I know there are other threads on this subject, but they are more specific in nature. (For example, the excellent Suggestions thread thread) I'm hoping to get a broader discussion of the arts, what they are, what they mean to you, how they compare.
To begin, I've studied Aikido, Tai Chi, and a goofy amalgam art called Am Ka Jitsu. Am Ka Jitsu was my first, and it provided me with self confidence when I needed it, but the dojo was often derided as "the black-belt factory," as it wasn't a "serious" dojo. The art itself involved Aikido, Tai Chi, Karate, Judo, and a few other odds and ends thrown in to keep people interested. There was a sparring session at the end of each class, but it was strictly no contact. Fun, non-threatening stuff for a 12-year old who had just seen Karate Kid.
More recently I've taken Aikido at the local community college and enjoyed it immensely. Aikido can be translated as "the way to union with universal energy" and is characterized by circular movements calculated to use your opponent's weight, energy, and momentum against them while keeping yourself stable, balanced, and centered. One of the things I've enjoyed is the weapons training, jo (short staff) and boken (wooden sword). There's something satisfying about weapon's training that is utterly impractical (If I get in a fight, what are the chanced that I or my opponent will have a boken?) I've noticed in other threads that Aikido is probably the most popular martial art among Barbelith posters.
An interesting aside- the "do" in Aikido and other martial arts refers to a more spiritual or centered art, such as Kendo or Judo. "Jitsu" refers to military arts, such as Ninjitsu or Jujitsu. According to my sesei, there is such an art as Aikijitsu, but I've been able to find very little information about it.
Finally, Tai Chi.
I love Tai Chi. It's hugely relaxing and so incredibly graceful. This is not an art for the impatient.
I'm going to shamelessly plagiarize the wikipedia article for this one...
"T'ai Chi Ch'uan or Taijiquan (Chinese: ???; pinyin: Tàijíquán; literally "supreme ultimate fist"), commonly known as T'ai Chi, Tai Chi, or Taiji, is a nei chia ("internal") Chinese martial art which is known for the claims of health and longevity benefits made by its practitioners and in some recent medical studies. T'ai Chi Ch'uan is also known as a soft style martial art, an art applied with as complete a relaxation or "softness" in the musculature as possible, to distinguish its theory and application from that of the hard martial art styles which use a degree of tension in the muscles.
T'ai Chi Ch'uan is best known as one of the slow motion routines that groups of people practice every morning in hundreds of parks across China and, increasingly, other parts of the world. In T'ai Chi classes one is taught awareness of one's own balance and what affects it, awareness of the same in others, and appreciation of the practical value in one's ability to moderate extremes of behavior and attitude at both mental and physical levels, and how this applies to effective self-defense principles.
While its practitioners consider it primarily a style of martial art, T'ai Chi Ch'uan is also called an art of moving meditation. T'ai Chi theory and practice is also formulated in agreement with many of the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. Besides general health benefits and stress management attributed to beginning and intermediate level T'ai Chi training, many therapeutic interventions along the lines of traditional Chinese medicine are taught to advanced T'ai Chi students in traditional schools. T'ai Chi Chuan as physical training is characterized by its requirement for the use of leverage through the joints based on coordination in relaxation rather than muscular tension in order to neutralize or initiate physical attacks. The slow, repetitive work involved in that process is said to gently increase and open the internal circulation (breath, body heat, blood, peristalsis, etc.). Over time, proponents say, this enhancement becomes a lasting effect, a direct reversal of the physical effects of stress on the human body. This reversal allows much more of the students' native energy to be available to them, which they may then apply more effectively to the rest of their lives; families, careers, spiritual or creative pursuits, hobbies, etc."
I studied Yang style, the 24 form. Occasionally the teacher would take us through the 48 form, and she also taught sword and fan forms.
I've been wanting to study Capoera, sometimes called Brazillian War Dancing. As I understand it, it evolved in Brazil amongst the slave population. The slave owners wouldn't allow the slaves weapons or stand idly by while the slaves practiced fighting, so they concealed their sparring in their dancing. Thus Capoera is a rhythmic, dancing martial art, sparring and practicing are set to music. That strikes me as soooo fucking cool. Rumor has it that breakdancing evolved from Capoera. |
