Why do so many martial arts traditionalist from disciplines like Kung Fu, Karate & Tae Kwon Do refuse to accept or ligitimize Brazilian Jiu jitsu as a superior system when it comes to unarmed hand to hand combat?
I personally think most of these people are in denial for how else can they rationalize all of their years of training if it turns out that they were not on the best path. Every martial artist in the begining has an ego and everyone who trains in the martial arts is empowered with self confidence and a feeling of control. Some let it go to their heads and others mature and let it go.
I have been studying martial arts for more that 25 years and I have met many martial artists that think their style is the best (including brazilian jiu jitsu practicioners).
Is Brazilian jiu-jitsu the best? What does the best mean? Does it include weponry, hand to hand, rules, multiple opponents, etc? There is too much criteria to contimplate.
My personal complaint is the armchair Karate Joe who claims that no Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guy will ever get him to the ground and that he would knock him out with one punch. How many arm chair joes have entered the UFC or other reputable no holds barred arenas with that attitude and were armbarred or choked out?
I know...there have been Braziian Jiu-Jitsu guys knocked out in the past and even BJJ guys knock out each other. Today the Mixed Martial Arts practicioner has to be well rounded in striking in jiu jitsu.
I understand these perspectives because I used to be a brain washed traditionalist who though Iron Palm would get me out of anything. I escaped my box by asking "What is that Gracie stuff?". "Let me see if that armbar really works."
Fifteen years later a black belt in Kung Fu, a very worn out brown belt in Judo and another worn brown belt in Brazilian Jiu jitsu I am humbled by it all. I try and learn whtever I can from whoever I can.
Wisdom comes from realizing we know very little compared to what we dont know.
Gary Berger
Baltimore Martial Arts
