The Truth in Combat is a martial philosophy and concept. This truth mindset is crucial because most people only think about their personal reality and experience and not truth.
The word reality is being used all the time now in martial arts and combat but most people only have a partial understanding or a perception of what is really true.
When mixed martial arts (MMA) events first started in the U.S. many spectators including myself thought that the striker would just knock-out the grappler and not be taken down and submitted. Well this was not a true assumption.
The reality was that in the close quarter closed cage/padded ring environment the grappler had the advantage. This advantage was due to the fact that the striker had a false mindset, underestimated their opponent’s abilities and were unprepared for the strategy of the grappler. Improper conditioning also played a major factor also.
Fast forward to today’s MMA competitions and we see that striking is the most common way to defeat your opponent or that striking is used to set up a takedown for ground-in-pound or submission. It’s the integration or mixing of these styles that make for a true mixed martial artist.
The truth is that only a mixed martial artist (someone who knows striking, grappling, conditioning, fight strategy and has a finishing mindset) can prevail in today’s events. Cross-training and mixed martial arts have been around for thousands of years. The Greek Pankration events from the early Olympics and Greco-Roman is a great example of blending cultures and fighting styles. Russian Sambo and Systema are also hybrid systems taken from European and Asian cultures and modernized for today’s sport and military combat needs.
What is the difference between reality and truth?
Reality is truth and truth is reality, but reality is subjective and truth is absolute. We can have a perceived reality of something but this does not make it true. We can also believe that something is true but in reality it is a false belief.
“And isn’t it a bad thing to be deceived about the truth, and a good thing to know what the truth is? For I assume that by knowing the truth you mean knowing things as they really are.” (Plato)
Definitions of truth: (Dictionary.com)
A. Actuality or actual existence
B. Conformity with fact or reality
C. That which is considered to be the supreme reality and to have the ultimate meaning and value of existence.
Definitions of reality: (Dictionary.com)
A. Resemblance to what is real
B. Something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.
C. The state or quality of being real.
Combative truth:
Following are a few examples of how people’s realities can be self deceived.
A. Most people when asked, think they are good looking and attractive.
B. Most people believe they can sing well. (If you don’t believe me, just watch the first few episodes of American Idol).
C. Most people believe they have lots of friends but the truth is, when you are really in trouble and need help there will only be one or two people that you can truly count on. This is where the term “true friend” comes from.
D. Most people lie to themselves and don’t want to know the truth.
E. When people are asked to give their eye witness testimony about what they saw many times the reports conflict with what actually happened.
Reality is subjective:
Some people argue that what you believe is real, is real for you. This is perceived reality or false reality, but that does not mean that it is actually true.
Truth is based on facts, evidence and collaborating witnesses but reality many times is based upon perceptions, false beliefs and traditions. Many times people believe something to be true but after they gather more information or practical experience they come to the realization that what was real to them was actually false.
Summary:
There are many misconceptions in the martial arts world today and we must be clear about what our objective for training and study is based upon. If we are studying a sport based MMA or traditional sport based art like Tae Kwoon Do then we must understand that our training is for the cage, dojo or arena and this is fine but let’s not deceive ourselves and believe that our Kickboxing or grappling will be effective against multiple attackers or a weapons attack.
Just like the striker against the grappler we must not under estimate our opponent or over estimate our training and abilities. A Karate practitioner or full contact boxer who does not condition their hands against impact or who only spars with protective gear will be in for a rude awakening when they hit with maximum power and break their hand against an attacker’s skull. Or when an experienced wrestler or Ju jitsu man goes to the ground and gets stabbed in the gut or head kicked by a bystander or accomplice.
The solution:
We need to base our training on what is true and real and not let false information such as advertising, the movies, certain so-called experts who recommend submission ground fighting for the street or sports competitions that make us believe otherwise.
Bruce Lee said it this way;
“If you want to understand the truth in martial arts, to see
any fight clearly, you must throw away the notion of
styles or schools, prejudices, likes and dislikes, and so
forth. Then, your mind will cease all conflict and come to
rest. In this silence, you will see totally and freshly.”
– Bruce Lee
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Awesome Post and great points. Martial arts is for survival and not collecting trophies. Paul Vunak is awesome teacher and is very knowledgeable about street survival. i highly recommend his products