Training for sport or for real

Folks,

I have more of an observation more than anything today. Years ago, I watched the first season of the ultimate fighter on television. For those of you who don't know, ultimate fighting is now called MMA, a competition that allows a number of different martial arts disciplines in the same competition. For example, there is no break up of a clinch like in boxing. You are able to punch when the fight hits the mat, unlike wrestling. And yes, judo throws and submission (pain compliance) holds are thrown in the mix also.

Anyhow, I notice that after 34 years of ultimate fighting, there are certain trends emerging. For example, MMA is no longer touted as a style versus style competition. No more TKD versus boxing versus karate versus jiujitsu. Now the athletes cross train, and because of that, I have noticed some odd things. For example, it seems that the creativity of the fighters has ended. In the earlier days, techniques were being created at a break neck pace. Now, a new set of truisms have set in, and they seemed to be engraved in stone. In the old days, competitors were contemptuous of traditional martial arts. They claimed that the old methods were obsolete, ineffective and just all around of no value. They quoted Bruce Lee in his assertions that the dogmatic ways of many martial arts schools were in fact killing the arts.

For the next several years, changes were being made constantly. Training camps tried new methods based on sports performance and psychology. MMA schools were popping up and learning from other like-minded individuals.

But like most things, the furor and the rush for new methodology has waived. But now, in this alleged age of enlightenment, I see the old trends emerging. Only boxing is used for hand strikes, and only Muay Thai for roundhouse kicks. I see only wrestling takedowns, and the typical submission holds from Brazilian Jiujitsu.

Wake up guys, soon enough these rules to which you cling will become the dogma that you claim to despise.