Ironberg

I love weights as well. I just keep getting injuries, probably because I'm trying (<- key word here) to do it at home. Last night, I injured my thumb by dropping a 10 lbs. dumbell that was strapped onto my forearm by an ankle-weight (don't ask). I'm never going to attempt to perform squats off of something that was designed for a bench-press ever again (please don't ask, all I'm going to say is that I'm a cheap, tall beanpole who is extremely low on time).

Many people at my martial arts school have mixed feelings about the nature of sparring/kata. For most people, they are good at one and not the other. The few females we have are always good at kata and not sparring- they need to be far more aggressive. For most of us, kata is simply an art form that doesn't necessarily help you as a fighter, but makes you more coordinated. However, I am a believer that a good kata can make good technique, especially if the kata is rather advanced and requires alot of power, flexibility, or if you are applying instant speed with a momentary snap (I can punch so hard that my gi makes a sharp noise in the air). However, good technique can only be made useful if you have proper timing, focus, and endurance. That is why sparring holds an ultra important purpose in my martial arts mindset. This shadows ramymensa's in a sort of moderate way, simply because I believe that a person can be a good sparring partner without being good at kata. I am reminded of my last tournament when the older men did poorly at kata. Since one of them was a former boxer, I made him laugh saying: "I'm sure Mike Tyson would get fourth place in kata as well." Then these people I train with who did horribly in forms did excellent in sparring and took out high ranks in their divisions. This is simply my observation of kata/sparring, and I am sure will be maturing more rapidly in the distant future as I get higher in rank. I realize I almost counterdicted myself, because there are a few select people at my school who are very proficient at both, including myself. Sorry about this sizeable post.

Five months ago I tested for my orange belt in American Karate. Now it is time- my blue belt test is THIS FRIDAY! However, I can see my belts taking longer and longer to complete in the distant future.

I think most of us on this forum have a bit of a biased paradigm towards the striking arts. I am not here to clean up, as I am an American Karate stylist and do not specialize in grappling, but I think it is best in the martial arts world to keep our minds open. I rewound watched the interception phase over and over again. It is quite obvious that the Karate guy displayed no sense of aliveness in his positioning, his body posture, and his arm movements the entire time up to the time that BJJ dude thrusted him into the wall. It is my opinion that the Karate guy probably never watched UFC, or even WWF (sorry, now it's E), and was also a bit confident in something he shouldn't be confident about. I am no black belt yet, but something has to be said understanding your opponent, and the strenghts and weaknesses of yourself (kinda like what guarddog was implying). I have experimented with grappling, and belive me, there can be a time for it. It might even be a good idea for me to cross train when I grab the time (pun intended).

One thing that must definately be addressed is both your needs, as well as something called a physique. Your physique is highly important at discovering which art you will accell at. TKD is best for us skinny giant people who have bo-sticks for legs. However, because I have been brewwing an unquenchable thirst for grappling stuff, I wish I could have found a HapKiDo school somewhere (there is one, just an hour away). My style is American Karate (70% TKD, 30% alot of other stuff). Shorter, or stalkier people are generally going to find arts like Shotokan, grappling arts, and some other forms of karate appropriate. Really muscular people are going to enjoy just about the same thing, just be carefull that you aren't too muscle bound for speed's sake. I am most definately not an expert in determining how well a person's physique will play in MA, I'm just offering my 2 cents.

Being a really tall guy myself, I may be able to offer some tips concerning what is in his offensive mind concerning his attacks. I am 6'4.5'' and also have a wide arsenal of kicking combos. I have sparred several blackbelts who are short that have used this particular strategy- I, as well as many other tall people, have what is called a "kicking circle". This circle is usually long ranged, but it fails to be short ranged most of the time. These fast blackbelts have managed to get inside of this circle and land well timed side kicks into my ribs. Sometimes they do this while ducking and my kick shoots right over their head. If the tall maniac is tossing alot of spin kick combos, definately do sidestepping, and confuse him because his sight is being limited when he spins (or that could be just me). Sometimes, you need to compensate by having fast hands. If you do, you can do something like a step-into-hook kick followed by a boxing combo which will hopefully pummel his gut. The purpose of the hook kick is to eliminate a given offensive technique thrown at you. We tall guys may have some early advantages in fighting, but in the end we are definately not invincible- which I'm sure you will discover soon.

