants were getting tight, so I decided I needed to go back to the discipline of logging for a while. So here I am.
Like many here, I've been a martial artist on and off for many years.
During high school in the 1980's I studied Okinawan Goju Ryu in a traditional school that was loosely affiliated with Sensei Teruo Chinen. But times were different then. Wth 5 years of study, I reached 5th kyu (green with 1 brown stripe). Then I hurt my knee my Senior year in High School and for a number of reasons drifted away from martial arts in college.
When my younger son was in 1st grade he/we "won" a family membership to a local TKD outfit, but they weren't a good match for our family (NO, I won't sign a multi-year non-refundable membership agreement for a 7-year old!). So we spent a few years at a Okinawa Kenpo Karate school, with no contracts, which I loved since there were many similarities to the Goju Ryu I first studied. But that small school ran in to financial difficulties and closed down.
For the last few years, my son, now finishing 8th grade, and I have been studying Chinese Kempo. I'm proud to say that he recently earned his high green belt (about 4th kyu?) and I just got my brown 3 belt (about 3rd kyu?). It's hard to translate because each style puts the colors in a different order and the current school has 11 steps for adults/teens between white and 1st Dan/Black belt.
Getting to black belt before I turn 50 is a bit of a stretch. So I'm hoping that the chronic shoulder tendinitis doesn't hold me back and that I stay healthy enough to earn the black belt I didn't reach as a teen before I leave my 50th year.
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Hi there, my name is Danielle. I am a red belt in karate. I received my red belt in 2007, left for 9 years and started back with my family in 2016. I have been invited to grade for my black belt in September. I am very excited but really nervous. Its been 11 years since my last grading. I am worried about the 8 min mile because of my weight. I've been trying really hard to get the weight off but its coming off so slowly I hope I'm fit enough by September to start my rounds of testing. I think I would have so much more confidence in my abilities with the weight off.0
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Welcome Danielle. What style do you study?
Not to derail the thread, but color of belt is very hard to interpret without context. Every school I've been in has run the rainbow differently (and look at Kyokushin if you want an example of folks not following convention https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyokushin#Grading in every other school I've been in yellow is either 1st or 2nd in the sequence)0 -
In TKD (at least my School) Red Belt is Upper Middle level.2
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Agreed about belt colours. @JJordan mentioned jiujitsu, and if I have this right, their structure is like judo. It's interesting, actually; it's structured so that the last coloured belt (1st kup/kyu) before black is brown, which makes very clear visual sense. Nearly black belt but not quite there yet? Brown belt! Then after black belt, very senior black belts indeed go to red belt.
However in various TKD associations, inc mine, brown tends to be a midranking coloured belt, and the last coloured belt before black is... red with a black stripe or red! It's to symbolise 'danger' I believe.
(The reason I know all this is because it came up after some new students with previous knowledge of karate/judo asked when the brown belts were taking their black belt tests.
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I’m re-Introducing myself. I was real active in this group until the holiday late last year. Gained my typical 15lbs I do around that time and just finally got back into the swinging of things to take that 15 lbs off in preparation for my first MMA Fight on a local card at the end of the month.
I’m 43. Discovered BJJ almost 6 years ago at 270 lbs at 5’10”. I lost the first 50lbs in about 7 months. Branched out into striking including kickboxing and Muay Thai. Still 80% of my training is BJJ. I’m in the heat overall shape of my life. I am 180 lbs now and have abs which I have never had. . I have concentrated MMA the last 8 months so I can scratch this deep down. I heed to test myself in the cage.4 -
Welcome back!0
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Hi all. I'm Anna. Been a combat sports fan since I was a kid, recently started a "blended" (intro program that covers basics all styles) at a gym in my city. Interested in pursuing Muay Thai and BJJ once I've finished the basics class. Joined both for love and respect for all areas of Martial Arts, and as a way to get fit and feel more confident.1
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Hi everyone, Sylvia from Los Angeles here. I train in TKD at my dojang in Torrance 5 days a week and practice with my sparring partner at our homes on weekends. I’ve always been active but didn’t get into TKD until my mid thirties following my children’s footsteps:) Hoping to test for black belt this November and keep going from there. I’ve met many amazing individuals through TKD and glad to have found this group!
