Do you also study Krav Maga, for abrupt situations requiring both hands?

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Or kick-boxing, ju-jitsu (retired SEAL Cmdr. "Jock W." prefers ju-jitsu) etc to augment self-defense?
With so many assaults from a blind spot, that is, both hands are often critical (and barely enough) in a physical struggle, or to protect one's head or body against a typical ambush.

We know that at least a fraction, maybe a majority of sudden assaults don't involve any handgun.
An attack can be an uncomfortable idea for peace-loving people to consider (a Navy officer: brown belt fellow Krav student said this). But so is serious injury or death.

Even both of our brown belt Krav students (the Navy gent and a nurse) could not use Only a single hand while reacting to a neck choke, fist/stick swung towards their head, bearhug from behind...as this victim might want to reach under a shirt, inside a purse for a handgun.

But the common belief is that a handgun is all you need for an abrupt assault from a blind spot - or so it seems on any gun board. Certainly there is a vast number of situations, we all know that.

Our school focuses on the same, basic techniques used in many of these videos recorded at Pompano (>> note-many of these videos, i.e. knife/gun etc, are for the Higher-level students << ): "Krav Maga, Pompano Beach" on Youtube.
Most of our drills are done somewhat slowly for a while, then quicker, to reinforce the Many yellow belt, critical basics.

* Can your wife/daughter (or You) react correctly if a thug grabs either wrist - or Both wrists -- as they are being dragged towards their car, maybe to disappear forever?:(
 
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I think it is important but one can only do so much in a day week or year. Blessed few have the time it takes to truly master a martial art. I have hand to hand combat training from our rich uncle. I am glad I have it and I have more than the average grunt but I have precious little time for anything more in my civilian life.

Sometimes I will brush up on the techniques taught to me in Fairbairn’s book/pamphlet “Get Tough”. Once again it helps but I am far from what I was in the old days.

If you can do it I encourage it but some serious and most likely tragic life changes are going to have to happen for me to be able to get into it again.
 
Yes. Coming up on 20 years of BJJ. It's basically replaced gym time for me as I've grown older and dedicated more time to other priorities.

Also have a decade of good ole MCMAP.
 
I'm 72, I got My black belt in 1986, today Ravaged by arthritis and other bad thing I would not aquit myself very well.
I take cane /staff classes every Saturday and feel content It will help me get to my gun.
I Also remember to practice situational awareness!
And obey the old saying, " don't go to stupid places, with stupid people, doing stupid things.
 
I did a (one) Krav Maga introductory class. Made me realize that I really do not know how to fight.

The little girls (20 ish?) who had been doing this for a few months would have pounded me into the ground, let alone a guy who knows how to fight.

Big ego check !!

Was gonna sign-up for the beginner class, then the Kung-Flu hit.

I am 61.
 
You should see the two lady >> black belt instructors<< (mostly with children's and teenagers' karate). who assist the main instructor . These ladies have a fair bit of exposure to Krav also.
These 18 and 17 year-old girls are fairly petite but tough, and could kick you in the groin or even head with either foot or fist before you know that they are even Moving.

Even at just the edge of the green belt level, we drill in many ways which I had Zero exposure to -- my entire life. Even just using one of the "360 defense", to block a slowish hook punch (soft sparring glove), something which only boxing, or kick-boxing students might get to experience.

There are frequent times when I simply don't carry, and even with a handgun, a true thug isn't going to go into our forward field of vision, and can run so fast towards us that they can't even be detected.
Some schools are not even mentioning, any more, the "21 feet" concept.
 
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I've been doing BJJ for close to 3 months now. Basically after work if I'm not teaching a shooting class, I'm at the gym attempting to learn some BJJ.

I'm in way better shape, having fun, I signed up for a tournament (that has been postponed to end of March).

I chose BJJ because you can practice it at 100% against another opponent also going 100%. You get real tests of the techniques and you find out what doesn't work pretty quickly. I have also heard Jocko and John Lovell speak highly of the discipline and that helped my decision.

There's no striking in BJJ but believe you me, if one of the guys who knows his business (to be clear, I'm not one of those guys. not yet.) gets a hold of you, you're in trouble. Especially if their Judo is at all decent.

It always an eye opening experience "rolling" with the purple/brown/black belts.

We occasionally do some "slap-jitsu" which is to simulate self defense and while no one is looking to knock you out, if there is an error in your methods you will feel it LOL
 
One of the best aspects of Krav is that it is not any kind of "mystical Asian art" which requires decades of training and/or incredible fitness. It is very practical, the basics (which in my opinion are the most useful part of the system) can be adequately learned in a few months of twice-weekly sessions by anyone in reasonably good health, and there is very little dogma or other related nonsense.
 
.38 Special: Exactly---

--and it requires No time to be spent (I call it wasted) on non-essentials, i.e. the formalized "kata" movements typical with some of the karate progression.

