Sport Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu vs. Self-Defense pt. 1

A common debate in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community is one that questions the self-defense value of most BJJ training.  The self-defense proponents decry the current state of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu claiming it is too sportive and that many of the techniques used are not applicable to either MMA or to “the street”. 

The critics range in the extremity of their position:  Some just say that basic self-defense (i.e.  specific movements to counter bear-hugs, hair pulls, headlocks, etc.)  should be taught more in most Jiu Jitsu programs.  The moderate group usually criticizes an advanced sport technique along the lines of “the spider-guard wouldnt’ work on the street” (and by implication should not be taught/trained).  The most extreme group would go so far as to criticize core jiu-jitsu movements (“triangle wouldnt’ work on the street because someone could slam you”). 

Romulo Barral and Xande Ribeiro: Unprepared for “the Street?”

Ryan Hall, BJJ Brown Belt and Purple Belt No-Gi Worlds and Mundial Champion, presents the opposing argument…   

 
The whole idea that training “self defense” BJJ is somehow superior to training for sport is ridiculous.  If you are constantly training to win sportive competitions, you will be practicing to beat strong, conditioned, determined people who have a comparable level of skill to your own.  If you are able to beat this person, slapping around some fool with an attitude problem is not that much of a struggle. 

Let’s look at this objectively for a moment:

I’m not claiming that there is no difference between street and sport, because that would be ridiculous.  However, from a physical standpoint, bjj, mma, boxing, wrestling, etc. offer the best, most realistic ways to train for a confrontation that are readily available.

People who doubt what a good sport competitor would do to people in a street fight (provided they don’t get suckered or try to fight a bunch of people at once) most likely have never trained with or competed against one.  I’m pretty sure that if Rick Macauley can heel hook a good black belt in 30 seconds, some random person unlucky enough to not know what they were getting themselves into would have a fraction of that time before their leg no longer bends the way it is meant to.

If you can break the grip of a good judo player who will launch you on your melon in the event that you make any error in your balance, what kind of threat will some random person seriously offer when they grab your jacket?  The whole “if this were the street” argument is usually a straw man that people use to protect their own egos when they get beat in training.  The body mechanics of fighting don’t change from sport to training to a fight on tile or asphalt.  All that changes are the mental/emotional component (which someone who is used to dealing with the stresses of competition will be better equipped to handle than someone who is not used to such stresses) and the fact that you don’t always get to determine when things start and end. 

Even if all the strategies of sport bjj, wrestling, boxing, mma, etc do not necessarily apply to self-defense, the massive benefits that you gain from training for competition far outweigh any drawbacks.  Honestly, is anyone here really deluded enough to think they would have a chance at knocking out Oscar de la Hoya because they’re fighting him in “da street” instead of a ring?  Your only shot would be sneaking him when he has no idea you’re even thinking about it, because you won’t be putting a hand on him otherwise.  Think you could stop any current NCAA D-1 wrestling champ from slamming you on your head in a bar, particularly if you didn’t know who he was?

On a final note, just ask yourself a couple questions: how badly did you get pwned on your first day of training?  How badly did the smaller guys in class smash you?  when new people come in to train for the firt time, how easy is it to sweep, pass, mount, and choke them over and over?

The answer to all three is “very.” 

If you’d have been in a bar fight instead of at your first class, fighting the same people, all the biting, eye gouging, and getting mad in the world wouldn’t have stopped them from dealing you a horrible, life-altering ass whippin if they chose to do it.  In all seriousness, they could literally rape you

That’s a very strong argument – a competitive athlete has the arena in which to test himself against skilled opponents as well as the motivation to keep himself in shape.  He is used to psychological and physical stressors beyond the scope of casual training.  Therefore, the primary argument against sport-specific training is one of application - what is purpose of training techniques that might not have universal application?  

That will be our next topic.

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