sensei8

I'm not excited at all about my Cowboys. Pre-season means absolutely nothing to me, it's a waste of time, for me, not for the players and the coaches. The W or the L don't even count. We've got two more pre-season games left before they count...for good. Romo is STILL there....darn it! I wish he'd go somewhere else! Romo stated that the mistakes by the Cowboys can be corrected. Well, then do it! The Cowboys will host the Saints on turkey day and I've a feeling that the Saints are going to manhandle the Cowboys. We've got the Vikings in week #6 in their house, and we've a chance to beat them, but, it'll be a hard fought game. Our schedule looks quite challenging for the Cowboys. I really see no easy game for the Cowboys, but, the Cowboys will only see two teams twice during the regular season...Redskins and the Eagles. Both have abilities and both make mistakes...who doesn't in the NFL?! My prediction for the Cowboys....10-6 in the regular season and will lose their first and only game in the playoffs. WHY? PRESSURE!! GO COWBOYS!! PS>>>>GO YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any straight blast that could come close to Bruce Lee's straight blast...then by all means....USE IT!! All someone can do with it is...well...fall down...and stay down...and not get up for awhile.

I'm with you on the bouncing. It drives me crazy...it reminds me of what someone would look like after having drank a gallon of coffee. Bouncing to me is an unstable movement and offers up so many opportunities to offset and penetrate...unless they can stand/walk in the air...but they can't and I love to show them that gravity is real...and so is the sudden THUD that follows.

That's a very valid and solid soapbox!!

Thanks Brian. How different is yours from ours? Thanks in advance!

Yes, you're absolutely correct. I used "Downward Block" for the laymen of the martial arts so that it [block] would be more easier understood. Btw, your post was solid!

I could only imagine that if the new Karate Kid movie is the reason for someone joining a martial arts school, that they'd be to embarrassed to say to a potential instructor that that was [Karate Kid movie] why they wanted to join in the first place...MAYBE...stranger things have been known to have happened before!

Speaking of semantics, we could call 'it' a karate-chop. I've only known 'it' as a Shuto (Knifehand) of its plethoria of its kind. To me, it's just another waza that's rarely used, if at all, outside of any martial arts school. To be honest, in all of my years, I've more than likely only used a Shuto when performing tameshiwara (Breaking).

ps1, How's the video testing performed at the Gracie University? Is it performed by a live video link? Or, is a tape/disc recording sent in for them to review? Thanks in advance!

I'm with Brian and ps1 on this one!

You're a wrestler and you want to shoot, that's ok, one of my most favorite counters would be to SPRAWL, but the sprawl takes some uncanny timing, and that's cured by practicing.

In Shindokan, we teach a myrid of "Blocking" techniques. Should one view our curriculum, one would see that we teach approximately 34 "Blocks" leading up to Shodan. However, the term "Block" is extremely general in it's content, but it's context is uncomplicated, therefore, it's more easily understood by the laymen. What will be discovered, in its own time, as one's karate matures is that the "Blocks" are indeed counters. That bears repeating in a different manner...There are NO "Blocks" in karate; only counters! For example, Gedan Barai (Downward Block) is performed as a 2-step movement. That "Block" is way to slow to be effective against anything. Even still, each and every "Block" that's used in any kata are performed with the 2-step approach. A "hidden" technique comes alive and understood with one exclamation...AHA! In Gedan Barai (Downward Block), the "Blocking" hand goes up beside/near ones ear on the opposite side, while at the same time, the other hand crosses ones body with ones hand by ones groin; this is the chamber position...step #1. The "Blocking" hand travels in a downward motion, and just stopping on the outside of ones body, while at the same time, the other hand travels/returns to ones same side by and/or near ones hips; this completes the "Block"...step #2. Against, for example, Mae Geri (Front Kick), this kick is simply way to fast to incorporate the 2-step movement. By the time the Mae Geri is returning from it's target, the Gedan Barai (Downward Block) is beginning to finish; hence, the Gedan Barai (Downward Block) has just missed. Cure: Stop chambering the darn thing...just use the lead hand straight into the "Block"/COUNTER! This, of course, is for another topic/thread. That's the "Block"! Now to what the "Block" truly is; it's a COUNTER! For example, let's say that your attacker is reaching out for you to grab your shirt/label. Just bear with me here, and hopefully, you'll see Gedan Barai (Downward Block) just as it's meant to be performed in any Kata. First step: In the kata, your blocking hand is traveling towards your ear on the opposite side. Nomenclature of the COUNTER is...Grab one of the fingers of your attackers outstretched hand as your attacker attempts to grasp your shirt/label. Now I've got a firm hold onto my attackers finger/knuckle. I then rotate my attackers hand back and under and then upward...that is Gedan Barai's step #1, as seen in Heian Shodan, for example. I'll know my Tuite is working because my attackers body has changed from one extreme to another, and if I've done it properly, my attacker is also standing on their tip-toes. All the while, keep pressure on the finger joint/knuckle so that control is maintained continuously. Second Step: In the kata, your blocking hand is traveling downward to the immediate outside of your body. Nomenclature of the COUNTER is...Rotate your attackers hand with their palm facing downward, and then at almost the same time, start pressing downwardly WHILE stepping backwards and continue to do so until your attacker is prostrate before you...that is Gedan Barai's step #2, as seen in Heian Shodan, for example. I'll know my Tuite is working because my attackers body has once again changed from one extreme to another, and if I've done it properly, my attacker is now lying down. What one does after that is entirely up to you. What you've just completed was a COUNTER, not a block. Remember, Bunkai is the analysis of what one does in any said kata. Sure, I guess Gedan Barai (Downward Block) could be used to deflect a kick/punch, but, there are no blocks in karate, only counters. Hopefully, in your minds eye, you can see how the movements of Gedan Barai as executed in, for example, Heian Shodan are nothing more than a 2-step counter, and that's it's not a "Block" at all. Next time you perform kata and a "Block" is called upon, you'll "see" the counter instead, and that you'll start to explore the many possibilities of your Bunkai.

