tallgeese

Certainly, when put into historical context they would be martial arts. They were training to use the preeminate weapons of their day. Now days, yes, they remain martial arts due to their intent. Now, are they practical any longer- not really. As we were talking about elswhere on the boards; things evolve, even in the fight game. We've simply moved past an era when these are primary sd arts. Now, does that make their study irrelivate? No. I don't think it does. Even I think it's important for people who are interested to carry on these things. I'm sure they can be quite fulfilling. It's the design of the art that makes it "martial". It's the current state of where the sd needs are that make it practical.

My old man was a boxer in the Navy. So, yeah, he did his part in showing me how to hit, move, that sort of thing in a limited way. I agree that as a society it would be good if we got back to this sort of mindset.

I can't speak entirely for Shorin or pure Goju. But coming out of an art that was has roots into the Goju Kempo side of things I can say that you'd likely be pleased with what your looking for. It offers a good bend of progressive striking along with standing joint manipualtion and takedowns. Additionally, you're utilizing alot of parrys rather than force to force blocks, so your redirections tend to get pretty good. It's a pretty good self defense art. And it gives you a good base to buildo on when yo begin cross training into other things. As for good againts gang type jump and beat operations, you can check out some threads onthis in the self defense catagory but the general consensus is that your chances are slim regardless of art if the attackers really want to hurt you. Granted any training in this capacity will help, just know what you're getting into. This gets even more problematic when you add the highly violent nature of most hard core gang members, who when collected into a group of three or more, at least one is probably armed. As to the inital post, stylistic preferances aside, find the school that best fits what you want to do and where you feel that you have the best raport with the classes and instructors. You'll get much further in this environment.

Can't wait! The Moore souce material revolutionized what comics could be about. And it had a great story, charaters, ect. Stuff that lots of things have been copying since. HOpefully, it lives up to the hype and stays close to the book.

Ok, I know I said stick it out, and I really think that if it's more about just a failed test than anything. However, remember that you are paying for a service (not a promotion). If you are at odds with a primary instructor who's responsible for most of your training, there's nothing wrong with moving on. There are enough schools out there you probibly wouldn't even h ave to change systems. Heck, even if you did a lot of stuff will be similar. There is only so many ways to crank on the human body after all. I don't buy into the unlimited loyalty to one's insturctor. If you're paying him, there's a business relationship as well. Make sure you're getting your learning out of it. Sometimes it takes a few schools to find a good fit for you based on goals and personaltities on both sides. If it's only about promotion, just wait and keep training. If there is a serious clash of personalities, moving on might not be off the tabel. Each situation is different.

Check out over in the training log, white owl. He's keeping us posted on that ongoing thread.

Finally, after trying all week, I managed to sneak a second round in for the day and get a lift in. chest/tris

today- 4, 2 min rounds of mitt work. Combos to in-fight, focus on elbows and knees. 3, 3 min rounds of free sparring. Stand up to clinch to takedown. Use of joint manipulation when possible. 2, 3 min rounds of free roll 2, 3 min rounds of free roll with strikes crossfit- staring running clock. start power cleans, 1 first min, 2 second min, ect. till you can't finish in the minute, 95 lbs.

Yeah, that movie was horrible. They'd almost do better to actually get another adaptation done (you know, one that actually has something to do with the book) and start over. No one remembers the first one anyway, and rightfully so. I will give them credit on one thing, I really like the shadow dragon in the big final fight that the shade is riding. But that's about all I can give it. That and Rachel Weis' voiceover for the dragon. The second book laid alot of interesting ground work for part 3. If this book improves at the rate that 2 did from 1 it will be an excellent read.

Bushido man is right, taken the right way this can certainly nmake you a better ma-ist. As long as you feel that you're in a good school for you that's doing the things you want, keep pushing forward.

Nice. It must be part of part of the inherant guy genome that makes us fiddle with things that run .

I fall along bushido man's lines here. Martial arts should be about fighting, pure and simple. Lot's of divergance has occured of late, say the post 60's era in all likelyhood, that had diluted it's original intent quite a bit. I think that Tai Chi may have once been a martial art, it probibliy isn't these days. I don't know enough about it's history to say for sure. I'm not saying that the arts should be taught excactly the way they were back in the day. Training methods advance, social contexts change, we understand learning better now and the science of performance on all level is astronomically higher than it was just a few decades ago. All of this means that there will envatibaly be changes in the way martail arts are taught. There had better be if we want to turn out the best product possible. Now days, I think that we can really learn from MMA experiance and sould be trying to train for sd with similar methodoligies. Not movements, with the overall training patterns. But that's just me. The big point of the above that we don't need to remain static in how we train for fighting, but that we have to be training for fighting to be doing martial arts. It's that root that gives the name meaning.

Definalty planning on it. I'm gonna try and wait for paperback. We'll see if that actaully happens.

modified crossfit- 20 min running clock, with as many rounds as possible of: 6 dips 6 pull ups 4 shoulder presses 8 dumbbell swings, 50 lbs. I was planning on a weight workout today too, but I couldn't get off the motorcycle in time. there's only so much reasonalbly nice weather left. Guess I'll have to try and fit it in tomorrow.

