Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

[James Y]

Karate: The Real Truth Gets Told

*Video below.

Lots of gems being shared in the video.

In the 1970s, Japanese Karate was indeed taught the way he describes. I'm far away from the northeastern US, but when I studied Shito-ryu Karate (which is very similar to Shotokan), the sparring was pretty much the same as Carman describes ghetto and UK Karate; full contact to the body and pulled contact to the head. Which sounds easy, but it was not. We wore thin cloth knuckle pads, which provided more of an illusion of protection than actual protection. Sparring was very rough. Our Japanese sensei wouldn't accept anything less.

The dojo wasn't in the ghetto, but the training was like it was in Japan at the time; hardcore. It was not unusual for people to get hurt during sparring. And you were NOT matched up by size and weight. You sparred with whoever you were paired up with. As a skinny teen, I fought large adult men of advanced rank who hit me as hard as they hit men of their own size and rank. You either learned to toughen up and give back as good as you got, or you got steamrolled. Back then, kids were not as protected and coddled in the martial arts like they are nowadays.

I also trained in American Kenpo, where we used boxing gloves, and occasionally even wore sneakers during sparring. I trained at the Shito-ryu dojo in the late afternoons, then went to the Kenpo school right after, in the evenings. The Kenpo sparring was much more kickboxing, including groin shots, takedowns, etc. We also cross-trained and sparred with boxers, pro kickboxers, etc. The Kenpo sparring was also tough. So I got the best of both worlds, in terms of "traditional" and "modern" training.

The Karate sparring seen in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which was actually held in 2021) looked like powderpuff sparring. Nothing at all like the Karate sparring as I experienced it in the '70s and early '80s.


I emphasize this because, nowadays, people think Karate is a joke, equating it with the current trend of kiddie Karate/kiddie Tae Kwon Do, or gymnastics-based performance "Karate," which are nothing like martial arts were taught decades ago. This low opinion of Karate and other martial arts in general is especially prevalent among younger adults, who were born long after most martial arts in the US became watered down for children, as well as for adults who wouldn't be willing or able to handle the hard-core training of the past.

Nowadays, Kyokushin Karate and its offshoots are still very much hardcore.

Carman talks about Terry O'Neill, who is a martial arts and fighting legend in the UK. I'd heard about Terry O'Neill way back in the '70s.

The hammer fist is a Karate technique, but it did not originate in Japanese or Okinawan Karate. It's a common technique in many traditional Chinese martial arts, which predate, and are the precursor of, modern Karate.

https://youtu.be/Miuka9wdC_g

Jim

Thanks for sharing Jim, very interesting. From what I understand the lineage goes back from Japan over Okinawa to the original Shaolin Temple in China who according to legend were taught and conditioned by a visiting monk/mystic from India. To your point, if people want proof of how effective karate is in a real fight just type Lyoto Machida in any search engine and admire the Dragon from Brazil in all his UFC glory. His timing and whip on that front kick to the chin is vicious and I've only seen Anderson Silva do the same a couple times in all his years of being a legend, untill he snapped his shin. Lyoto was trained and conditioned in budo and karate by his Japanese father from the age of 5. By the time he entered the Octagon he was a hardbody karate killer. So yes Sir, the old skool method works!

Have a great week Jim,
max

Hi, Max, and thanks for commenting!

Yes, I agree that Lyoto Machida was a great representative of Karate in UFC. Of course, he adapted it for MMA, and he also has a black belt in BJJ, and did some training in Muay Thai. But there is NO DOUBT that his base remains Shotokan Karate (which I think his family now refers to as "Machida Karate," much like the Gracies refer to their brand of Judo/Jiu-Jitsu grappling as passed down through Mitsuyo Maeda as "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu").

I posted some videos of Lyoto Machida in this thread sometime back.

