# The Martial Arts In General, And If You Practice One, Tell Me About It.



## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

I have the Gold belt in Tae Keon Do, which is the lowest. But, in a real street fight, I would give any thug more than he would ever want. I can beat a very tough man if the stakes were high enough, I have before. That is pretty tough talk for a fat old man isn’t it?

My instructors in TKD were all black belts, and I learned what I should from them.
I taught a 14 year old black belt that it ain’t all about doing katas: because I ran him out of the ring, and the men took over from there. Anyway I didn’t run either of them out of the ring.

OK, enough of an intro.

If the art that you are practicing cannot be used as an in extremis fighting skill, to take out an attacker, you need to work on that. What I am saying is that you need to be at a level and mindset , that if you have to kill and maim, that you are capable of that.

I have heard a litany of reasons to learn a martial art: it builds character and self confidence , and it does, but we live in a world filled with brutality. A brute is someone that must be dealt with in a brutal manner. My personal way of being brutal is to use sticks, or in my case a walking stick made of aluminum. I made it myself, I could take out a pit bull with it....or I think that I could.

There is a BJJ studio over on 34th street, and I am going over there and see what they charge. If it is too much, I will just teach myself. I did that with wrestling, my brother and I would wrestle up a storm. We had a great big yard to do it in, and we taught each other some hard moves.

Try getting out of a headlock when the guy that you are wrestling is an ox. And you ain’t lived until you have rolled over a dog turd, and it’s all over your shirt.
Jesus God In Heaven! To say that I stunk, just isn’t poignant enough.

Or, get your head rolled over a dang rock and see what that does for you. It delivered a TKO for me, and the match was over, just like that.

OK, let me stop for a while, and I will pick up later.


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

I started learning Tae Kwon Do but it wasn't in a dojo or studio. I learned in a guys garage and he taught us to fight. I then went on to Kenpo where I did tournament fighting for a while. That was for most of my 20's and it's been a while since I practiced. But I do teach the boy moves and it all comes back to me. I learned to fight from people that had no problem with brutality if the situation called for it and they taught us to give more than we get. 

I have no problem fighting dirty if its a life and death situation. Learning some fighting technique is better than nothing. People can argue until the cows come home which is better but I believe using what you know and using it effectively what will keep you alive.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

Sasquatch said:


> I started learning Tae Kwon Do but it wasn't in a dojo or studio. I learned in a guys garage and he taught us to fight. I then went on to Kenpo where I did tournament fighting for a while. That was for most of my 20's and it's been a while since I practiced. But I do teach the boy moves and it all comes back to me. I learned to fight from people that had no problem with brutality if the situation called for it and they taught us to give more than we get.
> 
> I have no problem fighting dirty if its a life and death situation. Learning some fighting technique is better than nothing. People can argue until the cows come home which is better but I believe using what you know and using it effectively what will keep you alive.


I knocked a guy out once by grabbing his windpipe; and I held on while he began to gurgle and his eyes went up into his head, or something like that. It’s hard to put into words really, but I followed him down to the ground, and I did not let go. 

We were talking about our Army days, and he was making fun of me and telling me how he had been in real combat, and I hadn’t. 

And the next thing that you know I leaped at him, and grabbed his trachea/ windpipe. And that was that, and he didn’t make fun of me anymore either. The people standing around talking, could not believe what had just happened. I stayed for a few minutes to make sure that he was alright: and then I just walked off and watched TV, and I could have cared less about what anyone thought.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Sasquatch said:


> I have no problem fighting dirty if its a life and death situation. Learning some fighting technique is better than nothing. People can argue until the cows come home which is better but I believe using what you know and using it effectively what will keep you alive.


I learned street fighting. In a real fight there is no such thing as a fair fight, you either win or lose. When it gets that bad, losing is not an option.


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## 2020 Convert (Dec 24, 2020)

When I was younger, a friend was mouthing off in a bar and outside it tried to become 3 on 1. I took 2 by the shirts and said it was going to be a fair fight. My friend got his butt kicked like he deserved. I think the other 2 got a little scared by a 135 lb guy holding them off. How you carry yourself goes a long way.

Not that I didn’t know how to handle my myself. Wrestled in HS and College. Got back into the sport coaching my kid and ended up coaching HS and College Club teams. It was kind of fun being in my 50s and giving College kids a run for their money going live.

In my 60s, still throwing hay bales around. I think I will be just fine if I need to.


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## Trihonda (Aug 24, 2020)

Ya, done TKD for years, taught, competed, meh.. it’s a sport. Other than sparring and learning to take a hit from time to time, it’s not overly effective at self defense. 

BJJ.. did that for 6 years, taught, I think it’s one of the most effective forms of martial arts. What most people do t realize is that 95% of physical encounters go to “the ground”.. either somone is trying to put YOU there, or you’re trying to do the same to them... if you don’t have a ground game, you’re toast. Being comfortable on the ground is paramount to survival in a fight. most people just curl up in little balls and start crying...


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

Being 6'4" and 200+ you get challenged a lot. Usually by the little guy with a chip on his shoulder. I'm glad my bar/pool hall days are behind me because it got really old. My first goto was to always try to deescalate but sometimes they wouldn't take no for and answer and the answer they got wasn't pretty.

I'm glad I got the training I did and hope I never have to use it again. Wrestling with the boy confirms I'm getting older. He doesn't understand leverage. I guess I should teach it to him. Dont want to teach him all my tricks just yet.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

The only training I've had in a "martial art" would be fencing.
I got started because I just wanted to play with swords. I kept doing it because I found the game that was intertwined within the moves to be thrilling.
I was a sabre fencer, which was the most "martial" of all fencing arenas, in that it was derived specifically from sword training for battles that were expected to take place within narrow corridors of castles and villas in France and Italy. The kind that would be necessary after a successful siege, but you still had to make your way to the throne room to decapitate his or her majesty.

The underlying lessons stuck with me:

How to maintain balance under pressure.
Stable footwork is paramount.
A strong defense can lend to a devastating offense.
Your opponent will reveal their weakness within the first few seconds of an encounter, learn to exploit it quickly.
A fast miss is still a miss.
As a man, bravado can get you killed. NEVER underestimate an armed and well-trained opponent, even a child or a woman.
Keep your weapon in working order.
Body armor is a necessity.
In a knife fight, everybody gets cut.
Know your opponent's, as well as your own, striking distance.
There are more, I'm sure. I would encourage everyone to find a fighting art, and seek out the underlying lessons they teach. Just knowing how to hurt someone is irrelevant if they know how to fight. You're beat before you ever start.


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## jeffh (Apr 6, 2020)

Maybe someday. Something aggressive like Krav Maga. Maybe. I'm approaching 50 pretty quickly, and I've largely avoided street fights so far, and my bar-hopping days are behind me so I don't know if I'll ever be committed to training. 