My boys and I will all compete in poomsae and sparring this September at a tournament in Long Beach. Train hard and smile!2 -
Hi, I am new to this group. I just began doing BJJ. My son in law is an AP sponsored professional BJJ fighter. My daughter and granddaughter are also involved. I figured I should see what it is all about. It's much different than the TKD I used to do but I am liking it.2
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Welcome all!
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Hi all,
I used to do Take Kwon Do for some years, but my club shut down so now I'm doing Thai Boxing.
I'm really liking it and here to loose a 5kg that are slowing me down.
I'm 37. Most people in my club are in their mid-20ies. So I'm the old lady there. Sometimes that's a bit tough.
Anyone else doing Muay Thai?
PS: Feel free to friend me. I could use some mutual motivation1 -
Hey, everyone!
It's been about a year or so since I logged into MyFitnessPal...SMDH...I don't know why I stopped coming to the site to log food n stuff because it's been the most helpful tool I've ever encountered for keeping track of food and fitness goals. No other app or site I've seen has worked for me as well.
And when I stop logging, stop keeping track, my body pays the price. :-(
How do I tell my own MA story without being super-long-winded? Let me see if I can give you some bullet points to sum things up or we will be here forever. :P- I'm 40, and started Tae Kwon Do (ITF) just over two years ago. This said, I'd been wanting to take martial arts since I was a kid. Why wait so long? That is its own story. Suffice to say that when I found out my chiropractor and his office manager were co-instructors for one of the TKD groups in my town (Marshalltown, IA), and they invited me to join in a class as a guest, I jumped at the chance.
- I'm an orange belt, working on green.
- I participated as a competitor in the Iowa Games this past July. I managed to go silver in forms, and gold in sparring. But let me tell you, the sparring medal could be considered a fluke, beginner's luck, etc. Because in no way did I *ever* expect to win ANYthing in sparring. That also, has a long story behind it, and the focal point is the tornado that hit Marshalltown on July 19th just three days before the TKD event on Sunday, the 22nd.
- Once the students in my group hit orange belt, we're expected to learn how to not just conduct warm-ups but on occasion, we get tapped to guide the class through the hand and foot techniques, let alone get the Korean names of those techniques down pat. The higher we get in rank, of course, the more responsibility we take on...and I find that I'm enjoying the teaching aspect of the sport, because I know how much fun AND beneficial learning martial arts is.
- Because of the previous bullet point, I feel incredibly remiss at not doing my best to reduce my weight and be a leader that way, let alone in any other manner.
- I also wish to learn at least one other MA discipline in addition to TKD. Aikido would be my first choice, if I can find a studio that teaches it.
On another note: I was born hypothyroid, so I have had a lifelong struggle with my weight. Being in TKD has given me the structure I really need, let alone an avenue of self-discovery. In addition, I recently met a guy who is the love of my life, and he has been the most supportive guy I could ever find--and that's all I will say about him because if I go on, I'll be boring people to death. Suffice to say, deep down I know we're meant to be, and I will do what it takes to get way healthier so he and I can live a long happy life together.
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Hello, new to this group and have not used this app in a long time. I’m just getting back into BJJ after very long hiatus. It’s been tough getting back on the mat but so much fun. I don’t even mind being the old out of shape guy.2
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Hello, new to this group and have not used this app in a long time. I’m just getting back into BJJ after very long hiatus. It’s been tough getting back on the mat but so much fun. I don’t even mind being the old out of shape guy.
Hi! Welcome back to the life. It is the best feeling getting a piece of yourself back. It's worth the extra aches0 -
My name is Jim, I'm 44 and just started BJJ because apparently I needed a reminder as to how old and out of shape I really am.1
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jamespatten3576 wrote: »My name is Jim, I'm 44 and just started BJJ because apparently I needed a reminder as to how old and out of shape I really am.
Welcome to the club, in all possible senses!
It's tough to begin with, but with every martial arts class you attend, it's going to get easier, fitness-wise.0 -
Hey there. My name is Karen. I’m am a very new white belt. I am learning Shotokan Karate. I do two classes a week. I’m feeling my age (35) however the fitness side isn’t my main issue lol. It’s my uncoordinated legs and hands. Plus trying to remember the katas.
