Big Rick Rock said:
Randy Couture started with SBGi. Here is a quote:
"The training at the Straight Blast Gym has been instrumental in my preparation for reality fighting in the UFC. Matt's expertise in stand-up, and ground fighting techniques has helped me win the Ultimate Fighting Championships. There is no rest for the best!" - Randy Couture (UFC 13, 14, & 16 champion)
Funny that you say SBGi has never produced a champion... Thats the same thing I say about every Chinese Martial Art ever practiced. They have never produced a champion in any MMA league I'm aware of.
Hey... Wasn't Matt Thorton the one who stood infront of your face and told you that CMAs have contributed "NOTHING" to the world of MMA or somethign like that? I think I remember you saying something to that effect... I could be wrong.
-BRR
Forrest Griffin was also from SBG.
I like SBG because articles like this:
http://sfuk.tripod.com/articles_02/thorntonforms.html
Which I can't help, but nod at
Unfortunately the MA school I attend does not always use aliveness (which you define so well in your videos and web site) as it's guiding principal. People will often defend training methods were aliveness is not a factor. During a discussion about training methods someone said to me "What about boxers hitting the heavy bag, and speed bag there is no aliveness there, So hitting the bags is a waist of time huh. Hitting the speed bag doesn't look anything like fighting so that must be a waste of time too huh.." I replied that the heavy bag was good for things like body mechanics, and could be a great work out in itself. The only response was "well if there's no aliveness how can it be any good, huh..." Anyway just wondering if you had ever fielded a comment like this?
You are correct. People will defend their beliefs because they are feeling defensive. This usually has to do with personal identification with the method. And so the best thing you can do there is simply speak your truth, (never be afraid to do that!), smile, and walk on.
In regards a heavybag, you can make heavybag training more realistic. . . . by moving around, and not using repeated patterns like a robot. However, there are many things we may do that improve are bodies that are not "Alive". Its just that all of those things fall under the category of conditioning/excercise. Lifting weights is not Alive, but it will have a direct impact on your body.
Aliveness comes in is when you include a partner. BJJ is a great example. You could roll around with a stuffed dummy on the mat, and practice knee ride, punches, etc. This would be very similar to a boxer hitting the heavybag. However, if you never, or rarely wrestle "live" against a resisting opponent, you will never be able to compete or reach the performance level of even a beginer blue belt.
You must have Aliveness, its as simple as that, thats where timing and abililty come from. As it is in BJJ it is in stand up, and clinch.
But you can't teach beginners that way. How can you teach a whole seminar full of people that way. It would look chaotic?
Simply not true. I teach seminars all over the world without the aid of dead patterns. I teach stick, ground, clinch, stand up, whatever, without ever busting into a pattern. All the while people learn quickly, have fun, laugh, and stay injury free.
What about the idea that these dead pattern drills are for self perfection?
That is usually the last excuse for poor training methods that gets put out there. The thing to ask here is what is meant by the term "self perfection"? If that term is left undescribed, then the idea itself is absolutely meaningless. So it is important to ask for a description on this.
Once a description is given, ask yourself if an Alive training method would serve that description just as well, or in reality. . .much better. You will find this is always the case.
Remember, for something to be used for 'self improvement' it must first be true, real, authentic.
If you are looking for real methods of "self perfection" then you will find them in Alive training, in athletics. As the late, great Joseph Campbell stated, "the only peak experiences I have realized have come as a result of athletics."
But don't they thrown all the 'self perfection' or 'spiritual side' away when they train only Alive?
This is backwards, in reality the opposite is true. And there is much writing regarding how functional athletic training can have serve as a deep and meaningful vehicle for self actualization, and realization.
But people like the goofy stuff?
I disagree.
Let me give you a concrete example. Often I hear from Instructors that state that some students 'want' that 'stuff'. I have taught seminars before where the host begged me to show some 'trapping' because the students would love it, and I was told that the group that I was teaching to, (as non athletic a group as you could find) would not respond to my approach. Anyone who knows me knows I don't I don't compromise on this, ever. So. . . I showed no hand trapping, or one and two step sparring. I taught as I always teach, and the students. . . . . .loved it. They said to the Instructor. . ."whydidn't you show us this approach before?"
That has been my experience all over the world.
But, would I have had the muscle memory or coordination with/without the drill?
What would you say if I threw a right cross in sparring, after being taught reverse punches and Karate blocks. And then when it was pointed out to me that my cross didn't look anything like my reverse punches and karate blocks I stated,
"True, but would I have had the muscle memory or coordination with/without the drill? Personally, I don't think so."
It just makes no sense.
http://aliveness101.blogspot.com/
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