Freestyler

Also, why do most people rule out any techniques over eye gouging, biting, hair pulling as if they're inferior ? If this is the case, surely there must be some styles which have superior techniques over other styles?

I'm in agreeance that the style is much more important than the emphasis people place on it. Everyone says it's the practioner and not the style. Okay, if that's the case. Why do we take so long in choosing a style ? Why do we swtich styles ? Why do some of us cross train ? Why do so many people idolise Bruce Lee who uses no style as 'the style' ? Why have some styles enjoyed much more success than other styles ? - even if it's only in a sporting arena -- the argument that the moves are designed to kill is a load of crap, if you can't practice them in training, it's highly unlikely you'll pull them off in an adrenalin-high situation. If a particular style enjoyes more success in a sporting arena, don't you think they'll be better prepared to gouge eyes & groins, bite, pull hair? Ironically, the people who are having the most success in sporting arenas such as the UFC & NHB are well rounded martial artists (yes, I'm obviously biased here). But, put in a pure striker/grappler against someone who's well rounded, who's going to win? A pure striker is going to have a very hard time keeping that grappler away, and a pure grappler with no take downs is going to have a hard time getting a striker on the ground without getting KTFO. Come to think of it, all so called 'pure' grapplers actually know a little about striking through their training whether they know it or not. There are far too many variables in a street fight, you'll never know what will happen and when anyone who doesn't know how to grapple ends up on the ground, they pack it - just in the same way as someone who doesn't know how to defend themselves at all ends up in a confrontation, they pack it. Let me give an example where I think style is important. A woman has a rapist attempting to rape her - he's at the point where he's got her on the ground. Let's say she's been training in WTF TKD which focuses on point sparring & high kicks to win tournaments (it's a very harsh stereotype, I know, but I want to put my point across). Now she's on the ground with her attacker on top of her, her tournament style guard was easily passed through and she's on the ground and can't kick or punch. She can obviously bite, gouge, etc., but anything she does do is met with superior gouges & bites from her attacker since he's got a dominant position. She's packing it at this point, she's about to be brutally raped. But, let's say she knew BJJ - applying the principle of leverage (the arm bar is a classic example of leverage, you could break the strongest man's arm) she could easily reverse the position despite the size and weight advantage her attacker most likely has over her. Someone who's competent in BJJ can easily reverse someone knows nothing about BJJ and has a dominant position over them, because unless the control is very tight and done with good form, or the person knows what they're doing, the techniques work wonders. There's a very good post by Martial_Artist on this topic. All of this in IMO..

Kensai, what if his statement is correct ? The paradigms people hold are very different, and in his paradigm, karate probably fulfills it - which is why he trained in it, while aikido and judo do not fulfill it.

Yeh, I have witnessed a falling out. The instructor told the student to do something and she was cheeky in the way she replied. He told her to take her belt off and leave the class. She wouldn't go at fist, but eventually she left. He told her to come back in and got her to hold the bag since we were doing kicks. He was kicking the bag extremely hard, then we got up to head height kicks and I assume he kicked her in the face - she was crying afterwards and wouldn't talk about it with me. Then, outside in the parking lot. She was leaving in a hurry, he came running out and caught her as she got in his car. They were arguing, then she drove off and he threw the box which contains all the students' card at her car as she was driving off.

It really depends on the dojang... some dojos hand them out as long as they get the $$$ - which I don't agree with. Others hand them out based on what the student can do. I know all belts in my dojo are definitely earnt, 'cause after blue belt which you have to pay to test for, you get awarded stripes for your purple/brown belt whenever the instructor thinks you're ready for free. I think I might actually grade next time, I set myself a goal to be at blue belt level by my 21st birthday. But, yeah, I don't need the belt system to motivate me, or tell me how good/bad I am - I know what I can & can't do.

Yes, I would do both, joint breaking moves & chokes. I don't train them for nothing! My first preferance is to catch someone on the jaw before they can throw a strike and put them out cold quickly. After the pre-fight stage, I wanna clinch, throw a knee or two in before I get their back and go for a choke. After that, I'm probably going to try and ground and pound them - possibly an americana/armbar/choke. I also did striking first and have striked longer that I've grappled, but I feel much more comfortable grappling, probably because of the amount of time spent sparring. I finally feel secure on the streets, since I can fight at more than one range and I'm becoming well-rounded. I'm also much more confident knowing most of the people I will come across on the streets in my area can't grapple at all - I've been to 2 out of the 3 dojos in my area which teach you how to grapple & the chances of having a fight with someone on the street who goes to the third dojo is very slim.

