Are the days of specialists numbered?

[TMA17]

With MMA growing so rapidly, it appears that specializing in one art is declining. Self Defense systems are growing too - Krav Maga, JKD among others.

Are the days of becoming a black belt in any one art becoming less common? BJJ is one that many seem to continue to stay with although I read only 1% get their BB.

Jack of all trades vs master of none.

It’s a trade-off depending on your goals. One could easily spend 5-10 years of his or her life dedicated to one art.

 

[now disabled]

With MMA growing so rapidly, it appears that specializing in one art is declining. Self Defense systems are growing too - Krav Maga, JKD among others.

Are the days of becoming a black belt in any one art becoming less common? BJJ is one that many seem to continue to stay with although I read only 1% get their BB.

Jack of all trades vs master of none.

It’s a trade-off depending on your goals. One could easily spend 5-10 years of his or her life dedicated to one art.

That an interesting post

Could it be that MMA is the current thing? as in the latest fashion? (not knocking any MMA btw ) just like when Karate first "exploded on to the scene ?

One art only, That imo is down to the individual themselves and what they wish to get from MA.

Will single art systems stand the test ? Imo yes they will. Will the TMA schools continue I hope they do, they have ridden many storms and changes and I imo will continue

 

[marques]

“It’s a trade-off depending on your goals.“

It is the answer.

You may want some activity after daytime job and a specialised martial art that delivers BB at some point may fit the bill.

If you choose MMA or a self defence system, it may still be a smart option to somehow specialise on something, for time economy and due to biological limitations. You may excel at sprinting or running marathons. But I haven’t seen anyone excelling at both.

 

[skribs]

One thing is that most TMAs start off focused, and then expand into something more well rounded at the higher levels.

Taekwondo starts off with strikes, but adds in grappling techniques later on. Hapkido starts with grabs and adds in strikes later on. It's only the sport arts (Olympic TKD, wrestling, boxing) that stay limited in scope as you get more advanced, because the rules of those sports prevent anything else.

 

[pdg]

I may be well off the mark basing the following on a sample of 3 clubs...

MMA seems to be moving toward what could almost be described as a TMA of sorts.

With dedicated gyms (at least nearish me) that explicitly state they only do MMA it looks like they're treating it (and teaching it) as an art all of it's own.

It may still take the techniques it likes from a multitude of other systems - but what current system can honestly say it's completely original and has never been influenced by other arts?

 

[pdg]

Oh, and there appears to be a belt system in MMA (in at least some quarters) too...

 

[PiedmontChun]

Some if it is branding or marketing. To say "we teach MMA" in 2018 conveys a certain description - a nice neat package of techniques and fighting style to potential students, familiar to them based on watching UFC style matches where essentially everyone is using a similar mix of Muay Thai, Boxing, and nogi BJJ for the most part, and any other bits are almost trivial.

Years ago, you would have had to articulate an explanation of which particular arts were incorporated, in what way, and why, in order to really explain a hybrid art. Since its familiar, it just needs less introduction now.

 

[FriedRice]

Are the days of becoming a black belt in any one art becoming less common? BJJ is one that many seem to continue to stay with although I read only 1% get their BB.

Most likely it's due to taking, on average, 7-10 years to earn a BB in BJJ, vs. 2-3 years in most other MA's.

 

[pdg]

Most likely it's due to taking, on average, 7-10 years to earn a BB in BJJ, vs. 2-3 years in most other MA's.

Which reinforces the whole thing that a black belt in one art cannot be compared with a bb in another art.

If I continue to test (and pass) at the minimum time in each grade, it'll be 4 years to earn BB for me. The "average" that has been quoted by "my" club and org is more like 5-6 years.

That could be 3rd Dan in other arts...

 

[Flying Crane]

...it appears that specializing in one art is declining.

I disagree.

Are the days of becoming a black belt in any one art becoming less common?

No.

One could easily spend 5-10 years of his or her life dedicated to one art.

Or even 70 years.

 

[Headhunter]

No. Mma has its place as does every style.mma has been around for decades and all the traditional styles are still going

 

[now disabled]

Which reinforces the whole thing that a black belt in one art cannot be compared with a bb in another art.

If I continue to test (and pass) at the minimum time in each grade, it'll be 4 years to earn BB for me. The "average" that has been quoted by "my" club and org is more like 5-6 years.

That could be 3rd Dan in other arts...

getting to 3rd dan in 6 years ... you might but I doubt it, you'd be pushing it big time

 

[pdg]

getting to 3rd dan in 6 years ... you might but I doubt it, you'd be pushing it big time

It's doable in some places, easy in some others, unlikely elsewhere and impossible in yet more.

Because of minimum time in grade (amongst other things) it's not possible in my chosen art.

 

[now disabled]

It's doable in some places, easy in some others, unlikely elsewhere and impossible in yet more.

Because of minimum time in grade (amongst other things) it's not possible in my chosen art.

Yes no worries at all, Sandan in that time frame the experience and background will not be there, that is even before we get to the dedication side (time spent). I do accept that in some places etc yes it may well be so

 

[Hanzou]

Are the days of specialists in MMA numbered? No. We just had a nice rash of Bjj specialists appear in MMA and they did quite well, and there's more coming since I guess there's more money in MMA than in pro Bjj sports.

The average martial artist will train in whatever they want, but I do believe that some TMAs are definitely heading towards extinction.

 

[Buka]

I believe all Martial Arts styles evolve. Even traditional ones.

 

[Hanzou]

I believe all Martial Arts styles evolve. Even traditional ones.

Eh, oftentimes in the TMAs any attempt at evolution causes a splintering of the style. Wing Chun and Aikido being major examples.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Oh, and there appears to be a belt system in MMA (in at least some quarters) too...

I only know of one instructor who has such a system. He actually doesn't use it for his MMA fighters, just for the hobbyists in the gym who are learning the same material (although under a different name).

 

[Tony Dismukes]

With MMA growing so rapidly, it appears that specializing in one art is declining. Self Defense systems are growing too - Krav Maga, JKD among others.

Are the days of becoming a black belt in any one art becoming less common? BJJ is one that many seem to continue to stay with although I read only 1% get their BB.

Jack of all trades vs master of none.

It’s a trade-off depending on your goals. One could easily spend 5-10 years of his or her life dedicated to one art.

I don't know that this is true for the majority of martial arts students. I train at a MMA gym where there are classes available in multiple disciplines for no extra charge. Even there, I'd guess no more than half the students consistently train in more than one art. Lots of people still train at schools which have one curriculum (TKD or whatever) and never experience anything else.

 

[pdg]

I only know of one instructor who has such a system. He actually doesn't use it for his MMA fighters, just for the hobbyists in the gym who are learning the same material (although under a different name).

Have a Google for "MMA belt system" or similar, there are plenty of results.