choosing a type of self defence..

[bodhisattva]

Aikido

hello everyone,

i'm new, so please go easy on me especially if i make a mistake which i most likely will. Firstly, i'd like to apoligize if i'm creating this thread in the wrong area but anyway.

I'm 13 and would like to start some sort of self defence. I'm prepared for any intense training. But what i am having troulbe is choosing the type of defence i want to learn.

I'm leaining towards Aikido as i don't like to be the main attacker, and dont want to producee the force but use it instead. But i hear that Aikido is only for self defence, but i also would like some sort of attacking skills. I dont just want simple punches, i want like really defined skills, that can kill, if you know what i mean.

I don't have a big knowledge about differnt types of self defencee etc. so i hwas hoping someone may help me choose which type i preceed with.

thanks a lot guys

Other forms of martial art (in my opinion - much better than Aikido) that use your attacker's strength and movement against him:

Judo
Wrestling (high school / college / folk / greco / freestyle)
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu


And while Boxing doesn't teach you to use your attacker's WEIGHT against him, it will teach you to use his mistakes to your greatest advantage, and to maximize your ability to punch and defend punches.


I highly recommend any of those systems above Aikido

[DSA]

Try finding an art that applys the three elements of combat. STAND UP, TAKE DOWN, and GROUND. MMA uses all three elements of combat that can be applyed to the street.

[Marksmarkou]

Its probably a good idea to first check out what is around in your area. If there are only a couple of places to train then you probably wont have much of a choice. If you are lucky enough to have many places avaliable, go to each of them, tell the trainer there what you hope to achieve by studying martial arts and hear what they have to say. Choose the school which gives you the answer you are looking for.

[Tant01]

I musta been drunk... telling my bear story...

Boy, I'll tell ya... I relate the dates of threads back to certain events with my late wife. I really needed a distraction.

...still like to wrestle.

[GQchris]

[QUOTE=Hermosa;130500][PHP] What's more is that wrestling will turn you into a beautiful well conditioned athlete with a great body!
QUOTE]

Wha... LOL... he's not trying to Win a Male lover, he wants to learn how to fight...

[jubaji]

.......................bump

[47MartialMan]

I say join ur high school wrestling team and learn how to wrestle for free,do it for all 4 years 

Stronghold..as you can see, everyone keeps approving of this idea. My apologies up front if you already have a good understanding of wrestling---I don't mean to assume that you are ignorant---Let me tell you however; wrestling is a very beautiful art. Its not all attack and its not all defense. It's technical and it's REAL!

I can't tell you how many of us adults look back on our lives now that we train BJJ or Submission and go "AHH CRAP! why didn't I wrestle in high-school"

The guys that did wrestle..always have a tremendous advantage. What's more is that wrestling will turn you into a beautiful well conditioned athlete with a great body!

If you need more proof..I myself, after years of paying top $ for BJJ instruction..befriended a wrestling coach who invited me to come and work out with the team one season. So there I was at 27 yrs old, going back to highschool and getting taken down by 13 & 14 yr olds!

Being a wrestler..especially starting at 13 is ABSOLUTELY one of the best things you could do for yourself! And it will set the stage for ANY art or type of training you may go on to in the future...Look at Randy Couture!

Please wrestle...do it for all of us who would like to be in your shoes

Nicely put. Being at your age, how many MA schools are nearby?

[Ryu (JKD?)]

Stronghold,

Wrestling is going to take a dedication, strong will, competitive edge, and one hell of a work ethic. When most young teens see it for what it really is it can become intimidating. I do think wrestling is invaluable. I wrestled for just a year or two in my high school, and was able to take down and ride quite a few BJJ players when I first started doing BJJ. Wrestling will give you a crucial ingredient to "self-defense," Aggressiveness.
That being said, wrestling is not everyone's cup of tea. I went on to eventually focus more on judo, BJJ, and later JKD. But I do agree with these guys when they say it will be a good skill for a young man to have.

Now, if it's not your tea, that's fine. There are others that people have mentioned.
The one thing that has not been mentioned is this.
What is your motivation for training? When you say "self-defense" what do you mean? Is self-defense fighting school bullies or dealing with assault situations, robberies, etc?
If it's a school bully thing, then I think wrestling and or judo is your best bet.
If you want something that places more striking into the art but keeps a good grappling base then look into JKD concepts or MMA.
If you're talking about self-defense on "the street." then a martial art so to speak is not really the way to go.
In the past I was looking for an "art" that was some kind of magic pill to defend against real life situations, and put myself in some dumb and dangerous situations to find out... Right now I've been involved in Security and Law Enforcement work, and I've realized how limited "martial arts" are in real self-defense situations. You of course can use punches, kicks, and takedowns in real life encounters, but you being 13 years old places you in a tremendous disadvantage against adult offenders who are biggger then you, meaner then you, etc. (most of us are at a disadvantage to them).
If these are the kinds of people you want "self-defense" for, then I'd advise you to talk to your local police department about civilian seminars, etc. for avoiding violence, escaping violence, and legal options a minor might use to actively defend himself.
That kind of self-defense I hope is not something you're worried about. If it's just defense from school mates, etc. learn judo.

Ryu

[Tom Yum]

One of the main reasons people don't train realistically..is that its too hard. They are lazy, they want to throw some nice kicks, swing the nunchaku a bit and call it a day. But if you are willing, You can laugh at those guys and walk tall all of your days.

