Style of the Week VII: Gatka

Gatka is a martial art originated by and still closely associated with the Sikhs. In my part of the world, Sikhs are little known or understood and frequently mistaken for Arab. Even those who are familiar with Sikhism as a religion are unfamiliar with their history. It turns out that the Sikhs are also a true warrior culture, and a fairly badass one at that.

Gatka is a weapon-based martial art, to the extent that it doesn't seem to have any unarmed component. There are numerous weapons including swords, daggers, staff (the lathi), spears, and battles axe (tabar). However, the most fundamental aspect of the art seems to be the panthra, a footwork form. Some of the sword movements are reminiscent of the Chinese broadsword, but the style itself is very distinct and rhythmic. Here's a video displaying sword and shield techniques:

Endurance Sports and Martial Arts

I really like this post at the blog Jonathan in the Distance. If you're in the rare intersection of martial artists and endurance athletes, it's a great read. This is the fifth post on the topic, so there's plenty there to read.

Why Did Boxing and Wrestling Evolve Differently?

I'm not nearly the historian of boxing and fighting in general that many fans of the sweet science seem to be. A question I've been trying to find an answer for recently is why boxing continued to be a more-or-less legitimate sporting competition while wresting became, well, the WWE. The simple answer is of course that amateur/Olympic wrestling is boring to watch while boxing can be exciting for the right match-up.

I'm not convinced of that though. First, people have proved to be willing to watch grappling in the context of MMA, and some forms of wrestling are major spectator events (think sumo). From what i've read professional wrestling was considered a legitimate fighting sport until around the 1920s, but was declining in popularity especially after the retirement of the legendary Frank Gotch. The answer to the decline seems to have been the rise of the theatrical style now honed to perfection in modern pro wrestling.

Even with the profusion of fight sport on TV these days it's hard to imagine a new professional wrestling organization that tries to have "real" matches, even if they incorporate judo and jiu jitsu techniques. Although some have argued that the popularity of MMA has increased peoples' awareness of pure boxing, I haven't seen evidence yet that this translates to more viewers for live and pay-per-view events.

Style of the Week VI: Gladiator Combat

OK, so this isn't so much a style as a category. The gladiators were among the first warriors trained exclusively for sport fighting, albeit of a particularly brutal nature. The word gladiator means "one who wields a sword", so not surprisingly the training of gladiators often involved sword training. But other weapons and methods were used, for example the type of gladiator known as a retarius used a trident and a net to capture opponents' weapons.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of information about exactly what the combat style of a typical gladiator might have looked like, but there is evidence that gladiators were often trained in set of choreographed routines and that they would fight according to these sometimes in gladiatorial contests. Some archaeologists have even suggested that gladiatorial events were a sort of ancient WWE-style spectacle, although it's clear that combatants did in fact sometimes die in these contests.

Gladiators were trained in schools called ludi, the best known being the ludus magnus that was connected directly to the Roman Colosseum. There were also schools in which combatants were trained specifically to fight animals. Gladiators were owned by men called lanista, who were sort of the Don King/Dana White equivalents of their time. Sources including Epictetus and Cicero indicate that gladiatorial training was also like modern fight training in the sense that it included conditioning and dietary restrictions.

True gladiatorial spectacles, called munera, are mercifully a thing of the past. But apparently, you can still engage in the training of the gladiator.

UFC 76

Wow. I was not only wrong, but had Jardine followed up on his knockdown of Liddell in the second round, i'd have been wrong in reverse.

It's kind of hard to believe that not long ago Randy Couture was retired, Liddell was thought unbeatable, and Pride was considered by many to have the superior fighters. The idea that any fighter can win on any given night is what gives MMA much of its appeal, but i'm not sure if fans are going to want a situation where there is no dominant fighter at any weight class.

Personally, i thought that both Tavares/Griffin and Sanchez/Fitch were excellent fights even if they went to decision. But Griffing/Rua and Liddell/Jardine were only interesting in the "what the hell is going on here" way. That's the Rua that KO'd Quinton Jackson and outpointed Nogueira? Very unimpressive. And Liddell was pathetic. When he raised his arms at the end of the fight I was actually embarrassed for him.

