Into the Dojo vs Michiel Mulder (Urban Combatives)
IMO, this is definitely one of the very best discussions on YouTube about mindset, intent, and pre-threat cues, as it relates to violence and self-defense. Michiel Mulder has also trained combatives under Lee Morrison, and is the senior instructor of the Netherlands branch of Urban Combatives. Like Morrison, Mulder is a treasure trove of knowledge and experience.
The knife that Mulder carries is a Victorinox fruit knife, which I've heard is popular among many combatives instructors. I own one, but I use mine in the kitchen.
The guy being shown in the video is one of the lowest types of humans. A complete liar, who cannot even keep his lies straight. So he practiced martial arts for 34 years and got his black belt 34 years ago? His teacher cut him chin to belly with an 800 year old family samurai sword (where is the scar)? Those being only some of his many lies, and all of them are doozies. This is among the stupidest nonsense I've ever heard anybody spout about ANY subject, and I've heard A LOT.
I'm only posting this video because Rob gives a perfect breakdown of this charlatan. And believe it or not, in the past, I've actually heard some other "religious" zealots spout the exact same garbage about martial arts (or any other practices rooted in Eastern traditions) being satanic practices. Throughout my lifetime, I've trained in about a dozen different martial arts systems, achieved black belt rankings in two arts, and instructor level in a third art (in a system that did not have a belt ranking system), and not one of them involved any type of worship, much less worship of evil deities.
There are actually quite a few out there who present themselves as more educated/scholarly than these clowns, who say the same or similar things about martial arts (and Yoga). But at their core, they are one and the same as those featured in this video. Their souls are dominated by darkness and fear, and their aim is to spread that fear to as many as will listen to them, so as to make others afraid of partaking in any types of activities (especially "foreign" ones) that might promote self-empowerment and personal growth. They are like viruses masquerading as vitamins.
And I'm not here to defend "the martial arts world," which is FAR from perfect. But the level of ignorance of this clown and his ilk must be exposed for what it is, especially in these current times, when an alarmingly high percentage of the general population have shown themselves to be prone to engaging in cult behavior over virtually anything.
Good stuff. All of these kicks are found in American Kenpo, Choy Lee Fut, Tanglang Quan (Praying Mantis Fist), and in many (most?) Kung Fu systems.
The kick he refers to as the shin kick, I refer to as a short inside sweep kick, which can be done to the shin or the ankle.
I personally prefer the oblique kick over the front snap kick (which he refers to as the ball kick, referring to using the ball of the foot for the striking surface). IMO, the oblique kick (a forward or crossing kick with the foot and toes pointed diagonally outwards) has a wider margin of error under stress, and has more immediate destructive potential to the knee joint or the shin bone.
The applications in the video seem to be presented mostly in terms of sparring strategies. Since I no longer spar, my only application focus nowadays is self-defense / self-offense, and not "fighting" per se. So my personal training is not intended for 'squaring off' with an opponent in a fighting stance and jockeying around for position. Not saying that is bad, but at my age (almost 61; not really old, but definitely not young), I'm not interested in that anymore.
"Fighting" is a young man's game. My interest is no longer in fighting (agreed-upon mutual combat), but in ending a situation as quickly as possible, if I have no other choice. Meaning, things that can be applied regardless of age (assuming one remains in reasonably decent health).
I personally emphasize mostly hand strikes, with very little kicking for self-defense (mostly to the knee or lower; rarely as high as the groin), as a setup, or maybe as a follow-up, such as stomping the ankle / Achilles tendon area of a downed attacker. My personal self-defense repertoire emphasizes open hand strikes (palm heel, blade of hand, claw hand), hammer fists, elbows, and edge of forearm strikes, with explosive forward and/or angular movement. My own experiences have shown me that for actual self-defense (as opposed to sparring), you must pare everything down to only the simplest, barest essentials that you can be effective with under the sudden stress and adrenaline of a real, unavoidable situation of sudden violence. Then you must have confidence and commitment behind them.
