Stand up Vs. Ground work

[danfaggella]

Your a serious practicioner, with all that traveling, i wish i was you.

[veilmk5]

Hey aseepish u located in BC? Where do you take BJJ and you know any good schools for MT or FMA in the vancouver area?

[LoneHusky]

Originally Posted by aseepish

By full time I mean right now I'm only training BJJ, not anything else, not that I'm training BJJ 12 hours a day everyday! LOL

I've been an assistant instructor, but right now I don't have any plans to persue MA as a career. I'm still a mediochre practitioner.

God I wish I could.

[aseepish]

I'm taking BJJ at Cocoon Athletics/Gracie Barra Vancouver http://cocoonathletics.com

For FMA Guro Loki Jorgenson is the man http://www.maelstromcore.com/ I trained with Guro Louie Lindo a long time ago - he teaches there once in a while and he's fantastic - FMA and Pencak Silat Mande Muda.

For MT, I'm not so sure. I know they teach it here http://www.universalmma.com/pages/home.html along with BJJ, but I've never trained there. Other people on this board recommend it though. Their BJJ instructor is Marcus Soares, the highest ranked BJJ black belt in Canada (6th degree).

If Richmond is convenient for you, check out Trevor Clarkson's school http://creativefightersguild.com . He teaches Inosanto blend FMA via PFS JKD, and BJJ as well. They have a branch in Coquitlam


Danfagella, the travelling (with the exception of Thailand) was all work-related. I managed to do MA on the side, but work was my first priority in Japan and in Singapore.

[Cyclops]

Originally Posted by seanyseanybean

I really dont like all this "you need firearm training" as thats dumb, imagine what itd be like if everyone walked around with guns and knives just incase they get mugged.

I would imagine there would be a lot less muggings

[gregimotis]

There was a short article in my paper today:

Seems a man jumped a 17y/o girl across town. Got on top of her 'groped' her (whatever that means), then ran like a greyhound when she pulled a knife and tried to stick him.





It's anecdotal, but it's still ONE rape that did not happen TODAY because somebody did not listen when told that carrying a weapon will only get you in more trouble.

[jubaji]

Originally Posted by danfaggella

Your a serious practicioner, with all that traveling, i wish i was you.

Someone your age shouldn't wish he were someone else. You should be busy becoming whoever you want to make yourself.

[Shoot]

"Self defense" takes on many scenarios. It could be a spring attack by a grab, a mugging, a bar fight etc... It could involve striking weapons, cutting/stabbing weapons, flexible weapons, or projectile weapons. It could involve multiple opponents. All this should convince you to study all ranges. There are some good self defense styles out there that aren't as concerned with "winning" a fight as much as they are in getting you away from trouble. You have to study groundfighting. At the bare minimum you have to learn how to get off the ground not necessarily how to finish on the ground.

Now, with that said, let me say this. I take your question to be more of what's better for self defense: striking or grappling. "Grappling" involves stand up work. Throwing someone to the ground is "grappling." Defending a choke, taking a knife away from someone, taking a stick from someone, defending a takedown, getting out of a headlock, bear hug, clinch are all "grappling." These are all things that are very common in assaults/fights.

Striking can be used in all the above scenarios too. If someone raises a stick to you, you can kick him in the nads for example. So, both styles offer solutions, just different approaches. Obviously a combination is best.

You have to consider what you're built for and what comes naturally. I would say that striking is generally more easily learned. However, that is also a bad thing because that means that most people who will confront you will have some working knowledge and experience with striking. The boxing range is pretty well known to most people. One "lucky" punch and you're out cold even if you were winning the fight up until then. That's the danger of exchanging blows.

The beauty of grappling is that once you gain an advantages position the fight is 90% won. Most people are not as familiar with grappling and will be lost on the ground. The drawback often quoted is, what about weapons and multiple opponents. This is not good reason to not learn some ground work. I don't understand why people who rely on striking think they are going to be able to knock out multiple assailants like some video game or movie. They're not. IMO you're just as likely to win by throwing a man to the ground and then fighting the other man than you are trying to dance around and strike. The fact is that running and moving is probably the best defense to multiple assailants.

But, ask yourself this if you're attracted to grappling. Can you tackle a 200 lbs man and keep him down? Can you take two punches to the face and keep charging to get your man down to the ground? Can you get your hips under a 200lbs man, lift him, and put him down? That's wrestling in a fight. The guard game is the grappling solution for smaller, weaker people. That's not the kind of grappling you should rely on in street confrontations. You're not going to want to pull some maniac into your guard and work for an arm bar. Grappling for self defense means wrestling. It means dominating your oponent and overpowering him. If that's not you, then striking may be a better choice.

[jubaji]

Originally Posted by Shoot

Grappling for self defense means wrestling.

Could you repeat that in bigger letters? Maybe in red?

[Tom Yum]

Originally Posted by jubaji

Someone your age shouldn't wish he were someone else. You should be busy becoming whoever you want to make yourself.

Good advice.

[treehugger]

some people here could benefit from reading this article. It speaks the truth, and is written by a guy who knows what he is talking about, unlike some of the grunts on this forum:

http://www.bjj.com.au/john_article_web_2.html

[Tom Yum]

Originally Posted by treehugger

some people here could benefit from reading this article. It speaks the truth, and is written by a guy who knows what he is talking about, unlike some of the grunts on this forum:

http://www.bjj.com.au/john_article_web_2.html

How is this different from what most of have been saying?

[treehugger]

That is why I said 'some people'.

[Forbidden Fury]

That's exactly the type of question I'm looking into, so I'm glad you asked. I'd LOVE to do both, and someday I hope to. But right now I can't afford to do 2 MAs and I think it would somehow take away from both if I wasn't able to devote my time and attention to learning.

I think its important to learn things like pressure points and joint locks. I mean if you don't have the strength to be able to punch a guy in the jaw and have it actually DO anything, its rather pointless. Though I think many striking arts show you the best places to hit. But most fights do often end up on the ground, and you need to learn how to gain control of the situation, even if its so you can get up and run like hell. I think learning both is a great idea. But as I said, not always possible. Most people seem to think striking arts are the way to go in that case. Some arts have a little of both, and thats cool too. But some arts aren't really effective self defense.

Myself, I live in NY. Not too bad, but enough to be concerned. I'm also female, which I think raises the concern up a little, not to mention other things someone might come after me for. Bar fights aren't really something I have to worry about. But being jumped by a couple of scumy assholes is, as there have been a few attacks like that in my area.

[aseepish]

Originally Posted by Forbidden Fury

I think its important to learn things like pressure points and joint locks. I mean if you don't have the strength to be able to punch a guy in the jaw and have it actually DO anything, its rather pointless.

Pressure points and small joint locks (wrist and finger) are techniques that require fine motor skills. These are extremely difficult to pull off under stress. They are also very difficult to train realistically without risk of injury.

For striking I would recommend learning how to use headbutts, elbows, and knees. These are high-percentage strikes that require no fine motor skills, and are useful for a smaller person. Muay Thai would be my recommendation for striking. Some form of Pencak Silat would be my second choice.

Some form of Filipino art (FMA: Kali, Eskrima, Arnis) for weapons - even if you don't plan on carrying. The empty hand aspect of these arts are also extremely useful.

Oh yes. BJJ is good too.