tallgeese

Not to mention if you only buy form your school you're missing out on the chance to try out new gear. I'm always open for trying new training aids or equimpent that looks like it will allow certain options in training that current stuff i h ave won't. Lots of times, discoverys of some pretty good stuff can be made by shopping around and finding something new that your school might not carry.

today- 2.5 mile run chest/tris

Fantastic! Good luck and keep us posted.

Welcome aboard! Glad to have you.

Personally, I always have a knife on me. If I'm at work, I have 2. However, I always train to deploy covertly as possible. I'm not looking for a psycological edge at this point, I want it in his gullet before he know's it's in play. This means of course, that I don't have it out until I've reached a situation that quickly resembles a deadly force threat. Not before. Simply because if I present a blade, or my handgun for that matter, and he decides he wants to perpetrate a crime that is non-lethal in nature, now I have to put whatever is in my hand away before I can effectily counter him. You can't neglect the fact that there is case law out there (give me a couple of days I'll find the citation) that even law enfocement can be held accountable if they deploy deadly force AFTER they create the life threating behavior. Certainly, this would apply to civilians as well. I'm not sure that it's been tested v. civilians yet, but I wouldn't be the test case. So, a guy comes at you with his hands only, he's not bigger or visably badder and has no decernable weapon. You whip out a knife and threaten him. Now he grabs it and tries to contol it. Of course, you can't let him have the knife, and you're in a deadly force situation. So, you stab him in the neck (or anywhere for that matter). Now, sounds all good, until it comes out that it wasn't a deadly force encounter until you decided to bring a knife to a fist fight. Now, you can be held liable for the whole thing, regardless if he's the one who started it or not. Bummer, huh? It's stuff like this that I think ma-ist need to look into more in their region and understand the implication of. It's all good if he backs down, if he calls your bluff you've just put yourself into a serious trick bag. Either way, effectiveness comes down to what you've trained with and how well you deploy it vs. his skill at defending said weapon. Actaully having a weapon at had is the most important aspect to consider prior to even determining effect. Thats why knives are so practical for so many people. However, even they're uselsess unless you train to physically use them and mentally prepare to cut someone up.

today- 20 min of technical work: series from breaking guard: 1 escapes guard and take side, 2 starts escape from side, 1 counters to knee on belly, 1 arm bars from knee in, 2 escapes armbar and ends up in guard, 1 pulls armbar from guard. Start with the first motion, add consecutivley after a few reps. 3, 1 min rounds of escaping guard drill, full resistance 15 min drills on single leg sweep and counters. 3, 3 min rounds of free roll from knee 4, 3 min rounds of free roll from feet round robin each man, 3 rounds.

The stick and knife for sure. I know the blade isn't a trad karate weapon, but it is in some oriental arts, and I've seen standing jj systems that utilize a knife to a limited extent. Definatly those two. A distance next on the list, and one that would probibly me more thought of as a trad weapon might be a bo. It's close to a pool cue or longish pole. Still, it's not common enough to make me want to mess with it. Hanbo and knife for sure.

Welcome aboard. Keep us posted on how you're prep is going for the next test.

Good question. I really do think it's mainly a denotation of a student's progress. I think it's primary importance lies in a clubs esperit de corps and the student's mind. I'm attached to the idea of mine (and since my instrucotr gave me a new one at my last promotion, I'm pretty attached to it as well). Each group will look on "what it means" art wide based on each systems concept of it's level of mastery. This will probibly change somewhat even between schools of a given art. To some, it's a solid grasp of basics. For me, it's a solid understanding of fundimentals and advanced movements. It's a complete ability to disect principles and apply them situationally. There's also a basic abaility to teach and pass on prinicples that's expected. Whatever a clubs standard is, it should be universal and applied in all cases. No bb's just because they've been in long enough. I'm not that attached to the actaul wearing of the belt. We don't train in uniforms. Hence no belts. Mainly, we do sd focused ma's and mma training. I think the idea is still important, but not so much the wearing of the physical belt. The ability to make a mindset switch should not be based on the act of putting on a uniform of any sort. It should be culitvated to be turned on regardless of external factors. But that's just my thinking.

