Whats the REAL deal with martial arts today?

[totallyfrozen]

I'm definitely no martial arts expert! Let me start by putting that up here first.

The only thing that I want to add to the discussion is to keep in mind that things like the UFC are ONE-ON-ONE fights. REAL fights (and I have been in some...even though I'm not a martial artist) are not always one-on-one. Whatever you learn needs to teach you how to deal with one, two, three, or however many attackers you may face.

I'm not talking about Hollywood, Jackie Chan looking stuff. An example is, I remember once my Ryu Te sensei was teaching us how to deal with being semi-surrounded by and attacked by 3 people. What did he teach? He taught us how to block and deflect just enough to break through the little 3-person "wall" and run the hell out of there. Nothing fancy. The only place you usually find heros are the movies and the cemetary.

My opinion is: If you are training for serious self-defense, make sure whatever you study answers more questions than it raises. If you are studying to "learn about yourself spiritually" or to find a religion then this doesn't apply. You aren't going to remember 1,000 techniques. For me, it was best to learn a few movements that apply in all situations (no matter whether the attack came from the left or the right, etc.) There are thousands (maybe millions) of people out there who could devastate me...and a few who can even run fast enough to catch me. I don't claim to be an expert. What I do claim to be is a guy who doesn't like to waste time on time-consuming non-sense. So my opinion is to find something simple and don't be ashamed to try to escape a fight if you can.

[honour is life]

i'm really surprised about what people are saying about the fact that a TMA would be floored by a MMA.

most UFC guys would maul todays traditional fighters not all but most

The way of TMA is more to do with the mind of yourself and the opponent than the fight.

the true MA...... well its the one that suits the person. if a person with no arms started boxing, i dont think it would work. would it? (i no boxing isnt a MA, meerly an analogy) so dont start something because it works ofr others, but because you can make it work for you!

[mai tai]

For all you UFC marks, yes I do think that its a good promotion... but go watch a PRIDE event. Just once.

i was ussing UFC as a expression for ALL MMA

in some ways i prefer pride

1. better rules

2. better fighters

3. sick of looking at dana white, joe rogan, and big john

in some ways i prefer UFC

1. produced better from a spectators angle

2. i like the cage

[Muaythaiboxer]

i like pride but its not on as much as UFC so i really cant get to watch that much. i do love how you can stomp people in pride though!

[Mr Pockets]

I'd love for Couture to do what he was wanting to- unify the belts. Polititcs and all that... probably will never happen.

[Cmon]

Gumbi what i ment by Traditional martial arts not being seen in the UFC is that. The martial artists in these non-sporting MAs would not come into the octagon and i personally don't think they would be able to compete because they wont have the stamina. But the people who live in the philipenes (and other countries like this) and who have to protect themselves everyday from muggers and just general fights learn how to quickly seriously hurt someone or even kill if need be.

Im pretty sure in the UFC ur not allowed to get someone in an armlock and the just snap their arm in 2. If it happens by accident while doin a submission that might be allowed but ive not seen any bones being intentionally broken.

[BDelich]

TMA and MMA are training for two different things.

A Traditional Martial artist is training in techniques and methods that were designed quite some time ago against various scenarios, people, and situations. It might be against Sword, knife, gun, spear, pole, jutte, group of people/animals, people in armor or whatever... The object here is to survive and possibly kill the other person in the process. These things also happen whenever. Out for a walk, taking a dump, sleeping, grocery shopping, or washing your car

A Mixed Martial Artist is training to fight somone who is half naked, extremely well conditioned, and is using a specific cadre of techniques (that they have drilled and mastered). The object here is to tap them out or punch them out. Don't get me wrong, I do think that most MMA techniques could severely injure another person, but the intent is to take the person to tap out and win the match. This fight happens after you have been training and preparing for it, get all pumped up for it and you walk into a ring and someone yells "Lets get it on!"

Another thing to consider is that MMA techniques all came out of some traditional art somewhere. Most of the chokes are all from pre-war judo, as are most of the throws, even the wrestling moves. The holds, pins, takedowns, punches, kicks, etc I have seen them all in TMA's somewhere at sometime either as a standard move or a variant of some sort.

Personally I feel that it is like comparing apples and oranges. A TMArtist trains to improve their life and develop survival skills and strategies they can use in life all the time. A MMArtist trains to improve their life and develop their specific cadre of skills so they can be victorious in the ring. That might lead to some of the same benefits that TMA's get, but through different means.

Regards,

Ben

[Gumbi]

But the people who live in the philipenes (and other countries like this) and who have to protect themselves everyday from muggers and just general fights learn how to quickly seriously hurt someone or even kill if need be.

Lots of people need to learn how to quickly injure someone, its not unique to certain countries. Heres the whole idea behind the techniques you see in BJJ and submission wrestling- when created, there was no UFC or any other sporting competition initially, and things such as armlocks and choke hold were used just as often as gouging the eyes or whatever else. The only thing that seperates gouging the eyes and applying armlocks and chokes is that I can actually train trying to break someones arm against someone who's fighting me full resistence. It sounds as if you're trying to suggest that theres some secretive way to apply a pressure point or death touch on someone, or that theres an "easy" way out of training. There are attacks and there are defenses, whoever performs his given technique better at the given time is the one who wins that part of the fight.

Im pretty sure in the UFC ur not allowed to get someone in an armlock and the just snap their arm in 2. If it happens by accident while doin a submission that might be allowed but ive not seen any bones being intentionally broken.

Im absolutely sure you're allowed to do it in the UFC, and in fact its actually happened. Just recently there was an incident with Frank Mir and Tim Sylvia where Mir applied an armlock on Sylvia and broke his arm in two. It had also happened with Yoshida vs Don Frye.

Broken bones as a result of submission attempts are not uncommon, and they're certainly not accidental. The whole idea of putting someone in an armlock is to break their arm. Thats were the whole idea of tapping out comes from- your arm is about to break, or your about to lose conciousness and pass out. Tapping out is a quick way to give up the fight and acknowledge that the other person has won. Its basically saying "You've got the hold, I cant escape, you've won the fight, you dont need to break my arm or choke me unconcious."

[honour is life]

Broken bones as a result of submission attempts are not uncommon, and they're certainly not accidental

i dont think the original idea is to break the bone! if the move (arm lock/arm bar) is carried out fully and propperly then yes, it wil break the arm, but the intention is to get the person to tap out not break the arm!

[Rich_2k3]

Krav maga is an example of pure no-nonsense self defence (the kind used by the armed forces/police) Its designed to be easy to learn and simple to use. UFC is entertainment where u watch a long-winded brawl between two ppl. Self-defence is about either incapacitating or dare I say it, killing ur opponent. Although i do admit, remove the gloves, the rules and add the uncompromising will to survive and UFC is pretty much a real fight.