What if martial arts didn't exist?

Just like the title suggests, what would you guys train if your current martial art simply didn't exist?

I’d definitely go with Muay Thai, and maybe pick up some BJJ or Krav Maga on the side.

Judo

I don't know, depends on what actually catches my eye... I’ve always been drawn to Ninjutsu, mostly because it feels pretty close to what I’m already working on myself.

UF or boxing vs. Krav Maga? Which one's better?

God, my gym routine was getting so damn boring... I was actually starting to loathe stepping foot in there, so I figured I’d give Ninjutsu a shot since it isn't just mindless lifting. Now? I'm hooked. I wouldn't go back to that old gym even if my life depended on it! If I hadn't had much more important things going on in my life, I probably would've been a wrestler. Started training, put in two years, and then just had to stop...

Since I'm currently feeling pretty restless regarding Aikido, maybe something somewhat similar... say... basketball. 🙂

Kendo or Iaido.

wrestling.

Hey, JJ—it’s mostly UF for me!

...high-quality Krav Maga, some pure Arnis or Pekiti Tirsia (that’s actually my biggest goal), or just cross-training Jiu-Jitsu with some striking like Muay Thai, which is probably what I'll end up doing given where we are

That’s a tough one... 🤔 especially since I’ve dabbled in a few different disciplines that aren't my primary focus 😉... but if I had to pick, I'd say Muay Thai—as a pure art form. Since this is all hypothetical anyway, let's go with traditional Muay Thai in Thailand... 🥳

Oh man, right... Arnis. Or Sinawali, actually. How could I have let that slip my mind? That stuff absolutely rules.

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!👍

It looks like Muay Thai is ranking pretty high right now.
Especially when you pair it up with wrestling, judo, or BJJ.

And honestly, it’s no surprise. It’s an incredibly interesting and brutal skill to master.🙂

placidbison20 said:I’m noticing Muay Thai is really blowing up right now.
Especially when you pair it with wrestling, Judo, or BJJ.

And honestly, it’s no surprise. It’s an incredibly fascinating and brutal art form. 🙂

It’s not just happening on this forum, either. My gym is constantly seeing new faces walk through the door. If the coaches actually cared about turning the place into a real business, they could make a killing, but they don't want to. The whole club runs strictly on pure passion and a love for Muay Thai. Membership fees barely cover the rent and the occasional upgrade for new gear.
The popularity of Muay Thai and American combat sports is skyrocketing. Mirko deserves a lot of credit for that—his fights on TV draw massive crowds, and people are getting hooked on UF and all the other fighting disciplines under the UF umbrella.
It’s a total trend. Just imagine if we had JKD clubs back when the Dragon's Nest era and those Bruce Lee movies were huge; those places would have been packed.
Karate Kid definitely sent kids running to local karate studios. I can't remember if any Ninjutsu schools thrived during the American Ninja craze, but I know every kid back then was obsessed with becoming a ninja.

You're spot on about why it's so popular.
I've trained in Muay Thai myself, so I know exactly what I'm talking about when I say it's incredible.

If these skills didn't exist... I honestly wouldn't know what to do. I've been weighing my options quite a bit lately. Wing Chun has definitely caught my eye more than most, though I've also given some serious thought to things like Judo and similar styles. At the end of the day, it feels like finding the right gym is actually the most critical part of the equation. I'd love to dive into as many different disciplines and sports as possible, but realistically, that’s just not on the table given how little time, opportunity, and energy I have to spare...

400m sprints

Kyokushin and judo. They’re probably the closest things to what I actually do, so there you go...

I’d probably give Bai He a shot if Wing Chun wasn't an option. From what I can tell, Wing Chun basically stems from Bai He anyway.

Peter Myers29 said:Judo

... or perhaps even Iaido or Kenjutsu. 🤔