Yet another how many...

[Spencermm]

I did goju-ryu karate for about a year and a half. I just had to give it up as with moving jobs, I lost my free gym so can't afford gym subscription, karate and scuba diving all at once! My dad taught me a fair bit when I was a kid too, he was a black belt second dan in shotokan style and taught for a bit.

It was a lot of fun, and it is a shame I had to give it up. So Spencer I think if you have the chance it is worth trying out

Shotokan is an interesting art, and another one I wish I could learn more about. If memory serves it was one of the first Japanese arts(or was it Okinawan?). The name Geichin Funikoshi (sp?) keeps coming to mind- maybe the founder?
Spencer

 

[Spencermm]

I was a second degree black belt and instructor in Tae Kwon Do before giving it up due to a blown out knee.

Dang! Sorry dude. Did you blow it out doing the art?
Spencer

 

[Spencermm]

I studied tae kwon do for roughly six years. I took it as a child from the time i was 7 until i turned 13. I just had received my brown belt when my dad got laid off and i was forced to quit. It was all great fun, i wish i could've continuedto the upper degrees of the black belt. If i had the time now id restart my training.

Kids in that age bracket really excel at the arts, especially ones requiring great flexibility like Tae Kwon Do. I bet you retained a lot after being in so long. If you ever do restart I bet it comes back to you quickly.
Spencer

 

[Spencermm]

I wish I did.

My daughter (now 7 years old) started martial arts a few months ago and she received her yellow belt a few weeks ago. We are very proud of her. She is studying the Shotokan style and she is doing Nunchaku and Bo (stick) weapon training as well.

It is an amazing sport and the discipline is great.

Better watch out- walk softly. She might get after you with those sticks if you rub her the wrong way
Spencer

 

[Noboundaries]

My wife and I studied Kosho Shorei-Ryu Kempo for two and a half years and really loved the art. A Shihan was our sensei. He later became the husband of an often distant friend of ours. Here's a Wikipedia article on the art. Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I blew out a knee one day sparring sensei, requiring a complete reconstruction. While recovering, sensei sold the dojo to a MMA dude because he was ready for a new direction in his life. MMA was not what we were interested in learning so we sadly ended our education.

Well, when something is meant to be in your life for a lesson you need to learn, it never leaves until the lesson is complete. I get a call one day recently from my boss asking what I knew of my former sensei. Turns out he had applied for a sales position where I work. He was hired and will be working in my office when he finishes training.

I think the lesson my wife and I need to learn has once again found its students.

 

[RikRaeder]

I spent a decade serously studying fencing (Hungarian style; a mixutre of French and Italian). I only quit because Japanese fencing is almost non-existant.

 

[Spencermm]

My wife and I studied Kosho Shorei-Ryu Kempo for two and a half years and really loved the art. A Shihan was our sensei. He later became the husband of an often distant friend of ours. Here's a Wikipedia article on the art. Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I blew out a knee one day sparring sensei, requiring a complete reconstruction. While recovering, sensei sold the dojo to a MMA dude because he was ready for a new direction in his life. MMA was not what we were interested in learning so we sadly ended our education.

Well, when something is meant to be in your life for a lesson you need to learn, it never leaves until the lesson is complete. I get a call one day recently from my boss asking what I knew of my former sensei. Turns out he had applied for a sales position where I work. He was hired and will be working in my office when he finishes training.

I think the lesson my wife and I need to learn has once again found its students.

Cool story. Also good wiki article. James Mitose sounds like an unusually stand-up guy.
Spencer

 

[Spencermm]

I spent a decade serously studying fencing (Hungarian style; a mixutre of French and Italian). I only quit because Japanese fencing is almost non-existant.

I love watching fencing. It's a difficult art to become proficient in I understand. Fencing was a big part of the art Bruce Lee developed.
Spencer

 

[dpbishop]

44 is not to old. I started American Kenpo when I was 49. Trained for about 5 years, 3 times a week, which included 4 minute sparring rounds with excercises & kicking drills in between. It had me in the best shape of my life. I was about a month from testing for my black belt when my knees swelled up from psuedogout and I haven't been able to do it since; can't run or bike either. Scuba Diving and swimming are OK though. I really miss it.

 

[Tigerman]

I enjoy watching MMA, though it took some getting used to. The more I learned about it the less brutal it seemed. Those people are some incredible athletes. Most real world fights last less than a minute. Just intense sparring for a few minutes is taxing- I can't imagine going 3 5minute rounds at that pace.
Think you will ever get back into it?
Spencer

I hope so, as its incredibly nice workout for your entire body and its quite fun.
It does indeed take some getting used to cause it can seem quite brutal, and sometimes it is. At the same time the more you get into it the more you see that the good athletes use techniques from more or less every style there is and a good MMA fight can be quite elegant..