In the mean time, I have my CC license and carry my P365 and a switchblade (for opening Amazon boxes of course). Those are my black belt defenses.


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## Megamom134 (Jan 30, 2021)

At 66 I hope to never be in a hand to hand fight ever. I do keep a tactical pen and my gun at my bedside and a tactical pen in my purse. Mainly I have my CC and just have my gun and pepper spray but if someone surprises me at night, would be hard to do with my dogs I like having something handy like the pen, but I also have a panic button on the bed which would set off my alarm system. Also with my 40 years of nursing I know exactly where to strike someone with my pen to drop them fast.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

jeffh said:


> Maybe someday. Something aggressive like Krav Maga. Maybe. I'm approaching 50 pretty quickly, and I've largely avoided street fights so far, and my bar-hopping days are behind me so I don't know if I'll ever be committed to training.
> 
> In the mean time, I have my CC license and carry my P365 and a switchblade (for opening Amazon boxes of course). Those are my black belt defenses.


That's my favorite scene! Ford ad-libbed that and it was so good they kept it.

At 68 I don't think I'll be doing much hand to hand. Too old and broken now.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

@Kauboy,

My "lessons" ran very similar to yours. I was invited by the high school instructor to take lessons in foil fencing. At first, I was excited. But then, the routine of "_put the button on the red marker_" became very tedious.

I did find a similar college instructor who also taught the members of the church. I guess they felt that "being 18 years old" was close enough. I was probably *the worst case* the instructor had; I had the problem of "hitting" the blade on the enemy, not the desired liquid flourish. 

After three years of seemingly slow, repetitive exercises, I finally could hit a quarter (most of the time) with one single, "*extend, lunge*" command. And I really should search out and thank the instructor I had assumed was too slow, old and unsteady to teach me anything.

Everything old is new again. For some unknown reason, I was never robbed of my pocket change on way back to my college's freshmen dorm. Then again, the joke was usually on the mugger. You see, I was paying my own way to college. I never carried more than two quarters with me--and they were just to get soda out of the usual vending machines.

However, I liked soda. And I was *never* going to give up those quarters!


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

The Tourist said:


> @Kauboy,
> 
> My "lessons" ran very similar to yours. I was invited by the high school instructor to take lessons in foil fencing. At first, I was excited. But then, the routine of "_put the button on the red marker_" became very tedious.
> 
> ...


It does seem like you could put up a hard fight with a rapier; or kill somebody with it, just run it right through them.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Rapier? An expensive foil like that amid 40,000 UW-Madison students? Yikes, it was lucky we never broke anything expensive!

As for padded clothing, I could not afford that. I had small black and blue marks on my chest and back *even after* I graduated from college!


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## Grinch (Jan 3, 2016)

I've only been in a handful of fights, primarily I like to use brute strength and extreme violence. You change a man's perspective on life when he sees his friend's nose get chewed off. Never gotten the privilege to be apart of a fire fight yet. Have gotten stabbed and sliced, even did some slicing and stabbing of my own that night. Thank God a family quells those habits. 

My wife is a petite woman though, she enrolled herself into a women's self defense course followed by six months of that krav maga and Russian one. She received firearms training from myself and a few friends, one of whom was in MARSOC and the other in Delta, they also taught her how to properly use a knife. She's also worked on improvised weapon fighting.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

I never was what you would call a fighter . . . a scrapper maybe . . . that's about it . . . and I learned early that I was not good at it . . . and I needed an edge. 

Bought an old ugly 1911 on the back streets of Saigon at the ripe old age of 21 . . . and it has been my edge ever since. I mind my own business . . . steer away from worthless confrontations . . . but backed into a corner . . . I'm the guy up a little further in this thread . . . watching his opponent strut.

Bang . . . problem solved.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## CapitalKane49p (Apr 7, 2020)

I am and expert in Knapping Panda. I've got my s**t strapped so tight and am so squared away that when I walk by Chuck Norris looks at the ground and holds the door for me.

Godspeed.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

Grinch said:


> I've only been in a handful of fights, primarily I like to use brute strength and extreme violence. You change a man's perspective on life when he sees his friend's nose get chewed off. Never gotten the privilege to be apart of a fire fight yet. Have gotten stabbed and sliced, even did some slicing and stabbing of my own that night. Thank God a family quells those habits.
> 
> My wife is a petite woman though, she enrolled herself into a women's self defense course followed by six months of that krav maga and Russian one. She received firearms training from myself and a few friends, one of whom was in MARSOC and the other in Delta, they also taught her how to properly use a knife. She's also worked on improvised weapon fighting.


I have never seen anyone get their nose chewed off or lose a part. I did see a fatality from a fight though, and like all violent deaths, it was ugly. Fighting is ugly, but there is a time and a place for it. In today’s world there are hunters and there are victims; and telling myself that it’s always the other guy, would be self delusion.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

dwight55 said:


> I never was what you would call a fighter . . . a scrapper maybe . . . that's about it . . . and I learned early that I was not good at it . . . and I needed an edge.
> 
> Bought an old ugly 1911 on the back streets of Saigon at the ripe old age of 21 . . . and it has been my edge ever since. I mind my own business . . . steer away from worthless confrontations . . . but backed into a corner . . . I'm the guy up a little further in this thread . . . watching his opponent strut.
> 
> ...


You were smart to pick up a .45 during your time in Saigon. That was a really bad place in a lot of ways.
There were VC all over the place, and they would have liked to cut a GIs throat.

I have had a .45 for about 40 years, a 1911 Colt; and I have a few stories of how it came in real handy, in hard situations.

But I will spare you, since I have probably told them here already.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

This is some good grappling, but like everything else, while you are busy with one thing, some other thing is not being done. And I can think of some ways to get out of a grapple hold, especially against a girl.
Sorry ladies, it it is easy to get out of a lot of that, but it is great technique. And will work great on most guys.

Anyway, I don’t know what degree belts they have, one is a gold/white belt something and the other is a black and white belt something. But she is clearly the better fighter.





All of the girls are limber and stout in both videos, and relentless , they don’t give up. Darn good grapplers.


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## theprincipal (Mar 18, 2021)

I trained 10 years in BJJ + 1 year covid layoff. I am hoping to get back to it when I get my second vaccine dose.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

theprincipal said:


> I trained 10 years in BJJ + 1 year covid layoff. I am hoping to get back to it when I get my second vaccine dose.


Did you compete in tournaments, and is BJJ/ Gracie a great SD school? It sounds great.


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## KUSA (Apr 21, 2016)

Trihonda said:


> BJJ.. did that for 6 years, taught, I think it’s one of the most effective forms of martial arts. What most people do t realize is that 95% of physical encounters go to “the ground”.. either somone is trying to put YOU there, or you’re trying to do the same to them... if you don’t have a ground game, you’re toast. Being comfortable on the ground is paramount to survival in a fight. most people just curl up in little balls and start crying...


