sensei8

How long does it take? Who establishes it? You'd love my grandma's cooking; traditional!! Or you could love my cooking from a box; modern. If I was you, I'd eat grandma's cooking WAY before I'd eat mine. Again, labels have the ability to destroy the core of the MA!!

Keiko Fukuda, while not the norm was a Judo instructor that began teaching in 1937 in Japan, so the info you gave is by far not accurate. Their were few women in the martial arts, but it was not illegal by any means. Also, Robert Trias (creater of Shuri ryu) taught ladies self defense in the 40's in the states and had a few female black belts. Again, while its not the norm...it was not illegal in Japan or the states in teh 70's. Wow, really! if I ever saw a judge pull that stuff at a tournament I would take my team and leave...and if it was a JKA tournament I would have a few words with the ref. Our organization has a high level Female competitor that was well respected and placed at the worlds. If a local judge had the yam sack to do that to her he would get the boot from the organization faster than you could rip up his Dan certificate. Again, not sure what style you are talking about but the female instructor I mentioned trained in Japan for four years and she saw TONES of females training in the club and giving as good as they got during Kumite. I think that this whole article is a bit outdated, or I just dont see it. In our club one of my house rules is that once you strap on the belt you check your gender at the door and go as hard as anyone else or pay the price. You take it easy on someone because they are a different sex than you and you spar with me....male or female...and Im of the belief that womens lib gives me the right to beat on men and women alike. Solid post!!

I'm surprised this was allowed to go on, and even more surprised that the dojo was made to split because of it. The head of that dojo really needed to take charge of that situation, but it appears he didn't. As for the passing of pamphlets, I agree with you as well. There really is no reason for it. There are other times and places for things like that. Not at the MA school. There are enough politics in the MA to worry about without trying to be politically correct. A MA school isn't big enough for all of that! Dictate and stand by it. Those students who don't or won't or can't; well, find somewhere else to train. I agree with the pamphlets; not at the MA school!! NEVER!!

How many? With all of the self-promoting that goes on...I say...NONE!! OR...1,000 belts...to start with!!

Circuit training isn't just for men. So, why not?! Go for it!!

Sounds fine to me. BUT...I'm no doctor! Ask your parents, and ask a doctor. I believe that 8 hours is the rule of thumb, but I also think that's subjective to 8 RESTFUL hours, and not tossing all night and/or visiting the bathroom a lot. Seek the advice of your parents and your doctor!!

I concur with everyone else...try it out. Let your gut lead you from there.

Especially if MMA does make it into the Olympics eventually.That just might happen because the UFC's a major brand, and it's had it's 15 minutes of fame, so to speak. The IOC is watching MMA; I'm sure of that. Oh, yes, I'm sure they are watching. And if the IOC likes ratings, and they see the ratings of the UFC and other MMA events, then I think they will eventually see the possibilities in the ratings for Olympic MMA.Would the IOC curb or end the blood letting?? One drop of blood, match over!! This was what it was like in Oklahoma for a long time. For example, whenever the WWE came into town, and if someone "geeked", the match had to stop immediately!! No exceptions!!

Solid post!! I thank you for it!!

I was asking those who had self-promoted themselves to Judan AFTER the founder of their style passed away. One minute they're a 7th Dan, as it was awarded to him/her by the founder, now, they're a 10th Dan. "People will take me more serious if I'm a 10th Dan!" Hogwash! By people, I'm assuming that they meant the layperson, not a seasoned MAist. Nothing's wrong with seeking after rank UNTIL rank becomes more important than knowledge/experience. Everything! Imho, the entire rank system has a tester, therefore an awarder, and in that, the entire rank system has a testing candidate, therefore, a receiver of said award. Self-promotion, imho, that's what we're talking about, is the bane of the rank systems existence. Imagine, for example, the green belt promoting himself/herself to brown belt on their own! If the higher belts can, then why not everyone, no matter the rank. The rank system would be of absolute no-value; it barely is now for many reasons. Thank God, there's always a floor!!