I’m loving what I’ve seen so far.
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Hello!Karen_can_do_this wrote: »Hey there. My name is Karen. I’m am a very new white belt. I am learning Shotokan Karate. I do two classes a week. I’m feeling my age (35) however the fitness side isn’t my main issue lol. It’s my uncoordinated legs and hands. Plus trying to remember the katas.
I’m loving what I’ve seen so far.
I'd like to tell you that coordination comes with time, but that would be a lie. It only comes with practice and lots of it!
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HI there! New member here. I take a mix of martial arts. Our belt system is based on Shaolin Kempo of which I have a blue belt and will be testing soon. I enjoy the Kung Fu aspects of our system most. I also do kickboxing and Escrima/Kali. My dojo offers Silat and I hope to eventually work that into my schedule as well because every time I spar against a Silat-training class mate they are a completely different beast. I'm here to learn and get healthy. I need to improve flexibility and balance.
Cheers!
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Hello
My name is Suzanne, I found BJJ about a year and half ago at the tender age of 40, it has transformed my life! The addiction is real and I can't wait for the next training session, at the moment the only female at my academy but we are working on that.
Simply love the movement and techniques, recovery takes a little longer but try to balance the bjj training out with yoga.
Working and preparing for my Blue Belt soon but its about the journey not the destination, I have to girls and they are also enjoying BJJ, lucky to assist with their classes and also try to teach them a very empowering skill.
Wish more Females will try out BJJ, its so empowering ..
Recently found The Ultimate Fighter ha ha working my way through the 24 Series.
Train at Resilience Jiu Jitsu in Sunny Cape Town, South Africa.
Oss
Always on roll away from a good mood.
Any tips on recover and nutrition for the over 40's , give me a shout out.
PS, also starting Tai Chi in July.
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suzanne6094 wrote: »Hello
My name is Suzanne, I found BJJ about a year and half ago at the tender age of 40, it has transformed my life! The addiction is real and I can't wait for the next training session, at the moment the only female at my academy but we are working on that.
Simply love the movement and techniques, recovery takes a little longer but try to balance the bjj training out with yoga.
Working and preparing for my Blue Belt soon but its about the journey not the destination, I have to girls and they are also enjoying BJJ, lucky to assist with their classes and also try to teach them a very empowering skill.
Wish more Females will try out BJJ, its so empowering ..
Recently found The Ultimate Fighter ha ha working my way through the 24 Series.
Train at Resilience Jiu Jitsu in Sunny Cape Town, South Africa.
Oss
Always on roll away from a good mood.
Any tips on recover and nutrition for the over 40's , give me a shout out.
PS, also starting Tai Chi in July.
Hey! Another saffran! I'm in Jozi. I am currently training for my black belt (shodan). I am still not entirely convinced I will be ready by the end of October but I give it as much as I have in between work, single parenting, and studying. In fact, the other things have had to take a back seat and I feel horrible not being able to read my kids bedtime stories two nights a week at least.0 -
suzanne6094 wrote: »Hello
My name is Suzanne, I found BJJ about a year and half ago at the tender age of 40, it has transformed my life! The addiction is real and I can't wait for the next training session, at the moment the only female at my academy but we are working on that.
Simply love the movement and techniques, recovery takes a little longer but try to balance the bjj training out with yoga.
Working and preparing for my Blue Belt soon but its about the journey not the destination, I have to girls and they are also enjoying BJJ, lucky to assist with their classes and also try to teach them a very empowering skill.
Wish more Females will try out BJJ, its so empowering ..
Recently found The Ultimate Fighter ha ha working my way through the 24 Series.
Train at Resilience Jiu Jitsu in Sunny Cape Town, South Africa.
Oss
Always on roll away from a good mood.
Any tips on recover and nutrition for the over 40's , give me a shout out.
PS, also starting Tai Chi in July.
WooHoo, Hi from PESFA in PE. I'm a blue belt under Chris Bright although I've been off the mat for 8 months due to some injuries. Finally allowed to do controlled technique again!!! There are loads of girls in Cape Town, so look out for the open mats to go and train with girls on occasion.1
