Which martial art should I try?

[Maven]

Originally posted by HarryW
I agree Serge, very few people in the general population can generate large quantities of power, through brute force or technique. Still, though, there are more ways to develop power than just through boxing. Boxing is fine, the training is certainly good for your strength and especially your endurance, but it's not the ultimate in fighting. Your average streetfight will involve either two guys throwing huge badly aimed punches at each other or two guys rolling around on the floor trying to kill/maim each other. If you train in boxing then you're gonna to better in either. Equally, if you train in TKD you're gonna do better in either, or if you do karate, or kung fu, or anything. I personally think something like Jujitsu is a great way to defend yourself in a streetfight because it's flexible. It has some good strikes and if it goes to the ground, awesome groundwork skills. Very few people will keep fighting if you break their arm or choke them to unconsciousness. Just the same, very few people will keep fighting with a broken nose or ribs because they picked on a boxer. The average drunken goon on the street isn't going to be doing very much after they get chopped in the throat and can barely breathe because they picked on a kung fu expert.

At a basic level, fights are won with just power, but really, how much power do you need to stop someone from harming you. Look at Aikido, or Tai Chi, or Wu Dan. The power is there but it's not the power that wins, it's the technique. At a high level of proficiency in arts like Aikido there are no-contact throws. No contact. That's the power of technique.

Out of the ring, dialog is the most important thing IMO. IE: the moments leading up to a fight. For example you can watch your mirror for an adren dump (They'll appear nervous unless they have been in a whole lot of fights and learned how to hide it). Ask them a question or tell them you don't wanna fight and hit them while their brain is processing it.

[NoteMe]

hehehe...or just walk away...

[aikidokid]

Ask them a question or tell them you don't wanna fight and hit them while their brain is processing it.

Hey, if it works.