Martial arts questions

[inconsequential]

I'm wondering if it would be possible to study martial arts with a bad back. There are some things that I just wouldn't be able to do in training without injury and I'm afraid that would preclude me from studying as I can't imagine many instructors wanting to take me on as a student with such problems. I am primarily wanting to learn some non-lethal techniques to mitigate the bad teaching I received when I was younger.

Also, what would be a good age to enroll my son in a martial arts class? He will be 4 in October. I'm hoping to get him into something like Aikido or Wushu.

 

[BengalLover]

As for yourself, it may be difficult to find a hands-on martial art that won't potentially cause your back to act up. I have done martial arts for years, and was very involved in a very traditional, comprehensive martial art that I have had to essentially give up due to my back. I still practice some things on my own, but there's no way I could keep up with a regular program.

There are other options, however, if you love the martial arts - something like Iaido is a great compromise if you suffer from old injuries. In a good school anyways, you can still have the structure, sense of accomplishment, and many of the other benefits of martial arts without the higher risk of injury to your back.

As far as your son, it will depend on the schools in the area - you would be best investigating the schools, seeing at what age they accept children, and then watching a few classes to see if you would like your son learning in that environment. I know of instructors who will take kids as young as three, so look around

 

[nathanlandon1]

I'm wondering if it would be possible to study martial arts with a bad back. There are some things that I just wouldn't be able to do in training without injury and I'm afraid that would preclude me from studying as I can't imagine many instructors wanting to take me on as a student with such problems. I am primarily wanting to learn some non-lethal techniques to mitigate the bad teaching I received when I was younger.

Also, what would be a good age to enroll my son in a martial arts class? He will be 4 in October. I'm hoping to get him into something like Aikido or Wushu.

Hi,

I am a mixed martial artist (Shotokan, BJJ, TKD, Muay Thai):

If you want to specialize in one martial arts, I would say to Tai Chi. Tai Chi trains slowly, but the execution is just as fast as other martial arts. Some Chinese martial arts focus on reconstruction (of the body), but most Japanese and Chinese martial arts are intense.

I think it truly depends on the trainer. There are some trainers on either extreme even for the brutal martial arts. When I train others, I focused on reconstruction (flexibility and applications of it in execution.) Some trainers will want to go faster and harder - it truly depends on the trainer and the focus of the gym/school. I would say talk to the trainer: there are some trainers that will be happy to work with you.

As for your son, there is no age that is too early. I would say get him into flexibility training first, then execution later on (age 6).

Because many of the moves in martial arts take advantage of angular momentum (rotational motion,) it is important to transfer the energy correctly. If you throw a punch and stop incorrectly, transferring the angular momentum into linear momentum toward your back, it could be detrimental enough to negate years of training. So, find someone who will work specifically with your body mechanics.

 

[inconsequential]

Thank you! I've been interested in Tai Chi for some time but have never been able to find a school locally and I would LOVE to study Iaido (not just because it would give me an excuse to buy a bokken and a katana ). I just spoke with a guy today about BJJ and he said they have children as young as 6 in the regular classes. He also suggested the Bully Proof program to get my son started. I'm going to do some more research and see what I can find locally as I'm sure there are a lot more options than there were when I was a teen.

 

[nathanlandon1]

Thank you! I've been interested in Tai Chi for some time but have never been able to find a school locally and I would LOVE to study Iaido (not just because it would give me an excuse to buy a bokken and a katana ). I just spoke with a guy today about BJJ and he said they have children as young as 6 in the regular classes. He also suggested the Bully Proof program to get my son started. I'm going to do some more research and see what I can find locally as I'm sure there are a lot more options than there were when I was a teen.

Iaido is fun!

Yes, six is a good age for a kid to get into martial arts... I would suggest keeping/restarting him in martial arts at age 12, 13 or whenever he becomes pubescent. At the very least as his body grows he will need to relearn his executions.

