Are the days of specialists numbered?

[TMA17]

What lead me to post this was an article about how MMA schools are popping up in Asia a lot, even China. Then there are self defense systems like Krav Maga or JKD which blend in many arts. The issue with this approach, it appears, is you never get good enough at one thing.

For example, here is Philly Self Defense's Grappling program:

"Rough & Tumble Catch Wrestling / Vale Tudo Self Defense"

As with all of our curriculum emphasis is placed on practical self defense methods. JKD Grappling is an amalgamation of standing grappling and ground-fighting methods found in many different arts. Combat Submission Wrestling (CSW), Catch-as-Catch-Can, Submission Arts Wrestling (SAW), Jiu Jitsu, Catch Wrestling, Judo, Shooto, Sambo, Kali Dumog & Silat make up a significant part of our JKD Grappling.

These arts are seamlessly integrated with striking to create our JKD Grappling curriculum. There is heavy emphasis on grappling fundamentals and the self defense aspects of close quarters fighting. While we thoroughly encourage sport and competition, it is by far not the only means in which the art can be performed and appreciated. At their roots martial arts were intended for self defense, before evolving into competition.

As with all of our instruction we have a stepped progression that emphasizes Self Preservation followed by Self Perfection. Our Grappling classes include the full range of fighting possibilities which include techniques from both standing and grounded positions.

• Standing Grappling / Trapping, Clinch work & Takedowns
• Positional & Space Control
• Escapes & Reversals
• Striking
• Submission / Locks / Chokes & Strangles

 

[Hanzou]

What lead me to post this was an article about how MMA schools are popping up in Asia a lot, even China. Then there are self defense systems like Krav Maga or JKD which blend in many arts. The issue with this approach, it appears, is you never get good enough at one thing.

For example, here is Philly Self Defense's Grappling program:

"Rough & Tumble Catch Wrestling / Vale Tudo Self Defense"

As with all of our curriculum emphasis is placed on practical self defense methods. JKD Grappling is an amalgamation of standing grappling and ground-fighting methods found in many different arts. Combat Submission Wrestling (CSW), Catch-as-Catch-Can, Submission Arts Wrestling (SAW), Jiu Jitsu, Catch Wrestling, Judo, Shooto, Sambo, Kali Dumog & Silat make up a significant part of our JKD Grappling.

These arts are seamlessly integrated with striking to create our JKD Grappling curriculum. There is heavy emphasis on grappling fundamentals and the self defense aspects of close quarters fighting. While we thoroughly encourage sport and competition, it is by far not the only means in which the art can be performed and appreciated. At their roots martial arts were intended for self defense, before evolving into competition.

As with all of our instruction we have a stepped progression that emphasizes Self Preservation followed by Self Perfection. Our Grappling classes include the full range of fighting possibilities which include techniques from both standing and grounded positions.

• Standing Grappling / Trapping, Clinch work & Takedowns
• Positional & Space Control
• Escapes & Reversals
• Striking
• Submission / Locks / Chokes & Strangles

Wow, that seems like a mess. I checked their website and I couldn't find info on their actual instructors. Is ONE guy teaching all of that?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

With MMA growing so rapidly, it appears that specializing in one art is declining. Self Defense systems are growing too - Krav Maga, JKD among others.

Are the days of becoming a black belt in any one art becoming less common? BJJ is one that many seem to continue to stay with although I read only 1% get their BB.

Jack of all trades vs master of none.

It’s a trade-off depending on your goals. One could easily spend 5-10 years of his or her life dedicated to one art.

The 1% to BB is a common statistic (probably a bit high, even) among arts that use rank and take a while to get to that one. It's just indicative of the time it takes and the fact that people's priorities change over the years.