While there is merit to what you said, it starts to fall apart when you have multiple attackers. BJJ is a sport and a darned good one but getting back on your feet is an important life saving thing to do.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

The guy in the white trunks gets knocked out with a knee, at the 7:00 mark.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

KUSA said:


> While there is merit to what you said, it starts to fall apart when you have multiple attackers. BJJ is a sport and a darned good one but getting back on your feet is an important life saving thing to do.


You’re right.
They all fall apart if you have multiple attackers, that’s why I always have a knife or metal rod walking stick with me.
And, When I get around to getting a CCW, I will have a .40 with me most of the time, rain or shine.
I will shoot them.


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## NKAWTG (Feb 14, 2017)

Japanese Archery - Kyudo
I'm a 3rd Dan – Sandan or in American 3rd degree black belt.
Here is a video demonstration, the guy in front with the salt and pepper hair administered my Sandan test.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Nope, never learned any martial arts other than those with military weapons.
I'm confident I could kill someone with a cane or walking stick, based on my bayonet training.
At 72, I just carry a concealed gun plus a fixed blade knife very prominent on my belt. I figure bad guys will look for an easier target.
Besides, the old real estate adage applies: "Location, location, location."


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

I'll have you know that I know Judo, Karate and several other Japanese words.


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## Trihonda (Aug 24, 2020)

KUSA said:


> While there is merit to what you said, it starts to fall apart when you have multiple attackers. BJJ is a sport and a darned good one but getting back on your feet is an important life saving thing to do.


Yup, as MisterMills said, they ALL fall apart with multiple attackers, unless you're either Steven Segal (fighting against placid "attackers") or Jack Reacher... 

I have studied Aikido (and some Krav). But multiple attackers is scary, and I've only been involved in that scenario once (and it was just one aggressor, and a few "buddy" onlookers that looked like they could be convinced to join in, if I hadn't been decisive dealing with the main guy).

The fights I've been involved in, I've always metered my action, by only disrupting the attack, pinning or locking up my attacker, or submission. I've always felt very close to (if not completely) 100% in control.. My best advice against multiple attackers is to take the gloves off and go for the jugular (so to speak) and completely break joints (elbows/wrists/knees) and ensure that you prevent them from getting back into the fight, and possibly educate the other attackers that they chose the wrong victim. 

Fighting isn't glamorous, and when I teach self defense classes, I always start by asking the class "what's the best way to win a physical encounter?". The obvious answer is... "Avoid getting into it in the first place". IMHO, this is accomplished through being aware of your surroundings, recognizing dangerous situations and environments before they escalate, AND in some cases talking your way out of them. I never let my ego get me into a fight. Some knucklehead wants to start a fight because he feels I looked at his girlfriend funny, I'll apologize for the misunderstanding, and redirect. De-escalation is a great skillset to have. Often times having confidence and a strong "presence" can dissuade an aggressor, but sometimes drugs and stupidity make it inevitable that you'll have to defend yourself. Game on. 

I could rattle on for days about this stuff... sorry.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I have studied, and practice Ka Chunk.
.
.
.
.
That's the sound made when chambering the 12 gauge.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Trihonda said:


> Yup, as MisterMills said, they ALL fall apart with multiple attackers, unless you're either Steven Segal (fighting against placid "attackers") or Jack Reacher...
> 
> I have studied Aikido (and some Krav). But multiple attackers is scary, and I've only been involved in that scenario once (and it was just one aggressor, and a few "buddy" onlookers that looked like they could be convinced to join in, if I hadn't been decisive dealing with the main guy).
> 
> ...


I found myself in that position once when I was a whole lot younger. I had a chain belt that removed several of them and a friend who was close by who did the same to the rest. We walked out. 

Now I'm way too old for that crap. I still have protection though.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

inceptor said:


> I found myself in that position once when I was a whole lot younger. I had a chain belt that removed several of them and a friend who was close by who did the same to the rest. We walked out.
> 
> Now I'm way too old for that crap. I still have protection though.


yup. .357 magnum, 125 grain jacketed soft point into the intestines at a distance of, say, 5 feet.
When the gore comes spewing out, Bubba Boy's friends will leave.


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## 2020 Convert (Dec 24, 2020)

At one of the college club wrestling teams I coached, BJJ was on after us. Sometimes my wrestlers would stay on to learn a new sport. I would watch to try to learn it.
Even tired guys, that puked in my practice did pretty well. Not knocking BJJ, just don’t think it’s it’s a tough.


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## theprincipal (Mar 18, 2021)

2020 Convert said:


> At one of the college club wrestling teams I coached, BJJ was on after us. Sometimes my wrestlers would stay on to learn a new sport. I would watch to try to learn it.
> Even tired guys, that puked in my practice did pretty well. Not knocking BJJ, just don’t think it’s it’s a tough.


You are correct that BJJ isn’t as “tough” as college wrestling, as far as the physical intensity of a typical practice. That being said, most of the high level BJJ practitioners that I know hold other legit grappling arts, like folkstyle/Greco/freestyle wrestling & judo in very high regard.


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## theprincipal (Mar 18, 2021)

MisterMills357 said:


> Did you compete in tournaments, and is BJJ/ Gracie a great SD school? It sounds great.


I have competed, but it was never my focus. As far as BJJ for self defense; yes, I think it is great. That being said, what a good self defense focused MA to practice for someone really depends on a lot of factors. Most people that want a general skill set would benefit from a beginner MMA program. From there, they may want to spend a bit more time on striking, ground fighting, and/or wrestling if it appeals to them.... What you want to stay away from is anything that doesn’t have live sparring as a significant component of the training.


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## Trihonda (Aug 24, 2020)

theprincipal said:


> What you want to stay away from is anything that doesn’t have live sparring as a significant component of the training.


yup, I agree. When I was practicing BJJ, our sessions always involved 60-90 minutes of sparring. We’d run 2 minutes on, 1 minute off (finding another partner). The level of fitness it developed was outstanding, AND you had to develop recovery/rest skills. How to stay in the fight (or survive) when exhausted. I’ve witnessed many of the LE folks I’ve trained get gassed after 30 seconds of grappling.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

theprincipal said:


> I have competed, but it was never my focus. As far as BJJ for self defense; yes, I think it is great. That being said, what a good self defense focused MA to practice for someone really depends on a lot of factors. Most people that want a general skill set would benefit from a beginner MMA program. From there, they may want to spend a bit more time on striking, ground fighting, and/or wrestling if it appeals to them.... What you want to stay away from is anything that doesn’t have live sparring as a significant component of the training.


