sensei8

In Shindokan, we're taught, and we teach, to not address each and every punch targeted towards you. To do so leads to fatigue as well as missed deflections! Not all punches are an immediate threat!! Be aware, but do not be sucked into their fight!! Look for openings...they'll be there!!

Yes...the felled opponent also darn near landed on top of the kickers HEAD!! To risky for me to ever want to try it on the streets; to many things can go wrong for me!! Looks great when it works, but ugly when it doesn't. Nah, I'll stay away that kick. Spar against a Kyokushin practitioner...stay aware...it's not a question of "IF", but more of "WHEN"...it will be tried!!

Yoko Do Mawashi Kaiten Geri [side Rolling Kick]; from Kyokushin!!

Her retiring could mean that she, for whatever reason(s), became burnt out in teaching. It might also mean that she learned that it was better for her to train, than to teach. After all, and not saying that this applies to her, not all "black belts" CAN teach!! Stepping away from the MMA arena and into starting her own karate dojo might've appealed to her more than teaching MMA; experience in karate as a Sandan speaks a lot for some, and not much for others. For me, until I see how the floor decides, she spoke out of turn. This causes my stomach to turn!! It's the "look at me" side of the MA that infuriates me to no end.

In the end, imho, it's about who wants it the most!!

The mechanics of "heel up/down" vary as often as the day differs from the night. Are we discussing boxing punching or are we discussing karate punching? In either, do what you've been taught by those who have taught you "the correct way" per your styles methodology. If that doesn't suffice, then do what works FOR YOU!! After all, in the end, it'll be you and not anyone else that will have to execute accordingly. The MA is about discovery!!

I'm in agreement with all three posts above...they cover many wide concerns that should be thought through. I'm more of a...visit every single one of them as often as it's required of you to make your final decision. Remember this...training and the streets are two separate speeds!! Good luck in your search, and we look forward in hearing which one, if any, that you choose.

Good news on the KF 2014 Awards being revealed this December 1st. Thanks for all you do, Patrick!! Thanks to all who have been nominated in the KF 2014 Awards!! Thanks to all who have casted their votes in the KF 2014 Awards!! Sounds like your wife and you, Harkon72, had a great evening with your celebrations. Happy Thanksgiving to the two of you!! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!

Imho...NO!! Not until your doctor clears you for that type of activity!! Take your time, I know it sucks and you want to get onto the floor ASAP, but rushing it, imho, might cause you unknown problems to occur and/or make it where you'll never return to the floor. Please, ask your doctor, and then don't return UNTIL your doctor clears you. Even then, take it easy; work up to full abilities. If you're going to PT, as directed by your doctor, I'd go there before I went to the dojo. The floor is patient; it will welcome you back with open arms. However, the floor is a taskmaster; one that you're not ready for UNTIL your doctor clears you. You've waited this long, waiting a litter longer will benefit you in the long term. Please, don't rush it. You're not coming back from a sprained ankle...your injury is much more severe, and imho, much more severe injuries require patience through and through. Are you frustrated and/or impatient? Sure, you are, and that speaks loud and clear that you're a serious MA practitioner because you miss the training so much. Don't ever listen to me because I'm no doctor. Please listen to the medical professionals who are advising you, they're there to help you and I'm sure that they wouldn't rush you. Hang in there!!

Typically--not always, but typically--the issue you describe can be resolved by shortening your stance. You only have so much leg to drive your hip with, and if your stance is too long for your legs, you won't have any leg left to drive with. Of course, it is possible that you really do have restricted hip mobility, and my suggestion won't help. I would still give it a try, though. I will point out that you definitely do limit the amount your hips can move when you keep the heel planted. You'll never be able to move them as much with your heel planted as you can with your heel up. Sometimes that's good, and sometimes it's bad. However, you don't plant your heel in midstream of any punching technique. You must allow the technique to complete, and the heel planting isn't done until the exact moment in the punching technique. Plant the heel too soon, arrests the power curve, thusly, your hip movement's arrested as well. Don't plant the back heel UNTIL it's time to do so; AT THE END!!

At 23, being a 3rd Dan is quite doable without having to have ever been a child BB. Her saying that she's retired from being a MMA instructor, might mean that she is no longer teaching MMA. As we know, there are quite a lot of women training in MMA, and some teach MMA. I do agree, there's no belts, to my knowledge, in MMA. And being a 3rd Dan in some form of Karate is usually the time when most 3rd Dan's embark in opening their own dojo. I'm only speaking out loud because I wasn't there, and I don't know her MA background. I don't know why she would even tell you that she was a 3rd Dan because that's out of line; that's something that karateka's don't speak outwardly willingly. Imho.

