Fighting Fu - Fools!

[MightyB]

Here's a big secret -

The key to success in competition or "the street" is the environment. This trumps style, the Sifu, and good kung fu.

If you are in an environment that's not conducive to fighters and you want to be a fighter, you have to leave. It doesn't mean that it's a bad school, teaching a bad style, by a bad Sifu. Quite the contrary really. You could be learning true blue authentic the best kung fu from a great Sifu. But, if the environment isn't conducive to fighting, it will NEVER work. <period for emphasis>

How do you know if the environment isn't conducive to fighters? Look at the students. If they are there as more of a social gathering, hanging out, having fun, and learning bits of pieces of kung fu - it's just that, a social club. Nothing wrong with that and it's probably a good place to learn all about whatever style. Just don't expect to be able to use it if that's the environment you're in.

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Here's the deal. A fighting school will attract fighters. Doesn't matter the level of the Sifu or coach, it doesn't matter what the style is - whatever it is will eventually work.

I see a 4 man wtf (the bad one - Olympic, criticized for not using hand strikes to the head) tae kwon do school in our area that is totally bad @ss. They all have blue belts in BJJ, but they hate BJJ. They are tough. They fight. They are all fighters and they win in MMA.

The Gracies developed BJJ from a desire to use what they were shown and by all accounts it was just a taste of Judo. Look what that environment created with just a taste. It now surpasses it's mother art in many ways.

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What does this mean? It means that that a lot of people are learning good kung fu. It doesn't mean that they will be able to fight with it, but if they have a desire to fight with it, they WILL find a way.

[Kellen Bassette]

You sir, are correct. Iron sharpens iron. You can't train to be a fighter with people who have no interest in that kind of training.

Contrary to many cynics belief, there are many, and getting to be more, traditional schools that are fight-minded, have fight teams and do fight training. TCMA included.

[hskwarrior]

If you are in an environment that's not conducive to fighters and you want to be a fighter, you have to leave. It doesn't mean that it's a bad school, teaching a bad style, by a bad Sifu. Quite the contrary really. You could be learning true blue authentic the best kung fu from a great Sifu. But, if the environment isn't conducive to fighting, it will NEVER work. <period for emphasis>

IMO, the better fighter will never leave but will modify his fighting to adapt to his surroundings, much like the way northern and southern gung fu was developed.