Sorry for another question like this, but I need advice

[domant]

I am wanting to start training for self defense. I have been looking at various systems, but cannot really nail it down to what I want/can do. Things I am considering....

1. How long does it take to become effective? This question is not due to impatience or immaturity. I do not expect to be a "black belt" in a year by no means. However, my reality is I am 45 yrs old and am starting late in life. I do not want an art that will take 10 years to have a base line of effectiveness. That being said I plan to continue to learn throughout my lifetime.

2. Self Defense. I am primarily looking for a system of self defense. I would also like to incorporate weapon skills whether as a combination of arts or one by itself.

3. I live in N. Irving, TX which is part of the Dallas, TX area. We have many options here. Would like an instructor geared towards what I am considering.

4. I would certainly appreciate the community an art can provide as well.

5. I am 5'7" and out of shape. I have been doing some Cross Fit to work on this.

If this post offends in any way I apologize. It is a sincere request, I appreciate and respect experience and advice from all.

Thank you

 

[MI_martialist]

If you want to quickly and efficiently learn how to protect yourself and what is personal to you, martial arts classes are not the way to do it.

 

[domant]

What would you suggest?

 

[MI_martialist]

What would you suggest?

Look for tactical training, firearms training, improvised everyday carry training.

If you want a prolonged study of martial things, do the above and take martial classes.

 

[domant]

I appreciate the feedback. I have done and continue with the above. I am an NRA instructor myself. I am wanting to add to this as a firearm is not always an appropriate or necessary solution. I do also appreciate and desire the lifelong study of a discipline as well.

Perhaps I do not have a clear understanding of the fullness of "martial." Can you explain more?

 

[MI_martialist]

I appreciate the feedback. I have done and continue with the above. I am an NRA instructor myself. I am wanting to add to this as a firearm is not always an appropriate or necessary solution. I do also appreciate and desire the lifelong study of a discipline as well.

Perhaps I do not have a clear understanding of the fullness of "martial." Can you explain more?

Good to hear...I agree with a firearm not always being appropriate...in fact, it is probably almost never appropriate.

I will refrain from expounding on what martial is since it usually offends people's sensibilities.

 

[domant]

Ok, thank you. I will do further research on the subject. Thank you for your input.

 

[marques]

Perhaps someone that knows your area may help you. Otherwise, the answer is always the same...
Who much time and money are you willing to spend? What options do you have? Then go there, one by one. And meet the instructor and observe the senior students. Visit also the schools that are not specifically 'systems of self-defense'. They also may have the answers you are looking for.

'Effective' is a very relative term, but It will take always some years.

 

[domant]

Thank you. If someone is familiar with this area that would be great.

 

[JowGaWolf]

1. How long does it take to become effective? This question is not due to impatience or immaturity. I do not expect to be a "black belt" in a year by no means. However, my reality is I am 45 yrs old and am starting late in life. I do not want an art that will take 10 years to have a base line of effectiveness. That being said I plan to continue to learn throughout my lifetime.

Effectiveness is going to depend on how you train and your willingness to learn how to use the techniques during practice. If you train with the purpose of self-defense and fighting then you can have a base line of effectiveness in about a year, provided that you train more than 3 times a week. Practice, Practice, Practice .

I'm the fight instructor (for the lack of a better term) at my school and I'm responsible for making sure students know how to apply Jow Ga techniques in the context of self-defense. Most students that take the training serious will have a good base for fighting within a year. Provided that they attend the sparring classes which are once a week. The ones that struggle are the ones that haven't learned how to trust the techniques. In the classes it's not always about hitting, we discuss things like strategy, our body's natural reactions and responses, and things that help us understand what really goes on when fighting. I'm not a big fan of self-defense seminars, but only because I know it takes more training than what the seminars will be able to provide. But I do like that they discuss the methods and go into detail of how to apply them. Your martial arts training should be similar to that, where there is some detailed discussion on application, fighting, and what really goes on.

If all the instructor does is put equipment on people and let them go at it, then your training for self-defense will be lacking. You'll need someone that can explain in detail how things work, how to set it up, and has an eye for analyzing your sparring.

When you search for a school be sure to let the instructor know what you want to learn and how you want to be able to use it. This will help the instructor know how to customize your training.

 

[domant]

Thank you very much. We have several Wing Chun/JKD schools in the area that I have been considering. In your opinion, would these be similiar to Jow Ga Kung Fu?

 

[frank raud]

I'd be looking at Filipino Martial Arts for something to become competent in relatively quickly. Rister International Martial Arts seems to be a possibility.

 

[Buka]

Welcome to MartialTalk, domant. (you old man, you!) Hope you enjoy it.