Damn right!

http://www.krav-maga.com/ http://www.kravmaga.com/ http://www.kravmaga.com/forum/bigtalker.cgi

Sweet as, what're you doing with your old dojo?

Krav maga has basic grappling, enough to hold your own on the street unless you come up against a full-on grappler. I don't know if I'd say it's moderate in offensive striking moves, the principle behind krav maga is aggressive attacking for defense, and to keep attacking until your opponent has been dropped.

That's why Helio Gracie had over 400 street fights with 'no holds barred' refining his techniques? Of course, 'no holds barred' as we know it isn't completely no holds barred, but that's in the interests of competitors. How many people do you think would willingly step into a full on street fight, whether they knew karate or BJJ? Frankly, I don't like my chances against multiple opponents or weapons regardless of what style/techniques I know. If you put two figters against each other, what good are strikes going to be if the grappler gets the striker on the ground and he can't strike? The grappler can do everything the striker can do, plus more from a superior position. I'd hate to see what a grappler could do to someone while in a superior position. I've seen what they can do in no holds barred matches, imagine what they could do on the street with no limits at all. Btw, most techniques that are applied on the ground can be applied standing up. They especially go well with strikes, IMO.

Hi, I really think you should choose a style based on what you want to get out of it, taking into consideration your body type & personality as well. Most people unsurprisingly reccommend the style(s) they study. Do you want to learn self defense, or just fitness? Do you want to kick or punch, or both? Do you want to grapple? Do you want an internal style or external style? Go to https://www.kickboxing.com and read about each of the styles down the side and narrow your choices down, then go check out the dojos around your area and see which one suits you best. I read a nice analogy where a guy has 1 tonne of tomoatoes that he wants to transport to another state - which vehicle does he use ? Motorbike Small car Family car Truck Obviously the truck.. Good luck to you!

why don't you find someone else to roll with ? I always go hard, I'm there to train - don't wanna waste my time with people who aren't.

Deep breathing! rofl..

That would be cool! Lemme know if you find one... Although, I probably won't be able to get my hands on it if you buy one from America.

Well said, I still don't know why people count calories... I only count carbs.

Ohh, I get it now! Yeah, I'm willing to do that, although my website has no one visit it...

I don't really like belts, but their man purpose I believe is to show what you do know of the curiculum. Any belts in my dojo are earned, you can 'buy' your first belt, but after that you only get awarded the next tip/belt when the instructor thinks you're ready. My pet peeve has to be non-martial artists asking 'what belt are you?', hehe. I always tell people I don't grade, I only train to learn how to fight, which I do.. so I have a nice 'white' belt.

I'd imagine it would help. IMO, the best way to get into the side split is to do it! Do the side split, using isometric stretching, 3-4 times a week and you should find yourself getting into it very quickly.

I'm not sure what you mean... ?

IMO, it depends on the kicks taught. I don't like styles that do a roundhouse kick with the ball of their foot. While I see the benefits in kicking that way, it doesn't seem able to generate as much power as kicking with your shin or you're foot back. It could just be me though, 'cause I find it really awkward and I'm used to the latter way.

I start counting how many crunches I do when I feel it burning, so I go to failure every time.

Hmm, I could have sworn I posted a reply to this. I'll do it again. I'll assume that you're behind the person and right handed. Put your right arm under the person's chin, so the crook of your elbow is pressed up against their neck and your right hand is on your left bicep. Put your left hand on the back of their head, preferably the middle-lower area so they can't pull your hand off when you're applying the choke. Simultanously push on the back of their head with your left hand and bring your elbows together. The choke should come on very quickly, it's a powerful choke. It's powerful enough so that you can apply it across someone's jaw and make them pass out if you can't get under their chin. They should pass out in around 10 seconds, maybe quicker, maybe later. Let go ASAP because you cause brain damage to the person!

I'm 180lbs, I don't consider myself small or weak, but when I go to training, I think I'm small.

Judo sounds good based on his build, but not unless he's interested in fighting close.