tallgeese

For me, speaking from a self defense aspect of things, find a natural posture. One that looks a lot like your "flinch" response that keeps your weight even and feet under you to move. Knees bent athletically and shoulders slightly forward of your hips (or hips back slightly, whatever mental image works best for you). Hands and shoulders rolled up. Now, start doing everything you can out of here. It's where you'll naturally go under unexpected stress and it built in thru years of evolution to serve us well in combat. You should be able to protect, drive, strike, present a weapon, retreat, and do anything else you might need to from there. A natural posture, honed to efficiency is money when it's on.

I look at this from a couple of different angles. As being very active in BJJ currently, I'm part of a large organization. However, as a smaller school that's not hyper-competitive, it really doesn't effect me all that much. The art will be fine, it's wide spread and overseen by several "organizations" and it's too big to be owned by a single entity. I've never really cared enough about politics beyond the local level when it comes to MA. As long as I have someone to train with I'll be fine. Should the national (and international) level organization disappear I'll go to whatever my immediate coach does. I'm not worried beyond that. On the other front, looking at it from my karate background, I come out of a much smaller, regional level organization that has since really gone defunct. I still hold rank under my senseis in the arts I learned there, and haven't worried about it much past that. I've even promoted one individual to black belt after 5 years of study under the auspices of my instructor. That's about all the worry I've put into it. I'm more concerned with passing knowledge on to the next generation than any sort of organization. I hope that it does change. I hope that each individual I have a hand in training learns what I have to teach and makes the art their own, modifying it to their needs and situation and adding what they might learn beyond me.

For those who've been around, this will be surprising coming from me given how little of a traditionalist I am...but I really think that wrestling should always be in, no matter what. It one of the few events that trace back, in any form to the ancient Greek games. Put it on at 3 in the morning if you need to, but it should always have a place due to that fact. I know, very traditional. As to karate, I think the point is very valid that the public at large will have a hard time telling the difference between that and TKD.

6/1 Drilled triangle set ups. Push/pull, arm trap, and from pun ch block. Then triangle from mount. 30 min free roll.

Good luck, keep us posted!

Welcome aboard KF! Glad to have you.

5/31 Drilled over maintaining posture in guard. Moved into hitting ankle socks from there. Topped off the review night with some triangle specific work. 40 min free roll. Focused on taking the back.

I'm on the let them spar bandwagon. I think it starts developing tools early as long as it's properly done. It HAS to be playful at the younger ages. For that matter, I think that attitude needs to be applied more frequently as adults. But yes, it's developmentally a good idea and it's fun for them. That leads to them wanting to do it more which translates to them trying harder all around.

5/30 1.25 mile run Abs

5/29 Spider guard from guard. Triangle. Sweep. 30 min free roll.

5/28 1.25 mile run Abs Chest/ Tris

I won't pretend to be able or qualified to comment on kata selection for your question That said, I have gotten the chance to teach both adults and children around the systems I train in and I can tell you that the answer is a wholehearted yes. I teach different things. Totally. For kids, most combative applications are removed. Destructions, joint manipulations, striking to certain areas, ect. is all taken out. They focus on stance, movements, striking and all the things that go with that. Also, I didn't focus on teaching the kids combative mindset. With the adults all those things are on the table. Additionally, the adults get more spontaneous response training and scenario based work. I don't think you're crazy at all. It's very worth your time to separate a kids system from the adults.

That's a great topic you post, infinitehand. From my martial education, I've been led to the conclusion that most "blocks" found in kata are actually part of another motion altogether. Usually a joint locking movement. Some are probably a variant of training the "flinch response", particularly the softer, open hand movements. But largely they are not "blocks". If you look at the work Tony Blauer does with his SPEAR system you'll find it built off of the "flinch response". It makes a ton of sense and builds what he calls a "bridge to the next move" It's excellent work and well thought out. It's used by police and military combatives instructors at a widespread level largely due to it's effectiveness and the thought process behind it. It's much easier to sharpen and train a natural response than build an artificial one to do the same thing from a less efficient look.

5/25 Abs 1.5 mile run

Welcome aboard! Looking forward to hearing input from your viewpoint.

Welcome aboard!

Welcome to KF!

5/24 2.5 hour marathon at my old school with GS and MP among others. Knife, attack and defend drills, and lots o ground work. Awesome day guys!

Spider guard or X guard variants. I play lots of open guard so those two flow real well for me. They tend to be pretty good percentage for me. On top of that, they are just flat out fun to work, every elegant.

Travel would be must. I'd defiantly go full time on the training until I earned by BJJ black belt. Freedom from work would mean I could finally fit in some other things. Iaido would finally go in, as would regular FMA time rather than the sporadic workshop/ seminar/ private plan I'm going on now. At some point then, I'd look at my own place to occupy time.

5/22 Drilled toe hold from standing. Moved on to toe hold from straight ankle lock. IBJJF compatible version and version with leg reap. 40 min free roll.

With the Wado, you'll get a solid karate system that tends to be very rooted in tradition. With Aikido, you'll get an energy management system that deals heavily with circular movements and joint manipulation. It is also heavily rooted in tradition. You have to look at which interests you the most. As with all things, go and check them out and see which groups fits into what you want the best. Then go from scheduling ease. Good luck and keep us posted.

Listen to your coach in this matter. In all likelihood, he's using the "no retreat rule" as a training aide just for a while to break you of the habit of going backwards. Always train to go aggressive. Defense is losing. It's a matter of time. Defense, and retreat as part of it, only last long enough for the body to "flinch" itself out of ambush. They you're training should be pressing you into the predator role. I'm not saying that there is no role for the counter fighter in sd. But I am saying that it MUST be aggressive and moving towards a position of advantage. Angles are always a better option than straight back. Think about how hard it is to just walk backwards in an unknown environment without tripping on something. Now, add the stress of someone pushing in on you at a hundred miles and hour. It's too hard to move, to stay off curbs, fire hydrants, ect. Take the opportunity that your coach has give you to stress inoculate yourself towards the goal of becoming the predator in the conflict.

Absolutely fantastic milestone!

5/20 Drilled straight ankle lock, rolling lock and variant, and lock off a shin sweep. Reviewed some of Rickson's material. 40 min free roll. Brian, here is the promised link in regard to the knife work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG9I3IzsWl8 Let me know if you have any questions.