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AKF · 09-11-2002, 06:45 AM

I've only ever taken BJJ (never TKD or Karate or anything else), but I sometimes think that BJJ folks make themselves and our discipline sound stupid with there 'my art is better than yours' talk.

Everyone from disabled people to children to eighty year old seniors take martial arts. They don't do it to become good fighters or proficient at self defense. Very often, people take martial arts for fitness, fun and/or spirituality.

To these people, a black belt is a goal or destination. It is the committment to a desired outcome, and they are proud of it - I for one applaud them for it. Even if there black belt is based on the memorization of several forms and not much more, it likley took them 2 - 3 years of consistent effort to achieve it - these people don't neccessarily feel that they are capable of fighting in the street, to them martial arts don't represent that.

Another point very quickly... SO MANY BJJ practionaers carry on about self defense and being able to defend themselves in the street, but basic self defense is the ability to disable your attacker quickly, and then get away from the situation. It is not about working for a kimura or leg lock in the hopes that the would-be attacker will tap. I point this out only because in my experiences both in class and on the street, I have WITNESSED 'loud-mouth' BJJ students not be able to fight the way they think they would. Some BJJ students are GREAT street fighters and defend themselves very well during conflict, but just because you take an art doesn't make you a proficient fighter.

09-11-2002, 06:45 AM	#11 (permalink)
AKF Novice Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 50 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	I've only ever taken BJJ (never TKD or Karate or anything else), but I sometimes think that BJJ folks make themselves and our discipline sound stupid with there 'my art is better than yours' talk. Everyone from disabled people to children to eighty year old seniors take martial arts. They don't do it to become good fighters or proficient at self defense. Very often, people take martial arts for fitness, fun and/or spirituality. To these people, a black belt is a goal or destination. It is the committment to a desired outcome, and they are proud of it - I for one applaud them for it. Even if there black belt is based on the memorization of several forms and not much more, it likley took them 2 - 3 years of consistent effort to achieve it - these people don't neccessarily feel that they are capable of fighting in the street, to them martial arts don't represent that. Another point very quickly... SO MANY BJJ practionaers carry on about self defense and being able to defend themselves in the street, but basic self defense is the ability to disable your attacker quickly, and then get away from the situation. It is not about working for a kimura or leg lock in the hopes that the would-be attacker will tap. I point this out only because in my experiences both in class and on the street, I have WITNESSED 'loud-mouth' BJJ students not be able to fight the way they think they would. Some BJJ students are GREAT street fighters and defend themselves very well during conflict, but just because you take an art doesn't make you a proficient fighter. __________________ Respect the humble. Destroy the arrogant.