CagedWarrior

Nothing wrong with a beer or two here and there, and I doubt you'll notice a difference unless you're seriously training really hard for something- like an upcoming fight.

I remember way back, the first time I got a submission as a lowly white belt... it was against a blue belt! Although, the blue belt was a tiny woman who had asked me to roll, and it did take forever....

When it comes to fighting, tai chi has nothing to do with it. A kid playing cops and robbers using his hand pretending its a gun, or rocking out with an air-guitar to music, is actually more accurate in his imaginitive little game than tai chi is to fighting. Every move I've ever seen in tai chi- that someone has actually shown me the "application" of in a real move- is, at the very best, inferior. Example: I once saw how "old maid carries the water" could be a throw- and it was the lousiest idea of a throw I've ever seen. Whatever you do tai chi for, if you enjoy it, great. Apparently people get better balance out of it (usually older people). Good, I hope it works for them. If, however, you expect to learn anything at all about fighting, you're in for a dissapointment. Even katas are better than tai chi.

I say no stretching- just let it relax. If it's getting worse, see a Doc asap. Sometimes a benchpress is okay with a hurt back, but most people still tend to tense it when they're pushing themselves, and in your case I'd recommend against it. Your back is pretty much involved in everything- maybe you can get away with doing arms without your back being involved.

True, but I'd give a few of the Gracie's a chance (not necessarily a great one), and their stand up striking skill isn't much to talk about.

BJJ would be great just because of the grappling experience. You may not arm bar the guy you're arresting, but knowing how to start from a standing position to getting to a position and then getting off the move, you're going to be more familiar with the entire aspect of grappling and be better at it. Also, if it hits the fan, and you're on the ground in life threatening danger, BJJ is what you want to know. Also, plain and simple boxing. I've heard of a group of bounty hunters (good ones) who require all their members box, because it's fist fighting! Ideally you'll never have to use it, but if it's throw down time with some suspect, knowledge of punching (defense and offense) would surely be useful if not necessary. Keep in mind the police will teach you the basics of what you need to know, and I would expect a lot of it is based on having a gun on someone if you really need it. Just about anything you can learn from, say, Aikido, that would actually work for you (and I seriously doubt most of it would), will probably be gone over at least to some extent in your training. I'm imagining what skills an officer would need in serious trouble- and those two I listed, seems to me, are what you'd want the most. After all, as a police officer, I wouldn't expect you to study martial arts to apprehend someone in a standard case, I'd want the knowledge for the situations you hope will never happen to begin with.

I'll say one thing: you won't find much kickboxing with low kicks unless it's Muay Thai.

When you land some hits and have him slightly dazed or backing up can be a good opportunity. Or if his guard stops dropping when he's tired.

Punch a bag with no pad gloves or bare knuckle (be careful!), or at least less padded gloves. That will toughen them up, but it's always an issue in a bare knuckle fight if you'll miss and hurt them.

Boxers are amont the best strikers in the world. Even Thai boxers and MMAists will tell you (maybe not all the thai boxers in the ring) that most of what you throw in a fight, striking wise, are hands. Boxers have the best hands for sure, they taught Thai Boxers a couple things in the past.

Well, a front kick has a lot more power behind it than a simple teep. A teep is almost just like a feeler, a little poker to gage distance and stop your opponent from advancing so freely.

.... I would never kick a baseball bat! I want to walk when I get older.

I think if you were good enough at your game, a pure BJJ grappler could win a UFC fight. Renzo (or was it Rickson?) held the belt before.

Keep in mind, though, the difference between muscle soreness and pain indicitive of injury.

Abs are actually one of the few muscles you can workout when sore, though I personally don't recommend if they're REALLY sore.

With the choices, wanting striking, Muay Thai is definitely fast-paced, and definitely the best suited for your self defense desires. One trick is if you're willing to do it. Frankly, a lot of people don't want such grueling conditioning and training, but if you're up for it (and I mean UP for it!) then a good Muay Thai place will become the place you love. Competing may not be so available to you- karate tournaments are one thing but a Muay Thai fight is something else entirely. You don't compete in MT the way you do in karate.

Yea, but traditional martial artist types often get like that- if you feel safe, rather, if you are safe training with the other guys, you might show them stuff, they'll surely show you stuff, go for it and don't get hurt (too bad). I'm sure you realize you aren't ready to be in an all-out cage fight, and the same goes for the guys you met. So if they're friendly (matters a lot when you're training for fighting) it's all good.

Height does have more to do with striking than grappling, but in general, taller guys have more of an advantage. Yes, the shorter guy is harder to throw, may be able to shoot in easier too, and once inside the reach can land devistating blows (ala Tyson) although the clinch game beings to go into effect. The taller guy, however, has that reach, has mechanically a stronger arm (short guys lift more, but for half the distance), and plenty more "moves" (better word?) at their disposal for on the ground. In many ways the shorter guy is more manuverable, but the taller guy still has the advantage. However! A shorter guy who can shoot in (or get in and land hooks and uppercuts) can use a taller guy's height to his disadvantage and here it starts going to skill, aaand I've talked myself full circle. Wow, such a simple question has turned into one of the best posts....

To sum up, to compete with the stiking abilities of UFCers with kung fu is like hunting a bear with a pistol.

I lift heavy, training more for strength and power than size (although that doesn't mean I won't gain some size in the process.) The trick is to work it around your training so it doesn't interfere. For instance, if your legs happen to get particularly sore when you lift with them, don't do them the day before you'll need them with whatever training you're doing.

Muay Thai definitely. American kickboxing is pretty tame.

I believe the teep they refer to is the push kick without power... it's like a jab with your foot.

Based on that clip, that guy is a badass! I wish I could kick like that.

One thing about BJJ is that it's so efficient and effective that when big strong guys learn it, even a little, they become very powerful. Trick to beating them when you're smaller is to manuever better and have better technique, but when your time training is about even, the big guys will always have an advantage.

Well, you can stack him heavily and prevent his hips from arching into you, but you still want to posture up because the choke comes from him pulling you down. The arm that's in's elbow can be pushed into his stomache (kind of like when you put your hands on the guys belt for a guard pass) also, to prevent him from pulling you down. (Curl your bicep, don't let him pull that arm all the way across his own body.) If it's NHB rules, use your other arm to (carefully, so not to become unbalanced and fall over) lay some shots into his ribs and loosen him up. You might also be able to stand up completely and drop him on his back- that will definitely make him weak for a second at least. Truth is though, once it's sunk in and he has his foot in the crook of his leg, you're pretty screwed.