I just want the takes of others: Who thinks that the MA section of answers should be split in two?

Wow, guess I am the blacksheep.

I like it just how it is.

I think people getting two varied or differing viewpoints on legitimate questions is useful and helpful to the community.

This is like asking that there be multiple sections on the Religion or Political forums. A forum for just Atheists, Agnostics, etc. One for Muslims, or One for Christens, similarly one for Dems, one for Repubs, one for independents.

I disagree with that sort of divisiveness, I think having as wide variety of beliefs, philosophies and experience contributing to an question such as: What to do in this situation....

Instead of getting just canned answers, or "seek your dojo" or asking for things such as "best way to strengthen muscles for Martial Arts"

Given the fact that there are some pro fighters and pro athletes on here, and some not so much, having a blend of answers of various philosophies and ideas contribute to a much greater and broader discussion, and gives someone more than just one side to look at.

For example someone asking something legitimate as "What do you think about kata?"

Could someone really being wondering about it. Instead of getting just one type of answer, without anyone contributing to the opposite side of the argument leaves someone not fully aware of arguments for and against.

I AM ABSOLUTELY AGAINST A SPLIT.

As it is now, this forum isn't THAT busy. It is relatively small. Dividing would be silly, and dividing it on the basis that there are two or more philosophies and ideaologies with combat or Martial Arts seems ridiculous.

You get a more well rounded discussion with having various people representing various sides and opinions, then two forums of like minded thinking individuals.

I would rather against division as hard as I could.

Additionally there is not nearly enough members here that contribute regularly to call for a division.

Check out the dating areas, or the religious and politics sections. There are 2 or 3 questions every minute. People end up with hundreds of thumbs downs and up.

As this is now, it is a fairly tight knit group of people with new people asking things daily.

To some degree everyone who has been around here has an idea of basically what most other contributors are about because we have read enough of each other's answers or had debates, sometimes in Private messages.

The point is, you don't want conformism, you want diversity.

What is the point of having a conversation about something with people who solely believe the same things you believe. That isn't conversation, that is mutual verbal (typing) and intellectual masturbation.

When I ask a question I don't just want MMA fanboys answering, I want guys with differeing opinions from me, guys with different experiences, so I can get a big picture of the thoughts on a particular subject, anyone asking should want that, and be just as willing to learn.

Grouping like minded people wtih like minded people makes for a pretty damn boring social interaction and discussion, that would probably eventually see the complete elimination of any kind of stimulated debate in the Martial Arts section.

No way in hell do I think it should be split up.

I think people need to keep their ego in check, be willing and open minded, and ignore morons. Be open minded enough to give thought to someone else's points even if you disagree with them. Because maybe that will strike a chord with someone else out there.

I disagree with a lot of myths and ideas placed out the about certain Martial Arts. I willingly admit areas in which I don't have a lot of knowledge.

But at the same time if ONLY like minded people answered the questions, a kid talking about getting bullied in school could face numerous irresponsible answers including punching another kid in the throat or taking an eye etc. Without having the temperance of someone else providing a different view point, we could really be hurting Martial Arts instead of helping it.

I see no justification for splitting MA up. We aren't flooded with people, and just because you have people with different view points from each other, it doesn't mean they need to be seperated. True knowledge comes from listening to those who have a differing view point and experience then you. That is how things evolve, how knowledge spreads and techniques and Martial Arts grow.

I hope that I help people as much as reading other answers whose positions I may disagree with have helped open my eyes to some other thoughts.

<edit>

I would also like to point out, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER OR LOOK AT ANY STUPID QUESTIONS. If I see a "How do I prepare for a ATA Black Bel Test in TKD" I don't bother reading it, I have nothing to contribute cuz I don't know crap about it.

If I see a "OMGPWNZOR who would win between Pat Morita and Brock Lesnar!" then I just bypass and ignore it.

Honestly it isn't that big of a deal, answer things you want to answer and find interesting to conversate about, and don't answer ones in which you are not interested.

If some was asking "During Chi Sao, how low should my center of gravity be" obviously I will that question alone. If there are twenty "Who would win, a Kodiac bear or a Shark" all over the front page, cool, I scroll down to multiple pages and find the questions that interest me.

