Being fat sucks.
So in an attempt to better myself in many ways at once, I started studying Tang Soo Do. For the first two months i was wearing a tshirt underneath my DoBok (uniform) because of my beer gut/man boobs and the last time i was there the sa bom nim (master) told me not to wear it anymore and now i feel like all blerg cause my blubber is flapping around. So help me feel better scrabbled, relate to me your “i’m fat and uncompfortable” stories.
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I had no idea what Tang Soo do was, so I looked it up.
You mentioned wanting to lose weight. Judging from the fat bastard announcing this (a black belt, no less), you should probably pursue a different martial art.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Alright. I don’t care if they could kick my ass or not. The fact that a fat guy with a mustache and a bandana is announcing a guy that “we know as White Stallion” makes this seem the least credible martial art out there.
I couldn’t get through all the bullshit to actually see them fighting, but giving each other such lame ass nicknames and looking the way that guy does, I’m instantly reminded of the 3 Ninjas franchise.
omfg Americans ruin everything.
there was no fighting it was like synchronized swimming but on a high school gym floor with sticks
Wow, very weird. I just got finished sending off an email to inquire about prices for a local Muay Thai kickboxing class, then I come here and see this. Very cool.
I am/was a green belt with two stripes in Tang Soo, but I don’t think I got much out of it other than how to punch and kick really well. The forms you all saw them doing are just instructional and used to gauge progress. In theory, once your’e in much higher ranks, those forms can be strung together in real world situations… but… who’s got the time to become a third degree black belt?
I looked up my old Aikido school, too, and the $100 a month pricetag aside, I realized that the shit that made it so cool to me as a kid (ki, refocused energy, “minimum effort for maximum effect”) probably isnt’ what I’m looking for as an adult. Especially with an increasing focus on the spiritual as you move up in dan.
But yeah, Muay Thai kickboxing, I’m hoping, will really get me in shape and maybe have some real world implications should I ever be unfortunate enough to need them. But mostly I’m hoping that a.) the class isnt’ too expensive and b.) the instructor isn’t a total military mook douchebag like so many of these guys can be.
This is the place: http://www.laboxing.com/cherryhill/default.asp
Thoughts, guys?
John said:Thoughts, guys?
Muay Thai is pretty damn serious. I don’t know if it’s well suited for someone who wants to just stay in shape and/or have it in their back pocket in case a situation arises. Everyone I know that does it (and I know quite a few) really likes to fight.
Jay said:
Everyone I know that does it (and I know quite a few) really likes to fight.
I have the same experience. Not even so much that the people I know that do this like to fight like it cause trouble or mix it up, but most of them fight competitively or in Mixed martial Arts.
Hrm. Well, maybe since the gym advertises itself as being more a workout regimen, but also has a sparring ring, I can find myself someplace in between the die-hards and the cardio-nuts.
@ John: Did you look to see who the instructors were at that school?
Bill Duff – Asst. Mgr/Wrestling Coach/Kickboxing Instructor As co-host of the History Channels show Human Weapon, Bill traveled for a year and a half studying and fighting multiple disciplines of martial arts in many regions of the world to include: Muay Thai, Savate, MMA, Karate, Judo, Pankration, Krav Maga, Sambo, Bokator, and Marine Corp Martial Arts.
I’d go just to meet that guy. Their gym looks really good, too.
They’re all at that one school. Mike is the guy I was actually looking at cause I noticed he was Muay Thai first, but I didn’t see this guy was, too. They all sound pretty absurdly hardcore, which is what I’m a bit afraid of, honestly. If their personalities are grating, it’d kill it for me. I might just drive over after work. Mike has two classes today, so it should be a good day to check it out and see what it’s all about. Really hoping it’s not crazy expensive… Anyone know how much I should expect it to be? Ryan, how much is Tang Soo a month?
Also, Ryan, sorry I hijacked your thread. I’ve got a gut and manboobs, but outside of my morning 5 Minutes of Hate in the mirror while I brush my teeth, it doesn’t bother me too much. Though I really wish I were as flexible as I was as a kid. And I find I’m so much clumsier than I used to be. And I can’t climb like I used to. When I was rail-thin, I could do, like, 40 pullups. Now I can barely do one. I don’t know that that will change much at all, though, because in addition to getting fatter, I’ve definitely gotten musclier. On the whole, there’s just a lot more of me than there was in 10th grade.
