MMA a strategy?

[joesteph]

Althought I personally like the stand-up fighters, I think there's a special strategy involved when a stand-up fighter vs a grappler. They're both well-rounded in that they've trained in the different styles of combat for MMA, but there's the usual preference that matches the individual fighter's personalit--and talents.

Each is working to play the game (some "game"!) his or her way, the strategy involved being to control the fight "your" way--the way that's your forte.

[bushido_man96]

I see MMA as an art that requires strategy. It it and art on the leave you have to be good in some many diffrent individual arts kick boxing, grappling ect. Aslo you have to be able to strategize for diffrent opponents because everyone has diffrent strengths and weaknesses. So it's a bit of both.

Any good MA has strategy according the rules or context of the fight. MMA strategy is specific to one on one contest fighting. It's very effective and it's a strategy is continually improving.

I agree. I think that saying that if one claims that MMA is more of a strategy than a style, then I think you can say that about most styles in general. Each style tends to have something about it that defines it, which is why there end up being so many different ones. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another, so variations come about.

[bushido_man96]

Now, with this part of the discussion cooling down, what does everyone think about being able to implement elements of MMA into the core curriculum of their style?

Is it about upping the level of protective equipment? Or introducing some ground fighting ideas (if you know some...)? Is it something that could be implemented into a traditional curriculum with some success?

[tallgeese]

Well, I can't say that I come out of a traditional system, more of a sd focus school from the beginning, but yes- the impimentation of mma into a schools overall training priorities can greatly increase what it has to offer. It's something that I've done since I started competing in the shootfighting/mma arena why back when.

I've often talked about utilizing the methodoligies that mma fighters train with- continual movment in training, working in rounds, conditioning, use of drills against "live" opponents, ect. to increase our efficiency as sd'ers.

The addition of ground fighting will compliment almost any standing based system. The addition of realistic takedown training and defensive measures will also bring an element to styles that don't incorporate grabbing range contact. Likewise, a good striking element can go along way to imporving arts grounding in standing small joint manipualtion. Everyone wins.

[bushido_man96]

You really said it right there, tallgeese: everyone wins. Especially when it comes to the more resistive or "alive" training.

[ShoriKid]

I think you can do it 100% bushido_man. Heck, it's what we're doing, though I don't know if it's really all of that different than what we've done before. It's just more a collection of all of the senior student's training and experiences than a single set style. We still do our kata and work on their application with an eye toward what works. But, we spar continuously, do pad and mit work in rounds and use the full range of attacks when sparring.

It's a very good mixture, and I'm happy with what's come out of it. With the ground fighting we incorperate, with the wrestling background two of us bring in for our take downs and take down defense, we can employ our stand up traditions with less worry about the ground.

[baronbvp]

Agreed. So it sounds like a strategic art. Or an artistic strategy.

[JusticeZero]

Sure. It's good stuff. But still in it's own way just as unrealistic as any of the other classic martial arts that MMA types like to sneer at. Going to the ground and staying there is only a good idea if everyone around you is your friend, for instance, and MMA is more designed for dueling than defense.

[joesteph]

MMA is more designed for dueling . . .

I like the way you put it, Justice Zero. There's something cavalier about it.

"What's your choice of weapons? Swords? Pistols?"

"Neither! Elbows and knees!"

[tallgeese]

Yes, it has it's limitations. This it true of all systems and all practitinoers. And yes, it excels in situations that it's designed for, again, true of many systems.

However, where the mma trained ma-er has an edge over alot of stuff out there is the intensity and realism of his training. It's more live overall than most trad ma's. More heavy sparring is done over a wider cross section of ranges and he's been conditioned by this to deal with contact. The methodologies employed in training them are often better suited to making an adaptable fighter, this is a paramount trait on the street.

Despite being limited to only certain tools, those tools work thru a vast range of situations. Have you ever seen a fight that you couldn't make better with a good set of strikes? I always hear the "you can't eye gouge in the ring...you cant pull hair in the ring...you can't kick in the groin in the ring...ect." arguments. Don't you think that a highly conditinoed fighter who can execute highly athletic fighting movements can probilby learn to utilize these rudimentary tactics easily enough? I'd bet so, if a fighter is dangerous without "cheating" I bet he's even more so when he is. Granted, it's a slight shift in thinking, but not a big one.

I hear the ground comment alot, and again, I state that despite everyone's best efforts, you might end up there anyway. Better be able to work from there than not, see my above posts in this thread for some feelings I have on this.

I understand, mma rarely deals w multiple attackers in their training. However, the tools they give their fighters in routine trainning are often better suited to survivor mentality than things that other systems who actually practice this sort of th ing are using. Again, this is one of those short comings.

Bottom line, in my mind, everything has limitations. It's about working with them and trying to eliminate them. MMA isn't perfect for sd, for instance, it dosn't deal with weapons defenses at all and those fighters probibly do like to initiate ground fights too often in the street, but it's a good platform from which to build. Or, conversely, an excellet stepping stone in one's progression to a complete ma-ist. The methods of training are "live" enough that this advantage often outweighs disadvantages.