Opening a Polynesian Martial Arts School In Finland?

soturi · Post by **soturi** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:40 pm

I'm a United States citizen and am trying to get things together to move to Jyvaskyla in 2011 for studying. I know that it is very challenging for foreign university students to get jobs in Finland, so I was thinking about opening up a martial arts school to help pay for things.

I'm certain that the Polynesian martial arts haven't made their way to Finland yet, I'm wondering what anybody thinks of the idea? Is there a demand for martial arts classes in Jyvaskyla area or other areas? Would Finns be interested in Polynesian (from the islands of Hawaii and Samoa) martial arts?

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Bubba Elvis XIV · Post by **Bubba Elvis XIV** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:06 am

There is a lot of martial arts stuff here. Finns quite like them and there is a decent level and gyms are quite well run if I compare them to the UK...It's not Holland though.

Whether polynesian stuff would take off I dunno! There is always a fascination for something new though in the MA world but as you are probably aware, and like every country, the 'modern'/street orientated styles are very much in vogue...Krav Maga, BJJ, NHB/MMA.

Jyvaskyla is quite small. It could be hard to find enough students for somethign so exotic.

Best thing is to just try it when you come over. There's also the option of getting classes in an already existing gym and moving from there. There's a few other foreigners teaching their arts...Brazillians teaching capoeira etc

What are you teaching? Limalama? I'd come over to check it out. Would I have to use my Uke as a weapon though?

to be honest, this forum isn't the right place to get some insight into the Finnish martial arts scene - best to find a Finnish MA forum and ask there. I was quite active in the MMA scene but didn't really step out of that...so can't point you in the right direction. but I'll check with my mates.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:13 am

soturi wrote:Would Finns be interested in Polynesian (from the islands of Hawaii and Samoa) martial arts?

Having a bloke in a lei sit on you? And all this time I thought all the guys were into wrestling like Akebono and Mushashi... darn.

Bubba Elvis XIV wrote:Limalama

phlegm recession? thats a selling name... or would that be a snotty tibetan monk...

Bubba Elvis XIV wrote:It could be hard to find enough students for somethign so exotic.

Oh come on now, they play cricket, theres sumo wrestling, theres the fencing... and jyväskyläs got all the possible and a few impossible budo sports and other imaginative ways to kick someone in the head... just insurancewise & so forth depends which club or such would take on. It definitely would be a novelty, but I wouldn't count on making a living out of it necesarily...

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:39 am

Bubba Elvis XIV wrote:Jyvaskyla is quite small. It could be hard to find enough students for somethign so exotic.

Hmm, it is a smallish town, but then again there's a thriving university in Jive-as-Kylie and the only Faculty of Sports Sciences in Finland - those particular students jog and do push-ups even in their sleep so there might be at least some degree of interest... but maybe not to the extent of establishing a separate "school". Perhaps you could hook up with some already existing Martial Arts course provider in JKL and give some lessons of your own... who knows?

The secret of Finnish Martial Arts, incidentally, is to bore your opponent to submission.

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:15 pm

sammy wrote: The secret of Finnish Martial Arts, incidentally, is to bore your opponent to submission.

Or hit your opponent with puukko or axe. (And even then it is the handle that gives up, not head that is being struck by axe, see: http://www.ksml.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/nukk ... A4n/342198 )

Bubba Elvis XIV · Post by **Bubba Elvis XIV** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:05 pm

There actually is a finnish Martial Art....

I forgot the name...(lets nip to google)...Kas Pin...that's the bugger.

But it's all bogus. Some modern system based on asian systems using finnish words and replace the weapons with something local...Ton of these things around. The ancient scottish art of Aye-ya-fu'in-ned-ya-d'ya-ken...passed down from father to son...using a haggis and a caber for a weapon. Looks exactly like Ju-Jitsu in a kilt.

Pursuivant wrote: Oh come on now, they play cricket, theres sumo wrestling, theres the fencing... ...It definitely would be a novelty, but I wouldn't count on making a living out of it necesarily...

Yeah sorry...I should have explained in more detail...Quite agree, a class? fine. Rent money? maybe not!

To my (limited) knowledge the prices/membership here are no where near the prices in the US (never trained there) and most of the instructors I know do it as a second job...mostly for their own interests and promotion...

Of course, there is guys who make a living from this but they're usually doing the competative arts (Muay Thai / MMA) or more mainstream stuff (karate /gung fu) that is more accessable. Or opening schools that comprise of many arts. One of our local dojos has...about 6 styles going on. Something for everyone.

But credit where credit is due...the gyms are well run and Finns are pretty good.

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:25 pm

Bubba Elvis XIV wrote:The ancient scottish art of Aye-ya-fu'in-ned-ya-d'ya-ken...passed down from father to son...using a haggis and a caber for a weapon. Looks exactly like Ju-Jitsu in a kilt.

Sounds a bit like the Welsh Llap-Goch.

http://www.llapgoch.org.uk/

Bubba Elvis XIV · Post by **Bubba Elvis XIV** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:39 pm

Hah...so very true, especially the USE of BIG words.

I hope this is a joke....(check the gentlemen of colour at 0:53)

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