The Official Suggestions Thread

[RuroniAbe]

Hey guys, I am a new member looking to get into Matrial Arts. I am making this thread for any becoming martial artists like myself to get suggestions about different styles and suggested styles from any members who may have some information. I want everyone to feel free to ask questions and give questions.

I suppose I will be the first one to ask. I am interested in being able to learn two or more styles but I would like 1 style to be for one vs. many and the 2nd to be one on one. One Vs. many is my main necessity and I hear Japanese is a great style. For me try to stay away from boxing because I'm not too interested in it. I was thinking about Tae Kwon Doe for one vs. many and Jujitsu or Ninjitsu one vs. one. Thank you for your time.

[m.artist]

for one vs many, i wouldn't do tkd. i wouldn't do tkd just because
as for 1 vs many,hmm..i would do either american kenpo, or jkd.
for one on one, hmm...brazilian jiujutsu, japanese jiujutsu, or again, jkd
that's just my oppinion though
unfortunately, many of the tkd dojangs in america are either mainly sport and competition oriented, or are just mcdojo's.
sorry. but tis the truth
anywho
kenpo, bjj,tjj,or jkd

[RuroniAbe]

Thanks for your input, I live in Oklahoma (please don't make fun ) so the selection of schools is limited. There is one place that does Karate and another that does Aikedo, Tae Kwon Do and Jujitsu so I don't know. I don't really know what Aikedo is if anyone has any info.

[RuroniAbe]

Oh and I have another question. I want to learn to be able to use a staff of a katana but I don't know how to go about learning about them. If anyone knows any styles feel free to explain.

[Toudiyama[NL]]

Originally Posted by RuroniAbe

Oh and I have another question. I want to learn to be able to use a staff of a katana but I don't know how to go about learning about them. If anyone knows any styles feel free to explain.

If selfdefence isn't the main reaason for starting a MA and you want to learn the staf and katana then I would try the Aikido class, Aikido includes the use of the Jo and the bokken ( wooden katana)

[darrianation]

Originally Posted by RuroniAbe

Hey guys, I am a new member looking to get into Matrial Arts. I am making this thread for any becoming martial artists like myself to get suggestions about different styles and suggested styles from any members who may have some information. I want everyone to feel free to ask questions and give questions.

I suppose I will be the first one to ask. I am interested in being able to learn two or more styles but I would like 1 style to be for one vs. many and the 2nd to be one on one. One Vs. many is my main necessity and I hear Japanese is a great style. For me try to stay away from boxing because I'm not too interested in it. I was thinking about Tae Kwon Doe for one vs. many and Jujitsu or Ninjitsu one vs. one. Thank you for your time.

Empty hand fighting against multiple is a F***ing joke. The majority of the time you will loose. Loosing often means the hospital or the morgue. Weapons are the way you deal with multiples, weapons that give you distance like guns, sticks, pool cues, knives, and etc. Remember the rules-Awareness, avoidance, de-escalation, and so on.

If weapons like knives and guns are not legal where you live then find some kind of weapon that you can use a house hold item, a screw driver, a bicycle lock, etc.

For the non-criminal assault category for striking Muay Thai beat the hell out of TKD or Japanese Ju-Jitsu, or karate. Remember for SD you need:

1) Psychological/physical development
2) Striking
3) Grappling
4) Weapons

A good MMA can get you started on most of it but they usually lack weapons. If you live in the USA try to find a reality based combatives.

If you are looking for a good system for self-defense then don't waste you money on traditional martial arts. Believe it or not a good boxing gym and some wrestling will do you better than most TMAs.

[darrianation]

Guys I don’t know what images are conjured up in your head when you hear the term self-defense, but what comes to my mind is a guy who’s 6’4’’ 250lbs of solid muscle, a shaved head with tattoos everywhere who goes by the name of Bubba and was just released from prison after serving several years for armed robbery and murder. Who knows what kind of crimes or assaults he committed while in prison or what felony assaults he committed without ever being caught or prosecuted? And this guy is not only mean and menacing, but he is also armed (gun, or knife).

