How good do YOU think you are?

[bushido_man96]

I think that another strength that I have is the willingness to listen to new ideas and from others. Keeping an open mind and an open ear are great ways to learn new things.

[obiwansbane]

personally i feel that i could take 90% of the people my size, give or take some, that you would find on the street. Including the teenage people who associate themselves in gangs and such. Just because i know how to physically end a fight in the least strikes possible, and can avoid being hit pretty well.

Two on one, i personally think i would get smoked empty handed, but with a bo or something i would think (sittin here behind my computer of course) that i would be able to handle that coming out victorious with a few injuries.

Anything more than two i know for sure that regardless of what i have, my mentality for the fight will collapse rendering my body useless while i get pummeled.

All this is for people my size or slightly smaller/slightly bigger.

Bigger opponents i don't feel so comfortable going against, because i find i cannot generate enough power to actually cause physical damage. My only option then would be to use throat, solar plexus, joint break techniques... and i can see myself doing it if the person has little or no experience, but a decent street fighter would win in this kind of a fight.

Thats all i can think of

[Shotokan-kez]

My weaknessess are faily obvious in the dojo unfortunatly, i don't have an awful lot of stamina or endurance during sparring. I'm not very good at it all, i do a lot of attacking, however when i attack with a kick i can never score that point. Also i think my muscles and joints are wearing me down because i sometimes struggle with the warm up before class, so thats something i need to work on also. My ushiro-geri is weak, so this needs work, infact i suppose all my kicks are are weak to some degree, although i have good form.

My best things are good form and technique, good kata (my fave thing). I basically have to be more powerful and lock my kicks rather than just throw them out.

Great post!

[Elky]

I'm mediocre. I have no "natural" talent, I'm lanky, long-limbed and of light build. I have a slight hip deformity that means I can't physically perform certain kicks perfectly and I have a terrible memory so it takes a while to learn stuff. On the other hand, I've been training for quite a long time and so have reasonable technique. I'm stronger than I look as I have some muscle on my light frame. I'm also quite good at mentally cataloguing techniques for future use so I can pull weird stuff out of the bag more frequently than many. On the whole, I average as "OK".

[ps1]

I'm not really sure how to respond to the post. I think it's a good topic, it just makes me feel like I'm bragging a little. Of course, everthing is based on my experiences with other martial artists and situations. As a little background, I've trained for 21 years. The martial arts I have studied intensely include Poekoelan Tjimindi Teii (3rd degree), Shotokan(3rd degree), Daito Ryu Aiki Jujitsu(2nd degree), Kobudo(2nd degree), and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (testing for purple in November). To a lesser degree I've trained in Boxing and TKD as well. I did a lot of competitions a while back and still compete in the occasional grappling tournament when I feel up to it. I do teach a credited self defense course at the local state university and am an assistant instructor at the BJJ academy.

I broke the skills up into the following categories:

Kata/ Forms: Above average skill (Awarded grand champion at several tourneys, strong understanding of technical analysis and bunkai)

Sparring (competition): Average (Always fared well at tourneys, never the grand champ though)

Self Defense: Well above average (Based on technical skill, understanding of local laws, situational awareness, and military training)

Grappling: Average (when compared to others in BJJ/grappling), Above average if compared to non grapplers

Just so I don't feel like I'm bragging too much, I've met and still work with people who can wipe the floor with me. When I compare myself to my current instructors, they kick my butt all the time. I find that working with the people who can beat me has always foced me to become that much better. I hope the day never comes that I'm the best I can find. That would make life really boring and I would probably quit training then.

Overall, I guess I'm pretty good. But I'm always a day away from being good enough.

[bushido_man96]

Overall, I guess I'm pretty good. But I'm always a day away from being good enough.

Well put, ps1. A very good attitude to have, I think, in regards to ever-persuing training.

[baronbvp]

Overall, I guess I'm pretty good. But I'm always a day away from being good enough.

Nice! Very well put, ps1.

[marie curie]

I have a lot of background, but I haven't gotten past brown in any system, so I feel like I'm just a surveyor, though my fighting skills keep improving. I don't know, this is a hard thing to judge on.

[karatekid1975]

I don't think I'm all that (except in kata, forms kinda). But someone I look up to so much .... my instructor ... said I should have tested for my BB. I don't think I'm ready, but she thinks I was at the time. That humbled me for some reason (she said this just the other night and I haven't trained regularly for a while).

[IcemanSK]

I don't think I'm all that (except in kata, forms kinda). But someone I look up to so much .... my instructor ... said I should have tested for my BB. I don't think I'm ready, but she thinks I was at the time. That humbled me for some reason (she said this just the other night and I haven't trained regularly for a while).

Wow, you're instructor says that, too? Maybe ya should