[47MartialMan]

Originally Posted by Joemoplata

47MM,

You seem to be of the mind set that all Martial Arts programs should only focus on true self defense, as in lethal or crippling in it's intent. Any sport application is worthless and takes away from the realism. Yet I have shown numerous times where people trained in a given SPORT (BJJ, MMA, Thai Boxing, Wrestling) dominate Traditional Martial Artists in no rules fights. I mean, NO RULES. I have posted at least two videos on here of challenge matches by Kung Fu guys who claimed that with NO RULES they could win against MMA guys. Not one time, let me be very clear on this:

NOT ONE TIME DID THE TMA GUY WIN.

So to say that sport training for a given art has no vailidity for self defense has already been shown to be an invalid statement.

My point was simply that TKD has TOO MANY rules for sport competition, it's not practical for a striking art to only allow punching to the body and stil realize it's self defense capabilities.

Thats not my "mindset" at all.

Rules are set for safety and fairness.

So what if some is not allowed to punch to the face. This in liking that no one is allowed to strike the groin.

The creation/application of rules in given events, are to set a standard PER such event to minimize injury.

That said, since most who train in TKD, use kicking, and the art in sport form, is known primarily as a kicking art, it would seem to be quite clear, that punches to the face be ruled.

But a twist to this rule thinking, is that some people in such kicking arts, believe that the kick/legs are the most powerful and lethal. If this is the case, why allow kicking to the head?



The thing that ANY art or its practitioners have to realise, is that it also has to adapt outside of "rules"

TMAsts have to understand, that their own art was created to be the better out of combination for their particular era, at time of introduction. in other words, their own art was created from other arts and at the time of their creation, back then were new and not "traditional" itself.

To me, there is no such art as a "Tradition Martial Arts", as martial arts were created for such improved fighting, per their era.

Traditional Martial Artists, should come out of thinking that a "Traditional Martial Art" holds a higher level. In other words, just because something is old, doesnt make it better.