joesteph

I found an MSNBC video link that's live feed yesterday, and put it up on my Facebook site. It was showing the oil-gushing spot in the Gulf of Mexico, with whatever smoke, contraptions, etc. you might expect to see. I thought the feed would be on for just a while, then be gone, but I just checked it now at almost 10:00PM, and the live feed must be remaining on. It looks like a war zone. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=37412412

When I sparred at Universal Warrior (it's independent, based a lot on Isshinryu), takedowns were permitted, even though you were doing a mostly striking art. It was actually done by more advanced kyu students, and when I saw it done, it was from the front, much like O Soto Gari. I think it was only permitted in the dojo, though.

When I'd seen the cover up on the Internet, I went to the Black Belt site, got the phone number, and called. The man I spoke with put into the system that I was owed the issue, and I got a confirmation email that I'd called. Then I got it. I'd phone if it doesn't come by Monday, GeoGiant, or else chance missing an issue.

Not to punch or kick, Isshinryu, but to push--hard--to topple your opponent. But it's not being in an actual altercation; it's full or controlled contact sparring. It's like saying you can do a takedown, but instead of facing the opponent, it's from slipping behind him as much as possible. If he's on one leg while kicking, he's going to fall if he's pushed/shoved from the front. I'm asking about a hard push (shove) from behind, or seizing him at his back (such as grabbing him at his shoulders or even his gi/dobok) and spinning him down with his own spinning back kick. Permitted in some sparring? Never permitted? Something a mixed martial artist does--or doesn't--do? Too much like a street fight and so not permitted?

There's a rules question I have under another heading because of the damage it can do. This is one that really does refer to what's permitted in a sport situation. Whether sparring non-contact or controlled contact, the rule I met was no shots to the opponent's back. When I could get to my opponent's back, usually at an angle to it, I'd have my hand up as though I were going to give him a shove, but non-contact has no touching anyway, and controlled contact would call it a lack of control if I did put my hand on his back, even without a shove. When I did non-contact, a dojang friend liked to do a spinning back kick, telegraphed it each time, I'd move forward to body jam it, and I'd usually have my hand up in the right position. When I did controlled contact, I could body jam (didn't always work well) and have my hand up, but they were too slick for me to be in that ideal position. I even had to watch that I didn't anxiously grab instead of just have my hand up in shove position. Has anyone who's done full contact done that shove? Has anyone been permitted to spar controlled contact with that shove allowed? To add: In the August issue of Black Belt magazine, there's an article by Rick Tew, "The Art of the Jam." I referred to it under Strategies and Tactics, but that was facing the opponent. On p. 84, there are photos with the article of the defender against a spinning back kick seizing the attacker at his back as he's spinning and, instead of shoving him, turning so that the kicker spins along with his own spinning back kick. Has anyone who's done full contact done that spin? Has anyone been permitted to spar controlled contact with that spin-the-opponent allowed? Is it feasible or just "for demonstration purposes only"?

Has anyone read the August issue of Black Belt magazine? There's an article by Rick Tew, "The Art of the Jam: A Simple, Scientific Way to Neutralize an Attack." But the way it's written, I don't see it as a "jam." It's a lot like the spearhand block I'd referred to in this same section, Strategies and Tactics, at http://www.karateforums.com/spearhand-block-vt38777.html The photos show a palm-open hand, like you're going to press your outstretched hand against the opponent's shoulder or face, but within the article, there are a series of photos on p. 83 that have his eye speared. If the text on p. 82 is added to the photos on p. 83, you're blocking with the same arm you're attacking with, and your other hand is placed in a just-in-case position near your face. You also move forward, rather than back, as I'd first learned with the spearhand block I referred to, above. (I later practiced it moving forward as a variation and liked it better.) What I didn't like in the photo section of the article is how wide open the legs of the defender are. They're not even at an angle to the attacker, and if you don't spear that eye, he's going to do a groin shot that will send you into next week. I don't believe the author is in the photos; the captions refer to "the martial artist" doing the moves, rather than "Tew," which is the author's last name.

