AN OLD ARGUMENT

 by Phillip Starr

We've all heard the arguments about which method is better for fighting - Mixed Martial Arts or Traditional Martial Arts? I'm going to make a whole new slew of friends by laying out the facts...

I'm old enough to remember when American karate practitioners first went up against semi-pro boxers to settle the same silly argument. Generally, the karateists did not fare well. Why? Because they were foolish enough to engage in a bout using boxing rules! This eliminated most of their weapons, effectively blunted their hands (because they were wearing gloves), and forced them to fight under a strict set of rules. The boxers patted themselves on the backs and believed they had proved their point. But all they'd proved was that only boxers should compete under boxing rules and one cannot win a chess game playing by the same rules used in checkers...

When I am asked about differences between MMA and traditional martial arts, I often pose this question... What is the object of an MMA match? When you enter that ring, what is your objective?

Think about it.

Most people will answer, “To knock out my opponent.” And they're wrong. No... the objective is to WIN, and you don't have to knock anyone out to do that. MMA is, first and foremost, a sport. There are rules. There is a referee. Both contestants go home at the end of the bout. In a real fight between traditional martial arts practitioners, none of these things are true.

Some will argue, That's not correct! Traditional martial arts people have tournaments and tournaments are a game. But I'm talking about actual combat. MMA is not geared towards combat because it was conceived as, and is practiced as, a sport. Traditional martial arts were never sport-based. I have a dear friend who's a well-known and high ranking practitioner and instructor of a form of Okinawan karate. Some years ago, he was visited by two MMA practitioners who wanted to test their skills against traditional karate. My friend agreed to let them do so and they quickly changed into their training clothes. They were surprised when he told them that they could not wear any protective gear whatsoever (including gloves). After all, traditional karate doesn't make use of such devices. They complied and stepped onto the floor.

The first one was rendered unconscious within the opening seconds of the bout. My friend then offered to get on his hands and knees and allow the second participant to begin from the standard wrestling position. He was only too happy to do so... until he was knocked out. Later, he asked my friend how he managed to fight from the position. The karate teacher said that he simply did his kata from a supine position! He then told both fighters that if they ever wanted to learn traditional karate, they should come to his class. Of course, he never saw them again.

There's a world of difference between martial sport and martial art. They are not the same animal by a very long shot. It's foolish to try to compare the two. Apples and bicycles. The traditional martial arts were intended for real combat and the objective, more often than not, was/is to end the conflict by taking your opponent's life. There are no rules, no rings, no referees, no pads, and no trophies. So the argument about which fighting method is superior is like comparing apples to bicycles.

That said, I admit that many martial arts schools gear themselves towards sport. And there's nothing wrong with that. That's what they do. But it isn't the same as training for the real thing. People who practice competitive target shooting wouldn't last ten seconds in a real firefight. Competitive archers wouldn't have fared too well on the battlefields of times past, either.

The well-worn statement that says all fights go to the ground is, in my opinion, more than a little inaccurate. With a background as a drug enforcement officer, sheriff s deputy, and a guard in a state penitentiary, I've probably been involved in more than my share of scuffles. By and large, most fights did NOT go to the ground until one of the participants was knocked down and injured. Moreover, most fights are not one-on-one affairs and it simply wouldn't be wise to start rolling around on the ground with an opponent whose buddies are watching from the wings. And on the street there's no such thing as a submission hold.

The argument about MMA being different from other martial arts because they mix striking and grappling arts must have been created by someone who had no real knowledge about martial arts. Virtually ALL traditional martial arts combine grappling and striking. They usually emphasize one over the other, but they still utilize both combative elements.