Discipline

As a guy who started martial arts back in the mid-80s, nothing bugs me more than the lack of discipline that is so common among today's newer martial artists. Due to the vast assortment of arts available, these days you are not forced to start in a traditional Japanese, Korean or Chinese system that focuses on discipline like when I was a kid. There are countless arts from which to choose that focus more on combat and this lack of discipline is the starting point for many who train today and in my opinion is an enormous disservice to the student.

I love BJJ and MMA, but one of the biggest flaws with them is the general lack of discipline required to train in them. Luckily my BJJ instructor, Shawn Williams, bows the class in and out, requires his competitors to be respectful at tournaments, and has a standing rule of 100 pushups for any cursing while on the mat...not sure where he got that idea from.... My buddy Greg Nelson is also big on discipline. I think this is a great idea and wish more BJJ and MMA instructors would follow suit.

Ajarn Chai Sirisute, my Thai Boxing instructor who brought Muay Thai to America in 1968, has always said the most important aspect of Muay Thai is discipline. Not how to kick hard or knee powerfully, but DISCIPLINE! Why? For my students it is because martial arts are much more than martial, they are a path to self discovery. If all you learn how to do is fight, you are a time bomb waiting to go off when something doesn't go your way and you lose your cool. Unacceptable. Also you will probably burn out after a few years on a study that easily lasts longer than the average human life.

I know what it's like to see red on those days when you're tired and cranky and some idiot who thinks he's the only person in a hurry cuts you off. I get that. But as tempting as slapping him around might be, it is not only a dangerous decision (because he might be carrying a weapon) but it is also simply unacceptable behavior in a civilized society.

Sanctioned fighting (boxing, Muay Thai, MMA, etc) in civilized society spans a crevasse that no other sports do. It is OK, and ENCOURAGED to meet in a ring or cage and beat the tar out of each other with the express intention of knocking the other guy (or girl these days) out or making him/her quit. Anywhere else you did that you'd get arrested. So in the course of martial arts instruction we have to bridge a gap that is very challenging: teach people how to fight, but to do so within the strict parameters of the execution of sport or self defense. This is every coach and instructor's responsibility and to do otherwise is not only bad for the individual he is training but for society at large.

Most MMA fighters are decent guys who like to train and get in there to get it on. There is no denying, however, that a "thug mentality" is nurtured by the UFC and similar organizations here in the States. It makes for "good TV." (Not sure I agree with that as I ALWAYS fast forward through the BS on the TUF show to get to the fight.) I don't think the same thing applies in the Japanese organizations, this is not surprising given their much longer and different historical approach to martial arts training in general.

So for those of you new to martial arts, or those of you new to teaching, give this some serious thought. The only competition you really have is with yourself. Use your training to push yourself to make yourself a better fighter AND PERSON. The fighter will always be in there, but you don't walk around all day long fighting, you do however, spend most of your day interacting with people. Don't do it like a thug, do it like an adult.