Learning martial arts to survive in an extreme environment — Please advise

[Kravbizarre]

The thugs and dealers are invariably poor, I can't imagine why you'd think they were smart. Well, I have one guess...

I never said they were smart but i did mention them because they are the opposition to the OP and are also poor (you would assume on the basis that with poverty crime rate increases).

[Mr. Machette]

I'm not Holy Moment. Just a disciple.
OF THE STREET!

[Mandem]

Why? The Holy Moment is one guy in New Jersey.

He can't possibly be responsible for EVERYTHING.

He's too busy running a Youtube channel to engage in sockpuppetry.

You are definitely
Definitely
DEFINITELY
a HM dupe account

[ermghoti]

I never said they were smart but i did mention them because they are the opposition to the OP and are also poor (you would assume on the basis that with poverty crime rate increases).

But since the thugs and drug dealers are also having a miserable existence in shit holes worldwide, we can obviously conclude they were not smart. I also wrote nothing to the effect that rich people are necessarily rich because they are smart, only that the OP is poor because he is stupid. Don't assume things.

[Michael Tzadok]

May I suggest the Brotherhood of the Triblade. One of the staff members posted the founder's training journal a while back. It seemed legit for those drug and gang infested places.

[Holy Moment]

He's too busy running a Youtube channel to engage in sockpuppetry.

I'm using my alternate handle on Youtube to try to troll some guy into coming on here and challenge Omega to a fight.

[Kravbizarre]

But since the thugs and drug dealers are also having a miserable existence in shit holes worldwide, we can obviously conclude they were not smart. I also wrote nothing to the effect that rich people are necessarily rich because they are smart, only that the OP is poor because he is stupid. Don't assume things.

I never said the rich were smart. Maybe the op is smart? You cant rob somone if they dont have anything.

[Short Timer?]

I highly recommend against aikido as a first art for self defense and add that I'm shodan to give weight to the advice.

Thank you, but I'm not at all considering Aikido. Like I said, this forum's taught me enough at least to know better. It might be a useful complement after I'm advanced in other martial arts, but there's no reason for me to think about this at this point.

Lift a lot of weights and sexually assault anyone who tries step to you. Flip the script. Watch that fight turn to flight when you go for penetration.

Lifting a lot of weights makes sense, but I'm more of a pummelling kind of guy.

So who are the smart ones? The thugs? The dealers? The ones who contribute to others misery for their selfish desires?

The thugs and dealers are invariably poor, I can't imagine why you'd think they were smart. Well, I have one guess...

Not in my experience. They either have a lot of money/valuables until they are shot or arrested, or they are at least enough-to-do. At least here, most of the guys who aren't doing it to buy drugs (which is on not the same level as food) are trying to get the newest iPhone, brand clothes, etc. We're not talking about Jean Valjean.

I'm not Holy Moment. Just a disciple.
OF THE STREET!

As for me, I'm just trying to keep myself alive.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Thank you, but I'm not at all considering Aikido. Like I said, this forum's taught me enough at least to know better. It might be a useful complement after I'm advanced in other martial arts, but there's no reason for me to think about this at this point.

Lifting a lot of weights makes sense, but I'm more of a pummelling kind of guy.

Such folks usually regard themselves as such—"wise guys" and all that. Even outside egregious crime, honest people tend to be considered "suckers" in my country.

Not in my experience. They either have a lot of money/valuables until they are shot or arrested, or they are at least enough-to-do. At least here, most of the guys who aren't doing it to buy drugs (which is on not the same level as food) are trying to get the newest iPhone, brand clothes, etc. We're not talking about Jean Valjean.

As for me, I'm just trying to keep myself alive.

Many Aikido schools can teach you good falling skills, nice posture, and depending on the Aikido style, potential useful walking and weight falling kuzushi ideas. It can also probably be useful from a semi-physical stress reduction exercise, kind of a moving meditation and social activity.

However, Aikido, unless combined with with a rigorous base in Judo or some other grappling or striking style may, as you have stated and others have told you, leave you feeling somewhat surprised when someone skilled in grappling or striking or even an unskilled opponent with some pepper to them decides to attack without regard for following the Aikido models.

So, in my opinion as a non-Aikidoka who has been shown a little Aikido by some Judo colleagues of mine who have cross trained in Aikido after their knees got full prosthetic replacements (probably from their prior intense Judo practice), Aikido is probably best reserved for either a polish art after you have reached a certain minimum level of proficiency in "hard" striking and grappling styles, or after your body has degraded to the point where you can no longer participate in the "hard" styles like you once did, but you still want to continue your study of kuzushi, falling, walking in posture, and to stay on the mats.

[Short Timer?]

Well, thank those of you who were being serious for the advice, and thank those of you who were just having fun for helping me take my mind off of some shit. I think I'll establish a good exercise routine and start to eat well, and after some months I'll go with DCS's suggestion (complemented by WFMurphyPhD's comment) and introduce boxing (or kickboxing), move later on to Judo, then try to figure out where I go from there. Meanwhile, I'll do some more reading about Muay Thai—it also looks promising for me. Again, thank you all.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Well, thank those of you who were being serious for the advice, and thank those of you who were just having fun for helping me take my mind off of some shit. I think I'll establish a good exercise routine and start to eat well, and after some months I'll go with DCS's suggestion (complemented by WFMurphyPhD's comment) and introduce boxing (or kickboxing), move later on to Judo, then try to figure out where I go from there. Meanwhile, I'll do some more reading about Muay Thai—it also looks promising for me. Again, thank you all.

As a final comment, most people may never get into a fight, but will almost certainly fall at some point. Any practice that teaches you good falling skills, especially when combined with core and neck strengthening exercises (not that Aikido seems to have much focus on core and neck strengthening exercises) is probably very useful as a higher probability event form of self-defense training than preparing for the lower probability self-defense scenario of hand to hand fighting. The risk of a hand to hand fight can often be mitigated by avoidance, but damn near everybody falls from time to time, whether a black belt or not. Falling practice is arguably the most under-emphasized activity and regarded as broccoli by most schools. Everybody knows it is good for you, but most people only consume as much of it as is put on their plate by someone else.

[ermghoti]

Maybe the op is smart?

I've suspected you haven't been reading my posts, but now I know you certainly aren't reading the OP's posts.

[Kravbizarre]

I've suspected you haven't been reading my posts, but now I know you certainly aren't reading the OP's posts.

your sarchasm detector is broken.

[Mr. Machette]

.

Lifting a lot of weights makes sense, but I'm more of a pummelling kind of guy.

That's what I'm talking about. Pummelling. With your p3n0r.

[ermghoti]

your sarchasm detector is broken.

No, you're a towel.

I know "sarchasm" isn't a word, but I think maybe it should be.