How do you feel about the growing opinion that TMA (Traditional Martial Arts) like Kung Fu, Karate, Tae-Kwon Do etc. aren't as effective as the ones more commonly used in MMA like Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling & Boxing? Personally I believe that many TMA schools/dojos in America are nothing but belt factories, while MMA places are 100% combat oriented. Your thoughts?
I think that, over the years, this horrible generalisation has made its way to the surface. The opinion that TMA is essentially bullshit while MMA and BJJ are the greatest things since sliced bread.I’m the first to say that, in the west, there are hundreds of dud schools claiming to teach traditional styles. They’re all over the place.But saying traditional martial arts aren’t as effective is just wrong. By definition. Why? Because it all boils down to the fighter.
It’s like saying a sculpture is better than a painting. Why? What defines one as being better than the other? They’re both separate examples of art; both to be appreciated for their individual beauty.It’s the same with martial arts. I’ve seen MMA fighters lose to traditional martial arts techniques. I’ve seen traditional martial artists lose to MMA. What does that tell us? Fuck all. It tells us two guys were better than another two guys…at that time, at that place."Better" is subjective. Yes, MMA is modern and scientifically superb but traditional martial arts are tradition for a reason. They have been effective.
I always find it ironic when someone claims Muay Thai is better than traditional martial arts. Muay Thai has been around for, literally, hundreds of years. Some might say that, in Thai culture, it’s…you guessed it…traditional. Even Jiu-jitsu has been around since the early 1900’s.The argument is just frustrating. It’s all too subjective to call. Just because Joe Rogan talks shit about kung fu, a million people jump on the bandwagon. All because they have a safe mouthpiece: a celebrity who’s considered relatively intelligent.Why can’t martial arts just be martial arts? Why can’t they all be appreciated within their own context? Wing Chun isn’t made for offensive competition, despite what people think. It’s a defensive art. So why would it even be compared to MMA, a combat system essentially built around competition?Effectiveness, by definition, is a grey area. What does it mean? Effective at what? Winning? How does one win? Killing? Hurting? Maiming? Chopping wooden boards? Each martial art has a different definition of effectiveness. It’s just that so many people decide to broaden their horizons with stupid claims: “My BJJ could beat your Taekwondo.” Sure, but that Taekwondo practitioner can kick higher, quicker and possibly more powerful than you. Because that’s what it’s made to help people do.
There are a lot of shoddy martial arts schools but I’m willing to bet that there’s more than a fair share of shitty MMA schools too.Sadly, there’s more ego in MMA. There’s this heaving cloud of testosterone everyone inhales the second they sign up to classes. If you’re a male, learning MMA means you instantly get two extra inches on your dick length. Your balls probably grow a few sizes too. MMA, sadly (and I don’t mean this for every school), has somehow been infused with this “bro mentality.” This sense of being an instant badass. Traditional martial arts, for the most part, teach humbleness and respect and, for some bizarre reason, this is seen as a weakness.
So…yes and no. There are charlatans everywhere. Whether it’s BJJ, Northern Mantis, Muay Thai or Bajiquan, there are going to be teachers who have no fucking clue what they’re doing. Are there more TMA bullshitters than MMA? Probably. But that’s because MMA is new in comparison. It’s much easier to fake a traditional lineage than say, “Um, yeah, my uncle’s, girlfriend’s brother did the Gracie’s taxes and they paid him in BJJ lessons.”It’s ALL subjective at the end of the day. If my Hung Gar tiger form allows me to fuck you up before you get to ground and pound me, does that mean that Hung Gar is definitively better than MMA? Nope. It means I was better at that moment. Hell, it doesn’t even mean that. It could mean I was lucky at that moment.Again, it’s all based on the individual. Even the best can have a bad day. Some days even the best porn stars can’t get it up.Unless you have concrete reasons for hating or shitting all over a martial art like, I don’t know, an Aikido practitioner killed your sister in a hit and run, then you should be respecting all martial arts. If not for effectiveness then for their place in the history of human combat.We should respect all those people taking their time out to apply themselves to a fight system; for learning how to defend themselves. We should salute each other because we share a martial spirit. We are trying to transform our bodies and minds in order to better ourselves. It shouldn’t matter who’s “better,” only that we are one similar paths.
