What other Marital Arts should I add to Krav Maga?

If you’re interested in learning on your own, check out the book Attack Proof- its about learning how to fight with natural, random motions with relaxed power. Its full of good supplementary exercises for any martial art. Aside from that, I’d recommend the following:
Groundfighting: I’m partial to judo myself, but BJJ is a good choice for developing the basics to a phenomenal degree. Also, Attack Proof has a bunch of unique groundfighting principles focused on anti-grappling techniques and ground mobility.
Standing fighting: Krav pretty much has all of the good stand up stuff that any popular stand up style has (muay thai, kyokushin kai). Seems a bit redundant to start training in another stand up sportfighting style. BUT if you’re interested in one, look into San Shou- there’s a lot of standing takedowns that are not utilized in other styles.
Weapons fighting: there’s a couple of weapon fighting programs that are very good on video. Cold Steel has two sets: the Warrior’s Edge series and Stun, Stagger and Stop. The first is all about knife fighting in the classical sense (two guys with fighting knives squared off in a fight) but still applies to other kinds of fighting. The second is about fighting with a cane. Both videos are great stuff. Other notable videos are anything by James Keating (has videos on all kinds of exotic and practical weapons- bandana, tomahawk, belt, whip, knife, push dagger) and the Canemaster series, but I don’t know much about the last one.

Other: ever think of internal martial arts? Tai chi and bagua can be very good martial arts (zingyi also, I’ve heard).

Now, having said all that, you must have a collosal amount of time on your hands to practice any more than two. Taking too much can make you just mediocre at all of them, rather than good at one.

I figure you must be 18 to 30 yrs old. This is what I suggest. Train in Krav Maga, as much as you can. Your workouts to me sound like you do plenty. Unless you are training for a fight, or someone just beat you up. Relax a little. Learn something new. Pottery, skydiving, scuba, skiing, rock climbing or maybe learning to cook. Food is always a good thing. There must be other things in your head. Itís a big world out there with many things to offer. Iíve seen a lot people come and go in martial arts. Life is a trip. Enjoy the ride

Re:

Wow, I never realized the UK had real gang problems. I think I’d be training as hard as possible too!

I think Krav has a great standup game (although a very incremental training program, so it might take a while before you’re well rounded), good defenses against modern weapons, and a logical ground game (i.e. get the heck back up, quick!). Personally, if I wanted to augment it, I’d be doing BJJ or some type of wrestling and if I really had to do something more than that, maybe FMA/Kali for the stick and knife fighting and hand speed.

I just started a little hobby that you might want to look into- balisong manipulation. I recently got a balisong trainer, and have been on balisongxtreme.com trying to pick up techniques. I do a lot of long walks, and have been trying to multitask at the same time (For instance, I started playing a tiny accordion- lethal improvised weapon) and have started to play with the trainer when I’m in areas with no one watching me- its kind of suspicious. Check out the site.
About adding martial arts, it seems between BJJ and krav, you have it all covered, as far as going into kickboxing or grappling. I would recommend some kind of soft work- systema, tai chi, etc.
Freerunning has always been interesting to me. Way before I’d ever heard about it, I was finding new and better ways to jump over obstacles, climb fences, trees, walls, etc, breakfalls and rolls after far falls, and good stuff like that. Then I saw a Nike commercial that really showed me up. I still climb trees as an obscure training method- teaches creative thought in a somewhat random context, body positioning, and balance, not to mention the physical exercise, especially for the forearms. Tree climbing is a part of traditional kun tao.

As I have mentioned in another thread it is just as important to look at how you will train in the system as the sytem itself.

For example, will you be reverse punching and \”kiiiaaaaing\” up and down the floor all class, or spending lots of time learning katas, forms, bowing, or learning to pronounce foreign names for moves and counting backwards, listening intently to the sifu/ sensei’s philosphies on life?

This may be your thing, to take the time to learn a system in the context of appreciating and absorbing some of the cultural and traditional elements.

Or will you be spending this time learning realistic techniques and applying them in realistic scenerious. Is there pad work, contact, some sort of ground componant? All these things are important if you are looking at some that is quick and nasty.

I recommend bjj (the competitive element can be quite social and healthy) boxing, or muay thai. But then I am not much for the internal arts, though it is great for those that are into it. Don’t forget to take advantage of free lessons, try both approaches, ask lots of questions and get a real taste of how they train along with what they train.