joesteph

I'm not disagreeing with how Bob feels about it; I just happen to see it differently. I know the district had to do something, even if the incident hadn't been recorded, but simply reported and verified as true. Dismissal under such circumstances usually means the offender's teaching career is over. Does anyone think he was made an example of by the school district, which could have taken other actions short of dismissal?

From what I've observed in the video, the teacher was young, and that means a limit to his experience. If he weren't identified so quickly, I could've mistaken him for one of the students. His mistake was actually one of overfamiliarity, not of aggression, and may rightfully be told exactly where he went wrong, as well as be admonished by the administration in the form of a warning. There was no malice. End it there. In my psychology class, I'll have a student who has no martial arts in her background stand next to me, and I instruct her, in front of the class, to perform certain basic kata moves. I do each move first, then with her, until we have a few moves together (stand in the ready position, turn to the left with a low block, step forward with a middle punch). Am I teaching martial arts in the classroom? I present this to the class as a lesson in psychology regarding "shaping," which is explained in the textbook, but not in martial arts moves. BTW, I've been teaching for thirty-five years. That teacher was a gleam in his mother's eye thirty-five years ago.

I agree with this. Although discretion is needed to know which students can stand up for themselves and which cannot. . . . So when do you step in? I understand where you're coming from, Danielle. During the past week, David and Patrick were in the schoolyard with all the other children, and they were approached by a much larger boy known to tease and become physical, and who was accompanied by another boy. As soon as the teasing started, my sons did as instructed by Master Lago, to object and say "Stop!" David and Patrick then walked away from the two. But they were then followed. The teasing was wrong to do, but being followed is clearly bullying. The teasing restarted, my boys objected, said "Stop" and then ran to another part of the schoolyard. They weren't followed. When I found out after school, I wrote a letter to David and Patrick's teacher, with a copy of it for the principal. I spoke with their teacher by phone. The coming together was observed at a distance and recognized that it wasn't friendly conversation. There are aides there in she schoolyard, and they've spoken with the teachers that the large boy who was the instigator would be monitored to be kept separated from my boys. David and Patrick have to do their part by staying clear of where the bully is. (As for that mystery friend, he remains a mystery to us.) Patrick and David are actually sensitive children, likely a combination of their autism with basic personality. What was in their favor was that they knew what to do through karate instruction, which includes being firmly verbal before being physical, and they knew that they could physically defend themselves. If the bully and his friend ran after them, it would have been physical.

DWx is right that the best choice is to be taught, but if you want to supplement books with videos, here's an excellent YouTube video on the roundhouse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfSfiOxsfTo Another YouTube video by the same people, but on the spinning back kick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Buztke3UZ-8&feature=related

Do you mean that you're not able to get the leg high enough? It could be how you're executing the kick, such as if your hips are turned enough. This could be that you need to work on your coordination, meaning more time spent on practicing this particular kick. When you execute these kicks, who's watching you/working with you? You might just need a higher belt, or your teacher, of course, to observe and suggest.

This article appears in the online version of the newpaper: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1280625/Bullying-good-children-Study-finds-fight-popular.html One part of the article quotes a psychologist who said: The study backs up . . . Helene Guldberg, child development expert . . . who said teachers should not protect pupils from playground spats as they can help them handle difficult events in the future. I'm not sure "playground spats" is a proper synonym for bullying, but what do you think of the article?

In the martial arts, it can be applied to those who teach, especially with so many kids taking MA. For martial arts instructors, the ethical question is, "What do we teach the young?"

Thursday night class: - Before class started, repeated elbow strikes against the makiwara board. Noticed the feel that went with the sound when doing it right or wrong. Elbow strikes were horizontal, shoulder high. - Stretching exercises led by a higher belt. - Shihon had me spar against two opponents, both teenagers. (Male teen wore no vest; female did; I did.) If I were fast and rushed straight in and close, could do multiple punches to the chest (no face strikes permitted). If not fast, got a push kick against my vest; had to adapt/change strategy. Worked on being more diagonal than directly forward, and keeping my hands up, even if no face strikes.

This is the online version of the newspaper: http://monroe360.com/view/full_story/7603636/article-Aberdeen-teacher-dismissed-after-roughhousing-with-student?instance=home_news_1st_left It's Aberdeen, MS. I think the teacher's not much older than his students.

Yes. It's one of the basic blocks taught. On another martial arts forum, a member posted that he teaches that very same thrust as one kind of block that can be used. He considers it a fast one to execute, and in practicing it I agree. I'm a white belt in what is a new school to me, so I'll be learning the basics there for quite a while. I'm unable to answer that question.

It's against a linear attack and the outer edge (little finger) side of the forearm is used. The step back is angled; in application there's more of an angle than when just practicing in place. You're not trying to spear his throat with that block; your fingertips will be near his shoulder. The throat strikes are from your other arm first, and then what was the blocking arm.