Another suggestion for your son I would have is the martial arts Ninjutsu (Ninja.) It is really active, and basically capitalizes on things kids love to do (hide, startle people and execute moves.) Ninjutsu is a big user of gymnastics and flexibility also.

Good luck and stay safe brother.

 

[Test All Things2]

I suggest to you my brother that if you are a Christian you thoroughly research the roots and history of Tai Chi. Tai Chi was developed through and based upon the biblically taboo practice of divination...something our God literally HATES (see Deuteronomy CH18). Further Tai Chi is interwoven with the (antichristian) philosophy known as "taoism."

Worship of false gods and idols is forbidden by the very first and second commandments given by God to man. Further there are dangers to systems like "Tai Chi and Chi Kung or Qi Gong" of being possessed by spirits because of these practices.

Look up Kundalini syndrome or Qi Gong psychotic reaction, or Qi Gong psychosis in particular on Wikipedia or the internet at Google.

Also search Wikipedia for the plain term Qi Gong and this danger of demon possession is plainly spoken of there on that page also under the sub-heading area of that page listed as "Skeptics."

See for yourself the potential dangers these pose to you. Tai Chi like Qi Gong is based upon meditation. Meditation that brings an altered state of consciousness and being. Further Tai Chi makes use of guided imagery and visualization processes that are identical to those same processes that are used by Wicca witches in performing magic.

That should scare you to your core if you are a Christian. Search these things out and pray to God to reveal the truth about these things to you my brother. I pray God gives you a powerful revelation of truth about these things.

 

[Kevin_Wright]

I'm wondering if it would be possible to study martial arts with a bad back. There are some things that I just wouldn't be able to do in training without injury and I'm afraid that would preclude me from studying as I can't imagine many instructors wanting to take me on as a student with such problems. I am primarily wanting to learn some non-lethal techniques to mitigate the bad teaching I received when I was younger.

Also, what would be a good age to enroll my son in a martial arts class? He will be 4 in October. I'm hoping to get him into something like Aikido or Wushu.

Well, I participate briefly in American Karate (by the American Society of Karate, the bill "superfoot" wallace system) and I do boxing. I can tell you that neither of those will be good for a bad back, if that helps. lol.

As far as your son, I don't see many kids younger than 12/13 in boxing. Getting punched in the head isn't great for those young brains. I'd imagine. But Karate is cool for the younger kids. They had a childs class right before the adults class in the church I would train at. And they would spar and exercise and end in a bible verse. It was cool to watch.

Hope I could help.

 

[Fin1234]

I suggest to you my brother that if you are a Christian you thoroughly research the roots and history of Tai Chi. Tai Chi was developed through and based upon the biblically taboo practice of divination...something our God literally HATES (see Deuteronomy CH18). Further Tai Chi is interwoven with the (antichristian) philosophy known as "taoism."

Worship of false gods and idols is forbidden by the very first and second commandments given by God to man. Further there are dangers to systems like "Tai Chi and Chi Kung or Qi Gong" of being possessed by spirits because of these practices.

Look up Kundalini syndrome or Qi Gong psychotic reaction, or Qi Gong psychosis in particular on Wikipedia or the internet at Google.

Also search Wikipedia for the plain term Qi Gong and this danger of demon possession is plainly spoken of there on that page also under the sub-heading area of that page listed as "Skeptics."

See for yourself the potential dangers these pose to you. Tai Chi like Qi Gong is based upon meditation. Meditation that brings an altered state of consciousness and being. Further Tai Chi makes use of guided imagery and visualization processes that are identical to those same processes that are used by Wicca witches in performing magic.

That should scare you to your core if you are a Christian. Search these things out and pray to God to reveal the truth about these things to you my brother. I pray God gives you a powerful revelation of truth about these things.

Nearly ALL martial arts are rooted in religious practises. Many arguably began thanks to ritual cermonies. (Sumo as an example)

Though it is misleading to assume that Taji as a martial art will be teaching or enforcing taoist concepts. Similarly to brand all Taji training the same is just silly if you actually do some research on different styles and instructors.