What might be the best way is to dedicate a little of your current time. (to save time down the road)
Check the closest Martial gyms to your home or work, drop in to each several times (as different nights tend to work on different things), Watch what's being done, watch how it applies to what you think the self defense you're looking for really is. Watch how it uses people actually fighting people, or training against active resistance. Spend a month doing this. It will be interesting to you, should be fun, too.

I'd try to include a boxing gym and a Brazilian Ju-jitsu gym among the others, but that's just my opinion as how it applies to self defense. It really depends on what you like and what's available to you, conveniently. And I say conveniently for a good reason. If you find a place you really like (to meet what you think your needs are) and it's forty minutes away, well, you know how life gets in the way of things.

Let us know how it goes as you explore. But go to a bunch of places and see.

 

[lklawson]

I appreciate the feedback. I have done and continue with the above. I am an NRA instructor myself. I am wanting to add to this as a firearm is not always an appropriate or necessary solution. I do also appreciate and desire the lifelong study of a discipline as well.

Perhaps I do not have a clear understanding of the fullness of "martial." Can you explain more?

From one NRA instructor to another, what you're looking for is usually not going to be served by one "traditional" martial art alone. From what you write about your experience, training background, and current fitness level, I'd recommend a combination of Judo and some RBSD ("Reality Based Self Defense") course. The Judo will mesh well with your existing firearms training, particularly weapons retention and counters techniques. It also gives you a great base for gun-buster signed locations. RBSD isn't usually my first (or second, or third) choice for generic "weapons" work (knife, club, etc.) but most of the time it will also mesh well with your firearms and should usually fit OK with Judo. One poster suggested Filipino Martial Arts (FMA). Those will get you knife and stick pretty well, but I'm less of a fan of how they integrate with other arts. Some styles of Silat integrate pretty well, but it's less commonly taught than FMA or, especially, Judo. If you can find someone teaching the old WWII "Military Combatives" stuff for knife & stick (Applegate/Fairbairn/Sykes lineage), that would fit very well with your firearms training and also with Judo.

Judo also tends to be excellent for fitness. You should also consider upping your run-n-gun drills. Do maybe 20 min. of run-n-gun every other day. Good for fitness. If it's too time consuming or expensive to do run-n-gun at your range (believe me, I grok), try setting up a backyard "range" with BB guns, Pellet Guns, or Airsoft. MUCH more affordable.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[domant]

Thank you guys so much. Great direction. I truly appreciate all the help. I will take all the posts and visit several for a month or so. Fortunately, Dallas has a lot of options so it should keep me pretty busy.

Meanwhile, I will continue on my fitness goals. Thank you all once again for taking the time to offer your experience.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Thank you guys so much. Great direction. I truly appreciate all the help. I will take all the posts and visit several for a month or so. Fortunately, Dallas has a lot of options so it should keep me pretty busy.

Meanwhile, I will continue on my fitness goals. Thank you all once again for taking the time to offer your experience.

You may be able to quickly narrow your choices by deciding if fighting with weapons is required. Not every school teaches weapons and not every school teaches weapons that you can actually walk around with. Jow ga teaches a lot of weapons, but the one that I'll every really be able to walk around with is a staff (if I'm hiking or walking ) and double daggers in which I can use a knife. Beyond that the swords and spears aren't going to be something that I carry around on a normal day.

 

[drop bear]

We put people in the ring fighting full contact in 12weeks.

So if you wanted to get good enough fast. Of of those sort of programs should work well for you.

 

[Ironbear24]

These sort of questions are tough to answer for a number of reasons, one of them being I do not know the places around you. Fortunately I can answer many the other questions and statements. In my opinion look for a good karate dojo or Judo club with a reputable background. No fighting art I ever heard of takes 10 years to be proficient in it, proficiency is a very abstract thing because you may be proficient against defending yourself against person A while person B you may not for a wide variety of reasons.

The only objection I have to taking BJJ for self defense as Buka mentioned above is going to the ground is not always the safest option. The ground can have lots of debris or broken glass that can end up harming you, or the guys buddies can end up stomping you while you are wrestling them on the floor. With much of Judo you knock them off balance/throw them and well, gravity and the concrete does the rest of the work for you .

Boxing can be good, but boxing mostly only prepares you to fight other boxers. In the end it is all up to you, there is no real wrong answer here as this is all just my opinion.

 

[JowGaWolf]

With much of Judo you knock them off balance/throw them and well, gravity and the concrete does the rest of the work for you

This is why I like Shuai Jiao. It's grappling but the focus is to put the opponent on the ground and not to go to the ground with them.

One of my favorite videos

 

[KangTsai]

Tip: if you have a viable martial art place in your area, go give it a try. If you like it, keep going, because it clearly fits what you're trying to achieve. If this is purely for self-defence like you mentioned, I would gravitate toward grappling arts like judo or BJJ, but that's your judgement.

Also, believe it or not, the base line of skill needed to defend yourself against the average Joe or Jane is lower than you think.