I’m thinking of “giving in” and joining a BJJ class to learn how to deal with these types of grapplers on the ground.
Anyone here still in denial about their groundfighting abilities?
I am not sure I understand your mindset of “giving in”. If it stands to benefit your training and ability to defend yourself, then the matter of it being MMA, CMA, FMA, JMA should not be a factor. It’s not as though you will be joining the darkside. 
carly- are you a TMA practitioner now? I was, I studied wingchun for 4 years. I have chosen to go to more of a sport fighting format and am taking grappling at the moment. I think it is a good add-on to anyone who doesn’t have the time to study their art deeply or feels their art is incomplete. the only thing I say is that you look deeply into whta it is you are studying now to make sure it doesn’t have its own answers.
I was smiling when I wrote “giving in”
and going over to the dark side!
I’m a traditional Chinese martial arts practicioner and I’ve learned chinese grappling, but yes, the groundwork is obviosuly the specialty of BJJ and I think it’s so commonly used and widely known nowadays that it’s pretty much essential to be familiar with it.
Going to the ground is considered fair game when we’re sparring. I’m okay at it, but experienced ground fighters can destroy me there, but I have a better chance because I work on it than I would otherwise.
Good for you Carly! another convert. rings the bell
Give it a whirl, Carly. You’re in the Boston area, right? There a lot of good places around here. I trained extensively at Boston BJJ, and I’ve also trained at Sityodtong Muay Thai (and grappling) in Somerville, Newton Judo, Tohuko Judo (Somerville), Bay Union Wrestling Club (Boston), and IMDC/Maffei JKD in Waltham.
There is also the BU BJJ club (BU), Needham BJJ, NE BJJ (everett), Dragon Lair (MMA-Framingham), Mass Sub Academy (MMA-Clinton), Boneyard (MMA-Raynham).
I’ve been training CMA since I was 18, but I joined the ranks of the Sith back in December. I’ve been training shootfighting a couple times a week, and I really enjoy it. We do a lot of endurance and strength training, drill all manner of takedowns and submissions, and there’s always plenty of “live” mat time. It has really complimented my kung fu training, and I’d recommend it to anyone thinking of competing, or just looking to sharpen their ground game.
Whoa there… , easy ST! Down boy! And Carly, it isn’t uncommon for martial artists of all types to cross train these days. I think it’s a good idea. I’m trying to learn enough to at least defend against the average street punk if it ends up there. I’ll never be able to roll with the likes of Ryu, or even St. But they aren’t the ones I wory about (well, maybe ST) as most martial artists aren’t out looking for trouble in the first place.
Speaking of grappling, my neighbors plumbing broke. She has (had) a lot of carpeting with really thick pads, so I’ve offered to help remove it if I can keep some of the unspoiled stuff. Looks like I’ll get my makeshift matt until something better comes along. She offered to throw in sex, but my wife shut that down really quick. For a liberal, she’s not verry tolerant or understanding about some things. 
If you don’t hear from me for a while, you can figure she read this and broke all my fingers. :eek:
try
try using that carpetting at matts by pulling it out and using it oon top of grass in your backyard or a park - the outdoors is good for grappling, but the grass causes you skin to itch, and the carpetting should protect against that.
That is what I plan to do with it. The back yard, or take it to my brothers barn or my shop when the weather is bad.
I found the cross training useful. I learned the bare basics from a student of vale tudo style mma, and incorporated some things into the ground fighting I already traineed in.
I sparred against a guy who was a boxer, ex high school wrestler, and weight lifter. By all common sense it was no match. But I both out-boxedd and out-wrestled him.
Part of that is the high school wrestler’s train mainly for the pin. Granted, he shot for my legs and had me on my back with speed and skill. But I put him in my guard, and quickly locked up his arm for a submission.
IMHO, cross training is good, but you must excel at one chosen style.
but you must excel at one chosen style.
Sillyness - just win, thats excelling enough.
Im a bjj blue belt, but I only goto the bjj academy once a week, Tuesday night open rolling night.
I also sparr regularly with the Straight Blast Gym guys and another MMA school called the Reno Combat Academy.
And Sacramento is only a couple hour drive away.
Trolls galore
ahem, mr. abel
There doesn’t seem to be anything trolly on this thread.
Perhaps you could share what you meant or referred to with us.
yenhoi:
I’ve been tossing around moving to Reno or Carson City to be closer to the skiing and mtn biking in Tahoe. What’s the martial arts scene like there? Any good BJJ schools?
Hi all,
I practice wing chun at a school with three teachers. One teaches wing chun, another teaches BJJ, and the owner of the school teaches Shaolin Kempo and kickboxing (seperately, not one of those “combination” deals). Although I only practice wing chun there, I can say with all honesty that practicing BJJ looks like an awesome route to take, and I was also very impressed with a lot of their exercises. It’s definitely not turning to the Dark Side (until you get a black belt!), because different people need different things.
I’ll clarify what Abel meant:
People on this thread have had the temerity to suggest that classical TMA styles tend to have a hole in their game–the lack of a well-practiced system of groundfighting. We also have the temerity to suggest that groundfighting is a necessary component of self-defense. We also find it reasonable to assume that the nature of groundfighting lends itself to grappling, vice vainly throwing shots from inferior positions in the hopes that the 300 lbs angry bozo on top of you might feel sorry for you and let you up.
Consequently, we are trolls.
Temerity is a pagan word, sheesh.
Sourpuss.
:eek:
Re: try
Originally posted by carly
try using that carpetting at matts by pulling it out and using it oon top of grass in your backyard or a park - the outdoors is good for grappling, but the grass causes you skin to itch, and the carpetting should protect against that.
seems like that would cause hellacious carpet burn