This Fighter's Knockouts have Garnered Millions of Views
In the right situation, a skilled practitioner of ANY martial art can make it work. It's not only the technique, but the individual's experience, confidence, and aggressive fighting spirit that makes them effective. I don't know anything about this fighter other than some clips I've seen over the years, but his Capoeira is excellent.
One of the reasons I no longer discuss martial arts (other than the little I type in this thread) is because videos like this always get stupid comments below them.
One person said if the fighter had been using "pure" Capoeira he would have been "flatlined." Well, DUH. The armchair critics also said that about Lyoto Machida's Karate style in his MMA fights. Guess what? EVERY art that makes up the modern sport of MMA (BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, and western wrestling) is modified for MMA fighting and therefore is not "pure." They are all modified and adapted. But conveniently, nobody ever mentions that when it comes to the 4 methods that make up "orthodox" MMA.
I would ask the snarky commenters, who seem to doubt the Capoeirista's ability and ask how many UFC championships he won: "How many fights have YOU won, and what is YOUR fight record?"
Too many disrespectful know-it-alls sit on their @$$es watching martial arts videos on YouTube, thinking they know everything, and leave brainless comments; when the vast majority of they themselves would get destroyed in a fight, or just in sparring with even a "mediocre" fighter, let alone if they ever faced a beast like this Capoeira guy.
The irate customer (or attempted thief) tries to ram the female worker with the cart, then spits in her face. Then if you watch closely, she appears to KO him with a right hand.
This Fighter's Knockouts have Garnered Millions of Views
In the right situation, a skilled practitioner of ANY martial art can make it work. It's not only the technique, but the individual's experience, confidence, and aggressive fighting spirit that makes them effective. I don't know anything about this fighter other than some clips I've seen over the years, but his Capoeira is excellent.
One of the reasons I no longer discuss martial arts (other than the little I type in this thread) is because videos like this always get stupid comments below them.
One person said if the fighter had been using "pure" Capoeira he would have been "flatlined." Well, DUH. The armchair critics also said that about Lyoto Machida's Karate style in his MMA fights. Guess what? EVERY art that makes up the modern sport of MMA (BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, and western wrestling) is modified for MMA fighting and therefore is not "pure." They are all modified and adapted. But conveniently, nobody ever mentions that when it comes to the 4 methods that make up "orthodox" MMA.
I would ask the snarky commenters, who seem to doubt the Capoeirista's ability and ask how many UFC championships he won: "How many fights have YOU won, and what is YOUR fight record?"
Too many disrespectful know-it-alls sit on their @$$es watching martial arts videos on YouTube, thinking they know everything, and leave brainless comments; when the vast majority of they themselves would get destroyed in a fight, or just in sparring with even a "mediocre" fighter, let alone if they ever faced a beast like this Capoeira guy.
Jim
Interesting style. It is definitely a style for able bodied, flexible and acrobatic fighters. I can see it working for people on the street below 35 years of age with the right training and physical abilities. There may be a few 40+ people that can move like that and have the power to deliver a knockout strike. The issue with that style is that it telegraphs the strike to an opponent, but if you can confuse them and deliver it on the first attempt, it looks good.
For people 35+ and <75 involved in a battle on the street to save their life, I recommend boxing/karate with kicks at or below the knee in combination with escrima/arnis.
This Fighter's Knockouts have Garnered Millions of Views
In the right situation, a skilled practitioner of ANY martial art can make it work. It's not only the technique, but the individual's experience, confidence, and aggressive fighting spirit that makes them effective. I don't know anything about this fighter other than some clips I've seen over the years, but his Capoeira is excellent.
One of the reasons I no longer discuss martial arts (other than the little I type in this thread) is because videos like this always get stupid comments below them.
One person said if the fighter had been using "pure" Capoeira he would have been "flatlined." Well, DUH. The armchair critics also said that about Lyoto Machida's Karate style in his MMA fights. Guess what? EVERY art that makes up the modern sport of MMA (BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, and western wrestling) is modified for MMA fighting and therefore is not "pure." They are all modified and adapted. But conveniently, nobody ever mentions that when it comes to the 4 methods that make up "orthodox" MMA.
