joesteph

Do you find yourself favoring your left side or right side when sparring? When I say "favoring," I don't mean that if you're other than 50-50, you're favoring a side; think greater than 60-40. You might answer that you used to favor a side, but don't anymore, or that you do favor a side out of comfort, or because of an injury. In another forum, I learned that Bill Wallace had had a knee injury from Judo, causing him to favor his left leg for kicking when he was active in the ring. For me, I knew I favored my "strong" (right) arm as the lead arm in a stance, but a combination of speaking with my instructor and reading a book by Jack Dempsey changed my stance, and now I even switch back and forth. It also affects kicking, of course. POLL ABOVE

Leg stretches Front swing kicks Kicking exercises lying on floor: - roundhouse and side kicks Class tonight for me, first since before Xmas: - Freehand exercises - Sparring combinations - Certain kicks depending on belt level - Hyungs - Self-defense techniques

I understand a strike to this part of the body being included/practiced, but actually striking either a man or a woman there is something I consider excessive in training.

Favorite Hand Strike: Palm heel Favorite Kick: Front kick putting heel and bodyweight into it Favorite Block: Open hand Favorite Takedown: "O Soto Gari"

Congratulations, Kez. Keep the conversations going!

Have you tried old-fashioned (or is it "tried and true"?) calf raises to bolster the area? As long as you do them slowly, and don't "bounce" up and down with the movement, calf raises might be helpful for the target area. Do set (3-4) of high reps (15-20) for the best results. You don't need a weight across your shoulders, and don't do them any more than two-to-three times a week. The old way was to hammer away at them. The newer way of thinking is that they're like any other muscle, needing recovery time.

I wonder if national pride is at stake, here? What Russian in the past ever held the heavyweight title? Haven't boxing promoters from other countries seen the Americans as "controlling" boxing? Dominating the heavier weight classes? Sure, there have been non-Americans who've held the title--on occasion--but it may be that Valuev is quietly encouraged to keep the title safely in the bosom of Mother Russia for as long as possible.

Class with my sons at night. - Concentration on the stretching/warmup exercises to get them into the routine again after the break - Introduction of the back kick as a donkey kick, taught as a way to turn, kick, and run away from a stranger - Certain self-defense techniques reviewed

I agreed with a great deal of your posting, Ironsifu, especially since you were able to give names of individuals as examples. However, I don't follow this last reference. I may be misunderstanding you. I believe it takes a person of special talent to teach the very young. I teach social studies in a college-prep academy, but I couldn't for the life of me teach a social studies class for seven year olds--and I have two of my own. I really think that individuals who teach the little ones, and who are there teaching the young after school, are providing a wonderful service in terms of imparting values such as respect and self-discipline, and laying an at-the-student's-level foundation in the martial arts.

Leg stretches Front swing kicks Kicking exercises lying on floor: - roundhouse and side kicks Ki Cho Hyungs (Il, E, Sam Bu) Pyung Ahn Cho Dan Chil Sung E Ro Hyung

I'm not an instructor, but I can say that what my instructor does is use the formalities to set the tone for respect, never berates though she'll be firm, and never loses her temper or patience. My instructor seems to know when and how much to praise--never too often, never too much, but you remember when she does it. She has also made out her lesson plans for the class in advance, and seems to know exactly how much time to allot for each activity, and prefers to have different belts perfoming different activities at the same time. Good luck with your new, very important position.

When I was doing sales as a second job, I found that the more someone thought about it, mulled over it, hesitated, stalled, whatever you want to call it, the less likely, the far less likely, s/he was to make the purchase. Even though the product (different cable TV packages w/o a contract) was desireable, the "pause=kill the sale" factor was in effect. The person presented with the altercation hesitates, unconsciously hoping it'll "go away," and waits for a "green light" to defend him- or herself. By that time, "confidence is high" that your adversary is going to put out your lights--or worse. I really like the idea of trigger points. They're points of reference that can be understood, trained for, and can very likely help you put up a viable self-defense.

