Uechi-Ryu.com

Grappling arts can be deadly effective, but if you always train to go to ground, there still remains the problem of multiple attackers. That is why I believe BJJ and similar arts are really sport arts, despite their potential effectiveness against a single adversary.

We often hear that there is no martial art that's better than another, but that's not really true, is it? Sure, there are some students that are better than others, but who really believe that sloppily taught TKD (for instance) is going to hold up against good Muay Thai or Jujitsu?

John

TKD may not be able to hold up against muay thai or jujutsu, but studying it will surely improve the speed at which a muay thai kickboxer can kick and will give him another view on how to use them. Hell, many of the worlds best Muay thai practioners have all admitted cross training in TKD and Karate to improve thier stand up game. Boxers do not train in using legs or grappling, but any jujutsu or muay thai practioner can benefit from it.

Someone who does BJJ can learn a thing or two from judo. BJJ really lacks stand up grappling, Judo can suppliment for that, while a judo master can fine tune his ground game with BJJ.

Yes, maybe one style may have a better track record then another, but that doesnt mean you cant benefit from other styles.

AAAhmed46,

Thanks for the response. There was no mention of Shotokan in the classes I took. Bob Platukis taught the classes on the Clark University Campus and at the Worcester Y. I went to both places so I got an interesting mix of people to train with. The university students had a tendency to stay for a half dozen classes and disappear at mid terms. The folks who trained at the Y were more serious.

We did a lot of forms, two man drills and sparring. I did a little bit with the bo as well. The higher ranking students sometimes trained with the Kukre, a short curved sword, but I was not of high enough rank.

The two man drills were mostly reaction type drills rather than a long fighting set such as Kyu or Dan Kumite. We would line up across from someone, one side would attack, and the other defend and counter. At first, the attacks and counters would be given prior to the attack. Then only an area for an attack would be given (high, middle, low). Eventually, the attack would be dealer's choice. The defender simply tried to counter without getting creamed.

Dr. Gyi came from Ohio to spend a semester at Harvard. I don't know why. He stayed with Mr. Platukis and taught a few of our classes. He was very interesting and very powerful, especially for a small man. In the few classes I took with him, the focus was on learning one or two techniques and practicing them.

Sincerely,

Norm Abrahamson

Yeah, everything ive seen of bando seems very very powerful. But lets not forget, Burma is a communist dictatorship, so it will be a while before we see more of it in the outside world.

I hope 5 years down the road, we can find a Bando dojo across the street or something, that would be great. I just hope it doesnt get the 'hype' Krav maga has, you know THE ULTIMATE DEFENCE SYSTEM! LEARN IT FOR $599$ A MONTH!

Mr. Gyi, was he strict?

For what its worth to the discussion, the oldest known art still practiced is Chinese Shou-Chou (forgive my butchery of the name) and its mainly a grappling art.

I also recall a mention of Chinese system of "dog boxing" in which an oppnt is taken to the ground in order to fight them.

If memory holds it was referenced as an aside to another style of boxing, as in if you must fight a dog-boxer its best not to close with them--paraphrase of the statement.