Krav only involves countering a neck grab, punch, bearhug from behind etc (or just escape a hand grabbing your wrist) - where it also emphasizes a brief but Very aggressive counter attack.
 
watch
>>>>>>Watch at :20. We do most of the tng. at a fairly similar slow speed. Punches/ kicks etc are Very controlled - you don't get hit, or Very mildly.
You barely even notice contact.
 
At the mid point of my seventh decade of life, my hand to hand days are long in the past. In my Marine Days on Okinawa there were multitudes of instructors teaching hand to hand fighting skills. Thus today I know my limitations. My life style is one of avoidance of stupid people, places and things. Should there be a failure of avoidance then there is the option of the EDC.
 
BJJ is the real deal. Most of the other styles seem to fall apart against someone who's strong, athletic and doesn't want to cooperate. BJJ will wreck their world. The downside is that when you end up on the ground you're leaving yourself exposed other attackers who may join in. The plus side is that it looks good in a self defense situation. You can dominate the situation without any barbaric looking punches to the face.
 
I do MMA 3x a week because it is a flexible system that can be easily trained in at near "combat speed". I've also been in my share of scraps of various types. In my experience, detailed planning on how a fight (any type of fight) will go ends up being a list of things that probably won't happen, except maybe inside a ring and after you have gained info on the style and habits of your opponent.
 
I should, have been thinking once the pandemic settles of looking into what's available in the area.

Did some boxing in my misspent youth as well as ... uh ... street boxing ... and am a fair hand and punching things and used to be pretty ok at getting punched but some more formal training would be nice if nothing else to accelerate my desire to get back into shape.
 
Nope. There are better martial arts disciplines out there.
Okay, whatever.
Many Krav Maga organizations don't support the idea of Krav Maga as a "martial art" like the other, more established martial arts -- it's not taught as a competitive sport. It's a system of self-defense that operates under totally different principles than other martial arts. The idea is to end a fight as quickly as possible, and only when physical conflict cannot be avoided.
 
Being one month away from my 79th birthday, having two inoperable rotator cuff injuries, and suffering from arthritis in my hands I just cannot rely upon H2H combat techniques. The last time I trained in H2H was in the corps. I was discharged with 10 years served because of an injury that screwed up my back. I joke that I would be like a 20 year old if I could just get a new skeleton.

Accordingly I rely upon means of avoiding assault and countering it. First, I keep my distance from at possible threat and I watch my back. I have no problem walking away from someone or changing direction with someone behind me. Second, I rely upon two counter moves if H2H is needed. One is a vertical palm strike to the chin. Using all one’s strength the head is severely snapped back. That can interrupt the connection of the brain stem to the spinal column causing minimally disorientation and maximally death. The other is the sternum punch, which is about as painful a punch you can deliver. The sternum is very thin and if it gets cracked or broken the person is in a world of instant pain. The punch can cause lungs to exhaust air or collapse and even can cause heart failure. Finally, my K-Bar folding Tanto bladed knife is always clipped into my front pocket. The tanto point is excellent for stabbing and slashing. Slashing is the first step, stabbing is for after you have slashed enough to weaken the opponent’s strength or determination.
 
For some years after my state started issuing concealed carry licenses, I could stagger around with as many guns as I could carry, but it was against the law to carry a blade more than... I think it was 2-1/2" long. The legislature got rid of the knife laws a few years ago, but I haven't got back into the habit of carrying a blade again. When I do, I'll have to remember to check one of the knife law sites before going out of state, because some places are nuts about anything with an edge. There Fed also has its own laws about knives on Federal property.
 
First question, what is BJJ? My formal fight training was in Boxing, at Lowe House Church. A club run by catholic priests. As a big kid, 5'10" at 15 YOA. Height was the criteria for matching up with a sparring partner? When your match up was 20 years of age? I quickly learned to be first off the stool!
Two useful punches I picked up all those years ago, a straight left (ending at the nose!) and a right cross.
Delivered with a twist of the hip. The sweet spot, 2 inches on the left side of the jaw. Done right lights out.

Working on the door at local Night Clubs in Liverpool UK, the Cavern on Mathew St, 1960 till 64, a year on the Blue Angel on Seal Street. 1964 till 65. I never was hit once in those 5 years. Hit first, and don't visit a local Pub when working. Purpose of the exercise, picking up spare cash, a Wife who could not work. Two young kids.

Spending the last 18 years in Orlando FL. Armed, my trusty Glock 19 Gen 4, with night sights, no worries.
At 85 YOA, in quite good shape physically, always in the company of my second wife of 28 years. Who I think my job is looking after that lovely Lady. Retired Firearms Instructor. 25 years with my own Company. Ontario Canada.
 
I studied Goju Shorei Karate for about 30 years. My oldest son studied Kenpo Karate and my youngest son currently studies Krav Maga. All did a great job of focusing on self defense. I carry a gun daily, but that's as a last resort as a large percentage of self defense situations do not require or even justify taking a life. Self defense situations vary, but if you can successfully defend yourself without drawing your gun you may be able to avoid it escalating to the point where you need it.
 
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