Bro… all you need is Muay Thai and BJJ!
Is Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu all you need to know to be a complete fighter? In today’s video and article I will address this question so you have clarity.
Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu is All You Need?
I had someone reach out to me in email about a month ago asking this very question. It is something I’ve heard people say before and I’ve received the question several times.
“My friend told me that all you need is Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) and BJJ (Brazilian Jujitsu.)”
Now I get it; Muay Thai is a seemingly complete stand up style and Brazilian Jujitsu is a seemingly complete ground fighting style. Put them together and you have everything you need… right?
Well if you are competing in the sports of Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu then sure… maybe… mmm…. probably not. I’d still train western boxing, and some other styles to compliment and expand my own capabilities. But I digress.
We aren’t talking about sport competition or sparring with people at a gym. We are talking about real-world self-defense against real violence.
Real World vs. Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu
Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu are sports and thus have rules. For example:
- It is one on one – no multiple attackers
- No weapons are allowed
- There are weight classes
- There are gender classes
- You can’t strike to the most effective places on the body such as the eyes, testicles, throat, etc.
- You can’t hit to the back of the head
- No biting, no eye gouging, etc.
- There is a ref to stop the fight, a corner to throw the towel in
- All you lose is honor, pride, get your feelings hurt, your record gets worse, etc.
- You don’t lose your property, body, or your life
Can you imagine a young college gal on campus walking from the library to her dorm room late at night when a couple of jack-ass frat boys decide that she is going to party with them whether she likes it or not?
She might be 5’2″ and 115 lbs and they are both 5’10” 185 lbs.
So she throws a jab > cross > a kick to the outer thigh > maybe goes for a double leg takedown.
ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME?!
They are physically / structurally superior to her and she is outnumbered. Her strikes will do little to no damage. They will barrel over her, slam her to the ground and have their way with her.
If she used better tactics, targets, and behaviors she could either win the fight or intimidate the guys into not attacking at all.
Does your martial art teach you how to do that? You might be at the wrong school.
Areas You Need to Train to Be Truly Ready
Here is a brief list of things a combat self-defense warrior fighter martial artist (insert whatever you want to be called) needs competency at:
Skills
- Stance / Footwork / Guard
- Striking
- Ground Fighting
- Take downs / throws
- Distance
- Timing / Rhythm / Cadence
- Knife use / defense
- Handgun disarms / use
- Clubbed / blunt weapons use / defense
- Multiple Attackers
Physical Attributes
- Strength
- Mobility / flexibility
- Injury Resilience
- Visual / Mental Focus
- Peripheral Awareness
- Visual Acuity Speed
- Hand / Foot Eye Coordination
Tactics
- How to Enter
- Reactionary Gap
- Ranges and how to use them
- Determining Threat Levels / Amount of Force to Utilize
- Understanding Your Vulnerabilities & Attacker’s Vulnerabilities
- How opponent(s), location, witnesses, environment, and more affect your tactics
Behaviors
- How to Sucker Punch
- How to Avoid the Sucker Punch
- How to Tell When Someone is About to Sucker Punch
- How to Tell if They Have a Weapon
- How to Defuse vs. Escalate
- How to Intimidate
- How to look Meek to Lure
- How to be Cool, Calm, and In-Control
- How to Not Look Like a Victim
Mindset
- Willingness to Harm or Kill
- Bravery & Confidence (vs. Arrogance)
- Knowing What You Are Willing to Fight For
Legal / Moral / Ethical
- Understanding the Legal Consequences of Your Actions
- How to Talk to Witnesses
- What to Say to the Police
- Use of Force Based Upon Threat / Danger
Final Thoughts
So much more could be said but by now you can see that Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu clearly are not enough.
At my school we teach both Muay Thai and BJJ but we modify them to be more effective for the street and we integrate all of the other aspects of being prepared for real violence into our training as well.
If you are looking for the most realistic martial arts school and you happen to be anywhere near the Denver metro area come sign up and become amazing.
Until next time,
Brian
