@@kelvottomatpelaajat3797 actually there is a point to that, when the possibility of death seems a lot more imminent to you when you get your head bashed in, it makes you think more about your life and how close we are to death, and thus make every second count
There s something so primal, visceral in fighting someone, it gives you that rush, that perfect mix, that cocktail of andrenaline and fear, it grants you the revelation of being a warrior, a survivor...yet there's something so noble in avoiding a fight, exercising humility and control.this dichotomy is beautiful.
I totally feel you. In middle school and high school I got into a couple of fights, and I remember the rush I used to get. But now that I'm in college, I've gotten to be a pretty big guy, and I'm way healthier than I used to be, much more primed for a fight. But it never happens. The only time I'll actually "fight" is when I'm in my BJJ, MMA, or Boxing classes. And I'm totally fine with that.
Well said. Perceived risk is always interesting. My parents tried to prevent me doing MA as a kid but pushed me toward rugby, because that was what my school valued and encouraged. They ignored all the stories of local rugby players who had broken their necks and focused on one TV story about a Judo guy. The unknown is always misjudged as more dangerous...
I believe the same principle in literal martial arts, not the stuff lumped under the erroneous umbrella term,: "the brave will fight a war, the heroes prevent the wars".
Damnit man, if you don't stop being so freaking wise, we'll have to demand a long white beard and mustache that you can flick when giving awesome advice.
I don't mean to be wise I seriously want to help I'm a genuine person that has had my mind rocked a couple times well more then a couple I only mean to help
Biggest difference between a street fight and a competitive fight is that a street fight I'm like, GOING to win. A competitive fight I'm against someone just as good as I am lived it 20-30 hours a week or even more. They dieted for it, didn't go out for months, didn't do shit but study and focus on how to hurt me. These people are right. Competitive fights aren't as dangerous as street fights, they're so much more.
You're right. But bear in mind that in a street fight - there are no rules. Weapons are allowed. Guns, knives - you name it. Who knows how you're going to die? It's not so much that one type of fight is less dangerous than the other. It's subjective. It depends. I think you do need training. You need to fight when necessary and you do need to have the right mindset. There's also a real need to be aware of death and face it anyway.
@@knmfujiwara well,, with gun it kinda wouldn’t be street fight where a meathead suddenly comes before you and ask for fight just to show how tough he or she is. With gun & knife It's probably an ambush where you gotta get away with life and street fight is where two musclehead agreed upon to do the most nonsense thing.
@@Roper122 This. No one wins a street fight. Even if you’re in the right and it’s self defense. It would have been so much better to not have had to do it in the first place. So many bad things can happen. You can “win” only for the loser and his buddies to dog pile you with weapons later.
It is like going to war - Don't worry mom, I will just go there, kill a few people and be back on christmas - but what if they kill you? - Why would anyone kill me?!
Yea, everybody wants to go shoot the other guy but when they take fire it becomes "I never signed up for this shit" lol. I love the argument that "ah well if I get shot I won't know it" .. I respond telling them the chances of instant death in a war zone is like winning the lotto, you will wish for death before it actually comes
@@quasar4601 I remember a scenario when some guy cracked me in the jaw in the nightclub, it just pissed me off, I punched him to the floor, a friend had to wade in to stop serious injury. It's alright cracking someone if they i/cant take a punch ii/have no fight training, iii/won't go pyscho in the moment
Ramsey, I'm glad you mentioned the referees. I have been wondering how often refereeing experience is overlooked in the area of combative sports and the value in ensuring that referees have the necessary resources to become competent in their role.
Boxing combinations are designed to rattle the brain. But brain injury is subtle. You forget a word here and there. Your reflexes are off. You get dizzy and weak from co2 buildup in the brain. Then you notice your speech is becoming slurred. Your coach and corner recognize something not right and so does the boxer. so everybody ignores the early signs, as long as the boxer can still manage a couple wins. Thats what happened to Ali. The rope a dope came about because ali was losing motor control. Sadly, once the damage starts, there is very little to be done. You don't know what form the traumatic injury will take. Ali didn't have parkinson disease. He had parkinsonism. Once you have injury and know the cause, most boxers and combat martial artists become recluse, like wilfredo gomez. They stay inside. Rarely leave home, and progressively bowel function and other bodily functions deteriorate. And then they die. Diagnosed with something other than the real culprit: tbi.
Look up Ali's buildup training against Foreman. His coach and Cus D'Amato talk on how he liked getting hit in sparring. Fighters need to spar hard less and spar light more! Thai Fighters do it a lot and They fight 100s of fights in a regular.
I work with concussed athletes from time to time as a Licensed Athletic Trainer. I also have two black belts and have done a bit of hard sparring. The current research on mTBIs isn’t good, as it shows that even mild subconcussive blows over a period of time can lead to earlier neurodegenerative changes such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. My professional advice: if you must spar with boxing & kickboxing, focus on body sparring & no head contact or only light head contact. Personally, I’ve chosen to focus only on rolling in BJJ and leave the MMA fighting to others. I’ve seen too many times what concussive and subconcussive forces can do to the brain over the long term to feel comfortable risking my own brain in a sport where one of the goals is to damage your opponent’s brain on purpose. And yes, to be clear, to attempt to knock your opponent unconscious with a punch or kick qualifies as a concussion, which is de facto, a traumatic brain injury.
@User Name I'm sorry to hear that that happened to you. I have been in similar situations with boxing/kickboxing. Your example is exactly why I switched to BJJ. The brain simply isn't designed to take repeated blows over and over again. The research is becoming overwhelming that contact sports like MMA, boxing, kickboxing, football, etc. done full contact are producing mTBIs (mild traumatic brain injuries). Thus, I purposefully avoid it now.
@User Name I have gone through the same thing as you brother.. Last year I had been brought to a boxing gym to spar some fighters. I beat everyone of the guys that they put in front of me.. Take in I only had 1 amateur fight any how, the gym's coach highly disliked what I did so he decided to get in the ring to give me a "humbling experience". He is a well known retired professional fighter in my country and Olympian who had won bronze and was on the Olympic team with an All-Time great who defeated Mike Tyson. Well with that background he easily had over 500 hundred or more fights and 54-7 professional record. He beat my ass badly. I maybe had gotten a 1 or 2 lucky right hands but he picked me apart. By the end of the session my head was hurting and I didn't recover for 3 days. All that really made me reconsider but not enough.. My second time was a random football player who was MMA fighter came to the gym and he beat everyone of us up. It was a huge gym war between everyone. He didn't like me and I didn't like him and I wasn't backing down but that day I took a huge amount of damage even when I knew I should've stopped, I was pushing the limits and getting completely dominated.. My dad always told me "When ur getting fuked up in boxing by another skillful,faster and better fighter then u, its gonna be a long night and constant damage will be taken because there is nothing u can do." And that's exactly what happened to me. So now I've came to terms and just throwing the towel in.. I have great fundamentals in skill in boxing and I like it but my brain health is important to me. I am looking into taking Judo being that its grappling but I am also being told it can be as bad as boxing.. So we will see..
@@dustinsegers4534 Even some common light to medium sparring in most gyms can lead to dementia. And I'm not talking about MMA, I'm talking about your average Muay Thai sparring in the gym. 2 or 3 years of sucessive sparring (even in a controlled situation) can do real damage to your brain over the long term. Sometimes, the consequences will be faced later in life, even if the guy never competed. I know more than one case proving this point and doctors that Ive talked to confirmed the risks involved even in controlled sparring.
Exactly, Mr. Segers. When I was younger, I wanted to be a professional boxer. I trained hard and sparred alot(luckily, it was with a family member and we were just playing around and didn’t really touch each-other; we did make hard contact at times, but it was unintentional and we always apologized). But I did some research into the conditions of these athletes, and I stopped with consideration of my own health and that of my sparring partners. I don’t even spar anymore, actually. Spar just enough to get a feel for contact, and stop.
Competition is not for everyone. I did it because I wanted to know how my skills were and how I would actually do in a fight. I figured a controlled fight was better then looking for a street fight and worst come to worst you can always throw the towel if you are getting your ass kicked. My first fight I got my ass whooped it wasn't even funny the ref even stopped the fight before the time ran up. I thought I was prepared physically and technically but I had not factored in the mental preparation. I got punched squared on the nose, it hurt, my eyes got watery, felt out of my comfort zone and I turtled up for the rest of the match. I see competition as the best seminar you can get and a good measure of where you are at. I learnt lots about my self during that fight and realized if it had been a street fight I would have probably been dead or seriously injured. I didn't like that fact so I went back to training and trained harder and in a more focused way because I knew what I had done wrong. I also trained to get comfortable in the danger zone and mastered my fear (I'm still scared but don't let it control me). 5 years later I got my world champion title in amateur kick boxing. I would never fight pro because quite frankly I don't like fighting that much but I needed to prove to myself that I could defend myself if it were to ever happened for real on the street. When you fight you really get to know what you are made of. Compete to beat yourself, not to beat some one else. My goal was to always do better then my last fight, be faster, better techniques, better conditioning. To me that is true martial arts to better yourself. If you just do it to beat some one else that is not martial art.
Great topic and discussion. Myself, I love martial arts but I would much rather beat someone in tennis then step in the ring and try to seriously hurt someone to win.
