Im pretty sure guys on this forum must have tried both. I have recently started kick boxing and I'm quiet enjoying it. The place I go to they also have ju jitsu club in there. My mate was telling me from the self defence perspective ju jitsu is way ahead of kick boxing. Kick boxing is more a sport than martial art. Interesting to know your point of view.

Nah. Your mate is talking bollocks.

Where locks and chokes can be applied for self defense. The best self defense is a strong offense. You cannot beat a good right hook to someone's jaw. Second to that, takedowns are a big no no. Never grapple withsone one in the street, you will most likely get just as hurt yourself. If you get grappled, take the muay thai approach o the clinch and throw out knees. Stay of the ground at all costs.

A good kick-boxer can take on most traditional martial artist any day of the week.

If theres any kyokushin karate clubs near u id give it a go. Its similar to kickboxing but its still a traditional martial art aswell. The sparring is full contact but knockdown tourneys are no punching to the face, even though u can kick their face off. Im looking to start either this, full contact karate or kickboxing after i graduate.

Type in kyokushin karate tournament on youtube, looks awesome

Bang on

The other problem you encounter with Ju Jitsu - a friend of mine is a head doorman and when you put people causing trouble in wrist locks etc and try to walk them out, if they are high as a kite on drugs they dont feel it and you are left with the conclusion that you either break their wrist (which they probably wont feel) or you slap them about a bit

if you try and grapple with somone in a bar, club or the street while you are fecking around with one guy on the floor, his mates are jumping on your head
in the real world its about dropping somone with the minimum of hits and then youa re free to ahve a go at their friends or get out of that situation -
not spending 10 minutes twisting somones arm behind their back asking if theyve had enough

When it comes to the most effective real world fighting arts you cannot beat Kick boxing or boxing by a long way
the only slight stipulation with that is that boxers can be so used to hitting things with a padded glove that when they unleash a big punch on somone they end up breakingtheir hand because its not conditioned to withstand the power they can put behind it.

Supposed to be awesome.

I would LOVE to do it (space helmet training looks cool). Problem is there is hardly anywhere in the UK that teaches it.

I have joined the kickboxing class. I train two days a week with them and on the other days I concentrate on cv and strength.

ur best just training MMA training, it incorporates it all, and most of the best up coming fighters just do MMA training now days.

if you do boxing, & learn how to hit.. u dont need to defend! 1 hit K.O. If i had time or cared about fighting, id do boxing & thai!

i prefer grappling & shit tho, more thinking involved

Yeh I know, I'm quite lucky that there's a few based around Cardiff so when I'm back home I'll be able to get going at it. The closest to it would be kickboxing with no protection.

I dunno. Loads of MMA gyms have sprung out of nowhere the past couple of years. I'm not saying there isn't some good gyms but most of them are very sketchy. They will be training some "alright" kickboxing and some "alright" bjj. Afteral that is what MMA is, its for all round good fighters. Nothing special.

If you want to REALLY get good find a respected kickboxing gym and BJJ gym. Going to place with dedicated training will ensure your getting the best teaching. There is a MMA gym near me with some guy who claims to be a BJJ blackbelt, yet he is 23 and has been training for four years.... four years. BJJ is notoriously difficult to get a black belt in, I know the Gracie line hardly give out any! It can takes a decade plus and thats only when you have fought for EVERY belt and proved yourself in not being a dick.

My point is, there is allot of McDojo's in MMA (crap gyms just in it to make money). I fucking LAUGH when I hear "my mate is a cage fighter". Some chump has been training for a year and holds this title like he's in Mortal Kombat or something.

I'm ranting here, because it just grinds me.

Agree with Jaz on that last point. I started training BJJ about 3 months ago. Some guy who coaches the BJJ at a local MMA club came down to spar some BJJ with us recently, we were all able to beat him with relative ease. Most of the guys at my BJJ club are at the same level as me as the club is newly formed.

You are best off building a solid base in one discipline striking or grappling and building around that.

In terms of street defence, grappling beats striking one on one any day, hence British guys struggle in MMA against wrestlers/solid BJJ fighters. That said I would not be so confident working some submissions on the street when his mates are coming up behind with bottles/kicks.