Combat Sports Training: Adaptations for Real-Life Self Defence
YouTube channel Hard2Hurt, run by Icy Mike, uploaded an intriguing video on February 2, 2022, titled “Combat Sports Training is BAD for Self Defense”. The video debate challenges the general perception that mastery in martial arts, specifically combat sports training, naturally equates to prowess in self-defense. In the video, Mike, an MMA enthusiast and martial art expert, begins by highlighting a commonly misunderstood notion about combat sports and their application during real-life self-defense scenarios. Mike draws a clear distinction between the stereotyped flat assertion that ‘MMA is self-defense’ and the often unrecognized nuances of transferring combat sport capabilities onto the ‘streets.’ Reality vs. Ring In the video, Mike candidly addresses the concern that combat sport training often doesn’t cover significant real-life self-defense scenarios that may occur on the street. For instance, he mentions his son, a budding martial artist, who due to years of strenuous silenced training, might forget to cry out for help if attacked on the streets. This highlights the gap between sports and reality-based self-defense training. Mike emphasizes that while the techniques emphasized in the ring such as effective striking, takedowns, and submissions, certainly hold value to battlefield preparation, thrive largely within the controlled environment of regulations. However, streets offer a different story. And it’s not about random groin strikes, eye gouging, or biting, but subtler details such as attire, environment, and crowd management. Take training in regular clothes as an example – athletic wear is designed for flexibility and movement, while regular clothes, such as jeans, constrict movements and limit techniques. Self Defense: The Missing Layers in Combat Training He also addressed the issue of weapon training that’s missing in combat training. Knowing how your martial skills align when a weapon comes into play or how to utilize your gear effectively is a crucial factor unheeded in regulated sport. Further on, Mike debunks the myths associated with certain illegal moves in combat sports, specifically headbutts, soccer kicks, and stomps. He dismisses them as guaranteed fight-finishers and insists that the core aspects of wrestling, clinching, and boxing provide the foundation that allows such moves to be effective. From Ring to the Reality In the last section of the video, Mike argues that the challenge lies more in reminding a seasoned fighter of these reality-based elements (clothing, weapons, other people) than in teaching a self-proclaimed “street fighter” how to perform effectively under regulated conditions (sprawl and brawl). Through consistent practice and mindful reminders of these often overlooked factors, a trained fighter can effectively adapt his/her skills for unpredictable real-life encounters. So, while combat sports training may provide an edge in strength, endurance, and basic defense techniques, the transformation to efficient street self-defense needs attention towards intricate details. Mike’s expose on combat training goes beyond sensationalism, taking a hard look at cultivating better self-defense methods in our increasingly uncertain world.Blablabla
Hard2Hurt is a popular YouTube channel run by Icy Mike, a self-defense trainer and professional fighter. The channel educates on efficient self-defense techniques, fitness tips, and combat strategies. Icy Mike delivers the content with an impressive blend of humor, knowledge and raw energy, carving a unique niche in combat sports.
Self-Defence Block
The Groove Life Belt and Ring are amazing and definitely effective for DA STREETZ! Go get yours and support the channel at: https://groovelife.com/pages/youtube-podcasts?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=Hard2Hurt
I've always held that if I am confronted with an inescapable or unnegotiable street altercation, I'm aiming for something sensitive and finding an escape route.
don´t use jeans then
Alright! Your VDO content makes sense. A point I love to support is that dirty tactical methods can be part of the combination techniques during a street fight where one has to survive, not always to attain victory. Certainly, the headbutt tactic can apply only when we are clinching the attacker.
Someone asked me. Are you sure martial arts would help you in a fight?
Well, of course. I might still lose. But how can it not help? Like competitive MMA.
That belt is a weapon
As someone who has been in many street fights in my youth prior to training one thing is for certain, it is nothing like sparring or anything related to sport. That person who intentionally tries to hurt you will in many circumstances will use any and all means necessary to achieve that. All the training in the world is great and trained fighters that have taken hits will have a better understanding but when knives, broken glass, pool cues, guns, chairs etc.. are coming at you your not in a controlled environment, your in chaos. And when you get hit then you realize your not in Kansas anymore. Great vid…
I don’t agree with you basically saying that unless you are a some kind of karate guy that you will automatically lose a fight or not know how to fight because you “only,” had a bunch of real fights in the street which could easily end in death, but some little bitch who “fights,” with a referee moderating is such a badass. Gtfo
another central thing is:
WIN and LOSS conditions are VERY different between ring and street!
trained martial artists tend to stay to "win" instead of using an opportunity in the middle of the fight to road runner it.
they also tend to not utilise weapons of opportunity because they are so used to duking it out unarmed.
What jeans do you wear? Any others you'd recommend?