TUF 6

I'm already bored with TUF 6. Even Matt Serra can't sell the idea that there's some sort of legitimate feud between him and Hughes. It cracks me up when Serra says about Hughes "He thinks I got lucky". Got news for you Mr. Serra. Everyone thinks you got lucky.

Here is the one really interesting thing that i learned from Episode 1 of TUF 6: Mac Danzig is the world's most bad-ass vegan. I hope he wins on that basis alone.

UFC 76 Predictions

One of the good things about the UFC is that the good fighters get matched up (sometimes, still waiting on Emelianenko/Couture). The bad thing about that is it's pretty easy to lose a couple of fights in a row, which can be tough on a fighter's career. That could be the theme for the night at UFC 76 though. Clearly, somebody will have consecutive losses in the Liddell/Jardine fight since both are coming off losses, and i think it's entirely possible that Sanchez loses to Fitch. Although Griffin won his last fight, he's in a similar boat. He might withstand a loss since he's incredibly popular and everybody seems to acknowledge that his opponent is simply better than he this time, but this would be three losses in five fights.

My predictions: Liddell by KO, Rua by submission, Sanchez by controversial decision. Of course, the only thing harder to predict than the future is a future MMA fight.

The only really interesting undercard fight is the Thiago Tavares/Tyson Griffin match up, since there's some speculation that the winner could fight BJ Penn for the lightweight title left open by Sean Sherk's suspension.

Book Review: No Holds Barred Fighting-Submission Wrestling

A training partner recommended Mark Hatmaker's No Holds Barred series of books to me. I'm very skeptical of martial arts instruction books, because my personal experience is that most techniques have subtleties that require both the guidance of a good instructor and repeated practice with a live opponent at various levels of resistance. However, i decided to buy Hatmaker's Submission Wrestling book to see what value it might have.

The book is well produced, with quality paper and good photographs (black and white, but clear and well composed). The progression of the material from stances and drills to positions, takedowns, and takedown defense before proceeding to submissions is very good. It would have been easy for an author simply looking to exploit the current UFC-inspired interest in grappling to move straight into submission techniques, but clearly Hatmaker is a committed teacher.

The photographs are, in my opinion, adequate to illustrate the techniques. That was one of my biggest concerns prior to seeing the book, but i didn't find many cases where the transition from move to move was not clear (the Switch Step takedown defense being an exception for example). The text is also written clearly and generally augments the photos. There are some suggestions that I find interesting and will probably experiment with (for example, Hatmaker's recommendation to try to figure-4 the legs when you have your opponent in guard rather than just crossing the ankles).

On the other hand, my original concerns remain. I think this book serves an excellent reference for someone who already has some training in some submission art, but I'm not convinced that somebody without any previous experience could become proficient using just this book (plus willing training partners). So much of grappling is learning to sense when you have the opportunity for a particular submission, or switching positions to create opportunities. For example, the book illustrates well how to do a triangle choke and you could learn the basic technique by drilling what's in this book. But it won't teach you how to create the opportunity for that triangle, or what to do if your opponent tries to stack you or lift you.

If you're a relative newcomer to submission grappling (like me), I'd definitely recommend the book as a reference. You'll probably discover some submissions you don't know, and depending on the situation in which you're learning the chapters on takedowns and takedown defense might be new material. However, if you have no grappling experience, i'd still recommend finding a good instructor first.

Carano Submits Evinger

The build-up to the Gina Carano-Tonya Evinger fight had just about every cliche imaginable, from Evinger's line about wanting to "make out" with Carano, to discussions on Internet forums about Carano's lack of seriousness because she wasn't making weight. In the end, it turned out to be a pretty good fight though (several sights are hosting video of the entire fight). The fight was almost entirely on the ground and Carano ended it with a rear naked choke.

