dh124289 on 26/9/2005 at 07:35

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That bullshido site is pretty funny; did anyone spot the Tyson story? I'd heard about this before but not the level of... detail that they go into :wot:

Mike Tyson World Porn Champ

Mike Tyson is reportedly set to star in a porn film - with Jenna Jameson. .

The former boxing World Heavyweight Champion claims he is desperate for
cash, after being hit with a tax bill for several million dollars, and a
porn career is a tempting offer.

The disgraced pugilist, who retired from boxing last month, was
approached by Jenna's representatives to star as her partner in the
X-rated movie.

He is quoted by Britain's Zoo magazine as saying: "I just talked to a
gentleman called Jimmy who's involved with Jenna Jameson.
They said they were interested in getting me involved in the adult film
industry "I need the money up front".

Meanwhile, American boxing journalist Pedro Fernandez believes Tyson,
who was jailed for six years in 1992 on rape charges, would triumph in
the sex industry - with his alleged 14inch manhood.

He explained: "According to court documentation from Tyson's rape trial,
his member is at least 14in long

"If Tyson brings out some of the ferocity that made him a champion, he
could definitely become a successful porn star"

SubJeff on 26/9/2005 at 11:34

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Sounds like you actually want to learn to fight liquidfear. Why have you already chosen weapons though? You may find that you don't like them after a while, or are naturally better with others. Having said that Wing Chun (from a reputable place with a decent teacher) teaches a staff form, though it's longer than 6 foot. There are only 2 weapons ever used anyway.

I agree with ig that the teacher is very important but the art is equally important, depending on your goals. If you want to learn to defend yourself in a real situation really look into this. Ju-Jitsu, for example, may teach you certain aspects of combat but it is only applicable to certain situations. If you came up againts a Muay Thai combatant I'll wager you'd get a good kicking, in both senses of the word. But if you were in a brawl, close range, and grabbed or pulled to the ground Ju-Jitsu and Aikido are going to give you a better chance.

I'm not sure that I agree with the multi-system training that seems to be the vogue these days. In my mind it's better to be solid in one area (like close range striking a la Wing Chun) with a smattering of ground skills "just in case" than to try and learn it all. Why? Because then you will be the master of none and the day you fail to strike because you're just not that good is the day you get taken down by someone who is an excellent grappler, and then what? You're not that good on the ground either. Better to be far superior in one arena and by good enough to dictate the terms of the conflict. A superior Muay Thai fighter is almost never going to be forced into a ground fight as most of his/her opponents will not be able to get close enough without their legs being kicked into numbness.

SubJeff on 26/9/2005 at 12:16

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Uh huh. I agree. But how often and for how long does the average person train? If you are training 5 nights a week it's possible, but if you train on a Wednesday and a Saturday? Or even once a week?

TTK12G3 on 26/9/2005 at 16:59

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I took the training for about nine years before I got tired of it (Half my life!). It is really intense and besides the usual hour and one half hour classes three to four days a week, there are extended three hour sessions that pretty much make you feel like your guts are about to fall out. Weapons training is deemed necessary, but it is very light training in the use of the bo, jo, nunchkun(Never learned how to spell it properly.), and a few others. If you wanted to earn a seperate recognition for weaponry(I did not.), you had to take seperate classes. I knew someone who has had his arms slashed open several times in that class. Seminars occured about three times a year. You did not have to go, but if you did not, everyone would be like "Ohhhhhhhhhhh! You BIIIIIIIIGGGGGGG disgrace!!!!". I went to a few, but neglected to do so as time went on. I don't know about you, but something about marching up a freaking mountain in the middle of nowhere with no ready supplies and getting up VERY early every morning to do the "bird form" while being surrounded by fifty thirty year old burly men who are "ready for action" for a week did not appeal to me... but that is just me.

Drunken Phu on 26/9/2005 at 21:13

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Please note: the following is an unpaid endorsement of Drunken Phu's opinion. It mentions the word 'opinion' frequently, because I know lots of people feel very strongly about this art or that art, and I don't mean to offend. Just my opinions. That having been said...

I'm a little confused by some of the signals you're sending here... it sounds like you want to learn some actual fighting or defense techniques, but then you say that you also want to learn some of the most impractical and (in my opinion) useless-in-a-real-scrap kung fu movie stuff at the same time.

If you want to learn to fight, get into something like Muay Thai, Krav Maga, Jeet Kun Do (if you can find a reputable teacher), BJJ, or even regular, good ol' American boxing. And make sure they have a policy of requiring randori or some other sort of full-contact sparring. Lioness' post above was right on the money.

