Train in self-defense program, or MMA?

GreenieMeanie

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I've spent pretty much all my time with the combatives community, in the years I've trained--Krav Maga, Jim Groover's stuff, some MMA, some BJJ. I have no interest in the arts, or competing. I only want to learn what is applicable on the streets, and find people to train with that are interested in self-defense, counter-custody/abduction, edged/pointy-weapons, blunt weapons, and firearms in retention.

I'm looking at a gym that has a Maestro Defense System program. People seem to hate it online, but people I've met who are respected in the self-defense and survivalist community recommend it. It seems to be like Krav Maga, Kembativz, and Urban Combatives (Lee Morison), but with a flavor topping of FMA. According to my contacts, they don't know anything about the local instructor, just that he is a legit MDS instructor. Interestingly, apart from the MDS program, they only have Krav Maga, boxing, and kick-boxing, so one can anticipate they're probably strikers more than they are grapplers. I'm not sure if I'll find wannabees, or people that take the training seriously.

There's also an MMA gym that has boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and a BJJ program, being run by coaches with what appear to be solid competitive backgrounds. I imagine the quality of training per those systems will be better--but I'm concerned the community won't be the right fit. Like I said--I have no interest in the art itself, or competing, just taking what's useful.
 

Buka

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I've spent pretty much all my time with the combatives community, in the years I've trained--Krav Maga, Jim Groover's stuff, some MMA, some BJJ. I have no interest in the arts, or competing. I only want to learn what is applicable on the streets, and find people to train with that are interested in self-defense, counter-custody/abduction, edged/pointy-weapons, blunt weapons, and firearms in retention.

I'm looking at a gym that has a Maestro Defense System program. People seem to hate it online, but people I've met who are respected in the self-defense and survivalist community recommend it. It seems to be like Krav Maga, Kembativz, and Urban Combatives (Lee Morison), but with a flavor topping of FMA. According to my contacts, they don't know anything about the local instructor, just that he is a legit MDS instructor. Interestingly, apart from the MDS program, they only have Krav Maga, boxing, and kick-boxing, so one can anticipate they're probably strikers more than they are grapplers. I'm not sure if I'll find wannabees, or people that take the training seriously.

There's also an MMA gym that has boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and a BJJ program, being run by coaches with what appear to be solid competitive backgrounds. I imagine the quality of training per those systems will be better--but I'm concerned the community won't be the right fit. Like I said--I have no interest in the art itself, or competing, just taking what's useful.
The best way may be to spend a couple months at each place and see what sparks your interest.
 

Kung Fu Wang

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I only want to learn what is applicable on the streets,
Sport (such as MMA) is the path. Combat is the goal. If self-defense also include to protect your family members and your love one, there is no difference between self-defense and combat.

When someone tries to pull your wife into his car, you may want to apply a head lock on that person, and pull him away from your wife. That may be beyond your self-defense training (such as de-escalation, or run away).
 
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frank raud

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I've spent pretty much all my time with the combatives community, in the years I've trained--Krav Maga, Jim Groover's stuff, some MMA, some BJJ. I have no interest in the arts, or competing. I only want to learn what is applicable on the streets, and find people to train with that are interested in self-defense, counter-custody/abduction, edged/pointy-weapons, blunt weapons, and firearms in retention.

I'm looking at a gym that has a Maestro Defense System program. People seem to hate it online, but people I've met who are respected in the self-defense and survivalist community recommend it. It seems to be like Krav Maga, Kembativz, and Urban Combatives (Lee Morison), but with a flavor topping of FMA. According to my contacts, they don't know anything about the local instructor, just that he is a legit MDS instructor. Interestingly, apart from the MDS program, they only have Krav Maga, boxing, and kick-boxing, so one can anticipate they're probably strikers more than they are grapplers. I'm not sure if I'll find wannabees, or people that take the training seriously.

There's also an MMA gym that has boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and a BJJ program, being run by coaches with what appear to be solid competitive backgrounds. I imagine the quality of training per those systems will be better--but I'm concerned the community won't be the right fit. Like I said--I have no interest in the art itself, or competing, just taking what's useful.
That's a really complicated way to say Fred Mastro self defense is based on Silat.
 