I know, I just had a plain black one. Recently, I was given a new one by my instructor. Name and rank bars on one end, the art's name on the other. Too bad I don't wear belts more often, it's pretty nice.

ok, that was great

some newer additions since the threads started: second heavy bag that serves as a ground n pound bag rib guard for working combos w mitts new pair of mitt gloves second, slightly better, kicking shield the elbow/knee pad that got brought up in the equipment section a couple of new sets of shin gear, on well worth the money, the other a loner pair now new training gun

vashogun, yup that's the one. It really is an excellent book. I don't agree with everything he says in there, like his heavy insistance on kata, but a majority is really good. Aside from a couple of quibbbles, it really is one of the best. Definatly geared towards cultivating a warrior mindset and attitude. It's another one that's hard to find out on shelves anymore. I'd guess you'll have to get it on line these days. I left out a couple of picture books I'd reccomend as well that deal with specific styles and such. I don't normally like these too much, I think you're better adding movements to your arsenal by way of an instructor. However, a few I've liked anyway are: Bas Ruten's Big Book of Combat vol 1 and 2 Wrestling for Fighting Entering to Trapping and Grappling

Off the top of my head... Tao of JKD Living the Martial Way Secrets of the Samurai Karate-do, My Way of Life On Combat and/or On Killing The Gift of Fear (if you've got kids add Protecting the Gift as well) and the classics Art of War Book of Five Rings not all specific karate books, but all have a good spot on the ma-ist's shelf

Welcome!

Firefly tops my list. Probibly the best sci fi I'd seen on TV. Naturally, it was gone in less than a season. A show called Drive that starred a couple of the same actors showed promise as well. It made it's inital six eposides and went belly up. I was a big fan of Moonlight on CBS last season, it's only one. I'm really tired of that trend of knocking off shows I like before they even get a chance to get up and running. I have to second the "yeah" for The Unit. Probibly my favoite show currently running. Glad it made it thru the slump during the strike.

Hopfully, I get one or two extra long weekends to do extended motorcycle rides. I'll probibly try a late summer/early fall climbing trip somewhere, but that depends on how my wife feels about it on the heels of cash outlays early this year on a new gun or two. That's about it.

Bummer about the neck, hope that gets better. Mon- 6 miles on the stationary bike Tues- 12 miles on the stationary bike 2 miles on the treadmill

I always throw the front kick with the toes pulled back and try to make contact with the ball of the foot. Never with the top, no matter where I'm throwing it. It makes it harder to break the little bones that are so exposed at the top of the foot. Groin and shin are almost always a snap kick. To the body, usually as a kick as sensei8 commented on. There are some good things to be said for throwing it as a push. This is often handy to clear distacne from a far clinch. Just a slightly different application.

