tallgeese

I'l second what everyone else has cited in regard to quality control in Krav. I'll also second Jim's assertion about their weapons work. Thier disarms and retentions are USUALLY top flight. It's really one of the strongest points of their operating systems.

When most of your games with your kids involve them trying to crawl all over you while you pull guard and sweep them around.

I think MMA Jim and bushido man are dead on. And I also think that's the point of the marketing, getting beginners in. Still, it doesn't make them look better in the eyes of ma-ists everywhere. I also thin Jim has a point with the quality control issues in Krav. I've seen some that I was really impressed with. I've seen others that were just awful. Granted, this is true of everything from trad arts to mma gyms. However, at least there is most often some level of consitancy of principles between different schools in similar arts. There are highly professional mma gyms and very amature gyms. Each cater to a differnt crowd and has a place in the scheme of things. But, you can walk into each and see the same kinds of things being taught. I've never gotten that sense from Krav places. They just seem to be all over the board.

Nice work!

today- Back to the mat. BJJ nite: Drilled double leg takedown with a leg trap, followed by a move to side mount. 40 min free roll.

Just finsihes with the Chicago NAGA yesterday. I competed in the men's 30-39 blue belt division (first time in gi instead of no-gi). I did a fast drop to 159 the last day before. Things went pretty well. I took second with two wins and a loss on points in the final. I was just shy of locking in a kimura from half guard to win the final, but these things happen. He really was better than I was and it was a deserved win. Still a pretty good day. Another guy from our school placed and another went 1 for 1. Two others I still work with from previous gyms I've been at both placed in no-gi division. Really good day all in all. Fun time. The venue was lousy with far too little parking and restrooms and way too many competitiors for a single day tourney. I cleared out just after 11pm. Despite that, it was a good enough time I'll probibly go back for the Midwest in Sept.

4/23- 1 hour on the treadmill in the full sweat suit to make weight 4/24- 3 4 min bouts at the NAGA today- I'm off

Our fighting stance is a training method, really. It's a core pattern where the feet are about shoulder width apart with the lead foot about a step out in front of the other. This will blade the body slightly to the lead side, not too much to the side, not square. Knees are bent slightly in an athletick posture. The weight is about 50/50 and centered over the balls of the feet, some of our guys tend towards a 60/40 with more over the back. Hands are up at face height, elbows to sides. The whole hting should be a bit loose and relaxed. Chin is tucked, fornt shoulder rolls up a bit. This is where we spar out of and do most of our pair work out of. Here's the thing that makes it a training modality more than anything else. If your training of street sd, there's rarely a "square off" moment with an attacker. You're going to be walking along and it's on. Training in this posture is a constant text book on where you should get yourself whne surprised or frightened. It's a relitively natural posture that puts your defense and offense in place. This cuts down on the lag time between the point of aggression and your response and trains in good habits at the same time.

We pretty much work out of a single fighting stance for training. It works around 50/50 on distribution.

Here's the thing, everyone is closed minded to a degree. MMA guys tend to be a bit more these days because they really do have a good format for testing what they do. I did it, I agree it's a good indicator of efficiency at a certain scope of tactics. However, it is not the be all end all of everything. Trad guys have a tendency to be closed minded about training outside thier art. Not everyone, but alot. This leads to a mindset that limits one's view of combat. This, in turn, leads to a narrow focus that often give them a bad name amoungts people either fighting in MMA or training for street sd. Good tactics, ones that are not allowed in MMA, can and do work. Everyone jumps to the "it didn't kill or beat so and so" argument. True, but they do cause reactions, that's what creates movement and distractions. Highly motivated and trained fighters might be able to move on through them. Likewise, a highly motivated and trained fighter might move right thorough a solid cross. It's about matching weapons to targets and weapons to situations. Each situation will differ based on opponant, setting, ect. I have a bunch of small joint manip backgroun that I never broke out in competition because of the skill set of the people I was fighting. However, I've used it very successfully in dealing with certain subject in real word encounters. Specifically, it's great for controlling a limb that has a weapon in it where it's control is paramount. So, for the drunk guy who needs a bat or such taken away they become useful tools. For the ring fighter who will beat you silly while trying to get ahold of it, not so much so. Situations dictate tactics. Period. Mindset will determine how well those are executed. Training will make them yours. Mission specific training against realistic principles and resistances is key. Studies have show that training matched to your real word operation will create a "per combat" veteran. See Grossman and Siddell's work. That's how you can prepare with out the fight. Right now, MMA guys are doing the above, mostly without knowing it. They have a mission, a situation. They have a good set of tactic to deal with it and usually a mindset to apply them against resistance. They use drills that will make those responses automatic. It's a good paradigm. Sometimes, they don't understand that there might be other missions. Some trad schools do better and falling into the above pattern than others, but it's just a different situation. Train accordingly.

I think that one should retire whenever it's time for them. Some of us might want them invovled forever, but if it's time for them to leave based on their needs, then we should let them, say thanks, and not guilt them.

today- Drilled over hip bump sweep from guard to multiple counters. Worked toruney stratigies for this weekend as well. Nit-picked a couple of points along the way during free roll to clean things up. 60 min free roll.

today- 8 hour training block with the team today at work. Not alot of overlap w/personal defense, but lots of work and good work with minding angles of cover and such. BJJ nite: Drilled guard pass with gi. Worked on double leg takedown as well. 40 min free roll.

Welcome aboard KF!

Mine are almost exclusivly angled in that manner when I throw to the body. Precisely for the reason you state, slipping under ones guard.

If I"m not doing BJJ I typically train in shorts and a tee. If I'm grappling, I rarely grapple no gi anymore. If, as has happened a couple of times, I'm at a karate function and there will be grappling, I usually just wear my BJJ pants and throw on the gi top when it's time to roll. Saves me changing.

I'd say that they are definatly a more modern invention for the arts. Most of the older forms you see definatly keep the feet on the ground, or at least close to it. Remember too, that several of the arts grew out of the military of the time. Hence, most of the manuvers needed to be done with armor on. This makes anything high with the legs pretty difficult.

yesterday- BJJ nite: Drilled guard escape using the gi. Worked takedowns as well. 45 min free roll. today- 3.5 mile run chest/tris Have a private scheduled for later today as well.

Welcome aboard!

Welcome to KF!

Welcome to KF!

The double ended bag is going to be more versitile for you.

If you've just started BJJ don't be do quick to aboandon the gi just yet. It slows the game down, makes your technique much tighter, and lets you work things that you'll never be exposed to if you train no-gi all the time. I started training no-gi and have found that alot of improvements in my game can be traced back to putting the gi on. I know, there's the argument that it's not worn outside of the school. Valid. However, here in Illinois, we wear coats or jackets maybe 5 months out of the year. There's some cross over there. However, the big thing is slowing the game down. It will help you break it apart and rely on technique rather than athleticisim alone.

yesterday- legs today- 4 mile run abs

Not really, I got down one. Then I had a school pop up this week that mandated a lot of travel time so that cut into my workout time. Nixed the full cut, although I really was on track. I'll settle for where I am and be happier anyway. If I happen to be close the night before I'll drop the water weight and go. But I'm not really stressing it at this point. yesterday- 4 mile run today- back/bis abs 3.5 miles