Martial arts- styles, emphasis, getting started

[1Admin]

One thing that has really helped me with developing the discipline of regular training is being involved with a martial art on a 3X a week basis. Not that I wasn't training before, but fighting with others 10-15 times a week tends to make you focus on skills your lacking in, areas of physical fitness that need to be addressed, etc.

It can all be pretty confusing- types of martial arts, what they focus on, how to get started, etc.

Thought it would be good to start a thread for those thinking about getting into a regular program of combatives with some helpful info and tips.

So style(s) have you trained in, what was it's main emphasis (i.e, Brazilian Ju Jitsu's emphasis is ground fighting), and any tips you have on getting started.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

My training is sometimes short termed due to deployments in the Military. Sometimes we had a Black or Brown Belt who would teach us during these times either on deployments or inbetween. Some of my stuff was in a more formal setting. Get what you can when you can!

Gojo-Ryu-several years- blocking and defense in standing positions
Taekwondo-6mths- punching and aggresive blocks in standing positions
Aikido-6 mths- utilizing others energy against them
Wrestling-2yrs-feeling your opponents motion and acting or reacting for dominate position
Boxing-few years off and on-punching and movement
Brazilian Ju Jitsu-few months-ground fighting, chokes and appendage imobilization
Judo-1 mth- feeling your oppenents body movements and using them against him with throws and flips
Several courses in Military Combatives-training has shifted to ground fighting almost as much as standing now in the last 20yrs.
Several courses from Law Enforcement and Correctional academies-these usually only teach control, takedowns and escapes.

Martial Arts is like anything else in life you get what you put in. Check your ego at the door, don't advertise to others and thanks those who show you your weakness (knock the poo outta you:). On getting started, I would go to the nearest Dojo and ask to see if you can just watch. If you do not feel comfortable with the way the instructor teachs or acts then move on, avoid egomaniacs. Don't limit yourself to any one style and think it is the best. A mixture will help you more in the long run. Some gyms offer multiple styles during the week.

[Hawkeye]

Be sure to check out any potential places, and what/how they teach, and what they are oriented for. Many places now days are more competition oriented. Most competition oriented training is NOT the same as self defense/street style training. There is a difference. As an example.... competition style "point" sparring, is very different than full contact sparring.

[Lowdown3]

Be sure to check out any potential places, and what/how they teach, and what they are oriented for. Many places now days are more competition oriented. Most competition oriented training is NOT the same as self defense/street style training. There is a difference. As an example.... competition style "point" sparring, is very different than full contact sparring.

This is true. But often times just the motivation that comes from getting ready for a tournament/fight is worth it more than the fight itself.

Still a knockout is a knockout, a broken arm or lack of blood to the brain ends the fight. We should focus on them more than points in training.

I would encourage everyone to know at least the basic escapes relating to ground fighting. At a minimum you should know-

*3 ways to escape the mount
*2 ways of guard escapes
*2 sweeps from the guard
*2 escapes from side mount

[Boyd]

I would love to get back into training. In high school I wrestled for 4 years both Greco-American and Freestyle, and dabbled in Judo for a couple of years. God am I really getting that old? My first goal is to be able to run 2 miles without throwing up. When I get that down I am going to find someplace or a group to workout with. Our main group is usually quite a bit older than me. I'm in my mid 30's and most of them are mid 50's and wouldn't want to spar with. I'm not worried about hurting them per se, but rather them putting a bad hurt on me ;)

[Lowdown3]

I would love to get back into training. In high school I wrestled for 4 years both Greco-American and Freestyle, and dabbled in Judo for a couple of years. God am I really getting that old? My first goal is to be able to run 2 miles without throwing up. When I get that down I am going to find someplace or a group to workout with. Our main group is usually quite a bit older than me. I'm in my mid 30's and most of them are mid 50's and wouldn't want to spar with. I'm not worried about hurting them per se, but rather them putting a bad hurt on me ;)

We have a Judo guy at our gym. Some of the stuff he's shown us is awesome.

I don't know about other styles but one thing that I see as lacking is REAL WORLD defenses against knife. The Gracie stuff sucks- dependent on an all out shank and pin you to the wall type knife attack.

[610Alpha]

Has anyone checked out "System of a Strategy" by James Williams or any of his training? He has a couple of classes: "Home Defense & Tactics Course" and "Executive/Personal Defense Seminar". Don't know if they are worth the money or not. I saw a couple of videos for California news channels showing people how to approach their vehicles in poor lighting, how to use the tip of your thumb (make a fist with the tip of your thumb parallel to the floor and jab with it, jab yourself with your thumb to see how it feels, in this position your thumb has a lot more rigidity to it and it was surprising how it felt when I jabbed myself). Seemed like he knew what he was talking about i.e. situational awareness stuff like that. Simple tips/techniques.