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community. Focus mitt training has, rightfully so, become an essential part of martial arts regimens across stylistic boundaries. It allows users to develop speed, power, and accuracy all while working movement under simulated fight conditions. The question then presents itself, how does one best utilize this tool? This becomes even more critical when we look at those artists who are multi-disciplined in their approach to training. In this article, we'll look at the use of focus mitts as they apply to combative martial arts training. When properly utilized, they can be a tool taken beyond boxing drills and used to train a practitioner to react fluidly to a multitude of situations where integration of different skill sets into the overall defensive plan is critical. What will not be discussed in this article are specific combinations that can be utilized by mitt training. Most readers will undoubtedly be versed in some sort of striking art and should already have a solid grasp of striking in combination. Additionally, it is the author's desire to show practitioners of different arts how realistic focus mitt training can make their defensive preparations more effective using movements from their system, not have them merely mimic movements done by other fighters from a different art. Before beginning, it is important to stress the use of combination striking while using the focus mitts and indeed at all times. In fact, by repetitively training yourself to strike multiple times in a given string of attacks with the mitts, you increase the likelihood that you will respond this way during an actual conflict. It is yet another reason to partake in this kind of training. As always, begin with a defined set of strikes, then progress to free form work. With mitts, this would function around the holder calling a specific set of strikes just before a string of attacks is thrown. The student would then respond in kind as the mitts were presented. The caller can then vary the striking combinations, giving the trainee the simulated feel for finding an opening in a defense. It is helpful here to either adopt one of several, or establish your own numbering system for punches. This makes it easier for the caller to get his goals for the student across during high intensity training sessions. The key here, beyond all else, is internal constancy within your training group. First, however, some basics. Go by many martial arts schools during class time and you may well see a line of students standing in place working impressive combinations into focus mitts. This, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. However, the martial arts community needs to embrace what boxing has been aware of for decades - fights do not happen in a static configuration. They move around, they circle, they advance and retreat. So the first mistake to avoid is to work excessively from a stationary position. This is often difficult because as instructors, we want a student to have the movement we are showing them down perfectly. Instead, we need to make certain that they can approximate the combination in an acceptable fashion while static - then make them start moving. This is accomplished by the mitt holder instigating movement as if the two were sparring. The mitts are then brought to a prescribed position for an assigned combination. The striker will then plant and fire his punches at the mitts. Make certain that the trainee is punching though the target, not just at its surface. This will ensure penetration of energy when the strike is actually applied to a real threat. Now that we are having students move, make certain that they are not losing sight of the initial combination. Whatever combination the instructor assigns should contain at least two strikes, preferably three, that flow into one another naturally. Once we reach this point, it is time to address defense as well. Taking the same drill, we now have the mitt holder launch a controlled attack prior to, or immediately after, the combination is thrown. For instance, the student could be assigned a basic jab, cross, lead hook combination on the mitts. He would perform this statically for a minimal amount of time, then begin doing the process from a sparring mindset. After becoming comfortable with this, the trainer could then throw a reverse hook of his own with the focus mitt to the student's head after the combination. This would force the student to block or parry the attack. Remember, use a movement here that would complement the strengths of your system. Now we have a striking drill that is much more realistic and movement based in nature. It is also very possible to integrate kicking tactics into mitt drills as well. You can of course add kicks from the mitt holder to force the trainee to defend them. Additionally, one might begin movement in the drill by having the striker open with a kick of his own. This gives a realism and randomness to the drills that will make the students become more accustomed to the fluid nature of conflict. So far, this should all be fairly intuitive for those involved heavily with striking arts. Now, how do we integrate focus mitt training into art forms that are primarily involved with joint manipulation? First, we accept that most effective joint manipulation is facilitated by first striking the offender. This is primarily to stun the individual and take his mind off of a counter to your movement. Depending on where the strike is placed, it may also serve to create a motor dysfunction to the limb, making it easier to apply the movement. Once we accept this, we can see how merging these two skills becomes important. To start this process, we begin once more with an assigned combination strike series to the mitts. After completion of the strikes, the student will move into position and apply a joint lock along one of the arms holding the mitts. For example, and for this we will stay with the same foundation we built earlier; the jab, cross hook. The student will first attack the mitts using this combination. Then, closing his distance gap by way of the strikes, he will move to the outside of the mitt holders arm. He will then grab the wrist of the mitt holder and pull it to his center. Then he will finish with the application of either a straight or bent arm bar. This can be done to either position while standing or all the way to takedown depending on the skill and training needs of the participants. For further realism, you merge the defensive work done earlier with this type of locking combination. Have the student work his combination attack into the mitts. Then, the mitt holder will throw a reverse punch at the students head with the mitt. The student will then parry the punch (remember, there is a mitt on this hand) and gain control of the offending arm. He will then apply the same arm bar as before. With practice at orchestrating these kinds of drills, one can even utilize them to work entries into small joint movements. But, what if one is involved with an art such as Aikido, where an enemy’s force is utilized against him? Can we still integrate focus mitt training into our primary art? Let's look at what we've built so far. A student, versed now in moving and striking in combination who can also account for sudden attacks thrown at him. Is it too much to ask now for him to redirect force during his defense and then utilize the joint position work we've just discussed? Probably not. The key to this is again to build it into the mitt work. Have the student defend from some easy, short shots given by the mitt holder. Following this, present the mitts to him and elicit a combination you wish him to work on. After his completion of this, have the mitt holder attack in a fashion that would normally be used to make the student redirect and lock or throw. The principle will be the same. At the very least, the trainee will be able to see the redirection in action, against an opponent who is moving fairly realistically. Due to the limitations of having the uke wearing focus mitts, one may not be able to complete the throw in totality; however, the practice on preparation will be invaluable. This limitation to integrating mitt work into other arts to make them more comprehensive brings us to our next area of drills. Sometimes, it is imperative to train on certain movements that simply cannot be done while a partner is wearing focus mitts. Such instances include several Aiki throws, as well having the puncher defend against realistic body contact throws and wrestling shots. To overcome this problem, we simply have a third person join the training team. It will be this individual’s job to suffer through what the mitt holder can't. For this, we'll use an example of having a trainee defend against a wrestling style shot. For the drill you would need one person to hold the mitts and a second, without mitts, standing nearby. We'll make this example a little more complex to cover many of the concepts that we've covered here. First, we begin moving as if in a sparring scenario, not only does this give us the benefits that we've discussed but it also allows the trainer to check his students’ actual movement skills. During the movement, the mitt holder will stop and present a good opening for a quad-level shin kick. The trainee will then apply this kick. After this kick impacts, the trainer will then challenge the student with a mid-level jab-cross set of punches. The student will then block these strikes with the application of elbow coverage at the mid-section. The trainer will then move the mitts to a prescribed position to receive a combination. Again, for simplicity's sake, we'll use the jab-cross-hook we talked about earlier. At the conclusion of this combination, the student will face a takedown attempt by the trainer without focus mitts on. He will then utilize a movement from your system to defend this. For our purposes here, we will have the student sprawl to counter the attack and set up a counter-takedown of his own. Thus concludes the example. Again, remember that it is only an example. Your art will dictate the movements that you want to utilize in the above scenario. Imagination and realistic simulations are the key to making this kind of training work for you. Obviously, depending on your style, you will have to adapt the concepts slightly. For instance, an Aiki practitioner may utilize the first striking portion of the drill only to have the second trainer attack via an overhead sweep common to the basics of that system. In this case, the student would then redirect, gain control of a wrist and apply a full Aiki throw. One last application that focus mitts can make to general self defense training as it applies to cross-discipline practitioners is utilizing them to integrate striking at speed into what have normally been consider self defense “one-steps”. For instance, have a trainer use a single focus mitt on one hand. This trainer can then be free to grab a student’s wrist or arm with force. The student can then utilize the focus mitt to work stunning attacks into while attempting a wrist escape or small joint manipulation. In an example, the trainer could grab the student’s wrist and present the focus mitt at head height with the other. The student could then attempt a circular release only to be held by a trainer who is stronger and not allowing the escape. The student can then throw a full-power back or hammer-fist into the mitt. On contact, the trainer can loosen his grip to simulate the effect the strike would have had on his concentration. The student will then again attempt the release and succeed. When utilized in this manner, drills teach the student to use both his striking skills as well as his joint manipulation knowledge. By varying the tactics used, a trainer can account for several different threat levels and appropriate responses. One can always substitute eye gouges for other strikes and utilize joint damage tuite manipulations rather than releases. This can be a useful intermediate drill between technical competency development and a fully armored attacker for the student. As one can see, when building focus mitt training around the concepts of striking in combination, solid movement, incorporating defense, and finishing with system practical control methods, you can truly capitalize on the use of your equipment. This method of training moves beyond mere technical requirements and moves into the realm of integrating all aspects of defense based skills as well as developing a combative mindset for the student.

