Archive for October, 2008
There has been a lot of bad press surrounding MMA fights and the UFC. Many critics say that mixed martial arts are barbaric and gruesome and are nothing more than amateur street brawls. The beginning of the MMA movement in America and the inception of the UFC did not help matters at firs as they promoted the sport as the most violent combat sport available and only helped to further the negative serotype. Originally, MMA fights were banned in many states but after stricter rules were put in place and new UFC owners worked to change the barbaric stereotype, the MMA movement has gained huge popularity.
But are mixed martial arts dangerous, at least any more dangerous that other combat or contact sports? Sure, in the beginning the sport itself claimed to be extremely violent but things have changed since then. To really answer the question of the danger in MMA fights, one would have to understand the rules of the UFC and compare it to other sports.
Mixed martial arts is just that, a mixture of many different fighting styles from boxing to wrestling, to jui jitsu, most of which have ancient roots and were at some time a part of the Olympic Games. Critics against the UFC and MMA fights say that it teaches kids that fighting is ok or honorable. Some of these same critics agree that all combat sports are bad and other single out MMA. The truth is, when compared to boxing MMA is not as bad. The object ion boxing is to beat your opponent until they are unconscious or so badly injured that they can no longer get up. In MMA a victory option is knockout, but fighters can also win by submission or referee stoppage, two options not available in boxing. Instead of going at it until irreparable damage is done, many MMA fights end when a fighter submits or the referee stops the fight before serious injuries occur. This seems like a much safer option.
Critics that say that MMA is barbaric and dangerous must not realized that there have been no deaths in sanctioned MMA fights ever. No MMA fighter has ever died during a fight; the same cannot be said about boxing a sport that has lost hundreds of fighters. Injuries are also infrequent, as well as brain damage because submission and referee stoppage is a victory option. The same is not true in boxing, many fighters end up with long term problems, brain damage, or have their careers halted abruptly because of injuries. Even non combat sports like football and hockey see more serious injuries than MMA fights such as broken and fractured bones, spinal damage, and concussions. While MMA fighters do receive injuries, they are not usually severe.
Critics that initially called the game barbaric and dangerous spoke of the lack of rules and regulations. MMA fights have over gone rule changes and additions, and although still allow for a great variety of fighting techniques, the fighters well being is considered. No matter how many people think that MMA fights are dangerous, the sport will continue to grow and attract fans.
The Origin
Jiu-jitsu is different from other martial arts because it was not developed from any exact part of the world. On the other hand, it was born from the adaptation of different basics and moved along all over Asia before finally developed in Japan.
The monks in the North India were the very important to the beginning of Jiu-jitsu development. These monks had brilliant wisdom and well understanding in the physiology. They used and adapted the knowledge to the physics, such as momentum, inertia, central gravity, weight transferring, and friction. They combined all of these with the limitation of human body in order to create the martial arts and defending oneself from others.
B.C. 230, there were many Jiu-jitsu schools establishing in Japan. Bare-hand fighting was considered a part of Samurai warriors’ practicing as it was used to conquer the armed and armored opponents in the war.
In the Meji period, Japan was open to receive other countries’ culture, and there were many foreigners coming in. This made the Jiu-jitsu afraid that huge foreigners would know the secrets of Jiu-jitsu. They then broke it into many martial arts in order to limit its potential performance.
Karate, Judo, and Aikido were developed from Jiu-jitsu. These arts were adapted into the sports to reduce their power and performance.
Development
For more than a century, the original Jiu-jitsu was developed into well-known Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. The following people took parts in the Brazilian Jiu-jitsu development.
- Jigoro Kano, Jiu-jitsu instructor
He discovered that the original one could not fully be performed because of its danger such as eye piercing, groin kicking, and hair tearing that might hurt the practicing partners. Therefore, the instruction in Kano’s school was Randori, which was a real practice tending to fight to their fullest power. This would get the students used to the opponent’s violation. This kind of practice would help students improve their bodies, minds, and agility much better. In order to make the Randori’s performance better, Kano had to take some dangerous actions off, such as head butting. This kind of practicing is called “Judo”.
- Mitsuyo Maeda, one of the Kano’s great students
He had been trained for the original Jiu-jitsu before he learned from Kano when he was 18 years old. At that time, Kano wanted to distribute his Judo to other countries to be a part of the Olympic game. He sent many of his distributors to many parts of United States, and Maeda was one of them.
During his journey, he had to fight with many huge fighters, and that made him feel that Kano had taken too many important parts off, and it decreased its real performance. Maeda then decided to add his own techniques to the original Jiu-jitsu and took the parts he believed they did not work off. He combined the arts into the Mixed Martial Arts. This kind of fight is about low kicking and elbowing in order to throw the opponent away, and then focus on the ground-based fighting by locking the opponents up until they surrender.
In 1914, he stopped his journey at Brazil and decided to help Japanese government expand the country’s relationship. He taught Carlos Gracie Jiu-jitsu.
- Carlos Gracie
He was a boxer who was crazy about street fighting. He adapted Maeda Jiu-jitsu into his own style, and that made him popular because he had never been beaten although he was very small. He then taught his Jiu-jitsu to his brother, Helio.
