MA for Self-Defense?

[FizzyCal]

I currently train in a traditional style of Tae Kwon Do as my ranking Martial Art and have been supplementing it with various other arts for grappling and weapons training. I would also like to supplement my training with something that could offer good, practicle self-defense. I am considering Krav Maga. Anyone have any thoughts on that or perhaps good suggestions for other styles that may have good self-defense? I know that studying a style of martial art is studying self-defense in-and-of-itself. But I'd like to consider a style that really focuses on "self-defense" not just hand-to-hand combat (if that makes any sense). If you have any thoughts or suggestions, would you also have recommendations for good, reputable instructors? Perhaps a seminar that they offer?

Thanks

 

[Blindside]

It is hard to give recommendations for an instructor if we don't have a clue where you are geographically.

 

[Gemini]

Anyone have any thoughts on that or perhaps good suggestions for other styles that may have good self-defense?

I would suggest the art your training in offers more than adequate self defense. You just need to learn it.

 

[FizzyCal]

It is hard to give recommendations for an instructor if we don't have a clue where you are geographically.

Midwest United States. But am not limited to the midwest.

 

[FizzyCal]

I would suggest the art your training in offers more than adequate self defense. You just need to learn it.

Yes, but I would like to learn from other styles as well.

 

[Native]

Welcome, FizzyCal.

Self defense is a huge topic and everyone has an opinion. I'm not certain what you have in mind exactly, but if you spend some time looking through old threads here you will find a wealth of knowledge. Try typing "self-defense" into the search bar and you will get about 4 pages of threads to peruse.

Also, if you are not already familiar with it, here is a resource to start with. http://nononsenseselfdefense.com/
It will help you define self defense and what it means to you.

Good luck!

 

[Gemini]

Yes, but I would like to learn from other styles as well.

Understood. My point is, that to become proficient at any technique requires repetition and more repetition. Learning a little about a lot of things makes that very difficult and most I know that train that way are all around mediocre. Your initial post indicates to me a lack of understanding of the art your training in. In other words, you haven't grasped the capabilities of the techniques that art offers or more likely, just haven't experienced them yet. Most Taekwondo practitioners I know have little knowledge of all the techniques we employ. I'm only suggesting you may want to consider that before moving on to something else. I would recommend a heart to heart with your "traditional" instructor. Let him/her provide a larger picture for you. The techniques are there.

 

[SavageMan]

I agree with Gemini. TKD has become very underrated due to a Mcdojo explosion in TKD as well as other arts. Not to mention IMO there seems to be some obvious bias from more traditional Japanese arts. If you haven't trained in TKD long. give it time. My instructor is a 4th dan black belt in TKD as well as a 1st dan in Hapkido and a 2nd dan in Goshin jiu jitsu. Believe me when I tell you he doesn't need those other two arts to defend himself. The stand up game you learn in TKD along with the general self defense techniques you should be learning with each poomse should give you lots of tools for the tool box. And if you find that TKD isn't enough for your taste and you would like to see a little more ground work try Hapkido, it's like TKD's bigger meaner Korean brother. (Excluding the wedgies & noggies.) Having a foundation in TKD would help you with the basics anyway.

 

[FizzyCal]

I would recommend a heart to heart with your "traditional" instructor.

When I say "traditional" I mean we study Tae Kwon Do as it was handed down from Jhoon Rhee through our lineage, but is not the "current" Jhoon Rhee system. It is not associated with ITF, WTF, ATA, or any other TKD association.

Your initial post indicates to me a lack of understanding of the art your training in..

If you haven't trained in TKD long. give it time.

Not sure what gave the impression of a lack of understanding. Maybe it was the way I used the term self-defense. In my original post, I thought I made it clear that MA training is self-defense training. But my question was meant to be a little broader than that. It's not that I haven't trained long enough. Honestly, I believe I will never have trained long enough. I have been training in TKD for around 10 years total. Starting from age 12 - 17, then again from age 34 - 39. I have a very good and very knowledgable teacher. I have a great deal of respect for him and have learned very much from him. I have had many good conversations about the intricacies and application of technique. I believe the Japanese call it Bunkai. Which is misunderstood for application but is actually the analysis of technique.


