Kyle-san

A newer style that's been oficially recognized in Japan, it focuses on resistance and ki training. Some of their... methods seem a bit hard to grasp, imho.

Good or not, Bruce Lee was able to put his ideas across intelligently and not sound like something out of a bad video game. Have you actually read all his posts in this topic?

Nothing works 100% of the time. It's much more difficult to get the proper leverage applied when the person is a lot taller than you are.

Usually not, but it depends...

That's how my last girlfriend got seriously interested in me. I was just another guy she was interested in until I mentioned I did martal arts and she got me to show a few kicks and things.

And what if the guy is big enough that you can't get the leverage applied properly?

I've found Hapkido/Combat Hapkido to be quite well rounded systems that should work just fine for you, but I'm not sure how they'd compare with the others that I mentioned (and have personal experience with). They're far from bad choices, though. I've found BJJ to be excellent with one oppontent, but weak with multiple attackers. That's just me though, there are others on this board that will tell you differently. As for WC, it's an excellent striking system if you can find a good teacher (as with any martial art). Plus, if it's one of personal interest to you that makes it much better. In terms of your age, Muay Thai would probably have more negative effects than positive in the long run. Not to say that you couldn't do it, just that it might get less effective quicker.

What I really love is getting someone used to you doing very sensible moves while sparring, then throwing a semi-fancy move out of nowhere that completely messes them up. It's fun to do.

I'unno, when I'm fighting a big guy (either in terms of fat or muscle) he tends to be able to resist my strikes more than when fighting a guy more my size (less muscle, nearly no fat) where it's easier to have the strikes connect with bone. On the other hand, I've seen big guys fall like a sack of bricks over hits that a smaller guy has shaken off and kept attacking from. It all depends on the person, but generally speaking if you've got more "padding" and reach then you have a better chance of winning.

If you wanted to keep something along a similar vein but still get that striking and ground work that's missing you might want to try and find an Aiki Jujutsu dojo. It'll definately help in those areas. If you're looking for something different, I'd suggest finding a good (emphasis on good) Shotokan dojo for the striking, but that still leaves you stuck for grappling.

So, it's just the competition being banned and not the art?

I'm a Wood Rat.

A side kick/side thrust kick.

Breaking three boards isn't too hard with a good kick and a bit harder with a good punch. I remember at one demonstrations for my TKD club I had to break a pair of boards as quickly as I could. One was set up about solar-plexus height (with the most surface facing towards me) and the other at head height (with the most surface paralell facing to the side). First kick was a simple front snap kick, then I rotated into a turning kick. It was done very quickly, less than a second or two in total but I didn't hit with the ball of my foot like I was supposed to. I was so worried about speed that I forgot my technique and ended up breaking both boards with my big toe. It was swollen for a week after.

Why? What if that's not what I believe?

It's like saying a kata is a notebook filled with the moves that you learn in an art. If you just go through the motions (read the notebook) you don't gain anything out of it. However, if you dig deeper than that and look at the possible applications and apply them outside the set form (reading, analyzing, understanding the notebook) then you have a positive result. A slightly incorrect analogy since every style doesn't use kata and not all moves are used in them. Kata aren't just prearanged sets of techniques, they're a guide to moves and possible applications. If you can't see past that and learn to adapt... how much of your style can you really understand?

The way I see it, you came out on top of the exchange. Not only did you win the sparring match, but the higher ranks recognized that you take your training seriously and have some skill. If you have that respect, does it matter what the lower ranks think?

I know, I was just pointing that out.

I haven't seen a gi get torn unless it's a lightweight karate or TKD style gi.

Traditional Jujutsu is more than effective for a situation where the officer's life is threatened short of a gunfight. It's at least as effective as KM can be and certainly can be as devastating if needed. However, there are also options in the style for when the situation doesn't require that much force.

So, basically you're saying that you have no interest in showing control and helping other people in your class come along in their training? Is this a personal attitude or a MMA thing?

It bugs me when people don't follow the exercise and think they can speed up/add power/add a few more moves just because they have experience in another art. It makes it so much harder to work with a partner when you're worried about getting injured because the other person is dicking around.

It may not be the easiest to get to, but I love hitting that bundle of nerves in the armpit.

In the tournament scene, it definately does. Which is exactly what Kirves pointed out.

Mats, but I'm not sure how good the padding is anymore. Sometimes I use hardwood, but only when going slowly.