I feel the same way. I do tang soo do for fun and health, but I hate hurting people and I hate getting hurt. I understand and embrace the idea of sparring, but fights are brutal and not something I have any interest in
We live mostly in safe world we don't have to fight to survive. We had choice do something for fun and becourse we want to. I would be bleak world if we would need to fight to survive for real. By to way is tennis good hobby, i thought it would be interesting to try.
I also feel the same. My worst injuries came from basketball in high school - bruised ribs, head concussion, broken nose, etc. I would rather lose 100 times in chess, tennis, running, poker, free throws - anything else really - than go knowingly into a fight with an opponent who is trained to hurt me, even though I would know I am better and will most likely win. There are just too many uncertainties and dangers. We will probably live into our 80-s or 90-s, we have to look into longevity. Surviving life isn't living it. I now train boxing (we only touch spar) and BJJ separately and really enjoy both. I train with mostly adult men, who understand that they are stronger and are always gentlemanly towards me, never strike me too hard - even into the body and never using too much of their strength to subdue me. I have no desire or plan to go into a competition (as I see myself as way too old). Recently I have finally convinced my mum to watch a UFC fight with me. When I explained the technique to her, who is in a better position, what are they trying to accomplish, etc. she was really watching it and commenting on it. But in the end, she looked at me asked me full of worry: "You fight like this?" And I said that I don't since I don't want to deal with strikes to the head when I'm already trying to get out of the rear-naked choke and because I think MMA is too dangerous in my opinion and those 4 oz gloves just have too little padding. I said to her: "BJJ is BJJ and boxing is boxing and I prefer them separate." I also went on explaining touch sparring to her. I don't think she understands me fully, but at least she understands that I understand the dangers of martial arts and try to avoid them as much as possible.
As an "old timer" who wrestled&boxed from 1972--2006, I've always been impressed by the other disciplines of combat sports although my own experience doesn't include them. Luckily my brain is more intact than some of my contemporaries' are& though I no longer participate in sparring or competition, I still enjoy watching the skills of those practicing today. I also like the articulate cerebral quality of Ramsey Dewey's videos.
Your honesty is very much appreciated and a rarity today , my sons and I do a bit of training . Your insight and truthfulness we value and respect greatly. Thank you for keeping it real . As a famous man once said." Words are the only things that last forever". Keep the truth for that keeps fighters safe . Thanks again
Excellent video. I did a few smokers and realized (due to how serious it was and the injuries I gave/received) that my career was more important than giving it my all for competition. You think you know from a street fight or two and some hard sparring. But then you step in the ring and its eye opening what was for conceptual martial arts and as you put it, somebody trying to hurt you - the violence isnt fun. Especially when you arent getting paid 3 mil for it. I love sparring, regardless of "hard" or likewise - but that element of control is going to the danger and I am "not" the Danger.
Anyone claims "total safe" has no idea about any physical activity sport. Many sports have huge health risks. Myself the worst head knock out, happened in basketball game. My knee problem is mostly related to my play of football and other activities in my teen.
Man, the worst head kick I ever took happened at a modern dance rehearsal. A line of dancers were all supposed to do cartwheels in the same direction, but the spacing was off and I took a spinning heel cartwheel kick right to the temple from the girl in front of me.
I played Quidditch in college. A combination of lax safety rules, untrained referees, and nerds who didn't train properly… a sport everyone assumed was a safe "fake" sport was a bloodbath.
I once hurt my equilibrium doing too many situps. The ears have a small Crystal floating in water inside the ear, the act of me going down and up upset the balance. Now after saying this imagine getting punched in the face repeatedly, the damage will gradually add up and give someone CTE. You have to be real lucky to not get hit alot. The professional boxer Mayweather comes to mind.
> I once hurt my equilibrium doing too many situps. The ears have a small Crystal floating in water inside the ear, the act of me going down and up upset the balance. wow, that's probably the same thing that happened to me.
I just wanted to share with you something. About a year or two ago, I asked "why fighters fight" Or something like that. I was trying to validate the fight in my heart and the love for an activity that has the potential to harm or ruin someone. I wanted to share my answer. My answer is because we love it. Sparing keeps me humble, training keeps me motivated and healthy, fighting makes me feel alive and in my heart, I know I was born with a gift of combat but that doesn't mean I use it to harm. It is a way to protect others, teach defense, be a model for strength and wisdom as well as restraint. We fight because we all love it. I asked why in a time where I didn't know that I loved it. I thought I needed it to survive and I did but when I didn't, it still felt great. We all risk injury and even death. But we take that risk because it's something we have a passion for. Our goals, our spirits, our lives are not weak. We don't show that by ending another. We show that by our efforts.
This is a great subject, and Brain Trauma is a concern for me, I have floaters in my eyes and kind of detached retina type but not from fighting, the gel in the back of the retina or eye detaches sometimes and this happens when Im stressed out, much like a migraine and have had depression/anxiety for 2 decades and taking meds for that, recently getting better and coming off meds, would love to train in MMA or BJJ, Judo, Boxing etc but worry about Brain Trauma, especially when you hear about the possible Dementia risk, my father has Dementia, believ me guys you don't want that, it is heart breaking for the whole family, you forget who your family is, where you are, its one of the worst thing that can ever happen to a human being, its worse than a disease happening to you, its happening to the deepest part of YOU, the core, your MIND is fucking GONE!! When I see my Dad whom I love with all my heart, he was a tough guy, aggressive at times, powerful and I looked up to my Dad as a tower of strength and power, now he cries and says he is confused, I tell him its all going to be okay, I have to take Dad to the toilet, have to help him up from bed, cloth him, make food for him and the once Tower of my Life cause of Dementia is a shadow of his former self. Now I look at my 3 yrs old son and he looks up to me as a beast, we do some fighting, wrestling and he bites the shit out of me at times, lol. I see my Dad in me and myself in my son, I was thinking should I train in MMA but then think of Dad and Dementia taking over him ... I wonder if one could train to almost never get hit, was'nt sugar ray leonard almost impossible to catch in the head, he was very evasive. I want to do MMA and my quality of life may improve but the end of life quality if one gets Dementia isn't worth it. How can a person train smarter if I want to avoid being bashed in the brain? Like training in bob, weave, duck and master it so you hardly ever get hit, surely there must be guys who are very tough to hit.
Rickson Gracie and Royce Gracie boht had a fighting style that resulted in very few head damage, I don't know if that fighting style would be realistic today.
The thing with boxing, no matter how superb your defence is you'll always get caught with a punch you didn't see. But with that, I'd recommend studying Mayweather and Lomachenko. Two great defensive fighters who are hard to hit and instead of trying to win by K.O, winning by points n out smarting your opponent will be your best option.
Hey Sci, I train mma and my tips for u are, train ur neck so it absorbs eventual hits better amd focus on grappling with very light sparring, go hard on the body and only touch like points in the head.
Hello Ramsey. I'm 21 civil engineer student and I'm also doing boxing. I spar about 3 times a week and I think you are the right person to ask the following question: as a student who uses his brain for solving complex problems on daily basis, should I quit boxing due to the high risks? Our society is becoming more and more complex every year and brain damage is the last thing I want. I've never been knocked down or anything like that but I've got pretty hard hits to the head in the past couple of months. I am thinking about this issue every day and I'd be more than grateful if you answered my question. By the way, you are really awesome and keep up the good work!
Hey, I know your comment is ancient at this point, but I just wanted to give my two cents. If you truly want to keep boxing because you feel like it gives you some degree of purpose, then keep at it. Develop a solid defence to keep yourself safe and avoid hits to the head. There are many examples to follow in this case, and I'm sure you could do that if you really put your mind to it. But if you feel like boxing isn't necessary for you to feel truly happy, and if value your career above it, then perhaps consider replacing boxing with something safer. Either way no matter what you choose to do, always strive to be safe and happy above all else, and never let others pressure you into making mistakes with your career or your health.
@marco deroos - Careful with your fingers too regarding gi use. Do No Gi from time to time to relax your finger joints. Just a tip to consider. Oh, and guard your ears too. Cauliflower ear is annoying, but I'm sure you're aware of that considering you wrestle. But by all means, happy long training man, God Bless.
marco deroos it’s good to be evasive too. There was this muey Thai guy who almost never got hit and he ended up having over 400 wins and didn’t get any long term damage.
I train Muay Thai for fun, fitness, skill, confidence and to see myself and those around me get better. I like the challenge. I may pick up a smoker when I get health insurance, but I have no intentions of going pro. My career involves the use of my brain, and I can't even risk brain damage. Kudos to those that compete, though. It takes balls and a shit ton of effort.
Just stick to the class. You dont need a smoker unless you're still in your 20's. I did MT for 4 years but I was 35 years old and the entire class was 18-30
Once again, amazing video and perspective. I did some kyokushin tournaments as a teenager, a little amateur kickboxing, took up BJJ and had a couple of amateur mma fights during undergrad. It was an educational experience, but as I moved into grad school, competition just wasn't there for me any more. The risk is just too high, I have way too much to lose, so it was time to walk away from that side of it. I still train, but now mma is for me, not for competition. Keep sharp, personal enrichment, keep fit, all that. But getting into a cage with a guy trying to take my head off, no, the Ph.D is more important. Martial arts will probably _always_ be part of my life, but competition (barring some BJJ, maybe) no. I had to sit down, think about it, and realize that part of my life was over. It was a moment, that's for sure. It's great to do a little assistant coaching, paying that knowledge forward. I do hope you continue to feel better Coach, those past injuries are nothing to make light of.
