WE NEED A UNIVERSAL BELT SYSTEM IN MMA!!

WE NEED UNIVERSAL A BELT SYSTEM IN MMA!!
Welcome to Fight Bible!
Full Interview of Paul Reed at Sweatbox Gym Bristol on his Brand New MMA belt grading syllabus.

We think Paul has done so well with this new system, Maybe small gyms have implemented something similar but Paul has the connections and the skills both in the gym and as a business man to carry this on to other gyms as a system for new fighters to progress through the ranks in MMA.

Check out Paul's Instgram for more info:

If you're in Bristol and want to train at the best facility in the South West then hit up Sweatbox:

If you wish to train 1-2-1 with our very only Bradley Scott from just £40PH then hit him up on Instagram as well:

[TheFightBible]

Whats up fight fans! Thank for checking out this interview with the awesome Mr Paul Reed. Head MMA coach at SweatBox Bristol.
Please watch the entire interview before you comment "belts make Mcdojos!" Because that is very narrow minded and shows a lack of experience around MMA clubs.

[vatonietto]

I think its a great idea. Whatever keeps people coming to class and preserving the mentality and skills of the martial art

[stephenvasili]

My MMA gym has a belt system. We use the Gracie Ju Jitsu belt system with slight modifications.

[nathanbrewster]

I wish there was a gym like you closer to me, definitely would get me back into it

[Tom_Framnes]

In my utmost humble opinion.

“Nothing more rewarding, than getting ones thesis validated by those who exceeds oneself in excellence”

“ Advanced are basics/ ie fundamentals done correct”

“ Fighting is relativity in motion, never expect only respond as it ones opponent within context that dictates tactics”

“ It is the units the completes the whole, as it is the practitioner that defines the art”

“ There are levels to this game”
-Firas Zahabi.

I couldn’t agree more, to have an set standardization for fundamental techniques that no matter of specialization preference that pertains to each respective practitioner, there is an set standard of technical proficiency that needs to be in place as to be able to be deemed capable. Matt Thornton utilizes the analogy of a tree, the base( Fundamentals) that no matter how high one climbs the skill tree, one cannot obtain an high level without the said fundamentals that maintain/ makes up the system/s.

Fundamentals akin to:
footwork/ distance management

Striking hands/ legs/ knees/ elbows
Clinch/ takedowns/ grappling/ ground/ submission etc. And from there develop the abilities through sparring/ aliveness which encourages competency in an active live environment. Ie skill earned, not given.

Appreciations for sharing and enabling all of us to observe and learn from such peers as yourselves.

Sincere regards.

Fellow Martial Artist.

Tom Framnes.
Norway.

[michaelhanrahan]

I love the comment about different styles and strengths. My Kung Fu / kickboxing instructor keeps telling us that "you can't teach an elephant to fly" (clearly not a Dumbo fan). As part of the belt grading system we have to learn all the basic strikes and the "fancier" spinning/jumping kicks so we understand the mechanics and can recognize them in a fight, but us elephants who struggle with jumping and spinning aren't expected to master them as long as we master the techniques we do best and use them effectively when we spar and with power and accuracy on the bag. "Do the best you can with what you have." He likes to use Bill Wallace as an example of someone who couldn't kick with one leg, so he mastered using the leg he could.

[peterrussell]

Great vid and idea - just don't ever let it get watered down like Karate has become.
Paul has the right approach - I love his statement about 'pressure testing from day one' - that sounds almost like a challenge to go and train with him 👍

[BrandonTLuong]

Happy someone is finally taking another stab at a MMA belting system! This is one of the most arduous task to execute and gyms who have tried get laughed at for one reason or another. Definitely need this to know where I stand in the MMA as muay thai and bjj system isn't enough for me to comprehend my standing.

[johnkata]

I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea until listening to Paul explain his reasoning behind it.
Now it makes much more sense and yeah, fully onboard with it.

[vicarious]

I've always been one of these guys that said no to a belt system for mma. I remember when my old coach threw the idea out a couple of years ago and everyone said the same.

However I think you have sold me on it! Plus I like the rashie style that's going on there, far better than an actual belt.

[TheDdvd]

Excellent idea .. fully support it. Like the idea of giving credits towards MMA belts based on achievements in BJJ etc...

[mr]

As long as the belt system is more like BJJ and not karate, where I at the age of 12 became a fucking 1st Dan. Than yeah belts for mma sounds awesome

[Jenjak]

i already foudn the BJJ belt system was one of the best in martial arts world, but this one seems like an advancement. It very well thought and I think all martial arts should take inspiration from that.

[christophertiftickjian]

Well, I think this argument makes a lot of sense. I guess I hadn't considered it this way.

[jakubkarpiej]

Love that idea. It's ideal for me I'm contracting and I'm only person whose brining food for a table. I do love martial arts but don't want to get more injuries

[Moving_Target]

As someone who is a shodan black belt in karate, it is fair there are pros and cons to the belt system. The development of the belt system was instituted by the founders of modern Karate, Gichin Funakoshi, Kenwa Mabuni, Chojun Miyagi, and Higashi, was a political marketing move to sell Karate to the Japanese as a sport and emulated the Judo belt system.

In my humble opinion, however, the belt system has become a little bit watered down just has Karate Do. What started out as a self defense system as a complete martial art has become a sport.

Is the belt system necessary to spread the popularity of Karate? Who knows. But the Black Belt is iconic not only in the martial arts community but also in pop culture, sports, and movies.

For Mixed Martial Arts to include a belt system is an interesting question, but can it make do without it? Well, let me answer this question with another question; can Traditional Chinese Martial Arts, Muay Thai, and Wrestling continue without a belt system?

For Mixed

[deanspencerart]

personally I think this is a great idea.

[barryhouman]

It's not a bad idea but as someone that used to take Karate and by no means am I an expert, I would have concerns that some MMA gyms would become belt factories and not concerned about teaching proper techniques and water dilute the talent pool, there are Karate schools that use this method because people will lose interest if they don't feel like they are progressing fast enough and will leave the school and the school looses money. I think you could eventually have the same issue with MMA gyms, I am not saying that this would happen with all MMA gyms cause this is not the case with all Karate schools just some and it could happen with MMA.

[littlestoneliontraditional]

Not a fan of this idea. I do admit it has commercial value but at a cost to the art. (Imo obviously)

[hobbs]

Great idea especially for us hobbyists who dont want to get their head kicked in 😂