I figure that competitions can only improve a fighter, by putting him up against other fighters, who are all at the same level of ability. That might be easier said than done, since schools have different belt systems. I think that the length of time, that they have trained would work though, as a match setting.




Trihonda said:


> yup, I agree. When I was practicing BJJ, our sessions always involved 60-90 minutes of sparring. We’d run 2 minutes on, 1 minute off (finding another partner). The level of fitness it developed was outstanding, AND you had to develop recovery/rest skills. How to stay in the fight (or survive) when exhausted. I’ve witnessed many of the LE folks I’ve trained get gassed after 30 seconds of grappling.


That is a very vigorous work out, and it sounds like it’s just what I need. A martial art can be worthless without a strong exercise regimen. I wonder how many men get into the MA realm: thinking that it’s just learning moves and how to KO an attacker. Probably a whole lot of them do, and then quickly drop out, when the hard work starts.


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## theprincipal (Mar 18, 2021)

MisterMills357 said:


> I figure that competitions can only improve a fighter, by putting him up against other fighters, who are all at the same level of ability. That might be easier said than done, since schools have different belt systems. I think that the length of time, that they have trained would work though, as a match setting.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Brazilian Jiujitsu schools have a uniform belt system. Submission grappling (no-gi BJJ) often uses experience to place competitors in divisions. No matter what there can still be a wide range of skills within a division. Smaller tournaments are best for your average hobbyists, while larger ones are better suited for full time competitors. 

You are correct that competition is a learning accelerator. There is really no way to simulate that kind of intensity and test one’s skills. I would certainly recommend everyone try it who learns BJJ/grappling.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

theprincipal said:


> Brazilian Jiujitsu schools have a uniform belt system. Submission grappling (no-gi BJJ) often uses experience to place competitors in divisions. No matter what there can still be a wide range of skills within a division. Smaller tournaments are best for your average hobbyists, while larger ones are better suited for full time competitors.
> 
> You are correct that competition is a learning accelerator. There is really no way to simulate that kind of intensity and test one’s skills. I would certainly recommend everyone try it who learns BJJ/grappling.


There is a school for BJJ a few miles from me, and I am better suited to that skill, than I am for TKD.
If I can locate a good school of Judo, that might suit me best. I wrestled my brother as a kid, and both of us turned into pretty good grapplers and tossers.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

The Chinese chick won the fight, the scoring was pretty close, but Zhang won it.


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## Grinch (Jan 3, 2016)

I speak from experience for nose chewing. 

My Father told me to never underestimate my opponent, he said you may never not be the biggest or strongest but you can be the meanest. I think this plays a major part in any sort of violent altercation. Speed, Surprise and Violence of Action.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

inceptor said:


> I'll have you know that I know Judo, Karate and several other Japanese words.


I think that I could manage to grab my Bowie, then scream out Daktari, and charge. I saw that in an Austin Powers movie where Mustafa, grabbed a Kukrie, and went after Austin. And it left an impression on me. 🤓🇬🇧


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

Grinch said:


> I speak from experience for nose chewing.
> 
> My Father told me to never underestimate my opponent, he said you may never not be the biggest or strongest but you can be the meanest. I think this plays a major part in any sort of violent altercation. Speed, Surprise and Violence of Action.


Your father was right, and you should always expect a vicious attack, if an attack occurs. And someone trying to bite my nose off, that is vicious. And I would respond violently , with a weapon if I have one.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

MuayThai put to good use, I like that guy, he is like me, only young. And I commend the other guys for jumping in. The mother of the baby, had a lot of manpower coming to her defense, and that was the right thing to do.


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## Megamom134 (Jan 30, 2021)

I am going to look into the cane defense, no one would look twice at me having a cane and I do have a handicap sticker from when I had my leg surgery.


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## theprincipal (Mar 18, 2021)

Megamom134 said:


> I am going to look into the cane defense, no one would look twice at me having a cane and I do have a handicap sticker from when I had my leg surgery.


First of all, if you don’t need a cane, then walking with one will probably negate the benefit of being able to use one for defense, as people may see you as an easy victim. Second of all, if you want to fight with a cane, I would recommend a Filipino Martial Arts school that does full contact stick sparring. Keep in mind, if you are not practicing footwork and resistance on a regular basis, then you may not be too much better that an old lady hitting someone with her purse.


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## Ranger710Tango (Feb 27, 2021)

The man in the video tells you that you do not need to walk with a limp to have a cane. You can tuck it under your arm or hold it like a baseball bat. It doesn’t matter. Throw it over your shoulder, whatever. 

As long as you don’t say it’s a weapon, it’s not a weapon. No one can take it away per ADA laws.

I can see the benefit in having a stick in places Guns and knives are not allowed, such as a court room or municipal building, etc. For self protection, of course.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

Ranger710Tango said:


> The man in the video tells you that you do not need to walk with a limp to have a cane. You can tuck it under your arm or hold it like a baseball bat. It doesn’t matter. Throw it over your shoulder, whatever.
> 
> As long as you don’t say it’s a weapon, it’s not a weapon. No one can take it away per ADA laws.
> 
> I can see the benefit in having a stick in places Guns and knives are not allowed, such as a court room or municipal building, etc. For self protection, of course.


Ranger, a cane is a safe bet for carry, just about anywhere, that is true: but, a weapon is in the eyes of the beholder.

That is a iffy thing and very subjective, if you use a cane it would be wise to look for one with a steel rod inside.
A company named Cold Steel probably has them for sale, I know personally that they have walking sticks with steel rods/cores inside of them; and the rod runs the length of the stick, which is made using poly pro (polypropylene ).

It is virtually indestructible and will break any arm that needs to be broken; I am thinking in terms of an attacker.



https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CS91PDR/cold-steel-91pdr-dragon-walking-stick-black




Note: that stick from Cold Steel is heavy, it is the heaviest stick that I have handled. But you know as well as I do, that you can get very light sticks, the ones with the steel caps come to my mind. Those should be fine IMHO.



Megamom134 said:


> I am going to look into the cane defense, no one would look twice at me having a cane and I do have a handicap sticker from when I had my leg surgery.


A cane is too light to use as a club, it probably won’t be enough to KO them, but a rap to their heads with one, will work to daze them. A few raps and now yer talking, but a metal walking stick is so much better. You can make your own but using light steel tubing, or you can go to Lowe’s or Home Depot or Grainger or any electrical supply place.

Getting back to wooden canes, take a class on how to use them as weapons. Here is one gem, use the hook on the cane to go between the legs of an attacker; and hook him with the upturned handle, and yank it.
That is certain to get his attention, or drop him in his tracks.











Cold Steel Irish Blackthorn Walking Stick Black Polypropylene Construction 37" 705442007227 | eBay


The illustrated Cold Steel walking stick is the Cold Steel Irish Blackthorn Walking Stick that features single piece black Polypropylene construction, with a gnarled shaft. Made in Taiwan.



www.ebay.com





This is the Cold Steel polypropylene stick, it is a replica of a Blackthorn wooden stick. This one is unbreakable though, it is made of polypropylene .





