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On streetfighting and competitive sparring

1. My point about the type of streetfight is not, would you kill an opponent, but to say that there's different kinds of streetfights. If a 15 year old jumps on you, you will not fight him like you will fight a grown man. If your SON wants to fight you, you will not fight him like you are going to fight a person who is home invasion robbery. If you are fighting your brother-in-law, this fight is not like fighting the punk who wants your wallet. In every fight you have rules. Not every fight is a fight to the death. Just like not every fight is a full-contact fight (doesn't matter if its a streetfight or competition). If you have a knife, you are not even going to fight every opponent the same way. These, like tournaments are rules. Either you can fight or you can't. So, the more experience you get, the better for you.

You know, martial artists like to say "I am only training for streetfighting". Oh yeah? How? By fighting in the street? Or by hitting targets? Or maybe by doing drills? Any kind of fighting you do, no matter if its in the street, in the school, or in a tournament, improves some part of your ability. Even a point fight will develop your speed and distancing.

2. Many people train with no fear at all. Mostly because, they take too much control over his own training with this "make your own path" garbage. So, when a martial arts student has training with avoiding the things he is afraid of, he ends up doing things like, self-promoting, changing organizations like underwear, passing the schools to study by seminar, and making excuses so he doesn't have to go to competition. Shit theres even some people who will not ever spar because "its not realistic enough"! A martial artist must face his fears, conquer them, and become convinced that no one can hurt him, if he ever wants to be able to be fearless on the street.

3. There is a BIG truth to this BJJ saying. Many of us are unbeaten, because we never fought in a fight. Some of us "train for" fighting two or three men, but they will never attempt it in a strong match. Guarantee the guy who is afraid to fight ONE guy LIGHT CONTACT, has no chance of becoming successful in a fight vs 3.

4. Tournament fighters know the difference between real fighting and competition. But excuse my rudeness for saying, that, they have a better idea how to fight, than the seminar junkie who spends his time hitting focus mitts and slapping hands. Tournaments is nothing more than a simulated fight. No way around it, you have to have it. Sparring with classmates is good, but sparring with strangers is better. People think that competition fighters will try the blitz backfist on the street. But the thing is, he will have a faster right cross than what most of us on this list have ever saw. I tell my students, beat the point fighter at his game before you put him down, cause remember just like you can hit the groin and punch full power, so can he. But the difference is, you been hitting bags and mitts, he been chasing opponents and landing on them.

Tournament fighters have an advantage over non-competitors, because they have the skill of motion and timing. There is only one way to get it, and you won't get it in a seminar, I dont care if Bruce Lee taught it himself. We know the weakness of tournament fighting. Now, to my eskrima brothers, what are you doing that is BETTER than fighting matches, that prepares you for fighting?

Written by Maurice Gatdula on 24 June 2007. Maurice is based in Sacramento, California and teaches four styles: Jow Ga of the late Master Dean Chin, Gatdula Kuntaw of his grandfather Yun Gatdula, Gatdula Fighting Eskrima and Southeast Asian rule kickboxing. For more info please see www.typhoonma.com

10 June 2008, Tuesday

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