Somewhere in the endless arguing among practitioners of traditional martial arts (TMA), Reality Based Self-Defense (RBSD), and sportfighting systems (NHB/UFC/MMA), an important concept is lost.

I don't see the "Problem with TMAs," or any other "fighting style" as having anything to do with the style, but more with who is the stylist. The concept so often lost, and the concept we must consider, is this question:  What are they trying to accomplish in their training?

Don't consider the art, traditional or otherwise.  Consider its purpose.

A good friend of mine has a background in Shaolin Kung Fu and has admitted to me on many occasions that much of what he trains is less than perfect for actual, practical execution. That is why he cross-trains when possible, reads voraciously, and seeks out new information and training methods.

Does that mean that he will stop doing Shaolin Kung Fu? Probably not. He's got a lot of time and energy invested in it AND he derives many benefits from it that go beyond self-defense training.

So who's really to blame in the whole TMA vs. RBSD vs. MMA vs. WTF scenario? Is it the young student who gets brainwashed into thinking that all he will ever need is Taekwondo kicks to defend himself?  How about the RBSD wannabe who trains in camo pants, combat boots, and a black t-shirt to jab, poke, twist, and stomp while showing no mercy to his would-be attacker? Maybe it's the young stud who likes to prove himself as the superior fighter by climbing into the ring every other month and pounding his fists into some guy's head whilst the same is being done to him. Then there are my personal favorites, the members of the “I have a gun, I’ll just shoot ‘em” crowd.

Which is the best way? I cannot answer that question. Each way has advantages and disadvantages. No system is complete for everything. You, as the consumer, have to make intelligent choices.

Personally, I have chosen a system that meets my demands. I have an excellent, open-minded instructor who has a teaching style that not only educates me, but challenges me to come to my own conclusions. I spend more time disagreeing and debating with my instructor than just about everything else. Why do I do this? Do I do it to be a pain is his ass? Well, maybe sometimes. But what I really want is to benchmark what I think I know with those who have different experiences and perceptions. I constantly put forth my ideas to my instructor set and my friends (and enemies) on the Internet. Call it baptism by fire, but I like to see if I can logically defend and explain things and justify why I think the way I do.

Sometimes I can do this, sometimes I can’t.  That does not change the nature of my pursuit. In this process I’ve made a lot of friends. Some of them agree with me and some of them do not. I treasure these friends, as they serve a good function in keeping me on my path with my feet firmly planted and my eyes and ears wide open. I’ve also met some real assholes in my travels. By "asshole" I mean the most sincere and literal term you can conjure in your imagination. An asshole serves one purpose – to spew out shit, whilst letting nothing (and I do mean nothing) get back in. These narrow-minded know-it-alls are much more dangerous to an aspiring artist than any of the "I’ll take your money and lie to you" types.

Why do you train?  This is the concept so often lost in the shuffle.

The Professor McDojos of the world will take your money and feed you some crap, but the Sphincter Set (S.S. for convenience) seek to indoctrinate you through constantly changing focus and tactics. The best way to check to see if you are in the tutelage of Professor McDojo is to miss a payment. The best way to check to see if you are under the influence of the S.S. is to disagree with them. The hammer will fall, the pack will howl, and the proverbial bull will give you his horns…

Let's get back to the key issue of this piece. What’s the best way to train? I can’t answer that for you and neither can anyone else. Some people claim to have that ability, especially if you’re willing to give them what they want in return. The best advice you can get from people comes from one of my favorite quotes:

A good way to judge people is by observing how they treat those who can do them absolutely no good.

- Anonymous