Back when he was still on his winning streak in his early UFC days, some MMA fans said that Lyoto wasn't using Karate. Whereas anybody who is familiar at all with Japanese Karate could recognize that he was using Karate in the Octagon. It was ADAPTED for MMA, but he was primarily a Karate man. It was obvious; you could see it in his stance, his footwork, his strategies, his attacking style, his punching style, the way he kicked (not Muay Thai style, but snappy). Most importantly, he displayed a respectful attitude that seems rare nowadays.

You have a great week too, Max!

Jim

[James Y]

Kata is NOT For Fighting (It is for non-consensual violence)

(Video below)

This man is speaking a lot of truths here. I like his terminology of 'consensual violence' vs 'non-consensual' (criminal) violence. I think I'll use his terminology from now on. I WAS using terms like 'mutual ego fights' and something like 'predatory criminal attacks'. His terminology draws a clearly understandable distinction between the two types of violence, which MOST people think are one and the same.

Another truth he mentions is that most martial artists only train to face other people who are trained in their same art. Such training does not prepare someone to face the chaos of random violence.

I was very fortunate in that during my Kenpo days, my teacher cross-trained in other arts, and regularly had outsiders, as well as several of his own students, who were former amateur and pro boxers, pro kickboxers, etc., to train and spar with. My teacher also had a background in boxing and wrestling before Kenpo. His school had visitors from other styles who came to spar, and occasionally hosted entire schools as guests, who came in for sparring exchanges. So we got used to facing all types of opponents, of all sizes and shapes. The first time I sparred a boxer was an eye-opener and a wake-up call for me; meaning I got smoked.


That's how we gained experience in facing various types of opponents from outside of our "bubble," which really wasn't much of a bubble, because our training was eclectic to begin with. It was a very early form of modern "mixed martial arts." We also did some scenario training (facing multiple opponents, etc.).

Sparring and self-defense are NOT the same thing. But done realistically, sparring at least gives you some experience dealing with violence from non-compliant opponents in a controlled environment. Sparring also allows you to try out different types of skills.

OTOH, real-life self-defense does not require a black belt, nor does it require a lot of different skills. In fact, it is best to have a limited set of simple strategies and skills for self-defense. Mindset/commitment are far more important than how many skills you have.

I am eternally grateful to my Kenpo teacher for bringing us those experiences, and for his open-minded influence.

https://youtu.be/GvtsYnTvFPE

Jim

[James Y]

Spiked Elbow Entry (Lee Morrison)

https://youtu.be/f2uJPdSswKE

Jim

[max808]

Karate: The Real Truth Gets Told

*Video below.

Lots of gems being shared in the video.

In the 1970s, Japanese Karate was indeed taught the way he describes. I'm far away from the northeastern US, but when I studied Shito-ryu Karate (which is very similar to Shotokan), the sparring was pretty much the same as Carman describes ghetto and UK Karate; full contact to the body and pulled contact to the head. Which sounds easy, but it was not. We wore thin cloth knuckle pads, which provided more of an illusion of protection than actual protection. Sparring was very rough. Our Japanese sensei wouldn't accept anything less.

The dojo wasn't in the ghetto, but the training was like it was in Japan at the time; hardcore. It was not unusual for people to get hurt during sparring. And you were NOT matched up by size and weight. You sparred with whoever you were paired up with. As a skinny teen, I fought large adult men of advanced rank who hit me as hard as they hit men of their own size and rank. You either learned to toughen up and give back as good as you got, or you got steamrolled. Back then, kids were not as protected and coddled in the martial arts like they are nowadays.

I also trained in American Kenpo, where we used boxing gloves, and occasionally even wore sneakers during sparring. I trained at the Shito-ryu dojo in the late afternoons, then went to the Kenpo school right after, in the evenings. The Kenpo sparring was much more kickboxing, including groin shots, takedowns, etc. We also cross-trained and sparred with boxers, pro kickboxers, etc. The Kenpo sparring was also tough. So I got the best of both worlds, in terms of "traditional" and "modern" training.