JowGaWolf

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The best way may be to spend a couple months at each place and see what sparks your interest.
The only thing About mma training is that he won't be able to get weapon training with MMA.
 

Buka

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The only thing About mma training is that he won't be able to get weapon training with MMA.
True. But I'm of the opinion that MMA is better for self defense than anything else I've seen.
 

JowGaWolf

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True. But I'm of the opinion that MMA is better for self defense than anything else I've seen.
It's because they actually trainto use it and go against different fighting systems and styles. The experience of going against different types of resistance is priceless. I think anyone who trains System A vs System B will get similar results.
 

Cynik75

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MMA to learn how to fight.
Plus combatives to learn "street" tactic, street awareness and all weapon stuff.
 
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GreenieMeanie

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True. But I'm of the opinion that MMA is better for self defense than anything else I've seen.
It is the basis, and I've been to a gym that had both MMA and a very good combatives program, the participants of whom sparred together and cross-trained---however, I'm not near such a gym atm.
 
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GreenieMeanie

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MMA to learn how to fight.
Plus combatives to learn "street" tactic, street awareness and all weapon stuff.
I can yes--the problem with a strict MMA gym, is that none of them may be interested in that. There is a particular knife system I like to train, for example, but I may find that I'm the only one that wants to.
 
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GreenieMeanie

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Sport (such as MMA) is the path. Combat is the goal. If self-defense also include to protect your family members and your love one, there is no difference between self-defense and combat.

When someone tries to pull your wife into his car, you may want to apply a head lock on that person, and pull him away from your wife. That may be beyond your self-defense training (such as de-escalation, or run away)

Sport (such as MMA) is the path. Combat is the goal. If self-defense also include to protect your family members and your love one, there is no difference between self-defense and combat.

When someone tries to pull your wife into his car, you may want to apply a head lock on that person, and pull him away from your wife. That may be beyond your self-defense training (such as de-escalation, or run away

This is the training I want to experiment with people.
 

MTguy

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Most of these 'arts' are pure scams as when they are challenged, they literally get their *** handed to them. Outside of weapons MMA, bjj and striking ARE the best self defense system. You can always add weapons training. Sorry. I went thru the same thing but found the truth when time after time my instructor would say, so, no, I can't take your challenge because I would break you neck. Good luck buddy, this aint hollywood.

Try a month of bjj or boxing and see how swarmed and overwhelmed you feel and then come back and let us know how your combatives class are pretty deadly and how many neck breaks you achieve. My intro to this was SCARS. today, it's called so many other names. Same crap, different names. Having said that, the phillipinon arts are great with weapons!!!
 
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GreenieMeanie

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Most of these 'arts' are pure scams as when they are challenged, they literally get their *** handed to them. Outside of weapons MMA, bjj and striking ARE the best self defense system. You can always add weapons training. Sorry. I went thru the same thing but found the truth when time after time my instructor would say, so, no, I can't take your challenge because I would break you neck. Good luck buddy, this aint hollywood.

Try a month of bjj or boxing and see how swarmed and overwhelmed you feel and then come back and let us know how your combatives class are pretty deadly and how many neck breaks you achieve. My intro to this was SCARS. today, it's called so many other names. Same crap, different names. Having said that, the phillipinon arts are great with weapons!!!
MMAs are the foundation, and a good combatives program adjusts what you know from MMA per the situation.

I had the fortune of a gym, that had everything--an MMA instructor, a BJJ instructor, and a combatives instructor, all of whom were very knowledgeable and skilled. The combatives instructor had done his homework and trained with some of the most accredited names in RBSD. The students of each program cross-trained with each other--which vastly improved the learning curve of the combatives students. I never learned neck-breaking, but I did learn about using neck-cranks in takedowns. I did all of them, along with some specialized edged-weapons work elsewhere.
 

MTguy

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A gun at 10 feet is the deadliest weeapon. case closed. If you think you are going to not freeze up when someone pulls on you, you've never had it happen. I have and it scared the **** out of me. If his finger is on the trigger already pulling slack, you can't move fast enough.
 

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