tallgeese

Welcome aboard!

A a copper I'll say this....the idea is ridiculous. There is nothing that this weapons does, striking or joint control, that isn't better filled by a simpler weapon to use. Simple is life when you're rolling in the ditch with some mope. Heck, carrying these will be a pain. Transitioning up and down force options will be difficult. If any department actually trains enough to use them well (which is doubtful) then what other training suffers? Empathy hands (better not, that's the most common police use of force after handcuffs.) Handcuffing (nope, THE most common thing we do.) Firearms (nope far to critical when it does happen.) So where does the time come from? We get so entranced with whatever the hot idea is to lessen use of force beefs before we realize that all it's doing is adding to them by improper application. Look, the jobs not safe. Coppers, administrators, and citizens need to get that. Sometimes, even when it sucks, you just need to put hands on. Or Taze a dude. Or get on the trigger. That's the reality of it. Adding a poorly selected weapon choice to an already crowded field that has tools already shown to work better....Some admin somewhere is just trying make life hard for beat cops. I guarantee than all HATE them.

11/25 Guard passing with pressure. More knife work in PTK with tracking drills. 11/26 Half mile run Body weight drill

We developed an outline of expectations at our Academy. It's not so much a step by step guide, but an overview of how many and what kinds of movements you should be proficient in for each belt rank. That way, each student is free to develop the game that works best for them. That said, at beginning ranks, it is more restrictive to certain moments than later ranks. Now, as to what we teach in progression, we have a 3 month syllabus that ensures we touch on each major facet of jiu jitsu. So if we go over Open Guard for instance in the first quarter, you'll hit it again in the second, just with different options or specific positions. On a daily level, I'll outline the night with major training points to keep me on track. It's been a system that really works well.

Thank you all! It's quite an honor to just be nominated! Let alone the rest of it! It's been a great year and a busy one, so thank you to everyone, especially Patrick, for dealing with my in and out status at times due to work, the new academy, and the stress on my time that that takes. Congrats to the other winners and nominees! This is such a great site with such a wealth of knowledge it's just awesome to be part of it!

Nice job!

It goes to intent, but think about it this way. If you've been ranked in a striking art to brown/black belt level, then you're a committed student. Heck, so many systems are so similar you're probably scrapping at a decent level even if you don't know some of the specifics of the new system (kata, etc.) How many times do you train with other guys out of different systems at comparable rank that are just about or are flat out right where you are? Probably pretty often. Now, how does a new instructor come in and disrespect your effort and skill for several years by telling you that you're a white belt again? Now, if the standards are radically different I get it. If the arts are radically different (grappling v. striking v. a weapons art) then I get it. It's situation dependent. Personally, when I taught kempo based arts I let anyone who came in out of a karate based system wear the rank they'd earned in that system. If they stayed around long enough then I awarded them rank in ours if they were pursuing it. But that's just me. I don't let karate guys wear that rank on a BJJ mat. I would expect it to work the other way as well. But again, just my take on it.

Turtle is one of those positions that it deceptive. If you've been stuck in bottom side control for minutes on end getting crushed by a partner, it can feel like you're making progress. However, you're actually going down the positional ladder. The basic concepts of self defense jiu jitsu mandate that you don't voluntarily go to positions that you are more likely to take damage and less likely to do anything about it. It's why we tell newer students to NEVER go there. That said, when jiu jitsu v. jiu jitsu skill gets greater and greater, the need might arise. Additionally, it's still a position that one can find themselves in, no matter what one's intention is. Therefore, getting a skill based game from there is important. Despite being everyone's least favorite position to work, work it we must. So, last week was all about bottom turtle. Here's a look at some of the fundamental work we did: So, who sees the benefit in either or both options here? Or, what other options do others on the board use?

Welcome to KF!

Good luck on the school hunt and welcome aboard KF! Keep us posted on the hunt.

