tallgeese

Absolutely agree. Everyone has a ceiling. Either due to physical parameters, training time, recovery, etc. or just due to age. There's a curve to all of this.

In Bujin Kempo I hold a 6th degree rank after 33 years of involvment (god I'm old) 2nd Dan in Gokei Ryu Kempo 1st Dan in BJJ

That's the best kind!

Ok. This is an awesome thread! Let me pull my copy out and work thru it. Good call Bushidoman!

Happy holidays all!!!!

Congrats to everyone! Well-deserved all the way around.

Congrats!!!!

That is a crazy long time when you think about it! It speaks not just to the value of the community but your own passion for what we all love in one form or another. I understand exactly where you are coming from and know your presence will continue to be felt here. It honors me that you look fondly on our interactions on the site and know it's been a pleasure to share thoughts on the arts with you as well and serve on the staff with you.

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

It really depends. The best principle to approach the question with is to match weapon to target. In other words, does the choice of contact area give you a better advantage or outcome. Different targets are going to demand different impact areas. So it's hard to nail down an absolute answer. That said, there are a couple of generalities that I think are useful. First up, the round kick, I think the optimal impact area for this in MOST circumstances is the shin. It's nature's baseball bat and has not little bones that are prone to breaking. It's also an easier motion for most people vs. the ball of the foot. However, I'd not say the ball of the foot is without use. Front kicks kind of belong to the ball of the foot. The trajectory just doesn't lend itself to either of the other options. The side kick is the heel or blade of foot, with again me leaning to the heel since it's less prone to damage.

Congrats!

Welcome aboard!

Thank you all so much! It's great to have a bit of time to check in again. I've missed the discussions!

I'm going to be the dissent opinion here, from a grappling art standpoint I just don't like it. I'm good with pockets on the inside of a waistband for a mouth piece or such as you'll see on no go shorts, but external pockets seem a great way to snag small joints and would be a weak point in the construction. Now, for a stand up style not focused on grappling I could see some logical arguments for them. But it would still create a weak point that would rip.

Thanks, guys!

Solid post!! Going on your own will limit you to the Nth degree, due to exactly what Tempest has posted, as well as the negative muscle memory, a memory that will be hard to break away from...not impossible, but quite near impossible depending on how long that negative muscle memory has been around. Without a qualified instructor, how will you ever know what's right or what's wrong when you do it or don't do it...before it's way too late?!?!? I would second and third all of this advice!

This is the perennial question for grapplers everywhere. You are not alone. You’re response to this will vary based on what you’re trying to accomplish and where you’re at in your training. Generally speaking, put your guard to work. Open is preferable. It keeps his weight at a distance and angle that are much more manageable. Consider using the omo plata as a position to avoid his weight loading. Once you’ve managed distance you’ve mitigated weight. Now it’s time to sweep or take back. Get out from under it if at all possible. Sub attempts are not your friend at this point. Good luck. Keep us posted.

Congrats!!!!

I do not subscribe that there are missing moves in the original Karate. If something is unknown then how can it be missing?!? Albeit, if a technique is known in one style but not in another, then it can't be missing either, it's just been discovered. Complete?? That, to me, is an illusion. Man's not complete, therefore neither is anything created by man. Imho!! I'd agree with this. I feel like "complete" is a very modern construct when it comes to the arts. Most of the unarmed combat systems we talk about were devised by a specific group of people, at a particular time, for a very defined reason. That's not by any definition complete. It is highly valuable in solving the problems they were facing. Why would an art devised in the 19th century have immediate answers to modern firearm defense? If no ruleset was in place competitively to allow for extended grappling on the ground, why would the founders take the time to address it? So I agree with sensei, by definition there's no "complete." There is only the question if what you are studying best fits your needs and environment.

Welcome aboard!

Great news!

I really appreciated the insight, tatsujin!!! As a guy who can overlook the finer points of tradition and culture, I really appreciate it when I get to learn something like this! Very cool.

Congrats!!!! That's great news!

Thank you and congrats to all!

I have to agree with BushidoMan, it's never a waste of time. You're or theirs. As you progress and explore a new art. Keep it up. It's worth it. To your question, totally.. yes, I dealt with the same thing. I'd venture a guess that pretty much everyone who has made that jump struggles. Again, focus on follow through, concentrate on sticking to the target, and mentally always drive through the target. You'll get there. Keep at it and keep us posted.