Awesome video! I am right now in the situation to decide wether I should stay with just bjj and grappling or additionally attend MMA and Muay Thai classes. The fear that I face is that I study computer science and therefore I cannot afford to have my main tool for my future job, which is my brain, to be damaged through punches and kicks to the head. But the other problem is that I feel like an incomplete fighter if grappling and bjj are the only things I do. Maybe I just attend the basic Muay Thai classes once a week and focus the rest of the training on grappling. Thank you for the enlightening talk!
If people want to "fight" for fun but not get brain damage there are other alternative martial arts for that. But they may not be realistic for self defense If people want self defense, then you simply stay out of a fight and be aware of your surroundings. Self defense is a different mindset than a fighting mindset.
@@Googleaccount-wu4cj non striking does minimize it greatly, at least that's what I believe. But it is still possible to get a concussion though because concussions is not just impact but also whiplash. If your neck violently gets shaken you can possibly get a concussion. Fencing for example doesnt have a lot of force in their attack since the swords are really lightweight and flexbile. Not to mention added armor.
I just did light sparing but if you do the striking arts and you compete- you will get BRAIN DAMAGE. The human brain is not designed to absorb those kinds of shots
Mma is a horrible sport for injures I have califlower ear black eyes and bloody noses all the time but in my opinion the damage is worth the skills and improved fighting ability
Listening to a lot of your videos while I'm temporarily working from home these days. This one answered some of my questions I wrote to you on your latest video (about age, risks of training in MMA, etc.). It's very informative. I just feel a bit torn like the person that asked a question in here (about risks of serious injuries like brain damage) between taking such risks if my life does not revolve mainly around martial arts and only doing training or going back to more "traditional" martial arts that are safe (like Karate). I would like to compete a bit though because I feel like the semi-contact martial arts I trained in are almost a fraud (when I look up karate "combat" championships vs others like MMA or Muai Thai for example). Keep up the good work, I'm very happy to have found your channel as I had been having many questions about martial arts over the last few years and you shed a lot of light on various issues. The videos about trying to reproduce the self defense in real life were truly hilarious as well. I wish you well.
Amazing video, very humble, honest and absolutely agree with everything you said. I've seen you 1st time and just watched a few video's of yours and you are making my mind change. Thanx for your video's, May God bless you with all his blessings, Amen! Thank you!
Thanks for this Ramsey. I’ve spent so much of my life REacting rather than acting, and I think that’s the source of most of my dissatisfaction with my life. I’ll be pondering this, thanks again
I worked as a security guard for 6 years, and yeah, we had weeks when no accidents happened, and days when 3 people got injured in one shift, and that was with only 1500 people working at any time. in Germany, where we have very strict training regulations for everything. I've seen some really gruesome things as a first responder in my time. Most if the injuries were limb accidents, and I can't really decide what's worse: not being able to control your hand, or not being able to use your hand
MMA is a lifestyle rather than just fighting you gotta have the mentality to die for the sport. I respect ya'll MMA fighters cause you guys dont just fight you actually live Martial arts.
Thanks for the video. For lack of a better place, I'll give my compliments here; stumbled on your channel some months ago, subscribed and been following it since. It has some very good stuff and I like your sensible, no-bullshit yet calm and friendly approach. As a kid, I've trained in some martial arts, but had given up by when I was adult. Been now some 13 years I was in a martial arts class. But your channel inspired me to get back to it - this and next weekend going to a 20 hour BJJ crash-course meant to prep one to join a regular BJJ group. It's organized by a local MMA gym (that coincidentally had a few pro fighters competing in China earlier this year!) Right now my primary motivation is getting fit, being happy with my body and getting some BJJ experience. I'm thinking to later join the muay thai classes at the same gym, or just jump straight to the MMA classes (I probably can't take more than ~2 classes a week right now, so we'll see). And even further in, I've thought about competing in just a few amateur fights, if it still feels appropriate at that time. Win or lose, it'd be a challenge I think would be very awesome to be able to conquer. Given that I mainly work with my brain, and that most of my hobbies are related to having a functional brain, brain damage is of course something that kind of spooks me in a cage fight. But then - it's probably more likely I'll get brain damage in a car accident on the way to the gym, I reckon, than in an amateur fight with a good ref. But yeah, thanks for all your videos! I hope the gym I'll be joining has as rational and level-headed instructors as you seem to be.
Brain damage is a big thing for me in how far I go with fighting, to say "I need it on some level" for me I think is an understatement; The correct statement is "I need to step into a ring and fight to be able to accept growing old and dying " to ignore this now would be the biggest failing of my life. But how far to follow it , the conclusion I reached is 5-10 fights where I receive strong head blows depending on severity, then no more ring fights ( worth noting I had severe head trauma as a young child ). This means I gotta train like a mad and defend my head at all costs being extraordinarily evasive , so lots of leg and core work , but also i think it might be wise to look into iron shirt techniques and get myself used to an increasing amount of body shots to I can sacrifice some body defense for head defense forcing body shots and hopefully moving enough to have em miss critical organs and feel like aren't effecting me with even there best connections. Either way I feel like I need it at any cost, like cooking dinner rush for 10 years was but a pale substitute for what my soul was asking for, if it kills me, living has killed me, I can live with that.
100 percent bro I want to make it professional one day obviously I don’t want Brian damage but like u said I feel like good defense not too many weight cuts and good neck workout u can make it out with not brain damage
Great question! Ramsey answers so well, with style, insight, and experience. He really does seem like a wise guy (in the positive sense^^). The mid point has a very interesting section on how competition can be so different than “real” fights and training, like how the competition is about pursing violence not avoiding it, which may not be a person’s style. The discussion gets almost philosophical, while still being practical, as Ramsey enters into life, risk, fear, and taking action.
I can identify closely with your narrative of training for many years to establish what I thought was a well-rounded base of knowledge, but being subsequently stunned by what you learn by becoming a Fighter. It's like you have spent a long time drawing a detailed map of a valley, and you work everyday to fill in the details accurately, and then you climb a mountain and see.... Everything. And realize how small the valley is. I feel a calling to be an instructor, and I actually have been for years, but I never felt legitimate enough to myself, and I wanted my students faith in me to be well-placed. Many years later, I feel like a Fighter. It feels good.
How Long did it take for you to become “proficient” personally at mma/kickboxing , “proficient to fight professionally” and how Long to be considered an expert ?
There is always risks even for people who have years of experience, I'm a teacher of muay thai, jujitsu tai chi ect I was shadow boxing a simple switch kick and snapped my ankle clean....very painful
You are so on point. People think that fighting is all about dishing it out, winning, and the girls. That's great until seconds later when doctors are trying to reattach your nose. It's real, and many of us don't comprehend it until the horror of the reality sets in for the one actually doing it. Street fights? Forget about them, train so you don't have to get into them. Your comfort and piece of mind ought to be that at least you have something, not to seek it out. You won't feel so cool and badass when you get stitches for a wound you could have avoided. I've been jumped before and what saved me the time some people came around to do it again wasn't cool moves, it was an innocent look and a soft voice. The reality often contrasts the fantasy, and while you think you'll win, so does your opponent for himself. One of these days, his vision will be right.
U are definitely a real fighter I been in martial arts since I was ten I never been in a fight had times where my friends thought but I walk away is a true master
@Ramsey Dewey You always share great advice and wisdom, but in this video you said something that stands out and struck a personal chord. I have had over 12 years of martial arts training and have never been in a street fight, and I've even intervened on multiple occasions to defuse brutal fights that were about to start, between people I didn't even know! It was very dangerous, and many have said that I was reckless and obviously unaware of the idiocy and risk inherent to my interventions... But on the contrary, without everything my training gave me, like situational awareness, I would have ended up being attacked in downtown streets at night and I would never have been able to prevent fights like I did. The more you develop and mature as a fighter and martial arts practitioner, the more you are at peace with yourself and the world, and the less you seek violence.
I actually notice it in your podcasts more, but it makes me think of your video about it and laugh. Your wisdom and knowledge is more important than your physical ticks (I smile randomly and speak my thoughts/think out loud when I think no one can hear me lol)
I only have been knocked out twice in 8 years of muay thai and mma I have been doing.I still get nose bleeding and memory loss time to time .Brain is so sensitive
After sparring like an idiot when I was younger, once I learned about cte I cut it all out and went into the pitter patter stuff and grappling for the most part. My thought was I was ok if I get hit and brain damage was instant I at least wouldn't be able to react to it, but having it creep up on you is a whole different story. You are just waiting consciously until it shows up and you wait further as it gets worse and slowly consumes your life inside and out while you just sit there and watch
I would encourage people to watch Nigel Benn vs Gerald McClellan before competing in combat sports. Watching that fight in hindsight knowing what happened to McClellan really changed my perspective on combat sports. Roy Jones Jr said he wouldn't visit McClellan until he retired because he knew there was no way he could ever step into the ring after he saw him. I still love boxing and mma, however I admit it changed my approach enough to the point I wouldn't argue with anyone calling it nothing more than "human cockfighting" even though I only see the art in it.
This was amazing , i admire this speech to the fullest you made me more accepting of my own trail of thought towards fighting , my motivation behind it is just that i want to be respected and not be laughed at or not being taken seriously being a push over People can shit on , that's really my drive to be effecient at fighting , but i value my brain so much and my memories and my mind as a whole that chasing some adrenaline Rush Sometimes feels silly . If brain damage was An easy to fix problem i would have had over 50 fights already but sadly this is just not the case.
