PistolPete

I've noticed that there is a major difference with people in MMA vs. people in traditional Martial Arts when it comes to drug use. Seems a lot of people in MMA smoke pot and use other drugs while people in traditional Martial Arts are less likely to. I'm wondering if it is because MMA is a much more extreme sport and attracts a lot of people from unhealthy lifestyles? What are your thoughts on this?

Zapatista

I think it's because the traditional arts (for the most part) have a philosophy that goes along with the art and that philosophy is usually to respect your body (which most take to mean no drugs, but not every interprets it as that way). Meanwhile, there is no such philosophy in MMA so I think it is why you see people who are into drugs and what not.

kyle1

I did all of that before I trained mma, now I just dont have time.

Trainee

Psh, that's not true. A lot of traditional martial artist do drugs. I know LOADS of them. I mean, I know a lot of MMA practitioners that smoke, too, but there's still a bunch of trad MA practioners that smoke.
Proof that traditional MA practitioners do indeed smoke (lol): Bruce Lee died of hashish, a drug. He ate it and shortly died of cerebral edema as a result.

PistolPete

Then again Bruce wasn't a traditional Martial Artist. Actually he was prob. the first MMA fighter.

HowWePlay_77

Bruce Lee is da shit!!

__________________
Favorites:

- Rush

- Kid

- The Gracie Hunter

- The Prodigy

Unseen

He really smoked hash? Damn. I gave up weed about 2 months ago.

Trainee

Well, he was hooked before he dropped his belief in different styles. And his ideas weren't new - he just brought them out into the open. There were people who studied more than one martial art at a time. I think Chuck Norris studied like 3 or 4 before Bruce Lee came into his life. (Not sure though. But I think that's right)

The Don

Chuck not only studied Okinawain Karate he is alos a practicioner of Tang Soo Do from Korea and I think 2 other art forms I do not recall...

As for the reason Bruce died from that drug it iwas not a substance he was used to using and he had a reaction to some drugs they gave him in the hospital to help. It was the right drug to help him if he were not Asian. THe drug used was known to cause severe allergic reactions to people of asian genetics some like 75% of the time and they never tested bruce to see if there would be a reaction.

__________________
RGDA TN Web Site

My BJJ and MMA Blog

BJJ Board

Use No Way as Way, Have No Limitation as Limitation.
Vincere Vel Mori
Yea I still exist.

The Don

This is almost 100% right... He was probably the first to openly admit and push the idea of using more then one art form. At that time in Tradational MA Most of the long time practicioners had the idea that our way is better then yours, even among similar styles . "My crane style is better then your Tiger style" Etc. Bruce realized early on that while seperate the styles were good they all had different flaws that could be exploited. Bruces goal was to study the syles find the weaknesses and then find the style that best exploited or covered up the weak area to make a more complete system.
It was during this the developements of what is now Jeet Kun Do that bruce realized his biggest concept. "Use Now way as way, Have no limitation as limitation" He realized that no style even his was perfect. as it all depended on one thing... THe person doing it. WHile his style was probably the easiest to adapt for most people it focused on real life and survivng an attack. (hence few sport practicioners of JKD)In latter life before bruce died he even openly admitted that JKD was imperfect (it lacked ground skills and in close or fighting from a clinch) Bruce was working to perfect it but not really to teach it as a set style but to be able to pass on all the best knowledge he could. He even once said and I paraphrase, that every fight is like a dance with a partner you never danced with before to music you never heard. Basicly meaning every fight is DIFFERENT no two are alike what works once may never work agian you must be like water and learn to adapt to every situation.
As for Bruce being the first to use multiple styles. Thats been happening for generations before Bruce. Bruce as said was just the 1st to openly say it and do it was a high level of success.

__________________
RGDA TN Web Site

My BJJ and MMA Blog

BJJ Board

Use No Way as Way, Have No Limitation as Limitation.
Vincere Vel Mori
Yea I still exist.