Originally Posted by
Gweilo_Fist
I'd like to make the argument that the current TCMA training culture is flawed in how it prepares students for practical real life situations and needs to change if it wants to survive. I believe part of the reason is that there is a misguided over reliance on forms as a sufficient means to prepare TCMA students for real fights. Now Im not knocking forms because I feel they serve a very practical purpose to learn new techniques, improve coordination, balance, etc. But I also believe they are being misused in many TCMA schools. I myself was even taught to think that practicing forms over and over and over will somehow make a technique second nature to me in a real fight. This just simply isn't the case. Watch any fight, sanctioned or not, you rarely ever see a TCMA fighter utilize any techniques outside of basic kickboxing moves. Why is that?
This applies to me as well. It's something Ive been thinking about for quite a while now. I studied TCMA mantis for years and very very rarely did I ever think about using a mantis claw technique when sparring. The mantis claw is the entire center of the Mantis system, its very practical, and I practiced it over and over and over in drills and forms, yet, I rarely ever thought about executing it in a free sparring session against a resisting opponent. Why?
Let me conclude this by saying that I disagree with MMA enthusiasts that TCMA is not realistic or practical. I strongly believe TCMA is very practical. My issue is that TCMA is not teaching those practical moves in practical ways. This is why MMA fighters keep dominating TCMA fighters. We want to blame MMA for implementing rules that hinder a TCMA fighters capabilities, but the unfortunate reality is that TCMA has implemented its own rules that have hindered its own fighters. The vast majority of TCMA schools utilize 3 point win sparring system while wearing heavy pads and only strikes to the body. TCMA's love for those cheap karate pads prevent it's own students from training a mantis claw or chi-na technique in a sparring match so that the technique becomes second nature. Unique TCMA moves are not going to be second nature because you practiced them over and over in forms or in padded drills. The become 2nd nature when they've been battle tested and unfortunately the current TCMA training culture has restricted its own students from battle testing practical moves unique to TCMA.