You may not see the similarities between your chosen training method and others, but testing your skills in a different arena can lead to gains you’d otherwise go without. Whether you love boxing or favour grappling, sometimes you just have to switch it up, or stagnate.
Combat Sports vs Combatives
When it comes to combat-sports training versus training for real combat, it doesn’t have to be ‘one or the other’. After all, even the Olympics began as a test of warriors’ mettle. But, as grappling legend Royler Gracie and I once discussed at a gathering of police, sport can also derail people's efforts to prepare for reality…
The Training Paradox
Conditioning your mind and body to cope with pain, injury, fatigue and fear is vital if self-defence capability is what you seek. But training should leave you ready for battle, not destroyed before the battle has even begun.