New Sheriff In Town...

[sanjuro_ronin]

That's true... but that's not how you judge someone's martial art.

You judge a MA but what it CLAIMS to do and what there is EVIDENCE of it doing.


See, this here is a very valid point and one I agree with you:

These people are making videos, have students and are looked upon as the holders of what? I'm sorry if I'm coming off as crazy. I have a hard time understanding.... the best hockey players have never played on a team? The best ball players aren't in the major leagues? The best football payers aren't in the NFL?

[Dragonzbane76]

This more of a personal issue with u 2 not much dealing with martial arts.

[Ray Pina]

Incorrect. Ross has fought. I believe he lost both his fights, though.

I saw one video years ago of him on a lei tei. I give anyone respect for stepping up, so I'll leave it at that. COuldn't find any sanctioned record though. Were the fights San Da or MMA?

For the most part, I agree with Ross opinions.

If I was to raise an issue though, it was that he spent his best years training:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Z8Gpq-RUY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwAMvJmBcR0

Now you go to his website (http://www.nysanda.com/) and it advertises Muay Thai and BJJ?

Let's be honest, before my hiatus from here, you yourself were a defender of TCMA, form, etc.... your have a shaolin monk as your avatar. Now you produce MMA fighters.

There are tough, smart guys eager and willing to take instruction and go make a name for themselves. And fighting, simply, isn't rocket science. One can take DVDs, learn the details and pass them along.... and then let others fight and bleed and sweat. Take credit for the wins. And the losses... well, it happens.

That's fine. I'm just asking to recognize the difference between his guys spending their best years training for real and fighting and the guy sitting in the background, holding the water bottle.

[Ray Pina]

You judge a MA but what it CLAIMS to do and what there is EVIDENCE of it doing.

And this is all I'm saying: I'm a lifetime student of martial arts. I'm intellectual, not a thug. A college grad with a job as a writer... yet what I have learned has allowed me to go out and at least stand up to what's considered the modern level of martial arts without having to take steroids, lift tons of weight, train full time and be overly aggressive.

But my technique, not claiming to be the best, is functional. I know this because it has been tested.

I haven't made or sold videos, written a book, have a web site or have paying students. I'm trying to understand how people who have done nothing but form demonstrations have risen to such heights in martial arts? It's a marketing work of genus.

[sanjuro_ronin]

And this is all I'm saying: I'm a lifetime student of martial arts. I'm intellectual, not a thug. A college grad with a job as a writer... yet what I have learned has allowed me to go out and at least stand up to what's considered the modern level of martial arts without having to take steroids, lift tons of weight, train full time and be overly aggressive.

But my technique, not claiming to be the best, is functional. I know this because it has been tested.

I haven't made or sold videos, written a book, have a web site or have paying students. I'm trying to understand how people who have done nothing but form demonstrations have risen to such heights in martial arts? It's a marketing work of genus.

Caveat emptor.
Look, if people are selling then someone is buying, its just that simple.
I've bleed and been broken for my MA.
I competed actively in either Judo, boxing, Kyokushin, MT and MMA from the 80's till the year 2000 when I got married.
I competed in MMA when it was Vale Tudo and was done on indian reservations so the cops wouldn't get involved, or done by the HA's in their bars or strip clubs.
I fought because I wanted to, sometimes because I had to.
Fought for my MA ( to test myself) and fought cause it was my job.
So what if others are making a living out of selling a fantasy?
People only believe what they WANT to believe.
reality sucks.
It hurts and marks you for life and I don't mean superficially.
The vast majority don't want that.
And that is how it has always been.
The MA NOW are for everyone but that was NOT always the case.
In TCMA there is a place for fighters, it just isn't the same place where people go for exercising or to do "kung fu", that's all.

[MasterKiller]

Let's be honest, before my hiatus from here, you yourself were a defender of TCMA, form, etc.... your have a shaolin monk as your avatar. Now you produce MMA fighters.

There are tough, smart guys eager and willing to take instruction and go make a name for themselves. And fighting, simply, isn't rocket science. One can take DVDs, learn the details and pass them along.... and then let others fight and bleed and sweat. Take credit for the wins. And the losses... well, it happens.

That's fine. I'm just asking to recognize the difference between his guys spending their best years training for real and fighting and the guy sitting in the background, holding the water bottle.

The implication here, of course, is that you think others haven't sweat and bled for what they pass on; in particular, you seem to direct that accusation at me.

Let me remind you that I started training MMA and submission wrestling in March of 2005. Well before you. I competed in my first submission wrestling tournament in 2006. Well before you. I have medals, too, I just don't walk around my house wearing them.

