Practical Martial Arts Training in Seattle

Mort · December 17, 1999, 02:54 PM

Perhaps someone could help me out here.

I want to start martial arts training, and I have a fairly well-defined idea of what I want. I don't want a lot of tradition without practical basis.

Ideally, I would like to study a fluid system that deals with weapons and empty hand techniques. A sort of gestalt method, if you will.

Finally, I would need someone in Seattle who takes beginners. This is the critical part. I know, it's a tall order. Can anyone offer a suggestion?

ctdonath · December 17, 1999, 04:21 PM

I would like to study a fluid system that deals with weapons and empty hand techniques

Try "Kali", aka Phillipine Stick Fighting. While focusing on 2' sticks, it is intended to let you make use of pretty much anything you can get your hands on, including nothing. Sticks, poles, knives, hands, cloth, bottles, flashlights, canes, combinations, ...duck, blocks, strikes, followups, disarms, holds, controls, drops...

My humble page on the subject is at http://www.donath.org/Defense/Kali

Skorzeny · December 17, 1999, 04:28 PM

That's a good suggestion, Kali.

For weapons (stick and knife), the Filippino arts (Arnis, Escrima and Kali) are excellent.

Empty-handed, I'd look for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo and Shootfighting.

You are in luck, Seattle has lots and lots of all of these. I envy you.

Skorzeny

------------------
For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

Mort · December 17, 1999, 05:35 PM

So, do you have any names for Seattle-area guys who take beginners?

jtduncan · December 21, 1999, 11:49 AM

Mort:

I don't know if you need to find a discipline that focuses on weapons. Most of the martial arts disciplines teach about awareness and threat disablement. Gun in hand or not.
Some of the ranges like Wades in Bellevue teach some self defense courses that could teach you that. Otherwise, pick an art and study it.

------------------
The Seattle SharpShooter
If it can't shoot jacketed rad turds powered by rodent farts, I ain't gonna shoot it!

Dad2Jane · December 23, 1999, 08:41 AM

I would recommend looking at Akido also.

I once saw a professional "no-holds barred" fight in which a guy used Akido against a much larger, stronger opponet. The smaller man didn't get hit AT ALL, as far as I could see. But he literally wiped the floor with the other guy.

Since then, I have learned some Akido...

Its worth checking out...

------------------
Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...

Mort · December 23, 1999, 04:24 PM

jtduncan, I'm talking more about knife and stick than gun.

I think I've found a guy thanks to an e-mail tip, so thanks to everyone here.

Gino · December 23, 1999, 07:21 PM

Hey Mort,

I'm just cruising around showing my brother the net and we found your post. I don't know much about martial arts (if I don't have a gun I'm in trouble), but my brother studies martial arts and he lived in Seattle recently. He thinks that the best school is Greenlake Martial Arts School which teaches a street form of Wing Chung/Kung Fu. It is a close range combat system. Very effective. They take beginners and the school is well equiped and established. They teach grappeling and stick work as well. Teacher's name is John Beall (close to that anyway!). You should be able to find it in the phone book. My brother studied there for two years and highly recommends it.

HTH,
Gino

HKKiddo · December 25, 1999, 11:55 AM

I have been doing martial arts for a little over 15 years and my dad 25 years. I always believe in using a gun for combat at say 7 yards. If in close Wing Chun (also spelled as Ving Tsun) is very good for stand up. MY dad studied this style under Moy Yat. Aikido is also good (also Jui-Jitsu) for stand up. Wing Chun will not take as long to learn (still a few years), because it was developed as a fighting style that could be learned quickly. If it looks too flashy it doesnt necessarily mean it is effective (usually opposite is true: unflashy is better). Only problem is most fights end up on the floor. That is why if you could only learn one I would learn how to ground fight, because you could always take the person to the ground. For this I recommend Brazilian Jui-Jitsu or Judo. Hope this helps

stdalire · December 28, 1999, 12:33 AM

Mort, my advise is. You must first study a basic martials arts which is applicable in all situations. Enroll in real Karate Combat club that comprises some Judo and Aikido techniques. I believe that in karate where we learn the Basic/Fundamental blockings using the hands and feet will trained you body very well to be agile.

When able to compete in some club tournament testing your body to received blows or you deliver good blows ans kicks, then it means you blended yourself to a fighting machine. At this time, go to especialize or learn something to add your Karate, that is Arnis or any Stick fighting and you will be better of. Mostly Arnis Instructor I know are Black Belts or started from Barehand martial arts.

In my own analysis, if I study Arnis immediately, you will missed a lot the use of barehand as a good weapon. Remember that not everywhere you go, you are bringing a stick with you or an elongated material or any substitute of it. Many more to discussed but there are more MA afficionado in Blade Forums where I contributed some writings.

Thanks

Squirrel_Bait · December 30, 1999, 11:40 PM

Try Bradley Steiner's place:
Academy of Self-Defense
7407 25th Ave. Ne
Seattle, WA
(206)523-8642
Going by what I see in his books, his stuff looks very practical.

Mort · January 31, 2000, 09:54 PM

A postscript:

I've started training with Datu Kelly Worden. As it turns out, he is about 10 minutes from where I live. He's an amazing teacher; everything I was looking for.

Thanks to everyone for your help and insight.

December 17, 1999, 02:54 PM	#1
Mort Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 1998 Posts: 479	Perhaps someone could help me out here. I want to start martial arts training, and I have a fairly well-defined idea of what I want. I don't want a lot of tradition without practical basis. Ideally, I would like to study a fluid system that deals with weapons and empty hand techniques. A sort of gestalt method, if you will. Finally, I would need someone in Seattle who takes beginners. This is the critical part. I know, it's a tall order. Can anyone offer a suggestion?

