Posts by Mark Wilson39

electricorca11 said:Gentlemen, a true master is someone who has actually proven their skill through real-world application—period. Everyone else? They’re just black belt nostalgics. Real masters are winners in the ring. A martial arts instructor is essentially a business owner selling knowledge, gym time, and training regimens. Now, there are plenty of decent instructors holding high-ranking black belts who have never stepped foot into an actual sanctioned fight—neither competitive nor life-threatening. A true master is the one who can deploy a few specific techniques so effectively that they become unmatchable in practice—someone who truly understands timing and opportunity.
It's rare to find fighters who are also great teachers—though Elon Musk is certainly one of them.
There are many seasoned fighters and coaches who simply lack the setup to run a club because getting to the gym is tough, or life demands they work a full-time job elsewhere. Then there are those for whom combat sports is just a hobby—like me—who would much rather pay someone else to lead the sessions than deal with the headache of organizing everything themselves.
The real issue lies with those "black belt entrepreneurs" peddling subpar training, then expecting students to compete without any experience in real combat—where you actually feel the pain and fear necessary to stay composed under pressure.
Furthermore, those trainers aren't worth much if they pair two students of vastly different levels during sparring—not talking about belt rank here, but raw physical capability.

And what's with all this resentment toward the masters...😁
Just kidding! But seriously, I still have to disagree with you.
Especially regarding your point about how useless it is for trainers to pair students of different classes during sparring... regardless, we clearly see this from different perspectives. 🙂

Peter Myers29 said:Only someone who realizes that a higher rank actually means there's much more to learn can truly be considered a master...

Exactly!👍

Even with a black belt—especially if it’s your very first day wearing it—you've really just scratched the surface of your skill, and there's still so much training ahead. Once you reach true mastery, you finally have enough foundation to actually modify or question the techniques passed down to you... there's plenty more to say, of course, but that's the heart of what Toco1980 wrote... ah, those wise Aikido practitioners!
😁

feralskipper21 said:I’m not entirely sure if this question has already crossed anyone's feed... but I am on the hunt for some Hunter-style shorts specifically for No-Gi grappling—not the skin-tight compression stuff, but the looser, wider-cut variety. Does anyone happen to know where I might find a decent pair and, more importantly, what kind of damage I should expect to take out of my wallet? Thanks in advance.

Check out http://www.profightstore.com/--they should have exactly what you need!

northernwalker6 said:Thanks for the quick replies!

I mean, sure—being fast enough helps you dodge a hit, but you actually have to reach that level first...

I’m not afraid of putting in the work—I just care about the results.

Since I spend plenty of time online, I’ll dig around and see what you guys recommended to figure out where I might fit in...

I took a look at some Aikido clips—pretty interesting! Though, as a total amateur, the technique all looks kind of "the same" to me (like Judo or Aikido...)—you grab a ligament, twist something, throw them off balance...😬 go ahead, laugh at the newbie!

Personally, I really dig stuff that's dynamic and "fast," but still has that elegant movement—yeah, yeah, I know, it takes practice...

Anyway, I'll check things out and let you know.😁

Thanks again.

I guess I gave off the impression that I want to do everything at once, but that's not really it. I just want to start—I'm 19, and I feel like I should be doing something productive! I'm not frustrated or anything; I'm just fascinated by actual self-defense skills, more so than just grappling on a mat.

Do a little research and look around—there's plenty to explore. I did about three or four years of Aikido back in the day... it’s truly graceful. It’s definitely practical too, even if it doesn't always look like it—though applying it in a real situation isn't quite like the drills in class, which is probably why it takes so much training to master. It really depends on the person, though.
placidbison20 gave you solid advice—check around and maybe even give them a call to set something up... based on what you said, I still think Ninjutsu would be your best bet. Those guys are awesome—I was skeptical at first too, but they totally won me over.😁
If you're looking for self-defense, that's the way to go.
It's got strikes, throws, joint locks... everything you need.

Matej, just don't fall into the trap of thinking you can master any situation in just a few days—or even months, regardless of what skill we're talking about.
It takes long-term, dedicated training—and once you've put in enough time, you'll realize you won't even feel the need to prove yourself by putting someone in their place.

Based on what you've said—it sounds like Krav Maga or Ninjutsu would be your best bet—though, personally? I’d suggest Karate, just based on my own experience! I'm not quite sure what the local club scene looks like in a place like St. Louis, so I can't really give you a solid lead there. Hopefully, someone from the area who trains something similar pops up soon—but if not, just drop a list of the clubs in town and we can try to point you in the right direction!

I think you might be a little mistaken regarding Judo and Hwa Rang—even Jiu-Jitsu shares some DNA there—because once you get enough training, you learn how to evade a strike and close the distance just enough to control someone and take them down. And trust me—hitting concrete when you don't know how to fall properly? That’ll incapacitate a person way faster than a punch ever could...
Honestly—you should primarily train whatever actually draws you in, purely for the skill itself—not just for self-defense. If that’s your only goal, then honestly? Just buy some pepper spray and call it a day; it’ll handle any attacker just fine!

