What do you think of XMA?

[aruder]

What do you know of Mike Chat's Xtreme Martial Arts program? Comments, compliments, grips, rants?

[isshinryu5toforever]

It looks pretty, but that's about it. They always say, we have a good grounding in the basic stances and strikes of karate. I have never seen a karateka in a traditional martial art whip his bo around one handed, scream his lungs out with every little flick of the hand, and make every strike look inconsequential. There is no rhyme or reason to their forms. Maybe Mike Chat has a good background in traditional karate, but it doesn't seem like many of his little black belt phenoms do. If they're black belts they should be able to defend themselves like a black belt, and be able to take a little punishment like a black belt. This I would like to see.

[orion82698]

Honestly, I think it's awesome, from the stand point of a workout/show-off/tournament.

As for self-defence.... I doubt it's useful. How does anyone know though. Mike Chat himself said he has never been in a street fight. I for one will never be the first or last to test it. By saying extreme, it's by no means any greater than any other MA, it's simply just taking it a step further by adding a gymnastic/acrobatic feel to it.

FUN TO WATCH THOUGH!

[JKDkid2]

YES i agree XMA is awesome adding the gymnastic feel to it. It looks good in open competition but i also don't think it would be good in a street fight.

But i really like the XMA system and hope to sometime in the future attend an XMA school.

[orion82698]

It's expensive as all heck though. If I'm going to pay $700 for 2 days of training, it had better be taught by Mike Chat or Matt Mullins.

[Steve_K]

I personally don't really like it, simply because of the fact that it claims to be a martial art. At first when I saw the special on it I was like "Heck yeah!" and I'll still watch it but not thinking that those guys are great martial artists. They may be, Mike Chat and Matt Mullins, because they started in a traditional school, because XMA really just came about in the past few years, to my knowledge. Also I don't like the way that unexperienced spectators perceive it. They would think that because a 12 year old can throw an aluminum bo into the air and spin it 30 times and catch it and scream really loud, that he/she is a better martial artist than I or someone else, not saying that I AM better than they are, but it just creates that kind of notion in people, because they could never do that with a heavy wood bo staff. It's baton twirling, is all it is. Also in competition, if you don't have at least one back flip in your routine, you lose.

I'm working on my own philosophy for my own martial art, and you know what has happened? I unintentionally went straight back to basics, and basic kinds of techniques, it's amazing.

I don't mean to rag on XMA and I mean no disrespect to it at all. I mean, it looks great, I respect Mike Chat because he doesn't seem to have any heir of superiority to others and I'm sure it's helped get lots of young people involved in the martial arts and away from less savory means of passing their time. It's just that watching their tournaments leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but that's just me.

[aruder]

It is true... it is performance based (claiming the bo as a performance only prop was the only way Sensei could get bo training through the school board) It's not intend to be self defense in any way shape or form.

I really don't care for the forms either. The flash that it adds to our demos is nice, because people round here are rather jaded and hard to impress.

[elbows_and_knees]

It looks pretty, but that's about it. They always say, we have a good grounding in the basic stances and strikes of karate. I have never seen a karateka in a traditional martial art whip his bo around one handed, scream his lungs out with every little flick of the hand, and make every strike look inconsequential. There is no rhyme or reason to their forms. Maybe Mike Chat has a good background in traditional karate, but it doesn't seem like many of his little black belt phenoms do. If they're black belts they should be able to defend themselves like a black belt, and be able to take a little punishment like a black belt. This I would like to see.

The forms actually don't prove that they don't have that grounding. If I remember correctly, on the XMA special, one of them stated that they don't do traditional forms in open tournaments because you simply cannot place with them. This being the case, you most likely would not see their forms if you only see competition training / footage of them.

All competitors are that way to an extent. I compete in judo and thai boxing. From my longfist training, I can do a butterfly kick, tornado kick, etc. you will never see me compete with them though, and you will never see me teach them to anyone only interested in competition. Nor would I teach them chin na. Why? because those things are not applicable to what they are wanting to do.

[elbows_and_knees]

I personally don't really like it, simply because of the fact that it claims to be a martial art.

It is. Actually, it's more of a martial arts venue - like mma. karate is their style, but they compete with their variation of karate that they call xma.

Also I don't like the way that unexperienced spectators perceive it. They would think that because a 12 year old can throw an aluminum bo into the air and spin it 30 times and catch it and scream really loud, that he/she is a better martial artist than I or someone else, not saying that I AM better than they are, but it just creates that kind of notion in people, because they could never do that with a heavy wood bo staff.

Who cares?? That's just life. The same people have the same feeling about kung fu based on what they see jet li and jackie chan do. Either that, or they think it's all just completely fake based on what they are doing.

Also in competition, if you don't have at least one back flip in your routine, you lose.

Once again, who cares? That is a rule of the venue, that's all. In many american rules kickboxing venues, you must throw at least three kicks per round or you will lose points.

It's just that watching their tournaments leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but that's just me.

Don't watch them... Personally, I would much rather have a good XMA exponent at my back in a fight than tma. Why? to be able to do what they do takes A LOT of hard work, training and determination. They have the proper mindset already. They do know some technique already. That combination is what you need. On top of which they have top notch conditioning. If the fight for some reason is prolonged (multiple opponents, for example) They will be better apt to continue on without fatiguing.

[Willannem]

Don't watch them... Personally, I would much rather have a good XMA exponent at my back in a fight than tma. Why? to be able to do what they do takes A LOT of hard work, training and determination. They have the proper mindset already. They do know some technique already. That combination is what you need. On top of which they have top notch conditioning. If the fight for some reason is prolonged (multiple opponents, for example) They will be better apt to continue on without fatiguing.

I'd rather have a traditional martial artist due to their training is geared towards ending a fight in the most efficient means rather than impressing a crowd. You can train hard and have determination in anything but if your martial arts techniques aren't sound, then your fighting ability won't be either.

Fatigue really doesn't apply in most street fights being that adrenaline induced by the desire to survive will keep you energized enough. The more experienced a martial artist is, the faster he/she can't end a conflict.