__





Canes, Staffs, And Hidden Sword Canes | Cold Steel


Dependable And Rugged High Quality Tested Self Defense Battle Staffs, Canes, And Hidden Sword Canes




www.coldsteel.com





eBay has Cold Steel canes, and everything else, and 



theprincipal said:


> First of all, if you don’t need a cane, then walking with one will probably negate the benefit of being able to use one for defense, as people may see you as an easy victim. Second of all, if you want to fight with a cane, I would recommend a Filipino Martial Arts school that does full contact stick sparring. Keep in mind, if you are not practicing footwork and resistance on a regular basis, then you may not be too much better that an old lady hitting someone with her purse.


True, and practice makes perfect. I use a home made walking sticks myself, I made my favorite one from aluminum conduit. I am pretty sure that I can break an arm with it.

KnifeCenter.com has the full line of Cold Steel canes and knives, by the looks of their pages.


https://www.knifecenter.com/series/cold-steel-knives/cold-steel-canes-and-walking-sticks


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## BamaDOC (Feb 5, 2020)

started taekwondo when I was 8...
got into a few school yard fights against untrained kids where i dominated until when I was 13... and had an inflated ego about my capabilities.. I had my ass handed to me by a much older bigger boy.
wrestled in HS... and in college began to compete in tournaments.. and did very well....
had the opportunity to 'street fight' in a few bars.. and was jumped once...
the lesson you learn is that it is really easy to hurt someone.. or be hurt.. by the punch you dont see coming...

by all means if you have to defend yourself... go balls out... crazy monkey shit on the MOFO...
but whenever possible its better to walk away from trouble with the only thing hurt is your ego....
better bruised ego.. than being broken, blinded, or brain damaged...

and FYI...
those who practice.. have a much bigger advantage than those who dont practice...
when I've gotten into fights... the guys are usually all rage filled and testosteroned up.. until they get that first shot in the face...
at that point they realize.. ouch.. I don't want to be here anymore...

those of us who have been in fights.. and have taken shots... its not as big of a fear.. because you know what it's like to be punched and kicked...
the training helps keeps you loose, and tactical.. rather than all tense.. and shaky... most of those guys get real winded and tired after about 60 seconds...
I've had guys cry out "time out" after I've hit them... (college kids)...


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

Bruce put some chin music on that guy.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

jeffh said:


> Maybe someday. Something aggressive like Krav Maga. Maybe. I'm approaching 50 pretty quickly, and I've largely avoided street fights so far, and my bar-hopping days are behind me so I don't know if I'll ever be committed to training.
> 
> In the mean time, I have my CC license and carry my P365 and a switchblade (for opening Amazon boxes of course). Those are my black belt defenses.


My all time favorite knife fight. Thanks.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

BamaDOC said:


> started taekwondo when I was 8...
> got into a few school yard fights against untrained kids where i dominated until when I was 13... and had an inflated ego about my capabilities.. I had my ass handed to me by a much older bigger boy.
> wrestled in HS... and in college began to compete in tournaments.. and did very well....
> had the opportunity to 'street fight' in a few bars.. and was jumped once...
> ...


Have bumped into more than several college trained wrestlers over the years. They tend to be highly salty in whatever confrontation they face. I had a 130 pounder turn me wrong side out in intramural wrestling back in College. He said he was headed off to wrestle with big boys in Japan for the Olympics and he could practice on me. I shoulda knew it was a trick looking back on it.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

*...several college trained wrestlers over the years...*

I am familiar with the breed. As a younger man I thought that only _grunt_ could save my life. Of course, this was my tender age of "fighting fairly." Now if a literate and exceptional representative of inner city restitution doesn't know any Sicilian I would happy drop a cement brick on his foot, or any other distinct appendage. Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. But riddle me this youngsters, just where in any central large city's dictates is *the statutory command of swearing an oath*? In fact, I would never allow a possible thug to provide his right hand upward for any reason. He can just as easily produce his hand after my hand is filled--with .45 ACP ammunition.

The wrestlers I knew in college were pretty much the same. Lots of drunken boasting, plenty of broken fingers and hardly ever passage into a sophomore college promotion.

BTW, I saw a real-deal "cauliflower ear" once. Yes, it did look like an ear, but as *for actually hearing*, the cauliflower ear was totally useless. In fact, the owner's time in college was worthless, as well.

There's even an old gag about this. A wrestler gets angry at a skinning little kid and says, "_How would you like to be punched right in the nose?_"

The skinny kid replies, "_Consider it done.._."

Trying to sound intelligent, the wrestler ends with, "_Well then, consider yourself punched in the nose.._."

And while you're at it, how come boys from Kinnecanick Street never got into fights nor were they asked to join? Yikes, a nice Sicilian stiletto cost only about four bucks in 1950s Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I think I can still find one in my sock drawer...


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## 40175 (Jan 11, 2022)

I kinda have my own unique fighting style that's a weird conglomeration of all the different martial arts the different me's have been trained in over the years lol. Krav Maga, Judo, Aikido, Shaolin Kempo Karate, Taekwondo, Jujitsu, Hapkido, Wrestling, and Boxing. My specialty is Krav Maga and Aikido; not terrible with a samurai sword and nunchakus either lol. Fond of sais. Especially love kusari chains; those gotta be the sexiest martial arts weapons on the whole damn planet lol. 😅

And I can throw shuriken pretty well, but I would never use throwing stars in a fight; they're more of a novelty. If I'm going to through a weapon at someone, it's going to either be a giant throwing knife, or a sai. Shruriken are too small and flimsy to penetrate clothing; they're better suited for hand-held weapons in close-quarters combat...ideally with kevlar gloves on lol. 😜


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## Tremain (10 mo ago)

Burmese kick-boxing. Empty hands only. No weapons. Not even nunchucks.


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

Hoping to keep this thread alive.

My father, who is in his 70s, is a second degree blackbelt in a mixed martial arts, (a combination of TK, Kung Fu, & Hapkido. He still to this day practices. He would begin the day with punching a brick to build calluses on his fists. He thought that it was extremely important for his son to be able to defend himself (that would be me).

I started in TK, but found it to be less impressive then other martial art styles. Then my parents had paid for a private boxing instructor, so I could learn not only boxing, but more importantly how to take a punch. This they thought was especially important, pain management and the ability to get up until I either win or get knocked out. Talk a bout the love of a parent...

Then it was wrestling & some hapkido training as that I needed to be prepared for when someone got me to the ground.