Being tall, I enjoy throwing ax-kicks simply because they are so intimidating. Last saturday was my fourth tournament, and being tall they had no choice but to put me with a lower belt in a "exhibition match" because I would have stepped on everyone else. One of the times that I chased the orange belt out of the ring was when a sent into his guard an ax kick followed by a brutal boxing combo into his chest protector and almost right hooked his caged jaw! Although they gave me the point, the judges simply raised their fingers and said: "watch the control". Just thought I'd mention that.

I would like to shadow ZR440's statement in reference to physique. Before I start babbling, are there any really tall TKD practitioners here. I myself am 6'4.5'' and kicking comes naturally as a powerful weapon, and at some tournaments is almost like launching artillery. I am not saying that tall people are advised to throw head level kicks, but that it might simply come naturally at times. Also, I do learn alot of low kicks, and they are definately a powerful part of my combo arsenal. This is definately not a slam against short people, because I have fought short people who now how to make use of their compact-ness in a fight, and use good economy.

I'm tired too of "it's not a real fight" as well. One of the many reasons I go to tournaments is because I also consider myself a sportsman as well as a martial artist. Being a highschool student, I actually perfer MA over other sports that people say I "should" be involved in. I go because it just plain fun. More and more, every time I wake up knowing I'm going to a tournament I have the strongest desire to get in that ring and duke it out. These days I live for sparring. If you want to learn how to defend yourself, study self-defense, not WTF rules. Still, just as there is no feeling quite like throwing the perfect pitch, or basket, there is no feeling quite like nailing your opponent in the head with a spinning kick in a sparring match.

I have finally taken some time to formally introduce myself to this board- this is one heck of a virtual MA hangout. I have been excepted well even as a new person- very rare in most Internet discussion boards. I have been studying American Karate for twelve months by November 28 of this year. Greetings to you all!

In fighting, you should be constantly moving, not thinking about feet positions. My style has a fighting stance which is so darn customizeable that it can be basically anything as long as only both of your feet are on the floor, your hands are in a tight guard, and it doesn't resemble any other stance. More and more in sparring I am learning the benefits of shifting foot positions in a broken rythmn. That way you can surprise your opponent with whatever comes next, so to speak. If the bounciness causes your opponent to shift attention to what the heck your feet are doing --> feed him fist. I must admit, however, that my feet are usually close together, unless I stop to do something like throwing him over my leg, or sweeping.

Depends on the situation. If it's a street fight (which I've never been in and proud of it), I'll only be concerned with getting the first hit, and then hitting him until he's KO, not Tekken-ish combos. If it is a sparring-ish match, varrying on the level of contact, I have two frequently used combos to open up the match: 1. Side kick - jab - crossover. 2. Round kick - spin hook. (I once knocked a guys head gear until he couldn't see! ) I have so many others, but these two get the most age proven highlight. Let's hear more from you guys, any sweet kick combos that anyone has. I don't throw this one often, but there was one time I nailed a guy in the head with this one: hook-kick, round-kick, spin hook, round.

First off, I am an American Karate stylist. My style is best compared to being 70% TKD and 30% Karate/Kickboxing. I cannot help but be effected everytime TKD gets a bad press, which is comming more and more simply because people do not know when to call an art and art, and a sport a sport. I believe that this is also because people are so lazy that they personally want to practice something that will give them a kick for a sport, and a strong steetfighting ability at the SAME time. I recently invented a new form of sparring at my dojo/dojang (whatever you want to call it) where you take off the hand gear. This allows us to add grappling, and we also throw all the TKD stuff we want. We also allow leg sweeps, and Judo-ish maneuvers to even charging your opponent onto the matt. This still fails to capture what real contact is, but is teaches focus, timing, and speed. Head kicks get a bad press because TKD people are also having a problem with their egos concerning ability to "boot to the head". I personally believe that the best way to use head kicks in a real fight is if your opponent is smaller than you, or if your opponent has been seriously stunned from a previous set of moves, like bashing the knee. In that case, you can finish off you opponent with a head kick and walk away passively- also impressing your TKD friends. However, there is so much more to fighting than kicking. I have never been in a real fight before in my life, but my MA training has given me a edge, both athletically and psycologically that I shall continue to push for.