The Karate sparring seen in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which was actually held in 2021) looked like powderpuff sparring. Nothing at all like the Karate sparring as I experienced it in the '70s and early '80s.


I emphasize this because, nowadays, people think Karate is a joke, equating it with the current trend of kiddie Karate/kiddie Tae Kwon Do, or gymnastics-based performance "Karate," which are nothing like martial arts were taught decades ago. This low opinion of Karate and other martial arts in general is especially prevalent among younger adults, who were born long after most martial arts in the US became watered down for children, as well as for adults who wouldn't be willing or able to handle the hard-core training of the past.

Nowadays, Kyokushin Karate and its offshoots are still very much hardcore.

Carman talks about Terry O'Neill, who is a martial arts and fighting legend in the UK. I'd heard about Terry O'Neill way back in the '70s.

The hammer fist is a Karate technique, but it did not originate in Japanese or Okinawan Karate. It's a common technique in many traditional Chinese martial arts, which predate, and are the precursor of, modern Karate.

https://youtu.be/Miuka9wdC_g

Jim

Thanks for sharing Jim, very interesting. From what I understand the lineage goes back from Japan over Okinawa to the original Shaolin Temple in China who according to legend were taught and conditioned by a visiting monk/mystic from India. To your point, if people want proof of how effective karate is in a real fight just type Lyoto Machida in any search engine and admire the Dragon from Brazil in all his UFC glory. His timing and whip on that front kick to the chin is vicious and I've only seen Anderson Silva do the same a couple times in all his years of being a legend, untill he snapped his shin. Lyoto was trained and conditioned in budo and karate by his Japanese father from the age of 5. By the time he entered the Octagon he was a hardbody karate killer. So yes Sir, the old skool method works!

Have a great week Jim,
max

Hi, Max, and thanks for commenting!

Yes, I agree that Lyoto Machida was a great representative of Karate in UFC. Of course, he adapted it for MMA, and he also has a black belt in BJJ, and did some training in Muay Thai. But there is NO DOUBT that his base remains Shotokan Karate (which I think his family now refers to as "Machida Karate," much like the Gracies refer to their brand of Judo/Jiu-Jitsu grappling as passed down through Mitsuyo Maeda as "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu").

I posted some videos of Lyoto Machida in this thread sometime back.

Back when he was still on his winning streak in his early UFC days, some MMA fans said that Lyoto wasn't using Karate. Whereas anybody who is familiar at all with Japanese Karate could recognize that he was using Karate in the Octagon. It was ADAPTED for MMA, but he was primarily a Karate man. It was obvious; you could see it in his stance, his footwork, his strategies, his attacking style, his punching style, the way he kicked (not Muay Thai style, but snappy). Most importantly, he displayed a respectful attitude that seems rare nowadays.

You have a great week too, Max!

Jim

I agree Jim, he set a great role model for kids to admire and showed his fallen opponents the proper respect which is always a good sign. But he sure put some people in the hospital with that Shotokan...

Stay safe out there Jim,
max

[James Y]

Karate: The Real Truth Gets Told

*Video below.

Lots of gems being shared in the video.

In the 1970s, Japanese Karate was indeed taught the way he describes. I'm far away from the northeastern US, but when I studied Shito-ryu Karate (which is very similar to Shotokan), the sparring was pretty much the same as Carman describes ghetto and UK Karate; full contact to the body and pulled contact to the head. Which sounds easy, but it was not. We wore thin cloth knuckle pads, which provided more of an illusion of protection than actual protection. Sparring was very rough. Our Japanese sensei wouldn't accept anything less.

The dojo wasn't in the ghetto, but the training was like it was in Japan at the time; hardcore. It was not unusual for people to get hurt during sparring. And you were NOT matched up by size and weight. You sparred with whoever you were paired up with. As a skinny teen, I fought large adult men of advanced rank who hit me as hard as they hit men of their own size and rank. You either learned to toughen up and give back as good as you got, or you got steamrolled. Back then, kids were not as protected and coddled in the martial arts like they are nowadays.