I do think that no matter what it is, its traditions were handed down to generations to more generations as time slowly meandered on. "Look, do it this way and not this way" says some founder of some type. When it caught on, it was deemed agreeable and effective to do it as it's meant to be done. "Yeah, that does work, as you said it would, and it doesn't work as you said that it wouldn't." Wrestling and Boxing, for example, I'm sure, as in everything else that's created, had/has a traditional means and beliefs form its beginning, and as they chipped away at it, it became what it is today. Evolution depends on traditional ways from its creation. Otherwise, how can it evolve?? It was birthed, and a means and a way of doing it was agreed upon because it was a good thing to do so. Nothing can evolve on its own. Someone's got to kick the ball or swing the bat before someone can say..."Hey, here's a better way, let's examine it and see if it has merit." Shindokan HAD its beginning; its traditional means. However, changes/evolutions were created, but not before a traditional way of doing Shindokan had been around for some time per our Soke. While the modern ways of doing Shindokan is upon us, we know that the traditional ways of our Soke are STILL THERE. Had to be, or there'd be no modern means. Imho!!

Punch Kick Block/Deflect Strike Posture Things like these, we ALL have these in mind as a core; a core that we all share. Styles?!?!?!?!? We amend the core; that's what makes our styles' methodology and ideology and the like.

I agree. Learning to close and make space when needed to work to the goal takes time and practice. Good drilling is hard to replace. That is something that forms training can't really give us. We can try guage the space required for a certain technique by looking at how we do it in the form; i.e., we can see that an angle punch in Yoo Sin is tighter to the body than a front stance lunge punch, leading us to believe that the angle punch technique is one performed when closing with an opponent. But, without having someone there to work on this with, doing it alone won't teach us much.So, the big factor in learning how to close and open space when necessary is through realistic training drills involving at least one partner, if not more. Sparring can be a great tool for training it, but its important to keep the context of the type of sparring each of us does in mind, and how it would relate in regards to actual self-defense. Solid post!! As someone who lives in other peoples spaces, whether it's through sparring and/or some other drill types, managing that space does take some time, and with more than one partner. Why? We're different, you and I, so, I must understand people in a general tense so that I can understand how space works for and against me. If I do this, what might happen or not happen. Do I use much more hip transition or do I use the same or slightly less. EXPERIENCE space first. Someone invades my space by grapping me. Or is attempting to grasp ahold of me. A shift, a slide, a directional, an advancement; these confound and unbalance my opponent but at the same time, I create and close said space as easy as I would whenever moving a pawn on a chess board.

Yes...solid post!! To manage the space, one must experience it! The space that I'm more concerned with is within the very close ranges; in our faces, so to speak. Our brand of Tuite is about the close ranges and how to manipulate that space to ones advantage. As he/she moves, I must counter-move within that space!!

Right, agree with you Each of us has his/her own gift and skills to be developed and used, regardless of the gender [/url] Solid post!!

I agree, the parent was astonished when I said that they would have to wait until they are at least 5! I think she was after a babysitting service rather than a martial arts class. To the bold type above... I believe that you've hit the nail right on its head.

Solid post!!

To the bold type above... Imho, this is basic MA 101; baby level stuff. And it should be addressed because it is some serious stuff. An assault is an unwanted evasion, therefore, the aggressor needs to be made aware that his/her advances aren't welcomed. Nice video. I think it needs to be made more simplified from a laypersons point of view. While what you're demonstrating is basic, there's a minor complexity to it that a layperson might have trouble grasping.

Imho, I think 2 years old is much too young for the MA.

Sure but that's Bill at the peak of his professional life. Most of us including me aren't ever going to approach the speed limits with a lead leg kick, which is almost completely dependent on leg muscle. In fact, I believe that his world record kick was clocked with a rear leg kick. There is no way Bill can clock a 60mph kick with his lead leg. Anyways I recall several of his professional fights. He tended to use his lead kicks like boxing jabs. I don't remember any knockouts by them. And I don't remember any opponents fearing them like they would a Cro-Cop head kick. Good points! It was his rear leg that was clocked, and it was his primary weapon as well as a back fist strike. I stand corrected, thank you for correcting my boo-boos.