I would ask the snarky commenters, who seem to doubt the Capoeirista's ability and ask how many UFC championships he won: "How many fights have YOU won, and what is YOUR fight record?"
Too many disrespectful know-it-alls sit on their @$$es watching martial arts videos on YouTube, thinking they know everything, and leave brainless comments; when the vast majority of they themselves would get destroyed in a fight, or just in sparring with even a "mediocre" fighter, let alone if they ever faced a beast like this Capoeira guy.
Jim
Interesting style. It is definitely a style for able bodied, flexible and acrobatic fighters. I can see it working for people on the street below 35 years of age with the right training and physical abilities. There may be a few 40+ people that can move like that and have the power to deliver a knockout strike. The issue with that style is that it telegraphs the strike to an opponent, but if you can confuse them and deliver it on the first attempt, it looks good.
For people 35+ and <75 involved in a battle on the street to save their life, I recommend boxing/karate with kicks at or below the knee in combination with escrima/arnis.
I fully agree, Naperville.
Every year, there is a local Brazilian festival that has demonstrations of various things, including Capoeira, which has Afro-Brazilian roots. It is very athletic and acrobatic. As effective I think it CAN be under certain circumstances, I do not view it as a practical self-defense method for anyone who isn't young, fit, and in perfect health, with no injuries. And even then, the practitioner has to have a high degree of natural athleticism. It pretty much requires every part of the body to be in perfect condition which, to me, eliminates it as practical as one ages, or even for a young person who experiences any type of injury.
For my own personal SD, I've pared it down to a few simple, practical skills that I've kept and developed over the decades that are intended strictly for SD. Mostly open-hand strikes (to the neck, chin/jaw, face, groin), hammer fists, elbows, and a few low kicks, mostly to the knee or lower, occasionally to the groin, if it's open. A couple of takedowns and a couple of chokes. I don't emphasize very much punching (with the knuckles, like standard boxing, Karate, Kung Fu, etc., punches) anymore, because many people expect punches, and can take them pretty well. And I've seen people who have broken their hands landing punches to the head at the wrong angle, or whose body punch got elbow blocked.
I also have simple, direct, practical skills with a straight 51" hickory walking stick. Nothing fancy. No swings or twirls like you see in a lot of YT videos about SD with a cane or walking stick. I don't NEED the stick as a walking aid, but I carry it on my walks because it is effective, can be applied at long or short range, and is 100% legal. I even took it with me to the downtown courthouse when I had jury duty last year.
IMO, the simpler the better. They should also be skills that one could conceivably use even as one ages.
This Fighter's Knockouts have Garnered Millions of Views
In the right situation, a skilled practitioner of ANY martial art can make it work. It's not only the technique, but the individual's experience, confidence, and aggressive fighting spirit that makes them effective. I don't know anything about this fighter other than some clips I've seen over the years, but his Capoeira is excellent.
One of the reasons I no longer discuss martial arts (other than the little I type in this thread) is because videos like this always get stupid comments below them.
One person said if the fighter had been using "pure" Capoeira he would have been "flatlined." Well, DUH. The armchair critics also said that about Lyoto Machida's Karate style in his MMA fights. Guess what? EVERY art that makes up the modern sport of MMA (BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, and western wrestling) is modified for MMA fighting and therefore is not "pure." They are all modified and adapted. But conveniently, nobody ever mentions that when it comes to the 4 methods that make up "orthodox" MMA.
I would ask the snarky commenters, who seem to doubt the Capoeirista's ability and ask how many UFC championships he won: "How many fights have YOU won, and what is YOUR fight record?"
Too many disrespectful know-it-alls sit on their @$$es watching martial arts videos on YouTube, thinking they know everything, and leave brainless comments; when the vast majority of they themselves would get destroyed in a fight, or just in sparring with even a "mediocre" fighter, let alone if they ever faced a beast like this Capoeira guy.
Jim
Interesting style. It is definitely a style for able bodied, flexible and acrobatic fighters. I can see it working for people on the street below 35 years of age with the right training and physical abilities. There may be a few 40+ people that can move like that and have the power to deliver a knockout strike. The issue with that style is that it telegraphs the strike to an opponent, but if you can confuse them and deliver it on the first attempt, it looks good.
