Hello all,
Can anyone give me any pro's and con's for pankration? I am interested in learning a martial art, but I want to train realistically, including both stand up and ground fighting. There is a school near me that teaches pankration, the Spartan Academy of Martial Arts in Haverhill, MA. They devote separate classes to stand up and ground fighting, it could be what I'm looking for. Although I want to include ground fighting, I really don't want to spend all my time on just that - I need to practice striking/blocking as well. Alternatively, I would be interested in a kempo school that practices a jiujitsu component, in the northeast Massachusetts or southern New Hampshire area.

Pancrationin its ancient form in the old olympics where a true violent deadly sport. The practioners were naked, all oiled up and used knuckle irons. Many practioners died when they lost to an opponent.

I dont know if modern pancration is any of the old one... but if they have kept any of the odl values it is very good training!

Joe D,

There should be an article here on Pancrase.



Xiao Ao Jiang Hu Zhi Dong Fang Bu Bai (Laughing Proud Warrior Invinsible Asia) Emporer of Baji!!! THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST THE UNITED AUSSIE FRONT!!

HEre's a link to an article on the Pankration/Modern Olympics Myth
http://www.mcdojo.com/article_read.asp?id=78

Good luck in finding s decent school

I think the iron fist thing only happened in Italy during the Roman Empire. Most skilled Greek pankrationists refused to take part in the bloodsport gladiator games. Not that the gladiators weren't bad ass but you know, some people don't think death should be entertainment.


Here is an article on ancient Greek pankration by Kostas Dervenis that I posted on here:

http://www.mcdojo.com/article_read.asp?id=81

Even if Pankration exist 3000 years ago in Greece, it does not have alot to do with the Pankration taught today.

Well Joe to answer your question a little more directly;
The academy you are talking about, I believe, is one of Jim Avaranti's(sp) schools. They claim to be teaching the art of true Greek Pankration. As a fighting art Pankration is very formidable although there are a lot of schools that claim this. Most Kempo/Kenpo schools that I've seen in the Massachusettes(sp) area really aren't worth a penny, kinda laughable to tell you the truth. Out of all my journey's throughtout that area I've only found one that I'd even consider recommending to someone but that's in the Cape. If you were back here on the West Coast or in Hawaii there would be over 2 dozen I could recommend.

If you want self-defense I wouldn't take the Pankration system as your main art, I would say it would make a good supplement art.

If you want a good fighting school contact Kip Kollar in your area, president of the North American Grappling association president@nagafighter.com, you can see him refing at the UFC. He lives in the area and should be able to point you to a legit school.

Here is the page for Jim Arvanitis and his modern Mt Tau pankration system.

http://www.channel1.com/pankration/

Personally, I agree with Michael. I don't think Jim's stuff resembles ancient pankration in any way.

Asia: Pancrase is the modern name given for "PANKRATION"
Modern Pankration or Pancrase has nothing to do with the Anchient Greek Pankration.
They are trying to bring back to life a fighting style that no longer exists.
The fighters were fighting with everything they got.
There is a very interesting story for ancient Pankration:
Once while 2 fighters fought for the title, one of the fighters aplyed a deadly tehnique to his oponent but he never surendered and managed to make his oponent surender a few seconds later. The fighter who won the fight was laying dead on the ground.
Thats how this guys fought back then and noone can revive this M.A.

Greco,

I know this but thanks anyways. 9 chambers has been supplying me with info on this. Plus I was a small fan of the PANCRASE in Japan

Xiao Ao Jiang Hu Zhi Dong Fang Bu Bai (Laughing Proud Warrior Invinsible Asia) Emporer of Baji!!! THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST THE UNITED AUSSIE FRONT!!

Why did I not hear of any pankration schools befor the ufc. We don't know what moves they did 3000's ago. If what I saw on human weapons was used then. how did martial arts devolve not evolved when kung fu came around. Then the ufc is here and all of a sudden pankation is back bull ****

Then the ufc is here and all of a sudden pankation is back bull ****

Arvanitis has been working on his system, which is more a reimagining than it is a re-creation, since the 1970s. It seems to be mostly Muay Thai strikes with Greco takedowns and some subs. In fact, it's been mentioned on here in some ancient thread that Arvantis used some MT strikes in his new system as the ones he believed the ancient Greeks to use weren't as good.

His research involved reading old accounts and looking at surviving images on vases and whatnot, and trying to find modern analogues. He's not claiming to know some ancient system.

As far as the school itself, beats the heck out of me. The actual system remains rather closely held; whether this is because Arvanitis wants all the credit or because he is interested in quality control, or a bit of both, is an open question.

Some claims: http://www.spartanacademy.com/history/index.htm

The OP should go to the school and check it out, why not?

The OP may have in the 5 years that have passed since the last post on the subject and eleetness151's decision to resurrect this thread.