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I've been in alot of altercations ( sweatdrop ) and I've never really found that my setup allows for kicks themselves other then dominating range work. I'm much more accustomed to in-fighting rather then the long range fighting of things like TKD and alot of my technique seems to function as to either close the distance in minimal time and energy or widen the gap.

And yes, kicks of any sort are useful versus multiple opponent as close range is almost guaranteed to get you pounded on from his friends, though I've found low-mid kicks faster and more potent solely because they snap knee's or cause the person to keel over. The only head kicks I've ever made use of was when the person was keeled over trying to grab their leg.

Arguably the setup is the most important factor when deciding whether or not to kick, something thats more than likely decided in the gym due to the almost wholly reflexial nature of fights hence the advent of training hard and seriously, it may not even seem it but ******** around in gym could cost you.

Another reason why I don't go for kicks much (unless you count knee's) is because I end alot of fights through a punch or two and since alot of people try to grab me etc from that close its the more beneficial, by the time you work the setup for the kicks they're more then likely ready to keel over and die anyway.

Right, whats everyones opinion on sweeps and throws?

I totally disagree with that statement. If you are jumped by multiple attackers you're not going to have the time or space to be throwing high kicks.

Your adreniline is going to be sky high and your legs will be shaking like ********. On top of that you'll be attacked from multiple angles at the same time.

Punches and low kicks (Muay Thai style) are the on the menu for these situations. They require the least amount of effort and your at low risk of tripping or losing balance. High kicks are just impractical and in situations such as multiple attackers, suicidal.

One thing that's really hit home for me over the last few months are the effectiveness and devastating effects of throws and sweeps used in Judo (hence my current judo fetish).

If you've got good striking skills and you combine the two you're laughing.

If you've ever seen a decent judo player throw somebody on the mat just imagine that you've used strikes to get in close and then how you've just executed a bone crunching throw on concrete.

To choke or not to choke that is the question......

Personally I think choke techniques are very street effective under the right conditions. In arts such as BJJ you're taught many, many variations so you can execute the technique from a multitude of angles.

Providing you release the technique once your would be attacker is ko'd then I can't a problem with them. If they are the only attacker and afterwards you put them in the recovery position your chances of getting away with the act if there are witnesses are high. You can quote self defence and then say that you were so concerned for your attackers welfare that you put them in the recovery position.

Obviously if you keep a choke held after your opponant has lost conciousness then there is serious risk of brain death or even actual death.

Here a link to a site were various people have died due to being "choked" out.

I've posted an extract from case 12 below due to the tragic circumstances and the Vo et Vat referance for Gank.

www.judoinfo.com/chokes5.htm

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During the 1981 Sixth International Judo Federation (IJF) Medical Symposium in Maastricht, Netherlands, 31 Aug. 1981, Kjell Salling of Norway called attention to a fatal case as a result of choking. The death was reported in Paris, France, June 1954. The accident was published and reported by newspapers, Le Parisien Libere and France-Soir on 24 June 1954. The incident was also reported in the Official Bulletin of the French Judo Federation. Investigation revealed that the death was not in the sport of judo, but a method called "Vo et Vat" taught by a Vietnamese instructor. Vo et Vat was estimated to be a more violent form of judo. The method was not recognized by the French Judo Federation and the instructor was not a member of that organization.

The subject was a 34 year old male Vietnamese Vo et Vat instructor who was "choked" by one of his own students, age 17. For demonstration purposes, the student was ordered by the instructor to use all his strength when he applied a reverse cross choke (gyaku jujime). This choke is applied from above with the instructor lying on his back on the mat. The instructor was going to demonstrate a method of resistance and counter attack. The instructor was not able to counter attack, and the student, after the passing of "some minutes," exhausted by his effort, terminated the "choking." The instructor apparently died on the mat. Hs demise was witnessed by his students, who were sitting around the two demonstrating. A doctor was summoned, but he could only state that the instructor was dead. The autopsy findings were published in the Annales de Medicine Legale.

The reported cause of death was not only by mechanical asphyxia but also by compression of the vascular circulation to the brain.

If you apply a choke correctly you should have your opponant out cold in around 4 seconds these chokes cut of the blood to the brain via the carotid arteries if the choke is held on after the opponant is under for a further 12 seconds then brain death will occur.

Chokes that cut off the air via the wind pipe take a little longer.

If you apply the choke on a complient training partner who is relaxed it'll take about twelve seconds to knock them out.

The reason why the choke goes on far quicker in sparring is because the blood/air is pumping and the bodies demand for increased blood/air circulation is far greater.

I accidently choked out my girlfriend the other night when I was practicing my triangler leg chokes on her, on the bed and I said to her "tap out if you feel yourself going under".

I applied the choke and she went straight out and fell off the bed. She didn't go completely out but she was pretty out of it. Anyway I say to her " Why the hell didn't you tap?" and she replied "I wanted to know what it felt like".

Women ******** scare me sometimes.

*Edits*

The only time I've seen somebody resist a properly applied choke is when I trained down at the Gracie Barra. I went down to London woth my local BJJ instructor and he was sparring with the Muay Thai instructor at the gym, who was also an awsome BJJ practitioner. My insturctor reverse mounted him, and had him in a full rear naked choke, and everybody who was watching, including me, thought he was going under, but the guy (very muscular) tensed his neck muscles as hard as he could, and eventualy my instructors arms gave out before his neck did.

I've never seen anything like it before, or since then. Unbelievable.

You can't go far wrong with Thai Boxing. It's is an extremely agressive martial art but it gives you the tools to get the job done.

Because of the full contact nature it does tend to give an aggresive mind set, espicially to those new to the art but that wears off in time.

The only down side is the lack off ground work but if you cross train with judo of BJJ you've got all the ranges covered.

Nah, they're just weird.