Thinking about Judo

[budostudent2007]

I've been practicing Aikido for the last four years. I'm thinking about transitiong to Judo. I'm thinking about either practicing Judo as well as Aikido, or making a sole commitment to Judo. I've also thought about practicing Judo in addition to Shorinji Kempo (which I've never practiced), or Shorinji Kempo and Aikido. Or, if I happen to have enough time and money, Aikido, Shorinji Kempo, and Judo. I have a few questions for you guys. I love practicing Aikido, I think it's alot of fun, but am concerned about its "street validity," at least at my level. I believe Aikido can be very effective in real-world situations, but also believe it takes years of practice to reach that point. Hence, my recent interest in adding to my Aikido practice. Also, I've been told Judo has trouble dealing with punches; is that true? I appreciate any advice you guys have to offer.

[Joseph Svinth]

If you want to learn to box, take boxing. Seriously. Boxers have great workout routines, and their hand and head movement is very good. (Much better than traditional karate, in my opinion. Your mileage may vary.)

Judo classes are probably going to feel pretty casual to you, coming from an aikido background. Nonetheless, the principles are similar, except judo has more emphasis on resisting partners. Brazilian jujitsu classes are worth checking, too. The technique in BJJ is very similar to the technique in judo, but BJJ almost always provides more upfront training in groundwork.

What you have to ask yourself, though, is what you're really training for. Factor in cost, travel time, and whether the people in the club seem like nice folks. Then make your cost-benefit analysis from there.

[budostudent2007]

Thanks for your input. I'm a little leary of BJJ, however. That style seems very effective for one on one matches. I don't know if BJJ is great for two or more on one, though. It seems to me that while you're on the ground choking one guy out his buddies are going to pummel you. Plus, going straight to the ground in the street doesn't seem very safe (asphalt, broken glass, passing cars, etc.). Also, what happens if the guy you're choking happens to pull out a knife or gun. I feel like if I'm standing when that kind of thing happens, I'll have a little better chance. I guess what I want to be most prepared for is street fighting. I'm not looking to enter competitions, or for a martial art that focuses on the sporting aspect. I'd like to find a well-rounded martial art that prepares someone well for multiple attackers as well as single attackers given a real-world environment, as opposed to a mat with referees. Not to take anything away from sporting martial arts. I believe it takes a great deal of skill and dedication to become a formidable competing martial artist. I also believe a martial artist who performs well in competitions (despite it being a somewhat controlled environment) will likely perform well in the street. It's just that, I'd rather focus elsewhere.

Thanks for your advice. I'd love to hear from more of you guys.

[Joseph Svinth]

Well, if you're going that route, there is always Steve Morris. He's a pretty direct sort of fellow.

http://www.morrisnoholdsbarred.co.uk/

[MikeWilliams]

I guess what I want to be most prepared for is street fighting.

Serious questions: when was the last time you got into a street confrontation? How many times has it happened?

If the answer to both questions is "recently" and "more than once", you would be far better off re-examining your lifestyle.

If the answers are "recently" and "only once", then you need to examine the reasons for the confrontation or attack, and identify and work on things that would have prevented it occurring in the first place.

Self defence is 90% mental and 10% physical (and of that ten percent, at least half is running ability :) )

As for your choice of martial art, I know a good number of aikidoka who cross-train in either Judo or BJJ. They seem to complement each other well. If you want to deal with striking and only have one or two free evenings, then I would recommend a dedicated MMA school, as classes should offer a good balance of grappling and striking.

[Dull Blade]

Krav Maga may also be a good choice to check out, as they have specific training for one vs many situations.
I have to agree with Mike Williams though, why are you so specific about training to survive a fight "on the streets"? If you are aware of your surroundings and don't take silly risks, the chances of getting into a street fight against multiple opponents should be extremely low.
If you are considering adding Judo into your training to increase your ability to street fight only, it may not be the best or most effective use of your training time. There are a lot of basic defense positions (especially in Judo groundwork) that you are trained to move into that would get your head smashed in if used in the streets.
You may be able to find a Judo instructor who also teaches practical self-defense in addition to the "sport" of Judo, you will just have to look around to find them.

Basically you need to decide what goal(s) you have from the time you spend training, and find a system that will get you towards your goals.

Are you looking to be an athlete competing in an organized sport, or a ruthless fighting machine? Are you interested in the history and tradition of what you are training in or just the effectiveness? These are some of the questions you should ask yourself.

As long as you are training in any style, just make sure you train hard and listen, think and then listen some more to the instructor!

Cheers!