tallgeese

Also, you're probibly going to have to train on the ground to know how to get back up form the ground. It won't happen just by accident. Some of these guys who will jump are pretty experianced. Just not in a formal setting. Certainly they have the edge in a lack of morality that translates to haveing an easier time hurting you.

Of course, you could take up a grappling art so you sprawl around on the mat between sets .

I will take a slightly differnt approach to training than those above, respectfully. I think cross training is a good thing. I think it's fine in a pre-blackbelt setting as well. And really, there are things that some systems do better than others, you might as well learn them as well if you're interested. I think mastery is a term that really has too many subjective meanings to worry about too much. The bottom line is, are you capable of applying what you learn to defend yourself. Multiple ranks in different arts just makes you a more well rounded fighter. Heck, forget ranks, just the training time spent in another style makes you better. As to blending, again, I vote go for it. The goal is to make you the best martial machine you can be. To accomplish this, you may need to integrate different aspects of several arts to best compliment your physiology and mindset. This will allow you to become an individualized fighter. The key to multiple arts and their personal integration is repetition and constant testing. Do the movements work? Can you do them under stress without thought? In the long run, answering these questions and expandingyour repitore will increase your survival chances in a conflict.

Again, just be aware of the potential consequences of becoing in volved in an altercation in which you aren't aware of all the facts and have no stakes.

I can't say I do a ton. I will watch the occassional vid of fight footage or a naga or something to breakdown movements that I am less familiar with. Itu usually has to be someone I knoweither personally or through reputation however. For the historical or overview stuff I still prefer books on the subject rather than time in front of the keyboard.

3, 3 min rounds of shadowboxing round 1- integrated game, focused on higher kicks than usual round 2/3- angle drills specific to the system I study legs

Certainly not to actually put the foot on the target at lower levels. But I still think that any actual power to cause damage will be negligable without pivioting the foot, even when striking a lower target.

In response to the qustion posed between bushido man and throwdown, I agree that physical danger does need to be present. I will go a step further than thowdown, though. I think that to properly use the word "warrior" one needs to be considering interpersonal danger- combat of some kind. A physical threat presentd maliciously by another human being. Again, I don't think that one needs to be employed in a profession of arms to consider themselves such, but that one must be trainig his body and mind for such an event.

modified crossfit 100 reps of barbell thrusters, 45 lbs back and bi's I tried the pullups bushido man, I think they are gonna work real well. I too like the leg kicks, man. In fact, they have become my primary attack with my legs, save maybe my knees. If one were a better kicker than I, you could easily integrate them into a TKD kicking scheme I would think.

I've seen several of these types of procedures and by and large they work very well. Bear in mind that the better the physician, the more apt you are to getting the best work done and the most accurate diagnosis for the need for surgery. Have an orthopedic surgon do it. I know podatrist are doing more of these types of things lately but you can't been an othro for cutting. I'd never go another way for this sort of thing. The procedures themselves work well, but you're gonna be out for a while. The bone is actually cut and re-aligned in signifigant cases, this takes a while to safely recoup from. Figure at least six months before you'll be making contact at your currnet level.

Milage will probibly vary but the version I've always been taught is the support let rotates to point the heel in the direction of the kick. This allows the hips to come into a posture that allows for maximal thrust behind the kick.

Agreed, there are alot of great training options out there now. Cross training is key to expanding your skill sets and should be encouraged. I do alot of sport ma's if you consider mma training to fall into a sport catagory. But, I think the contact and mindset tools learned there are invaluable for self defense.

I see the place you guys are coming from, and I don't think that it's a bad idea at all. I know I'm off the mainstream on this particular point. It's really just two differnt schools of though, again, I don't think you can classify one or the other as the "correct" answer. There is someing to be said for being equally good with either side forward. COnversly, I'd rather practice movemnt to my good side and primarily focus on work with that. At the end of the day, if it gets you home in one piece, it's probibly working alright. Points well made though.

Today- crossfit (modified) was- 21 reps of single arm snatches with dumbbells, 35 lbs. both arms 10 pull ups 15 reps of single arm snatches 10 pull ups 9 reps, single arms 10 pull ups chest and tris hey bushido man, I was playing with those pull ups and I think I have the motion down. I'm going to try them as part of my back rotation this week. Thanks.

With six days of prep time, you'll probibly be just fine waiting to see what they haveyou doing there. As for equipment, again, each club has specific stuff that they like to use. Some sell their own. I'd simply wait 'till you get there and see what that particular group is using. It probibly won't be that long before you're doing sparring of some sort. But don't worry, they'll work you into it. Look forward to it. Yes, you're confidence will go up. Quite a bit usually. And physical contact will certainly bother you less. This is usually tempered by learning that there are some seriously bad dudes out there and it's actually pretty easy to get hurt. This keeps you out of stupid stuff most of the time. Enjoy it is the best advice I can give. This is a great time in your training life. The early days in a fresh art are fantastic.

That's what I keep saying .