In fact, when you were wasting your time at Throwdowns, I was one of the people telling you that you were better suited to fight MMA if you wanted to really test yourself.

What I did was not dissimilar from you. I was honestly getting bored with my TCMA training and sought out others to push me in new directions. After learning what else what out there from Ross and others, I found people who could train me and teach me what I wanted. And I still surround myself with as many knowlegeable people as possible. The guy who helps me run classes trained Muay Thai under Mike Parker for years, and I have two college wrestlers (UNLV and OKlahoma) who also assist.

I never abandoned TCMA, fully. Sh1t, I just had an article published in KFTC magazine. But I make fun of it like an older brother who teases his younger brother...and I certainly don't have an issue with people calling bullsh1t when it's warranted.

Look, I'm 38, and I was already behind the curve in a lot of respects when I started training MMA at 33. I'm married, with two kids, a full-time writing job, I coach soccer, I have a bad back and arthritis in my neck...

But that doesn't mean I never trained hard. Right now i have a broken right hand. I didn't get that from hitting rewind on a DVD player.

I admire that you train hard and are committed. But frankly I find your arrogance and solipsism exhausting.

[Frost]

The implication here, of course, is that you think others haven't sweat and bled for what they pass on; in particular, you seem to direct that accusation at me.

Let me remind you that I started training MMA and submission wrestling in March of 2005. Well before you. I competed in my first submission wrestling tournament in 2006. Well before you. I have medals, too, I just don't walk around my house wearing them.

In fact, when you were wasting your time at Throwdowns, I was one of the people telling you that you were better suited to fight MMA if you wanted to really test yourself.

What I did was not dissimilar from you. I was honestly getting bored with my TCMA training and sought out others to push me in new directions. After learning what else what out there from Ross and others, I found people who could train me and teach me what I wanted. And I still surround myself with as many knowlegeable people as possible. The guy who helps me run classes trained Muay Thai under Mike Parker for years, and I have two college wrestlers (UNLV and OKlahoma) who also assist.

I never abandoned TCMA, fully. Sh1t, I just had an article published in KFTC magazine. But I make fun of it like an older brother who teases his younger brother...and I certainly don't have an issue with people calling bullsh1t when it's warranted.

Look, I'm 38, and I was already behind the curve in a lot of respects when I started training MMA at 33. I'm married, with two kids, a full-time writing job, I coach soccer, I have a bad back and arthritis in my neck...

But that doesn't mean I never trained hard. Right now i have a broken right hand. I didn't get that from hitting rewind on a DVD player.

I admire that you train hard and are committed. But frankly I find your arrogance and solipsism exhausting.

nicely put, can i play too? Im 36 I did my first grappling comps in 2004, have medals too (well trophies no medals in those days lol) , started MMA even before that (my first sparring partner was a certain paul daley) and I can remember when you Ross, Merry and several others told him not to bother with the throwdowns because of the level of competition at them, and then were proved right when Ray finally entered the cage

And i agree with everything you wrote

[hskwarrior]

****NNNNNN......ya'll are some straight up young bucks

[Frost]

****NNNNNN......ya'll are some straight up young bucks

its not a d^ck measuring contest but i think we are all tying to say no one here is THAT good or unique that they can sound THAT condesending to others (well maybe Ronin can but hes canadian and too nice to do that sort of thing)

[hskwarrior]

its not a d^ck measuring contest but i think we are all tying to say no one here is THAT good or unique that they can sound THAT condesending to others (well maybe Ronin can but hes canadian and too nice to do that sort of thing)

I know. totally agree. the best thing for me is the stay out from certain conversations. but to hear ya'll talk about being 30 something.....mudda chukka i just turned 43.....im still trying to adjust to that hahha

[Jimbo]

Buncha kids ...wait 'til you're 48 (like me). And I KNOW I'm not the oldest guy on these boards.

I'm probably lucky, because most people mistake me for early 30s, lol.

[hskwarrior]

Buncha kids ...wait 'til you're 48 (like me). And I KNOW I'm not the oldest guy on these boards.

I'm probably lucky, because most people mistake me for early 30s, lol.

Dammmmmmm you're old! LOL i'll be there soon bro

[TenTigers]

54 here. I been doin this when y'all were sh1ttin yeller!

[TenTigers]

Buncha kids
I'm probably lucky, because most people mistake me for early 30s, lol.

me too. That's cuz I use Grecian Formula. I'm still waiting for them to come out with lo-rise brief depends, though. The other ones stick up out of my speedos.

[hskwarrior]

WTF are you wearing speedo's fer ya wierdo!!!!!