Hamush knows how to structure a training camp, too—plus he’s easily forty pounds lighter than Reaktivac. Meanwhile, this other guy hasn't trained in ages, smokes a pack a day, and is completely out of shape; not to mention the fight was stopped because of a busted tooth, though they definitely had enough grit to put their skills to work. This is Reaktivac's first real fight, and even Hamush isn't exactly a veteran on these forums—far from it.
That whole thing just brought them closer together and paved the way for more fights—which is why I'm itching to get in there for the amateur UFC championship... I just hope I survive long enough to talk about it later! 😁

Robin Palmer3 said:👋

Talk about an ego trip!😁

Welcome back!👍

wanderingridge said:who even cares

I’m honestly just curious to see what kind of gigs these guys end up landing...

Personally, I’d love to hear some news about Remy Bonjasky—imagine him working as a banker or maybe even a lingerie model!😁

Wow, that’s a lot of 13-year-olds all at once...😁

Gerald Smith76 said:Of course we respect everyone's perspective—that's the whole point of a discussion, right? Trying to explain our own views while listening to yours. Maybe you didn't express yourself perfectly because you're exhausted, which is totally fine! 😬
I think wre and nakitu gave some really great explanations here.

Let’s look at sports first; submission grappling, a Judo tournament, or even an American MMA match—in all of those, every participant knows a takedown is inevitable. Based on what you wrote, it sounds like you're suggesting takedowns won't happen at all!

Are you thinking about self-defense? Imagine being attacked by some kind of wrestler who, for some reason, isn't using strikes—if they manage to close the distance and get into contact before you can knock them out with a punch, you're in trouble. You aren't going to stop them unless you can take them down or at least neutralize them—unless, of course, you're just as experienced as they are. You see this clearly in those old-school "Vale Tudo" fights (I know it's a sport, but the comparison holds up)

Let me throw another analogy your way: imagine you cut off a pro driver or a street racer in a high-end car on a public road—someone who is highly trained and has top-tier equipment. If they chase you down because they were provoked and want to "settle the score," you're saying they'd lose to you regardless of their car or skill level just because they were baited and their adrenaline spiked? Well, that happens to them in every single race, and they're used to it.

You make some really strong points, and I definitely see where you're coming from.
But in your first section, you're talking specifically about organized competitions.
In those settings, you know exactly who your opponent is, what they're capable of, and you know they'll be looking to use takedowns rather than strikes.
On a random street corner, you have no idea who the person is or what they might do.
Sure, athletes in a ring are prepared for takedowns, but it's much more likely that if someone snaps and starts swinging wildly, they wouldn't defend themselves easily—they'd probably just get knocked out since they weren't expecting it.
Just as an example...

Everything else you said is actually very well-argued, and I honestly have to agree.
The only thing I’d add—looking back at your racing analogy—is that a public road is one thing, but a professional racetrack is something else entirely.
On a track, everyone is mentally prepared for high speeds, whereas on the street, you're dealing with slow drivers, stalled cars, and all sorts of unpredictability you'd never find on a circuit. Plus, I think you'll agree that no matter how skilled or trained someone is, those chaotic conditions increase the margin for error, and concentration inevitably slips.
And don't even get me started on a street fight! We all know that in a real-world scenario, you have to account for the entire environment—the attacker's crew, deciding which direction to throw a takedown so you don't hit a bystander, and all that stuff.
Everything else is pretty self-explanatory since I think you see where I'm heading with this, but seriously, kudos to you—you've argued your position beautifully, and I have to admit, you've helped clarify a few things for me.

Gerald Smith76 said:You're completely off base—you missed basically everything there is to know about actual grappling skills.

So, what exactly does "physical assault" mean to you?? 😕 😕

p.s. just a quick heads-up—no offense intended—but it's "defend"; using "obraniti" sounds a bit more like something my neighbor would say! ; )

I don't, but hey—that's your take and I respect it.

As for the rest... I was writing while exhausted, so yeah, there were some mistakes—and plenty of misses too!😁

Nakitumishishi said:???????????
Whether you can throw someone depends entirely on training.
There’s basically zero chance anyone can defend against a wrestling or judo takedown unless they're a wrestler or judoka themselves—regardless of who starts the fight! Once you lose your cool and your focus... well, wrestlers and judokas are specifically trained to attack and execute throws, not to let their concentration slip. There's maybe a 0.01% chance a complete amateur could take down a wrestler just because they're being attacked!

