Matt Thornton

[bjjboulder]

I have been following the teachings of this guy ever since I got out of JKD. The guy is incredible...he is the only guy that is really out there spreading the gospel and educating the JKD idiots that abound everywhere!

His philosophies bring me peace of mind and reassurance of my BJJ training.

In my opinion, if JKD is a legitimate recognized thing anymore..then Matt is the absolute top dog.

I will pose some of the questions posed to Matt by readers and his answers up on here and see what you guys think.

For all his stuff..go see him at straightblastgym.com I would recommend his teachings to ANYONE who thinks that they are the real deal...Chances are any of you that are training at a legit bjj school are for real and in Matt's opinion, you are doing JKD..how does that strike you?

[Twisted up]

Amen!

[bjjboulder]

time to pose those ?'s

How many of you train in the filipino martial arts?

If yes...do you consider it a worthwhile investment of time?

If yes...how much time do you allocate to it in say a week?


Lastly...do you grasp aliveness?

[Twisted up]

We train stick and knife somewhat. What we do is Dog-Brothers type training, which hurts.

We don't really do it a great deal. Most of what we do is empty-hand stuff. I just don't carry around a knife or stick everywhere I go. That borders on paranoia.

Another thing, it's better to train empty-hand against the blade or stick. If you're ever attacked by a pro, you're not going to have time to "get your blade out" or find an "equalizer". Hell, it's better just to run (and as Richard Pryor said, "Teach your old lady to run to!!!! lol)

It's unrealistic to think that you're going to be involved in a "knife vs. knife confrontation. Not to say it can't happen but, that's mostly movie stuff. As I said, a pro will never give you the opportunity to draw your weapon.


.....and (by the way), everything we do is "alive" (or we're wasting time)

[bjjboulder]

tell me about the bros

Twisted up,
sounds good. When ever people come into our academy talking alot of hype about their EXTENSIVE training in the filipino arts...I simply use the phrase--"Tell me about the dog bros" and that separates the grain from the chaff pretty quick. Most times I get adumb look.

I posed that question to possibly rub some people the wrong way and entice them into a debate in that I might share a little truth. But you seem like you do grasp the aliveness idea..at least so far.---Dog Bros. training is cool...

I think the world of the dog bros! Those guys are the truest "complete" martial artists. As you probably know, their curriculum is like 1/2 bjj. In their own words..."its not a stickfight, its a fight that starts with sticks." Weapons training is a touchy issue with me...I see it as a dead end road(mostly with knife), but if there was a guy who was dead set on weapons training I would turn him in the direction of the dog bros.

On empty hand vs. the blade, I'd be REAL careful, the best lesson you can bring home from training that scenario is that you never want to go there!

As far as I am concerned..THERE IS NO EMPTY HAND DEFENSE AGAINST A KNIFE.

Sticks are different..they don't fillet you from just a touch.

Overall..sounds real good, (not that I am some high and mighty sifu who is in a position of authority to critique you) ...but in my own humble opinion. your stuff sound good. I would like to hear what else you dabble in...thanks for the interest

[Twisted up]

What we do is pretty much patterned after the SBG philosophy. We were headed that way anyway but, seeing what their core philosophies were, was like having an epiphany! I was like, "ah HA!"--I knew that there were others who felt the same way with regard to fighting! I'd just never heard anyone put it so succinctly! I don't mind that not everyone is "on the same page" with the SBG. Everyone trains for different reasons. As for me though, I could never imagine doing anything else (opposed to aliveness) ever again.

At our gym, we train the 3 ranges, specifically doing; muay Thai, savate, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, BJJ, and to some extent as I mentioned, stick and knife.

I've been training for some time and to be honest, I'm just not as concerned about the self-defense issue as I once was. I just enjoy the competitive nature of "aliveness". I feel (like Luis Gutierez does) that, self-defense is a "by-product" of one's training.

What we'll do is, develop a base in combat sport (having game in all ranges), and, put in the "foul" tactics to simulate a street encounter. You can work any scenario you desire in this manner from; empty-hand vs. emtpy-hand, empty-hand vs. stick, etc., etc..

Matt Thornton certainly awakened us. The old saying of, "Once the mind has been expanded, it can never shrink back" certainly applies here.

[Bruce_Fan]

questions regarding Matt

Hi all,

I have been the SBG website.
My question is what is Matt's background?

