Note: This is an unlocked LMA module. If you want access to the rest of Liberation Martial Arts, upgrade your account. We send out learning modules almost daily. If you're no longer getting LMA updates, your payment information may no longer be up to date. Click on the table of contents above to see if you have access to LMA.
This is an update to "From Play to Competition." The Muay Thai Development League (MDL) competition has come and gone, and we couldn't be more honored to be a part of A and M's martial arts journeys and to have them be our first LMA Learning Lab competitors. More importantly, A and M were happy they challenged themselves and are eager to do it again.
The above is a highlight of A and M's matches. The first clip shows M (white headgear), a mother who has only been training for three months, against an opponent who is ten years younger than her and has been training for over two years with previous fight experience. The second clip features A (black headgear), born in the '70s, facing an opponent born in the '90s. A's opponent trains almost daily and has trained in Thailand, whereas A has trained twice a week for a year. The rest of the matches are for the competitors' personal documentation and use.
Some people never have the opportunity to train until they're mature adults. When they have the ability, rather than being able to train daily, their material circumstances only allow them to train once or twice a week or less. Liberation Martial Arts (LMA) meets practitioners where they are and does not shame or guilt them for not living in the gym, nor do we compare them to those with the luxury to do so. We also don't believe that not being young, a lifetime athlete, or living in the gym should exclude someone from exploring their martial arts journey, which, for some, means competition.
Western orthodox martial arts and combat sports pedagogical approaches see learning as a practice of control. We see learning as the practice of freedom. That means allowing practitioners to explore their movement freedom as soon as possible, which is how practitioners improve quickly despite limited time or late starting age, but also supporting them in their decisions the best we can. We are fostering problem-solvers and decision-makers, after all.
Thoughts on the event
We liked MDL's feedback system, where other coaches analyzed each competitor's strengths and weaknesses instead of simply scoring winners and losers. The purpose of the feedback system is to have outside eyes assess competitors to help their development. However, we didn't like that everyone was in the same division regardless of experience or age and that the rules were inconsistent from referee to referee. We also know MDL has traditionally scored matches, but it's unclear when and how that happens.
We will do MDL again, but now have a better understanding of what to expect. As always, there's a difference between theory and practice. There's what the event is in theory and what it is in practice. For LMA, we want adaptation but not at the cost of dignity or consent.
Thanks to the other members for coming out and supporting
To access the Liberation Martial Arts curriculum and contribute to the sustainability of this project, consider upgrading your membership. Find other ways to support us here. – Sam
✊✊✊
(I write daily about martial arts and other topics from a liberatory perspective. If you like my work, upgrade your subscription. You can also support me on Patreon or make a one-time donation on Ko-fi. Find Southpaw at its website. Get the swag on Spring. Also check out Liberation Martial Arts Online.)
From Play to Competition Follow-up