Just to use wrestling as an example again. Imagine if you absolutley KNEW, that you could take any guy off of his feet and sit on his chest at any time?!
...How could you know this..because you would have done it 1000 times against guys trying to resist you on the mat. That kind of experience doesn't lie!

Hermosa has hit the nail on the head. Realistic training is tough - really tough. Training realistic also means training smart. For example, if you spar full contact every day with no protective gear, you might not have all of your mental capacity in a few years and might have injuries. If you go fast and light some days and hard on others, you will reap huge benefits.

Likewise, you need to train with people who are real and not on video and who will challenge you and push you now and then so that you can improve.

The confidence that you build from doing what you've allready done many times is priceless.

[gregimotis]

sadly they can't fight, But what's worse they know it. It would be one thing if they at least thought they could fight..and then had to one day and realized that their spinning backfist strike doesn't quite work like they thought..that at least would show some courage and spirit and could be excused. But no..most martial artists deep down, know they can't really fight

This is absolutely true. Take it from me, I have been the guy he's describing.

One of the main reasons people don't train realistically..is that its too hard.

This is one of the most insightful statements on this forum. Dang, this Hermosa character is almost as smart as me.

[Hermosa]

Most martial arts suck for self defense. If it doesn't involve actually sparring another guy who wants to beat you, then it probably isn't any good.

..Yes, this is something that very few martial artist get. Truly stronghold, 90% of most of the guys out there are just scared little boys trying to cover up their fear with the Label of "look out, I'm a Karate Man!'
But sadly they can't fight, But what's worse they know it. It would be one thing if they at least thought they could fight..and then had to one day and realized that their spinning backfist strike doesn't quite work like they thought..that at least would show some courage and spirit and could be excused. But no..most martial artists deep down, know they can't really fight. And they walk around with this feeling of self-contempt continually searching for the ultimate secret technique that will finaly set them free to wreak havoc on all the bullies that have made them feel small in the past.

..How does one avoid this. REALISTIC TRAINING. And let me tell you up front. One of the main reasons people don't train realistically..is that its too hard. They are lazy, they want to throw some nice kicks, swing the nunchaku a bit and call it a day. But if you are willing, You can laugh at those guys and walk tall all of your days.

Just to use wrestling as an example again. Imagine if you absolutley KNEW, that you could take any guy off of his feet and sit on his chest at any time?!
...How could you know this..because you would have done it 1000 times against guys trying to resist you on the mat. That kind of experience doesn't lie!

So if you want to be real..train real. Wrestling will do it, if you really aren't into that, and want the punches and kicks, I'd say Thaiboxing...If you want some really hardcore complete program..then do it all, Thaiboxing, Wrestling, and BJJ (if its around). The ONLY reason to do Aikido is if you have a spiritual personal code or ideal that you are trying to realize..and if so..that is GREAT! But make sure you know the difference

If your goal is self defense, you need to find a sport or a hard core combatives-type gym. Not an art.

...While I totally get what is trying to be said here..I want to point out that I find wrestling TO be an art. A quite beautiful one at that!

[Tant01]

hello everyone,

i'm new, so please go easy on me especially if i make a mistake which i most likely will. .....
...I'm leaining towards Aikido ....
But i hear that Aikido is only for self defence, but i also would like some sort of attacking skills. I dont just want simple punches, i want like really defined skills, that can kill, if you know what i mean.

I don't have a big knowledge about differnt types of self defencee etc. so i hwas hoping someone may help me choose which type i preceed with.

thanks a lot guys

Yes, you have made a BIG mistake by choosing NOT to WRESTLE!

Last chance, Judo! Fun and can be applied for SD.

Learn to do one "thing" well, then learn to do another "thing". A punch to the face before your double leg takedown will come naturally later when your little arms can actually reach their face and inflict some damage. Go play...

[gregimotis]

What other stuff have you got around where you live? A mixed martial arts type school would be best. Typically these places teach some kind of ground work (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu often) coupled with some standing like Muay Thai.

Also, there are some schools which teach Self-defense independant of style. Often these schools are called 'combatives' or 'reality based' or something like that. They will teach punching, kicking, biting, stabbing, 'picking up a rock and throwing it' etc.


The reason we like wrestling (besides that it's easy for you) and the reason I'm suggesting sports like boxing or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is important, read this three times: Most martial arts suck for self defense. If it doesn't involve actually sparring another guy who wants to beat you, then it probably isn't any good.

This is why aikido isn't any good - the students are all cooperating. They never go across the street to try their stuff out on the karate school. Same with the karate school - they know all about how to block and counter another karate guy, and they've got lots of ideas on how to deal with aikido practioners but they've never actually done it. Neither the aikido students or the karate students have ever actually fought somebody who stood to make money by beating the crap out of them.

Wrestlers compete with other high school wrestlers, boxers compete with other boxers. These are sports where people get their pride involved and really fight.

So, when it comes to self defense, a boxer or wrestler has experience with the stress of confrontation, plus they have techniques which they've tested against someone who really cared about causing those techniques to fail.

If your goal is self defense, you need to find a sport or a hard core combatives-type gym. Not an art.

[Ahoym8e]

I think we should have all recommended Tai chi or ninjitsu.

Then he would be doing wrestling now.

:sigh:

[jubaji]

ok, i've decided not to do wrestling.

You dope