I believe that when they're ready for the 1st grade of elementary school, they're just right for the MA. However, I/we do start them at 5, which is more like controlled play, this incorporates them into the dojo atmosphere and the like. Personally, I think 9/10 years of age is a very solid age to begin because this age is ready for most MA activities.

Your first day of many days!! Glad that you're in a solid style with solid people around you. Pain allows you to remember that you're still alive, even though, right now, you wish you were dead. Time will lessen that soreness, but not eliminate it totally. Instructors seem to have a way in making sure of that. Congrats, and welcome to the MA family!! Very proud of you!!

No, not the actual space that we actually live in, you know, like our house. While that's an important space, it's not the space that I'm addressing. I speak of the space that's constantly changing around my opponent(s) and myself. The space at any given time can only be occupied by either my opponent or myself; not both. Either one of us are entering or leaving or remaining said space. Bruce Lee might've said it best: "When my opponent contracts, I expand, and when my opponent expands, I contract!" It's a simple game of give and take. Managing the space! *Allow it *Deny it *Alter it *Occupy it *Stop it *Enter/Leave it The power apex can be defined by a simple formula: It takes TWO!! One does this, which then causes the other to do that. As my opponent, for example, punches at me with his/her left fist towards my face, I move out of that space to my left, and allow his/her attack to occupy said space, if even it's for a split second. By gauging his/her body language and intentions, I therefore, stop my opponent desire to enter said space, thus halting any positive forward motion, and through timing, I then enter said space by transitioning forward so that I, and not my opponent, can occupy said space before my opponent can, therefore I deny my opponent any space opportunities, thus I alter my opponents directions by upsetting my opponents balance, just long enough to unleash my counter-attack. It's tit for tat, let's not forget that. Not everything is guaranteed. It's a chess game, for sure. The one who occupies the space and manages said space far better, well, to the victory goes the spoils. Imho, I believe that I manage the immediate space quite well; it's a key element to Tuite!! Your thoughts!

No matter the style of the MA, be it, TKD, JKD, Karate, Judo, Kung-fu, BJJ, and on and on, they share that one thing...CORE!! The core allows the expansion of the creation of its methodology and/or ideology. Therefore, we're of the same family. Yes or no?!?! Your thoughts! Hopefully, this small introduction can spawn some interesting questions as well as thoughts, including some concerns as well. Thank you, in advance!

I will agree with a lot of the thoughts here. First up, train hard is right. And train effectively and train a long time. That's gonna go a long way. Make sure that you're training in something that works well for you and your mindset. On mindset, as someone else said about the fight in the dog, train as if you're life depends on it. It does. How you mentally prepare will dramatically effect your physical capabilities in a fight. Now for the bad news.... Fighting someone bigger and larger (and most often in the case of male v. female violence- predatory) is a losing proposition. I don't buy into the the "size doesn't matter" line of thought. Attributes matter. Always. It's why there are weight classes in combat sports. Because people who train and compete against full resistance and not theory understand this intrinsically. In this, I agree wholeheartedly with bushido man. You MUST focus on escape and evasion in these cases. Even perfect technique can suffer against raw aggression. We see this over and over when high level, elite BJJ players jump into MMA unprepared for their new environment. Despite, in most cases, have far better jiu jitsu than their opponents some of these athletes just do not function well when jiu jitsu starts to include getting hit in the face. Even people who train RSBD can be behind the power curve when first engaged in actual hand to hand combat. The aggression level is overpowering and because we so often train at lower, playful levels, it's hard to make that switch go off. We all say we can, but until it's on one really can't explain the reality of it without safety. So, not to be divisive, or derogatory to smaller stature people, but the reality is that it's a massive problem to deal with the aggressive, large predator animal. The way you train can help to mitigate this, the tools you choose can have an effect (but probably less than training methods.) But understand the major disadvantage you're at in this situation. Solid post!!