This is something new for me, one of the basic self-defense techniques that I'm practicing at my new school. I haven't seen it in any other martial art I studied or was introduced to. A punch is incoming, say his right is coming to the left side of your face, and you shoot out a left spearhand while stepping back with your right leg. The written directions say "shoulder high," but Sempai was having my hand go just above that, so there was an angle to the block. It's not just a defensive move. Once I've stepped back with the spearhand block, I immediately thrust out two spearhand strikes, first with my right hand, then with my left, to the attacker's throat. They go for the jugular notch or just above it. Poking at my own throat, it seems that the area just above the notch feels it more than the notch itself. It's a fast block, and I noticed that when it's done with an opponent in mind, you can't help but "tilt" a bit with that step back, moving your face/head a tad bit more out of the way of the incoming punch. I'm familiar with a more "precise" move, to shoot your hand straight out against the shoulder of the punching arm, kind of jamming it at the root with the palm of your hand, but this spearhand block requires less precision to execute it successfully. Has anyone else used/seen this block, particularly as a self-defense move?

When you said that you must have had ten concussions, was it that you were repeatedly struck hard and assumed to have had concussions, or were these diagnosed as such? By age twenty, with all these head injuries thought to be concussions, has there been lasting physical impairment? Is it really that you're accident-prone, or that you've sustained head injuries that lead to more injuries? Do you have loss of hearing or vision? Weren't there MRI's? I wouldn't recommend you do any sport without a full battery of tests and medical advice based upon scientific test results.

1. Stretching led by Sempai 2. Seven basic exercises (SD techniques) with Sempai, the seventh being new to me 3. Practiced intro kata with higher belt student 4. Applications of intro kata moves practiced with Sempai 5. Sparring with Sempai 6. Watched sword kata (live blade) performed by Sensei (was a real treat)

We have an AP/Honors program in my school, where I teach social studies. These students know how to balance activities with their studies, and I have to say they do a great job of it. Planning on karate twice-a-week in the summer is a very good way to test the waters, and then in your senior year you can budget your time. That's what it's all about in the long run, time to do each (school and martial arts) justice. Two hours of karate each session? I wish I had your energy!

One of the benefits of learning applications as a lower belt is that the martial arts base being formed is more practical and lends itself to insightful awareness. "Aha!" moments can better come to you when a new kata is learned, if only through the practice of knowing how to look for the techniques/applications. It's far more constructive to learn (which includes practice) at least some applications as you go along, rather than jam them all in when reaching dan level.

Congratulations! Nine successful years!

Doesn't this sound like "I've got a secret"? There was a knifehand block and knifehand strike to the front of the throat; there was again a knifehand block, but a knifehand strike to the side of the throat; examining that second block, I realized that the way I did it I could pull the opponent into the strike; the "unsafe" move was that from where the hands were after block-strike, the head is seized and twisted, pressure on the neck taking the opponent down. And I practiced them (except, of course, for the last).

One of the main reasons I didn't continue with Soo Bahk Do was that its applications--the "secrets" of the moves within the forms--were what I just had to know. Too much was to be revealed when the student makes chodan. To my teacher's credit, when I asked her about specific moves and their applications, I was answered (but the curriculum guide didn't include practicing them), and when I researched YouTube and asked, again I was answered (but it was not practiced). When something was revealed, my mind kept looking for more, even in the same move, and it was found. The curriculum guide didn't meet my needs; instead, it limited me. At my new school, just the intro kata has been shown to me. Two moves were immediately explained in terms of applications; another way of doing one of the two moves was also shown; I thought of a variation; a particular move that I didn't understand and asked about was demonstrated for me (not safe for lower belts to practice). I don't care for "It's a secret." A student shouldn't be overwhelmed with information, but something should routinely be revealed and practiced, especially to the student who expresses a genuine desire to know.

Thanks for trying, Montana. It's the thought that counts.

Looking back at your OP, Robbo, I wondered if you meant the speed of performing the reverse punch, or the speed of step & deliver. If it's the latter, do you find yourself first stepping and then striking? By this I mean, do you notice a slight pause, a time lag, between your step and your delivery? It's somewhat like block, pause, strike. Even a brief pause in that example makes the technique slow--and less likely to work. Have you practiced not going for power but for as close a step & punch as possible in terms of time? I learned from a Jeet Kune Do instructor that Bruce Lee reached the point in which he was punching faster than he blocked, meaning that if a punch were thrown at him, his punch landed before his block reached what was incoming!

My boys' teacher, Master Noelia Lago, conducted a fundraiser for the Simpson-Baber Foundation, which specializes in autism awareness. A seminar for children on techniques to handle bullies was presented by Master Lago and members of the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan, including her own teacher, Master Denise Mullin. Kids and parents wore T-shirts that read, "Be a Buddy, Not a Bully." There was even a BBQ afterwards. These are videos of my eight-year-olds, Patrick and David, in action: Evading: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=117475261626756 Block & Strike: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=117474231626859 Target Work: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=117473284960287 Takedown: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=117471984960417It was a wonderful day!

It's good that you're still attending, GeoGiant, whether you compete or not. It's understandable to everyone that you want to compete, but have an injury. Your presence, competing or not, means a lot to others, that you support them.

Congratulations on your fifth anniversary as a KF Sensei, Heidi.

Welcome to the forums, Evan! It sounds like you study at a good school.