Dual Martial arts advice needed: see body for details

[Tony Dismukes]

Chattanooga, TN (relocating to this city soon). They're all in the same area.

There is also BJJ and MMA in the area, which I'm starting to also consider.

Fortunately it does look like you have some good options for both BJJ and MMA in the area. I'd visit as many schools as you can to see which one seems to fit best for you.

If you're looking for the old-school Gracie Jiu-Jitsu which includes the stand-up/self-defense aspects, you may be in luck.

This school: Jiu Jitsu & Self Defense Classes Chattanooga Martial Arts School has an instructor ranked under Pedro Sauer, who is old school GJJ.

This school: Kioto BJJ Chattanooga has an instructor ranked under Francisco Mansur, who is really old school GJJ.

I'm not personally familiar with either of the schools, so check them out for yourself, but they both definitely come from a self-defense oriented GJJ lineage.

 

[Buka]

I think it's better than it was. There seems to be a lot more openness to training with different groups and less focus on hiding material or selling the idea that "BJJ and specifically my personal brand of BJJ is the best" than there was 20-30 years ago.

I wholeheartedly agree. My first full time BJJ school was here in Hawaii in the 90's, a Rickson school. One of the guys, Travis, upon earning his blue belt, moved to Brazil for four years. He got a job in a market, had a single room apartment above it and a Carlos Gracie school two doors down, where he trained full time. All he did was work in the store and train, train, train in BJJ.

He earned his purple belt and moved back here. A great young man, and a wonderful teacher. But the guy that ran the school hated him for being a turn coat, wouldn't give him any personal instruction, would hardly speak to him, but used him to teach classes when the boss didn't feel like it. (which was often)

The entire student body preferred Travis to anyone else that taught.

To me, if I had a student that sacrificed like that for Martial Arts, I'd do everything in my power to further help him. And like you said, it's different now than it was then. Thank the good Lord.

 

[Damien]

The technique you’re talking about is called gunting in FMA, and the strike to the bicep isn’t generally intended as any sort of power shot. It’s a quick slapping action, generally using an extended knuckle or some sort of small weapon, to the nerves on the inside of the arm. It can hurt, but the unarmed version is definitely not going to “destroy” the bicep. The goal is more to distract, perhaps cause some cumulative damage, and maybe make the opponent more hesitant about punching.

The fact that the instructor didn’t seem to be presenting a realistic application of the technique makes me think that either his understanding is lacking or that he was deliberately overselling the technique to impress.

Oh I can certainly see how the basic principle is of use. Just not the way this guy does it, and not in the way that he explains it. I think this would fall under what McDojo Life calls mislabelling techniques; one of his red flags for bad martial arts schools

 

[Old Happy Tiger]

Hopefully the OP is still around. As long as you keep practicing your martial art that what matters most, if your Capoeira teacher goes over real self defense applications with what He or She is teaching you, it can be as effective as any martial art out there.

Practicing two or more martial arts is good as long as you have soild training in the basics of the first martial art you study. If the Hapkido instructor teaches real self defense applications to what He or She is teaching, I would take that over BJJ. You'll get some arm and wrist locks with that, ground fighting an a more internal martial art approach and also your instructor should be able to teach you the very awesome Hapkido cane techniques that is used for restraints, hold and striking. Knowing how to be able to use a very common and legal item like a cane, only gives you more options. The second one I would recommend, would be Kali. Knowing how to fighting with a knife, stick (or both) as well as open hand techniques is awesome.

 

[wolfeyes2323]

Okay, so I'm looking to do two martial arts: one impractical, one practical for self-defense and additional personal development.

The definite impractical:
Capoeira. No question here. I'm in love with the art and want to devote myself to it. Been to some classes a little far from me but will soon have access to more nearby in-person training to attend regularly.

Now, here's where I need assistance:

I am having difficulty choosing between the following as the practical martial art to supplement my studies(based on what is available in my area). I would like to learn Sambo or Judo but neither will be available locally. The appeal of those two being that they are hybrid, well-rounded martial arts with standing, grappling, etc.

Here are the choices I've narrowed it down to according to local availability:

Gracie Jiujitsu: includes standing, punching and ground fighting

Hapkido: for its joint locks and pain compliance. Love that it's sort of the "anti-martial art" and focused on the redirection of attacks...Not sure how effective it is long-term so please let me know you're opinion on this.

Combat Kuntao: not merely ordinary Silat. There isn't much of a consensus on this one because most people online who talk about it refer only to general Silat, which is a generalized name for Indonesian martial arts, whereas this one is specific...from what I can gather it is sort of an older, Indonesian Krav Maga-esque boxing martial art.

Combat Kuntao in particular, like Hapkido, emphasizes pain compliance and joint locks but also pressure points and nerve strikes as well as striking.

Is brutal and seems to be a hands-on self-defense system as per a link listed on my Local dojo's website

Probably my top choice as of now with Gracie JJ being a close second, though I'm reaching out to the dojo to find out if, like Gracie JJ, they pressure-test it with in-class sparring.

Kali: A martial art that seems similarly brutal, and thought I'd drop that in here, as it is available locally, though probably my bottom of the list choice of these 4.

Please give me your thoughts and if you any ideas outside of these 4 I'd love to hear them.

Thank you!

Take your time , follow your heart , it will tell you what you love. Don't waste your time with infatuation.

 

[Addsplendor]

Take your time , follow your heart , it will tell you what you love. Don't waste your time with infatuation.

That's great advice. Think you're right.

 

[AIKIKENJITSU]

I would suggest American Kenpo. It's interesting and definitely a street art. It enables you to defend against big guys.
They have forms and some of the schools are now also teaching ground fighting.
Sifu