I know that he calls what he teaches as sort of what True JKD was meant to be.
Does anyone know if he ever studied under any JKD teacher?

I get the part about aliveness and practicing with a partner, but I can't figure out what he is against doing drill to improve oneself.

Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks

[Twisted up]

Matt's background is rooted in Jun Fan/JKD. He was "brought up" just like any other JKD guy. I believe that he was an Inosanto guy at one time (could be wrong about that) and, trained with Vunak. Along the way, he realized that there were certain inconsistencies. Such as trapping in the traditional sense of the word. He basically found that none of those complex traps worked whenever the partner wasn't "cooperating" (sparring, etc.)

When the Straight Blast Gym started, it was another JKD concepts school. Over time however, the program began to evolve. This is because these guys were ONLY interested in discovering the "truth in combat". This meant, these guys actually FOUGHT each other--all the time. There was no "cooperation" with each other. Whatever they were training in HAD TO WORK or it was discarded! As Matt has said, it wasn't "FEEL GOOD" martial arts.

Another thing, they didn't just "reject" a philosopy, or technique because they "didn't agree with it". What has become the curriculum of the SBG is there because, it has PROVEN itself against uncooperative opponents.

I didn't understand the last part of your question btw

Check this out: Curriculum

[bjjboulder]

The drills that matt is speaking of,..just like everything else he does, are drills that are not alive. Ie...hubud, palasut, lop sao,

etc.. etc.. However..Matt is not against drilling at all. He just doesn't see the merit in-As twisted up said-"feel good martial arts". Basically you sit there doing hubud and you and your partner take turns taking cool traps and locks out of the flow and then patting each other on the back about how good you looked at the end.

Instead, try an alive drill like pummeling, or active guard passing, etc..etc..

Its different because its real.

[Twisted up]

bjjboulder: You certainly seem to have a "solid grasp" of aliveness...

It's good to see that the word is spreading and being understood. It can be frustrating when you feel like a minority in relation to the aliveness concept!

Where are you located?

[bjjboulder]

Thanks for saying so twisted...I used to be a hardcore JKD guy, but eventually found BJJ to better fit my personal needs and lifestyle. I am located in Boulder Colorado and train at Amal Easton's BJJ Boulder Academy.

[Bruce_Fan]

drills

Thanks BJJBoulder And twisted Up.

I read the 3 part interview on Matt's website where he is very critical of some JKD people.

What I didn't understand is why he is against patterns to help improve speed, power, agility etc.

I am thinking about sending him an email and asking him about it.
(Don't know if he'll answer, but it's worth a try.)

I mean it seems as if though he is against practicing in any situation where a live-partner is not involved.
Perhaps, I've misunderstood him.

But in ALL SPORTS, people practice to gear up for competition.
Basketball players practice shooting, dribbling etc,
Footbal players practice throwing, catching, and many other things.
Martial Artists may practice patterns, punching/kicking bags, hitting wooden dummies, etc.

--------
Some of his other concepts I agree with a lot. They seem to be true JKD principals.
After all, we "Must absorb what is useful and discard what is useless."

If a certain trap, kick, whatever does not work against your sparring partner, then dump it.

That could not be more JKD!
I fail to see what people would balk at that.

I think everyone should remember what Bruce said:

“Truth is a pathless road. It is total expression that has no before or after. Similarly JKD is not an organized institution that one can be a member of. Either you understand it or you don’t, and that is that.”

“True observation begins when devoid of set patterns, and freedom of expression occurs when one is beyond systems.”


---------
take care

[Twisted up]

He WILL answer your email!! If he is in town (which he should be as he's gearing up for the SBG Fall camp) expect a reply very shortly.

Since I cannot answer for Matt, I won't attempt to do so. From my brief communications with him, he comes off as a VERY down to earth and friendly individual. He'll answer any questions that you may have.

[Evilution]

Bruce fan, of course sportsmen practice in patterns. I think Thornton's problem is with "dead" patterns. Like throwing punches in the air in a preset order, or other drills that will not translate to a real fight. You never see a football player pretending to throw a ball for practice. You never see a basketball player pretend to dribble, or practice stealing the ball in a preset pattern with a cooperative opponent.

When you do a drill you need to ask yourself, is this how I'm going to be moving in a real fight? Will this work against someone bigger, stronger,pissed off, and well trained who doesn't want me to do it to him? Drills are ok but they MUST TRANSLATE TO A REAL FIGHT!

[Twisted up]

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.