Evinger, a former wrestler, took Carano to the ground with ease, and it looked for most of the first round that she might end the fight there. It doesn't appear that Evinger's grappling skills are any match for her wrestling though. Eventually Carano reversed positions, and managed to get a rear naked choke. I think it's significant that such a high-profile fight ended on the ground, since many women's MMA bouts look essentially like kick-boxing matches. Evinger clearly needs to work on grappling defense (Sherdog says that all of her losses have been by submission), but this was a quality fight on the part of both women.

Style of the Week V: Glima

I was trying to find a martial arts style from the traditions of Western Europe. I expected to find information on various types of sword fighting, pugilism, and wrestling. However, I was a bit surprised to find Glima, a style of wrestling originating in Iceland (yes, you read that correctly).

Glima is an old art, dating at least to the 12 century. Points are scored when one of the participants is thrown to the ground, so the wrestling does not continue on the ground. The rules stress sportsmanship and fair play, and there's an odd dance-like quality to the initiation of a match. For example, check out this video from a Glima competition in 1932:




Glima is still practiced today, and seems to have retained much of its original character unlike other arts that have taken aspects from other systems. It's interesting to me that while arts involving striking, kicking, or weapon handling are widespread, wrestling arts seem to be almost universal among populations of human beings, no matter how isolated.

New Movie Based on Kung Fu TV Series

This is from a couple of months ago, but a news report says that producers are trying to make a movie based on the Kung Fu tv show from the 70s. I hope that they make an effort to cast a martial artist in the Kwai Chang Caine role. I like the series, but it's a tragedy that Bruce Lee was not cast in that role.

What Is Warrior Culture?

I came across an article recently in which the LAPD was criticized for having a "warrior culture". The term was used pejoratively to mean a subculture that considers itself separate from mainstream society and which will resort to violent means to assert control even if other means are available. In reality, I assume that all major police departments have a warrior mindset given that we provide them with a variety of tools clearly meant to do battle: guns, special vehicles, armor, etc.

The idea of a warrior culture could encompass everything from ancient Sparta, the nomads of the Eurasian steppes, the Samurai, various branches of the modern military, police departments, and probably even certain criminal organizations if the idea is stretched thin enough. The characteristics of the warrior culture seem to include

• There is a warrior caste that is clearly distinct from the rest of the society
• There is a code to which the warrior is expected to adhere
• The group takes precedence over the individual
• The warrior has tools or techniques that are not available to the general population, because of lack of expertise or legal restriction

Although the warrior code will often contain concepts of honor and morality, i would think that the idea of a warrior culture is morally neutral. However, the idea seems to be interpreted through a political lens. Conservatives seem to view warrior culture as a generally honorable and worthy thing, while liberals see a dangerous, use-violence-first mentality. Contrast for example, this essay at the military site BlackFive with this essay by Barbara Ehrenreich from Time magazine.

My personal view is that a warrior culture is not either a morally superior subset of society, or a cultural trait that emphasizes revenge, honor, and glory. Rather a warrior culture is a society or subculture that focuses on the practice and refinement of martial methods to achieve some end for that society. This might manifest itself in a nation that wants to aggressively expand its boundaries and resources, or it might result in an organization that is more cautious about the use of force than society in general. I think the latter is often true of the American military. Whether it's Iraq or Darfur or Bosnia, the educated warrior in the military usually understands the consequences of his or her actions better than the people calling on them to perform those actions.

The world of sport fighting and martial arts training can't really be considered a warrior culture even though a contribution is ostensibly made to the evolution of martial arts, because the focus is on the individual. I can't blame commentators when they describe a fighter, or even a football player, as a "warrior", but the other key distinction of a warrior culture is that of course its members often die, sometimes anonymously and without much reward.

Training Like a Warrior

I enjoyed this post at Pencak Silat Blogspot. I think it intelligently discusses one of the aspects of the martial arts that is sometimes hard to come to grips with, which is that while your training might provide enjoyment, exercise, and spiritual insight it also has to be done with a certain violent intent. My Sifu has said in the past that if you're not training with the idea of aggressiveness in mind, you might as well be playing basketball.

