Tom Yum

From what I've seen from a few Marine detachments working out, MCMAP's empty hand close quarter work looks like traditional japanese jiu-jitsu and aikido. The striking looks like it could be karate and muaythai - so it looks like they still use quite a bit of effective TMA in their training. They're using it alot overseas. The classes are even taught a little like a TMA class with instructor commands (i.e. "STRIKE!"). But they eventually move onto more dynamic training with what they drilled.

Like you mentioned, this combination would be hard to find in a civillian school but I'm sure there are some out there.

Those that do teach like this require you to earn the right to do these moves not only from forms practices but as we know - slow choreographed sequences. Its not until you reach higher levels, serious commitment and alot of payments later that they close the doors from the public and let you get real with it.

And here we are one of the key issues of TMA vs. MMA arts - how fast can you put it to use? I suppose it depends on where you are and what you need.

In a civillian setting MMA (for empty-handed, single opponent fighting) is your winner hands down in terms of learning something that you can use quickly and effectively.

Take two equal guys train one in MMA for 6 months and another in a TMA for 6 months and I'd wager that the MMA guy would win within the first round; he's also probably fare better in an altercation assuming it was empty handed and not badly outnumbered.

However, traditional methods (taking out the forms and other non-combat practices) have proved themselves in the battlefields with and without weapons for years in the military against deadly opponents - again referencing the USMC reference to TKD and the Army SF reference to HRD in the 60's and 70's - and earlier with combatives (judo, karate & gongfu) during WW2 & Korea.

Too bad the TMA guys in civillian schools don't integrate more modern training into their styles.

__________________
Love it, leave it or fix it.