For people 35+ and <75 involved in a battle on the street to save their life, I recommend boxing/karate with kicks at or below the knee in combination with escrima/arnis.
I fully agree, Naperville.
Every year, there is a local Brazilian festival that has demonstrations of various things, including Capoeira, which has Afro-Brazilian roots. It is very athletic and acrobatic. As effective I think it CAN be under certain circumstances, I do not view it as a practical self-defense method for anyone who isn't young, fit, and in perfect health, with no injuries. And even then, the practitioner has to have a high degree of natural athleticism. It pretty much requires every part of the body to be in perfect condition which, to me, eliminates it as practical as one ages, or even for a young person who experiences any type of injury.
For my own personal SD, I've pared it down to a few simple, practical skills that I've kept and developed over the decades that are intended strictly for SD. Mostly open-hand strikes (to the neck, chin/jaw, face, groin), hammer fists, elbows, and a few low kicks, mostly to the knee or lower, occasionally to the groin, if it's open. A couple of takedowns and a couple of chokes. I don't emphasize very much punching (with the knuckles, like standard boxing, Karate, Kung Fu, etc., punches) anymore, because many people expect punches. And I've seen people who have broken their hands landing punches to the head at the wrong angle, or whose body punch got elbow blocked.
I also have simple, direct, practical skills with a straight 51" hickory walking stick. Nothing fancy. No swings or twirls like you see in a lot of YT videos about SD with a cane or walking stick. I don't NEED the stick as a walking aid, but I carry it on my walks because it is effective, can be applied at long or short range, and is 100% legal. I even took it with me to the downtown courthouse when I had jury duty last year.
IMO, the simpler the better. They should also be skills that one could conceivably use even as one ages.
Jim
Cool that you carry a straight 51" hickory walking stick! Today I received an email from a vendor who I have followed for years. (This is just one idea for readers so I'll post the link.) There are many different kinds and eventually I'll have a couple too!
Mine is just a standard rustic hickory walking stick from Brazos Walking Sticks. I also have a 53" twisted pattern hickory walking stick from them, but I like the plain rustic one better, and it's easier to maneuver quickly without the twisted pattern. They actually sell them for my size (5' 9") at the 55" length, if I remember correctly; but when I ordered I requested them to be shortened a bit. I probably should have just bought them at full length, but that's OK.
Mine is just a standard rustic hickory walking stick from Brazos Walking Sticks. I also have a 53" twisted pattern hickory walking stick from them, but I like the plain rustic one better, and it's easier to maneuver quickly without the twisted pattern. They actually sell them for my size (5' 9") at the 55" length, if I remember correctly; but when I ordered I requested them to be shortened a bit. I probably should have just bought them at full length, but that's OK.
Jim
I just added Brazos Walking Sticks to my notes! I'll look at those as well! I'll buy one of each. I think I need to try them out.
Mine is just a standard rustic hickory walking stick from Brazos Walking Sticks. I also have a 53" twisted pattern hickory walking stick from them, but I like the plain rustic one better, and it's easier to maneuver quickly without the twisted pattern. They actually sell them for my size (5' 9") at the 55" length, if I remember correctly; but when I ordered I requested them to be shortened a bit. I probably should have just bought them at full length, but that's OK.
Jim
I just added Brazos Walking Sticks to my notes! I'll look at those as well! I'll buy one of each. I think I need to try them out.
One of the great things about Brazos Walking Sticks is that they are not designed to be weapons, or for self-defense; but if one knows how, they can be used as such, if necessary. I prefer a straight rustic hickory walking stick; as opposed to canes, which I wouldn't have much use for, anyway. I use the handle end as the main striking end. It's essentially the same as legally carrying a short staff.
I must admit that I don't carry my walking stick when I go shopping, though.
Mine is just a standard rustic hickory walking stick from Brazos Walking Sticks. I also have a 53" twisted pattern hickory walking stick from them, but I like the plain rustic one better, and it's easier to maneuver quickly without the twisted pattern. They actually sell them for my size (5' 9") at the 55" length, if I remember correctly; but when I ordered I requested them to be shortened a bit. I probably should have just bought them at full length, but that's OK.
