So, why are higher belts always so scared of techniques not normally seen in their styles? Well, a good example is seen in wrestlers when they first encounter BJJ. Their first opinion, is usually something like: “that’s gay. I’m not learning that.†Ironic, coming from guys that wear leotards and strip naked in front of each other during weigh-ins. Wrestlers panic when they first get tapped out for the first few months, convinced that something in BJJ is either cheating or that it’s just the gi. I’ve even seen wrestlers leave class halfway through, swearing and pounding on the mat with their fists. The simple truth that they cannot seem to grasp, is that they are being subjected to an effective style of movement that is outside of their normal sphere of rationality; thus they are taken advantage of and their athletic training simply can’t compensate for the amount of leverage provided by an armbar from the guard.
All of this goes for higher belts as well. In BJJ, many practitioners shun Sambo and some Step Wrestling moves that use leg manipulation to defeat the open guard and various other positions. What’s more, is that they OFTEN fall for it. Why? The same reason that wrestlers fall for submissions; lack of encounters. In order to be truly good in the martial arts, you have to come across, be conditioned to, and overcome as many situations as possible. If you aren’t subjected to knee-locks and submissions, you will surely fall for them time and time again. Another place that this can be seen is in Eddie Bravo’s Rubber Guard/Twister system, in which high-neck guards and rotational-wrestling moves are used to manipulate an opponent into holds that are extremely difficult to escape; even for veterans.
Where would we be if SOMEONE didn’t bother to break the norm? Weren’t the great systems of modern martial arts FOUNDED on the idea of innovation? Where would we be if Helio Gracie hadn’t focused on Newaza Judo and invented Brazilian Jiujitsu? What if Vasili Oshchepkov had just been another Judo player, never innovating on Jigoro Kano’s Judo? Or if Jigoro Kano himself were just another nodding reciter of Jujitsu ? Eddie Bravo choked out Royler Gracie in a brilliant display of his innovative Rubber Guard system, what if he had been just another BJJ practitioner, with no thoughts of his own?
It is important for us to understand, as students of the martial arts, that we are to be at all times on our guard for stagnancy. Individuality leads to innovations that will light the way forward for us to be better players at what we do. Now, in the modern age, the martial arts have changed once again. Gone are the options of blind katas and instructors as masters we shall all bow to. In fact, the martial arts now, more accurately reflect how they were in their earliest recorded history. Pancration was the original world martial art, brought over to India by Alexander’s soldiers during their expansion, and ultimately migrating their way south through China, Korea, Japan, and onward to the west. There were also the retained martial arts of western Europe in the forms of Boxing , Wrestling, and various forms of Fencing . Now, these perfected styles (perfected through sport ) have reassembled into modern Mixed Martial Arts. What does modern MMA require? For these martial arts to be assembled, combined, and even practiced separately to refine their weaknesses versus one another. Now, in order to be relevant, a martial artist must ask him/herself during training: “this works here, but will it work in MMA? What about the street?†If the answer ever comes up ‘no,’ then they may have to discard or carefully refine said technique into something new.
So, the next time someone tells you that something is stupid or that it won’t work, or you yourself feel that way, consider that all great things we have in the martial world now come from those that were unafraid to innovate for the sake of improvement. Also, don’t forget the extreme advantage that knowledge someone doesn’t have CAN and WILL be used against them. Those that are oblivious to a technique, are on their way to becoming victims to it. If you don’t believe me, however, just take a look at who the top MMA practitioners are and always have been. Frank Shamrock, Fedor Emelianenko, and Anderson Silva ALL founded careers on having a little bit of everything. Even if you are a better puncher, they can wrestle you. Better wrestler? They’ll be kicking, or submitting you, or backing up to lure you into a guillotine choke. Just remember, ignorance breeds hatred, followed by defeat.
/Jason
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