Are there any martial artists besides eddie bravo who use marijuana effectively during combat?

Question

actually eddie bravo states in one of his books that marijuana helped him form his new system of grappling.

Answer 1

i know nick diaz smokes often, he has tested positive for it after a match, and now he even has a marijuania medical card in CA where he lives.  

"a lot of people say arent tou worried pot smoking is going to get in the way of your mma career, Im worried about my MMA career getting in the way of my pot smoking" - nick diaz

Answer 2

I've had some of my best rolling sessions high. Eddie Bravo is hardly alone among grapplers who tout the benefits of the blessed herb. I pretty much guarantee that all the people on here talking about how bad pot is don't even smoke it regularly. I don't personally feel like I am at my competitive best when I am high, so I don't smoke before a tournament, or, at least, not within a few hours of my first match. After a tournament, when I am good and beat up, it is the ideal thing. And I do mean "ideal." I have heard weed recommended by quite knowledgeable holistic healers and herbalists as a very good substance for relaxing your body after the trauma of combat sports competition. It is certainly much better than pounding a bunch of poisonous liquor into your blood. Not that a nice microbrew doesn't taste good along with the bowl. I know a jiu-jitsu school in my area where the vast majority of the guys smoke before practice. Playing jiu-jitsu when you are high is extremely fun, if nothing else.

That being said, I wouldn't recommend you go out and become a hardcore pothead so that "it will make you a better grappler." Weed can make you lazier and/or more lethargic, if you are inclined in that direction. But it definitely relaxes your body and allows you to flow with creativity.

Eddie quotes from the book THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES some questionable information about marijauana potentially being benfeficial for your lungs. I tend to doubt that. But I do know, for a fact, that it is not at all damaging the way cigarettes are. When I was in the army almost 20 years ago, I would occasionally build up to a half a pack a day or so of cigarettes and would instantly notice my wind diminishing. I don't really smoke a lot of weed presently, but I have been a very heavy user at times in my life without any noticiable effect on my wind. My cardio is almost always better than people I roll with.

Answer 3

Jack Skellington is at the very least very ill informed.

Eddie Bravo supports weed, he doesn't actively compete on it. Eddie Bravo is successful DESPITE smoking weed, not because of it.

There have been plenty MMA fighters suspended for testing positive for marijuana after fights, in many cases they lost or were lackadasiacal in the fight, not more effective. Again blood tests showing weed in the system after the fight doesn't mean they were high during the fight, that just within the last few days that they had smoked.

Bruce Lee's film scenes were not full contact.. that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Also he didn't just get into fights, but prior to smoked a little weed to dull the pain..

There is no talk of his weed usage by anyone, aside from there being TRACE amounts of Cannabis in his system during autopsy (which has been stated numerous times as could have been at levels in which could be found in some oriental teas). It wasn't like he just smoked or eat some hash before a fight to dull the pain.. (it would also dull his reaction time, energy, and body sensitivity). Nor did his doctor prescribe it for him... sheesh.

Some people might be effective at combat DESPITE being high at the time, or having smoked weed. Not BECAUSE they were high or smoked weed.

Eddie Bravo doesn't get stoned and enter grappling competetions. So he doesn't use it during combat. He is an advocate of it and smokes it, but not as something that is beneficial for grappling.

Hope that makes sense.

Answer 4

I agree with Manda, it was his skill not his smoking that got him where he was, all that did was make it a little harder for him maybe, so imagine if he had none and that mentality?

Answer 5

Bruce Lee's movie were all contact. Yes they found trace amounts of cannabis in his system in the autopsy because he admittedly used it for pain medication. in addition he also used Equagesic which is like super aspirin no duh he wouldn't use it before fighting or movie making because it would dull his senses! Yes quite often Lee was challenge by hubris movie stars and stuntmen to fights, not sissy slap fights mind you. On many occasions he had full contact fights, Lee knocked out Wong Jack-Man in Oakland, CA, in a 1965 no-holds-barred challenge match, knocked-out Chung, a Choy Li Fut fighter, in Hong Kong in a 1958 Full-Contact match, and knocked out Uechi in 10 seconds in a 1962 Full-Contact match in Seattle. Eddie Bravo discusses how marijuana influences his art, music, and jujitsu in his book Mastering teh Rubber Guard. He is a huge advocate of legalizing marijuana, this doesn't mean he gets stoned before every match.

Answer 6

that's why Nick Diaz hasn't got anywhere despite his talent.

I don't think the phrase use marijuana effectively during combat is correct either, as it's use obviously won't enhance anything.

Don't get me wrong. Eddie Bravo is an amazing grappler, but he gets there because he has talent and not because he's a pothead.

Answer 7

Obviously none of these guys above have ever gotten stoned and the trained grappling.  It helps you to relax and hold position rather than burning energy trying to force your way out of holds using strength instead of technique.  One of the main premises of BJJ is position before submission.  When I first started training I wouldnt secure my position(i.e. guard passing, mount, back postion etc.)and would try to barrel right into a submission which often ended with me being swept or worse submitted.  One day on the way to the gym some of my teammates and I smoked a fatty and it helped me to relax enough to work for a dominant position and then work for a submission.  Im not saying that itll enhance your game above your own natural ability, but it definetly helps me