Tweet
Not sure where you came up with that figure about 2 years for a Judo blackbelt. When I used to train, there was a guy there who trained 5 days a week. If the doors were open and a class was going in, he was in it, and I remember the instructor telling me that this guy would probably make it to black belt in 3 years. For the average 2 or 3 nights a week kind of person, it would be more like 5 or 6 years. Coming from a ATA TKD background where you really can get a black belt in like two years, that seems like a shitload of time to me to get to a point where "the basics have been learned and now deeper knowledge can begin."
Regarding you seeing judo as viable, I don't doubt that's the case, but you've trained in it and have a lot of grappling experience. I think that most people just didn't know much about it, and just knew that it was some older Asian martial art, so it can't possibly be worth anything.
I don't know. I think one thing that may be true about a lot of the more traditional styles is that only a handful of people really possess the necessary physical and mental attributes to make them successful. I watched that Aikido vid and it wasn't like a lot of what I've seen where a guy will punch and leave his arm out there and then the other guy will react against a compliant opponent. It was at least fluid. Where he strikes to the throat and then immediately goes for a throw looked realistic to me. I could see someone who has very good reaction time and who has drilled this sort of thing to the point to where it's second nature actually be able to make it work, especially against some untrained average street person.
I agree that the way an art is trained has a lot to do with it. That's why I got out of that bullshit TKD class that I started last summer. It was terrible and I quickly butted heads with the instructor. It was bad enough to where they told other instructors not to teach me because I wouldn't respect them or respect taekwondo. But that's not true at all, as everyone here knows. I respect TKD and I think that TKD can be an effective martial art, both for the ring and the street. But I don't respect the way that most schools that teach traditional martial arts don't teach those styles in a way that's realistic or that leads to effective fighting skills.
Many traditional styles really have become martial arts for women and children, but not because they're not useful fighting forms. It's because these schools have been overrun by hobbyists who just want to get in shape and teachers who either a) have given in and realized that these are the sorts of classes they have to teach in order to stay in business, or b) have lost touch with reality and don't realize that their systems have to be pressure tested.
By the way, regarding ninjutsu, I actually have trained with a guy who has rank in To Shin Do, which is basically traditional togakure-ryu ninjutsu repackaged for modern audiences. I actually think there is some useful stuff there. He was showing it me some stuff a few months ago and I have to admit I was more impressed than I expected to be. And it really is pure self-defense kind of stuff. It wouldn't translate well into MMA, but I could see a person defending themself with it in situation where there are no rules.
I agree. That goes back to a lot of what I was saying earlier. And you're right, there really is a cultish mentality in a lot of situations. I've encountered this several times. Luckily there are still some good and open-minded teachers out there who are keeping it real, so to speak.
Regarding you seeing judo as viable, I don't doubt that's the case, but you've trained in it and have a lot of grappling experience. I think that most people just didn't know much about it, and just knew that it was some older Asian martial art, so it can't possibly be worth anything.
I don't know. I think one thing that may be true about a lot of the more traditional styles is that only a handful of people really possess the necessary physical and mental attributes to make them successful. I watched that Aikido vid and it wasn't like a lot of what I've seen where a guy will punch and leave his arm out there and then the other guy will react against a compliant opponent. It was at least fluid. Where he strikes to the throat and then immediately goes for a throw looked realistic to me. I could see someone who has very good reaction time and who has drilled this sort of thing to the point to where it's second nature actually be able to make it work, especially against some untrained average street person.
I agree that the way an art is trained has a lot to do with it. That's why I got out of that bullshit TKD class that I started last summer. It was terrible and I quickly butted heads with the instructor. It was bad enough to where they told other instructors not to teach me because I wouldn't respect them or respect taekwondo. But that's not true at all, as everyone here knows. I respect TKD and I think that TKD can be an effective martial art, both for the ring and the street. But I don't respect the way that most schools that teach traditional martial arts don't teach those styles in a way that's realistic or that leads to effective fighting skills.
Many traditional styles really have become martial arts for women and children, but not because they're not useful fighting forms. It's because these schools have been overrun by hobbyists who just want to get in shape and teachers who either a) have given in and realized that these are the sorts of classes they have to teach in order to stay in business, or b) have lost touch with reality and don't realize that their systems have to be pressure tested.
By the way, regarding ninjutsu, I actually have trained with a guy who has rank in To Shin Do, which is basically traditional togakure-ryu ninjutsu repackaged for modern audiences. I actually think there is some useful stuff there. He was showing it me some stuff a few months ago and I have to admit I was more impressed than I expected to be. And it really is pure self-defense kind of stuff. It wouldn't translate well into MMA, but I could see a person defending themself with it in situation where there are no rules.
I agree. That goes back to a lot of what I was saying earlier. And you're right, there really is a cultish mentality in a lot of situations. I've encountered this several times. Luckily there are still some good and open-minded teachers out there who are keeping it real, so to speak.
Comment