by Chris McKinley on Thu Apr 09, 2009 2:57 pm
You know, I'm kinda disappointed that this thread went the direction it did and even, to some extent, that it was framed this way in the first place. We had a few interesting threads last year that, maybe for the first time on this forum, began to discuss the pragmatic aspects of the MMA approach to training in a fairly objective way without setting up an "us vs. them" argument yet again.
Just as importantly, there were several good ideas shared regarding how to take our TMA material and work it such that it yielded a similar pragmatic functionality to that found in the arts that usually comprise the MMA amalgam. It seems now, though, that instead of following through on some of those ideas and seeing where our curiosity might take us, we're back to viewing the situation as TMA versus MMA again. In fact, the tone of this very thread began by framing MMA as somehow needing exposure as to the myriad of weaknesses it contains, but yet somehow hides from the unknowing general public. There was also an implied "superiority of IMA" tone to it as well. Sadly, this spoke more to jealousy than anything productive. Perhaps we managed to salvage something of use out of it eventually, but really....can't we get past this mindset? Those on the MMA side abandoned the MMA/TMA feud a number of years ago now. It seems only those of us on the TMA side still seem to want to dredge it up again for the drama.