I’m guessing any gym outside of a detriot ghetto would be charging you $75 – $150 a month for these types of classes, instructors and facilities.
I wouldn’t worry about the instructors being too hardcore. Martial arts instructors work with all different types of people and generally care more about your business and well-being than trying to make you feel like an asshole.
Occasionally being the butt of a joke is a great way to lighten up, though and can be a good motivator to try harder.
John, at my place it’s like 105 bucks a month, but he’s giving me a discount because i’m unemployed, so i’m not sure what it is per month, i think it’s 120. I also have the 5 minutes of hate in the morning, and usually i don’t care, unless i’m wearing my dobok and it comes open and my breasts pop up and dudes on the side of the road throw beads at me.
Also Bill, that crazy redneck in the video is not your standard tang soo do practitioner.
Yeah the forms are just to measure progress, i’m learning 1-steps right now which really seem to be the keep to fucking up people’s day.
I’m not there now, but man I remember that 5 minutes of hate vividly. Mine was more so at night after a day of eating and the attendant bloating that came with a full day of food. And also how it (that 5 minutes) slowly expanded throughout the day over time. Especially when I would get winded doing basic things.
At the time I lost the weight my daughter was 25 or 30 lbs. and I just remember thinking how ridiculous it was that essentially the way I was had been like I was carrying 1 and a half of her all the damn time.
My five minutes of hate isn’t exclusive to body image. I pretty much just hate absolutely everything in the world around me for the first five minutes after I wake up. Gosia has learned not to even attempt communication during that time as it will come out as nothing but a series of guttural growls, snarls, and curses. When she or the cats are not in the way, I turn my hatred towards myself.
But then I hop in the shower and I’m all good.
John said:I pretty much just hate absolutely everything in the world around me for the first five minutes after I wake up.
Welcome to my world pretty much at least 75-80% of any given day.
Wow. How do you do it? I know, relatively speaking, I’m a pretty happy guy, but man. If I spent the majority of my day feeling I do during the first five minutes, I’d probably go run off and join the peace core or something.
Because mine is a fundamental belief (or lack of belief) regarding humanity and people in general and not because I had to wake up from sleeping. In fact the first 5-10 minutes of the day are where I’m most likely to go “O.K. maybe there’s a chance people and the world in general won’t act completely selfish and/or be annoying and horrible.” Then the day starts. I pretty much have accepted it’s the way it is, and relish the rare surprise occassions where people surprise me. And by surprise me I mean a moment where them acting in their self-interest happens to correspond to something that is in my self-interest so that I get the illusion that people are not so bad.
So I went to that gym last night and it seems pretty awesome. Wide variety of classes and times, and it’s only $65 a month (an extra $35 if you want to join the fight team, whatever that is…). Totally doing this. Look out guys. I’m going to beat all of you up in two month’s time.
AWESOME Hutch, i have a head start on you, so i say bring it!
John said:So I went to that gym last night and it seems pretty awesome. Wide variety of classes and times, and it’s only $65 a month (an extra $35 if you want to join the fight team, whatever that is…). Totally doing this. Look out guys. I’m going to beat all of you up in two month’s time.
Planet Fitness is $10 a month, classes & personal trainer sessions included. or $20 if you want to go all-out.
Planet Fitness is fucking boring. I’m not looking for a gym. I’m looking for a martial arts class.
John said:Planet Fitness is fucking boring. I’m not looking for a gym. I’m looking for a martial arts class.
you mentioned the word “gym” so i figured you might meant a gym. the info might be useful to someone else, “fucking boring” or not.
