How far removed?

Folks,







I have a simple question: How far removed from a real street scenario is your training? Now, before we get started I am not the Jim Wagner (Black Belt magazine columnist) type who think that most of what we learn in traditional martial arts is nonsense. But like I always tell you, I like to keep it real.





This particular rant is most directed at sports bjj enthusiasts. I hear them all of the time talking about how they train realistically and with a resisting opponent. But, 80% of the bjj clubs I have seen do not include strikes,throws or practices with just the street basics. Now I know that folks can dispute what I am saying right away. But out of the rest of those schools, most also teach MMA classes to round out the curriculum. I would like to make an honorable mention to the 2 schools that I KNOW are exceptions to the rule. The Gracie Academy in Torrance is still real big on the self-defense aspects of BJJ. I personally have several issues with how the academy is run, but I can acknowledge that they keep it real. The second mention goes to the Relson Gracie Academy in Hawaii. Without fail, everyone what I know who trains there speaks on how street-oriented his jiu-jiutsu is. Big love to them.



Now, for the rest of them, here comes the rant. I personally feel, that there is WAY too much nonsense in the training these days. I hear more about the X- guard and Spider Guard sweeps than I do about solid basics, and submission hunting. Apparently Helio Gracie feels the same way. Much like Jigoro Kano said before he died," This is not the art that I created." Now, I can agree that most grappling arts do a lot more" live training" than do most modern traditonal martial arts schools. But that does not make up for the fact that the basics are being largely ignored. I have found that there is a LOT more ego in bjj schools than in most. Getting tapped out in training does NOT mean much at all. According to most good instructors, that is how you learn best. But some folks act like they just lost the deed to their house if they cannot pull off that cool new sweep or whatever.



I think that people have taken their eyes off of the prize in bjj schools. Do you remember the Gracie is Action videos? Most of fights ended with the Gracie fighter mounted. That seems to somehow have been lost on most people. They seem to be content with the guard techniques that largely involve gripping the sleeves and exposing the face. If I am wrong, somebody school me. I am all ears.