Sport vs. Reality

What is the primary differentiating factor between sport and reality. Many MMA guys argue that it can't get any more real than cage fighting. It's a controlled environment, yes but it comes as close as it can to reality fighting and moreso than any drill or point sparring or whatever can ever get. The argument is that the guy in front of you is wanting to beat the absolute crap out of you, unlike a sport or a drill where a partner is that - a partner or simply "the other team."

But really, what defines the differentiating line between a real fight and cage fighting/sport fighting?

I mean, sure, MMA can get close to the real deal, but is it? i mean, sure you can put water and take it down to close to 0 deg C, but guess what? it's still not ice. It's not ice until you cross that below freezing point. And no matter how close you get to that point, unless you actually cross it, you're not there.

Anyway, looking at both cage fighting and the real street fight, what's the defining characteristic? Is it how mean the other guy is? not really, because in both scenarios, the guy can be very uncooperative and very resistant. Is it because the other guy knows jiu jitsu or that he's a huge guy, very muscular and crazy? again, you can have this in both scenarios too.

So what's the defining factor? Simply, the variables. in the cage fight, the variables are always controlled. There is always going to be a ref, your team one side and opponents team on the other. There is going to be a cage and just the two of you in there to fight. After that, the only variables are within the fighters' timing, luck, technique, etc.

But in the street fight, the variables fluctuate at every second. The moment before and after the present is never the same. There could be one opponent, two friends, a cage, a corner, a table, a child, a car, rain, mud - ANYTHING can happen. People can break up the fight, bystanders can attack you just for the heck of it.

On top of this are your techniques, timing, strength, reach, etc.

So it's a matter of minimizing the potential effects of the variables or maximizing the potential effects of your skills or vice versa. Let alone your opponent/s are trying to do the same.

Realistic self-defense, then, tries to incorporate these variables into the equation. While cage fighters ignore these variables. As such, the methods of training will differ and so will the end product.

It is not really fair to spar with an MMA guy as a test to see who's better or which system is more effective. To spar, you've controlled for the environment, for the variables and, if anything, now accommodate to his environment.

That said, to see if MMA is effective, then one must attack him while he's shopping for pickles in a crowded market. That would equal the playing field a bit.

Sure some will say, well how would the average wing chun guy fair to that test? probably not do so well. But then, there you have it - both WC and MMA don't work.

Until then.

Shifting Your Feet

When it comes to discussions, one of the more popular (some say, it's been discussed to death) items is whether it's correct to shift your stance on the center of your feet, the balls of your feet or on the heels.

WT advocates the shifting on the center of your feet. WT also advocates shifting one foot at a time.

Other styles, recommend shifting both feet at the same time and/or either on the heels or the balls of your feet.

Much heated debate has come from such a topic, can you believe it? Insults, derogatory comments and pure anger have spewed on from this.

Who cares? it is your teacher that should guide you. What is important is whether it's functional or not. For myself, I was taught to shift from the center of my feet and that is how I would teach it. I am able to deliver strikes, step forward, shift weight etc etc with this foundation.

That said, once you get to a certain skill level, you can perform moves, maintain structure, etc on locked legs and on your heels and it'll still work! It all comes down to whether it's functional.

Sometimes to make it functional, you have deviate from what you know. Shift on your heels then. Shift on the balls of your feet then. Fine, it's ok! Of course, assuming you have the proper foundation down. That foundation is defined by your system, but your instructor. But hopefully, we all get to the same end product.

Until then.