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MMA vs Traditional Martial Arts: Which one to choose?
MMA vs Traditional Martial Arts?
Which one to choose?
“Yeah, but can your martial art work in an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) bout?”
Since the ’90s, when the first mixed martial arts competitions started airing on TV, almost every practitioner of traditional martial arts has been asked this question.
This is because MMA fights are considered by many as the ultimate test of the effectiveness of a particular training and/or fighting methodology. While this format has indeed opened the eyes of many by providing a stage to test the efficacy of various techniques, it is also true that MMA-style fighting is far from the ultimate goal of most traditional martial arts.
Let’s explore the differences between the two approaches, without the need to identify one as “superior,” but simply to provide our perspective and guide the reader honestly towards what aligns more with what they seek and desire from their martial arts practice.
But let’s start from the beginning.
Table of Contents
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Martial Arts and Combat Sports: Similarities and Differences
The first difference between a combat sport and a traditional martial art lies in the word “sport,” often associated with the concept of sparring (i.e., combat practice).
Sparring is typically the focal point of training for combat sports and represents the ultimate goal, whereas in traditional martial arts, it is more often seen as a tool to train certain characteristics such as reflexes, visual acuity, coordination under stress, and to challenge oneself against different opponents.
Another significant difference is that in sports, competition is usually divided into weight or skill-level categories, while in a martial art, training aims to prepare us to fight against a wide range of individuals: tall, short, young, experienced, etc., as the idea is to be ready for the unpredictability of real-life encounters. The more experiences we have with different people, the less we will be surprised in reality.
This is a principle we also apply in Bukti Negara: when practicing applications against one or more opponents, we always seek to practice with as many partners as possible to refine our sensitivity to contact with different individuals, each of whom reacts differently.
However, it is worth remembering that to determine the effectiveness of one system over another in combat, the true difference will always be made by the practitioner, with the quantity and quality of hours dedicated to practice.
How much time to dedicate?
Indeed, while in combat sports, the practice is often oriented almost exclusively towards competitive fighting, it is also true that practitioners of these disciplines often train with the frequency, intensity, and dedication typical of athletes. They add various sparring sessions in the gym or within competitions, making them formidable and highly effective even in a real-life street context.
On the other hand, in many traditional martial arts schools, practice is seen as a “hobby,” with more emphasis on the artistic aspect rather than the martial aspect. Sparring is rare, controlled, and in some cases non-existent, and students are not accustomed to contact. In many cases, the physical and psychological conditioning required in a combat situation is treated with superficiality.
Clearly, we are somewhat generalizing here, as not all schools fit this description. Unfortunately, this tendency has led traditional martial arts to lose, in the eyes of the public, the aura of martiality and effectiveness that once characterized them.
Simple or Difficult?
Another point of comparison to consider is simplicity: often, albeit wrongly, martial arts may seem “difficult” and complex to learn, while combat sports can have you throwing punches and kicks and hitting a bag or doing some sparring after just a few lessons, creating a certain level of satisfaction and psychological confidence in the practitioner.
The difference also lies in how some educational programs are structured: combat sports today often become courses for sweating and having fun through movement, while some martial arts courses have become fixated on forms and techniques in the air, on which practitioners spend almost all of their practice hours.
In our opinion, both approaches are wrong.
The goal of the article, as you may have understood from it, was not to declare a winner but rather to highlight the main differences and similarities that can be found between traditional martial arts and combat sports. Choosing to practice one or the other will ultimately depend on the practitioner, their character, and what they expect to achieve from their practice.
Perhaps the keyword here is “sport,” a term that defines practices like MMA and combat sports but hardly aligns with the philosophy of traditional martial arts (even though some of these also include a sportive version). Traditional martial arts aim to teach and transmit not only effective combat techniques but also a history, a culture, and a philosophy of life that involves respect for the past, the masters, and the traditions they represent.
For us practitioners of Bukti Negara, this “something more” is essential and something we could never do without, as it gives meaning to our practice of a martial art.
Our masters have shown us a clear path but have taught us not to have blinders on. Martial art is life, and just like life changes and evolves, we must work to improve it and keep it up with the times.
Which one to choose?
The goal of the article, as you may have understood from it, was not to declare a winner but rather to highlight the main differences and similarities that can be found between traditional martial arts and combat sports. Choosing to practice one or the other will ultimately depend on the practitioner, their character, and what they expect to achieve from their practice.
Perhaps the keyword here is “sport,” a term that defines practices like MMA and combat sports but hardly aligns with the philosophy of traditional martial arts (even though some of these also include a sportive version), which aim to teach and transmit not only effective combat techniques but also a history, a culture, and a philosophy of life that involves respect for the past, the masters, and the traditions they represent.
For us practitioners of Bukti Negara, this “something more” is essential and something we could never do without, as it gives meaning to our practice of a martial art.
Our masters have shown us a clear path but have taught us not to have blinders on. Martial art is life, and just like life changes and evolves, we must work to improve it and keep it up with the times.
So, to answer the question: MMA vs Traditional Martial Arts?
Choose what works best for you!
Are you ready to start your first Bukti Negara lesson? Read this article and discover what awaits you on your journey.
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Stefano Chiappella
NKI Technical Board Member
