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For what it's worth, I do believe that Krav Maga and similar styles are potentially the most useful of any martial arts not used in MMA, for the reason that the

For what it's worth, I do believe that Krav Maga and similar styles are potentially the most useful of any martial arts not used in MMA, for the reason that they fulfill a different niche (fighting in non-fair situations), as you state. It is very hard to compare such styles objectively, since you aren't able to practice crippling/disabling blows or fighting with weapons at full speeds unless you are willing to rapidly lose training partners. Thus we are left with endorsements, but that is the nature of the beast. Perhaps some military or police force could teach different groups different methods and measure who performs the best, but even then there would be too many variables to isolate. However, for arts that claim to teach one-on-one unarmed combat, including all the ninja/master/sensei arts, there remains an effective proving ground and their absence from it is telling.

btilly 17y ago
Somehow I think we're in basic agreement. How disappointing, it was shaping up into an interesting argument. Anyways to answer your question about why less effective arts are popular, I think you already gave the important part of the answer. To be effective, the style must involving training at speed with real and continued contact. (Having protective padding is OK, but you need the contact.) If it doesn't involve that, then when you actually get hit in a real fight you are going to be in trouble really fast. But your random Joe who wants to get in shape and be able to protect himself in the unlikely event of a real fight doesn't want to spar at speed with real and continued contact. And so will gravitate to the most impressive looking martial art that doesn't scare him.
- jacoblyles 17y ago
  As you said, if you're going to take a bunch of guys and gals with no interest in sport fight and put them through ~100 hours of training in how to defend themselves in real world situations, then MMA fighting is probably not ideal. However, when I hear young adult males talk about how badass they are for training under some 19th-degree black belt ninja sensei, I get annoyed. I'm not afraid of their sensei. I'm afraid of boxers and amateur wrestlers.

btilly 17y ago

Somehow I think we're in basic agreement. How disappointing, it was shaping up into an interesting argument. Anyways to answer your question about why less effective arts are popular, I think you already gave the important part of the answer. To be effective, the style must involving training at speed with real and continued contact. (Having protective padding is OK, but you need the contact.) If it doesn't involve that, then when you actually get hit in a real fight you are going to be in trouble really fast. But your random Joe who wants to get in shape and be able to protect himself in the unlikely event of a real fight doesn't want to spar at speed with real and continued contact. And so will gravitate to the most impressive looking martial art that doesn't scare him.

jacoblyles 17y ago
As you said, if you're going to take a bunch of guys and gals with no interest in sport fight and put them through ~100 hours of training in how to defend themselves in real world situations, then MMA fighting is probably not ideal. However, when I hear young adult males talk about how badass they are for training under some 19th-degree black belt ninja sensei, I get annoyed. I'm not afraid of their sensei. I'm afraid of boxers and amateur wrestlers.