Finally I was given a choice of the next art to learn, and I chose Fencing. In my High School they had a Fencing program and a Fencing team that competed other schools around the USA. In fact a former fencing champion was in that same class with me. I guess cause I chose this sport, and my love of swords, is the reason why i excelled in fencing. This High school starts for 9th grade, and the fencing levels are (in order of rank 1st one being the highest) A strip, B strip and the starting point C strip.

Some of the participants in class have been there since 9th grade and were now in their senior year and still stuck with the C strip rank, and there were only a few that were of the A strip rank, including that guy that was a former fencing champion. We were using the French Foil and after several weeks we were short a foil so my Japanese friend loaned me his which was a Belgium Pistol grip. It was love at first sight, ( the foil not my friend) and I used it in class ever since. Within the month I moved up to the B strip rank, another month & a half I was granted the highest rank of A strip. Their goal was to have the students match up vs people their own skill level. It was not long until I finally started to be matched up with the former fencing champion. By this time I was beating all the rest of the fencing students consistently.

In the end, i had 6 months of daily training prior to fighting the Asian champion who had a private trainer on top of the school, for over 10 years. Have no doubt, he kicked my A$$, repeatedly, but every match I always scored once or twice on him, which despite losing, I was truly proud to have hit him for points. Our teacher got me a Fencing scholarship, but it was at an University that I was not interested (poor engineering program) so I went to a different college. Due to how many people though that I had hurt in fencing class (big guy that was working in the moving business in HS), I was advised to try Kendo, another thing that I loved.

As for fighting goes, I am a tall, wide Redhead, and have had people trying to prove themselves using me countless times over the year, I have lost count how many fights I have been in. The one thing I have learned, there are always a means to beat an opponent that is either, stronger, faster, more skilled, or much bigger & heavier by changing your fighting styles. I have on two different occasions taken down a full line-back, and at the same time I had my @$$ handed to me on a silver platter by a really short, younger, extremely skilled, Asian guy.

Btw I agree, multiple attackers is a problem, I have had that happen more times I can count. Sometimes I was lucky, like this 8-10 vs 1 that surrounded me in a circle that were either kind enough or dumb enough to fight me one at a time, allowing me to be the last man standing, and other times where all i can say is that I am lucky I lived through it.

Street fighting is pretty much anything goes, and grabbing anything around you: a top to a metal garbage can, tearing off the side mirror to a car, a bottle on the ground or stick, throwing dirt into someone's eyes.


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## MrLemonade (5 mo ago)

IMO the primary benefits of martial arts are not so much the actual punching, kicking, or grappling but instead are fitness, confidence, decision making, risk assessment, situational awareness, and fight avoidance. 

I have a minor martial arts background and could probably hold my own against the typical adult male and almost most females including trained female fighters, and I'm fairly tough (women are just weak, it's a fact. A few years ago at a bar a athletic woman for no reason at all who I had no communication with, blindside sucker punched me right on my left cheek/jaw area. It was a total haymaker and she put everything into it. It was a joke of a punch, and a similar punch from a man probably would have K.O.'d me. I literally laughed, that was my reaction. I laughed. It was like being punched by a child.)

I've not been in a physical fight since I was 16. If I studied "martial arts" to win fights, it would have been a waste of time, effort, and money. But having situational awareness is important. I also no longer rely on my fighting or toughness; I carry a gun everywhere I legally can, and I almost never travel anywhere I cannot carry a gun. The few disarmed locations, are inside heavily secured locations with armed guards and checkpoints.

So, in all reality, I'll never have to throw or take a punch. I will still be training for fitness and fighting, on the heavy bag, rolling a bit with BJJ, etc.


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## MrLemonade (5 mo ago)

MisterMills357 said:


> This is some good grappling, but like everything else, while you are busy with one thing, some other thing is not being done. And I can think of some ways to get out of a grapple hold, especially against a girl.
> Sorry ladies, it it is easy to get out of a lot of that, but it is great technique. And will work great on most guys.
> 
> Anyway, I don’t know what degree belts they have, one is a gold/white belt something and the other is a black and white belt something. But she is clearly the better fighter.
> ...


I have to comment on these videos. Not sure if there's some nonsense political agenda behind this "compilation," but girls mature physically faster than boys until early teen years. It's not a particular surprise that some girls can beat some boys in pre-puberty or at puberty years. 

"Better fighter..." Uh, no. Let the boy punch her in the face. She apparently won, 1 match. We have no idea the context or any other matches. Quite likely, a fluke. Let's revisit these two when they are 20 and see what happens.

Let's not kid ourselves, men overtake women physically around high-school ages. Further, let these boys throw a few punches and it's over. 
Any analysis of males vs females in practically any physical activities requiring toughness, strength, combat, speed, etc. shows that teenage boys beat professional adult female athletes - team sports, swimming, sprinting, endurance running, fighting sports, you name it. So I'm not sure about the hidden agenda behind showing _some_ 12 year old girls beating _some_ 12 year old boys, but these female advantages evaporate post-puberty and into adulthood.


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

MrLemonade said:


> I have a minor martial arts background and could probably hold my own against the typical adult male and almost most females including trained female fighters, and I'm fairly tough (women are just weak, it's a fact


I can see where you think a gal couldn't typically defeat a man, but not all gals out there are the stereo type

I remember in High School this senior body builder gal that would Challenge all the guys to an arm wrestle. This gal was just huge, and I do not mean fat. She had literally had beaten everyone else in class, and people started saying well u cant beat Spenser ( I was the arm wrestling champion in school for Junior high & high school)

Honestly Lemonade, I really did NOT want to arm wrestle her, it was a no win situation. If I win, means nothing as the response "but it ws vs a gal" and she wouldn't have been happy to say the least. If I lost, well then I am losing to a gal. I did finally arm wrestle her, and I wont lie, we were pretty tied strength wise, which was impressive, the only difference was that I had arm wrestling training, which was the deciding factor.

WIth regard to getting punched by a gal. My 1st love was this gal about my height, very big boned, wide chest, and she had a habit of punching me when she got pissed in my chest, arm, or stomach. The stomach shot I remember, as I was out of breath for a few minutes (wasn't prepared for the hit didnt tighten muscles). 

The gals in my school were rather dangerous, in JR High school. Carried knives, razor blades. They would put Vaseline on their face so their face wouldn't scar too much if they got sliced. Bite, claw, was like a rabid animal.

BTW, does anyone know if putting Vaseline on their face really prevents the face from scarring or is that just a wives tail, have no clue.

I digress, but for the most part Mr Lemonade I agree with you, a majority of gals just don't have the strength, or body mass to do any real damage. Although this reminds me of a college roommate that admitted when he was plastered that he was raped by a 300 lb. chick that he couldn't get off of him when she pinned him down. Considering he waS a womanizer, is it wrong that I laughed?


