Specializing?

[ProTaekwondo]

Recently a nearby MMA gym had a smoker and I attended, it was a free competition just for fun. At one point in the night someone who trained MMA asked to be matched up with someone for a fight and a boxerfrom a different gym stood up and volunteered to be his match.

Once the fight started it quickly turned 1-sided with the boxer dominating. The entire fight he was very careful with his footwork and instead of just taking the punches like many of the other fighters he was quick about bobbing and weaving, slipping, and ducking instead of just eating the hits and he was definitely an outside fighter. The other fighter repeatedly went for low kick which the boxer easily avoided and only once was he able to take him down and even then the boxer quickly got back to his feet. Even his knees weren't quick enough to catch the boxer and so eventually even without amazing knockout power the boxer won with a left shovel hook to the liver. Throughout the entire fight the boxer dominated with swift punches and then moving back and constantly circling. After the fight I talked to the man who boxed and I asked about his training and he said he'd only ever boxed but had watched UFC before and ran twice a day for a total of 7 miles for conditioning along with other training.

So my question is, do you think it is better to be extremely good at one aspect of the fight and conditioned very well or have many tools in your arsenal and not amazing at any of them and be well conditioned?

 

[Josh Oakley]

That to me depends on your objective. I'm not sport oriented. I'm combat oriented. For me, it makes more sense to be a well-rounded martial artist. For the ring, I've seen a lot of specialists do very well, and a lot of specialists do very poorly. The person would, if they specialized, still need a basic understanding of what they will encounter.

For me it's always going to come down to the individual fighter, and what works for them.

 

[jarrod]

i've advocated specialized mma training for a while. not that you should be one-dimensional, but you should have a base to branch out from. the boxer never had to wonder about what he was doing: he was going to stay on his feet & box. if he advances in competition he will have to spend more time on the mat, since he will get taken down eventually.

with either approach, conditioning is VERY important. you can't fight if you can't breathe.

jf

 

[ProTaekwondo]

i've advocated specialized mma training for a while. not that you should be one-dimensional, but you should have a base to branch out from. the boxer never had to wonder about what he was doing: he was going to stay on his feet & box. if he advances in competition he will have to spend more time on the mat, since he will get taken down eventually.

with either approach, conditioning is VERY important. you can't fight if you can't breathe.

jf

I agree, I think he was likely just there to test his skills but come to think of it he might have mentioned Varsity wrestling which would explain his excellent takedown defense. Either way he was mainly a Boxer with possibly a bit of wrestling

 

[Deaf Smith]

So my question is, do you think it is better to be extremely good at one aspect of the fight and conditioned very well or have many tools in your arsenal and not amazing at any of them and be well conditioned?

Some people just have the temperment for certian styles of fighting. That helps all by itself.

I can say from experience that fighers who a physically gifted can specialize and do amazing things. This is particularly true if they specialize in areas that enhance their physical abilities.

Example, short trunk, long legs, and very flexable. That points to Taekwondo and lots of kicking & footwork skills.

Or long arms, ability to move fast with their legs, and very coordinated with their hands. That points to an art where you do lots of hand work.. boxing, Kempo, etc..

Same goes for grappling or Judo. Their build and their temperment matter so much.

I will say though, if you happen to be both long legged, flexable, with long arms and very coordinated, I'd work out both ways, and just become a wizard with you hands and feet.

Deaf

 

[MJS]

Recently a nearby MMA gym had a smoker and I attended, it was a free competition just for fun. At one point in the night someone who trained MMA asked to be matched up with someone for a fight and a boxerfrom a different gym stood up and volunteered to be his match.

Once the fight started it quickly turned 1-sided with the boxer dominating. The entire fight he was very careful with his footwork and instead of just taking the punches like many of the other fighters he was quick about bobbing and weaving, slipping, and ducking instead of just eating the hits and he was definitely an outside fighter. The other fighter repeatedly went for low kick which the boxer easily avoided and only once was he able to take him down and even then the boxer quickly got back to his feet. Even his knees weren't quick enough to catch the boxer and so eventually even without amazing knockout power the boxer won with a left shovel hook to the liver. Throughout the entire fight the boxer dominated with swift punches and then moving back and constantly circling. After the fight I talked to the man who boxed and I asked about his training and he said he'd only ever boxed but had watched UFC before and ran twice a day for a total of 7 miles for conditioning along with other training.

So my question is, do you think it is better to be extremely good at one aspect of the fight and conditioned very well or have many tools in your arsenal and not amazing at any of them and be well conditioned?

IMHO, I'd rather be well rounded. Punching, kicking, clinching, and the ground, as well as weapons. I suppose we could look at this a few ways. The boxer could really be that good. Its obvious by your description, that he did more than just take shots. It could also mean that the other person he was fighting, wasn't that good on the ground. Then again, its possible the boxer had more training that he let on.

