Choosing a Martial Art for Self Defense

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  • Brad69

    Grandmaster
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    Jul 16, 2016
    5,104
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    Perry county
    Left Combative’s level II at Ft.Benning with a hemorrhoid the size of a 6 in piece of bacon.
    You get a real beat down gracie style my advice is listen to BBI, Jackson, Hammred13.

    Your opposition needs to fight back IMO.
     

    Timjoebillybob

    Grandmaster
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    1   0   0
    Feb 27, 2009
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    I took Krav Maga for four years, one thing it taught me was that there’s a better way to kick a man in the “twig and berries!”, it also taught me that “In a knife fight, the winner bleeds, and the looser gushes!”

    It’s 100 percent self defense, you’ll never see Krav in a mma cage.
    No groin, no Krav Maga.

    hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28qIRpa1kMA
     
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    Kirk Freeman

    Grandmaster
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    8   0   0
    Mar 9, 2008
    47,969
    113
    Lafayette, Indiana
    train BJJ 6 days a week and have done so for the last 5 years. My standup is ok, mostly from work. What I have found is that BJJ is excellent at learning to control someone who doesn't want controlled. But where BJJ shines is the pressure. You roll with enough people better than you and you find yourself in terrible positions, many that induce panic. You will start to learn to think through that panic. THAT is the single largest asset I have gained from my 1600+ hrs of BJJ. It is that ability to think with your high brain while under stress that translates everyday life.

    This is the work ethic and great asset of BJJ. The randori emphasis of BJJ is extremely effective.

    You can:

    1. Train without injury
    2. Learn through doing
    3. Learn from a resisting uke.
     

    Twangbanger

    Grandmaster
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    21   0   0
    Oct 9, 2010
    7,062
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    I was thinking about this "if I had 6 months" statements...

    If I had to fight to the death in 6 months my biggest priority would be strength and conditioning. The first rule of zombieland is cardio for a reason.


    Its super important but the least fun for me. So I just go to class and do the martial arts. Its an area I'm seriously deficient.
    Same thought here. It was reported some "residents" tried to start stuff with Aaron Hernandez when he was in prison. They probably knew some nasty tricks, but got messed up. It takes a heck, and I mean a heck, of a lot of work and repetitions to overcome the simple fact someone is stronger than you and is trained not to tire out.
     

    MCgrease08

    Grandmaster
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    37   0   0
    Mar 14, 2013
    14,374
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    Earth
    Leave your ego at the door, go in ready to learn, and try to relax and have fun.
    That's the plan. I don't have much of an ego in this category. In high school I had several buddies who were wrestlers, so rough housing with them usually ended with me on my back. I know going in how limited my skill set is with grappling.

    I did practice Tae Kwon Do for a few years in college, so my striking skills are a little more solid, but that was 20 years ago.
     

    MCgrease08

    Grandmaster
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    37   0   0
    Mar 14, 2013
    14,374
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    Earth
    We'll, I survived my first BJJ class. I was a little nervous going in, but had a good time.

    I really had no idea what to expect as far as structure and instruction. Basically the instructor demonstrated a couple of moves he wanted us to work on and we paired off to work on them. Fortunately a young guy saw my deer in headlights look and volunteered to pair up with me. We worked on breaking the guard and then added a few moves from there.

    I essentially told him I would pick up more if he just used me as the test dummy and he practiced on me so I could get a feel for what he was doing. During my turns I just worked on the first couple of motions to get my elbows in his legs, open my hips and try to break his guard. I did start to understand the sequence towards the end.

    Overall I enjoyed myself and very likely will try out a six month membership. It was a big class and it seemed like everyone was pretty welcoming and focused on helping each other out.
     

    Gabriel

    Grandmaster
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    9   0   0
    Jun 3, 2010
    6,713
    113
    The shore of wonderful Lake Michigan
    People have always been very helpful at the BJJ place I go to (and I suspect it's similar pretty much everywhere). The structure of our classes is we roll for the first hour and then get instruction for the second hour.

    Keep going and you will learn a lot... and it's a very useful skill to have.
     

    Jackson

    Master
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    0   0   0
    Mar 31, 2008
    3,337
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    West side of Indy
    People have always been very helpful at the BJJ place I go to (and I suspect it's similar pretty much everywhere). The structure of our classes is we roll for the first hour and then get instruction for the second hour.

    Keep going and you will learn a lot... and it's a very useful skill to have.
    This is opposite of most places I've been. Is there a reason for the order?
     

