I’m the “formal” guy, I guess. I see the value in formal training. It provides skill sets and more importantly distilled and refined concepts of combat. I also see the value in just going out and crossing hands with as many different people as possible.
One provides a foundation that the other sharpens that into a point.

It’s the individuals responsibility to make it work, and if it doesn’t to be critical of their practice and fix it. Formal training shortens the learning curve, but to be effective all fighting requires someone to always be critical, reflective, adaptive, and open to new things.

I love having chances to pick 1 or 2 concepts and try to work them every week. sometimes it works out, sometimes not. but it’s the experience that matters.

“formality” in training is probably not a fair comparison. All activities require specificity in training Fighting/Dueling/Sparring is no different. It doesn’t get much more formal or specific to than to just go out and fight. These dudes have been doing it for 2.5 years or so. That’s pretty formal and specific, so don’t sell yourselves short. ]

It’s up to the individual to recognize that rules hold them back, discard them, and be free to make their knowledge work.

You guys rock.