Training with a CCW is something I have been worried about. It's a small detail that seems like it could GREATLY influence how you move your core, how you grapple, and could even be a liability if you end up on the ground, and the other guy sees you have a gun when you didn't want him to. Any tips for presenting this to a Gym that doesn't necessarily advertise training for that?
proper "streets training" consists of sleeping in the cold without covers and the use of successively larger buttplugs.
I was in a group that did full contact medieval weapons fighting. Armor, wood weapons. Moat if the folks were basically nerds and were very sad at the sparring/fighting. It was 1v1 and up to 4000 v 4000. Those of us that grew up street fighting or had miltary experience, well, we dominated the 1v1 but especially any melee situation. The number one thing was never focus on one dude to the exclusion of others.
taking the belt off fast is cool, but try it slowly and now it makes you sexy.
Body cams a great example of this point. I wear one every day at work. I still forget to turn it on from time to time
Those jeans are sure tight
I remember when oe day used jeans in karate classes and the couch told about the diference between martial arts clothes and street clothes.
Mike lemme introduce you to a Kiai
K I might have missed it. I gap out once in a while ( post concussion ) But something that was not addressed was mma guys dont usually practice fighitng multiple opponants. in a street fight there is a pretty good chance no matter how tough u are or good at ju jitsu/ grappling. that focuses on one individual. as soon as your on the ground, say you ARE a better grappler. u get bad guy in a choke, your getting kicked and bottled or hit with other objects. Also being able to spot if they have weapons before they pull them out. MMA dosent do any of that. SOme of the first stuff I learned in systema ( I want it noted I didnt know what to think of it at first, but I came to realize it was a whole different league, dont knock it till u try it) was about fighitng multiple opponants and trying to avoid cornering yourself, dissengaging, re grouping, improvising weapons and learning how to use things, not nesesarily in a traditional way. mma sucks in the real world in some cases. Your not going to be taking turns grappling 5 indivduals separtly and say, K. Next one. then the next guy respectfully walks up and asks if your ready
Good ideas true words
greco and olympic boxing get the best base, Bjj or LUTA livre are very good to finish a fight …..
Somebody told me that if I took them down they would just stomp my head, I was like how if you're on the ground
Ur right about the silent part it happened to me almost got me kicked out of school since they were wondering why I didn't scream for hel0
why the hell are you wearing a leather ring on your finger?
What a load of nonsense, a punch is a punch an elbow or knee is a knee in any situation
I scared off 5 men trying to attack me because I screamed and increased my level of threat by beating up my truck. Because the punches and head bunt was full power on my truck it freaked them out and I suddenly ran at them. When they backed off and hesitated I screamed some more to get the attention of witnesses so they can be identified. They left instead of getting their gun out of the vehicle to shoot me because people were calling the cops. Fights are 70% mental. 100% gamble. If I actually engaged or stayed silent I wouldn't be alive now.
I box, and let me tell you, if I see a chair or whatever, I am throwing that object. Even if it's a kid or something, I'm throwing it at my attacker.
I'm 37 yrs old now and I have been drinking partying dating since I was 14 yrs old, at times more and more frequent at times less so.
I have never been in a fight. I have never eaten or thrown a single punch, kick or takedown. I have never threatened or been threatened with a weapon.
I have never almost been in a fight. I have never had to run away from a fight.
I have witnessed maybe one or two fights, or rather, punches landed, they didn't even really develop and go on as fights.
All these emotional and hormonal discussions have me wondering, what kind of dystopian hellscapes you all live in and what kind of company you keep.
Bottom line is, I don't really give a shit. Even in the USA which is far more violent than any other wealthy nation, there are many health issues more likely to affect you personally than fights.
Worry about those. Get your cancer screening. Get health coverage. Relax. I don't train rock climbing to survive as a hermit on a mountaintop and I don't train Jiu-Jitsu to defend myself against imaginary violent strangers. Grow up.
I joined a mixed martial arts group with pretty heavy contact in order to prepare for being beaten up on the street. So I spent years of getting beaten up in training to avoid being beaten up in the street. Idiotic really.
The gulf between sport and combat is impassable.
Eg. Where as in sport karate 🥋 competition one is generally not allowed 🚫 to kick below the waist. In street fights, kicks above the waist are dangerous one point balance scenarios for the kicker.
Jujitsu guys love to go to the ground. Going to the ground in the street is a terrible loss of mobility.
Kung Fu is Three Stooges 101: fingers in the eyes👁️ and kicks in the shins; balls if available; THAT IS IT.
Sports are for arenas.
Street is for survival.
Hate these rants even tho they are necessary. Lots of ignorance in the fighting sphere
The first thing I do in public is yell" get the fuck away from me" ( to anyone ,kidding) in a very primal way,
If someone is trying to try to hurt me. One time that was enough. The other time he kept his face open and I was already pissed that a mentally unstable person put their hands on me instead of getting mental help. I have empathy, I'm also not going to the hospital unwillingly.