I have studied "American Karate" for a year now. The name fails to truely define the art, as it apprears to be 70% TKD, 20% Karate, and 10% American Kickboxing- so the officials just jumped to their seats in frustration and said: "Let's call it American Karate". My reason for posting here is not because I think I've got it made as a martial artist and a fighter(I have only studied for a year) but to post my "moderate" opinion to this highly debated argument argument. I am also not trying to elevate my style, but to give you my personal thoughts concerning TKD. I love sparring. In my experience with sparring, a taller person is going to be more TKD-ish because their legs are a mighty part of their body. A shorter person relies more on speed, therefore, their hands are the emphasis of their power. I am a tall person (6'4''), and have become adapt at kicking. I also observe that sparring is far from being real fighting, but it teaches two basic concepts: timing, and speed. A purely Tae Kwon Do artist is going to fail this argument in many ways simply because other key points of a "good" fighter are not observed. For instance, grappling isn't abserved. Also TKD sparring often fails to capture the correct essence of true contact. In addition, Tae Kwon Do sometimes gets too cute for a street fight (360 kicks are really pushing it). However, in defense of Tae Kwon Do a person can gain a perspective of just how effective his legs are compared to conventional punching. Because everybody's physique is different this is important, especially to people like me who are tall and possess more strength in their lower body to understand the timing of kicks in a fight- because pretending kicks do not exist is stupid. Also, TKD has alot of hand techniques that are often overlooked because people are always yacking about the kicks, or putting too much emphasis on the kicks. The reason why TKD fails against other arts like Muay Thai, or sometimes Karate adn Aikido, is because people do not understand the importance of physique in fighting, nor do they approach fighting with a balanced mindset. A person who only knows grabbing is often going to be at a loss when his arm gets broken from a hook kick that he failed to grab, and a pure kicker isn't going to like it when his foot gets grabbed and twisted beyond the range of motion. You see, the best way to deal with the shortfalls of TKD is to start seeing beyond the kicks and the stylists own ego. You love kicking, great, but you don't understand everything else, you are in sad shape. Why try to give shin-kicks from a clenched position when your almighty elbow can come to the rescue, or move you upper body so that the clencher will tumble over your foot- and you are now in a mounted position. A good start to understanding what a TKD stylist can do is to incorperate a new system of sparring. I came up with this idea a couple weeks ago and I enjoy it. What I do is I take off the hand gear, and add grappling to the game. You can throw all the TKD stuff you want, but you are also allowed to grab the foot, sweep the legs, use scissor-kicks , and even try charging your opponent into the matt and beep his side with your elbow. Judo-ish maneuvers are also encouraged in this competition. Once, again I do not claim this home-brewwed sparring game effective, just an experiment.

Yes, elbows do hurt. Especially if you hit it with the instep. Good thing I was wearing foot-gear at the time or I would have bruised my toe tendons. Anyway, rear leg kicks are so practical even in sparring- let me count the ways- 1. More power. 2. More balance. (for me anyway) 3. Teaches superior timing. (especially if you do them so darn slow that you get slugged in the gut before you extend.) 4. Teaches speed from momentum. (Speed also means more power even if the delivery is further!) 5. Teaches control. (I almost broke a guys ribs with a speedy rear leg round.) 6. Activates the balanced momentum for faster kick-to-spinning kick combos. (my round-kick spin hook is getting faster all the time). 7. They look good. 8. I am now officially babbling... To get back to the main subject. My sensei would agree that that you whould always be conscouse and focused about where your hands are all the time- tight and in position because we also care about punching- but that's American Karate talking. I do agree, especially with front leg hook kicks that swinging the arms in the opposite direction adds power, but once again my instructor advises against it.

Howdy! This happened about an hour and a half ago- I couldn't resist it! The last I broke wood I sent a step-into-side kick through two boards like butter. Feeling all pumped, I was set to break a SINGLE board tonight with a simple technique from my weakest left leg: a simple roundhouse kick with the ball of the foot. (These are wussy 1'' pineboards...) Anyway, because I had to talk to my instructor about payments, it wasn't until the cardio-kickboxing class began warming up and stretching by the dozens that I could break the single board. They were watching with eagerness as I lined up my kick with my partner. My friend suddenly began: "Hey! Line that board so that you are kicking away from the class! We don't want any accidents." It turned out that after I sent my foot through the board like a baseball bat I watched the two halves split apart to a thunderous applause and laughter by my audience. I looked to my right in horror to see the other half of the board protruding from the dry wall about three or more inches in. We just left it there and took off, laughing at the mess we would have left if I kicked it towards the cardio class. Jokes now flood the incident. Like if the board actually hit someone: Doc: "How did this happen?" Victim: "Man, I was at Karate/Kickboxing when..."