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## MrLemonade (5 mo ago)

Spenser said:


> I can see where you think a gal couldn't typically defeat a man, but not all gals out there are the stereo type
> 
> I remember in High School this senior body builder gal that would Challenge all the guys to an arm wrestle. This gal was just huge, and I do not mean fat. She had literally had beaten everyone else in class, and people started saying well u cant beat Spenser ( I was the arm wrestling champion in school for Junior high & high school)
> 
> ...


We largely agree, but, eh, "not all girls" is a useless statement. 

I'm a grown man, many decades on this earth, been surrounded by women my entire life, dated all sorts of women, been in very physically competitive jobs, surrounded by police and military where women are employed, etc. My girlfriends have included body builders, fire fighters, a US Marine, US Soldiers, and tri-athletes. 

A lot of dudes could whip my rear, and many could do it easily. I have never, in my entire life, felt any women including my girlfriends could physically beat me up, and few could beat me in any physical contest (I will concede some could have beaten me in a distance endurance race or contest like swimming, but only because they have trained many years for that I had not).


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Short of a Rhonda Rousey roundhouse, most females are not physically capable of overpowering the average man. The random exception does not change the rule.
This is not a statement from bravado, but simple biological mechanics.
As Dr. Jordan Peterson starkly stated in one of his lectures, directed toward a female in his class (he was discussing the physical evolution of primates at the time), "if you hit me as hard as you possibly could, you might break a bone and certainly leave a mark, but if I did the same to you, you could die."
There is just no comparison when it comes to physical strength once both sexes have passed adolescence.

This is why I encourage all women to be armed. Nature has placed them at a physical disadvantage, and there are some men who prey on this difference. I want my wife, my daughter, and all of their girlfriends to have the means to level the playing field. Teaching hand-to-hand techniques to women is largely a futile endeavor. They may land one good punch or kick, but that's it.
Teaching them how to use a defensive firearm efficiently, or carve up a torso like a Christmas ham, these skills will ensure they fare much better in any altercation where a man thinks he will force his will on them.


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## MrLemonade (5 mo ago)

Kauboy said:


> Short of a Rhonda Rousey roundhouse, most females are not physically capable of overpowering the average man.


Truth. And anyone who studies female fighters, can see that the punches or kicks they take, are probably about 25% as powerful as what a male can deliver.

Rousey was such an extremely dominant female fighter in her prime that it was speculated she would beat male fighters, and that's a completely nonsense idea. Rousey claimed she didn't want to see "men hitting women," etc. but that is clearly a copout. The reality is, she can't win against a male fighter. Want proof?

Rousey soon thereafter got her clock cleaned in a KO by a Holly Holms, a woman, who probably is not 1/2 the fighter of a male top fighter. Here's the woman that KO'd Rousey in round 2. Note, this was a top professional fighter than KO'd Rousey. She's built like a male high school athlete, and in fact I was this muscular when I was a 17 year old... 









Contrast this top professional female fighter, against a male college boxer or professional MMA fighter. She wouldn't last a minute. Apples to apples, look at one of the top male MMA fighters. A male would quite probably literally kill a female. 









One of the few women that has tried to fight a male was then-undefeated Lucia Rijker from Holland. She competed in kickboxing from 1982 to 1994, going 37-0-1. The draw was in her second fight. From 1996-2004, "Lady Tyson" competed in professional boxing, going a perfect 17-0. She was known to be unbeatable. Until she fought a male that is. She came into the fight undefeated with almost 3x as many fights/wins as the male. She fought Somchai Jaidee (13-1-0, with 9 KOs), same size fighter, under Muay Thai rules in 1994. He dominated the fight and knocked her clock out in round 2 - I doubt she's ever been hit that hard in her career. 





The point is not to attack women, but to set realistic understandings and expectations, and dispel so much of the feminism nonsense when it comes to these types of topics.


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

Ok you are comparing kind of the equivalent weight class vs one another. A logical approach.

Here is my question though. As things are right now today, could you personally beat her in a fight?

My point being, I am pretty damn sure there are female athletes that could kick the living [email protected]#@$ out of some non martial arts guys out there. & for the record, I have seen some woman in real life situations beat the crap out of a would be robber, if they didn't get their @$$ kicked.

I am sure that some of us members are way past our prime is all I am indicating. Present company included...(that means me personally)


post edited due to changing burglar to robber.


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## MrLemonade (5 mo ago)

Spenser said:


> Ok you are comparing kind of the equivalent weight class vs one another. A logical approach.
> 
> *Here is my question though. As things are right now today, could you personally beat her in a fight?*
> 
> ...


It's a interesting academic question, but my answer will make me sound like a over-confident misogynist bully in a no-win situation for a man, so I'll not be answering what should be obvious.

But in case anyone's not sure, watch Rousey, who was an Olympic fighter since her teens and a pro for decades, get knocked out in round 1 by a girl with a few punches to the head. I'm pretty confident in my fighting abilities in a ring with any of these women. These girl punches are love taps compared to the hits men can deliver, including myself.






I have some shallow but broad fighting training experience, know how to strike, I'm tough, and I have over 100 pounds advantage and about 1/2 foot taller than these females, can lift 2-4 times as much weight, have larger fists, muscles, feet, and bone structure. Do the math.

Finally: There's no amount of money that would lure me into a MMA ring against a top male fighter, because I could die or have brain damage or at minimum be embarrassed beyond belief. Conversely, for a large enough money to make it worth the health and injury risk, and a reasonable amount of time to train, there's no woman I would be unwilling to fight in a MMA ring.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

I find it amusing that y'all have had a long discussion on fighting females.

But, nowadays, how would you know if you're fighting a genetic or a transgender woman?


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

MrLemonade said:


> I have some shallow but broad fighting training experience, know how to strike, I'm tough, and I have over 100 pounds advantage and about 1/2 foot taller than these females, can lift 2-4 times as much weight, have larger fists, muscles, feet, and bone structure. Do the math.


This is a common misconception that size and weight will determine the outcome. I have on 2 separate occasions in my life have gone vs. a Full Line Back Football player. Both were 6" + taller then I am and both weighed more ( one a hundred pounds heavier the other 150 lbs.) and both lost to me. 

I am sure if either of them got in a clear shot to the head, I would have been seriously dazed, but they did not. Both of them I got down by getting them into a headlock and both passed out. Then there was this 3rd degree blackbelt Asian kid that had been studying martial arts since he was 4 , that was at least 6 inches smaller then I was and a good 40 lbs. lighter that handed me my @$$ on a silver platter. Fact is I couldn't get a hit in. I swept his leg and he got back up off the ground in some sort of flip without even using his hands followed up with a kick to my face. Happened so damn fast I didn't even know what hit me if it wasn't for the foot print down my face that I later saw in a mirror.

