tallgeese

If you have the time and can manage both commitments absolutely go for it. It will only make you a more complete martial artist.

I'm in the group that agrees it's an apt analogy. But at the end of the day it's only an analogy, practice is what defines the application of tools. As for the analogy, I can't agree more with it on so many levels. If a weapons doesn't match a target, then there is a better "tool" to drive efficiency. If an attack doesn't match a rule set for competition not only is it illegal, it's a poor choice of a tool. If a level of use of force doesn't match the threat, you're using the wrong tool at a strategic level. So yes, it's a good analogy on many levels. Musashi wrote that from one thing understand many. Speaking specifically to the art of strategy in relation to running the sword. It's no different here, the same concept can make sure your strike is as effective as it can be and make you understand that your force selection can be correct or land you in jail. Just because an analogy does not date back to the Edo period does not make it ineffectual or accurate.

Nice job!

That is exceptional, and true! I think it's a great way to look at the journey in martial arts as well as a look at why this community is such a long term thing for so many of us. Well done!

The past two weeks have been all about bottom half guard for us. First, we looked at passing and attacking from the top position, then, we focused on dealing with attacks from the bottom. Specifically, we looked at using the fundamental movements in jiu jitsu to create space for hip motion that set us up for attack. Here, we look at the Omo Plata from bottom half: Who else is utilizing the half guard? Do you focus on exclusively on sweeping or on attacks as well?

The concepts are forever relevant. Strategy is something that has been translated to many mission specific texts that have taken the wisdom that our elders accumulated and translated it to more exact parameters. It's not to say that we shouldn't read the Art of War. It, and texts like it, are the foundation of where our current knowledge was built. That said, weapons and capabilities evolve so specific, more current, texts are important as well.

Great discussion. I'm a fan of the Fire Scroll. That's the most directly related to the tactics of combat. In particular bladed combat. In Kali, you can see the strategy application of many of the passages. I learn something more about the blade and the book each time I go thru it.

Having been a stand up guy for years, and then moved to jiu jitsu pretty much full time, I've seen both sides of this discussion. For my money, the most effective way to counter grappling is to actually learn to grapple. By occasionally engaging in anti-grappling training you'll not get the intimate understanding of body mechanics and positioning that is needed to successfully contend with takedown. A handful of sprawls, frames, and escapes does not equal and comprehensive understanding. Now, I'm not saying that you need to give up stand up and become a grappler, but a couple of years of regular training will pay dividends. You'll have an understanding of body contact takedowns, and hence how to prevent them. An understanding of position on the ground, and how to escape it. As well as a lot of escape from bad positions. This will also give you a much more realistic understanding of the limitations and advantages of striking while on the ground. As Tempest mentioned, there are a lot of misinformed people out there who have too much faith in striking from bad positions to free themselves. With a year of axillary study in a grappling art, you'll start to have a good, realistic understanding. There's no quick fix to dealing with the pressure that a grappler can exert on someone who's never had to deal with it once they get ahold of you. Now, once you've got a deeper understanding, it doesn't take a ton of time to learn to survive. That's where you've got to get to, in my opinion. The best way to do this get to grappling.

Welcome to KF!

I really liked it! And I was pretty dubious because I like the original so much. Not to mention I enjoy the source material quite a bit as well. I enjoyed the brief second we got to see Chris Pratt working a Mare's Leg in the town. A brief nod to Steve McQueen's use of it in Wanted:Dead or Alive.

For me, it's too much naming for too little practical pay off. JKD, despite being the art of "don't name a it", suffers from the same kind of thing. It's up to each practitioner to determine the best learning styles for themselves. Some styles push certain learning methods. When these two match closely students can progress well. I'm just not sure how artificial constructs aid in this process. That said, everyone's journey isn't mine. So some might find use it.

Back when I did more traditional stand up everything was standing bowing in and out at the beginning and end of class. Formal occasions, belting and such, was from kneeling. Now that I'm into BJJ, we are far more informal. This is not necessarily a BJJ thing, as I've seen schools that bow in and out, but it is the lineage I come out of. We call to order by telling everyone to start warming up and then go from there. At the end of class it's just circling up on the mats to review teaching points and what we did followed by announcements and high fives on the way out while we're telling everyone that the mat is open to roll.

Sounds like a good deal. Pretty much any reputable place will let you trial things first to make sure that everything is a fit. Keep us posted as you trial it and if you join!

Yes. I'm the one teaching in both segments. That's the inside of my little gym.

I can see that. I also work out of knee in belly sometimes, but find it less stable than either the side or mount, hence if I can make the immediate transition I do so.

I don't have a good answer for that, like most people who have been doing it so long they don't know another way. I can venture a guess that I'd be far less athletic than I am. Probably have less of a mindset. That might even mean that I never ended up in my current job since most of the people that kept telling me I should do it were martial artist. Wow, that might have had major repercussions!

Awesome! Congrats!

Entirely. It's actually easy to lose position during this transition. We see it all the time. If it's done without the attention to detail that allows for proper weight distribution and pressure.

Congrats and good luck to all!

Great post all around. You bring up great points that some people might not even know about.

This week, one of our instructors looks at the entry into the scarf position. This is a highly dominate position that should be used more by BJJ players everywhere. Too often, we see technical mistakes that lead to counters. Check out Dan discussion application of pressure during the transition: How often do you utilize scarf in your rolls? What other applications does it have outside positional controls? What are options for continuing the engagement from here?

Welcome aboard! Can't wait to hear your input. Good luck on getting set up!

Keep at it Bob, and keep us posted! It sounds like you're taking solid steps!

Fantastic read! It's great to see a well thought out perspective on this. With technology being what it is, I think on-line schools are with us for some time to come. It's great to see good experiences with it.

Congrats! That's awesome!