Not many will defeat this guy with hands and feet techniques alone even those with years of martial arts training unless you are just as big and menacing. This is what I train for and the reason I put so much emphasis on weapons, as well as avoidance, escape and evasion. The local yokel drunk doesn’t really concern me as to self-defense, usually he is easy to avoid, de-escalate, or kick his groin/knock him out with a right cross.

Criminal assault is the one you need to be both physically and mentally prepared for. This is the guy who invades your home with a 44mag, the guy who puts a knife to your throat in a parking lot, or thinks you wronged him in some way and now he is intent, capable and determined to kill you and rape your wife.

When I was teaching the self-defense class for the karate school, the head instructor got mad saying I was training the students to kill, he wanted me to stick to the shotokan curriculum which in my eyes will get the student’s killed. So I stopped teaching the class. I think they (the TMAs) don’t take SD seriously enough nor do they have a realistic approach. And in my observation and experience it isn’t just the shotokan guys it is almost all he TMAs that I have seen that has this problem.

I know I cannot defeat every Bubba out there but I want to learn the most efficient and effective way that gives me the best chance at doing so. That is why I come down on the TMAs so hard; they do not provide the best or most efficient training for their student’s to prepare them for Bubba even though many claim they do. This is false advertising and a big fat Lie.

What we know about real fights (Criminal assaults) Is this:

1) They are carried out on the assailant’s terms, the time and place of his/their choosing. And they will wait and hit when you are at a disadvantage.
2) Often using overwhelming force (size, intimidation, weapons, and multiple assailants).
3) Often, Sudden, dynamic, chaotic and brutal.
4) He/they are more then willing and prepared to escalate the violence to deadly force.
5) Generally the criminals have the upper hand of surprise, and mental/psychological determination.

We also know that fear and adrenaline can affect appropriate responses in the form of decision making/ judgment and the use of fine motor skill. Therefore we need repetitious practice of using decision making skills and appropriate physical Reponses under unpredictable, dynamic, and stressful conditions so the student can perform well under such circumstances. As well we need to keep our arsenals bare of any unneeded techniques/movements and our repertoire of techniques needs to be gross motor skilled? We need to be able to use them subconsciously under stressful and demanding circumstances.

Does this describe you martial art? Do you train this way? Are these your goals? Something to think about the next time your instructor says “If someone grabs you, you can’t just knock their block off, or stick your finger in their eye, because you will go to jail. Instead grab their wrist like this, step like that, and twist until he cries uncle”. Or any other compliant wrist/joint locking movement that is geared towards control without hurting someone (unless you are a professional like a cop that needs constraining or compliant techniques). Or any other fantastic complicated fine motor skilled technique. And disarms will most likely get you cut or killed so the teaching of such techniques must be taught as absolute last resort.

What’s wrong with just knocking the mother fucker out cold and going home? At this point awareness, avoidance, escape, and de-escalation has already failed, just kick his ass. Don’t be fancy, pretty, or flowery just grab, knee, elbow, and knock the stuffing right out of him, if he has friends, or weapons, employ your own weapons and cut the SOBs up as fast as you can swing/thrust that blade.

Quite trying to train for the local drunk yokels, quite trying to make self-defense something it’s not. Remember awareness, avoidance, escape, and de-escalation! For fighting remember simplify, be direct, and aggressive, gross motor skills, and the fact that weapons beats empty hands.

[RuroniAbe]

Hey thanks guys this has been a lot of help. Since I live in Oklahoma my chices are limited but there is a place that looks to be good. It has Jujitsu, TKD and Aikedo. I will probably do Jujitsu but I am definately doing Aikedo. Those are my really greatest options next to karate which I'm not to interested in but thanks anyways. Muay Thai sounds pretty cool but I am a pretty peacful person who is looking to be able to kick someone's ass but mainly stop them before they can fight, before I need to kick ass. The Aikedo is going to be simply for fun. Thank you all for welcoming me and giving me your great views. P.S. darriantation, great expression with the character "Buddha".

