The State of The Martial Arts Industry: Mixed Martial Arts Goes Big Time
By Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company
Many pundits say that the Lesnar-Couture fight marked the beginning of a new era of Mixed Martial Arts. I happen to agree.
MMA journalist, Joe Rizzo of the internet talk show "The Rear Naked Choke" (http://www.joeted.com) expressed this sentiment in a recent pod cast and I couldn't agree more. I'll go one step further and PREDICT the next evolution of the sport of MMA and the Martial Arts industry.
Mixed martial arts will go the way of boxing and take its place among at the top of the of American combat sports. It's faster and it has an edge that meets the demands of our grow-up-to-soon, over-exposed youth.
The sport of mixed martial arts will continue to grow, regulated and controlled to meet the safety standards of each state. I would NOT be surprised to see MMA become an Olympic sport in the next 16 years.
MMA will take the path of all professional sports. If we look at the boxing model, fighters come out of small local gyms, fight in small venues as they work their way up the food chain. They get picked up by promoters and handled by managers and trainers.
For MMA it will be even harder to break in. The Cinderella, rags to riches story of a kid learning MMA at his local boys club is highly unlikely to happen.
The future of MMA will come from Amateur and Collegiate wrestling. It has already happened. The vast majority of champions have a wrestling back ground. Good striking skills only take a few years to develop and submissions even less than that (you can build up a decent submission DEFENSE in about a year.)
Wrestling in the US has a tremendous infrastructure and talent pool to choose from. On the elite college level, wrestlers already have the work ethic, the attitude, body awareness and of course superior grappling and scrambling skills. As the payday for MMA increases, it becomes a viable option for elite college wrestlers to pursue. The only other options were go to the Olympics or go to work.
I only hope the athletes get their due, which is going to happen since most of them are college graduates, they have more OPTIONS than a starving kid form the street.
The path of the MMA fighter will be wrestle and maybe do some Judo or BJJ as a youth. When he's out of college or high school, he should learn to strike: boxing and muay thai. He will lead a Spartan lifestyle and seek out higher levels of competition in order to improve. This doesn't happen at the local studio, it can't.
What will continue to happen is college wrestlers will be recruited MORE by MMA promoters. I even for see an MMA draft. Athletes will be recruited and placed in in training camps. They will be developed, just like any other pro athlete.
The day of the small local MMA club is gone. The idea of having MMA at the local martial arts school will be the same as teaching cardio kick boxing or aerobics (it's almost there now- most guys just don't know it yet.) There will always be the exception, but on the whole, there in no way that someone who starts training at their local club will be able to compete with a collegiate elite wrestler; NO WAY, NO HOW. MMA will be the business it inspires to be: Major sports entertainment.
So where does that leave the state of martial arts? Martial arts will always have it's niche, cult following. Its the nature of the beast, but that ONLY attracts a small percentage of people who are looking for that lifestyle.
The vast majority of adult practitioners look to martial arts for self defense training. Adult martial arts will be another tool to help them live their lives better. Programs must focus on fitness and self defense to survive. In the next 5 years, if you're not in the self defense and fitness business and you continue to offer ONLY martial arts programs, you're going to be stuck and forgotten.
The mixed martial arts and grappling era on the local level will be soon over. Unless you are teaching wrestling, judo or BJJ you will not be able to compete. Offering MMA in the near future will be like offering professional football or basketball classes.
While most people enjoy watching football, they aren't about to go play professionally. But they still have an interest in related activities. As MMA grows, they will have an interest but no desire to jump in the ring- even if they tried, there won't be much opportunity. But there is always a need for self defense skills.
Today's student just wants the facts, the skills and go about there lives. If you're teaching in a traditional style dojo, you better incorporate self defense training into your program or you can say good bye to your adult program.
Adults are interested in martial arts will want to do only two things: Learn self defense and get in shape. Will you be there for the turn?
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Showing posts with label mixed martial arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mixed martial arts. Show all posts
Monday, November 24, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Traditional Martial Arts, Where Did We Go Wrong?