Pencak Silat Blogspot: 9/11

Style of the Week IV: Choy Li Fut

Choy Li Fut is a Chinese martial art derived from both Shaolin kung fu and styles of southern China. It was originated by Chan Heung, who gave the system its name in 1836. The name is a tribute to his three teachers. It is also incidentally the style i have trained in for the last five years.

Like many martial arts, the lineage of the style since Chan Heung has fragmented and diversified in the last couple of centuries, but regardless of the particular branch Choy Li Fut has retained certain distinctive characteristics. One is the set of circular "long-arm" strikes that are added to the normal repertoire of straight strikes. In practice, these can be incorporated into sparring at a range somewhat intermediate between boxing range and kicking range, and if you're careful with your footwork they can be surprisingly effective because of the unusual angles at which these strikes arrive. The second characteristic is the footwork. Though Choy Li Fut teaches fairly low, solid stances, the forms also emphasize quite a lot of angular movement and rapid advancement and retreat. In less stylized form, this footwork can also be applied to sparring as a way to transition to a throw, or to chamber a kick while appearing to retreat.

Choy Li Fut is a very comprehensive system, encompassing ground fighting, joint locking, sanda-style kickboxing, and a ridiculous number of forms, especially for traditional Chinese weapons. The school at which i train also teaches modern submission grappling, so it's a style that's evolving in some circles (our students and instructors participate in grappling and pankration tournaments). There's a lot of debate these days in the traditional martial arts world about the applicability of techniques, and that's especially true with CLF because it is a system with a heritage of combat. But it's also true that Choy Li Fut forms, done properly, look really cool. Here's a decent performance of a Choy Li Fut spear set:

UFC 75

I thought the Jackson-Henderson fight was excellent, though before the fight i would have picked Henderson to win. I was surprised at how comfortable Jackson was on the ground. Against Henderson, Jackson looked close to un-submittable. I hope we get to see him fight Rua again some day.

An interesting trend is that the more well-rounded the fighters in the UFC become, the more fights go to decision. I wonder how that will affect the popularity of MMA.

Mirko went from intimidating top-contender to irrelevant in two fights. That's got to be close to a record.

Women In MMA

On my personal blog I once wrote an entry about women who box and do other martial arts (in summary, i think that whether or not women fight is none of your damn business). At that time, there were quite a few high-profile female boxers (Laila Ali, Christy Martin, Lucia Rijker), but only a couple of women in MMA with any recognition at all. I think there is still significantly less support among men for the idea of women participating in MMA, but it's happening anyway. The premiere issue of Fight magazine not only has a profile on Gina Carano, but also lists her fight vs. Julie Kedzie at Elite XC in February as one of the "10 Fights That Made MMA".

I think that the resistance to women in fighting, especially MMA, comes more from the fighting fan base than from the fighters. Across the country there are plenty of gyms with women training, and plenty of willing trainers. In general, women who work hard and take the sport seriously are eventually treated with respect. There seems to be a fairly substantial base of female fans of sport fighting also, but i think the mainstream fan still tends to be young to middle-age males for whom being a fight spectator is some sort of manhood ritual in itself. Recently, when Dana White announced that it was hard for him to bring Fedor Emelianenko into the UFC because the mainstream fan didn't know who he was, i was surprised. But he may be right. The casual fan may want the fighters to just bleed. Apparently there's an audience for the so-called "tough man" competitions, which are ugly, unskilled brawls.

Of course, White himself is on the record as a non-fan of female fighting, and there's a significant percentage of educated fans who simply don't want to see women fight for whatever reason. One of the oft-stated reasons is because the women are less technically skilled or less physically gifted than their male counterparts. I'm not sure either is true. The depth of talent is certainly less, but one of the good things about sport fighting is that it matches up opponents of similar size. The skill evident in womens' boxing matches and even the kick-boxing style of something like the World Combat League has increased dramatically in recent years. I think this evolution will happen even faster in MMA, if only because grappling and wrestling are such technical sports.

