All told, there was a time when I wasn't familiar with Matt Thornton or the SBG. I was involved in your typical martial arts training, which for me, consisted of some standard karate training at my local park and recreation center.
Does that give you a good visual? Let me say that, that didn't last all that long. Why? Because I knew in my heart that it was BULLSHIT! I knew that if you wanted to learn to fight, that there MUST be some fighting (real fighting) going on.
That was 15 years ago. Gradually I was able to find better places to train (not at the same places though). I'd go to a boxing gym, work out with my cousins who all wrestled, etc.. I began to see how you could piece those things together.
After I "discovered" Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I was amazed! I saw some elements of pure "truth" within that art.
Later after "discovering" Matt Thornton, I realized that I wasn't the only person thinking that training to fight meant actually fighting!
The Straight Blast Gym isn't about "dogma" or any other kind of political bullshit. It's about fighting. They don't care what "area of the world" your style came from--it just has to work. If it doesn't, you'll find out! That's called, discovering the "truth in combat".
It's hard to hold fault with those guys. If it's learning to fight that you want, you'll find it within their philosophies. If it's something other than that, well, look elsewhere. |