ckdstudent

So a shoot tends to be more reactive than active, as in you wait for, or create, an opening and then react to that?

The what ifs were to differentiate between real life and ring. Shooting or no, what works in the ring won't necessarily work in real life. I can accept that. How many ways are there to shoot in on them to take them down? I know about takedowns, I've learnt those. Its the shoot I'm not sure about. As I keep saying it may be because I misunderstand what's meant by shoot, in which case I pin the blame on those who've explained it to me. However, from what I have been told it consists of simply darting into range, I'm not concerned about the take down, its the move into range where I'd consider someone vulnerable.

Okay, I was under the impression that shootfighting was moving in, trying to grab, in a similar method to a tackle. If I'm wrong then please correct me. However I'd imagine that if a shoot is similar to tackle, there's something of a limit on the variations you could use. With punches there's a thousand and one different permutations and methods of throwing them. Charging in to try and yank someone's feet away I just can't see that much variation, if I'm wrong then please do correct me. The difference is simple. The ring is a perfectly clear area, there are no obstacles. It is an even surface. Your opponent does not have access to glass bottles, rocks, or allies. There is no bouncer moving in to drag you away. There is plentiful lighting so you can clearly see your opponent. There is nowhere that your opponent can dodge to beyond a certain range. There is nothing on the ground for you to slip or trip on. Need any more?

No, I'd guess that they're in a ring. I said that I didn't have experience of shootfighters, and was simply working from what I did know. I've had people trying to move in to take me down to the ground before, and I've had people trying to sweep my legs. Whether or not they were shooting is irrelevant, I was simply quoting from my own, personal experience and assumptions based on what I knew. I could ask whether you've had an experienced striker try to stop your shoot, but it wouldn't really help any since you are not a whole style to yourself, merely a person.

Ah, for sparring I guess different rules apply. And generally we don't kick above waist height with side kick since it reduces your power and makes you very vulnerable.

Whenever I can, any time I don't have anything else to do.

I believe it already is classified as a martial art. As for the proven street fighting art, its hard to call. I've never seen a shootfighter in action on the street so I couldn't say, however I will say that if you try to shoot against an experienced striker you're going to find yourself bruised, and against a grappler I'd imagine you're fairly likely to be hurled quite a distance across the road.

Since the three templates are grappling, striking and weapons it would be hard to say that grappling's not one of the best for the street. Hardly anyone knows how to throw a good punch either, or move off the centreline, angle around, block, throw a decent kick...and brute strength actually has more effect in grappling if you think about it where you're in close and vulnerable to their reach, whereas in striking you're trained to dodge. How do you dodge someone you've got in an armlock?

A sidekick is the most powerful technique the human body can deliver (with the exception of the spinning side kick). To get that power you need to make sure you have a good chamber, push off your grounded foot, and try and keep your bodyweight upright as much as possible. If you lean back to throw the kick then you're counteracting that movement, as well as putting yourself off balance should someone block the kick upwards.

You're their instructor. If you've advertised self-defense then you better know what you're talking about. If you've advertised a martial art with no mention of self-defense then that's a different matter, give them what you say you'll give them, don't take advantage of them.

Choi Kwang Do and boxing are two which spring to mind, you don't really want any art that focusses its attention on high kicks, since being completely fair, if you're short, you won't be able to kick them in the head. Any instructor who teaches you that you should kick to knee height is probably a good bet, and you'll want a fair amount of focus on the hands.

Or alternatively could it be the fact that its so easy to get a gun there? You know, I'm guessing its the gun thing.

I'll ignore that. From what I've heard this sniper seems to want to outsmart everyone else, and he seems to be easily capable of that. I've also heard the quote 'Mr Policeman, I am God' before but I can't think where. I'm sure it was a book. Anyone else know?

Practice them in the air at various speeds. To work on balance try doing multiple kicks off one leg, without putting your leg down in between the kicks. Then swap and do the other side.

Unsuprisingly some people prefer not to get injured while training, I can't think why. Whether it is a hindrance or not, that's what they do in that TKD school and if you want to train there you should accept it. If you really believe its that much of a hindrance find somewhere else to train, but simply because you spar to a different, more painful, method in Krav Maga doesn't mean that you should do it in all arts. If you've done it more than once I'm suprised the instructor hasn't simply banned you from the school.