These styles will teach you the basics you need for unarmed combat, and the sparring will make sure you know how to apply the theory in practice. I practice a Muay Thai style that has some jiu-jitsu mixed in (and the poster above who said there's not much groundwork in MT was right - pretty much the only grapply-type stuff you see is standing joint locks to immobilize an opponent so you can pummel their liver and kidneys into dust with your knees and elbows), and have found it to be a great combo. The striking arts aren't necessarily pretty, but they work - they teach you where to hit someone, and more importantly, HOW TO DO IT (cause it's not as easy as it sounds), and how to put a ton of force behind your strikes.

A jiu-jitsu or aikido or judo class will teach you how to absorb and redirect blows from an adversary and use the force of them to get him into position where you can disable him through a choke or by crippling a limb or joint. VERY effective if done right, but only in one-on-one situations. Multiple attackers will eviscerate a jiu-jitsuka in seconds (hard to get a guy into an armbar on the ground when his two buddies are stomping on your teeth), whereas a good striking artist will stand a bit more of a chance if the odds aren't too overwhelming.

On the Oriental arts - this is where I'm probably going to get into trouble - IN MY OPINION, if you really want to learn how to fight, stay away from 'em. Far away. Seriously.

I can relate to the desire to get into an ancient form of Kung Fu or something (for example, as my handle implies, I still harbor a deep yearning to someday learn an Eight Drunken Immortals Choy Li Fut style, if I can find a school), because they're VERY cool; but I know it just plain wouldn't teach me anything real about fighting.

The katas they practice and the slow motion striking and dodging exercises that the Oriental schools (at least the ones I've seen) engage in make for some cool-looking, graceful dance-type moves. Great for on the mats with your mates. But if you're standing there looking at some big drunk hoodlum on the sidewalk who wants your wallet, and you try to do "Falling Leaf Lands Atop Courtesan's Fan", you're going to get your ass kicked twice as bad for resisting and dissing the guy with "sissy-fighting." Unless you can talk him into throwing his punches at one-quarter speed so you can set up your block-and-parry.

Like I said, the traditional Oriental arts are cool, for what they do... but you'll learn about as much real street combat as you would at any other type of dance class. The traditional karate/kung fu/tae kwon do/whatever arts look awesome but in real life they only work in movies, at ISKA tournaments, and in the McDojo Belt Factory Tae Kwon Do dance-off demo shows where people are high-kicking around in circles to techno music.

Bruce Lee, after all, had to strip away most of the crap in what we think of as the traditional Chinese arts to get at the Jeet Kun in those Do's (if you'll pardon the expression) in order to begin to honestly turn them into effective fighting arts. If you're comfortable with that knowledge, and it still fits with your goals and reasons for training in a martial art, then go for traditional Asian. Like I said, you'll learn some cool moves and get fit. But you should be realistic about what they are outside of Hollywood/Hong Kong Cinema and what they will really teach you in the context of actual self-defense.

Question about the weapon arts, too: you say you'd like to learn weapons, and not just the structured forms, but the gritty, real-world weapon applications... but then you say you wanna learn the katana? Man, the staff MIGHT have a little applicability in the real world (you might get lucky and be able to find and pick up a four- or five-foot piece of wood or rebar or something when you get assaulted on the street, for example), but in this age the sword is a theoretical, show-weapon only. You are never going to be carrying one or be able to just find one that was laying around on the ground when assailants come a-callin'. Unless you can talk one into breaking into your house while you're there and close enough to your sword collection to grab one and start shreddin'.

Again, this is all my opinion, but I think I'd go with a .38 snub-nose. It's more effective, more powerful, and has a little better range than a sword. Plus, you can get licensed to carry in public and they're much easier to conceal. :D

Same discourse applies as above with the traditional oriental arts: swords and staves look neat and are honorable ancient arts, but in the modern world they're dance moves only. If you want weapons training with real-world self-defense applicability, get a gun, a conceal-carry permit, and a membership at your local shooting range.

Good luck with finding a school that you like. Most important thing is that you enjoy it and feel that you're meeting your goals in pursuing the training in the first place. Remember to check 'em out, too. If the instructor won't let you watch a class ("our techniques are too OMG DAEDLEY to have just anyone watch"), stay away from that school; if you visit and the place is full of trophies, stay away from that school (unless your goal in MA is to win a trophy); if you visit and the brown and black belts have crappy form (and you'll know, it's easy to tell), stay away from that school; and finally, if they're telling you you can join the "black belt club" for additional fees, definitely stay away. Other than that, find something you like and stick with it.