[darrianation]

Originally Posted by RuroniAbe

Hey thanks guys this has been a lot of help. Since I live in Oklahoma my chices are limited but there is a place that looks to be good. It has Jujitsu, TKD and Aikedo. I will probably do Jujitsu but I am definately doing Aikedo. Those are my really greatest options next to karate which I'm not to interested in but thanks anyways. Muay Thai sounds pretty cool but I am a pretty peacful person who is looking to be able to kick someone's ass but mainly stop them before they can fight, before I need to kick ass. The Aikedo is going to be simply for fun. Thank you all for welcoming me and giving me your great views. P.S. darriantation, great expression with the character "Buddha".

I couldn’t talk you out of a TMA huh? Well before you make your final decision take a look at all your options, check out all the different schools, talk to the instructors (interview them) as well as some student’s. Remember they will try to sell you so they will make themselves and their art sound good. Watch some classes to see witch style and more importantly witch instructor will make a good fit. The teacher is more important than the art.

I would look for a teacher who spends time teaching and paying individual time to students, and tailors individual workouts. A teacher who understands the weaknesses of the system and admits it but then gives you ways to strengthen those weaknesses. One who has real word experience not just a good lineage.

Real world experience would be a former special opts guy in the military, a policeman/other law enforcement (especially with specialized teams), Bodyguard, or experienced doorman, and etc.

Also good add-ons for your TMA- Get the shredder from shishindo (sp?), Geoff Thompson method series especially the fence.

[RuroniAbe]

The teacher is more important than the art.

That's a very good point. There is a guy who has been doing martial arts for a long time (I'm not sure which style though) but I've heard that he is rough and he uses wooden floors so when you fall it'lll hurt. So is being strict better for martial arts?

[darrianation]

Originally Posted by RuroniAbe

That's a very good point. There is a guy who has been doing martial arts for a long time (I'm not sure which style though) but I've heard that he is rough and he uses wooden floors so when you fall it'lll hurt. So is being strict better for martial arts?

Being strict in and of it self doesn’t make him good, or bad as a teacher. Strictness is good, but even bad teachers can be strict.
A good MA teacher first and foremost must be genuinely interested in his student’s, knowledgeable, skillful, and enthusiastic about his art. Remember it’s all about the students not the school or the teacher (all about and into himself).

Other important factors- Attitude! He must have a positive attitude. Does he enjoy teaching and is he patient with the students? Does he give individual attention to the students? Does he have personalized training plans? Does he understand correct training principles? Does he have good communication skills and quality standards?

I would go for smaller class sizes where the head instructor teaches even the beginners. If this guy uses wooden floors and has grappling in his style throws/takedowns I would sure hope he has mats. Most MAs Karate, kung fu, TKD, and etc use wooden floors but they also have mats handy to work on throws/grappling.

Also take into account the costs, do they require contracts, are they a large commercial system? I don’t like corporate dojos they are all about money; they are meet markets that don’t care for the students or their instructors. I’d rather work out of a garage. That’s where I teach, and I don’t charge either except my students have to buy their own gear.

You need to start with your goals. Do you want to compete in tournaments? Do you want hard intense workouts? Do you want stand up and grappling? Do you want self-defense? You can find systems that are better than others according to your different goals.

Personally I don’t like largely organized styles especially TMAs, but hay if that what ticks your clock okay then.

[Uncle Corny]

if you're not out to live what you learn, then i concur with the suggestions above, even though i haven't read them.

[darrianation]

Hey corny, I like your signature.

"Either you kill or capture, or you will be captured or killed. We've got to be tough to win, and we've got to be ruthless-tougher and more ruthless than our enemies."
-W.E.F.

[darrianation]

Originally Posted by HandtoHand

I understand what you're saying about a life and death sitituation and how you cant mess around when somebody constitutes a huge threat, and that you strike them untill they're out. But submissions are nice to know if the sitituation requires it. I'm talking about restraining somebody who isnt really too much of a threat to you in a relativly friendly enviroment.

Submissions in grappling are fine and handy such as chokes and joint locks. But if you are refering to standing control/complient holds, most civilians really don't need to know them however- if you want to know them hey that’s fine, knowing a few “might” come in handy. Just realize how hard they are to perform one on one against a larger stronger opponent. Even professionals fail a large percentage of the time under these circumstances. It is always good to have 2 or more on one the control techniques percentages go up.

So if he’s a small pipsqueak then by all means you will most likely be successful if you know what you are doing.