    Jackson

    Master
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    Mar 31, 2008
    3,337
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    West side of Indy
    We'll, I survived my first BJJ class. I was a little nervous going in, but had a good time.

    I really had no idea what to expect as far as structure and instruction. Basically the instructor demonstrated a couple of moves he wanted us to work on and we paired off to work on them. Fortunately a young guy saw my deer in headlights look and volunteered to pair up with me. We worked on breaking the guard and then added a few moves from there.

    I essentially told him I would pick up more if he just used me as the test dummy and he practiced on me so I could get a feel for what he was doing. During my turns I just worked on the first couple of motions to get my elbows in his legs, open my hips and try to break his guard. I did start to understand the sequence towards the end.

    Overall I enjoyed myself and very likely will try out a six month membership. It was a big class and it seemed like everyone was pretty welcoming and focused on helping each other out.

    One potential downside to Jiu Jitsu is that there is no set curriculum. Even many schools have no internal curriculum. Some schools just teach whatever the instructor feels like that day. Others will stay on a topic or position for a set period of time. A few will have a set curriculum that you follow.

    Knowledge can come in a hodge podge way.
     

    Gabriel

    Grandmaster
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    9   0   0
    Jun 3, 2010
    6,713
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    The shore of wonderful Lake Michigan
    This is opposite of most places I've been. Is there a reason for the order?

    It does seem backwards, but I've found that the owner can tailor the class portion to what he's seeing that needs to be worked on in the first hour. He has a fairly set curriculum, but occasionally will break from it when he sees problems that a bunch of us are having specifically.

     

    BugI02

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Jul 4, 2013
    31,896
    149
    Columbus, OH
    I asked this in the cane thread. Im really interested. What resources do you suggest for learning cane skills?
    There is a parallel school sometimes taught in Escrima/Kali schools called Goju-Shoerei that focuses on street legal 'weapons' and specifically teaches cane techniques

    It is a high level art and more likely to be found in larger cities but you never know - and escrima itself is a very deadly art and some training in that would not be wasted even if you only intend to use the cane

    The cane itself falls between a Shinai and an Baston as far as weight and reach, and the cane would be unbalanced unless somewhat counterweighted at the non-crook end. I
    [don't] know much about the art, might be tempted to fashion a cane that was 90% escrima stick with a crook end I could detach and discard

    Edit: Somehow left out a very important word
     
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    John Murphy

    Plinker
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    Mar 30, 2018
    29
    3
    Lakeridge
    Becoming entangled was often a factor in citizens losing gun fights. Knowing enough grappling or striking to free yourself to access your weapon is a useful skill.

    I would say worrying about what's best is roughly as pointless as worrying about which of the common duty calibers to carry. Especially in places that don't have a lot of options. If all you have access to is BJJ and BJJ is an 80% solution, does it matter if there's an 85% solution 50 miles away? No.
    Craig Douglas' program has an emphasis on "In Fight Weapons Access" and the criteria for when to introduce a weapon into the tangle As they say, "Timing is everything."
     

    wtburnette

    WT(aF)
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    44   0   0
    Nov 11, 2013
    26,859
    113
    SW side of Indy
    So, out of curiosity, what's the difference between BJJ and small circle JJ? I only ask because my stepson has taken small circle for many years and it looks pretty awesome. I participated in one class with him and it was pretty mind blowing. I'm too lazy to look up the difference though... :):
     

    wtburnette

    WT(aF)
    Site Supporter
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    44   0   0
    Nov 11, 2013
    26,859
    113
    SW side of Indy
    We'll, I survived my first BJJ class. I was a little nervous going in, but had a good time.

    I really had no idea what to expect as far as structure and instruction. Basically the instructor demonstrated a couple of moves he wanted us to work on and we paired off to work on them. Fortunately a young guy saw my deer in headlights look and volunteered to pair up with me. We worked on breaking the guard and then added a few moves from there.

    I essentially told him I would pick up more if he just used me as the test dummy and he practiced on me so I could get a feel for what he was doing. During my turns I just worked on the first couple of motions to get my elbows in his legs, open my hips and try to break his guard. I did start to understand the sequence towards the end.

    Overall I enjoyed myself and very likely will try out a six month membership. It was a big class and it seemed like everyone was pretty welcoming and focused on helping each other out.

    I wanted to ask, what school is this? There's one not far from me, but I'm on the fence as to whether I want to try it out.
     
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