I just got an comment on the SDC blog an SDTS member who is a long time Shotokan Karate student and instructor. He noticed how his own martial art had left out the tactics and strategies of self defense and close combat...but he is perceptive enough to realize that THEY WERE IN THERE!!!!! Rather than stop training and teaching, he simply incorporated the SDTS attitude to his style. He understands the EXTREMELY important concept of Primary and Secondary Techniques.
Front kick, reverse punch, or edge of hand, chin jab. These are secondary techniques and tools in your kit. Most of us, if not all of us focus on these types of techniques in martial arts and self defense. Secondary techniques are the actual strikes, holds, throws, gouges...the things you see. While they are important, they are no what matters most.
EVERYONE focues on secondary techniques. But they are taken out of context. It is like finding a random part of a car lying on the ground- no purpose or function, it's just a hunk of metal or plasitc. Its only when it's placed in the context of the car that you can see its purpse. This is what happened to martial arts.
Primary techniques are the principles and strategies... the purpose and intent and they are the most over looked and forgotten. The intention of the martial arts has changed, and this has made it ineffective in combat.
Martial arts have been "taken out of context". Ever scince one fighter wanted to test his skills against another. Rules we made for the safety of the competitiors (this is a good thing). But once you change the intetntion from back alley to the ring the methods must change. The rules and the event and who you are fighting dictate training and purpose.
If you were fighting a boxer, you trained specifically for that, a wrestler, you trained for that. You always train for the venue and mixed martial arts is the same thing. If you weren't allowed to clinch, knee, strike the neck, punch- you had to adjust your training. The event always dictates the method.
Traditional methods of fighting have become sports. Since its more likely that you will fight in in a contest than fight for your life, you foucus on the contest. Traditional martial arts simply adapted to the times. Traditional martial arts like Shotokan were originally front kick, reverse punch, take ground and run over your target....sound familiar?
When I started training with the methods in The Self Defense Training System, it took a little time, but it actually added a new dimenstion to what I was already doing. It didn't belittle my training...it clarified it. I could see the original intention of what I was studying. I was able to adapt the primary techniques of the SDTS to what I already knew. I was able to put my training into the close combat context!
Like all things, once you understand the principle concepts (if a primary technique even exists) you can apply it to anything you do.
Larry, thank you for your comments and I look forward to seeing you at the Training Center in May.
Front kick, reverse punch, or edge of hand, chin jab. These are secondary techniques and tools in your kit. Most of us, if not all of us focus on these types of techniques in martial arts and self defense. Secondary techniques are the actual strikes, holds, throws, gouges...the things you see. While they are important, they are no what matters most.
EVERYONE focues on secondary techniques. But they are taken out of context. It is like finding a random part of a car lying on the ground- no purpose or function, it's just a hunk of metal or plasitc. Its only when it's placed in the context of the car that you can see its purpse. This is what happened to martial arts.
Primary techniques are the principles and strategies... the purpose and intent and they are the most over looked and forgotten. The intention of the martial arts has changed, and this has made it ineffective in combat.
Martial arts have been "taken out of context". Ever scince one fighter wanted to test his skills against another. Rules we made for the safety of the competitiors (this is a good thing). But once you change the intetntion from back alley to the ring the methods must change. The rules and the event and who you are fighting dictate training and purpose.
If you were fighting a boxer, you trained specifically for that, a wrestler, you trained for that. You always train for the venue and mixed martial arts is the same thing. If you weren't allowed to clinch, knee, strike the neck, punch- you had to adjust your training. The event always dictates the method.
Traditional methods of fighting have become sports. Since its more likely that you will fight in in a contest than fight for your life, you foucus on the contest. Traditional martial arts simply adapted to the times. Traditional martial arts like Shotokan were originally front kick, reverse punch, take ground and run over your target....sound familiar?
When I started training with the methods in The Self Defense Training System, it took a little time, but it actually added a new dimenstion to what I was already doing. It didn't belittle my training...it clarified it. I could see the original intention of what I was studying. I was able to adapt the primary techniques of the SDTS to what I already knew. I was able to put my training into the close combat context!
