TMA vs. MMA vs. Aikido vs. Whatever. WHY?

I can't quite figure out why there is so much of this one MA vs. another MA stuff. As a middle aged guy who did too much fighting in my youth, I don't understand why one thinks it has to be better than the other. "Street Fighting" is hardly every between two people who are trained in different arts. Most street fighting is done by kids between the ages of 13 and 25. As we grow older there is always the occasional bar room brawl, and how many of those fights are between two martial artists trained in different arts. The MMA guys , without a doubt, have the best all around fighting skills. But that doesn't mean the other arts don't teach the skills to neutralize a dangerous situation with a mugger, or thief trying to take your life. IMHO, the self-defense encounters we might possibly have are not going to be with other Martial artist, it will be with a Meth, cocaine or Heroin addict who is desperate for $ to feed his habit. Most TMA's teach much more than how to hurt someone, such as, physical fitness, stretching, inner peace, self defense etc.. There is more to self-defense than the fighting itself. Assessing your situation and maybe finding a way out without having to fight. TMA can be practiced into our elderly years where as most of the MMA fighters like professional boxers will have short lived careers, how will they train after the injuries and years have taken away their youth? My point to this is, in the long run we are all going to end up older and past the testosterone years, and I can promise all of you young guys, it's coming, and it will be here before you know it. When we all get there the desire to fight fades and the desire to avoid the fight will take over,but we still need to be able to defend ourselves. This IMHO is when the TMA's can take over and inhance our lives, a 65 year old man or woman can't do the wrestling, grappling moves of MMA, but he or she can do a groin attack, joint manipulation, break a finger or maybe gouge an eye. At this point in time one MA, won't be better than the other, which ever MA we choose to practice will only be as good or effective as we want it to be.

 

You're 'in my zone' JWH.

I hope your post get's the true consideration it deserves.

 

An excellent explanation!

My instructor who's now in his 70's still trains in Shotokan (a TMA). He's had a hip replacement but can still move enough to perform every kata!

I've spent years trying to be fair about each art - you've made so much sense. I dabble in a little bit of this and a little bit of that and take what is useful for me and include it to my reportoire.

I've grappled once or twice, Shotokan for a few years, Stick fighting for a while too. But this is what suits me personally

 

Great post lets hope where many have failed your post succeeds

 

I couldn't agree more with you guys. All these This style vs That style discussions seem pretty arbitrary to me, not only for the fact that its not the styles themselves that fight, but the people who use them, but also, like JWH said, all martial arts hope to teach roughly the same things anyway: self defense, fitness, self-discipline and respect for others (among other things)

Good point, well made

 

JWH, that's a 'cut-out-and-keep' post if ever there was one .

Rgds,
David

 

Good post JWH

*salutes*

 

I agree but only in part

The poroblem is that many q-TMA clubs do not teach effective SD (IMHO). Your post seems to presuppose that all MAs are sufficiently effective on the street. As taught, most aren't all that useful IMO.

 

Trolling trolling trolling, keep them wagons rolling, rawhide!

 

I get the gist of what is said here, but could someone kindly clear up some of the jargon? what are TMAs and MMAs? whats IMHO? ive only been coming to this forum for a short while you see. ta

 

MMA = Mixed Martial Arts. Normally associated with No-Holds-Barred, a wide range of sub-styles which generally contain heavy contact training in the three phases of unarmed combat: free staning, clinch and ground. Also associated with Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ), cage-fights etc.

TMA = Traditional Martial Art. General label for Karate, Tae-Kwon-Do, Kung Fu etc.

q-TMA = Quasi-Traditional Martial Art. Used in place of the above inferring that most 'TMA's aren't as traditional as they say.

IMHO = In my humble opinion.

 

TMA= Traditional Martial Arts

MMA= Mixed Martial Arts

TMA could include Karate, Kung Fu, TKD etc.

MMA is more of an approach to training, taking superior TMA's and using elements from them to cover all ranges of conflict, from groundwork, to clinch and standup. Pressure tested till workable.

IMHO= Could be 'In my Honest/Humble opinion'

 

Why is that trolling? Is that how you dismiss any viewpoint that isn't in line with your own?

 

TMA= Traditional Martial Arts
MMA= Mixed Martial Arts
IMHO= In My Humble Opinion (used rarely for humble opinions)

 

Read the mans post and drop your agenda!

 

What agenda?

JWH's arguement says that all the q-TMA v MMA stuff isn't important as both prepare you for SD:

I was merely questioning this fundemental assumption.

 

Isn't it ironic that a post devoted to multilateralism in martial arts still invites partisan sniping? oh well....

 

he doesn't say that all TMA's teach you self defence

 

But there is an inference as per the quote in my last post.

 

Kickcatcher,
You missed it. There is no argument, or assumptions about anything in my post. Read it again.