sensei8

Thanks for sharing that; great points to absorb.

I wholeheartedly agree!! I had a rough time learning to hit effectively with my left side because I'm a righty through and through. Thanks to Sensei Takahashi, I learnt to be ambidextrous in the MA.

Great topic; thanks for starting it. For me, it means don't get in your own way!! The opponent is enough to worry about without adding your own garbage into the formula. Study your opponent Study yourself Make a plan Carry plan out How can I do all of that stuff if I'm fighting myself? I can't! But, if I study myself, and not fight with myself, then I've a chance. My opponent; nobody else!! I know, I make it sound so easy. It is. However, it took me many years to achieve that mindset. Mizu No Kokoro and Tsuki No Kokoro are very important to a MAist because once you understand what these speak about, and learn how to effectively apply them, the practitioner can step away from that which can harm you, and these maxims are effective in a practitioners normal life away from the MA.

Imagine the MA being ONLY for the taller practitioners!?! The MA gives practitioners the tools they need to meet these type of obstacles head on with courage and tenacity with a clear mind. Mizu No Kokoro (Mind Like the Water) and Tsuki No Kokoro (Mind Like the Moon)...these speak towards many things for the MAist.

Good luck at your next tournament; please let us know how it went.

I agree with you here, Brian!! You, my friend, are someone who CAN TEACH. Kendall and Kenneth are super lucky to have you help them in a wide range of things that they've/they'll encounter.

Yeah, I've never lost control, and if I ever do, the MA isn't the reason for it. While my life is the MA; my life isn't the MA. I was raised by wonderful parents, and in that, we had a great family network of support. Take that, plus the life experiences that I've learnt from, and yes, I've made mistakes, but I don't, and won't blame the MA for my lack of control, which I've never lost. I do get upset/angry, but I don't display that because I'm in control; I'm complete in my MA totality.

I wholeheartedly agree!! What I see in KM is just straight out offense/defense without the formality that Kata can demand. I believe in Kata, but not all MA do!! Oh well.

No, you're not rambling, at all; SOLID POST!! I've been fortunate enough to have been blessed with the formidable ability to teach, operate my dojo/retail shop, and to also run a governing body with just over 10K students. I give the thanks and praise to both Saitou Sensei and Takahashi Sensei; great men, great MAists, great Sensei's, great mentors, great administrators, and great friends!!

Great topic, thanks for starting it!! Personally, I train, no matter the season and the like, and no matter what the reasons as to why students come to class or not for whatever the reason(s) might or might not be because my MA journey must continue, and that requires me to train constantly; I want to improve myself, and my MA.

Solid post!!

Solid post!!

Congrats on your promotion; well done!!

To the bold type above... I agree, yet, I can't help but to appreciate the intent behind the belief.

Dim Mak should touch. check my videos, all dim mak need touch. also Dim Mak came from china. why you believe a fake western Dim Mak fake masters?　 and don't believe the origin place real Dim Mak masters ? I've checked your videos; thank you for sharing. You say that Dim Mak is touch, but what I've seen in your videos isn't a touch; it's a forceful impact, imho. I don't believe in Dim Mak in general; no matter where it's being practiced. Like Kyusho jitsu, Dim Mak is inconsistent BECAUSE THE PRACTITIONERS AREN'T PERFECT; mistakes DO occur, for one reason or another. In short, if Dim Mak is an EFFECTIVE MA, then I've yet to see evidence. I'd have to experience it for myself personally!!

Dillman has lost credibility in the MA overall; it's his own making. For me, he really done his credibility in when he spoke about "No Touch", and in that, how he could move people in line at a Starbuck, hence, he was able to go from the back of the line to the front of the line.

Having trained with most of the Senior Japanese (older) Wado Sensei - I would agree it isn't really used. In fact, I was actually warned against using it prior to training with a visiting Japanese sensei for fear of offending him. I also train with a Koryu group - and the word "Oss!/Osu!" is NEVER used as it is considered vulgar. Funny how some see it as a sign of respect whilst others think it is totally disrespectful K. Solid post!! To the bold type above... I suppose that to avoid any misunderstandings, one should learn about the culture beforehand.

I've seen the opinion that, if you need to stretch before you can do a certain activity, you're not yet flexible enough for that activity. The advice was to improve your flexibility first and the go back to doing that thing. I have a feeling that won't go well in a TKD class though. While that might be true for some and not for others, the older one gets the more one might have to stretch more...I do. I'll be 58 this October, and I need to stretch more now than I use to. Is that just part of aging? I hope so, because if it's not, than I just don't know.

Good post. But it seems like now the question is What constitutes adequate stretching in the first place!? YOU/ THE PRACTITIONER constitute what is and what isn't adequate stretching; no one knows your body better than YOU/THE PRACTITIONER!! But if a you're doing is repeating the same thing over and over without trying something new, how well do you truly know what you're capable of or if something else could be of greater benefit? Again, that's up to you, and you won't know until you try something new, but who's to say that that new thing is for you?!?! Most MAist have an instructor, and the instructor has had a stretching routine for students to do as part of the pre-class warm up. So, use those stretches...they were fine then, so they'll be fine in the future.

I don't like, therefore, I don't buy all of the psyching before a break; just break the darn thing. You won't have time for psyching if attacked; defend yourself immediately. You don't have time to warm up, psyche out, measure if attacked, so why do all of that unnecessary stuff before the break? It's not a 1 and a 2 and a 3...then...break...on the streets; purposeful attacks/defenses. Boards DO hit back when you take FOREVER to break the darn things!!

Cool, thanks, Brian!!

Solid post!!

SOLID POST!!

I never thought about it like that. As far as actually washing my belt, I can't say I do it that often. It has never seemed to have become dirty enough to warrant washing it. In related news, I have a new found appreciation for my ability to use my mother's washing machine. Yeah, I'll wash the gi, and not even think about washing the belt because it's a belt. Nicely tucked in my bag or placed on a hat rack in the corner; out of mind.

For the most part, small joint manipulations. Students learning Tuite, especially while grappling, they forget that, for the most of the time, a foundation must be in the manipulation, or it just won't work; they'll just break free without any problem. But use a foundation for the manipulation, well, that'll be quite unpleasant for my opponent; not easy to escape from once set without experiencing some severe pain. I can utilize the Tuite in a number of ways. I can wait until I'm touched or I can initiate it, but for the most part, I will wait until I'm touched. Can't grapple unless you touch some part of my/their body. Standing or on the ground, the foundation, the support of the manipulation must be there. As a LEO, I'm sure the academy teaches some certain controlling holds. They're simple...direct...and the suspect isn't going anywhere until you allow it. Those are Tuite properties!!