Defending against Knife attacks should be learned, I had a friend that got into a knife fight and he said it is NOT at all like what you see on T.V. :)

I probably lean more towards Aikido and Judo. Have not taken either one but want to. Fiddled a little bit with Tae-Kwon-Do.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

One thing I am hearing constantly from everyone is the being disappointed at the lack of defense against edged weapons with martial arts. This is an unreasonable expectation that you have, thinking you are going to win unscathed. If you get into a fist fight you WILL get hit. If you get into a knife fight you WILL get cut or stabbed. If you get into a gunfight you WILL get shot. It doesn't matter if you have a gun or knife either if you are being attacked they already are moving before you will see it. If you don't believe it you are already defeating yourself with bravado and lies. NO ONE is that good. I have been privledged to have worked with some of the best in the world from all over the world in Military and Law Enforcement and NO ONE is that good. I have made it out a few times when being attacked and knew that it was more luck and just plain movement in fear that got me outta that than skill.
The reason they/you picked up a weapon was to get the advantage. If you are in a fair fight that you know about in advance your tactics suck. I have been cut and shot at. It will happen quick and you will have to work very very fast thru the loop or you will not survive not matter what you train in. Find something in martial arts that does not have complicated moves for this because it happens way to fast to do anything more complicated than jerk reflex reactions. After the intial attack will be when you will use your martial arts to dismantle the aggressor but at that point have it in your head you may be losing blood/air so you don't have 3 - 5 minute rounds like the ring trained guys.
PLEASE Try this after you get done reading, find a matress, punching bag or anything you can punch as fast a pace as you can for 1 minute. Just 1 minute and tell me later how long you are truely going to last with fancy taekwondo roundhouse kicks and ufc spinning backfist after getting stuck.
PLEASE 1 minute then holler back

[610Alpha]

PLEASE Try this after you get done reading, find a matress, punching bag or anything you can punch as fast a pace as you can for 1 minute. Just 1 minute and tell me later how long you are truely going to last with fancy taekwondo roundhouse kicks and ufc spinning backfist after getting stuck.
PLEASE 1 minute then holler back

I have done this type of speed drill and man it kicks your butt. What you mean to say that I won't be able to do my crouching tiger hidden dragon helicopter kick? You mean they won't hold still for me to do my Krane kick...:) Man that is my best move.

I had a guy in my reserve unit (He had served in Big Red 1) that had been in a knife fight once and he said "not at all like what you see on T.V."

[Bearman202]

I've read about a lot of situations wherein someone was confronted by either a maniac with or without a weapon, and they one constant is that nearly EVERYONE is paralyzed. It's like their mind can't cope with the concept that another human actually wants to harm them. Guys with multiple black belts got their azzes handed to them because they couldn't MOVE. Once they got past the freeze-up, they were able to take care of business, but usually it's a matter of surviving those first critical moments. Remember that the bad guy is intent on taking you out quickly so you don't have time to react. After that, just about anything you DO will help. I haven't been in that situation because if it looks iffy at all, I take the "go ahead, do something stupid" attitude and everyone so far has backed off. That, and I consciously avoid putting myself into a situation where that can happen. i.e. I don't walk around bad areas after dark, don't flash a lot of cash (don't have it to flash) or otherwise advertise myself as a potential victim. It's worked so far, and with any luck....

[Hawkeye]

Matt, elittle, Bearman.... all I can say is, see my post above.

There are many schools out there, that folks can go to and simply "buy" their belt. Lots of McDojo's. At my school, we earn our belts. A number of our folks have had their training validated, on the street, and the results were not like what you are describing. One, who is a friend of mine, was attacked by three gentlemen with knives. He has the scars to prove it. His three attacker have more than scars.

[Lowdown3]

I'd be weary of any school that gives belts out too easily.

We got the paper of a little town north of us a while back. They had a new MA place open in July. Some of the kids were in the paper having ALREADY received a promotion (this was in August). They don't train every day. My son worked his arse off for a year (as did one other) to get a promotion, it wasn't handed to him as a "good job sticker". But then again our association is known for being slow to promote. The nice thing about that is when you visit other schools you end up beating guys in the next up level fairly easily ;)

Like Hawkeye said, be wary of any place that gives belts too quickly. It's worth it when you do receive it.

[610Alpha]

Hawkeye - Kind of goes without saying in my mind, but some people need to be told I guess. I doubt that anyone wants to pay good money for training that doesn't hold up or just gets them a belt. Nothing worse than a BB that gets their butt whooped by a white belt :) Personally I could care less about the color of belt, I am more focused on having the confidence in my abilities to handle myself in hand to hand situations. In fact a Dojo that didn't have belts would be more appealing to me than one that has a the whole color spectrum of belts.

I want to feel confident in my ability to handle myself, that can only come by practice and full contact. I remember in high school when I played football, at first I didn't feel confident in my sturdiness until I had been hit several dozen times and I don't mean just running thru the gauntlet where the coaches are using the pads. I am talking about jumping up and catching a ball in mid air and having the middle line backer slam you down to the ground like a rag doll to where it knocks the wind out your grand kids. Same goes for martial arts/boxing/whatever. Trial by fire is what I call it. A belt make you not a Jedi....sorry couldn't resist the Yodaism.

[Bearman202]

It's interesting. I had a year of Shorin Ryu in Okinawa and then another year of Tae Kwon Do in San Antonio from a Korean instructor who had won the all-Korea military martial arts tourney two years in a row, and never really put it together until I met with a black belt one-on-one for almost two years. We just met a lunch and sparred for an hour. By the end of my time with him, I could hold my own. More importantly, I "knew" how to fight effectively. The formal training in the commercial dojo's taught me the moves, but it wasn't until I actually got in there and sparred that I learned how to use them effectively. For the record, I used to HATE to spar with white belts. You could count on them pulling something off the wall and throwing it at you. No technique, lousy style, and half the time they would end up on their backs after doing whatever, but it would get through. That was in the dojo. After working with the black belt for a while, not so much. <G>

[SamT]

"Whats's the difference between boxing and fighting," the kid asked?

"Rules," Jesse Stone replied.

"Attitude," SamT said.

If you fight with the attitude that you are, or even, you must, win, then you will lose. If your attitude is that you will, literally, destroy your oponent, you have a good chance of winning.