Is Home-training with a book enough for self-defense against an untrained opponent?

[grubbogoppoly]

"So why cant you learn a martial art fully from a book - because there are outside forces that you brain cant simulate; like gravity or more obviously the way another person will react."

Because if you are not a good grappler already then you don't know how another person will react.

[adacas]

mmmmmm humble pie

[Thai Bri]

Kosh has a point with visualisation, though I don't think it is as good as real practice. But it is still a good way to support real training.

[osopardo]

"...I kept losing all the time (something I wasn't used to in TKD). I kept it up for 4 months and was only able to win against a new student."

I go to class specifically to lose. I want to be matched against superior oppnents every time (doesn't always happen). How else are you going to improve? Would you rather win in class and lose at a tourney or out in the street?

Then one day, when you least expect it, you do something you didn't believe you could do. You score. You win.

I still remember the first time I scored against one particular student who was my private standard of excellence (6'-4" tall, strong, fast, young, flexible, very very knowledgeable, etc.).

He smiled at me with a surprised look in his eyes, nodded and said, "You got it!"

Get back in class, you wuss!

[Benjamin Dover]

Read all the way up to black belt moves in your book. When you go back to your BJJ school tell them that you want to test for your black belt. I am sure that some home study will get you up to par, LOL!!!

[kengar]

Looking at the title of the thread, your comments and those of others, what are you actually trying to train for?
Are you wanting to learn BJJ? Self Defense? TKD?

[Sean Dempsey]

After reading the posts, I want to change mine.


This isn't about BJJ being hard at all, its about your ego 100%.

Lose the ego, it does nothing but hurt you.

Remember: Fear is your only god.

[HomeTrainer]

Thank you for your honest comments.

I am heading back November 3, Monday.

[osopardo]

Re: Is Home-training with a book enough for self-defense against an untrained opponent?

Originally posted by HomeTrainer
I have an excellent book about BJJ ...
I'm wondering if going through the book and visualizing as best as I can the move, and really applying myself, if I can achieve at least the most minor degree of proficiency.

The question just reminded me of an advertisement I saw in Black Belt magazine for a 200 lbs. grappling dummy. I just imagine how ridiculous one would feel when somebody walks in and catches you rolling on the floor with your dummy.

I don't know... mebbe I'm wrong. I think punching a bag is ok, but wrestling with a bag sounds lame.

[falcon3624]

I don't care what anyone says. You can read books about TKD and maybe get the picture on how to stretch and be able to do the high kicks and how to punch and everything and maybe fight once or twice and get the picture pretty good.

Arts like BJJ and Judo are completely different. You can watch all the videos and read all the books you want but until you get in a class and actually roll with people (good people) on a regular basis you will never be anything more than okay.

[Kosh]

Theoretically there is no reason why you couldnt learn from a book (other than not having a partner)...if the book went into such detail that it answer every possible question that a student could ask. Oh yeah and had remarkably good pictures.

You could argue and i agree that you need a teacher to give you tips and insight ( i cant imagine how long it would take me to perfect some if not most moves without my Master picking up on some small detail thats not quite right and putting it right, followed by everyone going 'aaaaaaaaaah thats much easier').

Well i appear to have lost my own arguement.

[Sean Dempsey]

Theoretically there is no reason why you couldnt learn from a book

I don't buy that. Fist of all, that's a weak hypothesis, not a theory.

Second, a book only has *1* instance of instruction. Whatever that page says, that's all it will ever say. If the same guy wrote the same book 3 times, each book would be different. That is why classes are essential. How many different ways and styles has my teacher shown us how to oopa or elbow escape? The different ways he explains it, different analogies, different ways of having stuff click.

In a book, there is just the *1* way, whatever is printed on the page. There's been alot of drills that I didn't understand, and it wasn't until I did it 20 times really crappy that the instructor came over, moved my food, told me how to sit, look at the ceiling, arch your back, then .... you get the point.

Learning BJJ from a book and expecting to know what you're doing on the mats is like jerking your girth to a Playboy and expecting to be a phenomenal lover with a real women.

Speaking of which... I know I put that November issue somewhere...

[HomeTrainer]

I just restarted my BJJ. I went to class yesterday (thursday). I really enjoyed getting back, and when we rolled I didn't do too badly. I went 0-5 but I really liked getting back into it again. I almost won once, and this is because I practiced a few moves beforehand which I learned previously.

I'm going to stay with it this time, and go to class and work on the book at home. Why not?

How long do I need to train to lose my Wuss-status?

[BadgerFu57]

Instead of leraning 110 techniques.... get with your BJJ instructor, find a few you like, and stick to perfecting them. You have to develop your own style of BJJ. Some are aggressive and go for the kill quickly, others are strategic and use time to their side.

Learn a few submissions, sweeps, and passes, and practice them over and over and over and over until it is second nature. When you are at home you can do shrimps, and Upa's.

Some classes are more traditional BJJ with the gi, those are better to learn in. I think it's harder to learn BJJ in a class without a gi, and when it's full of wrestlers. That is the case in some schools. Some wrestlers with some submissions, we'll call it BJJ.

Balance and unbalancing are important. I work very well at this because I have good balance and quickness.

You did TKD. You are probably flexible. That is going to be a great advantage to you.

If you want, keep striking to. A good balance is always nice, especially if you train for self-defense (i train for sport).

[Sean Dempsey]

How long do I need to train to lose my Wuss-status?

The only way to do that is to stay in the class long enough so that alot of new guys come in after you.

Remember, everyone advances, the guys who are all better than you will stay better than you more than likely, and you won't notice your progress until you roll with someone new that has less experience.