I also trained in American Kenpo, where we used boxing gloves, and occasionally even wore sneakers during sparring. I trained at the Shito-ryu dojo in the late afternoons, then went to the Kenpo school right after, in the evenings. The Kenpo sparring was much more kickboxing, including groin shots, takedowns, etc. We also cross-trained and sparred with boxers, pro kickboxers, etc. The Kenpo sparring was also tough. So I got the best of both worlds, in terms of "traditional" and "modern" training.

The Karate sparring seen in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which was actually held in 2021) looked like powderpuff sparring. Nothing at all like the Karate sparring as I experienced it in the '70s and early '80s.


I emphasize this because, nowadays, people think Karate is a joke, equating it with the current trend of kiddie Karate/kiddie Tae Kwon Do, or gymnastics-based performance "Karate," which are nothing like martial arts were taught decades ago. This low opinion of Karate and other martial arts in general is especially prevalent among younger adults, who were born long after most martial arts in the US became watered down for children, as well as for adults who wouldn't be willing or able to handle the hard-core training of the past.

Nowadays, Kyokushin Karate and its offshoots are still very much hardcore.

Carman talks about Terry O'Neill, who is a martial arts and fighting legend in the UK. I'd heard about Terry O'Neill way back in the '70s.

The hammer fist is a Karate technique, but it did not originate in Japanese or Okinawan Karate. It's a common technique in many traditional Chinese martial arts, which predate, and are the precursor of, modern Karate.

https://youtu.be/Miuka9wdC_g

Jim

Thanks for sharing Jim, very interesting. From what I understand the lineage goes back from Japan over Okinawa to the original Shaolin Temple in China who according to legend were taught and conditioned by a visiting monk/mystic from India. To your point, if people want proof of how effective karate is in a real fight just type Lyoto Machida in any search engine and admire the Dragon from Brazil in all his UFC glory. His timing and whip on that front kick to the chin is vicious and I've only seen Anderson Silva do the same a couple times in all his years of being a legend, untill he snapped his shin. Lyoto was trained and conditioned in budo and karate by his Japanese father from the age of 5. By the time he entered the Octagon he was a hardbody karate killer. So yes Sir, the old skool method works!

Have a great week Jim,
max

Hi, Max, and thanks for commenting!

Yes, I agree that Lyoto Machida was a great representative of Karate in UFC. Of course, he adapted it for MMA, and he also has a black belt in BJJ, and did some training in Muay Thai. But there is NO DOUBT that his base remains Shotokan Karate (which I think his family now refers to as "Machida Karate," much like the Gracies refer to their brand of Judo/Jiu-Jitsu grappling as passed down through Mitsuyo Maeda as "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu").

I posted some videos of Lyoto Machida in this thread sometime back.

Back when he was still on his winning streak in his early UFC days, some MMA fans said that Lyoto wasn't using Karate. Whereas anybody who is familiar at all with Japanese Karate could recognize that he was using Karate in the Octagon. It was ADAPTED for MMA, but he was primarily a Karate man. It was obvious; you could see it in his stance, his footwork, his strategies, his attacking style, his punching style, the way he kicked (not Muay Thai style, but snappy). Most importantly, he displayed a respectful attitude that seems rare nowadays.

You have a great week too, Max!

Jim

I agree Jim, he set a great role model for kids to admire and showed his fallen opponents the proper respect which is always a good sign. But he sure put some people in the hospital with that Shotokan...

Stay safe out there Jim,
max

You stay safe too, Max.

Another MMA fighter whose base is Karate, and who is also known to be respectful, is Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson. His Karate style is called Tetsushin-ryu Kempo (not to be confused with American Kenpo Karate). I'd never heard of Tetsushin-ryu before, but his side-facing posture and kicking style looks to be adapted from American-style tournament point Karate. In fact, it looks very similar to the way many American Kenpo Karate point fighters spar in tournaments. Regardless, it's effective for him, and made him unique among MMA fighters. He was also a champion kickboxer prior to becoming an MMA fighter.

