Anyone here into hand-to-hand training?

[Hawk]

I agree Judo would be a good foundation for self-defense because you can practice your technique full force against a resisting partner. The sweeps/throws and chokes/joint locks are a good arsenal and practical for the street. The only negatives are that you train in a Gi, you need to practice/modify your technique for someone wearing a t-shirt if you want to use it successfully for self defense. In addition, I would work on "mastering" maybe only 1 sweep, 1 throw, 1 joint lock, 1 choke for my self defense arsenal. Most great Judoka do just that.

Hawk,

[Mtbkski]

Got around 5 years of good hard training in. Tang So Doo and Kenpo. Also got Marine Corps Close Quarter Combat Training (martial arts helped out here big time) Still do some Self Defense thru work, but it is a joke in my book.

But I have signed both girls into Martial Arts and they are loving it. (ages 9 and 10). They like the fact that I can help them when they get home.

I have used various training that I have while bouncing in a bar. (Surprised the sh*t out of me too. It was the first time I really used it to hurt someone, and damn if it didn't work.) I have used it when I was a cop. I used it at work (State Prison) from time to time(Now those boys can be dirty fighters). So, I have found out what works and what don't. They all have limitations. Just like a handgun.

I prefer to baffle them with bullsh*t. If I have used my training. You have pushed things really far. But I will do what I have to if things get stupid.

[ALS]

Spent over 6 years studying Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do and Jujitsu. I liked the Jujitsu the best of the three arts. I would love to get back into the martial arts but I want something useful not traditional. I got really perturbed doing Kata and left each time because of that one issue. I went into the martial arts to learn to defend myself and fight not to learn KATA's.
I would love to find a school in western Pa that taught Krav Maga or a similar fighting art.

[Thekatar]

I am a fan of muay Thai. It is relatively easy to learn and highly effective. It does require that you condition your body, however.

[MarcS]

can be, i agree.

on the other hand, assuming a single opponent, if you aren't worried about fighting nice and you are the one who initiates going to the ground (or reacts better to going to the ground), the fact that there is no mat can be a good thing. throws are much more effective when the person you are throwing lands on asphalt instead of a mat, for example.

also, going to the ground is a good way to neutralize superior striking capabilities of your opponent. the old boxer vs. wrestler argument...standing up, the boxer wins, but they won't be standing up for very long...and, once on the ground, the wrestler wins.

but, yeah, nothing beats a good strike to the throat or a thumb to the eye. and, against multiple opponents, i would also agree you need to do everything you can to avoid going to the ground.

On the street the only thing that's safe to assume is that he has weapons and lots of friends with steel toe boots. Grappling for any length of time can get you killed. That's why my preferred standing grapple techniques come from judo. Gets you out of the grapple with poor results for the other guy. melded with my other skills, a couple elbows then a drop on the head....fight over.

Hawk, by far the most useful thing in judo is learning how to fall without wrecking yourself. Comes in handy way more often than you'll ever get into a fight. Even in lighter clothes, off balancing your opponent isn't too difficult. If you rip the shirt, oh well, he's off balance and going down. Just know the limits of the ways you can throw with a t-shirt. throwing with a collar grip won't work so well. Also note this is PA. I'm getting ready to go out and i'm wearing my leather jacket. How many other people will be wearing a jacket tonight?

On that note, it's also not something you learn fast. I'm just starting with judo and realize i have years to go before i start getting good at it. Krav maga and other combatives systems take 6 months and you've learned everything.

[Mtbkski]

[QUOTE=ALS;125934] I would love to get back into the martial arts but I want something useful not traditional. I got really perturbed doing Kata and left each time because of that one issue. I went into the martial arts to learn to defend myself and fight not to learn KATA's.
QUOTE]

Been there done that.

I too was looking for something more realistic. The Cambria Martial Arts near my house is a combination of Kenpo, Ju-Jitsu, Muay Thai and Stick Fighting. If you watch the Ultimate Fighting on tv, it is more like that. Very street fight oriented. No thrills, no fancy stuff. Just down and dirty, win fast, type of training. I am considering joining again with the kids.

[Tomcat088]

Marc, I agree with alot of what you said, just not necessarily the last comments. You MIGHT be able to run through all of the system in 6 months if you trained hard. You would NOT be proficient in the style, and would be quite sloppy. I studied Krav Maga for 2 years, and I wouldn't recommend that anybody be confident about their disarming techniques or even the system as a whole if they have only studied for 6 months. So I agree that you might run through the system in 6 months, but truly have "learned everything", not even close buddy.

[MarcS]

Marc, I agree with alot of what you said, just not necessarily the last comments. You MIGHT be able to run through all of the system in 6 months if you trained hard. You would NOT be proficient in the style, and would be quite sloppy. I studied Krav Maga for 2 years, and I wouldn't recommend that anybody be confident about their disarming techniques or even the system as a whole if they have only studied for 6 months. So I agree that you might run through the system in 6 months, but truly have "learned everything", not even close buddy.

Krav isn't so much a style as it is an eclectic mix of techniques selected from the traditional martial for being both easy to learn and effective in a short period of time. There is nothing krav invented, it merely compressed techniques from karate, jujitsu and the Chinese martial arts and so on, and frankly, Fairbairn did it first. If it truly took years to learn, what good would it be for the military use for which it was designed? Most soldiers spend a lot of time learning their primary weapons system and little time on combatives. Yes, you can spend a lot of time on your own perfecting your skills, but being able to be adequately effective with the basic techniques shouldn't take more than 6 months of regular attendance as a civillian or a couple weeks of nonstop drilling in boot camp. Krav and other combatives systems are specifically designed to be nowhere near as nuanced as the traditional martial arts.

[CHAUKA]

WPIAL AAA Wrestler here, Started in 5th grade thru 12th.
Did a little Judo training in Senior High to help with the
Wrestling. Learned some wicked throws. Helps when most
dudes punch with right hand, you catch their arm & use their
momentum to put em on their ass.
Did a little Grappling in college but went to a Div. 1 school.
I am not to proud to say I was out classed so I joined a fraternity to party and gained 30 pounds

Originally Posted by LittleRedToyota

on the other hand, assuming a single opponent, if you aren't worried about fighting nice and you are the one who initiates going to the ground (or reacts better to going to the ground), the fact that there is no mat can be a good thing. throws are much more effective when the person you are throwing lands on asphalt instead of a mat, for example.

+1 - LRT

lots of friends with steel toe boots

Marc S - +++1

Had that happen to me as well... once I placed my initial adversary on the ground his buddys jump in. My ribs hurt for a week...LOL

[dgg9]

Did a little Judo training in Senior High to help with the
Wrestling. Learned some wicked throws. Helps when most
dudes punch with right hand, you catch their arm & use their
momentum to put em on their ass.

With probably most guys in a bar fight, who would throw an over-committed haymaker, that would work. But there are plenty of guys with even a little training where that's not going to get it done. A guy with even a few months of boxing lessons will not throw an off balance haymaker. He'll throw a punch with some heat, but will stay on balance and under control and will have a combination already queued up.

In my experience, you can't take an unhurt, on balance decent fighter and go immediately to a throw or lock of some kind. They just won't give that to you. You need some kind of striking in your repertoire to allow access to locks, throws, etc.