Choosing a Martial Art (repost)

This is a repost of an article I wrote 2 years ago but since they're disappearing from the web, I thought I'd post it here.

Originally published on Chicago Tribune and LA Times on 10/2009.  http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-health-choosing-martial-art,0,1811106.story

Choosing a Martial Art

Important steps to take before you decide which move to make.

Mukesh Pitroda

October 30, 2009

The success of the various Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations has increased interest in martial arts and self-defense systems. With so many different arts and styles now available, choosing the right martial arts for you can be a daunting task.

Here are a few things to consider:

Interest: First, it is important to understand why you want to take martial arts. While the most obvious reasons include self-defense, fitness and confidence, there are plenty of other incentives such as stress relief, meeting new people, cultural interests and personal growth. Make a list of your top five reasons, this will help determine which art is best for you.

Self-defense: This is a given, however it is important to consider what type of situation you are preparing for. While boxing may not be a formal martial art, it is very well suited for a confrontation where two opponents are squaring off. Or, you may want to be prepared to defend yourself should you ever be physically threatened. Reality based martial arts that focus on techniques are more likely to prepare you for self defense situations more quickly than a traditional martial art. Likewise, someone more concerned with being pinned on the ground may find wrestling or Brazilian jujitsu best suited for their training.

Physical limits: Some bodies are better suited for some martial arts than others. That is not to say that physical aspects cannot be overcome. In fact, martial arts are a great way to conquer physical limitations. Generally, if your stature is small and wide, you may more naturally take to Judo or jujutsu, given a lower center of gravity whereas a thinner person may find more comfort in being able to kick rather than end up in a clinch or on the ground. Additionally, if you're barely able to touch your knees, Tai Chi may compliment you more than arts that use high, fancy kicks and acrobatic techniques like Tae Kwon Do or Capoeira .

Learning style: How instructors teach can greatly impact how effective a school and art is for you. Think about how you best learn. Are you a better learner when the curriculum is more rigid and formal, or when things are more flexible? Do you see yourself in a uniform when you train or sweats and a t-shirt? Will you gain more from an instructor who you consider a teacher or a friend? Generally, Asian based arts tend to be more formal given the deep history and tradition they bring with them. Newer arts such as Krav Maga, tend to be less formal, focusing more on techniques.

Consider this: What you get out of a system will depend on many factors besides the art itself. Some of these factors will be internal, such as your physical abilities and your dedication. Others will be external like the style of the instructor. Use the information above to help narrow the list down several different arts and then choose a school you feel will be a good fit. Be sure to visit a class for each of these. Talk to the instructors and the students (those who have been training there for awhile, and those who just started).

My New Sub-Freezing Weather Routines

The cold months are a great time to build up incorporate some strength training (I know I should be doing this all year around--it's just easier staying indoors when it's cold) and indoor aerobic exercise. 

Here is the routine I started this week

Strenght training (Su, T, Th)
1 Dips to failure + 3 negatives
2 Pullups till failure + 3 negatives
3 Dumbell Bench Presses
4 Lat Pull-downs
5 Dumbell Flyes
6 Inverted rows
7 Hanging leg lifts
8 Hanging on bar till failure

Indoor aerobic (M, W, F)
1 Kettlebell swings (5, 10, 20, 10, 5)
2 Kettlebell squats (5, 10, 20, 10, 5)
3 Elliptical 20 - 35 mins
4 Kettlebell swings (50)
5 kettlebell somethings (10 each hand)

Feedback?  What do you do during the winter months?

Fighting stance - The Weapons Mindset

Different martial arts approach the fighting stance from different angles.  Some are meant to keep the opponents at a distance, some are meant to allow for quick defense.  All incorporate some level of the following things into the stance to allow for quick defense either from footwork, angling, of parries and/or blocks with the hands.   A lot of these stances are, however, meant for hand to hand combat.  When you bring weapons into the equation, especially bladed weapons, these stances have several weaknesses, especially when you move away from the traditional weapons practice of thrust and defend.  On the street, you may not even be aware that your opponent has a weapon.  Take for example, the follow stance. 
While this stance may be perfectly effective in defending against a punch or a kick, the first thing I think of when I see this stance is that:

1.      If I had a weapon, a knife or even a pen, my primary focus would be to take out the right hand.  It is right there, waiting to be stabbed.  

2.     Another option would be punch with my left to get my opponent to defend using their left side to open up that side and them come in with a weapon from my right. 

3.     Finally and perhaps the most important is that this position leaves the two very vitals spots velnerable:  the eyes and the throat.   One may be able to take a not so perfect hit to the face or the throat, but if a blade ever made penetrating contact with either one of those areas, that could be a deciding move. 

The Filipino Martial arts having their foundation in weapons training, take a very different approach.  I will state my disclaimer here that this may not be the case for all practitioners, especially since for most people, the FMA didn’t start out as their primary art.    However the following is the ready stance as I’ve practiced it.  A few things to note here:

1.  the elbows are in providing protection to the vital organs from the front such as the heart, lungs and liver. 

2. the fists are facing inward and protecting the neck and face. 

Any confrontation with a bladed weapon is going to be quick, complex and messy.  No stance is going to ensure that I don’t get hurt.  Footwork and parrying will help, but as I’ve heard many times--if a blade is involved, you’re going to get cut.  However, at least here there is a fighting chance of ensuring that the first strike is not one that damages a vital organ.

As always, given the opportunity, walk away… run away if required.  I would rather that I never have to use my martial arts and live, then try to prove how skilled I am, especially against a blade.

New Year - New Defanging the Snake

After almost 2 years since my last post, I'm starting this blog again.  But I'm changing the format and purpose.  Initially the blog was just about Modern Arnis and martial arts, but there's more to all of us than just one facet and rather than try to keep multiple identities online, I've decided just to move forward with this one.

However, I am keeping the title of the blog the same, because the concept of defending the snake is applicable to many things in life.  In martial arts, it refers to either debilitating an appendage or an appendage with a weapon.  It's the removal of something that is a threat, yet it is not the complete destruction of it.  You can take out a hand with a knife so they can't hurt you, but you're not taking someone's life. 

That concept can be used in other things in life as well to refer to things that are a threat to what we want to achieve whether it is motivation, fear, time, support, etc.

On this blog I plan on writing about many of the things I'm involved in besides martial arts, like writing and the million ideas that I'm working on but only getting 51% of the way to success (hence 51% entrepreneur), and running, etc. 

I hope that this will lead to two-way conversations, feedback and hopefully new ideas and new friends!