A couple of videos below:

Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson / UFC Greatest Hits

https://youtu.be/6itDZl4RndI

In the next video, "Wonderboy" discusses hand conditioning with his father:

Fist/Hand Conditioning

https://youtu.be/MHpHPj-DosY

Jim

[James Y]

Your Idea of "Manhood" Can Get You Killed!

I decided to only share the link to this video instead of embedding it, because some of the things that Sayf Carman says regarding people thinking a "ripped" physique makes a man more dangerous, might be considered offensive to some people. Although IMO, he's simply speaking a truth.

https://youtu.be/uE6-RylxBSs

Jim

[max808]

Thanks for sharing Jim, very interesting. From what I understand the lineage goes back from Japan over Okinawa to the original Shaolin Temple in China who according to legend were taught and conditioned by a visiting monk/mystic from India. To your point, if people want proof of how effective karate is in a real fight just type Lyoto Machida in any search engine and admire the Dragon from Brazil in all his UFC glory. His timing and whip on that front kick to the chin is vicious and I've only seen Anderson Silva do the same a couple times in all his years of being a legend, untill he snapped his shin. Lyoto was trained and conditioned in budo and karate by his Japanese father from the age of 5. By the time he entered the Octagon he was a hardbody karate killer. So yes Sir, the old skool method works!

Have a great week Jim,
max

Hi, Max, and thanks for commenting!

Yes, I agree that Lyoto Machida was a great representative of Karate in UFC. Of course, he adapted it for MMA, and he also has a black belt in BJJ, and did some training in Muay Thai. But there is NO DOUBT that his base remains Shotokan Karate (which I think his family now refers to as "Machida Karate," much like the Gracies refer to their brand of Judo/Jiu-Jitsu grappling as passed down through Mitsuyo Maeda as "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu").

I posted some videos of Lyoto Machida in this thread sometime back.

Back when he was still on his winning streak in his early UFC days, some MMA fans said that Lyoto wasn't using Karate. Whereas anybody who is familiar at all with Japanese Karate could recognize that he was using Karate in the Octagon. It was ADAPTED for MMA, but he was primarily a Karate man. It was obvious; you could see it in his stance, his footwork, his strategies, his attacking style, his punching style, the way he kicked (not Muay Thai style, but snappy). Most importantly, he displayed a respectful attitude that seems rare nowadays.

You have a great week too, Max!

Jim

I agree Jim, he set a great role model for kids to admire and showed his fallen opponents the proper respect which is always a good sign. But he sure put some people in the hospital with that Shotokan...

Stay safe out there Jim,
max

You stay safe too, Max.

Another MMA fighter whose base is Karate, and who is also known to be respectful, is Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson. His Karate style is called Tetsushin-ryu Kempo (not to be confused with American Kenpo Karate). I'd never heard of Tetsushin-ryu before, but his side-facing posture and kicking style looks to be adapted from American-style tournament point Karate. In fact, it looks very similar to the way many American Kenpo Karate point fighters spar in tournaments. Regardless, it's effective for him, and made him unique among MMA fighters. He was also a champion kickboxer prior to becoming an MMA fighter.

A couple of videos below:

Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson / UFC Greatest Hits

https://youtu.be/6itDZl4RndI

In the next video, "Wonderboy" discusses hand conditioning with his father:

Fist/Hand Conditioning

https://youtu.be/MHpHPj-DosY

Jim

Thanks again Jim, much obliged. I love Wonderboy and have seen many of his highlight videos! He's vicious in the cage but a true gentleman in life from some of the interviews he's done. Will write more later and share one of my mentors with you if you don't mind. Right now my aunt just got back from the States and invited us for a drink and hopefully a bite to eat cuz I'm starving...

[James Y]

Hi, Max, and thanks for commenting!

