Grapplers who supplement their main training with IMA (NYC)

[Johnny Drama]

Hey all,

I'm thinking about getting back into IMA. Right now I train BJJ at clockwork jiu jitsu pretty much six days a week. I'm also working heavily on conditioning. I have a ton of free time these days though, so I thought it might be cool to get back into internal martial arts in some form. I studied for about four years with David Bond Chan and still use some of it in my training, but its been a long time without a teacher and I am really very raw.

So, I'm wondering if theres anyone else in my boat. Grapplers who study a form of Chinese IMA on the side and how they are feeling about it? Also, if anyone can point a grappling friendly IMA school in NYC (not necessarily training grappling there, but it would be cool if people with similar backgrounds trained it as well) it would be great.

Thanks!

[I-mon]

Beegs (Dan Regan) was in NY last I heard. Should be able to find his site....

here: http://www.regansmartialarts.com/

[mrtoes]

Hi there,

Glad to hear you've thinking of doing some more IMA - If I had the good luck to go to New York these are the guys I'd be dropping in to check out. I'm sure other members can give much better feedback because these are just guys I've heard of so I'm just name dropping really.

Chu tai-chi - http://www.chutaichi.com/
Frank Allen - http://metal-tiger.com/Wu_Tang_PCA/staff.html
BT - http://www.blacktaoist.com/

Personally, I'd check the Chu guys first because I know they got a proven record fighting Lei-Tai. BT scraps of course, Frank Allen I don't know about. Let us know how you get on.

Cheers,

Matthew.

[XiaoXiong]

http://www.newyorkinternalarts.com/
Tom Bisio has an excellent reputation and has studied some serious stuff.
J

[Kurt Robbins]

Beegs is ideal in NY.
If your in Cali, Tim Cartmell. Check with Jake Burrows for Cartmell's affiliates that might be in NY.
Also Novel Bell.

[Andy_S]

Would that be "Taoist Knight?" If so, welcome back, sir. What is it about IMA that attracts you? There is plenty of far more accessible and ring-proven EMA material out there.

BTW, I beleve Beegs has moved across to Cali. He is active on the "other" board.

[Waterway]

Josh Waitzkin was a very successful Taiji PH player (to say nothing of his chess career). He now trains in BJJ. In this interview, he talks about BJJ and Taiji. He says " If grapplers were exposed to William Chen’s Tai Chi, they wouldn’t write it off. "

The whole thing:

http://onthemat.com/articles/Josh_Waitz ... _2008.html

Don't know if Mr Chen is close to you? Think he is based in NY.

[grzegorz]

Josh Waitzkin was a very successful Taiji PH player (to say nothing of his chess career). He now trains in BJJ. In this interview, he talks about BJJ and Taiji. He says " If grapplers were exposed to William Chen’s Tai Chi, they wouldn’t write it off. "

The whole thing:

http://onthemat.com/articles/Josh_Waitz ... _2008.html

Don't know if Mr Chen is close to you? Think he is based in NY.

Thanks for that link it's interesting to find out the real Bobby Fisher has the same interests I have.

I love training both as well but it's hard to explain the parallels. He does a good job of it.

OTM: What benefits from Tai Chi do you bring to BJJ and vice versa?

JW: Well, the learning process begins from different places but arrives, ideally, at a similar feeling. In BJJ, you tend to begin with technique, and through repetition you come to a smooth, efficient, unobstructed body mechanics. In Tai Chi, you begin with body mechanics, get a certain internal feeling over months and years of moving meditative practice, and then you learn the martial application of what you’ve been doing all along.

The essence of Tai Chi is sensitivity to intention. Turning force against itself, overcoming power without meeting it head on. Of course these principles are at the heart Jiu Jitsu as well. In my mind, the arts are completely intertwined and to be honest, the purest Tai Chi I’ve ever felt has been getting my ass handed to me, over and over, by John Machado and Marcelo Garcia.

When I came back to the States I always thought I'd get more into striking but somehow I got more into judo/bjj and I couldn't figure out why but I think it's because as he said in both you overcome power without meeting it head on.

Now I can see why he's the real Bobby Fisher and I'm just Greg.

But I was surprised to hear him say that BJJ is without limits, that's a big statement but I suppose he meant the principles.