Combat Sports

[Pentagathus]

Been doing judo for a couple of years now, fairly good at it but I've got a long way to go still. I want to do a bit of MMA or muay thai just to try something new, wouldn't particularly want to compete in either one though. I'd love to give sambo a try, its basically russia's answer to judo and its probably more like old style judo than modern IJF judo is.
I don't know how well my judo skills would transfer into a real fight and I don't intend to find out. I'd guess its probably one of the more useful fighting sports in terms of self defence as you get used to physically moving someone else about, how to land and avoid injury and also it teaches you a fair bit of humility and a general respect for any opponent as they often aren't the easy win they might look like.

[Jubal]

Unless they're me. I'm the easy win I look like :p

[SaidaiSloth]

Yeah, if you want real self defense stuff you wanna look into stuff like Krav Maga, the SPEAR system, the marine corps martial arts, or bacon. (I'm not kidding, that's a thing.)

check out this krav maga:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjmBPFPTq-g

Seriously, don't just go "I'll watch it after school, watch it NOW. Awesome martial art.

[Phoenixguard09]

I also know judo, as in, ju-don't know who you're messing with.

[Pentagathus]

[SaidaiSloth]

This is from a movie, but still an awesome fight and no wirework or ridiculous fighting moves (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
If you don't know who the winter soldier is, and plan to watch the movie, stop at around 3 minutes in (fight ends there anyway)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3XsavEIURE#t=105

Chris Evans trained in Ju-Jitsu, Karate, Boxing and Gymnastics but I see a bit of krav maga and taekwando in there as well. (makes sense as the choreographer is a taekwando champion and they were trying to go for a brutal military style, hence Krav Maga.)

Another awesome fight from the same film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP7ytDsQJCk (MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT !!!!!)

[comrade_general]

Captain 'Murica.

Portugal yeah.

[Pentagathus]

If you want to watch bitching fight sequences try The Raid, bit gruesome but its awesome.

Just had a give it a go session for the various martial arts clubs here, I think ours went really well so we should get lots of beginners turning up when we start training. Which could be annoying since we'll have to teach the buggers but tis always nice to have more bodies on the mat.
I also tried a bit of submission wrestling whilst training with the MMA club, I'd be keen on training with them but there is no way I'd compete in that. I thought strangles were uncomfortable, neck cranks are horrendous.

[Tom]

I just watched Captain america this weekend, the fight scenes in it are awesome as you have less Hulk smash style of fighting (even though that is awesome in a slightly different way) which is a bit different to usual.

[SaidaiSloth]

For anyone looking for some self defense skills I highly recommend Darren Levine and John Whitman's complete krav maga book. You can pick it up on the kindle store on any device.

[Pentagathus]

I've had some really good training this year, partly thanks to a change in attitude (more focus on technique and also making sure I actually enjoy training again) and also largely thanks to some awesome coaches. My judos improved a huge amount and it only needed me to focus on a few very basic things. My ground game is also a hell of a lot better now, I used to be pretty good at avoiding stuff but never really managed to win much on the ground, now I'm actually able to pin down an experienced judoka 1.5 times my own weight and hold him there which is pretty damn cool. I've got a competition this weekend and I'm fairly confident I can win a gold at this (still fighting kyu grades and its only up to 2nd kyu) and then I've got BUCs at the end of the month and I'm confident I can achieve a medal of some sort, not too worried whether I do or not though as long as I have fun doing it.

I've also been doing a fair bit of MMA and some self-defence orientated karate (the coach for this is awesome, he really knows what  he's talking about as well since he's a guy my height who used to work as a doorman so he had plenty of guys trying to take him on) and I'm seriously thinking about taking part in a rookie tournament at the end of march. I need to work on taking hits to the head and keeping my guard up but I've never been too worried about getting hurt anyway so I might as well give it a go. My only real worry is that I'm a very aggressive fighter and since its a comp mainly for first time fighters I'm not sure if the other guys will necessarily have the same sort of attitude as me. I mean I'm kind of ok with trying to portugal up someone who's actually prepared for it but if they're not I'm not going to enjoy fighting them.

[Lizard]

I'd rate myself between a two and a three, in a style which is a mix of kick-boxing and cat-like fighting (by which I mean lots of hissing, spitting, scratching and biting. I have no shame).

I also shoot, UK-legal air guns and a recurve bow - so if I'm armed and at distance I will do a LOT better. I am a GOOD shot. Even if I do say so myself.

Didn't realise you guys were all so cantankerous, though. Wouldn't want to meet any of you in a dark alley.

[Jubal]

I've probably slipped down to a two since this thread was started

[TTG4]

So at my home club there were 4 or 5 of us at the same level, so it's been a culture shock moving to the new club down here, based in a place called Bungay if any people know Norfolk.

The main instructor is one grade above me and his assistant is one below, so I've ended up doing a lot of teaching. Don't mind that though, nothing quite beats seeing someone improve once you've worked with them on something. Not competed in ages though, not sure if I can be bothered getting back into it, I think I prefer reffing/judging to competing!

[Pentagathus]

in a place called Bungay

Oh you poor bastard.

@Joobs
Well then stop messing around with all this studying stuff nonsense and get yourself to training :p

@Lizard
We're not cantankerous. Sure, you wouldn't want to meet Khan in a dark alley but then you wouldn't want to meet him in a well lit one either. Or in a public park. Or on an internet forum.