Class with my sons. After two weeks of school and karate "vacation," it was back into the dojang for my seven-year-olds and me. There was running to fetch targets (a fun race), punching and kicking "squeaky" targets strapped on a WaveMaster, some wrist grab self-defense, and anti-stranger work. David Patrick Dad

I admit I was pulling for Holyfield, but a video commentator at the first site said that it wasn't that Holyfield was fighting extraordinarily well, but that Valuev wasn't giving it his all. I'm not surprised the fight is being reviewed, but I don't know how often judges' decisions are overturned.

I started with round kicks that were about knee high--my own knee height and I'm 5'6"--and I've worked them up to upper thigh height. If you're in a tournament, you won't get points for them, but I don't care. I've found that by not trying to go higher, and so losing power, even balance (imagine making contact and then falling down!), I go with the round kick that never goes higher than my sparring partner's thigh. If you want more power, don't bother doing it with the instep of the foot; put your lower shin into it. I think it was Tallgeese who observed that the shin is like a baseball bat. I do it against a WaveMaster for practice, and when I've kicked at where I'm strong, which is a low kick to others, but put my shin into it, I've been told it's a stronger roundhouse than with the instep. BTW, when you do a roundhouse, are you turning the foot of your supporting leg as close to 180 degrees as possible? The more I try to have the heel of the foot of the supporting leg aim at the target, the more power I can generate. Edit addition: If I roundhouse at about a 45 degree angle, what I'd need to make the kick faster and avoid (go "under") protective elbows, I can hit the ribcage. It can be done with instep or lower shin.

NightOwl's posting makes me consider how we, the ones who are not starting altercations, are not criminals, are concerned if our actions regarding the adversary follow the law! I would say that both these observations are "right on the money." John is highlighting that there are reference points, parameters, intelligently identified boundaries, for when we act pre-emptively. This quote is followed by his observation that those who keep waiting to act will not act in time. "Trigger points" may be the best guide to go by, but instruction is needed about them. I agree with Brian. You're projecting your voice firmly, speaking loudly with a level head, and so "making your case" from the start. It may even be that you're drawing attention the adversary doesn't want, which just might cause him to find some other mark.

Leg stretches Ki Cho Hyungs (Il, E, Sam Bu) Pyung Ahn Cho Dan Chil Sung E Ro Hyung

"Creepy" is one way to describe it. That first link NightOwl found has, at the bottom of the web page/article, a photo of an Egyptian wall painting depicting numerous wrestling techniques that were practiced 4,000 years ago. At the second link, the picture really is clearer. There's an entry below the picture by "Joseph Svinth," and his link brings you to his explanation (e.g., why the figures are in different colors) and links to more photos and a Pankration site. Does this mean that the Egyptians developed wrestling first, then the Greeks picked it up, then it spread . . . Or maybe every society developed something martial, and possibly borrowed from or influenced others, or both--or neither? We'll probably keep tracing it back, cultures that interacted, cultures that didn't, and wind up with Fred and Barney going at it after a hard day's work at the stone quarry. Great finds, NightOwl.

Do you, or a family member, download music? I download, but only to my PC. I had been using Jukebox in the past, .99 a song, and then it was bought out by Yahoo. It stayed at .99 a song, but Yahoo's had its problems, so it's now Rhapsody. The new company wanted me to "join" for a year at a monthly rate, and I decided against it. I thought that iTunes was only for iPods, but my students explained to me that I could download to my PC, and there's no membership fee. It's .99 a song. When I found that I could download music videos as well as music, I was pleasantly surprised. I've been downloading during the Xmas-New Year's break, and it's been fun. Do you download music? Music videos? Just to an iPod or to the PC, too? Did you join a service, or do you do as I'm doing, no membership involved? Poll above OP