Amateur MMA has less brain damage yes, especially the semi-contact one(ISCF) with head guards. But in pro MMA, it is a must to have at least 50% brain damage.
Don't put lies and put the thing as it is . For the majority that is the case . Some people just don't get touched . Like it or don't and have ways less than that
I remember in my youth i did do kickboxing an muay thai. I liked it. But then in training I sparing with other (big guy) I did make few strikes and with a upper kick. That did hit. Later I heard that guy did need 5 stitches. And there was some blood. (Guy is OK now). That make me think me other way. After that it was not anymore fun. If some one wants to fight in cage or ring do. I could accept that I could get hurt, but that I would do something bad to other guy. I don't want to carry that with me. Even that other guy wolud be okey with risk. Maybe this is just me. Now I do Aikido, I like doing that. Or course I hit bag time to time. I actually am interested in knife and weapon training. Hell I would like to try HEMA(Historical European martial arts) I though i would try something else too also well there is Krav Maga here. Thought Ramsey is not big fan. Karate did too some time ago. Boxing and so forth. Point what try to say find what you like and do that. But understand risks to yourself and others. I don't want brain damage or cause that to other. I am not that kind of person.
If you wanna try HEMA look up skallagrim and Blood and Iron on TH-cam. Even if you don't look them up just remember to be safe. HEMA can be extremely dangerous without proper equipment and training.
@@TheTyphonGS ehhh idk about that. Depends on the type of weapon Skallagrim shows how easy it is to smash skulls through hema headgear. I think matt Easton has shown how easy it is too.
Yeah, but it was poor place. Things had change now. I am thinking go back little. Might use some years time and get karate black belt. I Did practice karate too several years in my youth. Might be refreshing?
Tuhkakasa two things I read then made me laugh, upper kick,? 😂 you haven’t done thaiboxing, if did no way would say upper kick, let alone go to training in aikido, 😂 aikido is one worse martial arts, I teach I Muay Thai gym, and loads people don’t fight and spar light, others that actually want to test there martial art skill fight, to learn how to fight you need to be hit, not roll playing,
Hey Ramsey, God bless you my friend. I trained on and off throughout my life, so I could never in good conscience say I trained for YEARS 😂, but I know basic hand to hand combat(very basic). I’ve had a lot of injuries from Training and a bad trampoline accident. I then got into drugs and I went into Psychosis 3 different times and God has for some reason healed me Everytime. Now that I’m sober and starting physical therapy, I would like to start training again. The problem is all the gyms ask for more money than I have to offer. What should I start with? (Sorry for the long comment)
What about organ damage? Most famous is the liver. Some boxers died in the ring by tore of the liver. One opponent of "livershot Rutten" took 6 month to recover his liver.You can also get abiding liver damage.
I think the most important things to tell your past self would be: read the rules carefully to make sure that nothing is lost in translation and to have your ringman make sure that your opponent is properly and legally wrapping their hands.
Oh, I was thinking about when I was starting out. If I could time travel to warn myself about my last fight, I would have just told myself not to take that fight and why... and then the world as we know it would change... and my TH-cam videos would disappear... and cats would be dogs, dogs would be cats... the butterfly effect would shake the very space time continuum!
Hi Ramsay, I have a question for you on improving my grappling. Since I work as a sailor, I have to skip my training for a few months at a time, and while training kickboxing before and watching your videos, I know the minimum things I need to do to not fall behind too much, such as shadow fighting, watchig a pro fight every day (both your tips by the way), though I have no idea what I could do for my grappling, so any advice would be highly appreciated. Keep up the good work.
M8, the stuff you just said is so real. I never got into the ring because of one scene that NEVER GOT OUT OF MY MIND. I wanted to go to the ring when I was 12-13, but then I watched a professional fight from two sanda fellas in a regional kung fu championship here in Brazil. I was only competing in form exibition, but when I was in the line for my turn, the fight between the two pros begun. Not even 30 seconds, one of them kicked the other in the belly, the other parried the kick with his shin. The result: the same wound Anderson Silva had with his broken leg. I never forgot the screams of that fella as he quite literally despaired on the mat with everyone in the ring freaking out, even his opponent that did not knew what to do to help him. Because for some reason the medical team took time to arrive, the broken leg guy just passed out after a solid minute of horrific screaming. Going into the ring is quite the decision to make.
To be honest most workplace accidents are the result of either complacency or being overworked. Do not underestimate the value of a good nights sleep, being well-rested can make difference between life and death (or injuries) in some situations. I work in construction, being aware of your surroundings is key, there's alot of different things going on all around you at any given time.
I started boxing and wanted to really get into combat sports and after watching this it gave me a whole new way of looking at the ring/octagon and honest it made me scared but excited , which made me decide to go thru with it cautiously I’m 17 by the way
There's something to be said for training just for self defense. Doesn't mean you have to give/take damage in the ring or on the street, but you can defend yourself if it comes to it.
I saw a video of a guy on Joe Rogan talking about going into his fights, saying that he was terrified the entire time before a fight, had to go into the bathroom to talk himself up, back himself into a corner to get ready. It's perfectly understandable to fear fighting and the brain damage aspect because ultimately that is a high possibility when you and another person are beating each other over the head with your fists and legs.
I’m in a Muay Thai gym and i was new to the gym the spar spar hard and I’m thinking to quit Muay Thai and change into jujitsu if I’m 13 years old and I spare with kids in my same age I spar once aweack only and I spar for 3 minutes only do’s it’s affecte my brain
Weird how a cage fighter gives 10x better life advice than all these self proclaimed "life coaches"
Probably 'cause he's actually dong it.
Maybe getting your brains bashed in knocks some sense in your head?
😄
@@kelvottomatpelaajat3797 Hilarious.. not.
The "conquer fear and pursue your passion" advise is foolish. It's not a debate anymore. Cal Newport ended it in 2012.
@@kelvottomatpelaajat3797 actually there is a point to that, when the possibility of death seems a lot more imminent to you when you get your head bashed in, it makes you think more about your life and how close we are to death, and thus make every second count
There s something so primal, visceral in fighting someone, it gives you that rush, that perfect mix, that cocktail of andrenaline and fear, it grants you the revelation of being a warrior, a survivor...yet there's something so noble in avoiding a fight, exercising humility and control.this dichotomy is beautiful.
I think it can depends on people but I get what you mean.
I totally feel you. In middle school and high school I got into a couple of fights, and I remember the rush I used to get. But now that I'm in college, I've gotten to be a pretty big guy, and I'm way healthier than I used to be, much more primed for a fight. But it never happens. The only time I'll actually "fight" is when I'm in my BJJ, MMA, or Boxing classes. And I'm totally fine with that.
I use To Love To Fight but everyone jump people instead of fighting like men
I concur!
Pretty true, someone said their are fighters, drinkers, lovers, and gamblers - take your choice. Maybe we should add performers to that list.
Well said. Perceived risk is always interesting. My parents tried to prevent me doing MA as a kid but pushed me toward rugby, because that was what my school valued and encouraged. They ignored all the stories of local rugby players who had broken their necks and focused on one TV story about a Judo guy. The unknown is always misjudged as more dangerous...
Rugby is a rough sport! Every time I spar with a rugby player, I brace myself for the impact of a power double ramped up to eleven.
@@RamseyDewey Yeah, rugby players are well used to contact. Including kicks and punches when the ref isn't looking...
the thing is...nobody is trying to kick your head in rugby.
Ramsey Dewey I play rugby and at my first time sparing jujitsu I was gilotined tackling my Opponent
Very true and at least in MA comps there a weight divisions and you are focusing on protecting yourself and not a ball.
“You are a master of self defense if you’ve never gotten in a fight” never thought of it like that. Lol. Pretty deep
I believe the same principle in literal martial arts, not the stuff lumped under the erroneous umbrella term,: "the brave will fight a war, the heroes prevent the wars".
Damnit man, if you don't stop being so freaking wise, we'll have to demand a long white beard and mustache that you can flick when giving awesome advice.
My beard is only about 5% white so far. Give it time.
I DEMAND
I don't mean to be wise I seriously want to help I'm a genuine person that has had my mind rocked a couple times well more then a couple I only mean to help
@@RamseyDewey so you're Gandalf the Gray now.
What kind of enemy do you need to fight to become Gandalf the White?
Not real practical in the ring, though.
Biggest difference between a street fight and a competitive fight is that a street fight I'm like, GOING to win.
A competitive fight I'm against someone just as good as I am lived it 20-30 hours a week or even more. They dieted for it, didn't go out for months, didn't do shit but study and focus on how to hurt me.
These people are right. Competitive fights aren't as dangerous as street fights, they're so much more.
right most street fight if your trained it's like beating up a kid unless it's sucker punch
You're right. But bear in mind that in a street fight - there are no rules. Weapons are allowed. Guns, knives - you name it. Who knows how you're going to die?
It's not so much that one type of fight is less dangerous than the other. It's subjective. It depends.
I think you do need training. You need to fight when necessary and you do need to have the right mindset. There's also a real need to be aware of death and face it anyway.
@@knmfujiwara well,, with gun it kinda wouldn’t be street fight where a meathead suddenly comes before you and ask for fight just to show how tough he or she is. With gun & knife It's probably an ambush where you gotta get away with life and street fight is where two musclehead agreed upon to do the most nonsense thing.