Some percentage of fans, both sophisticated and otherwise, simply don't want to see women get beat up, even by other women. I can understand that. Men at least seem to be able to treat violence against other men more abstractly, so that a broken nose or a submission is simply part of the game. But as i said in my entry on boxing, i think the desire to fight is a human urge, not just a male urge. As the skill level elevates and the passion for competing becomes evident, i think male fans will get past that instinct.

Traditional Martial Arts

There's a scene in the 1980s movie Uncommon Valor where Randall "Tex" Cobb is fighting somebody (i think it's Patrick Swayze) and he says something like "don't try that Oriental martial bullshit on me". Then he proceeds to beat up his opponent using a couple of kicks to the body and head (Cobb was once a professional kickboxer). Those kicks look a lot like the kicks that are taught in traditional Asian martial arts.

I think of that scene whenever i hear arguments about the value of traditional martial arts. It's fairly clear to me that the term "traditional" doesn't mean what people think it means. For some people on Internet forums, traditional is just a term used in contrast to MMA styles. So Brazilian jiu-jitsu, even though it has its origins in the warrior tradition of the samurai is part of modern martial arts, while, say, Shaolin kung fu is a traditional art because the the gymnastic movements of wu shu, which was derived from kung fu in modern China, don't figure into cage fighting. I've even seen a comment on a video of an escrima demonstration stating that it looked more like real fighting than those Asian martial arts.

Martial arts have always been used to teach people to fight other human beings. Sparring and other forms of training against live individuals are traditional aspects of martial arts. In many cases the training has been applied in real combat situations, enough so that its practitioners have learned what works and doesn't work. As others have have noted more forcefully than i could, any place that doesn't provide training against live opponents is more of a fitness club than a martial arts school.

On the other hand, arguments over the relative effectiveness of various styles are still pretty ridiculous even in the UFC era. If i were to meet Randy Couture's evil twin in a dark alley, would i rather know karate, muy thai, or jiu jitsu? No, frankly i'd rather have a gun. All styles of human combat, whether hand-to-hand or stick-fighting or sword-fighting, are essentially pre-industrial relics. You've got to appreciate them for the art, and for the discipline, and for the transformation they can effect on a human being. The term kung fu means roughly "achievement through effort". In that spirit, one can admire a great martial artist just as one can admire a virtuoso musician or a skillful artisan, but that might still leave them unequal to a thug with a gun.

Arguments about, and research into, the most practical forms of combat are a part of the martial arts. Elements of the military continue to train in techniques of hand-to-hand combat, so it's certainly regarded as valuable even in modern warfare. But that doesn't mean that I won't get irritated when some half-trained doofus without the conditioning to last a 2-minute round disrespects traditional martial arts because he or she learned how to do an arm-bar on a cooperative training partner.

Style of the Week III: Arnis

The Filipino style of Eskrima is fairly well known, mostly because of Dan Inosanto and his connection to Bruce Lee. Depending on which history you read, Arnis (or arnis de mano) is either the same martial art as eskrima and kali, or it's a variant that comes primarily from the northern set of Philippine islands (Luzon).

Either way, Arnis is an art distinguished by the use of sticks and daggers as weapons. However, the modern version of the art also has joint-locking and submission techniques, particularly techniques that will disarm an opponent who has a stick or knife. There are a huge number of videos showing arnis demonstrations on YouTube. I thought this one showed a variety of interesting techniques:

Shaolin vs. Ninja

I'm not sure if this is supposed to be funny, but it is anyway:

http://africa.reuters.com/odd/news/usnPEK269328.html

I'm a bit skeptical of this story about how MMA techniques are making their way into street fighting (link from Fight Opinion). Although they're not very specific, they apparently are referring to ground fighting and submission arts. I suppose that somebody might be able to pick up the guillotine or rear choke without too much training, but my personal experience is that most of submission grappling and wrestling is fairly tough to learn, and the vast majority of people who practice it are not interested in being street bullies. I think most trained fighters also understand that street fighting, potentially against multiple opponents and/or weapons is a different world.