What Happens If You Never Spar?

[Burton]

This is for educational purposes. This man has probably spent most of his life training in his art, but has never actually sparred. Then, he is so prejudiced that he decides to knock other martial artists who actually fight. Why? Because he doesn't know what it is like to actually fight.
  Please understand that I am not attacking this man or his system. I just want you all to see what happens if you don't spar.

[Kentao5]

Maybe it's time to do a documentary called "The State of The Art" where we go to people like this, and put their theories to the test.  Not as a means of "We're better than your style/system", but as a way of uncovering some of the myths and misconceptions?

[chessmachine]

The music said it all  !

[marcus]

but i think his point is valid ( its not cause you fight that you have good techniques).

the thing is when you dont know an art or a part of martial art like grappling instead of saying bad things about it , go try it it will give you an apreciation of it, you can see that the mr. never did any form or grappling.

[nikolai]

Quite frankly, I feel saddened for this man and others in the traditional kung fu and karate communities. They are blinded by art and the tradition that goes along with it.

Some kung fu styles are fun to practice, but absolutely worthless in the street.

Thank you Bruce Lee for starting me on the proper path!

[Garth Lynch]

Let's remember that some practitioners of Chinese boxing may be dangerous fighters, even without extensive ground experience.  Personally I include sanshou/sanda players, and some practitioners of martial taijiquan in that category.

[paulism1101]

I saw this a few days ago when Joe Rogan linked to it on twitter, and when I first saw it I thought he was joking around....

Although, I agree as well with his statement about fighting. There's a very popular school here in Miami that teaches MMA, but they don't really have the credentials to teach the arts they are teaching. So when you ask them about it they always response, "well we are real fighters so we know what we are talking about."

[Terry]

No sparring = Ignorance : thinking that a couple punches is going to stop a guy from taking you down or that in a guard striking to his body is going to stop the fight.

Sparring = Understanding : The body is tougher than people give it credit for.

Again not putting him down, but highlighting the importance of what Bruce / Burton teaches, and actually doing.

This guys email is probably already blown up with challenges to fight to prove his theory.

[paulism1101]

Well if you don't think striking to the body will end a fight go and ask Tito Ortiz about last Saturday.... Just pray that he doesn't start crying again...

[Terry]

paulism1101

I didnt see the fight...

Did Tito get stopped from body shots, while holding his oppononet in a guard?

Because that is what was discussed in video above and this thread. I don't think I have ever seen anyone stop a fight by striking to the body from a guard position, not to say that it couldnt happen. I would like to know if there has been a case.

[paulism1101]

Yeah, it was a good fight.

http://www.mmamania.com/2011/12/11/2627641/ufc-140-results-recap-antonio-rogerio-nogueira-vs-tito-ortiz-fight

There's a picture on the page that shows what happened.

[Terry]

Thanks for posting that.

Once again tito lost because I have noticed tito is always so busy covering up...He loses so many fights because he covers and doesnt counter.

I would have you notice ....and I am sure many will back me up on this...Tito is not using a good closed or and specifically in this case a good open guard. From what I can see from what you posted ...

1. Not controlling  posture
2. Not controlling hands
3. Feet arent on hips
4. He doesnt have his kness up between him and his opponent.

And probably more importantly he shouldnt be there...Tito should have learned to stand up.

BUT THAT IS DEFINATELY A FIRST FOR ME...TO SEE SOMEONE GET STOPPED WITH BODY SHOTS from the ground...WOW.

From what I saw in your clip.. not in a guard...he was laying in front of him.. that to me does not constitute a guard.

Am I right or wrong?

[Michael]

Sparring brings forth awareness of stress and tension and on-hand experience. We may learn hundreds of techniques against jab as Sigung Bruce Lee points out but if not tested with fire we don't know what works for us and as Guro Burton told in the Science of Fight DVD only one or two defense against jab we can use in real sudden situation in street (correct me if I am wrong I think it was in the first DVD or maybe it was in his book, I forgot but I do remember his point).

Kung Fu is nice art but I agree with nikolai. But there is some classical techniques that is useful that even me I still practice, it is the head twist against shoot and I don't care if my opponent got my lead leg but me I have head twist for breaking and/or takedown which I got from a Kung Fu book. But they are living in fantasy imaginary land/world.

[Luis Barneto]

Unfortunately, I have to say I dont believe in this amount of ignorance, from someone that trains martial arts on a regular basis, like for sure happens with this person.
No one can, honestly, see videos of MMA (and I believe this person had to see one or two, at least) and maintain the ideas you see him defending on this video. No human being can twist something so much without being, simply, lying.

I heard on a TV show Tim Ferris, the writer of "4 hour body" saying something like this, about people that criticise his book and different ideas: "I realised that most of my critics are people that sell something they will not be capable of selling if my ideas are accepted by their potencial clients".
Not saying Tim Ferris is right, on what he states, or their critics are, just that this is very true: People criticize, but generaly we realise they do so because of business reasons. I think this man is simply looking for publicity. We are looking at his ideas, and some say he as a point, of something he says, but I reject everything, because I dont want anything from a person so far from honesty, IMHO, of course.
You start accepting one concept, and someone, somewhere, accepts two concepts, and sooner or latter, he is getting people to train with him. I saw the video, and deleted it all from my head. I know this person, even if I dont know him, because I knew hundreds like him along my life, and my observation of MA, and life in general. Period.

[Luis Barneto]

Also to say that technique is a very badly treated term, in martial arts.
We seem to have a lot of people believing that techiques should present good stetic and some "easyness", all aspects that live only in the same universe we came up with that belief from: The movies.
Not to say a perfect applier of a technique cant apply it on a inexperienced person with that kind of easyness and stetic, but surely that will be a rare moment. 
On MMA, people very well trained, with the proper knowledege and great technique, when end up applying technique on another fighter, also very well traind, with proper knowledge and great technique, it is simply beautifull, even if it is not pretty.

A simple definition of technique can be that technique is a process created to reach a certain result, on a certain subject or area of action.

So we have techniques on all sports, that have the purpose of giving results in competition.
Once, someone found out that on High Jump (jumping over a hig bar), an olympic sport, he could get better results jumping on their back, instead of like in the old days, with one foot first and facing the bar. Because everyone is focused on the result, instead of beauty, stetic, "aparent easyness", or even maintaining their master title, everyone tried it and sooner realised that technique gave better result to anyone, not only the person that "invented it".
No one was very worried with using a technique discoverd by other person, or loosing the technique they trained for so long, and reason is that they want the best results, simply. They know the name of the person that discoverd the technique will be on a book forever, but they can, if using the technique properly, also turn in to legend, have their name on a book also, win a medal and... be their best.

High Jump techniques are made to jump.
Tennis techniques are made to get the ball to the other side of the net the best way possible.
Martial arts techniques are made to... fight! Simply.
If they cant be used to fight, they are not techniques, no matter how pretty and stetic, and ancient, and easy they are.