KempoTiger

You are forgetting the benefits of sparring/reistance training. If you don't square off against someone in a friendly format with rules, how well can you expect to do when in a confrontational format with NO rules? Without having ever tested your ability even if restricted by rules, there's really no way you can expect to deal well in a real life situation.

compfused indeed.....just watched it again, and I'm still speechless

Just thought of another factor that popped into my head while watching a few more K-1 fights and reading the rules. - Clothing: What you're wearing, as well as your opponent.

Thats one hell of a test....I'd be nervous too

that didn't happen in NY by chance did it?

Hence why I said... I completely understand that the level of intensity that a sport martial artist trains in, is much higher than any normal TMA student ever engages in, thus achieving a higher level of ability. And some of the bad habits I refer to aren't even always bad things, but rather just not the quickest or most effective thing to do.

CMA and JMA???

I've been in a few fights. Nothing I'd call overly life threatening, but I've had my share of scuffles. I'd say honestly that you teach someone to put their hands into a proper guard, and throw a good right jab and they'll breeze through a good 70% of the population. The thing is, is that if you train soley for sport purposes, you are instilling countless bad habits into your muscle memory and overall ability. Now I will concede, and I'm sure Subgrappler, and other full contact fighters will attest to the fact that the benefits of training for the ring far outweigh the hindrances. But nonetheless, the flaws are still there, and can be easily remedied by training in a street oriented MMA school. As I've been trying to state, I have nothing against MMA or full contact styles like Muay Thai, and BJJ. My general gripe is with those uneducated about martial arts, and more importantly the science behind physical combat. The ones that have the gall to actually go out of their way to mock those that don't train for the ring as "wusses" or delusional for not believing that trying to make someone tap out for 5-10 minutes on the floor is the best fight strategy in the street. As the initial title says....twas just a rant

ugh...nah thats not what I would be saying at all. And for the record my (supposed "Japanese Master" ) Sensei is an ex-marine, and his Sensei is ex-Navy and was a NYC cop. Nothing really too what most would call traditional, soft, or flowery in the means they teach and execute techniques.

I like the way you worded that. I'll have to steal it and use it one of these days Here's where I agree and disagree. I agree wholeheartedly on the premise that MMA training is the best way to train no matter what your goal whether it be self defense or ring fighting. But I disagree with the idea that (you didn't say this, so this isn't directed at you) that all MMA schools are teaching the most efficient techniques for defending yourself and comming out on top outside of the ring, and that the UFC as well as other fighting competitions depict the best "fighters" around. Perhaps the best competitor in the competition. Perhaps the best athlete in the sport. Perhaps I'd even be willing to go so far that they are the most dedicated martial artists due to the lengths they go to train so hard. But the best fighters or martial artists they are not. Proving one to be the best martial artist is like proving if there is or isn't God. We just don't have the means to test such claims. In one case scientifically, and the other legally.

I had one. One of my other students ended up embarassing him with the gloves on. He chalked it up to being tired, and not that good yet, but he's certain that it's impossible to utilize alot of the grabbing and locking techniques that we teach, and that straight up boxing/grappling is the way to go. He was only a lower ranking student, and ended up quitting for supposed undetermined reasons, but he's not the only one. I hear about people like that all the time, and I suppose I just have a lack of tolerance for unfounded egotistical ranting.....hrmm....*looks in the mirror* ...damn do I look good

Funny you say that, because I believe wholeheartedly that MMA is the perfect way to train. But far too many people go to MMA schools that train for sport purposes, and not in a realistic fashion, thus promoting countless bad habits and cause for a false sense of security. Sure the chances of you comming across someone who's trained enough in real combat technique who wants to fight you is pretty slim, but the point still stands. It's like those sport TMA advocates that argue that the chance of you comming across a trained MMA fighter is pretty slim.

Furthermore, friends of mine who train in MMA have come to change my views entirely on martial arts, but we've all come to realize that the true way to train to be the most effective when it counts, is not in a typical traditional dojo setting, but nor is it in a sport MMA school. I'm not ranting against MMA, BJJ, Muay thai or anything along those lines, but rather those "flavor of the month" people who seem to think that the UFC represents the way you should train if you want to really have confidence in yourself and your abilities.

A shame that apparently some posts I made in reply to this thread must have caused some unneccesary turmoil on here, but I'll summarize what I had said in that I believe MMA (if practiced properly) is the pinnacle of martial arts/fight training. The UFC and those that train for sport purposes is not however, and far too many people have bought into the mentality that two guys bulldozing into each other, and then shooting for a takedown is the way to go when it comes to being the "best." This is not to say that UFC/Pride/K-1/Boxing or any other sport martial arts should be mocked or frowned upon. They train harder and with more passion than probably any other martial artists you could ever find. And with proper training in realistic, proven technique they could be the most devastating and dangerous people alive. It's just that it's not realistic to train in such a manner if your goal is proper ability to defend yourself and/or kill someone in a life threatening situation. Far too many bad habits are embedded into a fighters muscle memory when it comes to training for sport purposes.

was just watching some UFC videos on my computer, and man some of the garbage I'm seeing leaves me feeling little more than disgusted. So many people I know that I refer to as the "flavor of the month" crowd (you know, the crowd of barely trained if trained at all "fighting fans" that were obsessed entirely with XMA not too long ago...and wrestling before that....and boxing before that) that are ranting and raving about how the UFC represents the best fighters in the world, and that what we're watching is what "REAL FIGHTS" look like. None of that "fake flashy Jet Li/Jackie Chan garbage we see at the movies." So much that they don't have to worry about in the ring, that they can afford to make blatantly horrendous mistakes that would leave them dead in the street against a skilled fighter. Like leaving the back of their head exposed on the ground, or taking hooking swings at each other when in close with their neck exposed (because they're tough enough to take the facial shots from their tired opponent). After watching enough of these fights I can honestly say the only part of it that I enjoy watching is when two talented grapplers go at it just because of the skill involved in that as a sport. Aside from that, it's becomming quickly more apparent that UFC fighting is just about a step above (in regards to being "realistic") point sparring. What people need to do is take a few standard self defense courses. Take a few classes in physics, and human biology. And figure out what really works for themselves in the most efficient manner.