astrobiologist
Brown Belt
Hello Army!
I'm new to MartialTalk myself. I have, however, been training in the martial arts for almost 20 years (I started when I was 5). I'm glad you are training over there while serving for the American military.
When I was reading your first message, I wondered why you felt that MMA was the best way for you to learn real defense tactics. I'm not trying to offend you. I love watching MMA, my buddies and I have sparred around at my karate school many times, and I've fought full contact kickboxing once this past spring. MMA is pretty awesome!
MMA is probably the best competitive fighting system ever. But that's what it is: competitive fighting. It's not very realistic. For the most part, the fighters know a mix of Muay Thai and Brazillian Jiujitsu with a little taste of other styles maybe (but rarely these days, unfortunately). On the street, it's a mix and match of knowledge and instinct. MMA has a lot of rules; on the street there are no rules whatsoever (no street thug wants to engage in pugilism). In MMA, the fighters spend a lot of time, minutes in fact, stepping and dancing around the ring with their guard up while waiting for the right moment to strike. Most street fights last about 10-30 seconds (though some could be much longer). Most of that time, for those who are fighting, flies by as punches, kicks, scratches, and other chaos is released. The training a martial artist receives is to help them gain some control of the chaos; to move with the chaos and use it to their advantage. Knowing how to punch and kick is one thing, but MMA as the sport it is doesn't include small joint locks, attacks to the most vital areas, or striking with an open hand. Also, though grappling and ground fighting is fun and I personnaly think every martial artist should have at least some knowledge of ground fighting, in a real situation, the last thing you want to do is go to the ground. What if while you're down there with some guy who attacked you, his buddy you didn't see before is rearing up above you, ready to strike you in the head with a large piece of wood? MMA doesn't train for that.
Sorry that was kind of a rant. My point is, MMA is fun and I definitely suggest sparring and playing around for just about anyone mature (and competition for those who really want it), but if you really want to learn how to fight realistically, then I definitely suggest checking out some martial arts styles. I don't know what Army Combatives Level 1 is, but I'm sure there's more to it than just grappling or striking MMA-style. I'd say keep up the military training and keep playing around with the MMA, and when you come home, check around your local area for some martial arts schools. There are a lot of styles of martial arts and there are a lot of instructors. Find a style and a school that suits you and then make the most of it. With your Army Combatives training, I'm sure you'll feel right at home with any martial arts schools here in the states. Or, if you're considering staying with the army as a career, then I agree that you should become the best you can be with the Army Combatives martial style.
Any way you go, I wish you the best of luck while over there serving and a safe return.
-Instructor G Lau
I'm new to MartialTalk myself. I have, however, been training in the martial arts for almost 20 years (I started when I was 5). I'm glad you are training over there while serving for the American military.
When I was reading your first message, I wondered why you felt that MMA was the best way for you to learn real defense tactics. I'm not trying to offend you. I love watching MMA, my buddies and I have sparred around at my karate school many times, and I've fought full contact kickboxing once this past spring. MMA is pretty awesome!
MMA is probably the best competitive fighting system ever. But that's what it is: competitive fighting. It's not very realistic. For the most part, the fighters know a mix of Muay Thai and Brazillian Jiujitsu with a little taste of other styles maybe (but rarely these days, unfortunately). On the street, it's a mix and match of knowledge and instinct. MMA has a lot of rules; on the street there are no rules whatsoever (no street thug wants to engage in pugilism). In MMA, the fighters spend a lot of time, minutes in fact, stepping and dancing around the ring with their guard up while waiting for the right moment to strike. Most street fights last about 10-30 seconds (though some could be much longer). Most of that time, for those who are fighting, flies by as punches, kicks, scratches, and other chaos is released. The training a martial artist receives is to help them gain some control of the chaos; to move with the chaos and use it to their advantage. Knowing how to punch and kick is one thing, but MMA as the sport it is doesn't include small joint locks, attacks to the most vital areas, or striking with an open hand. Also, though grappling and ground fighting is fun and I personnaly think every martial artist should have at least some knowledge of ground fighting, in a real situation, the last thing you want to do is go to the ground. What if while you're down there with some guy who attacked you, his buddy you didn't see before is rearing up above you, ready to strike you in the head with a large piece of wood? MMA doesn't train for that.
Sorry that was kind of a rant. My point is, MMA is fun and I definitely suggest sparring and playing around for just about anyone mature (and competition for those who really want it), but if you really want to learn how to fight realistically, then I definitely suggest checking out some martial arts styles. I don't know what Army Combatives Level 1 is, but I'm sure there's more to it than just grappling or striking MMA-style. I'd say keep up the military training and keep playing around with the MMA, and when you come home, check around your local area for some martial arts schools. There are a lot of styles of martial arts and there are a lot of instructors. Find a style and a school that suits you and then make the most of it. With your Army Combatives training, I'm sure you'll feel right at home with any martial arts schools here in the states. Or, if you're considering staying with the army as a career, then I agree that you should become the best you can be with the Army Combatives martial style.
Any way you go, I wish you the best of luck while over there serving and a safe return.
-Instructor G Lau
