joesteph

This video by Kelly McCann can be seen at: http://www.blackbeltmag.com/kelly-mccann-combatives-for-street-survival-cupped-hand-strikes/videos/256 He compared the strike to the hook punch, and I noticed how close he was to the target, whether pad, BOB, or demo partner. He sees its use as an opening, not a KO; you have to follow it up with strikes while your opponent is disoriented. I feel he made a good point that it might not hit the ear, but that the face and neck can still really feel it, and then you go into further action. Do your think it really is an opening, such as that the other guy's right in your face, or do you think that the way McCann uses it, you'd already be in the altercation?

In the new art I'm studying, which has Japanese roots, Muay Thai kicks are brought in, with low practice kicks on the heavy bag as though to the opponent's legs. Since we wear gear when we spar, these leg kicks are permitted. There are instructors and students who have some TKD background, and though there's no pressure to kick high, you can tell which students have it in their background when they spar. It tends to show up if they toss in a roundhouse that's to the head instead of to the ribs.

True, but it has videos on how to do the takedowns and someone explains on how preform them I think YouTube is a great research source for the martial arts, and I feel that seeing a judo throw performed, and with an explanation, is definitely a supplement to what was learned in class. To me, grappling arts are not only contact, they cannot be learned without a partner and a knowledgeable instructor. Take Osoto Gari for example. Consider that you and a friend (it's necessary for one to be tori and one to be uke, then switch) watch a video, listen to its explanation, and then decide to take turns performing it. What is the surface you're falling on, since Osoto Gari can be quite a violent throw? Do you and your friend know how to fall without encountering injury? Do you know how to break your uke's balance and control your body to cause him to go down? Do you know how to execute the takedown without causing injury to uke? I think Toptomcat is giving you great advice, Austin. I come from a striking art background, and in the new art I'm studying I'm discovering how what seems so straightforward on a judo video is the academic; actually performing the move is the real challenge of learning--and acquiring proficiency. Here's a site of forty judo moves, all demos: http://www.judoinfo.com/gokyo1.htm You can see they're executed smooth as silk, and you can also see the Japanese names for each on the menu, so you can enter those names into YouTube and bookmark videos with explanations. But in no way can what you see demonstrated, even demonstrated and explained, take the place of a partner and being taught by a qualified instructor. Find a good school and I'm sure you'll enjoy your classes with your sensei.

Hi Esoteric! Welcome to the forums! I put kyokushin kata youtube into a Google search and came up with this page of links: http://www.google.com/search?q=kyokushin+kata+youtube&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=utf8&oe=utf8 Perhaps you and your friend could view at least a few of them to see if it jogs his memory.

Hi Dobie! Welcome to the forums!

The title is actually "The Most Common Mistakes Martial Artists Make in the Ring and How to Correct Them" by Benjamin Paris. The address is: http://www.blackbeltmag.com/martial_arts_mistakes/archives/763 One of the sections is called Predictable Technique Selection, and an excerpt reads: The most dangerous thing about being predictable is that you’re probably not aware of it. . . . Try this experiment: Ask someone to watch you spar and keep track of what you do. (Alternatively, you can videotape yourself.) Then examine the findings. While you were sparring, you probably thought you had a variety of options at any moment. However, when you read the report or watch the tape, you’ll probably be amazed at how predictable you really are. Have any forums members either had a friend watch and keep track, or videotaped him/herself while sparring?

I've found that if striking to the face, the taller the opponent, if it's a horizontal fist, the likelihood of hitting with the fingers, just above the finger joints, goes up. If it's a vertical fist and it's against a taller opponent's face, the likelihood of hitting with the bottom three knuckles goes up. If you do hit with the first two knuckles, be careful that it isn't really hitting with just the middle finger knuckle; too much pressure for just one to bear. If you do hit with the last three, the aim is to go by the ring finger knuckle, with the knuckles on either side automatically falling into place. When I jab, I prefer the vertical fist. When it's a cross, my hand turns three-quarters. I've found that if it's a body shot, then it's easy for me to connect with the first two knuckles.

Welcome to the forums, Mac. Have you been going through YouTube? I just Googled youtube human weapon and a number of Human Weapon videos came up. I've bookmarked about ten of them that I've found over the past year.

I chose Soo Bahk Do to work with my children during their special needs class. They've progressed so well that I shouldn't be, and so no longer am, on the floor with them anymore. They're progressing so that, eventually, working the boys into a regular class down the road is a distinct possibility. With that, I decided that what was best for me personally was a different focus, less on the art and much more on the applications. This includes controlled contact sparring. I had already cleared with my sons' teacher, who was my teacher as well, that I would be making a change, and had an interview with another school in town that could accommodate me. It's not that one school is better than the other, but that they are different. For two years I did what was the right thing to do as a father for my children, and now that there's been an important improvement, I can concentrate on my own self-defense needs.

