Need help - trying to expand my martial arts

[Marvin]

I couldn't tell you much about JJJ, i've never seen 'em, but I'm sure if you posted it on the JJJ forum, they could give you some ideas.

As far a legalities, I have no idea how it works in the U.K. :idunno:
Good Luck!
Marvin

 

[arnisador]

If you've got a school that teaches submission wrestling for MMA, including striking techniques, you have one-on-one empty hand pretty well covered. Rather than Wing Chun or even Japanese jujutsu, I'd add something with weapons or defenses against mass attacks. I think JKD would be an excellent choice. But, other things that might fit include sambo, boxing, and Judo or Japanese jujutsu.

If you want to be a fighter, focus on the MMA. For self-defense, it's a great base, but add an art that covers using and defending against common street weapons, like a Filipino or Indonesian system, or again JKD which has a Kali component.

I don't think Wing Chun gives you the optimal add-on, but I do think it has a lot going for it. I like the system--I just think it doesn't add as much of what'd be missing from your training as you might want.

 

[Dan G]

There is no overall body that governs martial arts in the UK any more. Up until the late 80's or early 90's or thereabouts we had the Martial Arts Comission, a semi-governmental body set up as a knee jerk reaction to a perceived martial arts menace to society. Dissolved partly because it was largely run by a small group of mainly japanese martial artists who could never agree on anything. Basically a joke that is thankfully gone.

To run a school as a business you will need insurance, this is normally obtained through an association like the AMA.

Martial arts in the UK is largely amateur, and very few people are skilled enough in their art and in business to make their sole living as an instructor. Those that do will almost never become wealthy, and many will have dedicated half a lifetime to acquiring their skills. If you seek to become an instructor be aware that it is something that will be a labour of love for most of your life, and will almost certainly not provide even a subsistence income for much of that time. Most people instruct through a love of their art, not as a business plan. Good for the integrity of martial arts, but probably limits the number of instructors who achieve their full potential as martial artists.

Where in Cambridge do you do Wing Chun? I heard of a group training off Cherry Hinton Rd in St. Barnabas church a while back. I might have met the instructor once, if so he is a nice bloke.

If you find some good places to train post a thread, I visit Cambridge every so often and might look in. I have a few friends still living there who I keep trying to persuade to take up training again, so always on the look out for good clubs in the area.

Good luck,

Dan

 

[Aleem]

Thanks for the input everyone,

I'll keep it all in mind. I'll check out the JJJ club arnisador and see what kind of training they provide which I could use to help my other MAs.

Dan G, thanks for the info. I was hoping that you'd give me nicer news, but meh, that's life. Our WingTsun club seems to be an extreeemely friendly place and we have some really nice instructors. I've only been in cambridge since october so I don't know about any other wingchun clubs around; as far as I'm aware, the club trains in two locations. I don't know if there are regulations against posting club sites on here but I've seen plenty of people putting school links up so I can give you a little list of the places that train in MA in cambridge (and ones I will hopefully visit soon). BTW all the sites have directions to their respective clubs.

www.cambridgewingtsun.co.uk and www.whatakick.com (our wingchun places)

www.singto.co.uk (thats a muay thai gym in the area)

www.cambridgemartialarts.com (they do sombo, savate, jkd, fma)

www.cambridgefreefight.co.uk (MMA club with ties to the singto gym)

There's a tai-chi chuan place in cambridge too somewhere but I can seem to find their site right now.

And there are also university run judo and jiujitsu clubs which I'll have a look into, time permitting.

As you can see, with so much choice and variety I am dying to sink my teeth into as much as I can but gargh! TOO much choice.

Let me know if you're ever down there and I could direct you there or introduce you to some of the people at the club. (I'm in cambridge from start of october till december; damned university terms)

Aleem

 

[Dan G]

Cheers for the info Aleem.

Sorry if I made it sound as if earning a living as an instructor was imposssible. It isn't impossible, just very tough. If you love it enough I am sure you will make it work for you one way or another.

If you are at the Uni you are spoiled for choice with MA (they even have a kendo club, which is almost impossible to do cheaply as a non-student in the UK). If I were in your shoes I reckon I'd pick one art that I really enjoyed training in and use it as a foundation art; friendly people and instructors, and clubs elsewhere in the UK to continue in after graduation would be a key factor if I were choosing. Wing Chun might be a pretty good choice where you are.
Normally people advise against cross training early on, but Uni is a special case. I'd dabble in as many other arts as I possibly could whilst at Uni, even if only for a one off intro lesson. You probably won't learn much in that time period, but it is good general knowledge. The clubs are cheap for students and it is a great and really convenient opportunity to get a glimpse of different arts. Even if it is confusing and slows down early progress in your main art, Uni is an awesome place to get a feel for the different arts that are out there. (Definitely try out the kendo! Is a lot of fun)

I like the fact that you are looking at the town clubs too. A lot of students are reluctant to do that, and it can lead to missed opportunities.
If you are training in a town club you may be able to set up a Uni club off-shoot and get the instructor in - endless possibilities!
Perhaps also have a look at Systema, there is an instructor called Rob Poyton in the area. I've only done a class or two in Systema, but it is an art with depth and subtlety to it, and seems pretty effective; I hear good things about the instructor. http://www.systemauk.com/index.html

Anyway, it is all personal opinion, so look around and see what grabs you.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions - haven't lived much in Cambridge for the past 15 years, but I grew up there and know it pretty well still.
Good luck with the training and have an awesome time! Had a quick look at the Uni club sites and there is a good range of stuff there - would love to be doing the Uni martial arts thing again!

Cheers

Dan

 

[Aleem]

Thanks very much for the tips Dan,

Its a good idea that actually ... because they tell us at university that if we can show evidence of enough interest in a particular "activity" and we provide them with a plausible sketch of how we plan to organise things, then they can help us with funding; its a bloody rich university.

I just wish they didn't endow us with so much work - the workload is ridiculous. Anyhow, yeah I'll definitely check out the university-run clubs... very very cheap. I mean how much better can you get than £2 per session?

I've only just begun my martial arts and fear that 18 might have been too late to begin training and hoping to one day become an instructor but I figured if I put enough hours in and get some good MA contacts then it might just be possible for me - after university - to concentrate 110% on training.

By the way, does kenpo have any relation to jiu jitsu?

Once again thanks for the help,

Aleem.