SevenStar

true. What many traditional guys don't realize though, is the focus. longfist, for example, MAY have groundwork in there SOMEWHERE. that really doesn't mean anything. People say "there's grappling in the forms, you just have to apply it to the ground" but that's bunk... a standing chin na lock won't transfer directly to the ground most of the time - modification needs to be made. If you aren't working these modifications, then you won't know... and a streetfight is NOT the right place for experimentation. Also, they are re-inventing the wheel. you can modify your stuff to work on the ground, but why? there are already ground styles that are geared toward it. So, by trying to take the time and figure it out, you are slowing your learning process.

mixing styles will only make you sloppy if you go about it the wrong way. for example, starting in multiple styles too early. that's always a bad thing. If you look at the guys who fight, they fall into one of two categories: 1. people who started training at an mma school - so to them it's all one style anyway. 2. people who have a strong base in SOMETHING. liddell has a strong kempo base, vanderlei has a thai boxing base, noguiera has a bjj base, rampage is a wrestler, etc. They later learned other things. this is a pet peeve of mine. someone who mixes any random MA in NOT an mma. A mma is someone who trains in two aspects of fighting - striking and grappling. judo and boxing = mma muay thai and bjj = mma karate and wrestling = mma tae kwon do and catch = mma tkd, karate and kali = NOT mma karate and silat = not mma etc... to be specific, the term mma really denotes someone who competes in mixed martial arts tournaments - this comprises of people who train striking and grappling.

was the guy resisting, or did he just let him apply the technique?

dang... I shoulda read this first!

I think there's a few things here: 1. muay thai has NOT been around for thousands of years - other muay have - muay lon lon, muay boran, muay chaiya, etc. muay thai did not come about until the 1920's. people generally refer to the old muay as "ancient muay thai", but technically, it is not. 2. sport arts are classified as such because of how they train. boxing, muay thai, judo, wrestling, etc. are all traditional from an age standpoint, however, they use more modern training - lack of forms, use of sparring, heavy bags, etc. as opposed to forms, makiwars/iron palm, stance training, etc. 3. there is a competitive aspect. "Traditional" styles are combat oriented and do not revolve around sport.

I've got a friend in the MACMAP program. From what I understand though, it's not standardized - what you learn will vary, depending on the instruction that your instructor has had. My friend is learning basic bjj, chin na and basic punching and kicking. they do work with the knife as well. They do have a ranking system, but it's more military oriented - tan, grey, green, etc. He gave me his tan belt, since I knew all of the stuff he was learning at the time, then got himself another one, so I'm a MACMAP tan belt!

I block with the elbow. As for tyson - I bet he woulda broken his hand regardless - pushing that much power through a small fist...

Not at all. A heavy bag is fine. feel a thai boxers shin....all from heavy bag and thai pads. same for the fist. To be honest, the face itself isn't ThAT hard - nothing you can't get sufficient conditioning for from a bag. What's hard is the skull. I know people who train iron palm who have broken their hands from punching a skull, so that's really no guarantee...

Not here. I've run into several over the years who have had no training. I've even invited one I was introduced to to my classes. About a month ago, I was in my favorite sushi place and noticed they hung a straight sword behind the register. I asked about it, and they said it was merely decoration and that none of them trained. They thought it was cool that I train judo, but they do nothing.

that was by design only. you won't necessarily gain any better or extra skill because of that. If I took muay thai, added forms, stance training, weapons, etc., it would take much longer also. it really has nothing to do with the tournaments themselves... Not all TMA is designed to take long. shuai chiao is one of those. And actually, How old is boxing?? the only reasons it's not considered traditional is that it has a big sporting aspect and lacks certain traits that arts we lump together as "traditional" have. I would think that if you are learning to fight, there is a flaw in the design of a system deliberately taking longer, but that's just me. And that only applies to learning to fight. If you train for other reasons, then the point is moot anyway. exactly. Which is why I don't understand why there are MARTIAL arts who don't do these things. IMO, EVERY martial artist should step into a ring at least once to help him learn / understand many of the things you mentioned above. I completely agree - it's not ideal at all. I just wanted to give an example of how knowing something about the ground would help in that situation, especially compared to someone who knows nothing.

ifrazael is correct - getting hit with a conditioned forearm can be a painful thing. I've never been hit in the way he's mentioning, but I've been hit with a forearm before.

boincing is incorrect. So, someone "adapts" another style's footwork and messes up - go figure... kung fu takes longer to become proficient with by design. it was made to be that way, in most cases. in other cases, like shuai chiao, they were designed to teach you to become effective faster. maybe. since you haven't seen them all, you really don't know. actually, we really don't even know if the accounts of all of these masters is even true. have you seen the vid of the crane master fighting the taiji master? it was laughable at best. these two were proclaimed masters, yet they obviously had very little actual fighting skill. like I said before, stances are transitory. being realistic, you don't NEED seperated static stance training to learn proper footwork, disruptions, takedowns, etc. you need stances, yes, but there is no NEED to be able to hold a horse stance for 10 mins, for example.

