I’m not entirely sure how to feel about this. I think it’s pretty damn funny… I work in high-tech and am around engineers all day. I can vouch that there are a fair few engineers who I’ve met who definitely have rage/anger issues.
I was having problems embeding this video onto MMT. You can watch it here.
I vacillate between finding this pretty sad and being happy for them. On one hand who the fuck am I to judge them…? There is a part of me that’s happy for them. Part of me thinks good for you, get some… blow off some steam. If they’re anything like the engineers I know, almost of them were picked on their entire lives. I’m sure there’s some latent anger going on there.
On the other hand I find it sad that their outlet is viciously bashing someone in the face. This clearly isn’t about sparring (give and take) this is all about mauling the other guy. I train first and foremost because I love our art/sport. A nice side benefit I get as a result of training is stress relief. I don’t go into the gym looking to vent, if I do it’s generally on a bag or pads. If you’re one of those folks who saves it for your partners then you’re just a douchebag.
I don’t know about you guys, but even when I’m sparring people, (even those I don’t like) my intention isn’t to hurt them. I don’t have any qualms with popping you in the nose, but I’m not trying to knock you the fuck out either.
Maybe I’m in the minority but, I like the exchange in sparring, I like getting hit as much as hitting. There is a mutual respect that you have to have with one another. It doesn’t mean to go easy on someone, or to back off someone. Only you know what you’re doing… in Buddhism there is a Pali term “Samma” in Buddhist texts it’s directly translated as “right” or “correct”. The term was originally used in music, to refer to tone. The more accurate translation/ description is “just right” or “just enough” it really refers to harmony. So how much pressure should you apply, how hard should you be hitting, how aggressive should you be with your partners? Samma.
33 responses so far ↓
1 diimak // May 14, 2008 at 3:23 am
This site rocks when we can crack jokes about crazy pics and then think about some interesting concepts in the fight/training game.
Nice post Nop. I guess I am more like you as well. Samma…. interesting concept.
It’s always telling too, when your thai instructor sees people going too hard (.. and too soft) and they just shake their head like.. you don’t get it do you..
It’s like they wish they could teach the concept of samma but do not know how.
2 Gio // May 14, 2008 at 3:35 am
hear hear, great post.
I definitely think that sparring is not useful at all for blowing off steam and getting your aggro on. The main thing that distinguishes muay thai from K-1, MMA, and boxing is the huge amount of respect we give to our opponents, to our padholders, to our sparring partners, and to everyone involved. I also think that you become less aggressive and angry the more you learn. Nak muays and students of muay thai are some of the nicest people I know, and that definitely has something to do with their art.
That said, maybe this is the only way these guys know how to deal with their lives. I’m sure they tried other stress outlets (punching bags, video games, etc.) before resorting to something that collapses their faces every once in a while. That kind of says more about the working culture we have nowadays than anything else, though, methinks.
3 colargol // May 14, 2008 at 3:36 am
Laughs aside, I don’t approve of this stuff. These guys talk about connecting with their manly side and burning off some excess tension but it seems to me that they are just indulging in sadism.
Boxing and MT can be that for some but as you say Nop, it’s more about the sport than the actual beatdown. Esp. during sparring sessions
These nerds should just join a MT/boxing/BJJ gym and burn off their energy the ‘right’ way IMO… (they might even learn something in the process)
4 tabloid // May 14, 2008 at 5:15 am
I didn’t watch the full clip, but it kind of looked liked a DOG BROTHERS cell.
5 nopstar // May 14, 2008 at 6:20 am
tabloid-
I agree especially with the fencing masks… however, I’ve seen some of the dog brothers vids, and they all seem a lot more “skilled” then these guys
6 Gusnark // May 14, 2008 at 7:25 am
I don’t know, to me this is pretty stupid.
It’s natural to be violent and sadistic, but as colargol said, “These nerds should just join a MT/boxing/BJJ gym and burn off their energy the ‘right’ way”.
7 tong po // May 14, 2008 at 8:57 am
I totally agree with Gusnark. Why not just do things the “right way?” But also though, I say let them have at it- they are not bothering anybody. If that’s the lifestyle they want…
They do dress up like the Dog Bros., even use escrima sticks like they do-but these guys also use toilet seats, and purses.
8 Ray // May 14, 2008 at 9:39 am
A coworker sent me a link to the video this morning. His first question, “Is this what you do?” I had no idea how to react since I don’t use muay thai as an excuse to get out my aggression and beat someone up.
I think what these guys are doing is just plain hilarious. I’m sure they were all picked on as kids and they want any excuse they can find to break the “geek” stereotype. I’m sure they brag about it and show their bruises with pride. Its not my thing, but more power to them for find a good use old keyboards and Martha Stewart magazines.
9 ShadyEskimo // May 14, 2008 at 10:49 am
I agree with Colargol and Gusnark, and I dont see the point of doing it like that, but its their life and their thing. I agree with Nop about blowing off steam on the Bag or Pads and NOT your sparring partner, unless your are equally good rivals in friendly and agreed competition. Duh. But why not do it the Muay Thai way, or the Boxing way, or MMA. Maybe they arent as serious as a lot of others.
10 natemuaythaimaster // May 14, 2008 at 11:38 am
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with what they do. Its just like us practicing thai boxing, it may not be as refined as thai boxing but it’s still an art of self expression. In thai boxing you learn the art and you condition the mind by putting your body under tremendous stress (fighting) as if to fight for your life. At least you do if your doing it right, I know alot of people at my gym that just go just to think there learning how to “fight”. If thats what these guys are doing then no it’s not fighting it’s just merely street art.
