Newbie questions...

allenjp

Brown Belt
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
456
Reaction score
10
Location
San Diego, California
Hello,

I am very new to this forum, new to martial arts training, and this is my first post, so I hope I don't break any rules (written or unwritten) and my gibberish is tolerable to the rest of you who know what you're talking about.

I found this forum by doing a web search and I happened upon an old thread which seemed to be an argument between different members about if BJJ or Budo Taijutsu was the "ultimate" or "better" art. This subject is interesting to me because I am interested in both arts.
I had originally wanted to enroll in a Bujinkan school because I found the totality of the types of techniques covered to be the widest range I had ever seen. But it just turned out that right now that school is too far away for me to attend. So I enrolled in the BJJ school where my son was attending, which is a lot closer to me, and I am planning on switching to the Budo Taijutsu school after a couple of years. Do you think that is a good way to go? It seems to me that BJJ may be the best ground fighting style out there, but I realize it has limitations. It only addresses a very specific aspect of fighting: unarmed one on one combat on a favorable surface. I am not sure but it seems to me that I may not want to be on the ground in a bar with broken glass all over the ground or in a gravel parking lot, in those situations it may seem impractical to want to take the fight to the ground.

My reasoning in studying BJJ however is that I recognize that it is EXTREMELY difficult to avoid getting taken down by someone how knows how, and is determined to do it. This is a concept we have probably all seen in the videos that the Gracies put out there of them thoroughly dominating guys from all kinds of martial arts backgrounds who didn't know how to fight on the ground.

However I like Budo Taijutsu for the efficiency of movement, the deception and misdirection used, and the real life lethality of the techniques, along with the weapons training. (I know we don't all carry katanas around but I can't help thinking that if one knows how to use one it would make a fairly effective home defense weapon) And the training that includes chemical/dust throwing techniques and other weapons (particularly hanbo) can have very effective real life results IMHO.

Also I notice that many of the Budo Taijutsu techniques utilize manipulation of the wrist/hand, or the arm to take down an opponent. Have you found that these techniques are executable against an opponent who does not leave his arm exposed after throwing a punch like the ukes tend to do?

Please understand that this post is NOT intended to start a BJJ vs. Taijutsu debate. Rather, I am looking for the pros and cons of each (as all styles have both) to decide my training path. I would love to hear from people who have trained in both arts or other multiple arts. I am currently planning to train in both of these arts and I am also interested in perhaps training some TKD to learn some of their kicking techniques.

Any feedback you guys (and gals) could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your time in advance, and sorry about the long post, I'll try to keep them shorter in the future.
 

Brian R. VanCise

MT Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
27,758
Reaction score
1,520
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
Having spent quite a bit of time in both I think they compliment each other vary, vary well. The movement of BJJ on the ground aids the Taijutsu practitioner and the training in Budo Taijutsu fills gaps in weapons training that a BJJ practitioner generally does not receive.
icon6.gif


Enjoy your training in BJJ and then when the time comes and you are able to train in Budo Taijutsu I think you will find that enjoyable as well.
icon14.gif
 

Latest Discussions

Top