at 48 i'm training again.

reply to post by rubbertramp


No worries mate all good! Wish you the best!

reply to post by rubbertramp


I grew up on bar fights, and I remember the old "tough man" contests from when I was a kid and a teen. I even knew a few winners of those things. I had martial arts training, and I wrestled in high school, and some aspects of it were useful in a fight, but others were only useful in a safe setting like a karate tournament or wrestling match.

Since the sports of kickboxing and tough-man have been merged into the UFC, I haven't been at all impressed. I see so many opportunities for the fighters to actually hurt one another, do some damage, and finish a bout, but they miss those opportunities and strategize for particular holds instead. Too much thinking, not enough fighting. There just isn't much killer instinct in the sport. I'd put up a Mike Tyson or a George Foreman against any of those UFC guys. I'd put up most of my old bar buddies against any of those guys! There is just something special about a guy that wants to dig out your eyeball and put it in a jar on his desk, or bite off one of your ears and spit it into the crowd.

So, not impressed with the UFC whatsoever, but I have been thinking of getting in a little better shape and visiting a local UFC gym. At 38, I don't think I'll be competing in the sport, but maybe working out with young guys can get me in better shape and teach them a thing or two about finishing a fight!

ETA:
And for what its worth, I also hate Ju Jitsu. I was brought up on Goju-Ru and Judo. I learned some Aikido along the way. Boxing is always good. Roman-Greco Wrestling compliments just about any other style, but I've never seen Ju Jitsu really help much against a tough guy or a very strong guy. One good square kick or punch and the Ju Jitsu fighter is dazed, confused, and vulnerable. But then again, I've never been a fan of any "pretty" or long-winded fights. I like short, quick, lethal movements. Get it over with and get the hell out of there.

Hope my whole post doesn't sound negative. I really just need to have my ass kicked by one of these Ju Jitsu or UFC guys before I'll give it any respect, LOL!

To the OP, I hope your training goes very well. It really does look like a whole lot of FUN!

reply to post by getreadyalready


Yeah it's that way because it needs to be in order for it to be a sanctioned sport. Many people make the mistake and believe that it's actual fighting which is isn't. It's as close to actual fighting as a sport as you can get, but not the same. The rules are in place to protect the fighter (and in some ways the sports' reputation). In a real street fight that are way more factors in place and chances are you wouldn't be fighting one person at a time. You also have to deal with size differences (no weight classes), objects, cheap shots, no hand protection, no ref, no rounds or time limits, clothing (this makes a bigger difference that people think) and knowledge that it can be life ans death.

BTW I am not trying to trash MMA or UFC and am actually a big fan, but I think some kids can't tell the difference and believe that "________ is the best fighter in the planet".

reply to post by Chewingonmushrooms


Oh ya, I understand the need for rules, and I have to commend the success the sport has had! They have done a great job getting it to be as realistic as possible, and getting it marketed to the masses. Kudos to them for taking up the charge when boxing started to fall off and no real superstars were emerging.

I just get so frustrated seeing guys lying on their backs with their faces exposed and nobody hammering on them. Or guys, on the mat, with total control from behind, and yet they stall and look for certain moves, obviously part of their training, when they could be following their instincts and looking for ways to legally hurt the other fighter. Once in a while there are some cool submission holds, but in general I think they waste too much time looking for those holds instead of concentrating on winning the fight.

As far as I know, elbows, hammer fists, and rabbit punches are all legal in UFC/MMA, but I very rarely see any of those used when the oppportunities are everywhere!