tallgeese

Back in my younger years, I would scoff at things like this. I even did a fair amount of razzing at kata. Not that I don't think old forms contain good stuff (bear in mind most forms are modern creations with nothing much in the way of true hidden bunkai), but largely because we've moved forward socially and scientifically. This means that more efficient training methods exsist. Why do kata? Personally, I don't and haven't in a while. Here's the thing I've realized as I've gotten a bit older and perhaps wiser: The reasons I train in the arts are not the same as everyone elses. Some might want to perserve tradition, some might like the old ways and seek to emulate those who came before. Some might just like to do kata or like to come to the self relization of what each movement of an old form might mean. But that's what they want out of the art. My feeling on this: let them. That's the beauty of the arts. They are something different to everyone. Heck, I have studied some that serve different purposes to even me. This means, I have to work to say this, that there's even a place for stuff like this. Of course it's not combat training, but those practitiones like to do it, so let them. It's not a reflection of your training, or your black belt. Who cares, if you've put the work in to reach black belt, or that level of competence in a system without a belt rank, then you should have developed an interal locus of control that helps develop your self worth. It shouldn't depend on someone elses view of kata or anything else. Granted, it took me some years past black belt to fully grasp this concept as well. So, whould I do it, no. But, is there a place for it? Sure. As long as some practitioners want to do it. My problem comes when there is self dilusion about why your doing certain things. Or delusion on the part of an instructor towards a student by calling it "self defense". And the latter is usually a reflection of the instructors own self delustion aside from a few cases of straight up fraud. As long as everyone is up front, I don't see an issue.

Sparring is a training tool, nothing more or less. As others have pointed out very well, there are pluses and minuses to all versions of it. People tend to veiw sparring as some sort of simulation. Which it isn't. It's a lab for you to put your tactics together in a safe enviornment and get "alive" repetitions under simultated duress. This will a) sharpen your weapns and b) get you used to dealing with the physiological changes that occur during conflict. It's a useful tool, but only a tool. And it's usefulness is often determined by how well it's used and focused on goal. Simulations should also occur. These are much like the aforementioned RSBD work, only (and I concur that these are less than highly useful without realism) they are armored with contact. Not armored sparring, but an attacker realisitically comeing at you. Of course, this too needs a dose of safety. You hae to build into this, hence, some lighter work is needed to bring one up to this . It's crawl, walk, run with this sort of training if you want to do it safetly. Obviously, this too has it's place. It to is a tool, not the be all and end all of developing survival skills. Remember too, that both can be corrupted by the fallicay that creeps in that these activities are why we are doing the arts. They are TOOLS, nothing more. Based on your goals, and since the concept of fighting was brought up in the thread title, I'll assume you're interested in defending yourself on the street, you'll need to structure both to work towards that goal. That might mean that you'll need to incorporate weapons of all sorts into both. Actually, you will have to. This, I'd add to the excellent list above, is often a downside to MMA schools-no weapons related training. Again, I don't expect it when I go there, one just needs to realize that if sd is your goal, you'll need to pick this training up somewhere. Off topic, I think MMA is an excellet base to build street sd skills around. Just be aware that you'll need some fine tuning in some areas. Back on, you'll also need to set up and drills you do to effect escape at times, or getting away. Maybe build in getting distance and getting to weapons that you carry. Accout for multiple attackers. All these can be integrated into the tools of both sparring, and simulated attacks. And they can be bildt in to the many levels of learning at each so that even new people are getting the benifit of the mindset switch that being to occur. They are tools, make them work for you and your set of goals.