Honestly... you're not even GOING to win the street fight.
@@Roper122 This. No one wins a street fight. Even if you’re in the right and it’s self defense. It would have been so much better to not have had to do it in the first place.
So many bad things can happen. You can “win” only for the loser and his buddies to dog pile you with weapons later.
Everybody wants to beat the other guy up, only a select few want to get in an actual fight
It is like going to war
- Don't worry mom, I will just go there, kill a few people and be back on christmas
- but what if they kill you?
- Why would anyone kill me?!
Yea, everybody wants to go shoot the other guy but when they take fire it becomes "I never signed up for this shit" lol. I love the argument that "ah well if I get shot I won't know it" .. I respond telling them the chances of instant death in a war zone is like winning the lotto, you will wish for death before it actually comes
Taking a punch is the key. When someone cracks a right hand on your jaw- then all game plans can disappear.
@@quasar4601 I remember a scenario when some guy cracked me in the jaw in the nightclub, it just pissed me off, I punched him to the floor, a friend had to wade in to stop serious injury.
It's alright cracking someone if they i/cant take a punch ii/have no fight training, iii/won't go pyscho in the moment
@@adyp5176 , This guy was probably beyond drunk but why did he punch you ??
If you are afraid, don't do it ... but if you're doing it, don't be afraid!!
Ramsey, I'm glad you mentioned the referees. I have been wondering how often refereeing experience is overlooked in the area of combative sports and the value in ensuring that referees have the necessary resources to become competent in their role.
They are the unsung heroes of the sport.
Boxing combinations are designed to rattle the brain. But brain injury is subtle. You forget a word here and there. Your reflexes are off. You get dizzy and weak from co2 buildup in the brain. Then you notice your speech is becoming slurred. Your coach and corner recognize something not right and so does the boxer. so everybody ignores the early signs, as long as the boxer can still manage a couple wins. Thats what happened to Ali. The rope a dope came about because ali was losing motor control. Sadly, once the damage starts, there is very little to be done. You don't know what form the traumatic injury will take. Ali didn't have parkinson disease. He had parkinsonism. Once you have injury and know the cause, most boxers and combat martial artists become recluse, like wilfredo gomez. They stay inside. Rarely leave home, and progressively bowel function and other bodily functions deteriorate. And then they die. Diagnosed with something other than the real culprit: tbi.
Terrible to think about. Are the promoters taking any responsibility? The sports boards?
Look up Ali's buildup training against Foreman. His coach and Cus D'Amato talk on how he liked getting hit in sparring. Fighters need to spar hard less and spar light more! Thai Fighters do it a lot and They fight 100s of fights in a regular.
@@nomad155exactly bro if avoid hard sparring sometimes u can avoid brain injury
I work with concussed athletes from time to time as a Licensed Athletic Trainer. I also have two black belts and have done a bit of hard sparring. The current research on mTBIs isn’t good, as it shows that even mild subconcussive blows over a period of time can lead to earlier neurodegenerative changes such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
My professional advice: if you must spar with boxing & kickboxing, focus on body sparring & no head contact or only light head contact.
Personally, I’ve chosen to focus only on rolling in BJJ and leave the MMA fighting to others. I’ve seen too many times what concussive and subconcussive forces can do to the brain over the long term to feel comfortable risking my own brain in a sport where one of the goals is to damage your opponent’s brain on purpose.
And yes, to be clear, to attempt to knock your opponent unconscious with a punch or kick qualifies as a concussion, which is de facto, a traumatic brain injury.
@User Name what did you post can't see it
@User Name I'm sorry to hear that that happened to you. I have been in similar situations with boxing/kickboxing. Your example is exactly why I switched to BJJ. The brain simply isn't designed to take repeated blows over and over again. The research is becoming overwhelming that contact sports like MMA, boxing, kickboxing, football, etc. done full contact are producing mTBIs (mild traumatic brain injuries). Thus, I purposefully avoid it now.
@User Name I have gone through the same thing as you brother.. Last year I had been brought to a boxing gym to spar some fighters. I beat everyone of the guys that they put in front of me.. Take in I only had 1 amateur fight any how, the gym's coach highly disliked what I did so he decided to get in the ring to give me a "humbling experience". He is a well known retired professional fighter in my country and Olympian who had won bronze and was on the Olympic team with an All-Time great who defeated Mike Tyson. Well with that background he easily had over 500 hundred or more fights and 54-7 professional record. He beat my ass badly. I maybe had gotten a 1 or 2 lucky right hands but he picked me apart. By the end of the session my head was hurting and I didn't recover for 3 days. All that really made me reconsider but not enough.. My second time was a random football player who was MMA fighter came to the gym and he beat everyone of us up. It was a huge gym war between everyone. He didn't like me and I didn't like him and I wasn't backing down but that day I took a huge amount of damage even when I knew I should've stopped, I was pushing the limits and getting completely dominated.. My dad always told me "When ur getting fuked up in boxing by another skillful,faster and better fighter then u, its gonna be a long night and constant damage will be taken because there is nothing u can do." And that's exactly what happened to me. So now I've came to terms and just throwing the towel in.. I have great fundamentals in skill in boxing and I like it but my brain health is important to me. I am looking into taking Judo being that its grappling but I am also being told it can be as bad as boxing.. So we will see..
@@dustinsegers4534 Even some common light to medium sparring in most gyms can lead to dementia. And I'm not talking about MMA, I'm talking about your average Muay Thai sparring in the gym. 2 or 3 years of sucessive sparring (even in a controlled situation) can do real damage to your brain over the long term. Sometimes, the consequences will be faced later in life, even if the guy never competed. I know more than one case proving this point and doctors that Ive talked to confirmed the risks involved even in controlled sparring.
Exactly, Mr. Segers. When I was younger, I wanted to be a professional boxer. I trained hard and sparred alot(luckily, it was with a family member and we were just playing around and didn’t really touch each-other; we did make hard contact at times, but it was unintentional and we always apologized). But I did some research into the conditions of these athletes, and I stopped with consideration of my own health and that of my sparring partners. I don’t even spar anymore, actually.
Spar just enough to get a feel for contact, and stop.
Competition is not for everyone. I did it because I wanted to know how my skills were and how I would actually do in a fight. I figured a controlled fight was better then looking for a street fight and worst come to worst you can always throw the towel if you are getting your ass kicked. My first fight I got my ass whooped it wasn't even funny the ref even stopped the fight before the time ran up. I thought I was prepared physically and technically but I had not factored in the mental preparation. I got punched squared on the nose, it hurt, my eyes got watery, felt out of my comfort zone and I turtled up for the rest of the match. I see competition as the best seminar you can get and a good measure of where you are at. I learnt lots about my self during that fight and realized if it had been a street fight I would have probably been dead or seriously injured. I didn't like that fact so I went back to training and trained harder and in a more focused way because I knew what I had done wrong. I also trained to get comfortable in the danger zone and mastered my fear (I'm still scared but don't let it control me). 5 years later I got my world champion title in amateur kick boxing. I would never fight pro because quite frankly I don't like fighting that much but I needed to prove to myself that I could defend myself if it were to ever happened for real on the street. When you fight you really get to know what you are made of. Compete to beat yourself, not to beat some one else. My goal was to always do better then my last fight, be faster, better techniques, better conditioning. To me that is true martial arts to better yourself. If you just do it to beat some one else that is not martial art.
Interesting narrative, but quite PC-oriented at the end.
Great topic and discussion. Myself, I love martial arts but I would much rather beat someone in tennis then step in the ring and try to seriously hurt someone to win.
I feel the same way. I do tang soo do for fun and health, but I hate hurting people and I hate getting hurt. I understand and embrace the idea of sparring, but fights are brutal and not something I have any interest in
We live mostly in safe world we don't have to fight to survive. We had choice do something for fun and becourse we want to. I would be bleak world if we would need to fight to survive for real. By to way is tennis good hobby, i thought it would be interesting to try.
I also feel the same. My worst injuries came from basketball in high school - bruised ribs, head concussion, broken nose, etc. I would rather lose 100 times in chess, tennis, running, poker, free throws - anything else really - than go knowingly into a fight with an opponent who is trained to hurt me, even though I would know I am better and will most likely win. There are just too many uncertainties and dangers. We will probably live into our 80-s or 90-s, we have to look into longevity. Surviving life isn't living it.
I now train boxing (we only touch spar) and BJJ separately and really enjoy both. I train with mostly adult men, who understand that they are stronger and are always gentlemanly towards me, never strike me too hard - even into the body and never using too much of their strength to subdue me. I have no desire or plan to go into a competition (as I see myself as way too old).
Recently I have finally convinced my mum to watch a UFC fight with me. When I explained the technique to her, who is in a better position, what are they trying to accomplish, etc. she was really watching it and commenting on it.
But in the end, she looked at me asked me full of worry: "You fight like this?" And I said that I don't since I don't want to deal with strikes to the head when I'm already trying to get out of the rear-naked choke and because I think MMA is too dangerous in my opinion and those 4 oz gloves just have too little padding. I said to her: "BJJ is BJJ and boxing is boxing and I prefer them separate." I also went on explaining touch sparring to her. I don't think she understands me fully, but at least she understands that I understand the dangers of martial arts and try to avoid them as much as possible.
