I list names, because you can google them, and find their resources, and that simplifies things. I list programs, as to my knowledge, they are the only brand name for the person leading it.
Much of what they teach, is routed in the mechanics you learn training MMA, so you'll understand better why you're doing it, and absorb it better.
By MMA, I don't strictly mean MMA gyms, just that you get different skills emphasized in different systems.
These programs isolate mechanics from these systems, and contextualize them for modern day violent encounters, with dirty fighting--For example, if you're wrestling with someone over a knife or gun, if you have to dodge and control an improvised weapon, or you have to quickly deal with one guy then fight off his buddy.
People who aren't knowledgeable can obsess over "dirty fighting," but eventually they realize, that "dirty fighting" is simply an enhancement to previously established martial arts skills, not a replacement.
In my experience, schools that claim to teach "dirty fighting" tend to be especially focused on the "cool factor," have a mixed quality curriculum, and as a result don't properly instill fundamentals. Students that don't know better and believe the market hype, think that their system is superior in real-world applications.
They're not going to learn the dirty, unless they know what to look up on the internet, or they happen to meet someone locally that's "been there, done that." The brands adverstized for this sort of thing are not made equal.
If you think there are other systems worth adding to this list, then I'd be happy for you to do so
Well, to be fair I anticipate most anybody would include whatever it is that they train, on this list. People train something because it appeals to them in some way, and there is likely the perception that what they train “works.” I doubt anyone would step up and say, “well I train X karate system and I love it, but it is absolutely lousy as a fighting/self-defense system.” I suppose there could be someone, but likely they are a rarity.
There are a whole lot of karate and kung fu and Silat and kuntao and grappling systems to begin with, that can help you develop quality fighting skills. Are you advocating that people ought to train in all the stuff on your list? Have you done so, or is this just a list of resources that you find interesting?
One problem with pursuing many different methods is that it is easy to get spread too thin. There are only so many hours in the day, and we all gotta eat and sleep and poop now and again, and most of us who are not lucky enough to live on a trust fund need to hold down a job, not to mention time for family and friends and other interests in life. I suspect that any of the systems you mention above all by itself, MMA, Muay Thai, wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, would make you sleep well each night if you are putting in a 2-4 hour training session a few times a week. You finish up and you are sore and worked over and exhausted and most people don’t have time or energy for another in the same day and might even need a day off in between. Then there is the issue of anything you train, whatever skills you develop, need ongoing practice to avoid losing them, besides the need to keep training for further growth. So time training in one system is time NOT training in all the others, and at some point your returns are heavily diminished as you try to train more and more methods. Ive done this: trained and tried to maintain three or four different systems at the same time. I was training as much as three times a day as well as having a full-time job and a family. You can do that for a little while but you cannot maintain it indefinitely before you start to break down, get injured, become sick, experience burnout and lose interest in training altogether. And as I get a bit older, I simply do not have that energy, or even the desire to do so. Ive let everything else drop by the wayside, other than my one favorite system.
So that being said, what would I add to the list? Of course Tibetan white crane because it is what I train. My reasons for doing so are that it has a consistent methodology for developing a full-body connection that teaches you to hit really really hard. The methodology is more consistent and specific than any other system that I have trained and my understanding of the body mechanics and my ability to deliver serious power improved dramatically once I got some quality training in Tibetan crane, and I embraced the method.
Now this is all simply based on my personal experiences. Is Tibetan crane the best, in an absolute and measurable way? I have no way of knowing and there are plenty of methods that I have not trained, including some very popular ones like boxing. Could you get similar or even better results from a different system? I don’t know from personal experience but sure, it is possible. But Tibetan crane speaks to me, I find it interesting in ways that I do not find other systems interesting, so that is what I do and I have found the results impressive.
So even though I would add Tibetan crane to the list, at the same time I cannot simply recommend that everyone ought to train it. As a method, it is somewhat unusual and even looks strange to those who do not understand the purpose for what we do. For that reason, it simply does not appeal to everybody, so no, not everybody should train it. People gotta train what they connect with and find interesting. That will not be the same thing for everyone. Using myself as an example, I have zero interest in MMA, BJJ, Muay Thai, and boxing, so I do not train those even though they are very popular right now. Regardless of how effective the training may be, I’m just not gonna do it because it holds no interest for me. When I see discussions where people suggest that everyone ought to have some training in these methods, I just gotta shake my head and move on. No we do not need to have it. We all need to train what we find interesting, and that will differ from person to person.
What else could go on the list? You could add capoeira for learning supreme body control as well as athletic conditioning. I have never been in as good physical shape as when I was training capoeira obsessively. Not to mention learning some interesting and unusual physical techniques, and a very different mental outlook on training: as a way of having fun and being playful while training martial arts.
So how is that for starters?
