interesting thread on mma.tv about bjj

[Unmatchable]

bjj = next tae kwon do?

http://www.mma.tv/TUF/index.cfm?ac=ListMessages&PID=1&TID=442373&FID=1&p=20

[Mr Punch]

YTF was that interesting?

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Mat
YTF was that interesting?

YTF! Clever. I've often wanted to abbreviated "why the f" as "wtf," but that's already "what the f." So I will use YTF from now on.

Thanks :D

[shaolin kungfu]

yeah, that wasn't interesting at all.

[DragonzRage]

While it is probably true that the quality control in Bjj will diminish a bit as the art becomes more and more mainstream, I do not think that Bjj will ever end up like strip mall TKD and karate. And that's because at its core, Bjj is a very effective and practical art. An average joe who signs up for Bjj and trains half-a$$ed a couple times a week sure as hell ain't gonna become some kind of tough guy or great fighter. But he will get some degree of ability to effectively defend himself. Bjj training methods are functional and efficient. Most of the techniques are practical and effective for self defense situations. And when it gets down to it, the Bjj pecking order is not just established by lineage and tradition. It is established by who's winning fights. The Bjj schools that are consistently putting out good fighters will always have the most credibility. So in the end, we'll always know who's the best, who's for real, and who isn't really any good.

But as for the McDojo TKD/karate...the stuff you'd learn there is crap to begin with. IMO, you could walk into one of those places and train six days a week and all you'll end up with is some slick looking katas and a false sense of confidence. And the pecking order is established by lineage and simple marketability. None of these guys ever really fight. It is these problems all together that led to the current state of the McDojo traditional arts. Its not just a matter of commercialization.

[LEGEND]

The pecking order is distinguishable. Unlike TKD where a 5 year old can be a black belt...u have to not only win in competition but beat others as a black belt. And that usually takes 8 to 10 years.

[Merryprankster]

More precisely, at BJJ's core, is full contact competition.

While there are no strikes in sport BJJ, competitive Judoka and competitive wrestlers are similarly dangerous individuals - I think that's been pretty well borne out.

Point being that, just like there are good and bad wrestling teams, there will be good and bad BJJ. However, IF you want to be good, you will have no problems finding a good trainer.

[Knifefighter]

BJJ has been around in Brazil since the 1930's. It never became watered down there.