Archive for January, 2010

I want to learn Kickboxing for self defense and not as a sport, but I’ve read places that Muay Thai (which people recommend as the best self defense) is different from Kickboxing. In terms of self defense, is this true?
The thing is, I checked the site where I’d probably sign up for Kickboxing and it said on the site that it incorporates effective hand, knee, elbow and foot techniques… so what does that mean?

I dont think kickboxing teaches knees and elbows. Also their stances are completely different. Muay Thai’s stance is more weirder. I dont prefer that stance. Also muay thai clinches and does knees and elbows.

Can anybody suggest a good Muay Thai school in the Sydney area?

sydney, victoria? or sydney, australia? you’re going to need to be more specific.

What is the difference between regular kick boxing and Muay Thai Kickboxing?

Mauy thai kickboxing is a more violent (yet more "street" useful) version of American Kickboxing. The main difference is that you are allowed to use your elbows and knees to strike your oponent, where as in kickboxing, that is not allowed. If you are interested in doing Mauy thai, remember that it is completely brutal. People think professional boxing is dangerous, but Mauy thai brings it to a whole different level.

Oh, and by the way, another reason Mauy thai is different is because it has an Asian name so it immediatly sounds like a martial art to unformiliar people. Basiclly, if you are trying to imtimidate people with what sport you do, do kickboxing becaused it naturally sounds intimidating, where as Muay thai sounds like some form of Karate, and therefore lacks the same intimidation effect. Honostly though, do what ever sport you enjoy most and remeber to be safe.

I sit almost all day at work but I hit the gym 4 times a week (body pump and kickboxing) and I try to keep the food intake at 1500 cal per day. Is there something that I do wrong? I cannot lose weight. True: on weekends, I don’t have a strict diet and my tummy is flatten but THAT"s ALL. When should I see results? My goal is going from 157 to 130 by Spring.

Maybe 1500 cal/day is too many for your height and weight. Use this site to determine proper caloric intake:

http://health.drgily.com/basal-metabolic-rate-calculator.php

muay thai is cool, but seems like that would be VERY bad for you to get kicked on your legs like that, breaking vessels and stuff. for the people who actually have done m/t for a while, have you or someone you know had problems later on?
thanks.

I did Muay thai when I was younger, I did it for around 7, 8 years. To be honest with I never had any problem what’s so ever. I had plenty of bruises, twist ankles, broken toes. But never had any issues with circulation. I used to train between 3 to 5 times a week pretty intensely.

I know that Muay Thai Kickboxing uses elbows, kicks, and knees but honestly would those be useful in a street fight?

Muai Thai and Kickboxing but Boxing as well,but in a street fight martial arts help more cause they give u more options to win against the other than just punches!
Whatever u know is good tho!

Is Shotokan Karate (or other karate styles) as good as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Kyotoshin Karate for striking and self defence?

Most of your kickboxers come from strong Karate backgrounds, if that answers your question.

Kickboxing is more of a sport than a style, a lot of full contact karateka moved on to kickboxing.

Muay Thai, while it’s own beast still has guys from hard core Karate backgrounds competeting in it because it allows elbows, knees, and low kicks as taught by Karate.

In reality those give Karateka avenues to truly spar at a high level for sport beyond full contact competetions.

In reality it is the training regiment and methodology that matters, kickboxers and Thai fighters spend an inordinate amount of time sparring, conditioning and refining strikes. The vast majority of their training time is to prepare them for fights.

Karateka learn forms, work on technique, and in general have less fully alive sparring time.

The more you spar, and the higher the intensity of sparring, the better you are going to be when the mierde hits the fan, as far as having applicable technique drilled into muscle memory.

For me muscle memory isn’t something I get because of a drill. I get it because I have learned as soon as X technique is being launched, there is an automatic counter that lands. For example of a guy is low to mid kicking with a right roundhouse, I immediately throw a hard overhand right. My hand has less of a distance to travel and usually lands flush because a lot of guys drop their hands during kicks. I have found this repeatedly in sparring, so it gets drilled into me that is an opening, I no longer see it, or think about it, my hand just reacts as I feel a kick coming. That is muscle memory and learning timing, that only comes with good sparring and not by forms or drills. Similarly, muscle memory also dictates that if I throw a punch and don’t have a hand back by my head, my shoulder up, and sitting into my punch, I am open to getting hit by a counter, I find this out repeatedly because I get hit in the head when I don’t do that. In a drill or form, you don’t learn that. That is how you build timing and effective muscle memory. So the more time spent during sparring against fully resisting opponents the more effective your technique and overall fighting ability becomes.

In reality, any of those styles are ok for self defense, however most self defense is really about keeping a good head on your shoulders and avoiding trouble. If you want to increase your effeciency in the streets, I suggest a Conceal and Carry Permit, and some time learning flash sight picture and stress shooting, and spending some time getting familiar with knives. I mean true self defense is unavoidable, you are suddenly in a conflict and cannot escape. Instead of rely on simple empty hand techniques, arm yourself as much as possible. If it is illegal in your area, then be ready to grab a brick, or a rock or anything near you.

You hear guys on here talking about fighting dirty and going for eyes and balls and stuff. That isn’t fighting dirty, throwing up sand in someone’s eyes, or using pepper spray and getting a rock or broken glass and bludgeoning them with it until they fall down, and then stomping on their head repeatedly until they aren’t moving… that is how you fight if you life is on the line.

But knowing what calls for that is an entirely different story, getting robbed or mugged isn’t bang bang, shoot or stabby time. That is time for compliance. 99% of the situations out there are avoidable, and the only time there is really a kill or be killed sort of mentality is during war.

Sorry for all that.

Hope I answered you question without going too far off tangent.

Is it okay to do no martial art training and just work out till I’m 18 to 20 or would that hurt my training. I can either do that or take karate and workout. So which is better (when I turn 18 I’m planing on taking Mauy Thai or boxing, BJJ, and Judo or Submission Wrestling) just working out a lot or working out some and do karate (or taekwondo dont know the quality of the schools) I’ll do MMA when Im older but which of the two options is better for right now. I CAN’T do any other martial art until Im 18. Until Im 18 I CAN’T do any martial art except karate or taekwondo.

hello,

just working out is fine. in fact, if you train your cardio to olympic levels, now, all you will have to do is maintain it (a lot easier than trying to build it). if all you are allowed to train is karate or taekwondo, then do so. they have a lot to offer.

try to organize whatever training you do incrementally. decide on a long term goal, and then decide on the goals that support the "ubergoal". then decide on the steps needed to realize the smaller goals. in this way, you will be able to "map out" your training progression. having a plan will be a HUGE asset in your development.

so yes, either version of your situation is ok… great in fact. if you are being given the opportunity to study combatives, you should at least try it out. regardless of your long term plans, your training now is likely to be fun for you.

now go forth and conquer!

thanks

Where do I go to sign up for those classes at the gym?

umm ask some that works there duh