Like all things, once you understand the principle concepts (if a primary technique even exists) you can apply it to anything you do.
Larry, thank you for your comments and I look forward to seeing you at the Training Center in May.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Which Martial Art is the Best for Law Enforcement?
Up until 30 years ago, JUDO was the martial art. Then with the introduction of the more mysterious martial arts with more of a "killing" edge to them this coupled with the focus of the USJF/USJI (the leading Judo organizations in the US and the world) focus on Olympic competition and the simple fact that training in judo is painful and to this day, very difficult to get a black belt rank in it, especially if you are in a competitive area. I could probably write another 5 pages on this, but I will stay on point.
During these years EVERY major metropolitan Police Department had a Judo club. Even countries like Thailand taught Judo to their police force, NOT Muay Thai. I personally train a number of law enforcement officers and I have seen the results first hand. So why is Judo the martial art for law enforcement?
The primary purpose of non-lethal force with law enforcement is to get your target to comply. What is the most realistic way of getting someone to do something you don't want to with out seriously damaging them? How can you get someone from their feet to the ground as quickly as possible? How do you know what its going to be like for real? The answer is JUDO.
First off, when most people "resist" arrest, it's an ego thing. They are looking to be restrain, or they don't want to look like a punk and go quietly. The advantage the cop has is that the suspect knows that the officer is not trying to kill him or her. I realize this is a disadvantage in some situations, but that's what the stuff @ www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com is for.
First, the object of judo is to throw the opponent from his feet to his back. Think about the majority of the altercations policemen get in, most of the time the skel is just kind of testing the officer. Once the suspect feels that the officer is going to be a tough customer, he'll comply. Nothing drives this point home better than taking someone from their feet to their ass with one shot. Usually, when the guy is on the ground, he'll take his medicine, since he knows the cop really isn't going to kill him, a lot of time, that's all it takes. Plus, to witnesses, it just looks like you pushed or pulled him over; mean while, they hit the deck HARD. Just ask my friend who threw guys one night with sasae tsuri komi ashi (lifting, pulling, ankle throw). These guys were fighting each other, and the guys on the scene had to get them to stop. So, he got in the fray and tossed 'em all. Well, I guess they felt that getting up and fighting again wasn't that much of a priority.
A popular argument is that most fights go to the ground. This may be true, but most people don't know what they are doing. Most people don't study judo.
One of the primary components of judo is being able to stay on your feet. You develop this skill as a by-product of the training. Just gaining the ability to stay on your feet is worth the price of admission. Especially when you are in a 'scrum' maintaining your balance is a primary concern.
The fact is, there is not better way to practice imposing your will on someone who is non compliant. Nothing gives you greater confidence than throwing a man that has 100 pounds on you. Nothing. Especially when that guy doesn't want to be thrown.
Another important component is the pinning and submissions of judo. To secure a full point in judo you need to hold him on his back for 25 seconds. Being able to hold a man down until the cavalry arrives will save your life. Plus, while this guy struggles, you are just squeezing the life out of him. Trust me, when it comes time for you to put the cuffs on him, he'll be as compliant as a wet noodle.
Strangles and arm-bars, yep, Judo has them too. If you have to put someone "out of commission" and you really want to know how to strangle someone who doesn't want to be strangled, you've come to the right place. When they wake up, you will have them cuffed and ready to go. (Uh-oh, the choke hold alarm! Hey, I am not talking about liability; I am just trying to save your life).
Lastly the overall toughening and body conditioning is second to none. If you can "randori" for 30 minutes, non- stop - you're in really good shape. So why aren't some many people, knocking down the doors of every Judo club. Because it's hard work and it hurts. There's no junior black belt, student of the month. Your gi is white and the work is hard. No secrets, just hard work.