11 natemuaythaimaster // May 14, 2008 at 11:42 am
p.s -its a same when uneducated people look at that and think thats what any other legitimate fight sport is all about
12 The Mexi-Can // May 14, 2008 at 11:47 am
I also think - great for them.. Sign a waiver and get on your merry way. First thing that came to mind was Dog Brothers.. Hell.. Why aren’t these being stopped like ‘our’ smokers?
13 SE // May 14, 2008 at 12:39 pm
its better than watching idiots in a mosh pit. slightly.
i would really love to see trained fighters join there fight club and smash all their faces in. that would be funny.
14 SE // May 14, 2008 at 12:41 pm
i bet they use dildos to “stab” eachother too. queers.
15 SE // May 14, 2008 at 12:45 pm
hey nate”muaythaimaster……. what these idiots are doing has absolutely no similarity in training muay thai. there is no discipline, there is no culture, there are no actual skills being learned.
16 souvik // May 14, 2008 at 3:36 pm
wow. that’s kind of how i got into muay thai. embarrassing, but true. and somewhere along the line as my techniques refined, i fell in love with this art for its own sake.
17 Gio // May 14, 2008 at 4:01 pm
SE, I appreciate your point about it being different from (and less valuable) than practising muay thai, but do we really need to call them queers?
18 SE // May 14, 2008 at 5:31 pm
gio,
i firmly believe it was a necessary comment and fully expressed how i felt about those characters. if i was talking amongst peers i would say the same thing. for christs sake these guys are hitting eachother hand vacs, chairs, and wooden swords[that were meant for real training].
19 Frank // May 14, 2008 at 7:37 pm
I’m not down with it, mainly because I hate unorganized/sloppy brawling, even if it’s in a ring between two practitioners. To me it seems dangerous… without training you don’t know how to hit or be hit properly, and they may not know when to let up so as to avoid really hurting the other guy.
That brings me to sparring, I don’t like people that get in their and just try to bang. I’ve always treated sparring as a learning method, not a win/lose activity. I think it should always be controlled with no ‘heat of the moment’ emotion. For example if I see I’m going to hit the person completely clean, especially on the button, I totally pull back and end up hitting them at like 20%. I was almost knocked out sparring when I slipped, then buddy smashed me a huge hook when I was completely vulnerable. Kudos if that was a fight, but don’t kill your gym mate’s brain cells.
20 Fighter X // May 14, 2008 at 7:43 pm
These nerds are prety brutal ay, it realy pissed me off watching those moronic women and men in their suits tryin to 2 be all cool when when what they realy are a group of pencil pushers
21 Gusnark // May 14, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Gio and SE
I don’t find that comment discriminating, it’s simply funny.
After all, they look like a bunch of idiots without life.
22 colargol // May 15, 2008 at 2:21 am
Totally agree with Frank.
23 alexander // May 15, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I had the displeasure of catching this on TV, and it may be wrong to ‘judge’ others but my god.. this just breaks new ground for terrible. To me, it’s an insult to everyone who trains at a legitimate fighting art. The really bad part is that some people will see this and think it’s ok just bash around like a pro-wrestler on TV and call themselves a fighter.
Before this, I never thought I’d see something more pathetic than the Human Weapon/Fight Quest shows, looks like I was wrong.
And since I’m on my soap box right now, let me say that I really wouldn’t want any of these guys in my gym after all the bad habits they picked up in “fight club”. If they want to relieve stress, try boxercise or that fake ass kickboxing/jazzercise class at a local mainstream gym, not bashing some guy’s head in with a stick.
24 SE // May 15, 2008 at 1:02 pm
frank is dead on about the sparring shit. its too bad people always want to prove shit or size you up when youre new.
25 SE // May 15, 2008 at 1:08 pm
they are exactly like those kids that do “backyard wrestling”. its no different and equally pathetic.
26 SE // May 15, 2008 at 1:09 pm
its also too bad these dudes dont know the first rule about fight clubs.
sorry…..i had to
27 colargol // May 15, 2008 at 11:41 pm
hehe..
28 LorKoteKote // May 16, 2008 at 7:54 am
Different strokes, different folks…Anyways, you have to step your training up some, you can’t always spar relaxed and soft because real fights in and outside the ring are not relaxed and soft. You have to get used to that mentality in order to be successful? KowJaiMaila?
29 LorKoteKote // May 16, 2008 at 8:08 am
Besides being kinda (Disturbingly)funny, I kind of dig it. The dulled knives(555+). The only problem I see is there are no referees to stop it when it gets out of control. But I am a resident of DMV(DC-MD-VA) where violence and crime are daily occurrences. Maybe I’m desensitized? B-more stand up! I used to goto Newark, NJ and they would fight in the front yard for fun one after another(no weapons though).
30 SE // May 16, 2008 at 10:51 am
you step up your training when you slap on the headgear and you know you’re going all out. not when youre playing around.
31 LorKoteKote // May 17, 2008 at 7:12 am
Same as Backyard wrestling??? I think not. This can equate to real combat. This is a real fight. Muay Thai(Praise Allah for blessing us with it) is about half of the fighting pie(Strikes and minimal clinching). MMA about 80% I guess(I’m not a statistician). This is a real fight, like it or not. I honestly think people don’t like this because they fear what they do not understand. You shouldn’t be open minded to certain kinds of fighting and closed to others because you don’t agree with it.
32 yknocka // May 17, 2008 at 5:45 pm
This is violence for the sake of violence.
I bet there are some legit MA practitioners doing this shit too. They should be ashamed to be involved in this honorless crap. I believe this to go against the spirit of any legitimate martial art.
Having said that, I can’t help but be entertained by idiots hurting each other, so perhaps I am just as guilty at these fuckers.
33 SE // May 18, 2008 at 11:18 am
.lorekotekote. its obvious you’re a moron. and thats ok with me.
You must log in to post a comment.