Simple as that.

(damn sorry another edit)

You said: I just don't see how, as you so elloquently put it, UFC fan boys could help somebody out with a question pertaining to self-defense;

Truthfully, I don't see how white and green belts in Karate, or essentially anyone who is not a law enforcement officer, a close quarters combat instructor, or someone who has never been in a self defense situation can help someone out with a question pertaining to self-defense.

Trust me I see enough Aikido and TMA fanboys, who have never struck a human being giving out "sage self defense advice". So I think that goes on both sides of the isle. Unless someone has been in countless self defense scenarios, a year or two of training in the dojo doesn't make them any more self defense experts then the armchair UFC fanboys. I think people are able to pick out the morons from the ones who aren't and decide from there. In some sense you need to morons to further emphasize your point.

For example if three other answers on a "Self Defense" question are "Chop him in the neck, gouge out his eyes and throw him down" or even "Take him down and mount him and punch him out" and mine is "Realistically, without training your best recourse is being armed, and aware, and avoiding a confrontation"

A reasonable person is going to look at the other two moronic inexperienced arguments and make the sane arguments appear much more glaringly legitimate.

So my point is there is just as much Traditional Martial Arts spectating i.e. Soccer Moms whose kids are in TKD, people who give Aikido as the ultimate street fighting art because of Segal, or other people who give advice about traditional Martial Arts that they have never trained in. Just as much spectating on both sides of the isle.

UFC fanboys at least watch actual fights. 45 year old Novice Tai Chi practioner has seen none. Are either one in the position to contribute to a Self Defense questions?

Yes and No, they have seen what works, and what doesn't, at least in a certain context, and they can offer a viewpoint from a Novice or uninformed standpoint that can contribute to a legitimate discussion.

Again, sorry for lengthening my already long *** book.

Just my opinion.

This issue has been brought up before. Judo makes some valid points, as do some others.

Personally, I don't see how it would solve anything, but some people believe it would so I don't see the harm. Sub-category questions still appear under the main heading of a category. People can answer in any section that they choose.

I like MMA. I believe that it can serve a purpose to the traditionalist as well when discussing a technique that might have a dozen different names. One video clip can clear up a lot of misunderstanding.

Anyway, I will sign a petition if people think it would make things more enjoyable for them.

1. Martial Art Practices and techniques.

2. MMA fans

3. MMA fighters

4. What style is best for me?

5. Godzilla vs. Bruce or Chuck

6. Club business

7. Self-defense

8. Dojo Locator

9. What was the entrance music for ****?

10. Jokes

There could be a lot of sections. How would people know which of the above type of questions should be placed where? Wulf and I have been talking about creating a forum that would solve most of these problems.

I think that's a phenominal idea.

There are far too many people on here asking who would win this and that and UFC questions.

I am a fan of the UFC, but feel that it's a subsection in the martial arts world, and remains solely a sport.

It would be nice to see the amount of sports related or contest related questions dwindle in this particular arena.

It would also be nice to have the previous post for similar questions be a linked page when questions are submitted. That would be for those people asking the same question a million times over. So when they type the question and the system recognizes the phrasing, it should redirect them to a page of similarly asked questions... before they're allowed to submit to the forum. This I really think is the most important situation at hand as these questions will not stop, and have been answered over and over again, by hundreds of different POVs.

I think I agree that the martial arts section should be split in two. Although I see a more consistent polarization between "traditional martial artists" and "mixed martial artists" rather than spectators and actual practitioners.

I'd be happy with this because it seems like every question has turned into a contest between the philosophies of TMA and MMA, and it gets in the way of answering the question at hand.

It seems like every serious question someone asks about a TMA is met by a bunch of MMAists (or probably just fans of the sport) trying to discredit TMA because they've never seen a TMAist in the UFC.

On the other hand, It seems like every question someone seriously asks about MMA is met by a barage of TMAists that want to discredit it because a fight under MMA rules is not realistic combat.

Then the debate rages on in an endless cycle of "my techniques are too dangerous for competition" and "your techniques can't be practiced live so they can't be effective," both of which are valid arguments but it seems in most cases both parties never come to an agreement.