December 17, 1999, 04:21 PM	#2
ctdonath Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 1999 Posts: 1,904	I would like to study a fluid system that deals with weapons and empty hand techniques Try "Kali", aka Phillipine Stick Fighting. While focusing on 2' sticks, it is intended to let you make use of pretty much anything you can get your hands on, including nothing. Sticks, poles, knives, hands, cloth, bottles, flashlights, canes, combinations, ...duck, blocks, strikes, followups, disarms, holds, controls, drops... My humble page on the subject is at http://www.donath.org/Defense/Kali

December 17, 1999, 04:28 PM	#3
Skorzeny Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 1999 Posts: 1,938	That's a good suggestion, Kali. For weapons (stick and knife), the Filippino arts (Arnis, Escrima and Kali) are excellent. Empty-handed, I'd look for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo and Shootfighting. You are in luck, Seattle has lots and lots of all of these. I envy you. Skorzeny ------------------ For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

December 17, 1999, 05:35 PM	#4
Mort Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 1998 Posts: 479	So, do you have any names for Seattle-area guys who take beginners?

December 21, 1999, 11:49 AM	#5
jtduncan Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 1999 Location: Seattle, Washington, USA Posts: 1,686	Mort: I don't know if you need to find a discipline that focuses on weapons. Most of the martial arts disciplines teach about awareness and threat disablement. Gun in hand or not. Some of the ranges like Wades in Bellevue teach some self defense courses that could teach you that. Otherwise, pick an art and study it. ------------------ *The Seattle SharpShooter* If it can't shoot jacketed rad turds powered by rodent farts, I ain't gonna shoot it!

December 23, 1999, 08:41 AM	#6
Dad2Jane Member Join Date: November 16, 1999 Location: Nashville, TN, USA Posts: 95	I would recommend looking at Akido also. I once saw a professional "no-holds barred" fight in which a guy used Akido against a much larger, stronger opponet. The smaller man didn't get hit AT ALL, as far as I could see. But he literally wiped the floor with the other guy. Since then, I have learned some Akido... Its worth checking out... ------------------ Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...

December 23, 1999, 04:24 PM	#7
Mort Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 1998 Posts: 479	jtduncan, I'm talking more about knife and stick than gun. I think I've found a guy thanks to an e-mail tip, so thanks to everyone here.

December 23, 1999, 07:21 PM	#8
Gino Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 1998 Location: Lake City, FL USA Posts: 919	Hey Mort, I'm just cruising around showing my brother the net and we found your post. I don't know much about martial arts (if I don't have a gun I'm in trouble), but my brother studies martial arts and he lived in Seattle recently. He thinks that the best school is Greenlake Martial Arts School which teaches a street form of Wing Chung/Kung Fu. It is a close range combat system. Very effective. They take beginners and the school is well equiped and established. They teach grappeling and stick work as well. Teacher's name is John Beall (close to that anyway!). You should be able to find it in the phone book. My brother studied there for two years and highly recommends it. HTH, Gino

December 25, 1999, 11:55 AM	#9
HKKiddo Member Join Date: November 25, 1999 Posts: 47	I have been doing martial arts for a little over 15 years and my dad 25 years. I always believe in using a gun for combat at say 7 yards. If in close Wing Chun (also spelled as Ving Tsun) is very good for stand up. MY dad studied this style under Moy Yat. Aikido is also good (also Jui-Jitsu) for stand up. Wing Chun will not take as long to learn (still a few years), because it was developed as a fighting style that could be learned quickly. If it looks too flashy it doesnt necessarily mean it is effective (usually opposite is true: unflashy is better). Only problem is most fights end up on the floor. That is why if you could only learn one I would learn how to ground fight, because you could always take the person to the ground. For this I recommend Brazilian Jui-Jitsu or Judo. Hope this helps

December 28, 1999, 12:33 AM	#10
stdalire Senior Member Join Date: September 1, 1999 Posts: 343	Mort, my advise is. You must first study a basic martials arts which is applicable in all situations. Enroll in real Karate Combat club that comprises some Judo and Aikido techniques. I believe that in karate where we learn the Basic/Fundamental blockings using the hands and feet will trained you body very well to be agile. When able to compete in some club tournament testing your body to received blows or you deliver good blows ans kicks, then it means you blended yourself to a fighting machine. At this time, go to especialize or learn something to add your Karate, that is Arnis or any Stick fighting and you will be better of. Mostly Arnis Instructor I know are Black Belts or started from Barehand martial arts. In my own analysis, if I study Arnis immediately, you will missed a lot the use of barehand as a good weapon. Remember that not everywhere you go, you are bringing a stick with you or an elongated material or any substitute of it. Many more to discussed but there are more MA afficionado in Blade Forums where I contributed some writings. Thanks

December 30, 1999, 11:40 PM	#11
Squirrel_Bait Member Join Date: December 30, 1999 Location: La Puente, CA, USA Posts: 65	Try Bradley Steiner's place: Academy of Self-Defense 7407 25th Ave. Ne Seattle, WA (206)523-8642 Going by what I see in his books, his stuff looks very practical.

January 31, 2000, 09:54 PM	#12
Mort Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 1998 Posts: 479	A postscript: I've started training with Datu Kelly Worden. As it turns out, he is about 10 minutes from where I live. He's an amazing teacher; everything I was looking for. Thanks to everyone for your help and insight.