I know I'm a bit new to this board but I'm not new to MA. I study it for three main reasons. I do Martial Arts for sport. Yes, I'm a high school student and perfer MA over football, basketball, etc. Just as there is nothing more exciting than throwing the perfect pitch, or basket, etc., there is nothing quite like seeing your hand or foot smash a board or two and carrying the broken pieces to the trash. Don't get me started on sparring. I do Martial Arts for fitness. I do other things like lifting occasionally, but I do it for MA. I am not very strong or great athlete, but I'm a very balanced athlete in terms of agility/strength/endurance/etc. It gives me a controled confidence that increases both in control and size as I progress. I do Martial Arts because fighting is simply an awesome concept to understand, and later control. Yes, although it is also sport, a smart martial artist will eventually start understanding what works out there and what doesn't. (Throwing even the fastest of kicks at full power towards random striking areas of your opponent is just as foolish as saying that gun-hoe grappling is the best way to fight.) That is all I have to say about that. However, God should be the first reason I exist- and everyday I hope it is.

I don't study Muay Thai but I have admired it for some time. Just do a google search for Muay Thai and hopefully you will be directed to a UK site featuring movies, one of which is a TKO from a spinning elbow!

I don't even study JKD, but I have admired it for a long time. I think Bruce Lee would have some words of wisdome on fixed positions that would shut this thread up forever. Just a passing thought. Aside from my cynicism I also harbor a bit of biased towards low stances, simply because I am extremely tall and experiment with grappling every once in a while. There was a quote I spewed at my school that no one really laughed at: "Oh! Look at my mighty horse-riding stance! Just right to get kicked in the groin!" I don't want to sound extra critical, just passing out my thoughts. Someone could just as easily pass some comments like this about my obsession with the "all-powerful spinning kicks".

SPARRING ROCKS! Okay, just had to get it out of my system. Anyway, yes, the hook kick is great. Once in sparring, I nailed a guy in the head with a combo- (step into hook- then round, spin hook then round). Yes it was the round kick that nailed him, but the hook kick seems to compliment the round kick well because they are both circular and can be very fast. Keep the hook kick praises commin'.

I agree with all of your replies, however, I am starting to like the idea of using ankle weights. My ankles themselves are fine, but I am wondering if it would help you down the road. Curious...

One thing I like to do is after a couple sets of kicking combos I slowely send out a side or front kick, and hold it as high as I can for as long as I can. It challenges the flexibility just as much as the strength in the supporting muscles. Lately, I've been using ankle weights to do something I call hamstring curls. The hamstrings are often the most neglected muscle in an athlete. I strap dumbells on my feet with ankle weights and raise 'em up and down (15 reps by 3). I know I used the forbidden word: "dumbells", but it's just something to say to Betty. It has improved the performance of my hook kicks dramatically.

SPARRING ROCKS! Okay, just had to get it out of my system. Anyway, I have a few questions and comments to make. I am a rather tall person and have been sparring at a strong level for about nine+ months. I am very flexible and can kick like no tomorrow. My style of MA resembles TKD most of the time. My problem with sparring is interception. I must admit that it will take me time to eliminate telegraphed technique, but sparring at times becomes a track meet instead of sparring. Let me demonstrate, I love kicking combos, and over the months have developed a wide arsenal of them that are even complimented by some pretty darn fast spinning kicks. I try to intercept my opponent with these techniques and they usually try to circle, block or even go backwards, to even ducking out of the way so that I can pretty much jump on top of them. This doesn't happen all the time, but it is happening more and more, and I wanted to ask you people if you have any comments about this little paradigm of mine.

Someone once told me that the ability to throw high kicks (like a head level side kick) at an extremely slow pace and stopping at the height of the extension is a neat-o way of demonstrating the combination of flexibility and strength in the legs. I also remember my instructor mentioning the importance of abdominal strength for good kicking ability. Any comments?

If you're like me you want to be both flexible and strong. There is no point in kicking higher than the lead cheerleader if you can't wound a squirrel with it. I am not an expert at training, but lately I have been profitable at improving my kicking by doing lots of stretching, lots of kicks, and supplimenting it with a bit of weight training as follows: squats: 20/2 hamstring curls: 15/3 (I tie dumbells to ankle weights to achieve this) one-legged foot raises: 25 with weights per set, and 45+ without weights standing side kick: hold 10+ seconds (you can start by holding on to a wall) standing front kick: same as above, don't get me started on ankle-weights. Notice the high repitition count. I believe this is important because it will keep you from getting your muscles from tightening up real fast, and will improve endurance a bit. Remember, also do lots of kicking and stretching to keep from tensing up, but don't overdo it. I would like to improve my kicks just as much as the next man, so keep the advice comming. Also, I do all this at home and do not have access to a local gym. Therefore, any critisism will be welcomed. I am only a green belt.