Jim
I just added Brazos Walking Sticks to my notes! I'll look at those as well! I'll buy one of each. I think I need to try them out.
One of the great things about Brazos Walking Sticks is that they are not designed to be weapons, or for self-defense; but if one knows how, they can be used as such, if necessary. I prefer a straight rustic hickory walking stick; as opposed to canes, which I wouldn't have much use for, anyway. I use the handle end as the main striking end. It's essentially the same as legally carrying a short staff.
I must admit that I don't carry my walking stick when I go shopping, though.
Jim
Yes, I wasn't thinking for self defense, although I did see Ironwood staves! Those may do the trick. There are a few forest preserves here and I'd definitely use a walking stick. I always carry my Native Chief, never without it.
The thing that I liked when I visited the Brazos Walking Stick site was the ability to get a water filled compass in the handle. That looked cool. I don't yet have a watch with all of the bells and whistles(compass, heart rate, ...), and it would be nice to get one in 2024.
Mine is just a standard rustic hickory walking stick from Brazos Walking Sticks. I also have a 53" twisted pattern hickory walking stick from them, but I like the plain rustic one better, and it's easier to maneuver quickly without the twisted pattern. They actually sell them for my size (5' 9") at the 55" length, if I remember correctly; but when I ordered I requested them to be shortened a bit. I probably should have just bought them at full length, but that's OK.
Jim
I just added Brazos Walking Sticks to my notes! I'll look at those as well! I'll buy one of each. I think I need to try them out.
One of the great things about Brazos Walking Sticks is that they are not designed to be weapons, or for self-defense; but if one knows how, they can be used as such, if necessary. I prefer a straight rustic hickory walking stick; as opposed to canes, which I wouldn't have much use for, anyway. I use the handle end as the main striking end. It's essentially the same as legally carrying a short staff.
I must admit that I don't carry my walking stick when I go shopping, though.
Jim
Yes, I wasn't thinking for self defense, although I did see Ironwood staves! Those may do the trick. There are a few forest preserves here and I'd definitely use a walking stick. I always carry my Native Chief, never without it.
The thing that I liked when I visited the Brazos Walking Stick site was the ability to get a water filled compass in the handle. That looked cool. I don't yet have a watch with all of the bells and whistles(compass, heart rate, ...), and it would be nice to get one in 2024.
Yeah, I've seen those compasses for their sticks advertised. Ironwood sticks also look cool. For outdoor hiking, Brazos also offers spikes for the tip of the walking stick. Tips are generally recommended more for hikes, for outdoor traction where a rubber ferrule on the end wouldn't be very practical.
If I were going hiking in the wilderness, I would buy a longer hiking staff (probably the full 55", or even the next size up), along with the metal spiked tip.
If I were just 18 to 25, I'd run rather than deal with these people. At 63 that is no longer an option.
I suppose things like in this video could happen anywhere but large cities are rife with people looking to viciously take people apart, maim or kill them for no reason. There are videos floating around on Instagram and Twitter of 3 women attacked over the last month in NYC, punched in the face for no reason.
We are dumping 2 properties in Chicago. One that was in the family for almost 100 years closed last week, and the other that was in the family for more than 20 years is being emptied out as I write.
I do not want to live there and my brother who is a retired Chicago cop cannot get his gf to live there. It is and isn't violence. It is hate begetting violence. People show disrespect to the law and each other at such an unusual rate that you MUST have a concealed carry firearm, or just do not go there. No amount of martial arts will keep you alive there, the inner cities in the USA are combat zones.
I do not know how many carry firearms in Chicago(for example) but there are around 600 to 650 homicides and 2,250 to 2,700 shot every year in Chicago!!!! 2,500 SHOT EVERY YEAR! Does it make sense to move there for a work opportunity? Are you delirious? It is like living in Ukraine during a war. I was walking to my doctors office in Chicago and 4 guys threatened to shoot me for walking on a sidewalk 25 feet behind them. They said I was following them!!!!
