the many One True Martial Arts

[Bruno@MT]

I don't believe there is OTMA. I just believe that there is 1 MA which is best suited for ME and what I want out of a MA. And even then I'd say it is more the MA type than the specific school or style. I really like the traditional JMA I learn in Genbukan. But if I did not have that, I suspect another traditional JMA would have been a match, as long as it was a traditional jujutsu style.

This is just for me. I know many people who would prefer a modern JJ style or even something else altogether like muay thai or kyukishin.

 

[geezer]

I don't believe there is OTMA. I just believe that there is 1 MA which is best suited for ME and what I want out of a MA...

That's what it boils down to, alright ...what's the best art for a particular individual... at a given point in his life. Right now I feel that way about Wing Chun and Escrima. I've been doing them a long time and hope to continue for many years.

Some of the young guys I know are crazy about muay thai, boxing, and BJJ. But how many will be practicing those arts at my age (a bit shy of 55 years)? And how many at 75? What works best for a strong young man might not be the best choice for a young girl or old geezer. And even if you could prove that one art was more effective... what if you enjoyed another art more?

 

[tellner]

What is it about people?

Why does practicing a certain martial art cause some people to become certain that their MA is the One True MA, that all others are just pretenders, wannabes, or obsolete?

Everyone wants to feel special.
Everyone wants to feel worthwhile.
Lots of people toss away their common sense when it comes to sports teams, martial arts, cars and music.

Is this just a grown up version of "My dad can beat up your dad"?

Mostly.

How should I talk to these people?

Just realize what's going on in their heads. Think of them with more pity than derision. Smile. And change the subject. The only way to win the game is not to play.

 

[repz]

Ugghhh, i hate these types of people. They come in all forms, from every art. I continue to see the worst in ego and lies from martial artists.

I had a shotokan karateka from jka tell me how powerful he is, and how he can defeat any style, and he went further on to say how jka beat Mas Oyama, and other egotistical subjects.

I had a self defense artists talk about how bad sports was, and how rules were BS. Too me, it just seems like he was never good at ma competetion, and reasoned he was a good martial artists because thats not real, then he preceded to perform locks on non-resisting students.

I had mma fanboys talk about how bad they are, and how they can defeat anyone, yet I can breath on them and they would crap their pants.

I have an addiction to martial arts in general, its like I am a kid in a candy store, I favor no arts over any other. I do favor training principles though, very passionately actually. But whenever i want a good laugh, I message these fanatics and start up a convo, its a good way to get some laughs for a few minutes before it gets sad.

I think they have a feeling that they have something to prove. From my experience, its the quiet guy that doesnt brag that you have to watch out for, he would rock you to sleep.

 

[Golden Harvest]

What is it about people?

Why does practicing a certain martial art cause some people to become certain that their MA is the One True MA, that all others are just pretenders, wannabes, or obsolete?

Is this just a grown up version of "My dad can beat up your dad"?

A friend of mine just spent an hour trying to convince me that BJJ was the OTMA. The proof: UFC #1. The jiu jitsu fighter won, and that proves that jiu jitsu is superior!

Some days I just wanna tear my hair out....

And no, I'm not picking on BJJ. I've heard similarly passionate arguments from people in other MAs. Everyone seems convinced that THEIR art is the Best.

How should I talk to these people?

I gave up talking about this many years ago. It will never go away. There are too many instructor or style worshiping. Not worth getting all heat up about it.

Ask yourself if you wish to be right or to be happy?

As the late T.T. Liang would say, "Make 1,000 friends. Don't make 1 enemy."

 

[Teufel Hunden]

What's funny is, the "One true" or the "best" martial art has changed a LOT over the years. Whatever is the new buzz word popular martial art, that's the "best" one to people who like to talk in terms like that. Currently, at least in my opinion, the three popular buzz martial arts are Thai Boxing, BJJ, and Krav Maga. Krav Maga is the latest (latest meaning it's really only become really popular fairly recently, even though it's been around for a while) "exotic" foreign special forces ultra cool secret martial art. Before KM became e-popular, I used to hear a lot about Systema from the same kind of people.

I see this on a lot of non-martial art forums when the idea of best is brought up. The topics generally go like this:

OP: What's the best martial art?
Poster1: BJJ! Look at the Gracies!
Poster2: Krav Maga... the Israeli Special Forces do it, and those guys are the bestest ever in the history of the world!
(generally poster2 has never studied any martial art, much less KM)
Poster3: A combination of Muay Thai and BJJ. Every Mixed Martial Artist in the world can't be wrong.
Poster4: Whatever it is, don't do Karate. Every Karate guy ever got his *** kicked in the octagon.

Those same posters often times overlook how Wrestlers do fairly well in MMA overall (Randy Couture, Matt Hughes are excellent examples), and how some guys like Lyoto Machida see great success coming from a Karate background.

Try as I might, I can never convince any of the above opinion holders that there's no such thing as "THE BEST." Each person is going to draw something different from every different martial art, and simply knowing a particular style isn't going to automatically make the person a certifiable badass, so the entire concept of a singular best style is flawed from the beginning.

It's especially flawed when you step into the competitive world. , When when you get into the ring/octagon, a punch is a punch and a kick is a kick. Sure, you can see the differences between a Thai style fighter (the big wind up before the leg kicks, for example), and a Karate style, but neither guy is going to have any advantage over the other simply for their chosen background. But if everyone knows one particular style, everyone knows what everyone else is training, so the guy who does something different now has an advantage... Like Lyoto Machida again (even though Shogun completely dismantled him last night). He had such a weird stance and such a different style of fighting, no one knew what to do with him. He even knocked out Rashad Evans. Same with the entire Gracie clan. In the beginning, no one knew how to fight them... now everyone knows BJJ, so even if they weren't too old to keep fighting, they wouldn't be dominant anymore.

