AndrewGreen

It's only "raw" early on, after that people learn to defend the basic version of it and it becomes more technical. It's a valid technique, and a good one. Most top fighters get really really good at a handful of things, to the point where they can make those things happen to anyone, even when that person knows it's coming. You do want to try other things to avoid plateauing, but there is nothing wrong with having a favorite attack, as long as you continue to develop it as well.

To keep with the same style you might want ot look for these two: Seibu Nunchaku http://kata-reference.com/index.php?style=8&kata=119 Nunchaku Sandan http://kata-reference.com/index.php?style=8&kata=94

rolling a way is not a good option in sport on matts either, often leaves you with someone on your back

Slapping comes in to play very rarely, only on a very clean up and down fast on your upperback kind of throw. It is generally to be avoided whenever possible though. The slap the ground breakfalls are not something I can remember ever seeing in wrestling training, or pro-wrestling (granted I don't watch it) and wrestlers Olympic and Pro, know a few things about falling as well. Judo seems to be the big source, which is rather odd IMO as doing a big clean, perfect breakfall in that way will likely get Ippon for the other guy...

http://sunsite.au.ac.th/thailand/Thai_sport/boxing.html No rule against it.

Here's a bunch: http://innovativema.ca/forum/view.php?pg=traininggames1

They are designed for mat use. Nice and light, good grip, but not so good you can't pivot without blowing your knee out. Soft bottoms so that you don't tear your partner to shreds. I wear wrestling shoes, tried the TKD ones a few years back, didn't like them as much. I wear them to protect my feet. Got tired of broken toes and such. Also keeps athletes foot and plantar warts away

More specifically, these are the gloves I think he is looking for: http://www.gorillagear.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22_25&products_id=12&zenid=9d9fa28fcc406f74e49dd9194cd3d0ad And yes, gorilla gear has good stuff, I've got quite a few things from them.

Not a evil trick, that's groundfighting 101 Use strikes to create openings and advance position or set up submissions.

variety is the key. Narrow, normal, wide, fingers out, fingers in, one hand up, one hand down. Superman position, claps, dive bombers, handstand, claps, one handed, hands on a medicine ball, half pushups (floor then half way up, back down), elbows to the floor and back up, roll off to a side (elbow down, shoulder down, back up, etc. All sorts of variations, doing only one type will isolate specific muscles and strengthen only on that angle, change things up.

Kicking the knees is perfectly legal, and is done. Thigh tends to hurt more though, and land more often. Knee kicks are one of the most overrated things in the martial arts. Anyways, back to the question. I always figured it had to do with the history of it, being from karate. Which wears pants. Fighters took the jackets off for fights, keeping the pants on. Over time they got more flashy.

Chokes are fairly safe, generally people come too pretty quick and are a little confused at first, but fine. Randy Couture went on a radio show a while back and choked out a girl as a demo: http://youtube.com/watch?v=cMlGzzWBy10 But, like anything involving involuntarily being put unconscious, things can go wrong. But on a healthy person there is very little risk. This of course also requires a proper choke, meaning a blood choke, not a across the throat choke. Do that and put a person out you are crushing there throat, which will swell up and could leave to death, or a pen tube through the throat, neither of which I imagine would be pleasant

One of the biggest mistakes new people make is to lie on there back, hook there feet, and basically cling on. As long as you are flat on your back, chances are you will get nothing done. Especially against a bigger guy. You need to open your guard, and move. You need to constantly be working to break his balance, keep his weight off you and attack. A closed guard can work, but only if it is being used aggressively, that means getting out then closing, climbing up the back, keeping your hips mobile, But never just hook and hold.

The honest answer - None really. Shotokan style posture and stance do not translate at all into grappling, it's like giving a single leg takedown as a Christmas Present. But anyhing with a lot of sparring is good. Judo, wrestling, BJJ, Submission grappling, sambo, catch...

Both, but I'm more likely to clinch first then work a takedown. Although I will shoot from the clinch, and I will shoot to get into a clinch. No better or worse here though, you got to learn both. You may find you are better at certain takedowns, but different people prefer different ones, and different ways of getting them.