Treebranch

First learn Taijutsu and then learn the stealth stuff.

That's cool.

Does anyone know a little about the history of this? It looks very similar to Budo Taijutsu and some the concepts are identical. Very cool stuff.

Not true about Judo at all; granted, a typical Kodokan Judoka doesn't spend as much time on the ground as a BJJ practitioner because of tournament rules. Judo is done primarily as a sport by most now, but if what you said was true why would Judo even have newaza(ground techniques)? Please don't tell a Kosen Judo practitioner that they don't spend time on the ground, too. Back to the original poster, what you say is somewhat true but when you're practicing BJJ you're trying to work on getting better at being on the ground. When I practice Karate I don't shoot for a takedown and start grappling on the ground. When I do BJJ I don't go to stand up and start stomping and leg kicking who I'm grappling with, neither. Good points!

Yeah it's a good article.

Sorry to hear that Okimura. Ignorance is bliss and the person you spoke to is just that. Don't assume all MMA guys are like him, but I will agree that there are lots of MMA practitioners that do think that way. Let them think what they want. You should study there anyway. Learn what they have to teach and keep your good habits and philosophy that you have acquired from you previous MA training. You'll discover that you can learn what they teach quite quickly and have fun.

Let me know your thoughts on this. Made a lot of sense. http://www.savateaustralia.com/Savate%20Essays/Bare-Knuckles%20to%20Modern%20Boxing.htm

Good points! I really do enjoy it, but it was just something that I realized and wanted to see if anyone else noticed this. BJJ has helped me feel like I'm now pretty well rounded. I like the competition and the creativity of groundfighting that I don't think you can really learn in a short time. Thanks for all your responses.

I was realizing a couple weeks ago after doing BJJ for a little over a year now, that too many practitioners in BJJ love the ground too much. Now if you are competing and working on guard passes and such, I guess it's necessary. I was sparring and I kept finding moments of when I could either break free and or simply get up. There were a great number of these moments. It's seems like we forget we can simply get up. Do any one else feel this way?

Looks fun.

Agreed, but the problem is that standing locks are much more difficult to get than locks while on the ground. This is especially true of wristlocks, since your opponent has so many articulations at the wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Im not saying they're impossible, just very difficult, even for experienced people. Agreed, it takes much more skill and understanding to do a standing lock on someone. That's why you have to attack their balance first and the locks show up. Someone trying not to fall is not going to feel the lock until it's too late. The pain of the lock is iceing on the cake the articulation from the wrist to elbow to shoulder to spine (balance) is what the locks are really for. Sadly, I'd have to show you for you to really understand how to make them work. Just like BJJ, if you can't get the armbar or go for the triangle, or kimura. If you can't get that lock, do something else. There are countless variables and you have to learn to adapt in the moment. The more you practice it, the more likelihood it will be part of your arsenal.

Technically, no submission is designed to actually "break" a bone- people just say that and make that assumption because of the loud popping sound you hear. Joint locks attack joints, and its often the muscles and ligaments that are damaged and torn and eventually lead to a dislocation. Pain compliance moves are more like pressure points in the sense that you referred to them and those are what are exceptionally tricky to pull off on people, because some have them and some dont. Joint locks are not pain comliance moves, they are meant to attack the joints and rip, tear or break them. Nice people use them as pain compliance and people that are not nice take advantage of that and as a result you loose the lock. Also joint locks in stand up is a way to capture balance and design to break unless the attacker has superb ukemi. If someone is "serious" your wrist, arm, shoulder joint will be blasted and useless before you have time to counter. That's why you see those Aikido guys flying through the air with a wrist lock throw or whatever. If they didn't do that, they'd be screwed.

Yes. Striking, locking, grappling all together works great. Budo Taijutsu has it all. The interesting thing about BT is the strikes lead to locks, to throws, etc... It's a very difficult art to learn, but the benefits are great. If you want a life long MA to study BT is one of them, it's endless.

Thank you.

Hey, it's should be fun. That's the key. If it's fun you'll excel in it.

Out of the blue or a situation that you escalated that could have been avoided? Now if someone just came up to you with no warning with a barrage of blows, then you have no choice but to fight. Who trains for that these days? Can you sense danger? I think most of us can, but we ignore it and fall into situations that can be avoided most of the time.