The point is, the STUDENT makes the martial art... not the other way around. Simply having the tools doesn't mean I can use them effectively. There are many many other factors involved, and people all too often oversimplify everything, and distill it down to a point it insults the entire world of martial arts by completely ignoring the finer intricacies that distinguish one style from the next.

 

[Blade96]

Because - my dad can beat up your dad.

So there.

 

[Cirdan]

How should I talk to these people?

Don`t.

Keep training and look back in a few years. You will find that most of the "My art pwns" ppl have quit and are now into tv-do and cheesypoofs-jutsu. Probably because they did not have the will to keep training, maybe they realized they are not god`s gift to the MA world or they got themselves injured in a cage match they were not ready for.

 

[IcemanSK]

Don`t.

Keep training and look back in a few years. You will find that most of the "My art pwns" ppl have quit and are now into tv-do and cheesypoofs-jutsu. Probably because they did not have the will to keep training, maybe they realized they are not god`s gift to the MA world or they got themselves injured in a cage match they were not ready for.

Sadly, this is often the case with folks who loudly espouse the perfection of "their" art. They are not usually the best practitioner in their gym, either. So when they are not the best at the "best" art, they tend to fall by the wayside.

As Ciridian has said, keep training. You need not explain yourself to these people...or any other for that matter.

 

[Carol]

I usually nod and say that To Wong Fu (or whatever) is a really good system without offering any counter. Usually the sales pitch stops when the other person realizes you agree with them. :lol:

 

[scottie]

I see this on a lot of non-martial art forums when the idea of best is brought up. The topics generally go like this:

OP: What's the best martial art?
Poster1: BJJ! Look at the Gracies!
Poster2: Krav Maga... the Israeli Special Forces do it, and those guys are the bestest ever in the history of the world!
(generally poster2 has never studied any martial art, much less KM)
Poster3: A combination of Muay Thai and BJJ. Every Mixed Martial Artist in the world can't be wrong.
Poster4: Whatever it is, don't do Karate. Every Karate guy ever got his *** kicked in the octagon.

MMA I think has become it's own style (notice i say style not art) yes people come in with backgrounds that differ in small ways but for the most part it is all the same. Those guys are all great athletes and some are great M Artist out of the ring but i'd like to echo the Guy that said how many of them will be training same way when they are really hurt or are just to old to take the pounding. I personally think the best art is "the art of fighting without fighting"

I mean I carry a gun for self defense, I practice Karate because I have a love (passion) for the Okinawan culture and Kata and the art that encompasses. In my perfect plan for life I will be doing Seisan, Seiuchin, Niahanchi, Wansu, Chinto, Kusanku, Sunsu and all of my other katas by the river when I am 60, 70, 80, and hopefully 90 years old. So for me Isshinryu Katate is the best. I also train and love Okinawan GoJu.
I quit arguing or even listening to those stupid auguring a long time ago.
I think if you art fulfills what you are looking for than it is the best art for you.

 

[Xue Sheng]

What is it about people?

Why does practicing a certain martial art cause some people to become certain that their MA is the One True MA, that all others are just pretenders, wannabes, or obsolete?

Is this just a grown up version of "My dad can beat up your dad"?

A friend of mine just spent an hour trying to convince me that BJJ was the OTMA. The proof: UFC #1. The jiu jitsu fighter won, and that proves that jiu jitsu is superior!

Some days I just wanna tear my hair out....

And no, I'm not picking on BJJ. I've heard similarly passionate arguments from people in other MAs. Everyone seems convinced that THEIR art is the Best.

How should I talk to these people?

Don't get upset, don't pull your hair out, and tell them yes they are right.

 

[girlbug2]

thanks Xue, yes that's what I think I will do from this point on.

 

[Balrog]

What is it about people?

Why does practicing a certain martial art cause some people to become certain that their MA is the One True MA, that all others are just pretenders, wannabes, or obsolete?

Is this just a grown up version of "My dad can beat up your dad"?

A friend of mine just spent an hour trying to convince me that BJJ was the OTMA. The proof: UFC #1. The jiu jitsu fighter won, and that proves that jiu jitsu is superior!

Some days I just wanna tear my hair out....

And no, I'm not picking on BJJ. I've heard similarly passionate arguments from people in other MAs. Everyone seems convinced that THEIR art is the Best.

How should I talk to these people?

My standard response to this is that no martial art is better than another martial art. However, one martial artist may be better trained in his style than a second martial artist is in another style. It's the practitioner, not the practice.

 

[CoryKS]

One time I had two pieces of wood I needed to fastened together, and I used a hammer to pound a nail into them. It worked perfectly. Therefore, the hammer is the perfect tool.

I haven't had as much success in using the hammer to remove a screw, but I'm sure that it's due to my own limitations because it really is the perfect tool.

 

[tellner]

My standard response to this is that no martial art is better than another martial art. However, one martial artist may be better trained in his style than a second martial artist is in another style. It's the practitioner, not the practice.

There really are some systems which are better than others in certain areas. And there are innovations which change things forever. But there's just no point in getting in wasting time trying to extract people's self-image from their identification with a particular martial art. Best to say what you've said here and let it go.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

The bottom line is that if you choose any art and train your *** off , listen to your instructor and stay with it for at least 5 or 6 years , then you are going to be able to defend yourself reasonably well in most situations. Which art you choose is irrelevent in my opinion.