I think that "combative" can encompas alot of things. For starters, I think arts need to look at what they are primarily training for. If the main focus is on anything other than defending ones self, then it is less combative than one that primarily focuses on this. Combative arts are, by definition, one's whose prpimary purpose in use in combat. Mindset is a second key that goes hand in hand with the first of my staements. You must be mentally training to hurt someone, bottom line. That's the mental preperation needed to prepared for a fight. I think that certain training methodologies lend themselves to conducting a combative martial arts class. For instance, an art which focuses on fluid attack and defense is probibly getting the student more prepared for a fight quicer than one which focues on less than real simulations. Contact stressed from time to time will also go a long way to prepping a fighter. As will cross training in a variey of arts and ranges. Again, these should all be with the intent of fighting for one's life. I think that these three things together are what make an art "combative" in nature. Should all martial arts be combative? Yes, they probibly should be. Are they? No, not really. Lots of schools are focues more on the sport or art side of the ma's without much emphasis on the martial aspect at all. Others train on historical weapons that have no bearing in todays world, again, this is hardly combative (not anymore, 200 years ago....yes, but not now). It's a shame how so many schools have lost sight of the main intent of the ma's.

Thanks, bushido man. I think that this is a really excellent topic you brought up here. I hope others jump in.

crossfit- continous running clock 1 pullup min one 2 pullups min two ect to failure free roll 25 min

Without actaully seeing you work it's hard to say. If you're relitively new it's probibly just a matter of repetition. Movement training, or lack of, is usually what will make complex movements like this difficult. General flexability is always helpful, as is a degree of suppleness and athleticism, but these can be trained and will generally improve with time on the mat. Usually, the increse seen in these areas is consistant with the increase seen with skill training as well. Remember as well that everyone has a side that is a finess set of weapons and another that is more of a gross-motor power side. For most, the side they typically keep lead instincitvely has a higher degree of fine motor skill. It jabs, blocks and moves a bit better but has less power overall. The side kept back is usually what they are most powerful with while executing a strike. To use a non-ma example, in soccer, a player will usually have one foot they perfer to manipulate the ball with and another that they will be more comfortable blasting the ball with. If you're fighting opposite of these natual talents then you may be experiencing difficulty because of it. Try swithing stances and see if you performance improves. while using those particular attacks. This may or may not be the case. I'm a big proponant of an 90/10 scheme for trainnig out of a natural posture for yourself. I'll spend 90 percent of my time training with the side I'm most likley to put forward in a fight actually forward. Of course you should train the other way as well, but it's acutally more important to transition back to your primary stance. But, I digress. When all else fails...rep, rep, rep. Good luck.

It's probibly never to late to acheive something like that. But the older you get the harder it is to acheive those high levels of flexability, that is certainly true. If its a goal of yours, start a daily regimine to acheive it. Give yourself some extra time to get there, your connective tissue isn't as flexable as it used to be. Also, if it's a goal you want to acheive- go for it, but high end flexability is not the be all and end all of ma's. Plenty fo great fighters couldn't do the splits if their life depended on it. That said, if you really want to pull the high kicks off well, this level of flexability will certainly help.

Joint position attacks on the wrist are very hard to utilize against a striking attacker however. Again, they can be a good tool and mentioned above, but they cannot be relied upon. The wrist is a small joint that is at the end of a very fast moving attack. It's much easier to attack an elbow or shoulder with joint positioning from a punching attack than a wrist. They are further down the weapon and usually moving slower. Additionally, they are easier to move in on and isolate than a wrist. The down side is that they have more muscle around them and are more difficlt joints to damage. From a stand up fight perspective, they really are more useful from an ugly in-fight where a semi-wrestling thing is going on than from a punch. The arms are usually in one place for longer and not moving as quick when they do move. I really thing that wrist joint attacks come into their own when defending agaist weapons and it become necissary to control the weapon. Then, it's imparitive to get ahold of that hand no matter what. Given the need for control after gain the hand (and therefore wrist) they become an excellet option for this specific scenario.

Yeah, I feel your pain. Literally. Hopefully, it goes away as you become accustomed to it.

Welcome aboard.

Good question. I had to take some time to think about it truth be told. If by predisposition to danger means that you are more willing to confront situations which would expose you to danger then yes, I would say that it is necissary. I don't think that this needs be present at the onset of training, it might be helpful if you're just wired this way, however. But a familiarty with dangerous situations should be developed thru training and simulation. A certain "comfort" with the idea should slowly build. More importantly, this should drive you to focus and work through the situation without giving into the fear of the danger. Again, we go back to the idea of being immersed to different levels along the warrior calling. Now I don't think that directly being involved in a life or death conflict, or even a serious "greviously bodily harm" situation is needed to confirm one's warrior status. I will say that these can be a test, an epiphany moment so to speak for those who pass through that crucible. What's more important is the preperation in deadly earnest for that day, even if it never comes. God willing, for a bulk of people in this nation in the 21st century, it won't. But the mental acceptance that it may must always be present in the mind of one who would talk of being a warrior.