Yes, I agree that Lyoto Machida was a great representative of Karate in UFC. Of course, he adapted it for MMA, and he also has a black belt in BJJ, and did some training in Muay Thai. But there is NO DOUBT that his base remains Shotokan Karate (which I think his family now refers to as "Machida Karate," much like the Gracies refer to their brand of Judo/Jiu-Jitsu grappling as passed down through Mitsuyo Maeda as "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu").

I posted some videos of Lyoto Machida in this thread sometime back.

Back when he was still on his winning streak in his early UFC days, some MMA fans said that Lyoto wasn't using Karate. Whereas anybody who is familiar at all with Japanese Karate could recognize that he was using Karate in the Octagon. It was ADAPTED for MMA, but he was primarily a Karate man. It was obvious; you could see it in his stance, his footwork, his strategies, his attacking style, his punching style, the way he kicked (not Muay Thai style, but snappy). Most importantly, he displayed a respectful attitude that seems rare nowadays.

You have a great week too, Max!

Jim

I agree Jim, he set a great role model for kids to admire and showed his fallen opponents the proper respect which is always a good sign. But he sure put some people in the hospital with that Shotokan...

Stay safe out there Jim,
max

You stay safe too, Max.

Another MMA fighter whose base is Karate, and who is also known to be respectful, is Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson. His Karate style is called Tetsushin-ryu Kempo (not to be confused with American Kenpo Karate). I'd never heard of Tetsushin-ryu before, but his side-facing posture and kicking style looks to be adapted from American-style tournament point Karate. In fact, it looks very similar to the way many American Kenpo Karate point fighters spar in tournaments. Regardless, it's effective for him, and made him unique among MMA fighters. He was also a champion kickboxer prior to becoming an MMA fighter.

A couple of videos below:

Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson / UFC Greatest Hits

https://youtu.be/6itDZl4RndI

In the next video, "Wonderboy" discusses hand conditioning with his father:

Fist/Hand Conditioning

https://youtu.be/MHpHPj-DosY

Jim

Thanks again Jim, much obliged. I love Wonderboy and have seen many of his highlight videos! He's vicious in the cage but a true gentleman in life from some of the interviews he's done. Will write more later and share one of my mentors with you if you don't mind. Right now my aunt just got back from the States and invited us for a drink and hopefully a bite to eat cuz I'm starving...

Hi, Max:

Yes, you are absolutely welcome to share! Much appreciated.

Hope you had a good meal!

Jim

[max808]

Good morning Jim,

Seems like I was a bit presumptuous so no dinner just drinks and some epic stories from my uncle while my aunt was sleeping off her jetlag. She fell down a canyon in Yosemite park and was lucky enough to only get stitches.

Back on topic, one of the people that I've learned a lot from is Grandmaster Shi Heng Yi of Shaolin Temple Germany. He has many impressive wushu videos but I rarely watch those. His interviews are my main focus and with his peaceful zen demeanor they're a real treat to watch or listen to with some Philosophical gems sprinkled throughout.

Shi Heng Yi · 释恒義
belongs to the 35th Generation of Shaolin Masters and is the headmaster of the Shaolin Temple Europe
歐洲少林寺 located in Germany

Hope you have a great weekend Sir,
max

[James Y]

Thanks a lot for sharing, Max.

A great weekend to you, too.

Jim

[James Y]

Special Interest: Hypocrisy and Politics in Jiu-Jitsu & BJJ

(Video below)

I'm posting this not to pick on BJJ, but to point out that what he's talking about happens in ALL martial arts. This video just happens to be focusing on the politics in BJJ. You could say much of the same things about any martial art, or martial arts school.

I've seen these same types of political issues happen between different schools of Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do, Changquan (Long Fist), Tanglang (Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu), Wing Chun, Jook Lum Tonglong (Bambooo Forest Southern Praying Mantis), and Choy Lee Fut, to name only a few. I'm talking about issues between schools of the same martial art/style, but different lineages. And sometimes even between different teachers within the same lineage.

