Will any MA teach me how to defend myself?

[Frango]

Aikido is pretty effective too. I wish I had time to learn that in addition to BJJ.

 

[Jacob Creutzfeldt]

"90% of all street fights end up on the ground"

Not true. The gracies would like everyone to believe that there are hundreds of thousands of EVIL ex-olympic caliber wrestlers out there who are going to shoot a double on you at the onset of a streetfight.

I've cross trained in bjj, shootwrestling, and am Instructor level in Muay thai. Guess how many times fights have gone to the ground? About twice out of 30 or so street fights.

I've bounced in 5 different nightclubs and the only time I see a fight go to the ground is when two fat idiots get tired and pull each other to the ground.

BJJ is a GREAT art that everyone should train in. However, try using bjj in a packed nightclub or when there are 3 guys who want to kill you and you are alone or with your gf. PUts a totally different paintjob on things.

IMO muay thai is the best followed very closely by BJJ. BUT i'd recommend people train in both.

So when you hit your opponent they never fell to the ground? Did they just wave their hands and shout, "No mas" after a couple of hits? The statistic the Gracies quote is somewhat misleading.

 

[karde]

Why would you want to take a real fight to the ground? If the guy has friends with him, then your head is about to get pounded....especially in a bar or club. For self-defense, people don't fight fair, or follow rules. Very very few fights i have seen in clubs were "man-to-man".

Learning ground fighting is important, in case it does go to the ground. Yet, I agree with rodneyabs, learn some stand up style, and some ground fighting, ignoring one aspect puts a big hole in your capabilities.

 

[hub5326]

I agree 100% that the ground is a bad place to be in a real fight. Waaayyyy to many variables, most of them aren't on your side and wear steel toes...

 

[jubei]

the effectiveness of karate depends on the sensei and the style. I have seen schools and individuals who were devestating as well as those who were a joke. Best for self defense imo would be bjj,mt,kickboxing in that order.

 

[ZacTargac]

I learned some brazilian jiu-jitsu from a foregin exchange friend who worked with me lifeguarding.

He showed me some awsome moves and told me a lot about it.
I hear it takes a very very long time to make black-belt.

 

[jubei]

^^it should.

 

[eitan27]

hehe this is fun

 

[Jacob Creutzfeldt]

I agree 100% that the ground is a bad place to be in a real fight. Waaayyyy to many variables, most of them aren't on your side and wear steel toes...

Who is better able to understand how not to go to the ground than someone who practices the takedowns and takedown defense? Frankly whether you know bjj, thai boxing, western boxing, krav magna, dim mak, or Smith and Wesson three men determined to shit stomp you into oblivion in closed quarters have the advantage. You have the same limited field of view whether you are mounted or facing off against someone.

 

[Roidboyz]

No offence, you tran=ined in a shity dojo. I train in both karate and bjj. good and bad to both but the can be very complementary. So many Karate schools are all kata and point sparring, if thats what your after its cool but if you look you can find some very talented fighter out there to teach you what you want to know. Just my .02