# I'm back...again!



## Skip Cooper (Sep 21, 2014)

Hello again!

I originally joined MT way back in 2006, can't believe that's just two years shy of ten years ago.

A little about myself to refresh the memory of those who were here when I was active and an introduction to those who came after my absence. 

I was a wrestler in my youth (played football, too) and did a little boxing. The boxing was informal because my father wouldn't allow it. My childhood exposure of martial arts came by way of Bruce Lee, Kung Fu Theater, Chuck Norris, Van Damme, and The Karate Kid. I was interested in it, but I was way more interested in wrestling. In my twenties, a friend brought over a VHS tape he rented from Blockbuster (dating myself, I know) of the first UFC. I saw sumo guys, karate guys (at that time, anyone in a gi was a karate guy to me), wrestlers and boxers squaring off...and the wrestlers were dominating. That is, until I "discovered" jiu-jitsu!

I wanted to know what that little karate guy was doing. And why was he beating WRESTLERS!!! I had to find out and I began searching my area for a jiu-jitsu school. This was in the early days of the internet, I couldn't just run a keyword search like today, so I sought out the Yellow Pages. I went to the closest school I found. When I arrived at the Fighting Tigers Dojo, I saw a bunch of guys in karate suits rolling around on the mat. It turned out, though, that they were Aiki Ju Jutsu guys who also liked to train in "submission grappling." I didn't know the difference and my journey began there. Later, I trained in Jungki Kwan Hapkido, Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido, Shotokan Karate, and a little Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (legit, but brief training). 

Work location and schedule moved me away from my MA family, and my kids began to participate in youth sports, so I stopped training, kept eating and gained about 55-lbs. I'm planning to drag these old bones back out onto the mat soon. I've started running and Yoga to prepare my body, burn some fat and rebuild some muscle. I've lost about 45-lbs since April 2013, so I'm close to where I was when I was training full time.

It's good to be back...again! I came back briefly last year, but fell inactive again. I hope to keep up with the community and I look forward to our conversations.


----------



## Dirty Dog (Sep 21, 2014)

Welcome back. Hope you can find a place to train soon.


----------



## Skip Cooper (Sep 21, 2014)

Dirty Dog said:


> Welcome back. Hope you can find a place to train soon.



Thanks! I do have a place where I'm going to train, I just won't be starting until November/December. Youth wrestling season starts soon and funds will be needed for that first (new shoes, USA Wrestling Card, etc).


----------



## K-man (Sep 21, 2014)

Cool, good to see you back.
:supcool:


----------



## jezr74 (Sep 21, 2014)

Welcome Back Skip.


----------



## seasoned (Sep 21, 2014)

Skip Cooper said:


> Hello again!
> 
> I originally joined MT way back in 2006, can't believe that's just two years shy of ten years ago.
> 
> ...



Welcome back, Skip. Thanks for the great introduction. MT has a lot to offer in the way of support as you move forward in your return to the martial arts. Enjoy and see you around the site...


----------



## Xue Sheng (Sep 21, 2014)

Welcome Back


----------



## Buka (Sep 21, 2014)

Nice to meet you, Skip.


----------



## Brian R. VanCise (Sep 21, 2014)

Welcome back!!!


----------



## tshadowchaser (Sep 21, 2014)

Welcome back Skip.  All the luck in the world to you finding a good place to work out and train once again


----------



## arnisador (Sep 21, 2014)

Wb!


----------



## Brian King (Sep 23, 2014)

Welcome back!

Regards
Brian King


----------



## donald1 (Sep 23, 2014)

Welcome back

[video=youtube_share;scz2qcgZqDc]http://youtu.be/scz2qcgZqDc[/video]


----------

