The Travels of a Martial Arts Vagabond

This is a blog dedicated to my martial arts journey.  I have another blog dedicated to my running adventures (run to lose).  I have debated starting a blog dedicated to my martial arts adventures and after boring folks with my martial arts thoughts on a superficial level I decided that a new blog on the subject would be useful. I have trained in numerous styles over the years.  Beginning at the age of 16, I started in Tae Kwon Do, I only studied this for about 6 months before my family moved.  My Tae Kwon Do training had done enough to hook me on the martial arts. After the move I found a school teaching Chinese Kenpo, I enjoyed my training a lot.  I spent time running the same dojo I trained in for Chinese Kenpo; however, things don’t always work out they way you envision them.  Through the years I have spent time studying in no particular order Tang Soo Do, Wah Lum Kung Fu, Danzan Ryu Ju Jitsu, Choy Li Fut Kung Fu, Bok Fu Kung Fu, and currently American Kenpo.  I never really intended to be a Dojo hopper and I don’t think I really did that, when I switched schools it was usually due to moving.  I have obtained various levels of success in my training but the bottom line has always been that I feel better when I am training. 

I began training again in American Kenpo again about 5 months ago and it has started me thinking again seriously about the martial way.  With each new class I gain more confidence my returning abilities and I dust off notebooks of materials I have kept from my previous training (I was always a compulsive note taker).  I have also dragged these with me all over God’s creation.  The more I engage the material the more I remember and discover about what it means to be a martial artist, currently a Kenpoist.  Currently, I am coming back after a 5 year lay off from any training and then there was only a one year period where I trained prior to a 3 year absence. In short, I am a bit rusty.  I feel in many ways as if I am returning to the beginning or the scene of the crime as it were.

I have been encouraged to begin this blog in part due to the excellent martial arts blogs I have stumbled across.  Particularly, Uchi Deshi, which I have found to be a unique blog with inlaid tidbits regarding martial spirit and discipline that I find wholly refreshing.  So here I am.  What do I start with?  Perhaps no one will find this of much interest, perhaps some will. 

This is part of my journey toward living my own martial path.I desire to distill the martial spirit in my own life.  I don’t play at this; I take my training very seriously on numerous levels.  Some think that the martial arts are about fighting.  I don’t believe this is true, although fighting is practiced in martial training and martial artists should strive to perfect their abilities.  All arts are simply artificial frameworks.  It is what is at the core that is important; it is my journey toward discovery of this core that springs forth this blog.  It is the soul of these unarmed combat systems where I find fulfillment.  In today’s world of MMA people don’t seem to be as interested in this concept very much.  I will save my disdain of MMA for a later time, but suffice to say that its effectiveness is limited to single opponent situations where the ground is level with no obstructions.  I don’t think that American Kenpo is the end of my martial destiny, such as it is.  I believe that I will cross train at some point in an effective grappling (jujutsu) type style, such as Aiki jujutsu or Aikido.  I have read a lot recently on these systems and find them to be both interesting.  However, first I will need to get my base built up and lose some more weight.  Nothing worse than a bad break fall at high weight.  Ouch.

During this journey, I will discuss martial topics as well as others that strike my interest or that I find especially intriguing. 

With Respect,

Rob