48th Street Jiu Jitsu

Training definitely helped my confidence and self worth as a person. I always got bullied in elementary and middle school. I would constantly ask my parents to sign me up for *Karate* since the age of 6 (what inspired me was watching the *Karate Kid Movies* lol). Finally at the age of 11 I joined my first martial arts school ran by Lou Neglia in Brooklyn New York who taught *Karate, Kick boxing, and Self Defense Techniques*. From there I started to gain my confidence, finally stood up to my bullies, and got into plenty of fights on the streets growing up. Won some, lost others, but never source, 2024 ↗

positive

It was the 60s, so options for martial arts training would have been limited, even in New York. Looking at boxing or wrestling for formal training and then the rest would be picked up from street fighting experience. Maybe some Jiu Jitsu, as that was a thing for a bit around that time. Rorschach had an amateur boxing background (according to...the sourcebook? I honestly can't remember.) But not sure about the others. I think Laurie was given some "martial arts training" but not clear what that would even mean. In the book moreso than the movie, the fighting seems very 60s - fisticuffs and br source, 2024 ↗

neutral

I grew up in New York in the 90’s Anyone who knows the area during that time, it was recovering from being one of the worst places in America and it was still pretty rough My parents moved us to a more suburban area but it was still on the rough side, fighting with Italians who were into boxing all the time and NY had a program where they mixed kids with the projects with kids from the suburbs in school so my school was basically like a prison Like not an exaggeration, I watch those prison life videos on A&E and it reminds me of middle school lol Anyway there was a street kid who was source, 2024 ↗

negative

Keep in mind I am saying everything here as someone who deals with paranoia and grew up poor in a lot of bad neighborhoods. And my answer to the question is: no, not really. I'm aware people are watching me. They like seeing the blind person doing things out and about. But on the whole, I find all the tricks I learned as a blind kid on bad streets are very helpful. 1. Even when lost, walk like you know where you're going (quick pace, head up, shoulders back). 2. Plan ahead as much as you can and be aware of what parts in your city may be more dangerous than others. In general most "scary" source, 2024 ↗

neutral

There’s a gym in New York. Called church street boxing that has jiu jitsu. Im new to New York and asked if someone has tried it. source, 2024 ↗

neutral

Well yes. I have a gym up the street from me that has like 3 classes a week. I obviously didn't pick that one. But there's a bigger school near me that's impossible to get to for me in any consistent manner. I picked a good community that's an easy commute. source, 2022 ↗

positive