viralhed

okay im starting to have second thoughts on Muay Thai..im considering either MT/Kempo mixed with Ju-Jitsu, but Kempo seems like it would teach me more than just elbows, knees, kicks, and the basic punch..you know? a little advice on what would be right..im planning to learn more stance knowledge and alot of ground work..which is why im for sure going to take Ju Jitsu..thanks alot

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Boards don't hit back. - Bruce Lee

Remember...you are expressing the technique, not doing the technique. - Bruce Lee

Tom Yum

Can you afford to take both?

You've got a good plan!

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viralhed

i was thinking of taking one first..then when ive got about 6-12 months under me, i was going to take the other..but hell if i get a job again..you better believe im gonna take both..but its gonna be alot of training and alot of stress..job..school..martial arts..then home shit too=/ but im ready for anything that comes by me

__________________
Boards don't hit back. - Bruce Lee

Remember...you are expressing the technique, not doing the technique. - Bruce Lee

Tom Yum

Sounds good.

Hey stress is relative, right? I knew a guy who worked full-time, took full time classes and did soccer practice 2 x per week and competed.

Of course he was single and without children, but the point is you're probably capable of more than you know.

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viralhed

so which one in your opinion would be better for me? kempo or MT? lol

__________________
Boards don't hit back. - Bruce Lee

Remember...you are expressing the technique, not doing the technique. - Bruce Lee

Tom Yum

Muay thai is pretty simple and straight forward; use one of the eight natural weapons on your body to break your opponent. You don't waste alot of motion, but its probably one of the more physically demanding arts since the focus is on sparring and conditioning.

Kempo, from what I understand, is more about developing fighting skills in several ranges. It orginated from Chinese styles, so there's a greater focus on using your hands - striking and locking up your opponent. What's unique about it - some kempo masters can develop awesome striking power, in very short distances and its circular too, making it harder to determine where the strike is coming from until it hits.

I don't know which one is the best for you. Try out a few classes of both and you tell us.

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viralhed

ill have to look up some stuff on both, thanks Tom Yum, you are a smart martial artist

__________________
Boards don't hit back. - Bruce Lee

Remember...you are expressing the technique, not doing the technique. - Bruce Lee

Tom Yum

Your welcome, viralhed. You're better off actually going to a class, talking to an instructor and seeing for yourself.

Good luck.

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Tom Yum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIPWWqvpKb4

Here's a really popular fight featuring 3rd-dan Kenpo BB Keith Hackney against a 500+ lb Sumo wrestler.

Hackney downs the giant with his first palm heel to his chin. He gets thrown through the fence, comes back in, keeps the big guy at distance with low side kicks and downs him again.

Once the big guys on the ground, he pounds away with hammer fists and ridge hands.

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Tom Yum

There's tons of footage on muaythai fighters on youtube.

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viralhed

ive seen that video..it was quite impressive i might add, im going to TRY to go down to the dojo where i want to learn all this at this weekend..if not i will probably just end up calling

__________________
Boards don't hit back. - Bruce Lee

Remember...you are expressing the technique, not doing the technique. - Bruce Lee

Thai Bri

If you want to be able to fight, learn Muay Thai.

If you want to ponce about making cool shapes with your hands, learn Kenpo.

Tom Yum

Along these lines, you will learn how to fight in a shorter time period in muaythai compared to kenpo. You'll come face to face with that little fear in your gut every time you spar, until it just becomes a minor thing.

On the flipside, I've seen and sparred with kenpo instructors who were really good infighters and could hit you in ways you couldn't see coming.

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bigboywasim

Kenpo is a descent fighting art. It is really good inside which I love. I have taken it and MT. If you want to learn how to fight learn MT if not Kenpo is good enough.

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Britt

I think anyone of any martial arts background can benefit from at least cross-training Muay Thai. The emphasis on conditioning and the power of the techniques is phenomenal. I feel like just the short amount of time I spent in Muay Thai improved my kicking many times over, and the guys who actually train full time and compete...sheesh, fughhedaboutit. I'd rather be hit with a baseball bat than kicked by a Thaiboxer.

I have great respect for Kempo as well, too. There's a perception that it's just a bunch of flashy high-speed no-contact hand strikes for show, i.e. "POWPOWPOWPOWPOWPOW! I just hit you 1000 times!" but if you've ever trained with a Kempo stylist who knows what they're doing, really knows what they're doing, those strikes have some real power behind them. My kickboxing trainer never thought much about Kempo until he attended a seminar and got a demonstration from a high ranking Kempo guy. The problem is that the learning curve is really high; you'll learn more that you can use more quickly in Muay Thai, and Kempo takes years to pay off. Still, if you like both and can train both, I would.