[Freestyle/Sporting MA] MMA & Self-defense

[Disaster Master]

What changes (if any) have you made to your MMA style to make it more suitable for self-defense?

The biggest change I‘ve made is to my throws/takedowns so that I don’t go to the ground with the guy.

[YODA]

I'm approaching this from the other direction.

[Disaster Master]

Originally posted by YODA
I'm approaching this from the other direction.
what does that mean?

[Freeform]

At a guess,

What changes (if any) have you made to your Self Defence style to make it more suitable for MMA?


Would be Yoda's question to us. :D

[pimphand]

Originally posted by YODA
I'm approaching this from the other direction.

You speak in tongues that I cannot decipher...

Clarify please.

[booj]

Perhaps he means he's changed his throws / takedowns to make sure he goes down with the said guy?

Aww, giv us a clue...

[YODA]

Freeform has it :D

[Stuart Rider]

Here are a few ideas to change your MMA training to make it more suitable for self defence.

Introduce The Fence into your training.

Practise yr pre-emptive strikes.

Change the way you are attacked, punches, head grabs, finger pointing threats, verbal assaults, multiple attackers,
adverse situations(sitting, tying up shoe laces, carrying your shopping etc. etc)

If grappling/ ground fighting have your partner pull a knife so you have to contend with that as well.

This is just a couple of ideas for you.
Hope they help.

[Disaster Master]

YODA

Is this right, you have trained yourself for self-defense and now you what to do MMA?

Aren’t you a little old for that?

[YODA]

No

I originally trained in self defence (27 years and counting) - and have also been teaching MMA for the last 5 years or so.

[Disaster Master]

I’m going the other way. I’m taking MMA based on SMA and developing a SD system.

[YODA]

Sounds good - make sure you keep the honesty of realistic sparring at all ranges. Don't forget weapons - use of as well as defence from.

[Disaster Master]

I believe I have developed a great system for myself (suited to my strengths and weaknesses).

I'm stuck on the knife defense part however. I don’t carry a knife myself; I think the legal ramifications are too high; otherwise I’d go two knives (one in each hand) against the one knife.

[Disaster Master]

I also use palms in place of fists. Maybe that’s a bigger change than what I said about throws.

[Matt_Bernius]

Disaster,

While some might disagree (and I'd love to hear Yoda's view on this) I think the best way to work with knife self defenses is to get experience in blade based arts like Kali. My exposure to Kali really changed my entire view on knives and knife self defense.

You should see if there are any Kali, Escrima or Arnis schools near your location and get some basic training there. You don't need to master the weapons, but you should take some time to work with an instructor who can help you understand it better.

- Matt

[Disaster Master]

Hi rockOn_Matt

Re: Kali, Escrima or Arnis

I thought that those arts were more orientated towards dueling rather than SD. Could you shed some more light?

[Matt_Bernius]

Dueling? Maybe. I know some forms of Arnis get into that. But at their heart all of the Filipino Arts are battlefield arts. They've been tested in armed combat for centuries. Many branches of those arts are still being used by the Phillipine military today for jungle combat (and some like Pekiti Tirsia are begin adopted by branches of the US Military).

These are nasty and effective blade based arts that just about always have dealing with multiple attackers in mind. As such the tecniques are typically simple and deadly effective as you can invest more than a few movements on a single individual (in most Phillipino arts there's only offense... no defense).

Tatically, it's some of the most advanced (and yet simple) knife work out there.

For more info on Kali check out:
http://www.pekiti-tirsia.net

Here is an article that might help you with some very basics ideas about knife self defense.

Big vs Small: Does Size Matter When it Comes to Knives by Bill McGrath (http://www.cfw2.com/article.asp?s=cfw&content_id=3077)

[Trent Tiemeyer]

My MMA style doesn't change at all, but I train more weapon defense in regards to the street.

[J-kid]

just work on some weapons stuff.. besides that nothing else really...