Great news! I will echo some thoughts that have already come up. Yes, start in a rec center. I've done both this and a church before and found far more low-cost advertising came with very little effort at a rec center. There is a built in client base there that will literally be walking by your class every single day. This will let you get ahead of the numbers you need to operate a stand alone facility. DON"T RUSH TO THIS STAGE. Trust me, it's awesome, and it's far more work. Get personal insurance. As much reputable coverage as you can afford. Yes, having coverage from someone else is nice. Keep your own as well. Sort out your tax stuff early. Form an LLC or S-Corp or other entity depending on your federal/ local laws. At the very least, here in the States, you'll need a DBA set up. Once you start incorporating, this process will get more pricy than you expect. Make sure you understand the ins and outs of it. Do some research to find the best fit. Now, start business modeling NOW. That includes a marketing plan and budget for such. This will get you so much further ahead and keep you on track. There's programs and examples all around the internet. Depending on the size of your operation this might be more or less complex. You still have to do it, even at a minimal level for small operations. As part of that, get on board with an auto-withdrawl system right out of the gate. It's so much easier than pestering people for money. You can do this thru the bank you're business is banking with or an on-line system that includes student check in, tracking, and automated emails. These can cost very little per month and are so worth it. First Aid can't hurt. Usually this is a box you'll need to check for working out of rec center. I'll stay off my soap box here as I have very little good to say about most canned programs. Set thru the class and get the card, it's probably a non-starter not to. Lastly, gert ready for a ride! It will be great, it will be a headache, it will be horrible. But you'll love every minute of it! Good luck and keep us posted.

Man, I've been so busy that updating here isn't easy! As a quick overview, I just got back from a training vacation in the Bahamas. I got to teach BJJ as part of a cruise retreat. I shared the stage with a JKD colleague and Prof. Roy Harris who focused on Kali while we were ship board. So, really awesome experience all in all. This week, finally I get back at it at my gym. Here's hoping to keep in touch a bit better!

Thank you! Yes, I too love it!

Welcome aboard! Yes, there' likely years of content to take a look at! Enjoy and jump in!

Welcome to KF!

First up, welcome aboard! I can't say I have any experience in that neck of the woods, but don't rule out some non-traditional arts. Boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ, Krav, Kali, etc can all provide a martial outlet and are rarely overrun by kids classes.

Knee on belly can be problematic of the guy on the bottom has a strong upa. That said, he's going to have to shrimp with it to achieve anything. Generally speaking, if they are throwing their hips up, you should be able to ride it out with some sensitivity and grips. If they start to move laterally, you'll look to capitalize on the movement they are giving you. For instance, rolling towards you will present the D'Arce or far side arm bar. Also, pay particular attention to the position of your knee. If it's centerline in the lower sternum, you'll be less effected by vertical hip movement. If you're allowing the shin to lay across his belt line, right over the hips, you're more prone to that motion. Also, be sure that you support foot is off the floor. Often, because we're being nice to our training partner in technique, we leave the ball of the riding foot on the floor. This takes off pressure and again makes it easier to hip up

Congrats!

Wasteland beat me to it! Pick up Kali. It's fantastic and has become a staple of what I do. After dabbling in a couple of different blends I landed in PTK and haven't looked back. That said, any of them will give you a different look at weapons and some phenomenal footwork.

Here's a couple of examples of how we use it: If someone is looking at grappling from a pure SD angle, I can see you one wouldn't spend a lot of time around this particular guard. It's very much a jiu jitsu vs. jiu jitsu guard. Still, it's a great, dynamic position that is very much part of the art.

Glad it's helpful! As to the transition from side to mount, the key is tight knee control as you're passing and the right angle of your hips to the person on their back, this can drive weight even as you bring the knee over. It's a tiny detail, but one that can provide huge divides as you change top positions or hold a single one.

10/12 Drilled arm bar variations from closed guard to omo plata.

As many have said, go for it! It's one of the most valuable thing you can do as a martial artist. It's been a stable of my whole journey. Now I'm dabbling in Muay Thai even after I swore off any more stand up bashing Get comfortable in training, then look for what can compliment. Early in your journey, arts with vastly different focus' will be easier to wrap your head around. Mix in a grappling or weapons art to compliment your striking. Say kali or BJJ. Later, when your understanding of you base art is solid (brown belt or 3-4 years ish) then you can really take a closely related striking art and compare and contrast. It's an excellent exercise. Good luck and keep us posted.

The past few weeks have been all about attacking from various mount positions. So it made logical sense to spend the next week escaping from these positions. Here, we break down a drill for maintaining top positions thru movement followed by an escape option from the knee in position: and Take a look at both. Does the transitionary theory make sense? Does the drill assist in this? What about the escape to the knee in? Anyone use this? Or another? Any questions about these specific applications?

Welcome aboard KF!