ATA? There's an ATA Karate in my town, Bayonne, NJ, and Mr. Patrick Cunningham is the owner and chief instructor. You sound young. Did your parents ask questions? Receive written information? Did you watch a class? Participate? It has a fine reputation in my town. When I took Jeet Kune Do there, a student at my high school (I teach social studies) was studying Tae Kwon Do at ATA. She spoke very well of her training and entered competitions with confidence.

I'd read in passing on the Internet that in China, South Korea, and Japan, the intention is to promote it as The Kung Fu Kid. Thinking about it, Brian, it's really Westerners who have The Karate Kid from 1984 (and the sequels) more strongly in mind. Besides, the 1984 film was set in the US; this 2010 film is set in China, so it's not really a completely "American" story.

I didn't put this under Sport because there's more damage involved in what I'm asking. When sparring that's controlled-contact or full-contact in class, or even in a professional bout in which kicks are allowed, suppose kicks are permitted below the waist. I don't mean to the groin, but to the legs. I've only caught seeing roundhouses, whether to the outer thigh or the inner, and even to the knees in UFC. If you practice sparring that has strikes to the legs, are side kicks to the thighs permitted? Are they permitted to the knees in a pro match? I'm aware that a Muay Thai baseball bat--I mean roundhouse using the shin--to the opponent's leg can really let him have it, but I was thinking of a greater chance of breaking the leg/knee by the side kick. Any info, sparring or in matches?

I don't understand the worldwide distribution time lag. This is the 21st Century. It's not like countries such as South Korea and the UK are technologically-challenged.

I'm surprised, especially since I've brought my boys twice. They've had no episodes of fear in the theater, no bad dreams, and the only thing I can think of that may look "scary" is the toy baby, which is the largest and strongest of the toys. Your sister might have cried at the end by watching Andy's toys, who helped form his childhood memories, leave him for a new home.

Controlled-contact sparring can help you keep your hands up to protect your face/head, be wary of rushing straight in (to the other guy's front kick), and develop your peripheral vision awareness. You also learn how to move, not stand there like a punching bag, and if you're older/easily winded, as I am, economy of movement.

One syllable, but loooong in bellowing it out. "H" and a vowel sound work best for me. I never liked the "stutter" of the "k" in kiai! or kihap!

My boys and I re-watched the movie today, Father's Day, and I again saw the way Dre put up his hands/fists. But later I saw (and asked myself how I could have forgotten) that he told Mr. Han that his uncle had shown him some jujitsu moves, and the boy put a "wrist lock" on a compliant teacher. Sometimes you've just got to watch it more than one time.

Testing is as emotionally challenging as it is a knowledge/skill challenge. The higher the belt, even in the kyu levels, the greater the expectation of best performance. You acted responsibly. Next test-time, Nanook, you'll be proficiency personified.

Welcome to KarateForums, Matthias, and enjoy Tai Chi!

In the 2010 movie, Jaden's character, Dre, will "put up his dukes," but it doesn't exactly look like a boxer's stance. The arms, and so the fists, are extended more. What he'd learned with friends back home in Detroit? In the 1984 movie, when Ralph Macchio as Daniel said he had to learn karate, his mother referred to his having trained at the "Y" (back in Newark, NJ). Here's an online MTV News article that quotes Macchio's spin on things: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1641822/20100617/story.jhtml

I didn't find out until I opened my autistic children's school bags after karate class today that there was an incident at their grade school. During lunch, first-graders were sitting behind my boys, who are in second grade. One of the girls decided to call David "crazy," which he immediately protested. Others sitting with her participated, and Patrick defended David verbally. I look at this the same as "No! Stop!"--taught to them as the first step by their karate teacher--and am glad that the boys didn't sit there suffering silently. Teachers stepped in, there was no physical altercation, and those first-graders were given a talking to, will not be permitted to eat lunch with the other students on Thursday and Friday, and their parents are receiving a letter about the incident. Although nothing physical occurred, I feel confident that David and Patrick could have defended themselves, which they have had to do in the past. After we saw "The Karate Kid" on Tuesday, we even went over what their teacher, Master Lago, showed us in case of bullying. Tonight, as they were going to bed, Patrick remembered and quoted the autistism awareness fundraiser T-shirts they have, "Be a Buddy, Not A Bully." I'm proud of them and am glad that school personnel acted quickly and firmly.