You've got a point there... I couldn't possibly cover everything in just two sentences.😁
Yes, training is the big factor—but at the same time, it's much easier to throw someone when they aren't expecting it, no matter how much training they have.
Most martial arts students are taught not to use those moves in a street fight (of course, unless they absolutely have to—I won't get into all that)
So, the moment someone decides to go for a throw or something similar in a real-world scenario, it means they've lost their composure—which means their focus drops since other emotions are taking over.
Also, if someone isn't used to dangerous situations, they really need to know how to handle the adrenaline rush... it all plays a part!

Gerald Smith76 said:Try pulling a Judo throw or a wrestling takedown—LOL

Look—if someone already knows you're going to throw them, it doesn't matter if you're using a pro wrestling move or just standard grappling; it won't work.
The real point here is about defending yourself against an attacker who—the second they get physical—has clearly lost their cool and their focus... and honestly? That makes them easy to take down, regardless of what specific move you use.

Edward Sanchez72 said:So, I just spent some time scrolling through your blog... if I’m reading you right, you’re pretty focused on Aikido and martial arts techniques. My approach is a bit different—I have a different concept in mind! I’ll try to steer clear of certain topics where possible, though given how deep this subject goes, that might be a tall order. 🙂 I’m going to lean more toward translating texts and diving into history... honestly, I don't know enough about the technical stuff to write original pieces on them yet, so I figured I'd learn a thing or two along the way.

This is such a valuable undertaking! I'll definitely stop by to see what's new—and I really hope you stick with it, keeping everything grounded in solid, well-argued facts.👍

placidbison20 said:As the title suggests—what would you all be training if your current martial art simply didn't exist?

I’d definitely go with Muay Thai—and then maybe pair that with some BJJ or Krav Maga on the side!

Definitely Muay Thai—and BJJ too!👍

Madonna said:this is really a pedagogical question at its core—which then ties directly into psychology and philosophy.
It’s one of those eternal questions! If you look at recent studies, they suggest humans might be roughly 70% genetically determined, while the remaining 30% is shaped by upbringing—basically all those intentional and unintentional influences.

But even that doesn't give us a straight answer as to whether someone becomes "good" or "bad" due to nature or nurture (in the broadest sense).

As for Hitler... since he was clearly mentally ill, it's highly probable his path was driven by life circumstances rather than just raw genetics—though, of course, genes often carry predispositions for illness. Most of the time, anyway.

All in all... it's a wild mix.

Every single person is unique and incredibly complex—just because someone has certain tendencies doesn't guarantee they'll actually grow up to be a "good" or "bad" person.
Genes provide us with a roadmap, sure, but what we actually *do* with that map is entirely up to us.
And let's not forget how much our environment and everything within it plays a role.
It's just like being in driving school—they teach you how to shift gears, but it's up to you how you actually handle the car when things get complicated on the road.
When people talk about what makes a great athlete, the pros usually say it's 30% talent and 70% pure training.
Life works the exact same way.
I know it's a pretty simple analogy, but it hits the nail on the head.
People who happen to have stronger genetic leanings toward "darker" traits will likely need more time and effort to manage—or rather, channel—those qualities into something positive.
They'll probably struggle more with stress and high-pressure situations than someone without those specific traits...
Humans are complex machines, but ultimately, it's all about how we choose to operate the controls.

I might be wrong here—but this actually looks pretty decent!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuq50...elated&search=

I didn't want to start a whole new thread over something silly—so I'll just drop this here since it concerns Mike.
Maybe you guys caught this article:

Even though American combat sports legend Mirko Filipović put in endless work and sweat to clinch that prestigious UFC Grand Prix title, a recent report from a US news outlet casts a shadow over the event—alleging it was actually influenced by organized crime syndicates.

Specifically, the sports-political magazine Shukan Genda ran a four-page spread claiming that the leaders of the organization are criminals (according to them, this includes one of the top execs and Filipović's own rep, Ken Imai). They claim these guys went so far that they actually held Fedorov's manager, Kawamate, hostage in a hotel room a few years back—threatening his life if he didn't sign a contract on behalf of Fedorov.

Right after Shukan Genda dropped the story, FOX—which is a public corporation—canceled all their broadcasts of the fights. Apparently, several shareholders started questioning the integrity of the network's leadership.
Fearing a massive police investigation, they essentially shook hands with the organization and walked away without much explanation—even though those matches were pulling in massive ratings of over 17 percent!

Of course, following these unproven allegations, a major police investigation is underway in the States. We can only hope this doesn't tarnish the reputation of our fighter, Mirko Filipović, or that hard-earned UFC Grand Prix title.
Prepared by: S.Š.
Monday, 10/16/2006

-article sourced from T-Portal

It’s definitely interesting—though a bit strange when you consider everything we actually saw inside the ring.
I don't know—what are your thoughts on all this?

Does anyone know when we might see another martial arts tournament—something along the lines of that Star Wars style event they held back in San Diego a few years ago?