Certain training methods used in MMA are great, but there are many scenarios they don't train you for. The big problem is that people need to understand that the real weapon is your brain or mind. If you believe in your training and don't abandon it as soon as something didn't go the way you wanted it to, you'd probably survive the situation just fine. I think learn Groundfighting is essential for any style to incorporate if that style doesn't have it. If you don't have the mindset to trust your training and to train for every possible scenario and also to be willing to do whatever it takes to stop someone from harming you, your training is unrealistic. Ask yourself the question, "What wouldn't I do to a person in a fight?" If you have certain things you wouldn't do to a person attacking you "for real", then you are probably a good person with certain social expectations when it pertains to fighting. Survival and Fighting are different. The things you would do to survive are things that pride should not be a part of. The things you do in fighting are usually based in pride. I can tell from a mile away if someone has had training and if they attack me I will do "whatever" it takes to stop them. Most people don't train for that. They train to knock out someone or submit someone which is pretty humane if you really think about it. I remember when kicking was seen as unfair in a fight when I was a kid. There are certain things people won't do in a fight because of how it may look to others and or if it doesn't follow certain norms or trends. I have alot of respect for what the Gracies did, but they train for a specific scenario of unarmed fighting. If it works, use it! I like that, but sometimes it takes more training and patience to make things work. Sometimes you have to make 100 mistakes before you can get good at something. I would say that just because a MA is user friendly doesn't mean it's better. One just takes longer to get good at and master. They are all great anyway.

Are you looking for something that employs weapons or at least teaches you how to deal with them? Believe me BJJ is enough of a workout for anyone. Have you ever consider a stand up Jujitsu? There some out there that have many strikes, but personally I feel Muy Thai and BJJ are like 2 extremes. It's almost like, well if I can't knock someone out by the time this goes to the ground I'll have my BJJ to save me. There's no in between. I like the idea of throwing someone without going down with them. Arts like Judo and Jujitsu I think blend better with BJJ. You already know how to punch and kick if you took TKD. Just my opinion. It's all fun stuff.

There's a green belt in BJJ? Anyway, I think it's stupid to train full force. There's no need for it. I cannot tell you how scary it is to train with over zealous people. I've had to let some guys out of locks, because they would have hurt themselves by moving without thinking, then I and up getting hurt for being nice to them. In a real situation I'd destroy these types. There head is not in the fight, they just want to win. Win what? I want to learn. Training is learning and learning should be fun.

MMA events are not real situations. A street fight and being attacked by a complete stranger with a knife who wants rob you is another. A gang member picking a fight with you in front of his buddies means you are going to get jumped and no amount of MMA training is going to do a damn thing to get you out of that. The problem with MMA competitive training is that it works great against another person who wants to pridefully prove themselves, it trains you for a particular scenario. Real life is unpredictable and more than likely when a weapon is involved the BJJ and Muy Thai are not styles that prepare you to deal with any kind of weapon. Especially when the person with the weapon really knows how to use it. I've fought in the street and I was lucky nobody pulled a weapon on me or I'd probably be dead by now. I do agree with your Karate chop statement by the way. Why doesn't anyone use that strike in UFC or Pride or whatever? There are so many ways to hurt someone and so many styles of MA's that do in fact work great for the street. Any MA that teaches you do deal with all levels fighting, stand-up grappling, striking, groundfighting, evasion and escape techniques, weapons and disarms is far more realistic than stepping into the ring. Confidence goes a long way for anything we do, but pride will get you killed.

DJmma, for what purpose are you training? To compete? For self-defense? Muy Thai and BJJ to me are 2 extremes. Muy Thai is a brutal striking, stand-up art and BJJ is Jujitsu which means it's a gentle art. BJJ has degrees of force that can used depending on the situation. Muy Thai on the other hand is primarily to beat the crap out of someone. I guess what I'm saying is that I don't see a real reason for Muy Thai if you are not going to compete. I suppose if you really enjoy doing it, I can understand that. But personally I don't want to take a beating every time I go to class. Jujitsu is too much fun for words. Good luck with whatever you do. Just don't take too many shots to the head.

All I have to say is if you have the patience to learn it, you will not be sorry. It takes a really long time to be able to really understand what is going on. Once you understand, it's like a light bulb goes off in your head and you say to yourself, "Wow, how come nobody does this anymore." The reason is, "it's not a game." You can "really" hurt someone without really meaning it. We don't fight fair in this art at all. It's not about fighting really, it's about survival. If you get the mindset that the person attacking you means to kill you, you either avoid it, escape, or injure them really bad. If you are really skilled you can only hurt them enough. The best way to see that it works is to have it done to you. It sucks being thrown when you don't know how to fall. Most people don't know how to take a fall. It's not made for the ring.

Depends on what you want. I'd go for the BJJ first, but that's just me.

Wear ear guards! Surgery is no fun believe me.

Jujitsu? Traditional? or BJJ? BJJ, no. TJJ I think so, but not like Karate kata. Ed.