Size may matter to a gal, pun inferred, but in a fight, it has no determination on who wins. I am not referring to the Irish style boxing where you are simply exchanging punches, in that scenario, the bigger guy wins hands down, I am talking about the guy/gal that you just can't land a punch on.


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## MrLemonade (5 mo ago)

Spenser said:


> This is a common misconception that size and weight will determine the outcome. I have on 2 separate occasions in my life have gone vs. a Full Line Back Football player. Both were 6" + taller then I am and both weighed more ( one a hundred pounds heavier the other 150 lbs.) and both lost to me.


I'm not sure where this discussion turned "male vs. female," and I'm really not liking it to be honest. And it's a weird discussion.

But as for size/strength, all that sounds great in theory and it probably sells a lot of smaller people on self defense classes (sorta like the tripe to kick men in the groin nonsense). In practice in a real fight, a lot of those theories go out the window. All but probably the most elite smaller fighters with perfect technique and opportunity, are not going to be able to block, let alone take a hit from a larger stronger opponent, nor are they going to be able to physically move or dominate him. We can surely point to some exceptional smaller fighters (who are outliers and represent less than 1/10th of 1% of the population), but let's just focus on normal people. Back in my training days, I sparred with men just 25% larger than me and I could not move them, I could not control them, and it was hard to effect them with strikes, and they had a lot more power behind their strikes and grappling.

Everyone should have at least a fundamental fighting ability, to box and grapple. And any capable fighter is going to land punches. Watch any fight, both be bloodied. Where there is a large size/strength disparity, those punches are going to seriously harm the smaller person unless that person is extremely tough. Most people cannot take a punch to the face/head or a hard fall on the ground. The practical problem is that it is far more difficult to put someone significantly larger than you, on the ground, because you don't have the same leverage points, or the physical strength to lift them even a little off the ground.

Why are football linebackers build the way they are? And linemen? Sure, it's technique, but you need size and strength.

And then there's technique, knowledge, defense. I'd consider myself capable at judo. So I know, most judo throws or choking requires a hand-hold, usually gi but a shirt or belt. Take off your shirt and fight bare chested and you eliminate a big % of any judo throws and chokes. Take off your belt, there goes a lot more throw holds. Knowledge of these tricks is very important.

As I mentioned above, a tall athletic woman completely sucker-punched me with a haymaker, while I was standing in a bar. She cold cocked me for no reason at all, landing a solid hit to the side of my face. Had a capable man done that, I could have been knocked out (and I've seen a man knocked out cold from a similar punch standing outside the bars one night). My reaction was a full out loud laugh. My friends were shocked, and it ended up by hilarious because it literally did nothing to me, not even a bruise. It simply re-affirmed to me that women simply lack the strength or ability to even physically harm a large man.


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

Changing the subject to the Battle of the ages, does anyone remember that Heavyweight championship fight with _George Foreman vs Evander Holyfield _ on April 19, 1991 ?

I remember my Gramps taking me to his Yacht club to watch the fight on the "Big Screen" (any TV screen would have been bigger then his 19" TV). They had that BIG SUB and fix ins and wings. He even let me drink beer, though I think I ordered a Guinness Stout, being part Irish & Scottish and all.

Was one of those 'great childhood memories'. Too bad for the outcome, winner was not the one I was rooting for.


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

MisterMills357 said:


> I have the Gold belt in Tae Keon Do, which is the lowest. But, in a real street fight, I would give any thug more than he would ever want. I can beat a very tough man if the stakes were high enough, I have before. That is pretty tough talk for a fat old man isn’t it?
> 
> My instructors in TKD were all black belts, and I learned what I should from them.
> I taught a 14 year old black belt that it ain’t all about doing katas: because I ran him out of the ring, and the men took over from there. Anyway I didn’t run either of them out of the ring.
> ...


Verbal judo. With a masters in advanced BS.

If you can defuse a situation your response options expand exponential ly


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Real Old Man said:


> Verbal judo. With a masters in advanced BS.
> 
> If you can defuse a situation your response options expand exponential ly


We have the same degree!


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## AndyFrank (Jul 20, 2018)

Our physical health is kung fu. Something from that. I was 9 or 10 when David Carradine's show finished and 13 before an opportunity came to my town, but I got really blessed on that with a full spectrum start. 

For people without much combat or just starting, I think my joke about just teaching "Killing with hands" is not so much of a joke now. This isn't muggers stealing a watch in peace time, this is savages stealing everything and delighting in killing old people, women and kids. Confrontations you can't evade should not hesitate to grab the upper hand and just finish it afap without the slightest concern or drama. You spare the woman down the road as well.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

I have both kicked ass and had my ass kicked.... Now I use Ching Ching pow.. the old west style of COLT fighting - it is where you toss hot lead at your opponent


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Maine-Marine said:


> I have both kicked ass and had my ass kicked.... Now I use Ching Ching pow.. the old west style of COLT fighting - it is where you toss hot lead at your opponent


God made man, Colt made them equal.


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## the_sentinel (5 mo ago)

I have been through a number of defensive tactics courses, ground fighting schools, knife defense, and baton trainings; both in corrections and now in contract security. Plus of course the annual refreshers required to stay certified. But my original martial training came in the form of judo taught by my dad throughout my childhood, and hapkido that I went to lessons for as a young adult. I also did some boxing and wrestled in high school for a couple years. As far as I am concerned all the lessons from all of them work together. A new BJJ place opened in town and I am thinking about joining up to help me keep in good fighting shape and pick up a few new skills.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

inceptor said:


> God made man, Colt made them equal.


I am too old..short winded and brittle to fight. I have been trained and do know how to swing an ASP and carry it with me..if they just want to play or have a knife. Not a real ASP but a cheap clone from Amazon that should work by cracky. Otherwise the little mouse gun and/or the Sig .40 are anticipated to be called up to assist.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

bigwheel said:


> I am too old..short winded and brittle to fight. I have been trained and do know how to swing an ASP and carry it with me..if they just want to play or have a knife. Not a real ASP but a cheap clone from Amazon that should work by cracky. Otherwise the little mouse gun and/or the Sig .40 are anticipated to be called up to assist.


Similar thoughts here. Too old and broken to carry on fights.


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## theprincipal (Mar 18, 2021)

Generally speaking, martial arts for self defense involves the element of surprise. As in the bad guy not knowing your skill set, then trying to impose their will, and you using your skill set with the combination of timing and technique to survive and escape. 

Martial arts for mutual combat or sport is a bit different. Obviously sport has a agreed upon rule set and limitations, with people of somewhat similar skill sets typically being matched up. Combat has a greater element of strategy and tactics, physical attributes, and skill dependency, with a general lack of rules. 

Regardless of if one is training for defense, sport, combat, or a combination of the three, unless one has a consistent regiment of training against resisting opponents (close to how it would go in reality), the likelihood of executing what one learns is very low.


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