I brought my children, Patrick and David, to see "The Karate Kid" after school yesterday, and they definitely enjoyed it. During the movie, a couple of fight scenes (done slow enough to catch the action) were identified by me as block & multi-strikes or a chain of strikes that the boys have practiced under Master Lago in their Courage Club class. When we got home, we went through the drill of what they were taught when dealing with bullies. The original isn't to be competed with. I found certain things in the new movie that follow the old, like the problem with bullies and the tournament at the end, but so much of the new is different that it isn't a "remake" so much as it's "based on" the original. Give it a shot; have some popcorn and have fun. Incidentally, there's a flood of t-shirts for the 1984 movie, but I was looking for the 2010 movie t-shirt that the theater help wore. I found it at: http://www.tshirtsiwant.com/product_info.php?products_id=5716 and ordered for my sons and me.

The easiest way would just be to use the phone number, 1-973-467-3939, Pablo, to contact headquarters, where you can ask about The Soo Bahk Do Academy. It can easily be verified that it's under the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, meaning it's a certified studio. A certified studio has an instructor who has gone through a process to be a certified Soo Bahk Do instructor.

Welcome to the forums, Pablo. I hope you find what you're looking for in a martial art.

An aggressive advertising pitch that's considered business-smart. There had to be a legitimate business arrangement with the theater to have the school represent itself there. The theater manager may even have liked the idea. How large is this school, not just thinking of students, but in terms of area? One school in my town is actually two schools side-by-side, one side for TKD and JKD, which the owner is involved in, and the other side for JJ and weapons. It takes up the space of two stores side-by-side, and the overhead must be quite large. It has to have a student draw or it will collapse under its own weight. I realize I'm treating this as a business question, and businesses don't "rest." I was present when the owner of the large school I referred to was approached for a fundraiser, and what he was donating as one of the fundraiser prizes was worth hundreds of dollars in lessons. The chief instructor/owner is a fine teacher, but the business still makes itself known beyond the limits of word-of-mouth. My children's school never advertizes in the local paper. It's necessary. The chief instructor is a fine teacher, knowledgeable about her art and patient with students of all ages and talents. The school is on Facebook, but that's known by word-of-mouth. When she put up a large new sign after two years of being open, people suddenly knew there was a martial arts school in what was "the old laundromat." Edit: Post was too long.

I don't know where you live, Pablo, but the website for the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan is at: http://www.soobahkdo.com/fed-web/main-page.htm Credentials? The location and phone number of the US headquarters, which includes a school that has info on its website, are: Hwang Soo Bahk Do 20 Millburn Avenue Springfield, NJ 07081 Phone 973-467-3939 http://www.hwangkarate.com/index.htm I studied Soo Bahk Do (The Way of the Striking Hand), earning the top of the three levels of green belt (4th gup). You mentioned that you're excellent at jumping, so a Korean martial art is perfect for you. Here's a Soo Bahk Do demonstration, based on the "odd numbered" One-Step Sparring exercises: Good luck!

I couldn't say that their bones are unusually dense, although working out with weights does increase bone density. What I did in the past was a forearm drill with a partner. We faced each other with our feet placed in a natural, horizontal stance (as opposed to a front stance or horse stance). We then raised forearms in a blocking motion so that the outer forearms clashed, first my left to his right, then my right to his left, my left again, and so on. We didn't go all-out; it was for toughening with lots of reps. The stance caused us to turn the torso with the block. A kind of rhythm developed, and speed picked up. It was fun and definitely toughened the forearms.

You didn't mention a male influence, Pablo, who understands the need to be able to defend yourself, either as part of the decision-making process or as someone to speak with her for you. As for DWx's observation, it's the right road to take, and all I'd add to it is that she speak with the instructor. She may be under the false impression that learning a martial art means you go out looking for fights. I have a good friend, an adult male of age 56, who believes the same thing. Nothing is further from the truth for a true martial artist. Again, a male can be of help to you, or a female friend who has influence with her, to get her to go with you to observe a martial arts class. Have her speak with the instructor. She may be surprised to learn just how much self-discipline and respect is intertwined with self-defense.