As an "old timer" who wrestled&boxed from 1972--2006, I've always been impressed by the other disciplines of combat sports although my own experience doesn't include them. Luckily my brain is more intact than some of my contemporaries' are& though I no longer participate in sparring or competition, I still enjoy watching the skills of those practicing today. I also like the articulate cerebral quality of Ramsey Dewey's videos.
Your honesty is very much appreciated and a rarity today , my sons and I do a bit of training . Your insight and truthfulness we value and respect greatly. Thank you for keeping it real . As a famous man once said." Words are the only things that last forever". Keep the truth for that keeps fighters safe . Thanks again
Excellent video. I did a few smokers and realized (due to how serious it was and the injuries I gave/received) that my career was more important than giving it my all for competition. You think you know from a street fight or two and some hard sparring. But then you step in the ring and its eye opening what was for conceptual martial arts and as you put it, somebody trying to hurt you - the violence isnt fun. Especially when you arent getting paid 3 mil for it.
I love sparring, regardless of "hard" or likewise - but that element of control is going to the danger and I am "not" the Danger.
This guy has an incredible talent for storytelling. His tone of voice, pace and the content of his speech are amazing. Got me impressed!
Anyone claims "total safe" has no idea about any physical activity sport. Many sports have huge health risks. Myself the worst head knock out, happened in basketball game. My knee problem is mostly related to my play of football and other activities in my teen.
Man, the worst head kick I ever took happened at a modern dance rehearsal. A line of dancers were all supposed to do cartwheels in the same direction, but the spacing was off and I took a spinning heel cartwheel kick right to the temple from the girl in front of me.
I played Quidditch in college. A combination of lax safety rules, untrained referees, and nerds who didn't train properly… a sport everyone assumed was a safe "fake" sport was a bloodbath.
@@uchuuseijin Glad to know it doesn't differ much in that regard from the books/films.
Furious Blinking...that only comes from years of martial training. Done by a master like Ramsey, that will straight up kill a vole.
your voice calms my anxiety and makes me forget about my depression momentarily while i get lost in your stories. ty
I'm so lucky to have you around. thanks man.
I once hurt my equilibrium doing too many situps. The ears have a small Crystal floating in water inside the ear, the act of me going down and up upset the balance. Now after saying this imagine getting punched in the face repeatedly, the damage will gradually add up and give someone CTE. You have to be real lucky to not get hit alot. The professional boxer Mayweather comes to mind.
ihavetubes the guys who don't get hit a lot aren't lucky, they're good. Real good.
@@jjg5193 combo of both
> I once hurt my equilibrium doing too many situps. The ears have a small Crystal floating in water inside the ear, the act of me going down and up upset the balance.
wow, that's probably the same thing that happened to me.
You doing good now? I hope you are.
I just wanted to share with you something. About a year or two ago, I asked "why fighters fight" Or something like that. I was trying to validate the fight in my heart and the love for an activity that has the potential to harm or ruin someone. I wanted to share my answer. My answer is because we love it. Sparing keeps me humble, training keeps me motivated and healthy, fighting makes me feel alive and in my heart, I know I was born with a gift of combat but that doesn't mean I use it to harm. It is a way to protect others, teach defense, be a model for strength and wisdom as well as restraint. We fight because we all love it. I asked why in a time where I didn't know that I loved it. I thought I needed it to survive and I did but when I didn't, it still felt great. We all risk injury and even death. But we take that risk because it's something we have a passion for. Our goals, our spirits, our lives are not weak. We don't show that by ending another. We show that by our efforts.
This is a great subject, and Brain Trauma is a concern for me, I have floaters in my eyes and kind of detached retina type but not from fighting, the gel in the back of the retina or eye detaches sometimes and this happens when Im stressed out, much like a migraine and have had depression/anxiety for 2 decades and taking meds for that, recently getting better and coming off meds, would love to train in MMA or BJJ, Judo, Boxing etc but worry about Brain Trauma, especially when you hear about the possible Dementia risk, my father has Dementia, believ me guys you don't want that, it is heart breaking for the whole family, you forget who your family is, where you are, its one of the worst thing that can ever happen to a human being, its worse than a disease happening to you, its happening to the deepest part of YOU, the core, your MIND is fucking GONE!! When I see my Dad whom I love with all my heart, he was a tough guy, aggressive at times, powerful and I looked up to my Dad as a tower of strength and power, now he cries and says he is confused, I tell him its all going to be okay, I have to take Dad to the toilet, have to help him up from bed, cloth him, make food for him and the once Tower of my Life cause of Dementia is a shadow of his former self.
Now I look at my 3 yrs old son and he looks up to me as a beast, we do some fighting, wrestling and he bites the shit out of me at times, lol. I see my Dad in me and myself in my son, I was thinking should I train in MMA but then think of Dad and Dementia taking over him ... I wonder if one could train to almost never get hit, was'nt sugar ray leonard almost impossible to catch in the head, he was very evasive.
I want to do MMA and my quality of life may improve but the end of life quality if one gets Dementia isn't worth it.
How can a person train smarter if I want to avoid being bashed in the brain? Like training in bob, weave, duck and master it so you hardly ever get hit, surely there must be guys who are very tough to hit.
Rickson Gracie and Royce Gracie boht had a fighting style that resulted in very few head damage, I don't know if that fighting style would be realistic today.
When you decide to do something you have to accept all the risks that cone with it. If something of it scares you don't do it.
The thing with boxing, no matter how superb your defence is you'll always get caught with a punch you didn't see. But with that, I'd recommend studying Mayweather and Lomachenko. Two great defensive fighters who are hard to hit and instead of trying to win by K.O, winning by points n out smarting your opponent will be your best option.
Have strenght brother, I hope you and your family is doing good! Really hope you doing good!
Hey Sci, I train mma and my tips for u are, train ur neck so it absorbs eventual hits better amd focus on grappling with very light sparring, go hard on the body and only touch like points in the head.
Hello Ramsey. I'm 21 civil engineer student and I'm also doing boxing. I spar about 3 times a week and I think you are the right person to ask the following question: as a student who uses his brain for solving complex problems on daily basis, should I quit boxing due to the high risks? Our society is becoming more and more complex every year and brain damage is the last thing I want. I've never been knocked down or anything like that but I've got pretty hard hits to the head in the past couple of months. I am thinking about this issue every day and I'd be more than grateful if you answered my question. By the way, you are really awesome and keep up the good work!
Hey, I know your comment is ancient at this point, but I just wanted to give my two cents.
If you truly want to keep boxing because you feel like it gives you some degree of purpose, then keep at it. Develop a solid defence to keep yourself safe and avoid hits to the head. There are many examples to follow in this case, and I'm sure you could do that if you really put your mind to it.
But if you feel like boxing isn't necessary for you to feel truly happy, and if value your career above it, then perhaps consider replacing boxing with something safer.
Either way no matter what you choose to do, always strive to be safe and happy above all else, and never let others pressure you into making mistakes with your career or your health.
@@basic5926 I know your comment is ancient aswell now, but how are you doing
Ancient commenters tell me is there a way to be the best engineer and fighter AT THE SAME TIME
Ramsey Shifu you are great !Sorry to hear you are damaged.I guess it was a lesson well learned.take care of yourself.
I'm out of Utah and I love this channel! It's fun to hear that you have friends out here.
that is why i like wrestling and will probably do bjj in college so i can compete everyday as hard as i can without getting damaged.
You can still mess your joints up
@marco deroos - Careful with your fingers too regarding gi use. Do No Gi from time to time to relax your finger joints. Just a tip to consider. Oh, and guard your ears too. Cauliflower ear is annoying, but I'm sure you're aware of that considering you wrestle. But by all means, happy long training man, God Bless.
marco deroos it’s good to be evasive too. There was this muey Thai guy who almost never got hit and he ended up having over 400 wins and didn’t get any long term damage.
There's a video of a guy who got paralysed by going for a flying arm bar
Everything is Neutral,There is no Good or Bad,Thanks for the video.
I train Muay Thai for fun, fitness, skill, confidence and to see myself and those around me get better. I like the challenge. I may pick up a smoker when I get health insurance, but I have no intentions of going pro. My career involves the use of my brain, and I can't even risk brain damage. Kudos to those that compete, though. It takes balls and a shit ton of effort.
Just stick to the class. You dont need a smoker unless you're still in your 20's. I did MT for 4 years but I was 35 years old and the entire class was 18-30
@@quasar4601 I just turned 30 and I've been training for 3 years, so I think I'm still young enough
Young enough for what ?? Competition in MT, .. yes you;re . I am too old and dont feel like taking those blows lol
Once again, amazing video and perspective. I did some kyokushin tournaments as a teenager, a little amateur kickboxing, took up BJJ and had a couple of amateur mma fights during undergrad. It was an educational experience, but as I moved into grad school, competition just wasn't there for me any more. The risk is just too high, I have way too much to lose, so it was time to walk away from that side of it. I still train, but now mma is for me, not for competition. Keep sharp, personal enrichment, keep fit, all that. But getting into a cage with a guy trying to take my head off, no, the Ph.D is more important. Martial arts will probably _always_ be part of my life, but competition (barring some BJJ, maybe) no. I had to sit down, think about it, and realize that part of my life was over. It was a moment, that's for sure. It's great to do a little assistant coaching, paying that knowledge forward.
I do hope you continue to feel better Coach, those past injuries are nothing to make light of.