When working with Sempai today on Osoto Gari, he emphasized that he lets students go through with the throw, but they have to do their part right; i.e., he won't just fall down. When another student was uke for me, he threw the hook punch, I did the block, the elbow "strike," and then as soon as I started the move to break his balance, he fell right over. Shihon was there with Sempai, and I admitted I hadn't thrown him. He's a teenager who was "honest" enough to say that he went over because he thought he was supposed to fall over. He was politely redirected about performing his role, and when we redid the exercise, I took him down legitimately. Looks like we both learned something. Diogenes went through the market place in ancient Athens in the middle of the day, holding a lamp and saying he searched for an honest man. We need honest ukes!

I'm glad you're okay with the change and rank position, Quinteros. I'm 4th gup/kyu in Soo Bahk Do, but 10th kyu in Universal Warrior. It's no problem for me because an interview with Shihon as to what I'm looking for (self-defense applications, contact sparring, takedowns) resulted in a program accommodating me. There's something special, often new, each class. And I'm starting over!

I remembered this post from when I started Soo Bahk Do, which is quite strict about non-contact when sparring. I did learn self-defense techniques over the past two years, but the old-fashioned "put up your dukes" is where I questioned how non-contact sparring, and I mean it's not even controlled sparring with gear, could be training me for an actual altercation. Tonight, at my new school, Universal Warrior, I had my first contact sparring sessions. The gear I'd bought on my own was more than others wore, but Shihon told me to wear it all. Anyone I sparred with, there were no strikes to the face, more for my protection than theirs. It wasn't point-sparring; it was continuous, and I got creamed. After two years of non-contact sparring, even the controlled contact was a surprise to feel. I didn't want to quit; I didn't need to call out to take it easy; I did want to get some of my shots to connect. Shihon had to encourage me to stop falling short of my opponent and hit him; then he had to encourage me to hit with some degree of force. At first, I was "tapping." It wasn't until the third opponent that I felt I was doing something. I wasn't winning, but I was doing something! For children, I do prefer the values, self-defense techniques (anti-bullying included), and non-contact sparring that Soo Bahk Do offers. For teens and adults who would find contact at any level a turnoff, I believe they should be able to enjoy any martial art that makes them feel comfortable. Personally, I don't have the desire to do full contact; controlled is just right for me.

This one stands out first for me, Jay, because during the time I was studying JKD, my instructor made a point of how it cuts out any time lag. Lee wasn't into the classical approach to MA when he was designing Jeet Kune Do, and the classical is pretty much, as I see it, block then strike. If you keep practicing it that way, training hours that way, you'll do it that way with the time lag built in. During that time, you're a target. With the simultaneous approach, which is not hard to learn, it just shouts out "common sense." I remember working with a partner who had two focus mitts, one for the parry and the other for the simultaneous attack (punch), and then we'd switch. It surprised me how quickly it can be caught on to.

One of the biggest obstacles for me while studying Soo Bahk Do was that the more Korean that was used, the more I had to process, and the more time it took for me to perform not a move but a series of moves--and that's assuming I got it right. Consider the following series called out to be performed: Ahneso Pahkuro Mahk Kee, Choong Dan Kong Kyuk, Ahp Podo Cha Gi, Dullyo Cha Gi. Translation: Middle block, middle punch, front kick, roundhouse kick. Edit: Cutting the post's length.

I believe you study Jeet Kune Do, don't you, Jay? It's very direct for fighting, a true "combative" martial art. I brought my climb up the belt staircase to a halt, though I've always respected my teacher, to train at a dojo where my interview with Shihon has me working applications/techniques each class. There's a belt system, but I'm not concerned with it, meaning that the classes I've had so far immediately contained martial art applications. I think knowledge-based training is beyond the belt system, and the belt system is so tied to kata that there are innumerable ones to perform in the different styles. For those who enjoy kata/hyungs, that's great. We, each of us, should enjoy the martial arts we study. As for me, I'd rather learn a limited number of kata, even if it's limited to the pinan/heian series, and take them apart, rather than know a dozen (or more) but find I'm at a loss as to what's contained within.

I don't think kata lacks value at all. I remember Sensei8 being involved in discussions about the merits of kata in another forum. (Bob, remember "kihon, kata, and kumite"? ) No one should neglect the basics, but I do have a question about class time and kata, Still Kicking. Is time taken in class for bunkai, so that these kata have at least some of their applications known, even practiced? I always profited from doing hyungs (kata) in Soo Bahk Do when I understood at least one application for a move or combo of moves. Much of the "mystery" of Tai Chi's solo form (Yang style, Cheng Man-Ching) was revealed when I did a two-man form with a skilled friend.

