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Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

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Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#61

Post by aphyr »

nazgulnarsil wrote: post #58
stummjr wrote: post #37

I think Aikido is a very good option, not only to programmers, but to all the people. It's a martial art which is meant to preserve the integrity of both players. Both mental and body health are the main concerns of this martial art.

god I hate the "peaceful warrior" crap pushed by certain practitioners of aikido. Osensei tells us that the best way to start an aiki is to belt someone in the face. traditional aikido teaches both striking while the opponent is pinned down and completing the movement of joint locks to break bones. most easily understood: would aikido teach the katana if it wasn't about inflicting harm? how many non-lethal cutting te…

Yeah, that's a strange contradiction. It's never enough to cut off someone's hands and cut their jugular; you need to cut clean through the abdomen too. I think various schools approach that in different ways; with Yoshokai, for example, it tends to be a timing and position exercise somewhat removed from actually killing someone. Perhaps both views of the technique are valid.

Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#62

Post by dood »

edw519 wrote: post #55

I prefer training for martial arts over martial arts themselves. I do dands (Hindu pushups) and bethaks (Hindu squats) almost every day. Want to build character? Do 500 bethaks. Your quads will be screaming, begging you to stop at 200, 300, even 400. But you keep going. Because you know that as soon as you stop, you gave up too easily. But once you finish, you can do anything. Eerily similar to starting a software bu…

But once you finish, you can do anything

Except walk. Kidding aside, I agree these are great exercises to get the blood going. I need to get back into practice!

Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#63

Post by dylanz »

Wing Chun. Shortest attacks from point A to point B. Get the issue over with fast. No fancy kicks or meta moves. You train in what you wear everyday. It also has an amazing history. Unlike Karate which has hard movements, like most forms of Gung Fu, it all revolves around flowing, snapping and potential energy.

Beautiful, but pragmatic.

Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#64

Post by silentbicycle »

mrkurt wrote: post #21
robg wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know. It's always seemed more about point scoring. When we practiced against advanced students, they relied too much on kicks which aren't very practical against anyone who knows to move in. The sparring is too controlled. Plus, in real life you aren't wearing padding. That's just my take. But then I think some of the mystical "crap" has a physiological basis. How many of us breathe deeply?

The reality is that most people don't need or have much use for practical fighting skills, they need practical running skills. Modern Taekwondo is a sport and it can be great fun. If you can find a good school that isn't just a belt factory, it's well worth doing. Particularly if they teach a little Hapkido on the side.

Learning how to fall is also extremely practical self-defense training.

Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#65

Post by neilk »

nazgulnarsil wrote: post #58
stummjr wrote: post #37

I think Aikido is a very good option, not only to programmers, but to all the people. It's a martial art which is meant to preserve the integrity of both players. Both mental and body health are the main concerns of this martial art.

god I hate the "peaceful warrior" crap pushed by certain practitioners of aikido. Osensei tells us that the best way to start an aiki is to belt someone in the face. traditional aikido teaches both striking while the opponent is pinned down and completing the movement of joint locks to break bones. most easily understood: would aikido teach the katana if it wasn't about inflicting harm? how many non-lethal cutting te…

I studied Aikido for a short time. I was lucky enough to train with some people who thought the whole peaceful warrior thing was basically crap. It was one of the most intense things I've ever done. If you are picking an Aikido dojo, look for one that teaches sword movements; otherwise you're not getting the full experience.

Aikido is frustrating because it might require 10 years to become good enough for it to be marginally useful in a fight. However, how often do you really get into fights? If you're an aikidoist, you've basically accepted that you're learning about a beautiful art form. If you want the most effective way to hurt someone, try Krav Maga.

If you are the sort of person who is attracted to complex, difficult ideas that make you re-evaluate everything, aikido may be for you.

Aikidoists also tend to be professionals. It is sometimes called a gentleman's martial art. (No offense to ladies.) You often encounter doctors and lawyers and artists so on. On the other hand, in any reasonable dojo, none of that matters.

Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#66

Post by viae »

nazgulnarsil wrote: post #58
stummjr wrote: post #37

I think Aikido is a very good option, not only to programmers, but to all the people. It's a martial art which is meant to preserve the integrity of both players. Both mental and body health are the main concerns of this martial art.

god I hate the "peaceful warrior" crap pushed by certain practitioners of aikido. Osensei tells us that the best way to start an aiki is to belt someone in the face. traditional aikido teaches both striking while the opponent is pinned down and completing the movement of joint locks to break bones. most easily understood: would aikido teach the katana if it wasn't about inflicting harm? how many non-lethal cutting te…

O'Sensei's thought and style evolved throughout his life. In his younger days, pre-WWII, yes, he was rough and tumble. Movements were sharper and more direct. Break bones, crush your enemy. He did this frequently while in the Japanese military while serving in China as a bodyguard.

As he grew older, post-WWII, his philosophy and style became much softer and more spiritual than the styles he studied in his younger days. This was due, in part, to his age (changing perspective and physical decline) and the influence of the Omoto-kyo. In these later days, the purpose of training with weapons were twofold: help students learn body dynamics and learn to defend oneself against an armed attacker. The purpose wasn't to be armed and gut your enemies, the purpose was to understand the mindset of an armed aggressor, know their movements, and meet their movements without being gutted yourself.

Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#67

Post by neilk »

viae wrote: post #66
nazgulnarsil wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

god I hate the "peaceful warrior" crap pushed by certain practitioners of aikido. Osensei tells us that the best way to start an aiki is to belt someone in the face. traditional aikido teaches both striking while the opponent is pinned down and completing the movement of joint locks to break bones. most easily understood: would aikido teach the katana if it wasn't about inflicting harm? how many non-lethal cutting te…

O'Sensei's thought and style evolved throughout his life. In his younger days, pre-WWII, yes, he was rough and tumble. Movements were sharper and more direct. Break bones, crush your enemy. He did this frequently while in the Japanese military while serving in China as a bodyguard. As he grew older, post-WWII, his philosophy and style became much softer and more spiritual than the styles he studied in his younger day…

Softer in the sense of not attacking directly as much, but still dangerous.

I've heard (second-hand) a story about a high-level practitioner who got to spar with O-Sensei and at times he felt like he might not survive.

Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#68

Post by antoineleclair »

dylanz wrote: post #63

Wing Chun. Shortest attacks from point A to point B. Get the issue over with fast. No fancy kicks or meta moves. You train in what you wear everyday. It also has an amazing history. Unlike Karate which has hard movements, like most forms of Gung Fu, it all revolves around flowing, snapping and potential energy. Beautiful, but pragmatic.

I've been practicing Wing Chun for 5 years now, and I must say it's probably the martial art that would suit a programmer mind the best.

Very logic, geometric.

It's a lot like C. Not so many basic "constructs" (no "batteries included"), but you can combine the basics to do powerful stuff.

Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#69

Post by Estragon »

ryanelkins wrote: post #47

I study Krav Maga. I prefer a practical self defense oriented approach. It is the system developed by and taught to the Israeli military. Moves are generally very simple (important so you can be effective without years of training). The problem with pretty much all other martial arts everyone is mentioning is that they have morphed to work ideally in a competitive environment. Sure, knowing just about any martial art…

I found American Jiu Jitsu to have a similarly practical orientation.

Re: Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer

#70

Post by falsestprophet »

jrockway wrote: post #5
sambeau wrote: post #4

I thought you had typed "Marital Art"… …my bad. Moving on.

Some thoughts should be kept to one's self. I think.

Don't miss out on his .94 year long comment history

http://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=sambeau

It sums up to -1 by the way.

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