A LEO friend of mine, who has been into martial arts for as long as I have (since the '70s), told me that when he studied BJJ back in the '90s under a Brazilian teacher, he found out that the teacher would teach his Brazilian students things he didn't teach his non-Brazilan students. That school was here in CA. He stayed long enough to earn blue belt, then felt he had learned enough and quit BJJ. He'd only planned to stay that long anyway, but the clannish attitude of the Brazilians at that school really P'd him off.

To their credit, my teachers in Kenpo and Choy Lee Fut always did their best to stay out of martial arts politics.
But that doesn't mean they were never the targets of political BS from other schools.

Martial arts politics is idiotic. It only shows the insecurities within the teachers involved, who use it as a tool to control their students, and create a cultish "us against the world" mentality. It's a big reason I don't talk much (if at all) about martial arts to anybody outside of this thread. And only on rare occasions on another website. Offline, there are only about 2 to 3 people whom I will even discuss martial arts with anymore.

https://youtu.be/B2ABI4v05ZE

Jim

[James Y]

Accused of 3 Deaths in the Ring! Mike Zambidis - The Mad King of Knockouts

https://youtu.be/kDV6q4pSMn8

Jim

[Naperville]

Accused of 3 Deaths in the Ring! Mike Zambidis - The Mad King of Knockouts

https://youtu.be/kDV6q4pSMn8

Jim

Excellent fighter, great video!

[James Y]

"Street Fighters Can't Fight; Martial Artists Aren't Much Better"

(Video below)

Note: I'm posting this video short because, IMO, this gentleman, while he might be a good sports fight practitioner and means well, is VERY wrong about self-defense, or even what true self-defense even is. He is a perfect example of the type of practitioner who does not (or cannot) distinguish between mutually consensual, ego-based, frat boy-level street fights, and predatory criminal attacks.

Although I never fought in MMA, I trained and competed in sports fighting before MMA (as it’s known today) was even a thing. And I've also successfully defended myself on the street, where my life depended on it. There wasn't one move I used in sport fighting (quite effectively, I might add) that I also used in actual self-defense. That wasn't due to a lack of training on my part, but because the situations and the environments were completely different, and the things I used in actual self-defense were not sport-oriented. Good sparring and sport fighting ARE good and DO prepare you to face pressure, contact, and violence *in a highly controlled environment*, but it IS NOT the same as facing a criminal attack where you are blind-sided, outnumbered, facing a weapon or weapons, etc. Even a well-trained sport fighter can be overwhelmed and taken out in a street attack. It's happened more than a few times.

As I always say, Never Underestimate Anyone. The gentleman in the video has already done that. He thinks if someone isn't trained in MMA, and you are, then they aren't a physical threat to you, and you can handle any possible situation. That is a very dangerous assumption. A person can be less of a fighter than you, or not a fighter at all, and still take you out. More than likely, an experienced, predatory criminal is NOT going to square up to you one-on-one, in a fighting stance, and "fight you like a man." That is an over-simplistic viewpoint that can get you killed. The ability to "fight" is only one aspect of self-defense.

This might piss some people off, but often the WORST people to take advice from on self-defense are ... MARTIAL ARTISTS. Especially if they are invested in one specific type of martial art or training methodology, AND have had no real-life experience in facing a predatory criminal attack.

https://youtube.com/shorts/pk0zqVrHkFc?feature=share

Jim

[James Y]

Lyft Driver Destroys 2 Armed Robbers Trying to Steal His Car

Not martial arts-related, but definitely an excellent video. The carjackers weren't literally "destroyed," but their carjacking attempt was certainly foiled. Thankfully, it turned out the best way it could have for the defender. He certainly knows his stuff and had his bases covered. The discussion about the aftermath is extremely important, as most people who talk about self-defense don't even think about what happens after someone successfully defends him or herself, whether bare-handed or with a weapon.

https://youtu.be/TsYj4_YlQfo

Jim

[James Y]