If someone doesn't want to train in more than one art, thats fine. But, I do feel that people should at least get a taste of other arts. For example: My base art is Kenpo, however, I crosstrain in a few others, one being BJJ. If I didn't train in BJJ, I think it would still be good to get together with a grappler for a workout, so I could try out my take down defenses against someone who really knows how to do a proper takedown. Its not crosstraining per se, but more along the lines of fine tuning.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

IMHO, I'd rather be well rounded. Punching, kicking, clinching, and the ground, as well as weapons. I suppose we could look at this a few ways. The boxer could really be that good. Its obvious by your description, that he did more than just take shots. It could also mean that the other person he was fighting, wasn't that good on the ground. Then again, its possible the boxer had more training that he let on.

If someone doesn't want to train in more than one art, thats fine. But, I do feel that people should at least get a taste of other arts. For example: My base art is Kenpo, however, I crosstrain in a few others, one being BJJ. If I didn't train in BJJ, I think it would still be good to get together with a grappler for a workout, so I could try out my take down defenses against someone who really knows how to do a proper takedown. Its not crosstraining per se, but more along the lines of fine tuning.

I could not agree more on being well rounded. This is particularly important out there in the world. One thing though is for sure is that people who cross train or train in a system that works in multiple parts of the martial sciences will specialize in certain areas based on their physical and mental make up. I do not have one IRT practitioner under me who is not in a way a specialist in a certain area or two. However they are well rounded and capable whether working with tools, kicks, hand strikes, trapping and joint manipulation or grappling. Specialization and being well rounded are not exclusive but can coincide together very nicely.

Great thread!

 

[ProTaekwondo]

I could not agree more on being well rounded. This is particularly important out there in the world. One thing though is for sure is that people who cross train or train in a system that works in multiple parts of the martial sciences will specialize in certain areas based on their physical and mental make up. I do not have one IRT practitioner under me who is not in a way a specialist in a certain area or two. However they are well rounded and capable whether working with tools, kicks, hand strikes, trapping and joint manipulation or grappling. Specialization and being well rounded are not exclusive but can coincide together very nicely.

Great thread!

So from the feedback I am hearing maybe it's best for someone to have a strong base and then add onto that?

 

[Guardian]

Recently a nearby MMA gym had a smoker and I attended, it was a free competition just for fun. At one point in the night someone who trained MMA asked to be matched up with someone for a fight and a boxerfrom a different gym stood up and volunteered to be his match.

Once the fight started it quickly turned 1-sided with the boxer dominating. The entire fight he was very careful with his footwork and instead of just taking the punches like many of the other fighters he was quick about bobbing and weaving, slipping, and ducking instead of just eating the hits and he was definitely an outside fighter. The other fighter repeatedly went for low kick which the boxer easily avoided and only once was he able to take him down and even then the boxer quickly got back to his feet. Even his knees weren't quick enough to catch the boxer and so eventually even without amazing knockout power the boxer won with a left shovel hook to the liver. Throughout the entire fight the boxer dominated with swift punches and then moving back and constantly circling. After the fight I talked to the man who boxed and I asked about his training and he said he'd only ever boxed but had watched UFC before and ran twice a day for a total of 7 miles for conditioning along with other training.

So my question is, do you think it is better to be extremely good at one aspect of the fight and conditioned very well or have many tools in your arsenal and not amazing at any of them and be well conditioned?

I personally feel that being well conditioned and multi-tasked would be the way to go (Jack of all trades), so no matter what comes up, your prepared as much as possible.

 

[tshadowchaser]

A strong base in one aspect of the arts is what is needed with a working knowledge of what else is out there. Being real good at one thing can help but you still have to know what the other guy might do.
Conditioning is always a must

 

[tko4u]

Hands down, I would rather be good at everything then great at something. That way no matter where the fight goes, I could handle it.

 

[Big Don]

Specialization is for insects.

 

[jarrod]

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

-Robert A. Heinlein

still, it is possible to be multi-faceted & have a speciality. you can be good at everything & especially good at one thing.

 

[Deaf Smith]

But Heinlein never could do all that himself....

Deaf

 

[Mimir]

Yes, but he sure could write I love his books.

 

[Josh Oakley]

But Heinlein never could do all that himself....

Deaf

Which one of those didn't he do?

 

[bowser666]

I find specialization can be good , but it is always at the cost of training in another area. If you are really good at one thing , chances are somewhere else in your skill set will be weaker.

 

[jarrod]

I find specialization can be good , but it is always at the cost of training in another area. If you are really good at one thing , chances are somewhere else in your skill set will be weaker.

there is some truth to this, as i've noticed myself. whenever it seems like my throws are really improving, i feel like i slip on my ground work. & my striking goes up or down independently of either.

being well-rounded also doesn't mean doing everything. look at anderson silva, for instance. he is so good at striking & on the ground that we haven't seen anything spectacular from him in terms of takedown offense or defense. or prime-sakuraba. little striking to speak of, but so good with the takedown & submission parts of the game that he didn't need much striking. up to a point, anyway.

jf