Just wondering if anybody belongs to the YOUN WHA RYU Martial Arts club or the Aikido Club here on campus at UMR. I was wanting to know what they are like, from someones experience, not from reading the website.

I was in Youn Wha Rhu for about a year when I was 15-16. I'm sure the one here is related to Grand Master Han's martial arts program. It was pretty fun overall, learned a lot of useful skills out of it (but I've of course forgot most of them). It was pretty expensive, moving up to a new rank cost as much as $60 then, and I'm sure more. I quit because I got a job and ran out of time/lost interest.
Overall it was fun and a good experience...if you have the time and determination to keep doing it once you get started, go for it.

So after looking at both websites, I've noticed that it doesn't really tell me anything about either styles of martial arts...so what is the difference between the two?

Youn Wha Ryu is an adaptation of Tae Kwon Do that was started by GMH; however it pulls concepts from many different styles. In my opinion Aikido is much more aggressive than Tae Kwon Do...YWR is somewhat in the middle, leaning more towards Tae Kwon Do.

I went to the Youn Wha Rhu club a few times. From what I've seen it's similar to Tae Kwon Do and some Japanese karate styles. It's based on pretty direct and powerful attacks in the form of kicking and punching, with some fancier TKD style kicks thrown in for good measure.

I've never been to the Aikido club, but am pretty familiar with the style. It's throw-based; free-flowing Judo if you will. Rather than direct attack like most styles, and unlike Judo using almost exclusively the ideas of leverage, it's based on using your opponents momentum against them to execute throws and has some joint-locks to help stop the fight and/or aid the throws. It's amazingly impressive when done by someone who's skilled, but in my opinion not too effective in practical use until you approach that highly-skilled level.

Why is it that you think Aikido is aggressive? I only ask because it seems to me to be an almost purely defensive style.

All self-defense is defensive. Of the two styles, Aikido is more aggressive than Tae Kwon Do. Aikido is centered around throws more. Maybe forceful would have been a better word?

Hmm...maybe I'll have to try both of them...

Eh, I tend to associate "aggressive" with "offensive," but I see where you're coming from now.

I don't think one could classify Aikido as more aggressive or forceful than almost any striking art considering that much of it is reactionary and designed to be implemented in response to oncoming attacks. A throw isn't always forceful; heck I'll take being thrown over taking a good strike to the jaw almost any day.

On another note I believe there used to be a Kung Fu or Gung Fu club, depending on how you want to be picky about the spelling, club on campus as well. A group of guys and myself used to get together and do submission fighting and some MMA style sparring and they happened to be practicing during the time we had the martial arts room reserved. A couple of them stayed and joined us afterwards and it was an interesting time. I never saw them after that though, dunno if they are still around.

Does this group happen to still meet? I've been out of training for years and have been looking for a place to renew my ground abilities.

It's kinda died out since this semester started, but if you want I'm game to do some groundworks sometime and I may be able to get a couple other guys.

I'm game to roll just about anytime after 6 o'clock. PM me and we can work a time out.

Well I went to the YOUN WHA RYU Martial Arts club, and I got a good workout, gonna have to start doing this all the time.

If anyone else is interesting it seems myself and BigPeeOn may be getting some people together for some grappling both sparring/rolling and learning new stuff. Anyone interested drop me a PM.