Duke Roufus

[obsessed]

aaaaaaaaaaaaa

[m_calingo]

Traditional martials can, and do provide training for self-defense. Now, is the main issue here learning to defend yourself, or learning a martial art??

Although the two can dovetail at some points, MA doesn't always equate to SD. Some martial arts can require extensive training and dedication in practice before you can actually defend yourself on the street. Some others just get down to the nitty gritty.

Some martial arts deal more with flexibility, aerobics, and strength training, etc.

I don't have any problem suggesting a martial art that increases, your strength, endurance and flexibility. Just remember that if you live long enough, although you might maintain flexibiltiy, your strength and endurance won't be the way it was in your twenties and thirties.

If your main goal is learning self defense, you might be interested in systems listed under the heading "Combatives." This is the stuff taught to soldiers who don't have lots of time to train in spinning kicks, or fancy stuff before they're thrown out into the field. If you do a search under Fairbarin/Applegate you'll get an idea of what that's all about.

If you're interested in martial arts that place an emphasis on SD, then I suggest Jeet Kune Do. I've taken this myself, and a lot of them movements have been stripped down to the basics. Finger jabs to the eyes, low kicks to the knee or groin. Even a 70 year old man who's fit can still do that.

"Pressure points" might exist. I don't know myself, as I never learned them. I can tell you this much, if you do learn that stuff, you're looking at studying some system for a long, long time. In comparison, how long will it take you to learn how to stick a finger in someone's eye, or kick someone in the knee? I don't consider myself a "master" in any sense, and yet even I can teach you how to do that in just a few minutes! You might not get it right away, but it shouldn't take you more than a few sessions to get it down. It certainly won't take years practice.

Some other martial arts I suggest are Kali, and Muay Thai, and BJJ for the ground work.

[obsessed]

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[Garland]

Yeah, man... Duke Roofus is a big name in muay thai...he used to fight in K-1, and if it's two minutes away and the class sizes are small...go for it.

The TMA make you a better "fighter"? Pressure points? No. Dude...you're being fed some real crazy lines.

Kali, JKD concepts/philosopies, Firearms, BJJ/CSW/Shooto, and Muay thai. Do it all. Killa Kill.

[Garland]

I look at it as though we're fighting to survive, not caged or ringed matches like those in boxing.

So I need an art to fit my style. Sure it would be awesome to be able to hang with the guys in the ring, but if I can learn something better, where there are no rules, I'd love to be able to take them down, rather than relying on strength on blows to the head and theighs.


I want to live to fight, and I don't back down.


they all suggest traditional martial arts. they aren't pushovers either, because most of them have boxed, and some are in law enforcement. Can traditional fighters beat these MMA guys when the time comes? I know that's a vague question, but seriously think about it. If in fact, hitting spots to utilize points are true, then you could train all you want and become as strong as you want, only to be hit in 1 spot that knocks you over.)

Obsessed

1) take pekiti tirsia...buy a knife...learn to shoot, buy a gun.
2) Silat and BJJ are perhaps the arts where you can use very little strength to put on maximum hurt...but strength helps.
3) If you live to fight, and don't back down when you CAN...you're stupid, and somebody will, one day, open you up with a knife...or shoot you, or beat you to death...or beat you to death with their friends. You're not a fucking ninja, stop watching cartoons and action movies.
4) The dim mak shit is shit. Isn't real...and even if it were, that level of control in a real fight, as well as that type of accuracy is unreasonable. I say buy a knife and take a FMA.

[obsessed]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[m_calingo]

MMA=Mixed Martial Arts, which includes wrestling, BJJ, boxing, karate, kung fu, whatever.

Muay Thai is a martial art, but it would only be part of the MMA game. Muay Thai is a great art, but the question for you is do want to be a more well rounded fighter, or do you want to concentrate on only on part of the martial art universe?

Even though I'm not really into BJJ, I'd still suggest learning some of the basic stuff just to have a handle on what it's about. Hey, you might even like it.

There's really only one way to find out, and just go out and try it.

[obsessed]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Garland]

Thanks man, I appreciate your responses. Can you enlighten me on what CSW and Shooto are?

and for the "You're not a fucking ninja, stop watching cartoons and action movies." response:

I'm not trying to be. I'm also not talking about picking fights with people. The point I was trying to make was that I'm not afraid of anyone. Whether or not they had a knife is a different story....

I mean seriously, with no knife training do you think even I would stay and fight? Of course not. I simply was pointing out my aggression.


Ok thanks. I'll probably start my free lesson, and join the club sometime next week. I'm still a freshman in college so I can't really judge my schedule yet, but once I can get the feel for the workload I will definitely put in some time there.

Ah! one more question (if you're still reading). Would you recommend MMA vs. Muay Thai? I don't know much about Muay Thai, but I know that they don't teach ground fighting (or do they?). Would it be better to kickbox or do some MMA stuff?

Thanks,

O

CSW= combat submission wrestling. Erik Paulson. www.erikpaulson.com

Shooto=shootfighting. http://www.shooto.tv/

Doesn't matter if you've even had knife training...there is almost no chance that a knife attack will come in the form of a duel...and disarms are incidental if not coincidental...if the other person has a knife and intends to use it chances are you won't even see it, and you'll die. Pointing out your aggression? There is a difference between having heart and fortitude, and being foolish. Remember this if nothing else- disgression is the greater part of valour.

Yeah...I'm a junior in college and it's hard to balance things...work, school (full course load, 16 cr. hours of heavy upper division psych), fitness...and a social life...after a few years of doing this, I'm just barely now getting to a point where I can even contemplate training like I used to.

MMA is just a form of competition, it isn't an art. MMA practitioners come from various arts, but usually consist of people who cross-train at least one striking and one grappling art...the most common formula for an mma fighter today is muay thai and bjj...but with a lopsided emphasis on the grappling aspect. I'd say learn muay thai first, and then start learning the grappling after about 6 months heavy duty muay thai training, and continue to take both at the same time.

Still...this is geared more towards practical fighting, but is ring and sport combat. You'll get the feel of a real fight doing this better than anything else you can do legally and safely...but it doesn't encorporate everying one would see in real combat. For that, I'd suggest an FMA (look up pekiti tirsia, dekiti tirsia, sayoc kali, and atienza kali...or just check my post in urban combat thread about knife drills...watch carefully)
JKD concepts and philosophies lay the ground-work for you to piece it together. These will all help to make you a better fighter, and more well rounded. It's always good to dabble in as much as you can, but get really comprehensive in a few things that work best for you as an individual, so you don't get spread too thin trying to learn everything.

Take all you learn and make it yours.