Nor Cal Matt Thornton Seminar: January 13-14

**Punisher** · Posted On: 12/22/2006 3:19am

Did some searching and couldn't find out if this had already been posted or if we have a specific place to announce seminars. Anyway I recently received this email and wanted to share:

We are happy to announce that we are hosting Matt Thornton, SBGi
president for a seminar again this year. We are expecting many
participants so we recommend early registration.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS SEMINAR – Aliveness and Functional Self-Defense
Saturday: Jan 13
Sunday: Jan 14
11 a.m. – 5 p.m. w/Lunch Break

Motion, Timing, Progressive Resistance
One central concept that makes martial arts work
A healthier way to train

Featuring: Matt Thornton
President, Straight Blast Gym International
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt (Machado)

Pre-Register (limited space available, an additional $10 will be
charged at the door)
Both Days: $140, SBGi/ModCom members $120
One Day: $100, SBGi/ModCom Members $80

This intensive seminar will encompass fundamental skills that will
benefit beginners as well as experienced athletes. The seminar will
cover Ground (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), Stand-Up (Boxing, Kickboxing),
Clinch (Wrestling, Muay Thai), and combine those aspects
(Comprehensive Self-Defense, Vale Tudo, Mixed Martial Arts).

"The SBGi is about People, and our goal is to offer the cutting edge
in self-defense, combat athletics, fitness, and personal growth, to
every type of human body that walks through our door."

For more information about MODCOM-MMA, SBGi, their philosophy and
training methods, check out: www.moderncombatives.com and
www.straightblastgym.com

MODCOM-MMA is an awesome gym and a great place to train. I've gone there several times for seminars and throwdowns and the people have always been very polite and helpful.

Thornton did a seminar there two years ago and bunyip (who trains at MODCOM) wrote a review in this thread: http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=9763

**Virus** · Posted On: 12/22/2006 7:36pm

Would be cool if someone could get some aliveness quotes and stuff.

**Punisher** · Posted On: 12/23/2006 12:45am

I'm going. I'll write a review. From reading bunyip's post there will be ample time to shoot the **** and ask questions. If anyone has anything specific they want me to ask, I'll do it.

**Punisher** · Posted On: 12/23/2006 1:44am

Giant. He's like 6' 4" or something. One of my black belts who is of similar height is really interested to learn grappling from someone who knows what it's like to be a big man.

The other three are Lily, Alan, and Jude. They're not exactly tall, but they're not pygmys either.

**Punisher** · Posted On: 12/23/2006 1:52am

Yeah, yeah. But I was being serious. I sold my top instructor on going to the seminar simply on the fact that Matt is the same size as him and can actually do BJJ.

I sent you a PM BTW. Read it and get back to me.

**Virus** · Posted On: 12/23/2006 3:51pm

Ask him if he thinks it's possible to cross-train in Aikido/wingchun/ninjitsu/shaolin hedgehog style, in order to learn principles and concepts which integrate into a sport-based foundation.

**Punisher** · Posted On: 12/26/2006 1:26am

Originally Posted by Virus

Ask him if he thinks it's possible to cross-train in Aikido/wingchun/ninjitsu/shaolin hedgehog style, in order to learn principles and concepts which integrate into a sport-based foundation.

That's a great question, one I don't know he has ever been asked. I never met Matt perosnally, but from watching some videos on the net and reading some of stuff he's put out I know he has been asked similar questions.

Matt apparently often gets asked, "Why do I have to train MMA (aka BJJ+Muay Thai+Wrestling)? Why can't I simply train my aikido/wingchun/ninjitsu/shaolin hedgehog style with aliveness?"

From what I gather Matt's answer is that if you started training those arts in a truely alive manner, most of the techniques in those arts wouldn't work at all.

As people found better ways of resisting/countering the remaining techniques, new improved technqiues would be developed. The best solution to a counter, is not a counter to the counter, it is a improved technique that is harder to counter in the first place. What you would be left with after a long process of weeding out inferior techniques and replacing them with better ones, would be something that much more closely resembles BJJ, MT, or Wrestling than whatever you originally started with.

For example, Matt used to do JKD. That is where the name "Straight Blast Gym' comes from. He used to teach the trapping techniques found in Wing Chun other forms of kung fu. Once he started training with aliveness he found clinching techniques from Greco-Roman wrestling served the same purpose as the kung fu trappping techniques, but were much more effective and harder to counter. Bye-bye trapping techniques.

My guess that his answer to your question about priniciples and concepts will be there aren't any worthwhile priniciples and concepts found in non-alive arts that aren't already in sports based, alive arts.

If an art does not train in an alive matter they have no away to test and validate their concepts and principals, so there is likely to be as much bullishit included as quality, probably more. Once again you need aliveness to weed the bullshit out.

What you are left with once you are done, is the stuff you would have already had if you started training in an alive manner in the very first place.

**datdamnmachine** · Posted On: 12/26/2006 5:43pm

Originally Posted by Punisher

That's a great question, one I don't know he has ever been asked. I never met Matt perosnally, but from watching some videos on the net and reading some of stuff he's put out I know he has been asked similar questions.

Matt apparently often gets asked, "Why do I have to train MMA (aka BJJ+Muay Thai+Wrestling)? Why can't I simply train my aikido/wingchun/ninjitsu/shaolin hedgehog style with aliveness?"

From what I gather Matt's answer is that if you started training those arts in a truely alive manner, most of the techniques in those arts wouldn't work at all.

As people found better ways of resisting/countering the remaining techniques, new improved technqiues would be developed. The best solution to a counter, is not a counter to the counter, it is a improved technique that is harder to counter in the first place. What you would be left with after a long process of weeding out inferior techniques and replacing them with better ones, would be something that much more closely resembles BJJ, MT, or Wrestling than whatever you originally started with.

For example, Matt used to do JKD. That is where the name "Straight Blast Gym' comes from. He used to teach the trapping techniques found in Wing Chun other forms of kung fu. Once he started training with aliveness he found clinching techniques from Greco-Roman wrestling served the same purpose as the kung fu trappping techniques, but were much more effective and harder to counter. Bye-bye trapping techniques.

My guess that his answer to your question about priniciples and concepts will be there aren't any worthwhile priniciples and concepts found in non-alive arts that aren't already in sports based, alive arts.

If an art does not train in an alive matter they have no away to test and validate their concepts and principals, so there is likely to be as much bullishit included as quality, probably more. Once again you need aliveness to weed the bullshit out.

What you are left with once you are done, is the stuff you would have already had if you started training in an alive manner in the very first place.

Damn, you brought a tear to my eye. Once the SBGi school in my area opens up (check the sig) the guy running the place said Matt would be up to teach some classes and do siminars as well. I can't wait.

**Virus** · Posted On: 12/26/2006 8:20pm

Matt has said before that training Japanese Jujitsu with aliveness turns it into Brazilian JiuJitsu, and that training monkey kung fu with aliveness turn it into kickboxing. He also said that training BJJ like how the JJJ guys train would ruin it.