I think it's becoming less popular to be a specialist in a single portion of combat (other than BJJ - some great marketing has held them out of that). More arts are gaining or recovering areas they didn't pay attention to in the past - "striking" arts are getting more grappling work in their training, etc. But I don't think we're heading to an un-branded future. MMA has become a brand, to the public. They have an expectation of what that brand of training provides, and that's not terribly different from the way expectations grew for "karate" and "kung fu" (not always actually those arts) in the past. I expect more schools will start to advertise the mixture they offer, and there will probably be less focus on belts and ranks, overall, though not necessarily within any school or organization.

My hope is that we start to see more mixed-TMA schools, where qualified instructors in different arts come together to offer a wider range of options together. After all, that's really what MMA is - as a "style" - at its core.

 

[TMA17]

Wow, that seems like a mess. I checked their website and I couldn't find info on their actual instructors. Is ONE guy teaching all of that?

No their instructors are legit.

Allen Chambers | CSW Association

Philadelphia Self Defense

LINEAGES | Chambers Defensive Arts

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I don't know that this is true for the majority of martial arts students. I train at a MMA gym where there are classes available in multiple disciplines for no extra charge. Even there, I'd guess no more than half the students consistently train in more than one art. Lots of people still train at schools which have one curriculum (TKD or whatever) and never experience anything else.

From that, I'd guess you guys have the usual collection of what you call hobbyists. We (the hobbyists) will tend more toward a single discipline, because we only have so much time to give, and we get more out of a single discipline. At the same time, training someplace like that gym opens up a lot of possibilities for folks like me who sometimes have more time on our hands for weeks or months at a time. I suspect - and hope - that's someplace MMA gyms will have a deep long-term influence on MA. More people will be exposed to more disciplines, even if they really only train significantly in one.

 

[Hanzou]

No their instructors are legit.

Allen Chambers | CSW Association

Philadelphia Self Defense

LINEAGES | Chambers Defensive Arts

Ah he's one of Paulson's boys. That explains it.

 

[Flying Crane]

The issue with this approach, it appears, is you never get good enough at one thing.

Says who?

And, “good enough” for what, exactly?

 

[oftheherd1]

One thing is that most TMAs start off focused, and then expand into something more well rounded at the higher levels.

Taekwondo starts off with strikes, but adds in grappling techniques later on. Hapkido starts with grabs and adds in strikes later on. It's only the sport arts (Olympic TKD, wrestling, boxing) that stay limited in scope as you get more advanced, because the rules of those sports prevent anything else.

Interesting how different styles teach. In the Hapkido I studied, our first seven techniques were using strikes against wrist grabs; fists, knife edge, palm, hammer, and elbow. But I think it is healthy to have different styles and the different emphasis each has.

 

[Buka]

Eh, oftentimes in the TMAs any attempt at evolution causes a splintering of the style. Wing Chun and Aikido being major examples.

I find the splintering of styles to be a positive thing in the progression of Martial Arts. Not all splintering, obviously, but a good part of it.

 

[Hanzou]

I find the splintering of styles to be a positive thing in the progression of Martial Arts. Not all splintering, obviously, but a good part of it.

Yeah, I'm talking more about what happens when someone comes up with something new, and some people start saying "X isn't doing real X anymore!" Wing Chun vs Ving Tsun is a prime example of this.

In Bjj when someone comes up with something new, like Bravo's 10th Planet JJ, most of us check out what he's doing and happily call it all Bjj. For example, I loved the Ghost Escape from 10th planet, liked it way better than the standard side control escape, and used it all the time. Instead of kicking me out of the school for using a 10th Planet technique, my instructor asked me to show it to him so he could learn it and teach the rest of the class.

 

[wanderingstudent]

I thought it would be interesting to meet up with my Brothers and Sisters, years from now and see how things have evolved. Not wanting to wait another 15 - 20 years, I've been reaching out to various Uncles; this is on-going so I don't have much to report.

Lucky for us, we are experiencing things now and don't have to rely on "old stories". Better yet, folks should document changes.

This actually touches on another pet peeve, about multiple interpretations of one style.