I didn't previously, but I do now. I punch the bag ALOT more now though, then I did previously. I literally throw thousands of punches a week, so I figure better safe than sorry. Also, when you step in the ring, you wear wraps and gloves anyway, so it's keeping you used to it.

in kyokushin, you can't hit in the face, correct? In venues where face shots are allowed, you should believe in a mouthguard too.

it's not abot wimps and proving points - we compete because we like to compete. Have you ever beaten the game "street fighter II" with Ryu? his ending says it all: "ceremony means nothing to him - the fight is everything" - that is the proper spirit for this. as far as wimps, it's not that anyone is saying that TMA don't have fights. From an experience standpoint, the avg sport fighter has more relative experience with fighting because he's likely had more fights, as he has more opportunity - you are avoiding fights, he is looking for them.

good post.

size matters, so does experience. So does mindset. will a bigger untrained person defeat a smaller untrained person? maybe. depends on the mindset of both. I've seen trained people get beaten by untrained guys several times. Does the trained guy have a chance? yes. he's got experience and training on his side. Now, the size factor matters MORE when the trained guy also has experience. The more experience he has, the more it matters. would bruce lee beat kimbo? maybe. would he beat vanderlei silva? probably not.

yes. There are multiple ways of doing the same technique. I've seen instructors not want to coreect someone because another instructor in the same school told them to do the technique a little differently.

LOL, that almost made me spit my water all over the monitor!

wipss and shock doctor.

shock doctor manufactures a mouthpiece that is geared toward people with braces. you can get it on ringside.com https://www.ringside.com/store/prodinfo.asp?number=SHOCK%204&variation=&aitem=8&mitem=25

yeah, definitely. If you can gave both, get them. If you have to choose, get the heavy bag.

I see waht you're saying, but disagree. they are unnatural because they are unnatural. humans have a natural tendency to throw straight punches and haymakers. watch to small kids with no training whatsoever - they attempt straight punches, haymakers and cat like pawing motions. you have to program an uppercut into you - force it to become as close to natural s possible. As for training the uppercut, you HAVE to remember to put it into focus mitt drills. If someone is feeding me and doesn't feed them, I'll say "don't forget uppercuts", so that they will feed them. on the heavy bag, simulate the motion, but don't hit the bag. I throw them, making sure my forearm is parallel with the bag - like it would be if it were done properly. Also, they make small bags that are intended for training them. Ringside actually has a heavybag that is cylindrical like normal, but the top of it portrudes out and has various surfaces so that you can properly work hooks and uppercuts on it. The Bob bags are decent as well, as it gives a better simulation of actually hitting a chin.

keep doing it. Alot of times, things like this are mental. You FEEL like you can't go on - make yourself, even if you have to slow down. The only way that you will ever pass a sticking point is to work BEYOND that point - not stopping at it. Once you pass it, then it will be easier for you to get to, and you will get tired shortly after - your new sticking point. with determination, you will reach your goal.

I woudn't recommend that. since you are training for a fight, you want to be used ot the pacing of the fight. there is a HUGE difference between trying to fight for 20 mins straight and fighting for 2 mins, then taking a break - the pacing is different. Hit the bag, jump rope, etc. in rounds of 2 mins, breaking for one minute in between. This way, you can vary your intensity throughout the round and make sure you do so without either 1.) wearing yourself out too early or 2.) taking it too easy. Try to get in at least 10 rounds of work. Start running as well - try to go about three miles three days per week. On non 3 mile days, fit in some wind sprints if you have the opportunity. Lots of drilling and sparring, but that should be no different than normal. Do you know who your opponent is yet? If you do, find out everything you can about his fighting preferences. you need to tailor your strategy around that. For example, if he is aggressive and like to rush in and slug it out, you need to work distancing, that way you can keep him at bay and he can't get inside.