Although the debate is getting old and obnoxious, I think it will be sad if it disappears. The fact is, both sides could learn a lot from one another, one side is not superior to the other, one is actually a derivative of the other!

I think modern MMAists need a reminder that if they're training for an MMA rules fight only, they're not training for a real street self defense situation, and may have developed some very bad habits that could be detrimental in a street attack. Example, volunteering to take a fight to the ground or "pulling guard" then getting stomped by the guy's friends when he would have been far better off keeping it standing so he could run away when other attackers showed up.

Additionally, TMAists need a reminder that there's no substitute for real combat if you're trying to prepare yourself for real combat. Of course there is nothing wrong with practicing techniques on non-resisting opponents if the techniques are too dangerous to perform live, they may still be very effective and therefore should not be abbandoned. However, it is wise to root your style in techniques that can be practiced live because practicing against a live resisting opponent is the only way to gain true proficiency of any technique. Perhaps most important, don't forget about the ground game! Sure you want to keep the fight standing, but face it, sometimes the fight will go to the ground whether you wanted it to or not.

I know I got off on a tangent here but that's my take on the situation. The two groups have become very different so in a way I can see the benefit of splitting them up. But the debates that take place between the two groups would likely disappear if they were split, and I think both sides can benefit from each other's criticism, so maybe splitting is not such a good idea.

I like the idea, but I don't like it at the same time.

On one hand, I believe it would be a good idea. With the separation, fans of MMA competition can have their space, whilst practitioners of the arts (And MMA: I don't know if you think MMA practitioners should be apart of the training section). People on either sides wouldn't offend each other as often, and there wouldn't be as many clashes. Practitioners are often angry at the fans that don't understand the intricacies of the combat systems, vice versa, and all the other variations.

On the other hand:

MMA inspires some to really take any martial arts, and while some are pigheaded, I think the fact that both types of people (And hybrids like myself: Practitioner/Fan) learn from each other that it allows for them to crossover. I don't mean this as if it's offensive, but it seems like a disservice if we don't let fans learn to understand more about the techniques and training, and for practitioners to possibly learn to appreciate MMA, or any other competition (Boxing/kickboxing/MMA/Shootwrestling/Freestyle/Shootboxing/Standup/grappling) really. Some are really interested, and informed. Others aren't, and they might want to be (Though some may never get it).

I doubt yahoo would do it honestly. If they did, then I'm sure all the sports sections would request this, and there would still be people that are confuzzled about the whole thing. lol

I agree that it should be split into 3 sections.

Section 1 - Actual questions about a certian style or training methods, techniques, etc. this should include both traditional and MMA's questions.

Section 2 - Questions about the UFC or any other MMA league.

Section 3 -All of the vs questions such as Bruce Lee vs a robot from outer space.

I think this would work out well, because I hate sifting through 50 questions to find one I actually care to answer. I don't run anybody down if you are passionete about the UFC, that's cool if it is what you are into and choose to spend your time on, but I really could care less what song so and so came out to. It does nothing to further my training or impact my life in anyway.

I definetly am not in favor of splitting actual training questions into traditional vs MMA, because we can all benefit from different veiwpoints. Maybe if we seperated the others though, we would have less people who are wanna be's and posers posting stupid inane answers in the actual training session.

I have always thought they could make the section a bit more organized within the MA section doing just that or those questions with who vs who are really a poll's question also.

So I think adding a UFC/MMA section and a more traditional section as well.

Thats just my view. Then I could avoid a lot of questions I do not wish to answer.

I don't think so. If you did that, you would have to differentiate between all the sports. You can play baseball or watch it. Same with all sports.

Before any of that, I would like to see the Wrestling section split into pro wrestling and real wrestling. Pro wrestling questions need to be put in the entertainment section.

Yes I agree. Sport martial arts like UFC, IFC etc. are usually questions similar to "what team do you like in the NFL this season?". I think they deserve a category of their own.

I disagree with the split for a few reasons:

1- there is nothing to prevent these "fanboys" from coming to the ma board anyway, and

2- this is a small secion as it is, splitting it will only make it smaller.

Totally agree, if they can have women gender studies I am all for diffrent aspects of martial arts.