 

[Leimeng]

I suggest to you my brother that if you are a Christian you thoroughly research the roots and history of Tai Chi. Tai Chi was developed through and based upon the biblically taboo practice of divination...something our God literally HATES (see Deuteronomy CH18). Further Tai Chi is interwoven with the (antichristian) philosophy known as "taoism."

Worship of false gods and idols is forbidden by the very first and second commandments given by God to man. Further there are dangers to systems like "Tai Chi and Chi Kung or Qi Gong" of being possessed by spirits because of these practices.

Look up Kundalini syndrome or Qi Gong psychotic reaction, or Qi Gong psychosis in particular on Wikipedia or the internet at Google.

Also search Wikipedia for the plain term Qi Gong and this danger of demon possession is plainly spoken of there on that page also under the sub-heading area of that page listed as "Skeptics."

See for yourself the potential dangers these pose to you. Tai Chi like Qi Gong is based upon meditation. Meditation that brings an altered state of consciousness and being. Further Tai Chi makes use of guided imagery and visualization processes that are identical to those same processes that are used by Wicca witches in performing magic.

That should scare you to your core if you are a Christian. Search these things out and pray to God to reveal the truth about these things to you my brother. I pray God gives you a powerful revelation of truth about these things.

~ It is tremendously ignorant to state that T'aiChiCh'uan is based upon divination. It originally was and continually to this day based on martial practices for the purpose of self defense and offense. It's body movements are designed very specificially to cause specific reactions in an opponents body. Sadly, many individuals have learned a very watered down version of TCC and have supplemented their lack of effort and knowledge with new age claptrap and thus are incapable of doing anything except a few basic exercise movements for health. (It IS very good for health.)
~ Wikipedia is not a reliable source for most forms of info and I would steer clear of it for most serious research.
~ So is Taichi based on divination (as you stated) or mediation (as you have also stated? Figure out what one you are going to misinform others about and stick to it! There is nothing wrong with meditation persay. Everyone meditates in some form or another on different things. Your argument is a typical red herring made by someone who has no idea what they are talking about and thus repeats what others don't know what they are talking about with to sound authoritative on a given issue. Meditation and visualization are tools that individuals use all the time.
~ Creating an altered state of conciousness does not always or even usually lead bad things happen, nor does it make one a wiccan... Some examples of an altered state would be: sleep; sexual climax; runners high; being knocked out in surgery; being in a state of true worship before the most high GOD; being dizzy; voting for Obama only to find out later that it was a HUGE mistake; etc. Some forms of meditation are used to bring the body to a state of relaxation which in turn helps the mind to relax. Some forms of meditation have religious purposes. Not all forms of meditation which have religious purposes are wrong though.
~ "ystems like "Tai Chi and Chi Kung or Qi Gong" " cannot be "possessed by spirits because of these practices." Methods cannot be be possessed. Individuals can be possessed. However, Christians are already possessed by the Holy Spirit and have been purchased wholly by the Blood of Jesus. The spirit of a Christian cannot be possessed by demons or devils at all because they belong to the most High God already!
~ The practice of any physical system in and of itself cannot and will not lead to demonic possession.
~ I would encourage real research in these issues before silly claims are propogated in the name of concern for others.
~ Continue to discuss amongst yourselves....

Peace,

Leimeng

Flatulo Ergo Sum ~~~

(***Insert Personal One Liner Here***)

 

[inconsequential]

I used to be deeply involved in the occult and was quite adept at divination. I have dabbled a little with Tai Chi (short form) and can see nothing at all similar between the two.

Regarding Taoism, you might be surprised to know that many, if not most, of its principles line up with Christian teaching. When people genuinely seek the truth, they are seeking Christ, whether they realize it or not. Lao Tzu was a very wise man. I would recommend Christ the Eternal Tao by Heiromonk Damascene to look farther into that issue.