Sorry to hear that. Chin up and all! What tasks you will only make you stronger in the long run. Hang in there, and come October...you'll be a brand new Shodan!

SOLID!!

Geoff Thompson - the man Black Belt Magazine USA called, "the most influential martial artist in the world since Bruce Lee." This tag line can be found in most martial arts magazine publications. Whether one is or isn't the most influential of anything is up to the masses and not up to the individual for whom the proponent is aimed at. Do advertisements tailored like this upset you? Do you take those words personally? By personally, do you, or your students take those words as a personal attack on you as a martial artist? Here, Black Belt Magazine USA is just one collected opinion, and nothing more. Opinions vary across the spectrum known as the martial arts. BBM USA is supporting the martial artist, here, Geoff Thompson, and that's their belief as well as it's their right. The tag in the first paragraph of the OP, imho, is nothing more than an advertising power point, and yes, imho, the laymen martial artist as well as the non-martial artists might perceive this as the holy grail, just as though it's written in stone. To me, it's all harmless advertising, and one companies opinion. By harmless I mean it's uninfluential across the board and in that, it's nothing. It's no more than when one uses certain power words in their advertising tag lines. Word(s) like "Best" or "Most", as in the example above. Harmless? Yes. It's the old adage..."Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!" I believe that this idiom should speak loud and clear to every martial artist about everything that's the martial arts. You; The reader is only interested in the potential benefit that he/she will receive from your product. The old advertising maxim is still valid "Sell the sizzle not the steak". Look carefully at your product and think of all the reasons that I, or anyone else would benefit by owning it. Even in our casual conversations with other fellow martial artists over lunch, or wherever, we'll speak often one of those "MOST" powerful words, on either side of any martial arts discussion, "BEST"!! That word, "BEST", alone can bring martial artists together or, the word, "BEST", can drive a wedge between two fellow martial artists just that quick. Of course, imho, it depends greatly on each individual's martial arts maturity. Your thoughts?!?

What kind of Shotokan are you? JKA? SKIF? ITKF? ISKF? KWF? I'm not of the Shotokan family, just a fellow karateka.

ROFLMBBO...hahaahahahahaahahaaa...you're killing me Brian...NOW that's funny!

Well said. This is a very good explaination. I've been taught that it is slightly bent with your toes trying to grip the ground. I've tried this with even shoes on and I feel more stable. That is my two cents worth. Toes gripping the ground...YES!!

So, is it better to have a soft, supporting leg? And why is it better? And a finally question , is it worse but easier to kick with a locked, supporting leg, and why? Imho, it's better to have a 'soft' supporting leg because of the reasons I stated in my first post. As to your second question, I've no experience with a locked supporting leg while kicking.

SOLID POSTS Jay and ps1.

It bears to have never been thought about along those lines; interesting!

If?!? Penetration is important especially with a bent supporting leg. However, you're, imho, right on the money when you say your kick MUST be strong. That comes with knowledge and knowledge comes with experience. I can drive my kicks with the base leg slightly bent supporting leg not because I'm of a big stature, no, but, because of my knowledge/experience. Again, solid post DWx...solid post!

I'm not 100%, but, the ATA is the only one's I've ever seen with these type of Dan ranking patches on their obi's. In that, the ATA only has roman numerals for 1-4, but 5-9 are represented by stars. Therefore, I'm thinking that the ATA is it's own supplier. I guess you could call the ATA and see is they'll sell you some, I don't see it happening. Other than that, you could have them made for a nominal fee and the like. Sorry if this isn't of any help.

Straight blast or the JKD chain punching, I call it...some very fast and powerful punches. Whatever it's called...IT WORKS, or at least for Bruce Lee.

Basically, within the Shindokan, we're taught to NOT lock the supporting leg because the supporting leg acts like a shock-absorber, as well as, a locked supporting leg can be injured more easily than having the supporting leg slightly bent.