As someone who’s been in a bunch of street fights and just recently started Muay Thai I safely feel like I can deal with most if not all of my past encounters with Muay Thai but I’m not clinching or throwing a roundhouse in a street fight ever unless dude is just gassed out then I guess I’d sweep for style points
Again I like your videos. You have a lot of knowledge. I understand what you are saying. I was in the military. But I will give an estimate, out of all the situations you encounter on the street only about 10 percent are actually deadly street fighters. Meaning most encounters are from bully’s, drug addict, wanna be gangsters. In which case any form of training and conditioning can save your life. I agree with you that much more is needed to take care of that 10 percent. But most fights are not with hands anymore. The greatest survival training of all is still knowing when to fight and when to run and take cover. I understand where your coming from. But the training you do is hard to come by. And not available to most people. Besides what would be the point of everyone knowing what you know, it would kind of make it useless for you. Fighting isn’t for everyone. You and I understand that. You could be the most trained individual in the world and still not have the will to survive. But I love your videos. Keep up the good work.
its simple. you take him down, someone else will kick your head. they don't also train not to get involved in the first place. "The Brazilian wrestler Leandro Lo, one of the world's top jiu-jitsu fighters and an eight-time world champion in the martial art, died on Sunday after being shot in the head by a man he argued with at a party in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city.
According to witnesses, the wrestler got into an argument for reasons still unclear with a man who was apparently drunk and whom he pinned down with a typical martial arts armlock in an attempt to calm him down.
Once free, the assailant pulled out a gun and shot the world champion in the head."
Mike so right, I have had 2 many fights "on da streets" and ya I'm not much too start a fight ,but I sumtimes can't walk away.but ya I got no problem calling for help in street fights
Street fights are completely different from trained events. No gloves, no Vaseline, and youre probably fighting on concrete. Its way more different. For me I was always able to distract my oppoment with feints and come with brutal left hooks to the liver.
This whole self defence thing is cool and all, but how tf did you kick yourself in to your groin?
"Give me back my purse!" "I DONT KNOW YOU!" seem to work for me
I had a high level judo friend get me in a choke some years ago and he said I had you almost choked out.. I told him if I REALLY wanted to hurt him I would have gouged both eyes out of his head. He would have choked me out but never had eyesight again. I trained Krav Maga for years.. that's a real martial arts.
Mind set is what is crucial – 1. NO referee 2. NO prior information about the assailant 3. NO1 to 1 fight (there could many) 4. NO rules apply . Yes we train in regular clothes , regular footwear and consider various environment and we also train in deploying the EDC. I got a call from a Muay Thai national champ who was beaten by a bunch of hooligans coz he never trained for the streets.
Hey Bro, 👍cool video!👍; I love your videos! – but what do you plan for if suddenly – no more ammo available??? Do you train for bow & arrow/ crossbow shooting at all??? Maybe some cool video ideas (?)
Sport = lots of jabs majority of which never hit lol
Lots of roundhouse kicks to ensure you eventually kick your opponents balled up knee and become the next Anderson sylva lol
And hopping around like a ridiculous rabbit 🐇 to ensure you waste all that precious stamina and don't get the job done quickly lol 😂
Lots of rules so it's impossible to fight dirty which is ridiculous 😒
Self defense= replace all that hopping around with sprinting or charging down your opponent to close the distance as quickly as possible while building alot of momentum for very powerful strikes or to just plow into your opponent with a tactical ram or taken down
Alway fight dirty obviously encouraged in a self defense situation
No jabs that's useless lol
No roundhouse kicks replace all of those with punches elbows knees and stomps to the leg
You begin to get the idea of how different these two worlds are lol
Rule of thumb. I never wear jeans i can't hit the thriller dance to. I'll try it in store😂
so then according to what is said, then krav maga is legit because you learn some bjj, learn some boxing, learn some muay thai (clinches) learn some mma, and learn weapons defense, and self defense tactics for street attacks…… fascinating??
Fat guys with pony tails? this guys raggin on Seagal?!
Your son is not talented you just programmed him to be good at a certain thing. That's why talent doesn't exist, it is what we do during our childhood that change us and make us "talented" in something
Great video and dead on. Yes of course MMA skills absolutely help in a fight compared to not having them. But training for sport, any sport, has limitations when applied in a street/self defence context. There's a bunch of little things that may not even be obvious, but habits built with repetition to be instinctive will come up. Positioning and hitting more for points than any real effect. Pacing to a round timer. Tunnel Vision. Staying in a fight instead of creating an escape. At the end of the day, you need to train for the scenario you plan to apply your skills in as best you can to get the best possible result.
I find that practicing realism and setting realistic expectations can take you a long way in a street fight
You’re not going to be able to out grapple 2 people, you won’t mike Tyson 10 guys in front of you and you can’t outrun a bullet
Knowing your limitations and playing around your tools in your arsenal can take you a long way
Also keeping in mind that the person you might fight may have a concealed weapon on him because it is better to assume he does than find out the hard way