Awareness is a good skill, probabily the most important to talk about and make women, well aware of, but there are plenty of good things women can take away from something like this. For one, maybe they'll get into and decide to get involved for years to come and countless reps. Not a bad thing. Or, it might be insightful into the realities of assaults on women. Many women, while the might intellectually acknowledge violence, don't fully understand the realities of what an attack will do to you. Let alone how to even begin to react. This brings us to point three, mindset. Combat mindset is critical in any encounter. Sometimes, this might be the only thing an individual has to work with. Mindset is something that most martial artists don't deal with enough. Certainly, most soccor moms don't even consider it. This is the perfect setting to plant that seed. These last two are really best taught and demonstrated against a full armored attacker (I like Blauer's High Gear). This kind of training leads us to another positive- realizing just how lousey it is to have to defend ones self. It's hard, way harder than most people realize. This will reinforce just how importance awareness and critical thinking in regards to situations is. Because it will certainly show them that they never want to be in a position to have to do it again. I'd suggest easy stuff that is fairly instinctual on the tactical side. Escapes from grabs, emphasising early movement. Eye gouges and knees, due to ease. I'm not suggesting, before the argument starts, that either of these are fight enders, but they are a tool that is quick to use and helpful in creating a reaction from an attacker. I'd emphasis using this reaction to effect their escape. Remember, classes like this aren't about fighting. They are about escape and evasion. Some resourses I'd cite for mindset: Gift of Fear by DeBecker On Combat by Grossman Sharpening the Warrior's Edge by Siddell These are all good works that have good (in most cases) scientific backing to what we all talk about anyway. I'd spend time with the class in Siddell's research as to the qhysiological effects of combat and what to expect. This goes along way to mitigating panic. Don't neglect talking about use of chemical agents. Both the pluses and minues. Get a training simulator to use as well. It's going to quickly show them that it's harder to deploy under duress than they think. It will put actual scenarios in their head. I'd also scoure Dept. of Justice's website for assault statistics and trends. They publish something every couple of years. It can be useful for class discussion. Lastly, rep the crap out of them. Then rep them against an armored attacker, then run scenarios. The more real the better. Pull some local police report on battery's, assaults, and home invasions to get some localized trends that are relivent. Lastly, a friend of my up north and I were talking about this a while back, use some local womens resource center to have a speaker about who to talk to if something does happen. Further, espicially if you have young women, they can work on some of the women specific socitial pressures that put them in bad positions. They can do this way better than we can. Good luck. Let us know how it's coming.

Doing demos in locations you have classes is a good idea. I've also seen "bring a friend" days work as well, where students are encouraged to bring in friends for free trails. Really, though, word of mouth is probabily the best seller of your club. Making certain that everyone involved is getting what they want out of training, and doing it in a qualitiy manner will get quality students. The question always is, is it enough to keep the lights on. Still, happy customers are the best publicity you can achieve.

11/5 leg day 1 mile run abs

The idea of relaxing to impact is pretty common in alot of arts. The guy in the vid does emphasis it more than most. However, it's very similar, almost identical in fact, to the way Danny Halligan teach his police combatives. He can generate some slamming power in this way, I was a bit skeptical when I went thru his course, but was impressed by the time I was done. I think Danny comes out of a Chinese arts background if I recall correctly though.

MP: running is essintially the single worst torture devised by mankind, I'd reccomend against it at all cost. Off today for my oldests birthday.

11/3 2.5 mile run light back/bis

Welcome to KF!

11/2 2 mile run chest/tris

The body gear from Blauer's High Gear armor seris is excellent and highly mobile. It's also effective for anything from sparring to heavy contact attack and defend drills.

I agree with what everyone else is said. In addition, advanced movements are nothing more than basic tactics applied at a very high level of competency.

11/1 BJJ nite: Worked on passing the open guard. Moved to side, worked knee in and neck crank to arm bar. 40 min free roll

Welcome aboard!

10/31 am- Drilled over takedowns, more single leg work. Takedowns from clinch. Worked through open guard sweeps. 30 min free roll. pm- Drilled open guard series, sweep, takedown, x guard. 40 min free roll

Congrats!

10/23 90 min free roll. Great set of rolls today, really had the flow.

Welcome aboard!

The other thing to think about is that this guy seems to be high maintainence to spar with. I don't have time for it, so just don't. I know, it's less than great in the attitude department but it's a hassle to try and learn and work stuff with the guy who wants to bang every session. So, for me, I'd only train with him on heavy days and not the rest of the time if he can't understand 50%. Maybe I'd talk to him about it, but that'd be it. A bulk of live training should be done at a learing, safe level of contact. Hence your 50% pace. He needs to get that. If he's ostracised a bit for a time it will go a long way towards him getting the concept.

10/21 BJJ nite: Worked over back mount stuff again. Arm bar, followed by partner defending, then on to a counter for the defense. Lastly, we worked defense from the back mount and escape. 45 min free roll.

10/19 Day of shooting, including our low light conditions. Mostly team work, but lots of trigger time and movement drills, emphasis on surgical shooting for a bulk of it. Great day. 10/20 2.5 mile run chest/tris abs

10/18 BJJ nite: Worked on offense from back mount after drilling skill specific movmentf from guard. 45 min free roll.

10/16- Blet testing at my old school. Went down to sit on the testing board and ended up working out for 4ish hours: -minimal mitt work -attack and defend drills -small joint work -knife work -free roll -free sparring of multiple levels of contact and focus And I even occassionally worked as a memeber of the evaluation board. 10/17- off day

10/15 2 mile run back/chest abs

I pretty much agree with everyone else. Let me rephrase, I wholeheartedly agree with them. Finding someplace else to train would be at the top of my priority list.