- Royce Gracie
In 1993, Ultimate Fighting Championship was published to all over the world for the first time, and Royce was one of the 12 fighters in this tournament. His small body made a lot of people believe that he would be knocked out within 3 minutes. However, he proved that all people were wrong by conquered the opponents and was the champion of the tournament. In the next year, he proved himself again that it was not a fluke. Whenever he was interviewed, he always said “It’s not because of me, but it’s because of Jiu-jitsu”.
Its amazing how the United States can say that the use of self defense makes a person being attacked even more vulnerable to more acts of violence. According to statistics our government officials state it is better to simply allow the attacker to do what they want, steal what they want, or hurt what they want.
Well, that’s basically what they are saying isn’t it? When they tell us to do nothing as far as self-defense? Its a terrible thing to even consider if you ask me. Especially among women in the United States. After doing a little research, these statistics came up and I decided to share them with you. Did you know?
-One rape or sexual assault occurs every two minutes.
-17% of rape or sexual assault victims were victimized by someone they knew.
Every hour 172 women are attacked physically or sexually!
-some kind of violent crime occurs every 5 seconds in the United States.
-In the year 2000 alone there were 261,000 sexual assaults and rapes in the United States!
-One murder occurs every 34 minutes in the United States.
And these are only a few of the statistics, the list is so terribly long. And people aren’t supposed to use self-defense? Are people crazy? I know I am not the only person who believes that some form of self-defense is needed in the event that you are attacked or victimized by an attacker. Unfortunately, I am sure these sick people who prey on others also know the statistics and the laws. They probably also know that people won’t use self defense and try to get away or do those things possible to prevent themselves from being hurt. Its truly heartbreaking.
This doesn’t mean we actually have the right to kill someone, but if the attacker is trying to kill you, what’s good for one is equivalent to the other isn’t it? Self defense is the only thing some people have. What are they going to do outlaw long fingernails next?
The statistics are saddening. However, the idea of not being able to defend yourself is even sadder. You can die if you don’t use some sort of self defense! And, I know what people are thinking, if we use self defense, we could die anyway. Your life or someone you love life is not worth fighting for? I know you don’t really feel this way. I know I don’t.
Self defense should be enforced. You have to allow people to do whatever it takes to prevent injury, theft,harm or violation to the person or property. By any means possible for that matter. You do not have to walk around with a weapon like a gun or knife. Self defense, even if learning how to block punches, or kicking, the use of your nails, rings, anything. Law Enforcement are incorrect for saying to do nothing.” They can’t expect people to simply use no self defense whatsoever, and just stand there and become a helpless victim. It’s not right.
In the world of martial arts, karate is a relative new comer. Although its roots go back over 1,000 years to the Shaolin province of China, karate as it is today was not developed until the early twentieth century in Okinawa, Japan. It was during that time that four martial arts masters developed the forms of karate that are still taught today. These are called Okinawan karate. They are: Goju-ryu, Shito-ryu, Shotokan, and Wado-ryu. Thought these four karates have many similarities, they are distinctively different.
Later, in the 1950’s a newer form of karate was developed called Kenpo karate. Based on the forms found in Okinawan karate, it was a much more complicated form of karate.
Borrowing heavily from the forms and techniques of other martial arts such as kung fu and jujitsu, karate focused on providing a means of self defense without the use of weapons. In fact, the name karate means “way of the empty hand”. Although advance karate students do learn to use weapons in their fighting routines, the emphasis is on fighting with an empty hand.
When you first learn karate, you are taught several basic techniques. You will be required to practice these techniques in class and on your own, until you can do them without hesitation. The moves should come quickly and smoothly. After these beginning techniques are learned, more techniques are added, and you begin to learn how to put the individual techniques together in a series of choreographed moves, called kata.
In learning the different katas, you learn how to transition quickly form one technique to the next. You learn how to block or evade an oncoming attack, then counter with a punch or kick of your own. With just your empty hands and feet you can protect yourself and overcome an opponent regardless of how much bigger or stronger they are.
Although karate is classified as a fighting art, its guiding philosophy makes it clear that its purpose is self defense. The karate philosophy states that karate never attack first. In fact, students are taught that the best defense is to avoid the conflict completely. It is much better to talk your way out of the fight, or even to run away to avoid the fight, but when all else fails, and the use of force is inevitable, you must be ready to act quickly and decisively.
Karate is built on respect both toward others, and for yourself. As you learn karate, you will notice your feelings about yourself changing. The workouts required to become proficient in the techniques and katas will make your body stronger, you will have more endurance, and you will have lower body fat. You will soon begin to feel better about yourself physically.
You will also begin to see changes psychologically and emotionally. Not only will you gain confidence from knowing that you have the knowledge to use your empty hand to protect yourself and drive away an attacker, but you will begin a pattern of success based on effort and self discipline.
Learning karate - the way of the empty hand - is an excellent way to not only learn to defend yourself, but also as a way to build yourself up physically and emotionally. Find a school near you and give it a try.
Dalia Contreras, medalla de bronce en Beijing 2008. Venezuela.
Pues, un video sencillo puesto que no hay muchas imágenes de ella…
Enjoy!
PD: Gracias a las personas que han hecho la observación, fue un error por la rapidez y la emoción con que realicé este video. Lo puedo editar, pero se borrarán los comentarios, y no es la idea…
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