Traditional VS MMA

Sometimes when I talk with people about martial arts it makes me feel like I am talking about politics or religion. The reason for this is that usually when talking about politics or religion people have very strong opinions about their beliefs and the discussions can get rather heated. It seems much the same way when talking about martial arts a lot of the time. One person believes this is the way it should be done and that is all there is to it and there is nothing you can say to change their mind about it. This is not true about all martial artists but it does seem to be an overpowering thought process with many. I have met so many people that believe what they do is the right way and what other people do is simply wrong. To me, I think this is an absurd thought. It is like saying that there is no other martial art in the world that compares with what they are doing. If that were true how have all these other styles lasted as long as they have? It is true that there are a lot of styles out there that are not perhaps as well rounded as others but this is not to say that they don’t have anything to offer.

There are always people talking about MMA and Traditional martial arts. Many think that if you aren’t training in some form of MMA that you are wasting your time. A lot of traditionalists believe that MMA is merely bastardizing the arts. Who is right and who is wrong? Well, my personal opinion is that there is no right or wrong. It is simply what the individual that is doing the art wants to get out of the style that they have chosen. If you want to learn to be an all around fighter then perhaps MMA is more for you. Maybe you are interested in history and tradition, so a traditional style may suit you more. There is nothing wrong with either of these. I think that as long as the individual is happy with what they are doing that should make it right.

So, what is better for fighting? If you train at an MMA school, does this make you a fighter? If you are training at a traditional school, are you doing nothing but forms or katas? Again, my thought is that it depends on the individual. I personally don’t think you can make a fighter. You can make a fighter more skilled but you can’t give him the will to be a fighter. Most MMA schools probably work on heavy sparing more than the average traditional school, but that does not mean that traditionalists can’t hold their own. As I said it depends on the individual. We have all seen plenty of traditional schools that don’t practice as much hands on as they perhaps should but I have also seen some that made me sit back in awe. I have also come across many MMA students that are not as well rounded as they think. Again, it is the individual that makes the difference.

Just my thoughts on the matter. Take care.

The All Powerful Black Belt!

Ah, the all powerful black belt. I don’t know how many times I have heard things like “don’t mess with him, he’s a black belt”. It amazes me time after time how many people are impressed with someone just because they have a black belt. Truth be told, there are so many bogus schools out there that the term black belt shouldn’t even be applied to their teachers. There are numerous schools out there that are pushing people through the ranks just so they can have extra teachers or have boasting rights about how many black belts they have. I have even seen teachers promote students just for the sheer fact that they will then have to pay extra for special testing due to their new rank. Now I am not trying to be rude, merely honest about things I have seen.

In my years of training I have come across countless numbers of people that have black belts. Some are pretty good, others shouldn’t even be ranked a yellow belt. I don’t know how many people I have seen that have a black belt around their waist and think that they are Gods gift to the world. Now this is not true about all black belts, although it seems to happen all too often. Maybe it is just me but just because you are wearing a black belt around your waist doesn’t mean that you are all powerful. I have seen so many people at this rank that can’t fight their way out of a paper bag. Even point sparring gives them trouble. Why is this? I personally think it can happen for many reasons. They could come from a club such as I talked about before where they are pushing people through the ranks. Doing this doesn’t benefit anyone. It waters down the art that they are doing and it gives people too much confidence in what they do because they think they have worked extra hard to get their black belt that quickly. Another reason is that there are a lot of clubs that don’t concentrate on practical application. All too often they are doing drills where if you don’t attack them a certain way or move a certain way they can’t apply their techniques. Like I said though, this does not include all clubs. There are plenty of great clubs out there, you just need to find them instead of settling for the first one you come across.

To me, it is not the black belt that is impressive. It is the length of time and the amount of effort that impresses me. I have done martial arts for about 14 years, if I feel like a beginner how can I be impressed by someone that gets a black belt in their three years of martial arts? The most impressive people I have met have all done martial arts longer than I have been alive. These people have forgotten more than I have learned. There is one common trait that these people share. They all believe that they still have lots to learn even after all those years. Now that is impressive.

Body Mechanics

What is body mechanics? Well, body mechanics is exactly what it sounds like. It is simply the way our bodies move and are able to move. Some people are more limber and flexible than others and some people are stronger and more rigid. Lets face it though....our bodies will only move in so many ways. Our joints are all built to work in the same relative way. Once you know how your joints work you know how the next persons joints work. It seems like a very simple concept but I think it is overlooked quite often or not even thought of at all.

In knowing that our bodies can only move in certain ways this gives you the knowledge to use deductive reasoning when sparring or working with an opponent. Deductive reasoning is especially helpful when you are starting out in Martial Arts. When working with a partner if you get stuck and are not sure what to do next ask them to pause so you can take the time to think of what to do. Using deductive reasoning, you can break it down into what can work for you at that moment and what your opponent can do as well. This is great when you are starting out or if you find yourself in a hold or situation that you haven't come across yet. I know for myself I have had people try to tell me what to do to get out of a hold but I find I learn more when I try to figure it out on my own. Ideas from others are always welcome but it seems that when I figure something out on my own I remember it. Plus, what works for one person will not always work for another. We are all indivduals and come in all different shapes and sizes. A five foot two person is not going to do things the same way as a six foot two person.

So, next time you are working with someone and you get stuck remember "pause" and try to work it out using what you know about body mechanics and deductive reasoning. Till next time, take care.

How to choose a Martial Arts style that suits you?

There are so many different styles of Martial Arts out there that it can be quite confusing to someone that is looking to get involved. There are some mainstream Martial Arts that everyone has heard of. There is for example Tae kwon do, Karate, Kung Fu, and Jujitsu to name a few. What a lot of people don’t realize or know is that there are many different types and styles within these mainstream styles. This only adds to the confusion for most people.

There are some things you can ask yourself to make this decision easier for you though. You can ask yourself merely what is available in your area. For some people that live in smaller communities they don’t have much that is offered. So they might have to settle for what is near them or commute to a larger town or city that has something else to offer. Another thing you can ask yourself is what you want to get out of it. Some people may just be interested in the exercise aspect of things whereas others may wish to learn something for self defense. Personally, I think if you are interested in self defense you should try to find a self defense course instead of a Martial Art itself. Some Martial Arts clubs don’t concentrate on self defense till much later in their teachings and some I have seen don’t discuss it at all.

There are other questions you can ask as well. Does a hard or soft style suit me better? Is the club I am looking at credible? Does the way the club trains interest me? Can I afford to train at the club? Just because a club wants big money for you to train there doesn’t mean that they are any better than the next club down the street asking half the price. The list of questions goes on and on.

Before you choose a club or style research what you are getting into. Take the time before you make your decision to answer all the questions you have first. This will save you from possible frustration in the long run.

Till next time, take care.