I thought the same thing, Mandy when they were talking about gyms. I belong to a local gym similar to Planet Fitness and it’s also $20 a month which is money well spent. Even if I go once or twice a month for that money it’s worth it (I usually go at least 4-5 times a week). But I’m looking to run and lift to get/stay in shape not take classes or be entertained (although I do sometimes wish it was more entertaining and less sweaty and painful).
yo my company is moving into a new space in a complex with a gym. it’s a one-time fee of like $20 for an admission card, and then you can use it however much you want.
i hate gyms, though, and generally won’t do anything repetitively exercisey if bill is even so much as in the house with me. so trying to do anything with people i don’t even know.. probably not going to happen.
It’s just the mind-crushing boredom that gets me. I don’t mind people being around. I don’t mind the pain. I don’t mind sweating or the stupid clothes or blisters or any of that. It’s just the all-encompassing boredom of doing the same fucking thing over and over and over again. Lifting weights, running, elipcals, whatever. Sports and bike riding have been the only forms of physical activity that have any sort of appeal to me. Hopefully kickboxing will do the same, but, like I said, the exercise is a secondary goal. Primary goal is learning how to do this:
Just did the free class and it was seriously one of the most strenuous things I’ve ever done. Towards the end, I thought having an aneurysm right there on the spot was a real possibility. I always tend to push myself harder than I should, so I’m sure that had something to do with it, but the fact that two people quit left in the middle of the class says something, I guess.
Totally going back. I’m gonna beat all of you up.
John said:Just did the free class and it was seriously one of the most strenuous things I’ve ever done. Towards the end, I thought having an aneurysm right there on the spot was a real possibility. I always tend to push myself harder than I should, so I’m sure that had something to do with it, but the fact that two people quit left in the middle of the class says something, I guess.
Totally going back. I’m gonna beat all of you up.
i give this a few weeks or maybe a couple of months, tops. i challenge thee to prove me wrong. i hope you do.
mandy said:John said:Just did the free class and it was seriously one of the most strenuous things I’ve ever done. Towards the end, I thought having an aneurysm right there on the spot was a real possibility. I always tend to push myself harder than I should, so I’m sure that had something to do with it, but the fact that two people quit left in the middle of the class says something, I guess.
Totally going back. I’m gonna beat all of you up.
i give this a few weeks or maybe a couple of months, tops. i challenge thee to prove me wrong. i hope you do.
Ha! You’re making me look like Mr. Optimism (for the record I agree).
I took Aikido for three years. I think I can stick it out here for a while.
you took aikido when you were twelve!
How old is middle school? Was I really 12? Shit. Anyway, point is, I liked it enough to keep going back. Hopefully I still will.
John said:Totally going back. I’m gonna beat all of you up.
it’s been over 2 months and i’m still waiting for my beat-down. have you stuck with this or proven me right?
Both. I have a membership, but haven’t been going due to having too much shit to do after work. I suspect once we get the house shit taken care of, I’ll have more time.
I can still beat you up, though.
I’m still going strong, on my way to a green belt.
and i’ve lost 10 pounds.
John said:Both. I have a membership, but haven’t been going due to having too much shit to do after work. I suspect once we get the house shit taken care of, I’ll have more time.
I can still beat you up, though.
Hahaha….I don’t know if you can’t count still having a gym membership as proving her wrong Or “sticking to it”. And I have about 2 years worth of gym bills from 2001-2002 and many pictures during that time of me slowly ballooning to 50 lbs. overweight that I can show you to bolster my position.
I’ve just been having to do stuff at home on lunch breaks and whatnot. So no ballooning for me!
Oh, I’m not saying you’re ballooning at all. I’m just saying that there’s basically no way around the fact that Mandy wins. She said you wouldn’t keep up with it and you haven’t. You not turning into a big tub of goo in the intervening months may be an unrelated side victory for you, but when it comes to the subject at hand…….Mrs. Manc takes this round.
…for now! I have a legitimate excuse in house hunting and freelance business.
Ryan said:I’m still going strong, on my way to a green belt.
ryan, that’s awesome. i think i’m going to have to start some sort of consistent regimen. i’m being cheap right now though, so i’ll have to utilize what i’ve got lying around the house.
Kevin said:I’m just saying that there’s basically no way around the fact that Mandy wins. She said you wouldn’t keep up with it and you haven’t.
John said:…for now!
thanks kevin! and john, “for now” is all i need.