Awesome video! I am right now in the situation to decide wether I should stay with just bjj and grappling or additionally attend MMA and Muay Thai classes. The fear that I face is that I study computer science and therefore I cannot afford to have my main tool for my future job, which is my brain, to be damaged through punches and kicks to the head. But the other problem is that I feel like an incomplete fighter if grappling and bjj are the only things I do. Maybe I just attend the basic Muay Thai classes once a week and focus the rest of the training on grappling. Thank you for the enlightening talk!
What did you decide on doing
If people want to "fight" for fun but not get brain damage there are other alternative martial arts for that. But they may not be realistic for self defense
If people want self defense, then you simply stay out of a fight and be aware of your surroundings. Self defense is a different mindset than a fighting mindset.
How about wrestling and juijitsu. Non striking martial arts is a way to avoid brain damage.
@@Googleaccount-wu4cj non striking does minimize it greatly, at least that's what I believe. But it is still possible to get a concussion though because concussions is not just impact but also whiplash.
If your neck violently gets shaken you can possibly get a concussion.
Fencing for example doesnt have a lot of force in their attack since the swords are really lightweight and flexbile. Not to mention added armor.
I just did light sparing but if you do the striking arts and you compete- you will get BRAIN DAMAGE. The human brain is not designed to absorb those kinds of shots
Boxing is total BRAIN DAMAGE !! The worst of them as Judo is the most dangerous on the body
@@quasar4601 judo you will definitely have brain damage. Mabye not as consistent as striking arts but the chance is high.
You have one of the nicest voices I have ever heard
Thank you
@@RamseyDewey
Mma is a horrible sport for injures I have califlower ear black eyes and bloody noses all the time but in my opinion the damage is worth the skills and improved fighting ability
Listening to a lot of your videos while I'm temporarily working from home these days. This one answered some of my questions I wrote to you on your latest video (about age, risks of training in MMA, etc.). It's very informative. I just feel a bit torn like the person that asked a question in here (about risks of serious injuries like brain damage) between taking such risks if my life does not revolve mainly around martial arts and only doing training or going back to more "traditional" martial arts that are safe (like Karate). I would like to compete a bit though because I feel like the semi-contact martial arts I trained in are almost a fraud (when I look up karate "combat" championships vs others like MMA or Muai Thai for example). Keep up the good work, I'm very happy to have found your channel as I had been having many questions about martial arts over the last few years and you shed a lot of light on various issues. The videos about trying to reproduce the self defense in real life were truly hilarious as well. I wish you well.
last words were a great summary and conclusion - whatever decision you make, be sure you're acting, not reacting
Why does it Always feel like you're talking about Everything in Life, when answering a simple question about martial arts?
You've expressed your thoughts very well as always. Judging from the little experience I have in martial arts I wholeheartedly agree with you.
Amazing video, very humble, honest and absolutely agree with everything you said. I've seen you 1st time and just watched a few video's of yours and you are making my mind change. Thanx for your video's, May God bless you with all his blessings, Amen! Thank you!
Thanks for this Ramsey. I’ve spent so much of my life REacting rather than acting, and I think that’s the source of most of my dissatisfaction with my life. I’ll be pondering this, thanks again
I worked as a security guard for 6 years, and yeah, we had weeks when no accidents happened, and days when 3 people got injured in one shift, and that was with only 1500 people working at any time. in Germany, where we have very strict training regulations for everything. I've seen some really gruesome things as a first responder in my time. Most if the injuries were limb accidents, and I can't really decide what's worse: not being able to control your hand, or not being able to use your hand
You're a very wise guy and I love your videos
MMA is a lifestyle rather than just fighting you gotta have the mentality to die for the sport. I respect ya'll MMA fighters cause you guys dont just fight you actually live Martial arts.
GSP also said on Joe Rogan's that he literally HATES fighting :-)
It’s amazing that you did this off the dome lmao I thought this was a premeditated video. Then all of a sudden “ok next question”
Thanks for the video. For lack of a better place, I'll give my compliments here; stumbled on your channel some months ago, subscribed and been following it since. It has some very good stuff and I like your sensible, no-bullshit yet calm and friendly approach.
As a kid, I've trained in some martial arts, but had given up by when I was adult. Been now some 13 years I was in a martial arts class. But your channel inspired me to get back to it - this and next weekend going to a 20 hour BJJ crash-course meant to prep one to join a regular BJJ group. It's organized by a local MMA gym (that coincidentally had a few pro fighters competing in China earlier this year!)
Right now my primary motivation is getting fit, being happy with my body and getting some BJJ experience. I'm thinking to later join the muay thai classes at the same gym, or just jump straight to the MMA classes (I probably can't take more than ~2 classes a week right now, so we'll see). And even further in, I've thought about competing in just a few amateur fights, if it still feels appropriate at that time. Win or lose, it'd be a challenge I think would be very awesome to be able to conquer. Given that I mainly work with my brain, and that most of my hobbies are related to having a functional brain, brain damage is of course something that kind of spooks me in a cage fight. But then - it's probably more likely I'll get brain damage in a car accident on the way to the gym, I reckon, than in an amateur fight with a good ref.
But yeah, thanks for all your videos! I hope the gym I'll be joining has as rational and level-headed instructors as you seem to be.
this was one of the most wise advices that i ever heard from a youtube video (and of course you)
I appreciate you're content and you sharing you're experiences in the ring. Its very personal and you are extremely honest and thank you.
The decision/reacting part at the end is great advice! I'm definitely guilty of just reacting in many parts of life so it's a real wake up call.
This video is full of good advices. It should be shown to everyone who want to fight, professionally or not.
Brain damage is a big thing for me in how far I go with fighting, to say "I need it on some level" for me I think is an understatement; The correct statement is "I need to step into a ring and fight to be able to accept growing old and dying " to ignore this now would be the biggest failing of my life. But how far to follow it , the conclusion I reached is 5-10 fights where I receive strong head blows depending on severity, then no more ring fights ( worth noting I had severe head trauma as a young child ). This means I gotta train like a mad and defend my head at all costs being extraordinarily evasive , so lots of leg and core work , but also i think it might be wise to look into iron shirt techniques and get myself used to an increasing amount of body shots to I can sacrifice some body defense for head defense forcing body shots and hopefully moving enough to have em miss critical organs and feel like aren't effecting me with even there best connections. Either way I feel like I need it at any cost, like cooking dinner rush for 10 years was but a pale substitute for what my soul was asking for, if it kills me, living has killed me, I can live with that.
Then just spar lightly. We have enough US Marines, you don't need to go there. Just do some judo and Wushu if you really motivated.
100 percent bro I want to make it professional one day obviously I don’t want Brian damage but like u said I feel like good defense not too many weight cuts and good neck workout u can make it out with not brain damage
Great question! Ramsey answers so well, with style, insight, and experience. He really does seem like a wise guy (in the positive sense^^).
The mid point has a very interesting section on how competition can be so different than “real” fights and training, like how the competition is about pursing violence not avoiding it, which may not be a person’s style.
The discussion gets almost philosophical, while still being practical, as Ramsey enters into life, risk, fear, and taking action.
I’m one of those people that train for fun and health. I do my forms, work on the bags, and I have absolutely no interest in fighting. Nada. Zilch.
Your voice is very soothing.
Beautiful, Ramsey. The essence of martial arts sprit and knowledge are presented in this video.
Fantastic video
I can identify closely with your narrative of training for many years to establish what I thought was a well-rounded base of knowledge, but being subsequently stunned by what you learn by becoming a Fighter. It's like you have spent a long time drawing a detailed map of a valley, and you work everyday to fill in the details accurately, and then you climb a mountain and see.... Everything. And realize how small the valley is. I feel a calling to be an instructor, and I actually have been for years, but I never felt legitimate enough to myself, and I wanted my students faith in me to be well-placed. Many years later, I feel like a Fighter. It feels good.
18 minutes and 50 seconds of philosophy later, "next question".
Got to be one of the smoothest lines ever.
How Long did it take for you to become “proficient” personally at mma/kickboxing , “proficient to fight professionally” and how Long to be considered an expert ?
I think I felt “proficient” in the sport a few years after I retired.
Scientifically it's about 10 thousand hours
There is always risks even for people who have years of experience, I'm a teacher of muay thai, jujitsu tai chi ect
I was shadow boxing a simple switch kick and snapped my ankle clean....very painful
You are so on point. People think that fighting is all about dishing it out, winning, and the girls. That's great until seconds later when doctors are trying to reattach your nose. It's real, and many of us don't comprehend it until the horror of the reality sets in for the one actually doing it. Street fights? Forget about them, train so you don't have to get into them. Your comfort and piece of mind ought to be that at least you have something, not to seek it out. You won't feel so cool and badass when you get stitches for a wound you could have avoided. I've been jumped before and what saved me the time some people came around to do it again wasn't cool moves, it was an innocent look and a soft voice. The reality often contrasts the fantasy, and while you think you'll win, so does your opponent for himself. One of these days, his vision will be right.
U are definitely a real fighter I been in martial arts since I was ten I never been in a fight had times where my friends thought but I walk away is a true master
This is not just fighting tips...
This are life tips.
I could listen to Coach Ramsey all night. Seems like an excellent person.
@Ramsey Dewey
You always share great advice and wisdom, but in this video you said something that stands out and struck a personal chord. I have had over 12 years of martial arts training and have never been in a street fight, and I've even intervened on multiple occasions to defuse brutal fights that were about to start, between people I didn't even know!
