Not everyone is a cage fighter.... so what?

[KC Elbows]

I don't really understand everything you're saying here. But to reiterate: he takes pride in throwing lesser belts but NEVER free plays when striking is involved. Not kill each other striking, just run-of-the-mill training sparring.... knowing this guy, I believe his ego won't allow him to "get beat up" in front of everyone. Though I admit I'm projecting.

This is just one example of a situation I encounter pretty often. Sometimes experts become so expert they loose perspective..... being a taiji push hand champ, a grecco roman champ doesn't necessarily equate skill in full unarmed combat. One may have skill in certain attributes -- leading, guiding, take downs, pins, etc, but its what's lacking that keeps them on the sidelines when men strap up and compare.

I read so many threads hear asking for "video proof." If 5 percent of the board members here trained "live" their would be too much footage to go through on a weekly basis.

My point was that his problem wasn't expertise, but ego and arrogance. If he trained the basics outside his realm, he probably wouldn't hesitate to train with striking, because he could bring HIS game into the overall game, and his game is well developed.

[KC Elbows]

This relates to something that was, for quite a while, common in kung fu circles. Talking to a teacher, and saying "I want to learn taiji" and they're like "I know taiji". Same teacher, "I know hung gar". "I know mantis boxing".

I would only care about what a teacher is expert in, and if they say each style they know a form in, I'd go elsewhere.

[sanjuro_ronin]

This relates to something that was, for quite a while, common in kung fu circles. Talking to a teacher, and saying "I want to learn taiji" and they're like "I know taiji". Same teacher, "I know hung gar". "I know mantis boxing".

I would only care about what a teacher is expert in, and if they say each style they know a form in, I'd go elsewhere.

My expertise is striking, it is what I do best and what I LIKE and PREFER to do.
Style is irrelevant.
Just as my sig line says.
Yes I have a shodan in Judo, a couple of years of BJJ, wrestling and whatnot, but I did that to be able to use my striking, not to be a "grappler".
If someone wants to learn submission grappling I send them to BJJ, if they want to learn KB I send them to MT, but if they want to take their striking to the next level VS pretty much anything they will face, I may be able to help them with that.

We have to know our limitations and our strengths.

[KC Elbows]

Style gets you laid.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Style gets you laid.

I'm married, with kids and a freaking Yorkie.
What is this "laid" you speak of?

[MightyB]

It could be that the guy doesn't like to get hit. Heck - I don't like to get hit so I don't play with the strikers too much anymore. And I do like to take advantage of my BJJ brethren who don't understand the finer points of the takedowns that Judo has... Maybe this guy's an old Judoka who likes Judo and finds it refreshing to work out with younger fighting ready BJJers.

[pateticorecords]

Not everybody becomes an expert at something to then pursue other things.

If someone is brought in to share his expertise it is most likely that they won't engage in other forms of play/sparring as they are not proficient at it... if they are able or willing to participate in other forms of practice should not take away from the level of expertise that person has in the particular subject.


Example: How many people do you know that play an instrument? Are they all virtuosos? Are they all technical? Are they conservatory material? Do they play more than one instrument or are they master at only one? Or are they doing it for fun? Are they using as a therapeutic avenue?

[KC Elbows]

I'm married, with kids and a freaking Yorkie.
What is this "laid" you speak of?

Chapter 29 of "Changing Bodies, Changing Minds" speaks of the second puberty, in which hair will grow from unusual areas of the body(mostly nose and ears), and wonderful feelings will come from your crotch(see the chapter "The Post Menapausal Wife: Friend or Frenemy").

[lkfmdc]

The current state of the art thinking on knife / blade defense is that you will have to wrestle to survive. The top programs / methods are all grappling / wrestling based. Considering how poor most TMA people's grappling and wrestling is, it is pretty funny to hear them run to the blade as their answer to the MMA approach

truth is a bitch

[SPJ]

I keep hearing that not everyone is a cage fighter, so such and such technique is not important. That's like saying not all of my friends are college graduates, so I don't need to know how to read. You prepare yourself for the highest level, not the lowest.

A well rounded martial artists should be comfortable at all ranges of striking. Controlling and breaking grips. Take downs. Escapes. Changing levels..... this is basic, core technique.

You can have the best striking in the world. If you don't understand under hooks/over hooks.... the potentials and dangers of each, you are taking a serious risk.

If you're a grappler but haven't learned to appreciate the uppercut, you can get sloppy on your entering.

There is so much to train. And each sub segment are entire arts unto themselves.... that's why it's Mixed Martial Art.... no style answers everything. In your quest for self defense, it's natural to go out and seek alternative solutions. One doesn't just study math or science in school. You need the whole package. And it's a lifetime pursuit.

agreed that

your basics or core moves are bread and butter

we use them 99% of the time.

only rarily or very low chance, that we may use more complicated or fancy or flowery moves/techniques.

[KC Elbows]

The current state of the art thinking on knife / blade defense is that you will have to wrestle to survive. The top programs / methods are all grappling / wrestling based. Considering how poor most TMA people's grappling and wrestling is, it is pretty funny to hear them run to the blade as their answer to the MMA approach

truth is a bitch

Wrestling will destroy the institution of marriage.

[David Jamieson]

The current state of the art thinking on knife / blade defense is that you will have to wrestle to survive. The top programs / methods are all grappling / wrestling based. Considering how poor most TMA people's grappling and wrestling is, it is pretty funny to hear them run to the blade as their answer to the MMA approach

truth is a bitch

really, you think wrestling is a solution to weapons on the street?

really?

My blade trumps your dumb ass ross, so does my shotgun, my sword, my baseball bat.

"programs"?

there's NO program, there is only training and then reality.
when faced with reality, it is definitely better to have trained, but still only marginally. If you want the advantage, you must have superior weaponry.

if all you're gonna get into is a fist fight, meh, big effen deal.

I like how ring guys always think that their gym training will save them

when are you going to deal with that reality?

[Snipsky]

Maybe MMA matches will evolve to include bladed weapons LOL....

nah thats just estoopid.

[David Jamieson]

Maybe MMA matches will evolve to include bladed weapons LOL....

nah thats just estoopid.

depends how poor and bored you are.
perhaps a third world country somewhere is already doing this.

[Eric Olson]

Well...there is something to be said about the "unorthodox" though.
But on a whole, if you can handle someone that is trained to fight, then someone that isn't should be easier.
Of course there are always exceptions to any rule and one should never underestimate anyone.

Aye, and there's the rub of pretty much every discussion and argument on this forum...should one specialize or be a generalist. Kung fu is based around specialization, MMA is based around general skills.

Which is better? Is it better to know a little punching, grappling, kicking, throwing or to be the unparalleled best at one technique or set of techniques?

IMO, people that win at MMA are great grapplers. Boxer are great punchers. Judoka specialize in throws.

Should we try to learn a little bit of each from all of them or be the best in one area?

No easy answers here. At the minimum learning another MA let's you see deficiencies in the art you choose to specialize in. It also depends on whether we are talking about street or competitions with pre-defined rule sets.

EO