cole

Yeah I would say high kicks are risky, and I don't know about else where, but in Texas, as soon as your foot contacts someones head, its assualt with a deadly weapon. The highest kick I have ever used in a real life situation was to the sternum area. Often in a fight low powerful kicks will make your opponent keep more distance and gaurd down low, plus they have a lower likelyhood of getting your foot grabbed or opening up your groin to an attack.

I'm curious if there is a martial art that offers training based on what the student is capable of, not how long he/she has been at that particular dojo. I mean in TKD it is 2 months per belt color unless you have had a belt an another ATA TKD school, which I have not. So at 2 months a belt it will be about 8 months to a year before I progress far enough in their curriculum to start breaking and sparring, thing is, I can already break and have been sparring for a while. Someone should open up a martial arts gym where people with all different styles can meet up and train together. Hire a few seasoned blackbelts as on call trainers and you've got the most popular place in town.

The downfall of some martial artists in a real street fight is thinking about what to use. To be successful don't stand there pondering what technique to use, use that which feels most natural. When in a confrontation the moves you have been 'programmed' to use since your first few belts work best because they are second nature from so much repitition, like using a fork to eat.

I'm not sure preachers would want to be fighting, perhaps offereing self defense to the congregation would be more effective. And when faced with guns, attempting to disarm an assailant is usually not the best way to survive unless you know this person will use the gun. As stated judo and aikido are effective, but the pressure points I have learned over the years in Taekwondo are very effective as well.