The Emphasis on a Vertical Drive in Fairbairn's Classical Chin Jab

https://youtu.be/3Q06_tCD3r8

Jim

[James Y]

How to Perform a Pure Fairbairn Method Chin-Jab, Parts 1 & 2

(Videos below)

The Fairbairn method chin jab is one of the few strikes I train for pure self-defense, and a couple other palm heel strike variations; along with knife hand strikes to the throat/neck; and hammer fist to the nose or jaw. Secondary backup strikes include tiger claw to eyes; body punch to the liver or solar plexus; and elbow spear. But the palm heel, knife hand (edge of hand chop), and hammer fist are my primary go-tos; especially the first two.

In reality, you do not need many "techniques" for self-defense. TBH, any more than 6 to 8 different options is too many. Under the stress of a real situation, too many options create hesitation. Some, like Geoff Thompson, say that more than 1 or 2 options is too many. However, I believe he meant for pre-emptive strike situations; even Geoff Thompson had backup skills, because situations are fluid.

Strikes for self-defense must be simple, and they must be "high-percentage;" meaning, they must have a high probability of landing and causing real damage.

IMO, the chin jab is generally not going to be a pre-emptive strike, as you must already be in extreme close quarters to use it. Unless the opponent is already up in your face; in which case, you allowed him to get too close right off the bat, inside of your "fence" zone.

https://youtu.be/2d-s8H2_Fhs

https://youtu.be/IHsJxayI5jU

Jim

[James Y]

This Happens When You Force a Punch

As the narrator says at the end, the fallacy of trying to force something to work in the exact same way it once did, in an ever-changing reality, can apply to any area of life itself.

https://youtube.com/shorts/2yuRBpcePNE?feature=share

Jim

[James Y]

Thumb Eye Gouge

https://youtu.be/FsKG1q_Bpr0

Jim

[James Y]

5 Tips For Improving Palm Strikes (Kevin Secours)

(Video below)

Really good stuff.

Me personally, when I initiate a straight palm heel strike, I keep my fingers slightly bent and close together. I especially keep the pinky finger against my ring finger. It's just a natural habit for me. I see A LOT of self-defense / combatives instructors who unconsciously splay their straightened fingers apart, especially their pinky fingers. IMO, this is a bad habit, and it makes the finger(s) vulnerable to injury. I'm not saying anybody else is doing it wrong; this is simply my own observation.

I keep my fingers close together and slightly bent / curled, but still in a natural-looking position, so as not to tip anyone off. When I initiate the palm heel thrust, my hand and wrist position is similar to how Mr. Secours demonstrates, except my fingers aren't "spearing" towards the target, and I don't position my palm to skim off the target like he does. Instead, as it accelerates into the target, I rock the palm heel slightly forward. This has the effect of extending the ends of the forearm bones and the palm heel subtley quicker than the rest of the hand, and it amplifies the power of the blow into the target. It also offers some extra protection to your wrist, from your hand accidentally getting bent back too far on impact with the target (too close, change of angle, etc.), or against something else (a blocking arm, etc.). This subtle 'rocking' motion occurs a nanosecond before, and is completed during, impact. The added power on impact is very palpable; it adds a little extra "oomph" into the strike, along with the leg spring /stepping forward, and hip torque. I also incorporate that 'rocking the palm heel forward' motion into my palm heel hook strikes. It takes MUCH longer, and much more effort, to describe it than it does to do it.

I don't think I've seen any of the combatives instructors in YouTube videos do palm heel strikes in this manner. I learned my delivery method of striking with the palm heel from Chinese martial arts, and it works very, very well. It's not a trick; it's a common method of delivering palm heel strikes in many Chinese martial arts systems that must be trained so much that it becomes second nature. Then it must be modified and adapted for self-defense scenarios.

But in the end, it's up to you. If you incorporate palm heel strikes into your own self-defense repertoire, do whatever works and feels best for YOU.

https://youtu.be/j_fZtxsPkew

Jim