It was very dangerous, and many have said that I was reckless and obviously unaware of the idiocy and risk inherent to my interventions...
But on the contrary, without everything my training gave me, like situational awareness, I would have ended up being attacked in downtown streets at night and I would never have been able to prevent fights like I did.
The more you develop and mature as a fighter and martial arts practitioner, the more you are at peace with yourself and the world, and the less you seek violence.
I’ve watched maybe 50 of your videos and still don’t get the blinkin complains. I don’t see it at all!
I know, right? Some people just want something to complain about!
I actually notice it in your podcasts more, but it makes me think of your video about it and laugh. Your wisdom and knowledge is more important than your physical ticks (I smile randomly and speak my thoughts/think out loud when I think no one can hear me lol)
+Ramsey Dewey I actually think blinking is really cool!
I only have been knocked out twice in 8 years of muay thai and mma I have been doing.I still get nose bleeding and memory loss time to time .Brain is so sensitive
This is valuable information for everyone. Ramsay can articulate his message.
After sparring like an idiot when I was younger, once I learned about cte I cut it all out and went into the pitter patter stuff and grappling for the most part. My thought was I was ok if I get hit and brain damage was instant I at least wouldn't be able to react to it, but having it creep up on you is a whole different story. You are just waiting consciously until it shows up and you wait further as it gets worse and slowly consumes your life inside and out while you just sit there and watch
I would encourage people to watch Nigel Benn vs Gerald McClellan before competing in combat sports. Watching that fight in hindsight knowing what happened to McClellan really changed my perspective on combat sports. Roy Jones Jr said he wouldn't visit McClellan until he retired because he knew there was no way he could ever step into the ring after he saw him. I still love boxing and mma, however I admit it changed my approach enough to the point I wouldn't argue with anyone calling it nothing more than "human cockfighting" even though I only see the art in it.
This was amazing , i admire this speech to the fullest you made me more accepting of my own trail of thought towards fighting , my motivation behind it is just that i want to be respected and not be laughed at or not being taken seriously being a push over People can shit on , that's really my drive to be effecient at fighting , but i value my brain so much and my memories and my mind as a whole that chasing some adrenaline Rush Sometimes feels silly . If brain damage was An easy to fix problem i would have had over 50 fights already but sadly this is just not the case.
well done video, with clear thoughts and advice. Thanks for posting it :)
Good vid Ramsey, good talk.
if i had a titanium brain i would fight for the rest of my life
Amateur MMA has less brain damage yes, especially the semi-contact one(ISCF) with head guards.
But in pro MMA, it is a must to have at least 50% brain damage.
After how many years of fighting would you say tho?
Don't put lies and put the thing as it is . For the majority that is the case . Some people just don't get touched . Like it or don't and have ways less than that
@@LaTierraNueva19all depends on your defence if ur taking less damage then you’ll be ok
This was a powerful video. Thanks for sharing.
What some people don't understand is that every punch you receive could possibly be your last.
I remember in my youth i did do kickboxing an muay thai. I liked it. But then in training I sparing with other (big guy) I did make few strikes and with a upper kick. That did hit. Later I heard that guy did need 5 stitches. And there was some blood. (Guy is OK now). That make me think me other way. After that it was not anymore fun.
If some one wants to fight in cage or ring do. I could accept that I could get hurt, but that I would do something bad to other guy. I don't want to carry that with me. Even that other guy wolud be okey with risk. Maybe this is just me.
Now I do Aikido, I like doing that. Or course I hit bag time to time. I actually am interested in knife and weapon training. Hell I would like to try HEMA(Historical European martial arts) I though i would try something else too also well there is Krav Maga here. Thought Ramsey is not big fan. Karate did too some time ago. Boxing and so forth.
Point what try to say find what you like and do that. But understand risks to yourself and others. I don't want brain damage or cause that to other. I am not that kind of person.
If you wanna try HEMA look up skallagrim and Blood and Iron on TH-cam. Even if you don't look them up just remember to be safe. HEMA can be extremely dangerous without proper equipment and training.
But with proper equipment and experienced partner it's quite safe, probably even more than light boxing sparring.
@@TheTyphonGS ehhh idk about that. Depends on the type of weapon
Skallagrim shows how easy it is to smash skulls through hema headgear. I think matt Easton has shown how easy it is too.
Yeah, but it was poor place. Things had change now. I am thinking go back little. Might use some years time and get karate black belt. I Did practice karate too several years in my youth. Might be refreshing?
Tuhkakasa two things I read then made me laugh, upper kick,? 😂 you haven’t done thaiboxing, if did no way would say upper kick, let alone go to training in aikido, 😂 aikido is one worse martial arts, I teach I Muay Thai gym, and loads people don’t fight and spar light, others that actually want to test there martial art skill fight, to learn how to fight you need to be hit, not roll playing,
17:18 GSP said that as well! He said he hates fighting! Watch it on Joe Rogan's show.
Huh...I thought this guy *was* gsp
Hey Ramsey, God bless you my friend. I trained on and off throughout my life, so I could never in good conscience say I trained for YEARS 😂, but I know basic hand to hand combat(very basic). I’ve had a lot of injuries from Training and a bad trampoline accident. I then got into drugs and I went into Psychosis 3 different times and God has for some reason healed me Everytime. Now that I’m sober and starting physical therapy, I would like to start training again. The problem is all the gyms ask for more money than I have to offer. What should I start with? (Sorry for the long comment)
What training advice would you give your amateur self.
I would say to myself use my head more.
Kaen Awoken he means head movement. He probably lost all of his fights cause he was blocking too much and getting taken down
I been in zero street fights and never had to use martial arts but you’re right I know how to defend in any situation probably . Thx 🙏
What about organ damage? Most famous is the liver. Some boxers died in the ring by tore of the liver. One opponent of "livershot Rutten" took 6 month to recover his liver.You can also get abiding liver damage.
Brain damage is probably more of an issue due to striking being mostly to the head, as well as the brain is a much more fragile organ
And liver regenerate if you cut it in half . You have nothing to worry about . Is all these dman nerves
I think the most important things to tell your past self would be: read the rules carefully to make sure that nothing is lost in translation and to have your ringman make sure that your opponent is properly and legally wrapping their hands.
Oh, I was thinking about when I was starting out. If I could time travel to warn myself about my last fight, I would have just told myself not to take that fight and why... and then the world as we know it would change... and my TH-cam videos would disappear... and cats would be dogs, dogs would be cats... the butterfly effect would shake the very space time continuum!
Some wise life knowledge here. Well done and keep up the work (p.s. don’t usually post comments but your vlogs are great!)
Hi Ramsay, I have a question for you on improving my grappling. Since I work as a sailor, I have to skip my training for a few months at a time, and while training kickboxing before and watching your videos, I know the minimum things I need to do to not fall behind too much, such as shadow fighting, watchig a pro fight every day (both your tips by the way), though I have no idea what I could do for my grappling, so any advice would be highly appreciated.
Keep up the good work.
i know this is 4 years late but you could try grappling with a buddy or mabye bringing a grappling dummy w/ you
M8, the stuff you just said is so real. I never got into the ring because of one scene that NEVER GOT OUT OF MY MIND. I wanted to go to the ring when I was 12-13, but then I watched a professional fight from two sanda fellas in a regional kung fu championship here in Brazil. I was only competing in form exibition, but when I was in the line for my turn, the fight between the two pros begun. Not even 30 seconds, one of them kicked the other in the belly, the other parried the kick with his shin. The result: the same wound Anderson Silva had with his broken leg. I never forgot the screams of that fella as he quite literally despaired on the mat with everyone in the ring freaking out, even his opponent that did not knew what to do to help him. Because for some reason the medical team took time to arrive, the broken leg guy just passed out after a solid minute of horrific screaming. Going into the ring is quite the decision to make.
To be honest most workplace accidents are the result of either complacency or being overworked.
Do not underestimate the value of a good nights sleep, being well-rested can make difference between life and death (or injuries) in some situations.
I work in construction, being aware of your surroundings is key, there's alot of different things going on all around you at any given time.
this is just like listening to a novel,very relaxing.
I started boxing and wanted to really get into combat sports and after watching this it gave me a whole new way of looking at the ring/octagon and honest it made me scared but excited , which made me decide to go thru with it cautiously I’m 17 by the way
You can still it bro u can make it out without brain damage
Your thumbnails are amazing
There's something to be said for training just for self defense. Doesn't mean you have to give/take damage in the ring or on the street, but you can defend yourself if it comes to it.
That were some very wise words, my friend.
believe it or not, this is one of the wisest speeches I have have ever listened to
Your beautiful voice, mate. So good.
I saw a video of a guy on Joe Rogan talking about going into his fights, saying that he was terrified the entire time before a fight, had to go into the bathroom to talk himself up, back himself into a corner to get ready. It's perfectly understandable to fear fighting and the brain damage aspect because ultimately that is a high possibility when you and another person are beating each other over the head with your fists and legs.
I’m in a Muay Thai gym and i was new to the gym the spar spar hard and I’m thinking to quit Muay Thai and change into jujitsu if I’m 13 years old and I spare with kids in my same age I spar once aweack only and I spar for 3 minutes only do’s it’s affecte my brain
Thanks for telling your point about that, I had the same question :)
A person who has never been in a street fight is privileged seriously.
You call that privileged? LmAo not privileged but wiser