Anyway... I was just looking for advice on broadening my knowledge. I will talk with my teacher. He does hold rank in a few other systems. I was really hoping someone could give me info here.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Actually, I have to applaud everyone here; they gave what I think are excellent answers. Please understand that on a lot of forums, the kind of question you asked is often used to either put down a given system (which we try not to do here) or to ask for a listing of one's favorite system, which is usually just a rote recitation of everybody's personal favorite.

IMHO, any reputable system, and TKD is certainly one of them (although I do not study it, I study Isshin-Ryu), is excellent for self-defense. It sounds as if you have a lot of experience; I'd be surprised if you didn't already know that. If you're looking to broaden your horizons, that's cool and commendable, but it didn't seem as if that's what you were asking.

I hope you'll stick around here; this is a good place full of good people who like to help. But we tend to get along more than we tend to fight over which system is best for 'self defense' or anything else (we do, from time to time, but we try to keep it to a low roar).

My opinion? If you're in the midwest, Isshin-Ryu is a great SD system! How's that work for ya? Best of luck, no matter what! It's all good.

 

[FizzyCal]

Didn't mean any disrepspect. My instructor is very good friends with an Isshin-Ryu instructor that comes to our school to train with us. I'll talk with him. Thank you.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Didn't mean any disrepspect. My instructor is very good friends with an Isshin-Ryu instructor that comes to our school to train with us. I'll talk with him. Thank you.

I didn't think you meant any disrespect! I just think that the question you asked is often asked, and although you had no way of knowing it, it's often asked by people trying to start trouble. I can see you're not trying to do that, but the question was kind of, well, typical. I really do hope you find an art you find satisfactory for good self-defense training. In the end, it's how YOU feel about it that matters. I threw in Isshin-Ryu to be lighthearted and funny. I love my art and it's big in the midwest, but I don't claim it's the only good self-defense system.

 

[ballen0351]

I love my art and it's big in the midwest, but I don't claim it's the only good self-defense system.

True because everyone knows thats Goju Ryu:bangahead:

 

[Bill Mattocks]

True because everyone knows thats Goju Ryu:bangahead:

I heard of that system somewhere. Isn't that the ancient art of running away?

 

[ballen0351]

I heard of that system somewhere. Isn't that the ancient art of running away?

Well Yeah if you cant catch me you cant beat me up

 

[Carol]

I heard of that system somewhere. Isn't that the ancient art of running away?

Nah, that's the one I revitalized, I now call it Rhee Bok Do. I teach it along side my favorite Kenpo techniques, Escaping the Thug and Fleeing Chicken.

 

[ballen0351]

I took rhee bok do for a while but it didn't fit me

 

[K-man]

I don't think you mentioned the other styles you tried. I like Krav but you also have things like systema or even muay thai. As has been said, most of what you seek is certainly contained in the traditional systems but it takes an experienced instructor to show you those techniques.

 

[FizzyCal]

I don't think you mentioned the other styles you tried.

Yamanni Chinen-ryu, BJJ, dabbled in Muay Thai kickboxing, just started learning Pencak Silat.

 

[oftheherd1]

...

Believe me when I tell you he doesn't need those other two arts to defend himself.

Correctly taught, that should be true of any martial art.

The stand up game you learn in TKD along with the general self defense techniques you should be learning with each poomse should give you lots of tools for the tool box.

Unfortunately, it seems many teachers don't know all the techniques buried within forms, saying they are for "art."

And if you find that TKD isn't enough for your taste and you would like to see a little more ground work try Hapkido, it's like TKD's bigger meaner Korean brother. (Excluding the wedgies & noggies.) Having a foundation in TKD would help you with the basics anyway.

I don't know as I would characterize Hapkido as TKD's bigger meaner korean brother. But it does normally lack forms, and doesn't always emphacize teaching good punching or even kicking. As stated, that is where your TKD will help. Hapkido is very defense oriented, usually waiting for an attack and the countering. It uses a lot of joint locks and pressure points. You are usually taught to move into an attack, blocking and/or redirecting the attack, then applying a technique.

The "philosophy" if you want to call it that (perhaps emphasis is a better word), is on ending an attact suddently, with maximum pain/damage to the attacker, so no further attack need be anticipated. Redirection and circles are often used in the techniques to great advantage.

Even though some MA may have things that work better for some people in different applications, I don't know that it would be correct to say any MA is better than another. I think properly learned, all MA are good for SD.

Just my thoughts for your consideration.