Sounds like your first class was a good one for you across the board. Things will come together, and as in everything, it'll take time. There's no hurry! Train hard and train well!! To the bold type above... If the Red and White were panels, that usually denotes 7th and 8th Dan's.

Transition continuously at all angles. Strike with force and with great intent when a grappler gets in close to you. The grappler wants you on the ground; that's where they're the most comfortable, and you might not be so comfortable. Sprawl them if you can't strike with greater intent! As Wastelander points out...best to learn grappling! Not in a passing, but with serious intent! If one's not comfortable on the ground, then one must to all that is possible to stay on one's feet. If not, one better have more than a basic knowledge of grappling. Grapplers aren't going to let you do anything, if they can help it. They're well and aware of what their risks are, but they're coming to get you to the ground. If you can keep them at bay, then that's half the battle, but it's not going to be an easy battle. Grapplers are fast in transitioning from one point to another...aka, from where they are and where you are!! Don't be afraid of grapplers...they're humans too!!

Yes. I have read that name in the Kyoshi's bio. Other names I recall were Glenn Keeney & Herb Johnson. Well known karateka's and well respected!!

This argument will never die!! Let me ask you all this... What does your STYLE teach? Do you believe in what your style is teaching? Do you believe what your CI is teaching you? Heel down?! Heel up?! This must be discovered by YOU!! Today...you're of the opinion that heel down is more effective! Tomorrow...you're of the opinion that heel up is more effective! And as you go thru Shu Ha Ri, you might go from one opinion to the other over and over. To me, this isn't a bad thing, but more or less, it's what one discovers as one trains to improve ones own MA betterment. But the core of what your style teaches remains! You're just going to have to fine tune the whole darn thing!! Question it! Deny it! Examine it! Tear it apart...over and over...again and again, if necessary!! Having said that... Boxing's cross/hook is NOT the same as a Karate straight punch, Gyaku-Zuki. In basics, back heel is kept down. Why? It's easier to utilize, and this means control, the hip rotation because it lives on a horizontal plane. Movements are isolated, and it prevents the elbow from rising upward too soon. Too soon might cause one to throw more of a hook than straight. Straight is the idea in Gyaku-Zuki, after all. Wherever the target might be, the straight line from "A" to "B" is intentional at all times for Gyaku-Zuki. Also, especially for beginners, but also for all levels, imho, it's beneficial to keep the back heel down because it's so much less stressful on the body, more importantly, concerning the Achilles tendon. It's our/your styles methodologies as well as ideologies that dictate how techniques should be executed. It's foolish to criticize the style that you believe in because their way has been your way since day one when you first walked upon the floor. However, it's not foolish to explore and examine and question and discover everything each and everyday. Back heel up or down?!?! That answer will have to be found by YOU...each and everyday! Listen to the advice of those in your style that have been there and have bought the t-shirt; your styles high ranking instructors. If you can't trust them and believe in what they're teaching...well...then you'll not believe anyone else. Imho!!

Two more words that fit KF... ~Compassionate ~Definitive

Appears to me that they were quite close minded through and through, imho!! To say well known Kata's don't exist is one thing, however, they should of at least said that those Kata's were unknown to them for whatever reason. Learn all of the Kata's that one wants to, but in my opinion, no Bunkai, then no kata. Have to learn and discover the many endless applications that await the practitioner. Another fine example, imho, of not having a minimum idea of what they're speaking about! It's akin to walking into a dark room without a flashlight; almost immediately you're going to run into something.

As always, great tutorial; quite dynamic transition. I always appreciate it when one can get the "hugger" types to release without doing any striking. Btw, your BB looks good on you!! I also got a kick out of the guy over your shoulder in the beginning of your tutorial.

You'll enjoy WC, and wait until you work the WC Dummy; close range training at its best, imho.

Consistent!!

Congrats, Alex....very well deserved. Feels good, huh? Not that you've anything to prove to me, I just want to say...you're definitely a black belt that CAN teach; your students are in great hands!!

Thanks, Brian...I greatly appreciate your answers. Alex, I surrender your thread back to you sir!!

Thank you, Patrick, Heidi, and Brian...it was my pleasure!!

Great discussions, thank you all!! It might be great and acceptable for the football coach or the basketball coach or whichever sporting coach to yell at their players. It might be great and acceptable for the CEO or the District Manager or a low level member of management or whichever business entity to yell at their subordinates. But, in the MA, imho, that has no place!!