Theory Why does Kickboxing attracts so many scumbags to it?

FléauDeDieu

FléauDeDieu

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Has this been anyone else experience? I've been in numerous MMA/Boxing/Judo/BJJ/Kickboxing gyms over the years and by far away the culture at Kickboxing gyms always seems to be the worst.
Why is that? I would think compared to Boxing/Judo at least are heavily regulated and Olympic sports so most of the grime and dirt fades away, but something about Kickboxing just attracts a cruel type of fuckup to it.
 
FléauDeDieu said:
Has this been anyone else experience? I've been in numerous MMA/Boxing/Judo/BJJ/Kickboxing gyms over the years and by far away the culture at Kickboxing gyms always seems to be the worst.
Why is that? I would think compared to Boxing/Judo at least are heavily regulated and Olympic sports so most of the grime and dirt fades away, but something about Kickboxing just attracts a cruel type of fuckup to it.
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Perhaps because you dont get humbled quite as fast as you would in a boxing gym, and there's not this idea of structural discipline that's sold in TMA studios.
 
I've not experienced that personally. I actually got more hostile vibes from MMA gyms. I've been to many of the Muay Thai gyms in the bay area. Mostly for smokers, amateur shows and seminars. I've always found the scene to be pretty chill and generally positive.

When I've fought in some of the national and north American tournaments, I likewise felt that the people who I was interacting with were generally decent people. But again it's not as though I got to know many of them on a personal level.

Then again, I've definitely worked with coaches that didn't always have my best interests in mind. But that will happen no matter what sport you get into. Bottom line if you aren't syncing with a gym or coach or feel uncomfortable training at a specific place then it's perfectly reasonable to look for a better fit.
 
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It depends on the gym and the culture. Sometimes the money you pay and where the facility is located can serve as a gate.
 
Not entirely sure what you mean without examples, but there's horrible cunts in every sport.

It's not even unheard of for otherwise good coaches to have a cunty day here and there, or shrivel over time into a miserable cunt.
 
I can echo that sentiment. I have trainer many combat sports in different countries and in my experience kick boxing attracts the worse crowd.
 
shunyata said:
Not entirely sure what you mean without examples, but there's horrible cunts in every sport.

It's not even unheard of for otherwise good coaches to have a cunty day here and there, or shrivel over time into a miserable cunt.
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I meant things like
1. Horribly out of shape coaches, whose fighting knowledge is derived from Seagal movies
2. No proven background in once competing in the sports they themselves teach
3. No proven background in sending their fighters on to the state team or national team of the sport itself
4. No experience arranging sparring sessions between their club and another outside of competitions
5. Sparring sessions that morph into a free for fall, instead of the coach supervising them and pairing them with someone of the same skill level/calibre
6. Not teaching the finer skills of fighting - defence, head movement, blocking, parrying, basic combinations, before putting them in the ring for their first sparring session

In every KB gym I've ever been in it's had at least 3-4 of those red flags.
 
Very little talent is required in kickboxing. Kickboxing is also a dead sport with no strong foundations. It's also the easiest of boxing, MMA & kickboxing. 3 x 3 rounds lol. As they say... a drained gas tank will humble any man. Kickboxers never get humbled by having their tank drained as the fight goes into the later rounds. That separates the men from the boys. Just a theory.
 
Replace "Kickboxing" with "MMA" and that has been my experience in the east coast US. A lot of the competitive Kickboxing gyms from Maryland/DC down to Georgia are very well connected with each other, with plenty of sparring sessions where folks from multiple gyms meet up to get work, coaching that is heavily informed and inspired by Dutch coaching (Nick Hemmers and Andy Souwer visit the southeast US for a seminar tour at least once or twice a year now and always draw crowds), plenty of experienced and passionate coaches who teach using a technical approach to fighting, etc etc. Basically the complete opposite experience to you lol
 
FléauDeDieu said:
I meant things like
1. Horribly out of shape coaches, whose fighting knowledge is derived from Seagal movies
2. No proven background in once competing in the sports they themselves teach
3. No proven background in sending their fighters on to the state team or national team of the sport itself
4. No experience arranging sparring sessions between their club and another outside of competitions
5. Sparring sessions that morph into a free for fall, instead of the coach supervising them and pairing them with someone of the same skill level/calibre
6. Not teaching the finer skills of fighting - defence, head movement, blocking, parrying, basic combinations, before putting them in the ring for their first sparring session

In every KB gym I've ever been in it's had at least 3-4 of those red flags.
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Theres no accountability for being a fake 'master', and people who got conned are too embarrassed to speak up about it once they learn the truth of their mistake.

Bogus coaches always have some story why their credentials can't be proven and people often give them the benefit of the doubt.


I honestly thought you were going to refer to the scumbag element being criminals, sex offenders etc hanging out in the KB/MT scene.
MMA had that problem for a while in Oceania/Asia but I think its died down, everyone does BJJ or boxercise now but still puts MMA/UFC on their resume or gym signage.

Plenty of fake tough guys in gyms in Australia/Thailand for sure.
They often are too concerned with the heavily muscled look to be able to fight in a reasonable weight class, and talk/post about their master booking them a hectic Pro fight, then either pulling out or disappearing.
 
The stuff is also that to teach requires some talent too.
Sometimes coach might have real credentials and ofc does knows technique. However he should also to supervise drills and sparrings, arrange pairs for this, to help adjust daily training program etc... ofc if there money enough, they at least might hire S/C coach to work with guys additionally....

Not always coach with better fighter's resume is better as coach. Ofc to have someone who didn't had fights under belt too is out of question...
 
That hasn't been my experience. But the academy I train at is focused heavily on BJJ, so most of the guys who train Kickboxing/Muay Thai cross train in BJJ/CSW.

The culture of the Academy is also very much based on respect. Anyone who is rude, tries to bully weaker members etc will learn very quickly that such behaviour will not be tolerated. I saw what happened to a Kickboxer who took cheap shots at a female sparring partner. After he crawled off the mats on his hands and knees, he was politely informed that his membership had been cancelled.
 
There are loads of good people in the Aussie Muay Thai scene. But out of all the martial arts, Muay Thai(or Moo Thai, as the tattooed, mulleted wannabes call it) seems to really attract society's worst.
 
- I noted that. I bet the Thais laugh themselves when they see a guy with thew worst tattoos a kid could raw, horrendous hair cuts and bodypiercings.

First guy that come to my head, is that dude that Ironkan had a crush.
 
LeonardoBjj said:
- I noted that. I bet the Thais laugh themselves when they see a guy with thew worst tattoos a kid could raw, horrendous hair cuts and bodypiercings.

First guy that come to my head, is that dude that Ironkan had a crush.
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