If you could start over would you choose to learn first a grappling art or a stand-up art.

[Jason Smith]

If there is anything MMA has taught us is that you can't ignore the ground game, nor can a grappler ignore having to deal with strikes and kicks on the way in and dirty fighting tactics on the floor. BUT which do you think is wisest to learn first and why?

 

[Flying Crane]

The one that you personally are most interested in. That is the one that will keep your interest and you will stick with it.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Flying Crane has it. I would also add that there are arts out there which teach both striking and grappling, so you don't necessarily have to pick one over the other.

 

[Ironbear24]

I would choose kenpo karate again. To be honest if they showed me grappling first I would have never stuck with it. A lot of is boring and I've always been a guy who preferred to punch people in the face over a guy who takes it to the ground.

 

[MAfreak]

when hybrid styles aren't available i'd start with grappling arts, because of falling technique and because its way more to learn so you already get experience over the time till and while you start a striking art.
but i actually started with a striking art. and when the goal is the fast learning of self defense i'd also recommend to start with striking.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Which is wiser to learn first? No idea. Which I would choose to learn first? Stand-up. It's just way too much fun to give up.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I should also note that "stand-up" and "grappling" are not exclusive concepts. Just because BJJ specializes in ground grappling doesn't mean all grappling arts do the same. There are plenty of grappling arts where practitioners prefer to stay standing. In fact, I'd say those are probably the majority.

 

[Blindside]

If I had to do it again? Grappling, my schools growing up had a great wrestling program and one of the oldest judo schools in the US was 8 miles from my house. None of which I cared enough for or knew about at the time. Grappling builds toughness in kids the way few striking arts can.

Now I just have to convince my 9 year old of this, so he and I can go do judo and get my old butt thrown around some more.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

If there is anything MMA has taught us is that you can't ignore the ground game, nor can a grappler ignore having to deal with strikes and kicks on the way in and dirty fighting tactics on the floor. BUT which do you think is wisest to learn first and why?

I can ignore the 'ground game'. MMA notwithstanding.

I have no issue with grapplers. It's great stuff. It's not something I am interested in learning to any great extent.

If I were to start over, I'd do what I am doing now; I'd just start as a younger person.

 

[drop bear]

I would do mma. Which didn't exist when I started martial arts. But is now quite a clever system.

 

[Langenschwert]

I'd have taken up wrestling.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

You have to take your opponent down before you start to worry about your ground game.

 

[JowGaWolf]

If I could start at a younger age say 10 years old, then I would want to learn Jow Ga Kung Fu. (striking), Tai Chi (striking and grappling), and Shuai Jiao (stand up grappling) all at the same time. I think with a good understand and ability to do techniques in these systems would make me a solid fighter.

 

[Touch Of Death]

If there is anything MMA has taught us is that you can't ignore the ground game, nor can a grappler ignore having to deal with strikes and kicks on the way in and dirty fighting tactics on the floor. BUT which do you think is wisest to learn first and why?

On the street, many people, not myself, mind you, have friends, and if you have friends around, you can completely ignore the ground game. Even a wife, whom who barely likes her husband, can kick a guy off the mount.

 

[JR 137]

You have to take your opponent down before you start to worry about your ground game.

But what if you don't know how to avoid being thrown? Would you rather learn in a controlled environment beforehand, or vow to yourself that it won't happen again? What about learning to get off your back and/or avoid being punched in the guard?

Learning a skill and never having to use it is better than not learning it and wishing you did after the fact. Kind of like CPR.

My first "MA" was wrestling. Started around 3rd grade and went all through high school. I coached it on and off for about 10 years. I haven't been involved with it for several years now, but the essential parts are easily still there. I didn't choose it as an MA nor for self defense purposes, but it's quite valuable nonetheless.

It's pretty hard to defend what you don't know anything about. I don't know submission; against anyone with experience with it, I'm probably going to make a major mistake. My only hope is to end it before I make that mistake. It's pretty hard to avoid mistakes that I genuinely don't know are mistakes. I don't compete in MMA, and I don't put myself into a position where I have to fight, so my chances of having to defend against it are quite slim. If either of these conditions weren't there, I'd learn it.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

But what if you don't know how to avoid being thrown?

Your take down skill and counter take down skill can be developed in the following ways.

If you can use "single leg" to take your opponent down within 1 minute, you win that round. Otherwise you lose that round.

method 1 - Your opponent tries as hard as he can not to let that happen.
method 2 - Your opponent also tries to use "single leg" to take you down.
method 3 - Your opponent also tries to use "single leg" to take you down. He also tried to punch you.
method 4 - Your opponent also tries to use "single leg" to take you down. He also tried to punch and kick you.

Repeat this 15 rounds daily. Repeat this for 2 years. You have done 2 x 15 x 365 = 10,950 times. You should have developed a good "single leg" and counters against "single leg" skill at the same time.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

dup, deleted.

 

[drop bear]

On the street, many people, not myself, mind you, have friends, and if you have friends around, you can completely ignore the ground game. Even a wife, whom who barely likes her husband, can kick a guy off the mount.

If you have friends around you can completely ignore the stand up game and just dog pile the guy.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

On the street, many people, not myself, mind you, have friends, and if you have friends around, you can completely ignore the ground game. Even a wife, whom who barely likes her husband, can kick a guy off the mount.

I tell people that an influential factor in the development of BJJ was the fact that the Gracies were opposed to birth control. If one of them wanted to challenge somebody to a fight on the beach or on the street or in a bar, they could count on it being a one-on-one match where they could safely go to the ground. Reason being, if the other guy's friends tried to jump in, there would be about a dozen Gracie brothers ready to even the odds.

It's mostly a joke, but there's a little bit of truth to it.

 

[Ironbear24]

You have to take your opponent down before you start to worry about your ground game.

I don't agree with this because ground game is also important when your opponent takes you to the ground.