Breaking into XMA

[Aaron]

Hey ya'll I've a background in traditional Kenpo Karate, Ju-Jitsu, and Muay Thai as well as having dabbled into a little bit of other Martial Arts and I'm wanting to break into something like what Mike Chat does with his Extreme Martial Arts (XMA) putting a little more emphasis on the "art" side of it all and work into some showmanship with a careful blend of acrobatics or gymnastics.

There isn't a facility to learn directly from a teacher or coach where I'm located currently, so I'm just curious to get in on the perspective of the more experienced who have already broken into something like cinematic martial arts and who perhaps came from a traditional or even self-defense background. What were some of the challenges you faced, best counsel you'd offer and resources you'd share to start kick start my newest quest?

Hoping to glean some great insight and a general conversation. Thanks!

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

emphasis on the "art" side of it all and work into some showmanship with a careful blend of acrobatics or gymnastics.

The day when you stand in front of a mirror without any top shirt and you start to fall in love with yourself, your MA training will move toward a complete different direction.

 

[Aaron]

Haha definitely wouldn't want to lose the traditionalism, humility and honor good sir, nor forget the self-defense practicality that Martial Arts can be in the rare occasion it is needed. Even the man who said, "showing off is the fool's idea of glory" Bruce Lee himself was an excellent showman. I imagine it is just a way to branch out my ever-growing appreciation for all the arts.

Speaking of, I love learning of new martial arts and hearing what others have in their arsenal. You're handle includes "Kung Fu" but I can see that's kinda a joke haha and not diverge too far off the subject for those entering the conversation but what's your art and how were you drawn to it?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The long fist system is my primary art. I was pretty good in form competition. Every time I competed in Karate tournament, I could always win both open hand form and weapon form for the 1st place. One day I just lost interest in form competition.

I have created a form for the California Yuan Ji dancing group many years ago. I had also created some stage CMA dancing when I was young. I was interested in the CMA performance many years ago.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

If you can find anywhere near by that teaches either adult parkour or adult gymnastics, that would be a good place to start. Once you get the hang of those, you could prpbably combine them with your own ma experience to start tricking.

You could also try learn capoeira. Its not quite the same but I could see it being useful experience for xma stuff.

 

[Buka]

Welcome to Martial Talk, Aaron.

Fuel your passion and go gettum', young man.

 

[BrendanF]

why would you need to 'break into' XMA? Don't you just show up, pay to enter and if you pull the most extreme 'scream face' and do the most spinning flips, win a trophy?

 

[drop bear]

If you can find anywhere near by that teaches either adult parkour or adult gymnastics, that would be a good place to start. Once you get the hang of those, you could prpbably combine them with your own ma experience to start tricking.

You could also try learn capoeira. Its not quite the same but I could see it being useful experience for xma stuff.

Break dance is pretty common now as well.

They do acro.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Break dance is pretty common now as well.

They do acro.

Yup. Forgot that. The breakdancing club near me looks like it would take very little for them to go from breakdancing to xma

 

[snake_monkey]

I work with cinematics and performance, but I'm self-taught so I can't give you much direction in regards to training with a teacher. Plus, I'm 30 years old which makes me an old-timer in terms of stunt-performers, so I take it pretty easy. I have a few principles on which I run my stunt troupe, the most important one in this case - know your limits. In addition to the previous suggestions, constant flexibility training is always helpful.
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