I am wanting to start a martial arts off and i want to learn Kung Fu has anyone else learnt this or tried to learn this?
P.S. Has anyone ever herd of a martial art called Kali?
Yes, Kali is a Filipino martial art that uses both weapons and unarmed fighting. I have practiced that one very little. My brother is a kung fu instructor. There are a lot of different kung fu styles, the best thing would be to search on the net and maybe visit clubs to see how they train.
i study martial arts but just hybrid froms, im a user of the 5 fiery attacks though, just find your own style you like and mesh em if you want but find one that fits you best and keep at it…
Well there is MC kali group in wigan which has branched off from the school in USA. I might try Kali because i really do like the filipino style. I want to really do kung fu but i don’t think there is a kung fu club in wigan soo… but with kung fu i wanted to do wing chun.
I have studied a few martial arts. The closest I ever came to studding kung-fu was I studied kempo and a little wing chun for a while. I think you will like the Filipino marital arts. I don’t know much about Kali (other than knowing what it is). I took wa-do-ryu for some time. While it is a Filipino discipline it more closely resembles the traditional Japanese styles. Most of my training has been in ju-jitsu and chung-do-kwon.
I’ve been wanting to join Thai Chi classes at a Spa and Resort we have in town. My friends dad is a pretty mellow dude and he teaches it now and then. WHen i was at their place, I saw this antique porcelain old chinese man in a thai chi stance and it was pretty inspiring, i suppose.
I wonder how many fellow martial artist there are on this forum? I have already met quite a few.
I quit hockey this year and I’ve been really looking at martial arts as a new hobby to occupy my time and keep me in shape. I think I would probably be taking Brazilian Jiu Jitsu if I decide to start a martial art.
I used to take karate when I was younger, but it wasn’t that fun after about 2 years. And me and my friends didn’t really have time for it anymore either 
i took two years of tai kwon doe (whooptido!) but after that i’ve just been about the yoga and karate, plus i inhabit some of my own fighting techniques from varies books i’ve thumbed through, but anyone here know about yoga to a good extent…?
from what i understand kali is filipino stick fighting. which is fine and good, but what happens when you don’t have a stick on you?
i tend to favor the empty handed arts for that reason even though the art that i do (cuong nhu) does teach weapons, it teaches the empty hand first. anyway, there’s some wing chun in cuong nhu and after being exposed to it, i always wanted to train at a wing chun school for a lil bit, it’s cool stuff
but i’d say the most important thing about picking a martial art is finding a good instructor that has your safety and personal development in mind. so the most important thing would be not the art itself, but the character of the people who practice it. that’s how you can recognize good martial arts.
good luck in finding a school 
www.karateforums.com is a very usefull website for everything about any martial art (i know it is called karateforums, but actualy there is a forum for every other martial art).
I practice Shotokan Karate and i keep saying that studying a martial art was probably the smartest thing i ever made 
!
I just love martial arts…
I don’t know much about kung fu except that it means something like “hard work”!
Good to see you again. I was wondering where you were hiding.
Anyway, yes I completely agree finding a good instructor is important.
For me I prefer instructors that are not too commercialized. I have seen black belts from some of these commercialized schools that could not throw an even remotely proper side kick. I understand that they have to sell their knowledge but, to pass someone just because they paid their fee is shameful. Anyway, I prefer instructors who teach the traditional styles in the proper way and not “sell”watered down versions of their art. Don’t be afraid to visit several schools before you make a choice.
good to be back 
to follow up on what milod said about commercialized styles. my cuong nhu senseis teach for free, they don’t make a single penny off of it. they believe that teaching for profit in effect compromises the art.
that isn’t to say that all commercial arts are crap. i’ve seen some strong ones, but it is something to look out for
Where were you hiding?
Yes, not all commercialized schools are bad. I have practiced in some good ones. I do not have a problem with teachers making a profit. Here is an example of a bad school:
I walked into a local dojang a while back. I swear I thought I was walking into a k-mart and not a martial arts studio. As soon as I walked into the door there was a glass case in front of me with all sorts of trinkets for sale. That was may first warning sign. Then I talked to the receptionist who could not tell me anything about the art that was taught there except, to say, they teach tae kwon do. When I asked her what style of tae kwon do they taught I received a truly baffled look… ( I just let that drop)I asked about the price and the girl would not tell me anything about the price and stated that I had to sign up for 3 tryout classes plus a free uniform for $30.00( ok that is not bad, the uniform alone is worth 30 bucks). After the tryout classes the instructor would go over the price (Another warning sign). There were a few trophies in their display cases which, believe it or not, I also consider to be a warning sign. It made me think they were more about tournaments then studding martial arts. Anyway, I walked out of the without looking back. I just knew that place was not for me.
I learnt Judo at school for a couple of years. I really enjoyed it. We were taught the japanese names and discipline and the school gym became our dojo. Our teacher did not commercialise in the least and there was no fierce competativeness at all. I really missed it when I moved away from home and looked for a new club to attend. I joined one at our local sports centre and left within a few weeks. It was just too competitive, with no attention to judo as a martial art, just a sport.
I moved down to Portsmouth and studied Ju-Jitsu for a time. This was a great club. The style we were taught was like Judo in many respects, but with a lot more ‘self-defence’ thrown in. We were taught things like how to defend against knife attacks and disable the opponent. Unfortunately, I had to leave Portmouth to work.
Now I am not praticing any martial arts, but I am considering starting again. I am just a bit worried that my age might be starting to work against me. 
Yes, that is the problem with most of the commercialized schools. What you end up learning is a very watered down version of the art and that is what I really mean by commercialized (sport orientated instead of art orientated). My teacher in chung do kwon formed a foundation that included over 500 schools. However, all schools taught the art in the traditional form. Nothing was watered down. The same was true wen I took ju jitsu, and wa do ryu karate. All were centered around teaching the traditional art (both physically and spiritually).
Tomorrow i am going for my first time. I spoke to the instructor and he said what i am learning is a general well rounded system. Btw Kali is both weaponry and empty hand fighting.
Bit about the instructor
Quote by Sifu Rick Faye
Melvin Corrigan is easily one of the top instructors in the Minnesota Kali Group family. His highly developed skill and his dedication to training have put him at the very top of the Martial Arts world. I have seen him develop in many areas and I know he puts a great amount of thought into his training. There are very few Martial Artists who move as well as Mel.
Mel has taught classes at the main school in Minnesota and is always a hit here. He has an easy way of communicating with students and they develop very quickly under his guidance. His physical talent aside, he can teach others to do things he makes look so easy. He is a very moral person and carries this over to his teaching. He has a great way of communicating the deeper meanings of Martial Arts for daily life. His messages about health, life style and humility will change anyone’s life for the better.
Mel can give you the confidence to do Martial Arts at a high level and to perform better in your daily life.
The instructor also said that he wants to teach us and he wants us to develop our own style. I am going to the teenager class but once im 16 i can choose todo Kali if i want. Or i can stay with teenager class.
Btw on sunday i fell while playing touch rugby and badly bruised my right knee, damn so i hope i wont need it. If i do i will have to brave the pain lol.
Check in with us tomorrow and let us know how your first lesson goes. If you can still move, that is.
Good luck 