today- legs

And let's face it, if you're going for a uniform during, it's probilby easier to work out in that a Japaneese gi. No overlap, no drawsting ties. Yeah, if I ever went back to a uni on a regular basis, I'd really think about adopting it for general work. I have yet to see one that would hold up to hard gi grappling however.

I go with the front snap, done with the lead leg, to the groin (for obvious reasons) and the front of the shin as a stun or stop hit motion. And welcome to the site.

I'd agree with that assment, it's pretty much an art in andd of itself. We are very lucky in our training here. Lots of time to shoot, and work on tactics as well as marksmanship. We've got some force on force stuff in the budget this year. High end airsoft and the like. Spent time back in the acadamy using it and it's real handy. Hopfully, it comes thru and we add that to the rotation next year as well. today- 3.5 mile run modified crossfit: 3 rounds of- 21 pull ups 15 sumo deadlift high pulls 95 lbs. back/bis

I'm no expert in another language or how to translate it, nor am I privy to a traditional look at what all is included when one talks about kobudo. That said, for a typical look at what it encompasses, the above link was pretty good. I think to most of us not heavily into trad weapons, the term just encompasses weapons training. It's practicality has more to do with what you're training with than anything. I think that if you're persuing it for traditions sake, or keep the old ways alive, then that's pretty much the final answer for you, and a pretty good one. If you're training with sd in mind, it's probibly unneeded and a time killer when in comes to messing with trad weapons. For those applications, there are pleaty of weapons you can and should be training with and against. Knives, clubs, guns primarily. I don't know if that kobudo or not. Probibly not in an actual translation. Maybe in our western thought.