The irony and the tragedy: the guys who train with me are only a few. Most of the guys interested in this type of training are SWAT or tactical guys. Unfortunately, these guys are the least likely to get in a roll around. That's the irony. The tragedy is the guys who are most likely to need good hand to hand fighting skills are the patrolmen doing car stops, domestic violence; and all of the first response details. By the time the SWAT shows up, the situation is intense and the reality of a hand to hand confrontation is highly unlikely if not damned near impossible.
MartialArts | Martial arts instruction | Self Defense
During these years EVERY major metropolitan Police Department had a Judo club. Even countries like Thailand taught Judo to their police force, NOT Muay Thai. I personally train a number of law enforcement officers and I have seen the results first hand. So why is Judo the martial art for law enforcement?
The primary purpose of non-lethal force with law enforcement is to get your target to comply. What is the most realistic way of getting someone to do something you don't want to with out seriously damaging them? How can you get someone from their feet to the ground as quickly as possible? How do you know what its going to be like for real? The answer is JUDO.
First off, when most people "resist" arrest, it's an ego thing. They are looking to be restrain, or they don't want to look like a punk and go quietly. The advantage the cop has is that the suspect knows that the officer is not trying to kill him or her. I realize this is a disadvantage in some situations, but that's what the stuff @ www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com is for.
First, the object of judo is to throw the opponent from his feet to his back. Think about the majority of the altercations policemen get in, most of the time the skel is just kind of testing the officer. Once the suspect feels that the officer is going to be a tough customer, he'll comply. Nothing drives this point home better than taking someone from their feet to their ass with one shot. Usually, when the guy is on the ground, he'll take his medicine, since he knows the cop really isn't going to kill him, a lot of time, that's all it takes. Plus, to witnesses, it just looks like you pushed or pulled him over; mean while, they hit the deck HARD. Just ask my friend who threw guys one night with sasae tsuri komi ashi (lifting, pulling, ankle throw). These guys were fighting each other, and the guys on the scene had to get them to stop. So, he got in the fray and tossed 'em all. Well, I guess they felt that getting up and fighting again wasn't that much of a priority.
A popular argument is that most fights go to the ground. This may be true, but most people don't know what they are doing. Most people don't study judo.
One of the primary components of judo is being able to stay on your feet. You develop this skill as a by-product of the training. Just gaining the ability to stay on your feet is worth the price of admission. Especially when you are in a 'scrum' maintaining your balance is a primary concern.
The fact is, there is not better way to practice imposing your will on someone who is non compliant. Nothing gives you greater confidence than throwing a man that has 100 pounds on you. Nothing. Especially when that guy doesn't want to be thrown.
Another important component is the pinning and submissions of judo. To secure a full point in judo you need to hold him on his back for 25 seconds. Being able to hold a man down until the cavalry arrives will save your life. Plus, while this guy struggles, you are just squeezing the life out of him. Trust me, when it comes time for you to put the cuffs on him, he'll be as compliant as a wet noodle.
Strangles and arm-bars, yep, Judo has them too. If you have to put someone "out of commission" and you really want to know how to strangle someone who doesn't want to be strangled, you've come to the right place. When they wake up, you will have them cuffed and ready to go. (Uh-oh, the choke hold alarm! Hey, I am not talking about liability; I am just trying to save your life).
Lastly the overall toughening and body conditioning is second to none. If you can "randori" for 30 minutes, non- stop - you're in really good shape. So why aren't some many people, knocking down the doors of every Judo club. Because it's hard work and it hurts. There's no junior black belt, student of the month. Your gi is white and the work is hard. No secrets, just hard work.
The irony and the tragedy: the guys who train with me are only a few. Most of the guys interested in this type of training are SWAT or tactical guys. Unfortunately, these guys are the least likely to get in a roll around. That's the irony. The tragedy is the guys who are most likely to need good hand to hand fighting skills are the patrolmen doing car stops, domestic violence; and all of the first response details. By the time the SWAT shows up, the situation is intense and the reality of a hand to hand confrontation is highly unlikely if not damned near impossible.
MartialArts | Martial arts instruction | Self Defense
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