Everybody from every discipline: what’s considered "bad" etiquette in your gym?

[Ashkuff]

Reposted with permission, from http://ashkuff.com/blog/?p=182

The taste of blood flooded my mouth. “See what I mean?” ‘Raux asked me, grinding his knuckles across my face, gnashing my lips into my teeth. “Maybe get ‘em to back off like this!” I had ‘Raux pinned to the ground, demonstrating my scarf hold, while he experimented with some escapes. “Or use pressure points!” ‘Raux switched techniques, driving his thumbs into the soft spots below my occipital ridge.

I tried to pretend it didn’t hurt. ‘Raux scoffed, “Son, Sensei does that to me all the time, so don’t even pretend that don’t hurt. But hey, is this even legal in grapplin’?” I responded, “Yeah, it’s legal. Just terribly impolite. Kinda’ like this.” I struck out, throttling his neck.

“Oh, that’s s###ty!”
Thrashing away, ‘Raux croaked,
“and you’re allowed to do that sorta’ thing?”

I paused, uneasily.
“I think so. But nobody really does. It’s… rude.”

‘Raux frowned incredulously.
“So what? You gonna be polite during a real fight?”

‘Raux and I are damn close. He even made me his Best Man. Further, we’ve both been into martial arts for years. If any two guys should be able to spar smoothly, it should be us. Right? Wrong. Even though we share so much, we belong to distinct subcultures. I come from submission grappling, ‘Raux comes from Aikido, and we sometimes experience culture clash. For example, in submission grappling, there’s no rule explicitly prohibiting knuckle grinds, yet there’s a tacit understanding that it’s “cheap.” Of course, as an Aikidoka, ‘Raux couldn’t have known that.

Even in the context of violence, we remain influenced by our culture’s etiquette. Some colloquialisms include “clean fighting” versus “dirty fighting,” “cheap shots,” and more militaristically, “rules of engagement” versus “war crime.” Sometimes these systems of etiquette become so elaborate, violence becomes game-like. Anthropologists have documented this phenomenon for generations, including the so-called “Mesoamerican Ball Game” and “Trobriand Cricket.” Thus, when different cultures fight, the conflict’s etiquette can get wonky. Practically, that’s an issue anthropologists could help navigate in combat athletics, law enforcement, and war. Indeed, some already have, in the “Human Terrain Program.”

Of course, here on Bullshido, I’m probably preaching to the choir! I’m sure most of you have had similar experiences. Better, even. That’s what I want to open this discussion for. I searched the archives for “etiquette” and found a few related topics, but they were all restricted in some way (by discipline, by situation, etc.) So I wanna open this up to everybody from every discipline: officially or unofficially, what’s considered bad etiquette in your gym?

--- Ashkuff | www.ashkuff.com | How to venture out of “armchair” scholarship and into action? One anthropologist tackles business, occultism and violence! He gets spooked and roughed up a lot.

[jedtex88]

We try to keep maiming to the minimum at the dojang. No fingers in the eyes, nor kicks to the knee or spine. It's considered especially rude to tornado kick the underbelts. Unfortunately accidents happen and sooner or later everyone limps home.

[Ashkuff]

Good first post, jedtex88. And yeah, once, I messed up by knee that way. Of course, my foot shouldn't have been so heavily planted. (Laughs Out Loud)

--- Ashkuff | www.ashkuff.com | How to venture out of “armchair” scholarship and into action? One anthropologist tackles business, occultism and violence! He gets spooked and roughed up a lot.

[jdempsey]

Today a kid at the boxing gym broke an old school boxer's rule and heard... "DONT KICK THE BLOODY BAGS!". When I say old school old loyd is 86.

My old kickboxing trainer used to train in the room next to the boxers' at the local youth club. After class as the kickboxing crew was leaving, one of the boxers kicked a bag and was abused loud enough for EVERYONE to hear...

" If you wanna kick go and kick with the girls next door"

I wasnt there but I can imagine mick (kickboxing trainer) thinking "farkin hell here we go."
Mick proposed both their top fighters fight to see who is the girl. Boxer said "no, you and me."
I wish I knew the full details of the fight (in the ring) but mick K.O'd him with punches.:SoMuchWin:

[jdempsey]

Also I know what you're going through with your mate. My best mate, who I was also best man for, is a tkd blackbelt and hapkido 1st dan. We've been arguing about teh deadly for years. As the years go by he is coming around a little... especially since I easily RNC'd him with ease before even learning grappling(kinda).

He even went for my eyes, the answer to everything apparently, so we both learned that day about eyegouging and dominant positions... I gently returned the favour.

[Ashkuff]

"He even went for my eyes, the answer to everything apparently..."

(Laughs Out Loud) Yeah, it's like people think the eyes are emergency-release buttons.

[Hiro Protagonist]

Reposted, "with permission", from the blog whose name your account here happens to share?

Thin, n00b, thin.

[jnp]

Reposted, "with permission", from the blog whose name your account here happens to share?

Thin, n00b, thin.

No, he means he asked the staff's permission to post blog entries here.



Where I train, the rule is that everyone goes home with working parts. As long as no one loses sight of that, people can spar at close to full speed on the ground.

[Ashkuff]

Hiro Protagonist,
Uh... sorry? I guess?
This is like, the third or fourth discussion I ever started.
Still getting used to it.

That said, isn't the "reposted with permission" disclaimer pretty standard,
even if you run your own blog? (shrugs to self) Lemme know.

--- Ashkuff | www.ashkuff.com | How to venture out of “armchair” scholarship and into action? One anthropologist tackles business, occultism and violence! He gets spooked and roughed up a lot.

[Ashkuff]

"Working parts."
I like that, jnp.