There's no hard and fast rule about how long one should practice a skill before moving on. It really depends on well the student is learning what you're teaching. Some people like trainees to be able to perform each movement to perfection before moving on. I personally want an acceptable level of understnading with each movement, then continue to chain that movement with others so that repetition continues. One important thing to remember is to focus on the basics initally. Get them up to speed on the core movements of whatever system you're teaching. Get them to understand the underlying concepts and go from there. Not too much in the way of advanced gimics too early, just solid core movments. Teaching moments will pop up as you go and you can further instruct in any of the nummerous "what ifs" as they happen. Make the most of those opportunities as well. We'll even stop free sparring or rolling or what ever was going on if a good point comes up that wasn't exactly in the syllibus in my head. Rep it a few times with everyone and start everyone going again. Addtionally, whatever free training your particular systems does-sparring, rolling, whatever it might be, get them started sooner rather than later. You can use limited engagement tactics to get them to work on specific tools and not overwhealm them. Good luck. Lastly, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get your training partner invovled with whatever class your attending. Some experiance as an instructor can go a long way to passing on knowledge. Then trainning session with your friend might go futher on it's own than it might otherwise. Just a thought or two.

Congrats! Well deserved.

Ha! I've chased my kids around the house with similar set ups!

Welcome aboard!

Good point, bushido man. I think that you have to look at what you are doing what you're doing for. If you want to box at a highly copetitive level, then you probibly shouldn't be doing anything but that. Just accept that you're going to be good with your hands and hands alone, hence mastery (which is a pretty hard term to pin down anyway- hence I don't use it much). If you want to be a fighter with access to punching and kicking, then you accept that you will sacrifice time in one to work on another. This might lead to a mastery of that art, but not boxing. If you want to be able to defend yourself across a wide spectrum of sd situations, then you're going to have to cross train more. Hence you time gets further diluted. Time management become key. But what's really important here is understanding the fight in it's totality, not just technipues. I talk about principles, understaning or "mastery" of those are what your goal sould be. Someone above called them concepts, whatever the name you tack to them dosen't matter. What matters is having a broader understaing of what it takes to come out on top during a fight and how best to make that happen. Whether it be relying on your boxing skills or utilizing other skilss you've accrued along the way. To me, that's more the "mastery level" of sd arts. Now, just as it works the way I described in my little heirarchy above, it also works in reverse. Just because you understand combative principles and how to apply them, dosen't mean youv'e "mastered any given "technipue" or art or part of an art thay you utilize therin. It's all about really what you're looking for and how well you're acheiving it.

Another mat day today, been getting a few of those lately. Much more fun than running or hitting the weight room day after day. alternating with partner: 6, 2 min rounds of mitts. striking progression to clinch 2, 2 min rounds of limited engagement sparring focusing on trapping the lead hand 1, 2 min round of sparring 6, 3 min rounds of free roll. started first two on knees, then to standing.

There are a ton of things that should be considered. These two often get overlooked and should definatly be addressed, both will obviously be present in the real thing. Dynamic movments really need to be stressed due to the ever changing flow of combat. Drills need to reflect this and make the student react to constantly changing conditions. The chaotic nature of a fight should also be addressed thru the application of free-form sparring sessions as well as spontaneous attack and defend drills that allow origninality and creativity on the part of the attacker. Both good points, both often fail to get the attention that they deserve.

I've seen it taught both as a sd art and as a philisophical exercise. I guess it depends on the school, as with most things

Bushido man's link above is a very good one. In fact, I think I ended up cheking it out when he mentioned it some time back. I'd also reccommed checking out the SCA. It's an organization that does wepaons training as well as a viariety of other middle ages related stuff. I fought with this group for quite a while off and on at ealier stages in my life. I probibly still would if I could carve the time out. No, it's not exactly "real" either. But you will get a solid grounding in what it takes to use stuff that's pretty close to what was common back in the day. Plus, it has the benifit of being a full contact sport due to the level of protection mandated. You won't see a ton of flassy stuff, but you will get to smack people around with rattan weapons and that's just good fun. They also have the benifit of being a very large organization with groups just about everywhere. It's worth checking out if you're into that sort of thing. Heck, just talking about it makes me want to dust my armor off...

today- 3, 2 min rounds of mitt work. progression of punches and body mechanics to tie up and knee. instructinal phase on escapes from mount, side mount, and guard for new guy 6, 2 min rounds of drilling the above escapes brief instructinal interval to go over a submission from each of the above positions 2, 3 min rounds of free roll 1, 3 min round of sparring. mma focus

Hey and welcome to the group. My competitive experiance was different from yours but I have found a few things that tend to work across the board. First off, get a good warm up in prior to competition. I mean really break a bit of a sweat. If it's forms, run thru a few. Heck, even get some mitts out and work a few rounds to loosen up. This gives your body an outlet for the nervous energy that's building up. If it's a while from your time on site till the competition, you might think about doing less intese warm ups ealier a couple of times prior to your final big warm up. The movement also keeps your mind active on movement and not competining. Second, try some breathing exercises. I'm a fan of what Grossman and Sidell call "tactical breathing". You inhale for about 4 count, hold for a 4 count, then exhale for a 4 count. The same kind off thing is out there in several different forms, and sometimes the count numbers vary, but the idea is the same. This type of breathing has been shown to dramatically reduce the heart rate, which once past a certain level, will dramatically decrease performance. Try to fall into this between your warm up and the actual competition. I've found that it helps dramatically. This decrese in heart rate will allow you access to your fine and complex motor skills for longer. So, that'st the two biggies I use. Don't be afraid to use them the night before as well. I wouldn't use contact in any drills the night before, or push to exhaustion in anything else, but a good warm up prior to a shower and cool down, coupled with some breathing might get you to sleep quicker. DOn't worry about a big breakfast either. Try something light that you can get down. Then rely on smaller snacks thru the day. It will keep you lighter and more prepared. As others have said, it's something thats affected most everyone at one time or another. Myself included. If it takes a while for the new rank to become old hat that's not abnormal at all. Lastly, if you really want to compete, just do it. Lots of it. That will decrese the time it takes for you to become so familiar and comfortable that it will barely even register. Remeber, it it's forms you're doing no one is going to go home with your head in a bag if you have an off day, just enjoy doiing what you do.