Help with choosing a style..

[Ydde]

Hi everyone, i've trained kung fu for several years now, and even though it has left me in great shape, i've started question its efficiency. Leaving the details out, i'm fed up.

I've started training bjj, which is great, but it's only two times a week, and i've got time to do some more. I really would like to do muay thai, but unfortunatly it's not an option where i live.

But i found a club that sparked my interest, it apparantly is a variation of fma (i'm not well versed in fma or its concepts, so bear with me). I went to a lesson the other day, and the other guys worked with sticks, disarms and counters etc, while some poor bugger got stuck with me teaching basic strikes and such. New and confusing, but pretty fun. The beginner classes don't start until a couple of weeks, so i was the only new guy there.
The instructor told me they vary the training from lesson to lesson, next time it will be mostly boxing, which i may be a bit more comfortable with.

Anyway, i thought i could ask the experts in this forum if they know/think they know if this style is worth spending my time and money on. The options where i live are fairly limited unless you are into karate or tkd and I think i will leave the forms and spinning high-kicks alone for a while, i've had enough of them..

The main instructor is this guy:

http://www.kalisikaran.com/templates/5/article.asp?ID=60

And here's a description of the system:

http://www.kalisikaran.com/templates/5/article.asp?ID=88

So if any has an opinion please feel free to write me a comment, it will be appreciated

Regards.

[straitup]

hi there. well to get strait to the point about your trainning. You say that your past trainning was in kung-fu. thats a good start. as far as the fma it's really fun but what you need to understand is that the art starts you out with sticks rather then no wepons. This will help you with useing both sides of your body. then when you get into empty hand you'll be able to move and conter better. with a lot of arts out there you tend to focus on your strong side then they get you to work on your week side. If the teacher in the fma is a good teacher he'll get you to work both sides right a way. I don't know were you are or who the teacher is but there are a lot of jkd teachers out there that teach or at least say that they teach fma but I've found that a lot of them around in my are have just gone to a few seminars learn a few things about it and say that they can teach it. So if you decide to take fma make sure that the teacher is certified to do so and you'll lern lots and will have fun as well. this art will also help you with your off set timing witch will really make your previous trainning even better. so in my opinion go for it.

[BJJ-2/04]

It looks good. My background is also kungfu and I now do BJJ and FMA. I think it's a great combination. Yes, Traditional FMA starts with the weapons b/c they had to teach farmers quickly to defend there land. FMA are no nonsense and usually quite practical. Some even teach Buno and Dumug which is grappling like BJJ.

[Ydde]

second training...

Hi all!

Went to my second training there, and asked if i could do both sessions (the first was for beginners and the second for the more experienced), which was ok with the instructor. First lesson was boxing 101 with some of the basic strikes and block/slip/parry (i thought beginner classes didn't start until next week).
Being confident i knew this stuff already (at least the kungfu-version of it), i went to the second session with my hopes up for some sparring, though the instructor told me this session would be a bit tougher than the first.
The first half consisted of combination drills, and the second half was sparring. ...which pretty fast wiped the smirk of my face. Most of the guys asked me how hard i wanted to go, which i of course responded with a "..oh, like you normally go..", where they promptly began punching me to a tender lump.
My jaw is still not where its suposed to be. I soon found that "..just take it easy to begin with eyh..?" worked alot better, at least till i learn more. Didn't know my boxing skills were that low, guys at least 15 kg less than me handed me my own ass.

All in all i loved it. Nice guys, hard (and for me somewhat humbling) workout and reasonably cheap (about 150 usd for six months, four sessions a week, and free use of the gym).


Thanks for the replies, i appreciate it alot