When my instructor introduced us to takedowns, I already had in "the deep recesses of my mind" from two decades ago a bit of this, including how to fall. When practicing, it was definitely based on technique, and I learned (relearned?) what we were to do fairly quickly. Then when she introduced us to a bit of grappling, we were on our knees and were instructed in the push-pull to take the other down. When we grappled without her, my first opponent/partner outweighed me by fifty pounds. We were doing push-pull, and the first two of the three we did together, he were able to get me down, although I didn't make it easy for him, and on my back I reacted quickly with my now freed legs--thank you MMA/UFC--but we were stopped there. The third time, I wound up taking him down. I had learned by that third one how to better use the pull, and so my crude technique worked out. I did have, at a later date, another of these on-the-knees grappling practices, with someone just twenty pounds heavier. The first time, he got me down; the next two, I got him--and it was fairly quick. From that interesting article NightOwl found: - All ancient cultures had some form of grappling and unarmed fighting techniques. - The Greek culture gave its fighters the greatest financial and social rewards. The ancient Greeks conquered quite a bit of territory during the time of Alexander the Great, including the area that Jiu-Jitsu's techniques were said to have come from. - Wrestling did exist in China and Mongolia before Jiu-Jitsu did in Japan, and it is interesting to note that this is where Native American wrestling most likely came from by way of migration over the Alaskan Ice Bridge. - The pinning and throwing techniques of Jiu-Jitsu are very similar to, and in some cases, the same as those of Greco Roman Wrestling. There is a psychoanalyst from the past, Carl Jung, who believed in the "collective unconscious." There are also sociologists who refer to "cultural universals." Jung's travels showed the similarity between mandala artwork in Tibet and among the Native Americans in the southwestern US. He pointed to the similarities between the Egyptian pyramids (which were originally "step" pyramids, not smooth-walled at all) and the pyramids ("step" in design) of the Maya of Central America. Whether or not we choose to believe that there's a collective unconscious (deep memories inherited from ancestors of the far past, whose descendants migrated across the globe) or that cultural universals are simply logical developments by Homo sapiens, it is amazing how martial arts, frequently with great similarities, are shared by such diverse cultures. (Or, as the article suggests, there can be cultural influence traveling over the centuries from location to location, society to society, that Pankration began in Greece, was spread eastward by Alexander the Great's conquests to India, where it took root, passed on to China, and then to Japan.)

Leg raises Leg stretches Front swing kicks Kicking exercises lying on floor: - roundhouse and side kicks BOB: - jab, cross, uppercut, hook punches - other hand strikes - finger, elbow, and forearm strikes Ki Cho Hyungs (Il, E, Sam Bu) Pyung Ahn Cho Dan Chil Sung E Ro Hyung

Excellent arm and leg techniques, and she's got some kiai!

I agree with Tallgeese. Many people believe that if they execute the first strike, then they are automatically legally considered the aggressor, and so go "on guard" for what's about to be incoming. What I had read in the past was that it just doesn't happen that way. You can strike first if accosted and have good reason to believe you're in danger, in order to protect yourself (or possibly another person). What I had read in a short book about the law and the martial artist/trained fighter, is that you are likely both considered aggressors at first. In a posting in another thread somewhere, it was pointed out that you have to be adequately articulate should/when the police show up, in order to prevent being taken in along with your adversary. If you need an attorney, and you may likely need one if you did a pre-emptive strike because you weren't playing "sitting duck" (or the police feel they have to bring you both in--just doing their job), you have to have your facts straight that you were in genuine danger. I carry my family law attorney's card with me, in that her firm handles all sorts of cases, including criminal.

These are good insights. You don't start the altercation, you don't even want one; it's forced on you. You resist and attempt to leave/escape, but your attacker won't permit it. The level of violence exists in direct proportion to what level your attacker raises it. You do not seek to kill but to use techniques to defend your body and likely your life. The KO or TKO, no matter how few or many blows are performed, is objectively preferred, but subjectively may not be up to you--or the ability of your attacker to withstand the blow(s). A woman seized by her attacker may be in a position to ram her palm heel up against his jaw; he doesn't let go and she keeps striking her would-be rapist to free herself. In the alley that he's pulled her into, he slips as she strikes, and he hits his head against a wall. She's released and runs. It may be that he's unconscious; it may be that he's dead. One man may survive this, while another may not. The level of violence he chose to reach means that his KO or death is the result of his own misadventure. As for the woman who was attacked, she's a victim no matter how effectively she fought to escape. She never wanted the altercation, let alone the level of violence.

I really enjoy going to the movies, so my list isn't short. - Public Enemies (I remember seeing a portrayal of Melvin Purvis as the "G-Man") - Terminator Salvation (looks like good sci-fi) - The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 (a remake of the movie that starred Walter Matthau) - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (I've seen and bought every Harry Potter movie) - Up (my boys and I are going to love this one) - X-Men Origins: Wolverine (I've seen the previews and it looks good) - Angels & Demons (I saw the DaVinci Code)