I enjoyed the article, NightOwl. It's about being straightforward with tori so that genuine learning, meaning performing techniques that actually work as opposed to appearing to work, is going on. What I gathered from the article is that an honest uke gives accurate feedback in word and deed. I can't help but agree.

In a sense, she's the opposite of the student who wants applications, contact sparring, and other self-defense facets of a martial art, and finds kata/hyungs, and the cultural/historical unwelcome. Her direct opposites are likely studying RBSD. There's room for both in the martial arts world, and she reminds me of when I took Tae Kwon Do when I was younger. White belts couldn't spar; you had to have that one-up promotion to do it, even though it was non-contact. One of the women in the class who was a fellow yellow belt told me that she hated sparring despite the non-contact rule, but loved the exercise portion of the class, which she saw as a way to keep in shape. Today, people can sign up for cardio kickboxing and enjoy that activity without concerns about belt rank.

Whenever I discovered an application within a form, even perceiving more than one application possible by the same move(s) within a form. There can be a number of "Aha!" moments like this in a single form.

Welcome to the forums, Ryan, and good luck on Friday!

The martial arts proficiency of a karateka can be linked to individual effort and even natural talent, but it is true that the school itself is where training takes place. Here's where nature meets nurture. For the sake of argument, let's say that a karateka is motivated, has certain strengths and weaknesses as would be expected, and trains in a school with a good instructor. There's a curriculum "from above" that's expected to be followed. It isn't a McDojo, but the instructor knows that this curriculum has reasons for its existence other than martial arts proficiency. It has a belt system that acts as a motivator, ensuring student retention and the continuation of the art, with certain forms, techniques, whatever to be taught at certain ranks. There are tournaments as well, with awards as motivators and also ensuring student retention. A student studying there for several years will rise to black belt. The curriculum guide can actually be counterproductive. There may be so many forms to know and so little time spent on applications that the black belt really does become a beginner (or encounters a "new beginning") at first dan. Individuals (gups/kyus) who have strengths that would permit them to become proficient in certain techniques at the next belt level aren't introduced to them because the curriculum guide is to be followed. Tournaments may not reflect self-defense adequately, particularly in a striking art, and time spent on preparing for the next sport event consumes class time that edges out self-defense. There's a point that comes well before dan level in which you have to assess and decide to continue there or attend a different karate school, likely even a different karate art. It isn't always easy to know what to do, that's for sure, and one can feel sadness at leaving one's teacher, but it's best to remember the good you were taught and to look forward to an expanded learning experience.

"Kodokan Judo: Videos of 40 Throwing Techniques": http://www.judoinfo.com/gokyo1.htm

When I tested for gup (kyu) promotions, they contained performances of forms as a group, one-step sparring exercises with a partner, self-defense applications (in Soo Bahk Do they're defenses against wrist grabs) that were also with a partner, certain kicks (as it's a kicking art), callouts of a series of moves (such as a middle block, then a reverse punch) as a group, and free sparring. There were also questions asked individually about the art, some being historical and others regarding terminology. Good luck, Austin!

I've had just four classes in the new martial art I'm studying, "Universal Warrior," and Sensei had me do O Soto Gari with him. I'd been introduced to it by my Soo Bahk Do teacher and a Judo friend, but Sensei is not only 6' (to my 5'6"), but he weighs 275. I had no trouble getting my hip lower than his, but I was still surprised at how, even though he let me perform without resisting me, he went right down. Sensei told me it was due to correct technique. I found Sasae Tsuri-Komi Ashi on YouTube:

I can't claim to have the MMA experience others have in the forums, GeoGiant, but for a while, my Soo Bahk Do teacher was having adults do an intro to grappling to experience it and see if we had an interest. (The kids' classes loved it; the adult classes didn't go for it.) She demonstrated with a guest student from another dojang, and we started on our knees, grabbing each other's dobok jackets. When she gave the go, we were to get the other guy on his back or face. My friend/partner weighed 225lbs to my 170. (I'm back to 170lbs again, keeping my New Year's resolution. ) That 55lb difference gave him an advantage as my technique gave way to his kind of plopping down on me. But after two losses, I realized that his doing that was a weakness; I pulled him on the third match, and he went right down in front of me, so I plopped down on top of him and pressed down. I'm not sure what your strategy is, and I don't know if it'll work with a standing opponent, but that's what I did--the unexpected--and it worked.