Watch Out For These Fairy Tales
In the previous two installments of this series, I discussed some phrases, that are often uttered in gyms and dojos around the world, and that one should be wary of. Some of them have to do with the way business is conducted. Others are statements that relate to how training is conducted or the tips and feedback that you get. You can read them here and here.
Before I go on, a couple of important disclaimers:
1. These statements are often not said with malicious or dishonest intent; That being, ignorance can still be dangerous. It’s important to understand the background and context of everything that is said in the dojo and not take things on blind faith. Personally, I love it when students question and challenge what I say. It forces me to make sure I do my research and check everything. At the same token, I am one of those students who always asks questions.
2. I hate absolutes, but sometimes it’s necessary to make general statements in order to keep things simple. There are always exceptions to the rule.
So here we go! A few more statements that you might hear in martial arts that you need to be careful of:
Win at All Costs!
- ‘Size doesn’t matter’: Many styles, especially grappling styles, make the claim that their system will allow a smaller, weaker person to defeat a larger, stronger opponent, through effective body mechanics, leverage, striking vulnerable targets, etc. While there may be some truth to this, it’s not as easy or as simple as it sounds. If size didn’t matter, then we wouldn’t have weight divisions in literally every single combat sport ever.
What this statement often neglects to mention is that in order to be able to defeat that bigger, stronger opponent, you usually have to train for a very, very long time and even then, it will work when you face someone with little or no training. The Gracie family, of BJJ fame, said it well – for every 10 kgs the person has on you, give them one belt level. The same for every 10 years that they are younger than you.
Make sure you not only drill, but try those techniques with bigger opponents who are also resisting you and trying to do the same back to you. You’ll know pretty quick if it works against the bigger guy or not. - ‘This technique is too lethal to practice for real’: There are a couple of issues with this statement. Firstly, if you never tried it (because it’s supposedly too dangerous), then how do you know it works? Is it because you were told so? If so, then by who, and how do they know? Secondly, you need to have a clear idea of what each technique does and why it’s dangerous, and try and apply some common sense. For example, if someone tells you that if you punch someone in the arm hard enough their heart will explode and their ears will melt, would you take it on blind faith?
This becomes very dangerous as it creates a comfort zone based on the belief that you will be able to, under stress, execute something that you have never practised live or actually applied to a person, and probably have never even seen performed. This is an incredibly dangerous assumption.
A look at the origin of Judo reveals why this is the case. Back in the day, Jujutsu practitioners practiced a variety of lethal techniques but always on compliant training partners and without full contact. When Jigoro Kano, who created Judo, challenged Jujutsu schools to matches, the Judokas would always inevitably win. While they practiced techniques that weren’t lethal, they were used to training with full resistance. That proved to be more than enough to beat the ‘lethal’ techniques.
If It Quacks Like a Duck...
- ‘Of course we teach MMA’: UFC is a household brand and a huge money-making juggernaut, for good and for bad. With the popularity of MMA on the rise, many schools have started to claim they teach Mixed Martial Arts. But do they really?
I think that 15 or 20 years ago, those claims were probably valid. MMA simply meant mixing martial arts, and no one really cared what was mixed. Today it’s very different. MMA has developed into a distinct style of fighting with a very specific set of rules. Most of the time, the coaches will come from a combination of wrestling, BJJ, and Muay Thai or boxing. Sure, you get the odd ones who come from more traditional arts, but they are few and far between. Personally, if I was looking for an MMA gym and the coach said their techniques come from Aikijujutsu and TKD, and they train in a gi, I’d be very suspicious of the authenticity and quality of their MMA training. Don’t confuse mixing martial arts with mixed martial arts. On a side-note, I am all for mixing martial arts (more on this here) and I’m also a big fan of mixed martial arts, despite the fact I despise how the UFC promotes itself and the sport (more on this here and here). - ‘We are the original MMA/Krav Maga’: Flowing on from the previous point, this is also something I’ve seen a lot, and usually has no basis in reality. The reality is simple, and it is this: Human beings have been fighting each other since the first monkey climbed down from a tree and hit another one with a stick over a banana. Different martial arts put different things together in different ways. Sure, but the human body has remained the same and anything that it can do has already been done long before your (or mine) Sensei’s Sensei’ Sensei’s Sensei did it. These statements are just a way to get business through the door. And trust me, I get it. I’m a school owner and martial arts are a tough flipping industry to make a buck in (more on this here and here). But at the same time, I believe that honesty is important. For the most part, claims that one is the original practitioner of whatever style happens to be popular at the moment, are unfounded or at least greatly exaggerated. Don’t fall for it!
If you hear these, it’s not necessarily a sign that you need to run the other way. Instead, try asking some questions to get a better understanding of exactly what the person saying them means. Use common sense, and don’t take things on blind faith. Most importantly trust your intuition. If someone says something that sounds very far-fetched and doesn’t add up, there’s often a good reason for it:
If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck and sounds like a duck… then it’s probably not MMA.
Let me throw this to you! Are there any ridiculous statements that you’ve heard in the martial arts that got you thinking?
Stay safe, stay tuned
Osu/Oss
- The Karate Kid (1984): Movie Review - March 31, 2019
- Fairy Tales: Even MORE Statements To Be Careful Of! - February 21, 2019
- Don’t be That Person! Thoughts on Giving Feedback in Class - January 30, 2019
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