joesteph

Looking at Brian's first reference, to the Defensive Tactics for law enforcement, it appears "individualized" that RBSD is that person's "style." The question that remains, though, is if it is a style in its own right. Suppose, for the second reference, with me altering it (sorry Brian; necessary evil) so that TKD is the person's only MA experience, and I replace RBSD with "Judo" in this second reference, I don't believe that Judo would be considered a strategy; it's already recognized as an art or style in its own right. Looking back at John asking about "codified," I had said when I used it that "it stands independently, identifiably," and for "code" at Merriam-Webster, the first two definitions say: 1: a systematic statement of a body of law; especially: one given statutory force 2: a system of principles or rules code> If there's no code, it isn't more than an assemblage of knowledge without organization; it's highly useful knowledge, but not systemitized. To me, this applies to RBSD. I believe that RBSD takes from many and applies itself well, but is no more unified than that Chin Na gives to many and is applied well. As Chin Na is a compilation of grabbing and locking techniques, so RBSD, in its present state, is a compilation of excellent techniques used strategically. I wonder if RBSD isn't simply a practical approach, a reflection of our times, in need of a Grandmaster?

I think that the less a student knows about a martial art, John, the more likely a misconception regarding it. That's why I (and I'm sure most others in the forum) believe that the student should observe a class; I like my instructor's idea that the student takes the first two weeks for free to find out if that's what s/he wants--or expects. I also think that the instructor should ask the prospective student what s/he is looking for, holds as a priority, regarding the martial art. And what is the age of the student? Maybe it's both student and parent that the discussion's with.

It's unfortunate. And not the only casualty. It looks like philosophy (and related subjects) in your old school got caught between a "back to basics" movement and a "safe" focus on what may be discussed by high school students. Sometimes, teachers of such courses are not necessarily teaching that their way of thinking is the "right" way, but that a student might be asked to explain his/her position, and then "Considering your position, what would you do in this case?" That can cause controversy if the student is holding a position taught at home (which is fine), but never thought about it and now asks about it when back home.

An excellent site, Michi, not only for Karatefighter but for anyone interested in karate's history; I bookmarked it. The video on the first page was especially enjoyable. And welcome to the forums, Karatefighter!

From the Wikipedia source DWx referred to: Many Japanese martial arts dojo use the Kagami Biraki ceremony to signify their first practice of the New Year. Maybe it's something to look forward to, nanook660; find out more and it may be a martial arts celebration by your Sensei, not something to dread.

It just sounds like you're "hungry" and I'll bet you're a dedicated--and quick--learner. I think that instructors, whether addressed as Sensei, Sa Bom Nim, or just Sir or Ma'am, know their students very well. You won't be overlooked. BTW, Shotokan, I don't think you're jealous, but envious. Someone jealous would want to take away from one who has it; someone envious wants it as well. The envious are usually highly motivated.

Good luck, Fran! You'll get that second black stripe!

When I studied TKD years ago, our instructors were known as "Sensei," and Japanese terms such as kata and dojo were also used. More recently, I ran into a friend who's a second dan in that same TKD system, that of Grandmaster Son (whose book from 1968 uses only English terms). She referred to her present Sensei, and I asked her about other Japanese terms being used in a Korean system. Her response is that they're taught that karate came from the Japanese, so those terms are used. Then again, it could be that the young woman we're discussing is simply very much into the martial arts and spends free time reading, on the Internet, etc., where she's picked up a great deal. She's a mystery wrapped in a riddle.

I've seen you refer to your shoulder and tendinitis, Tallgeese. I've dealt with it in both knees, my right shoulder, and "tennis elbow" in my right forearm. My tendinitis came from weight-training, and even doing weight-training and martial arts at the same time. It does limit you. Tendinitis in my right shoulder came from doing heavy bench presses along with a lot of shoulder work. MA training sessions only added to it, doing the same moves repeatedly. Do you bench heavy or do shoulder work with weights? If you do, what worked for me was to end the shoulder work; in particular, I was doing lateral raises with dumbbells, and that "unnatural" motion put a lot of strain on the deltoids. My shoulder tendinitis was not in the middle of the side of the shoulder, but off-center, to the rear. I used anti-inflammatories for a period of time, then figured out how to avoid the problem. Have you seen a doctor? Home after overeating for Thanksgiving Leg Stretches Ki Cho Hyungs (Il, E, Sam Bu) Pyung Ahn Cho Dan Chil Sung E Ro Hyung

This thread on the Multi-Style Problem may have run into a Multi-Approach snag. I see solid assessments presented, and it may be that we're examining how each person's testing is different in terms of extent, of what degree to go to, in order to be considered satisfactory. It should be remembered that this remains theoretical; I suggest that most persons would not want to go beyond kumite, for a variety of personal reasons, while others will be champing at the bit to get to the third level Tallgeese presents.

Happy Thanksgiving to all at KarateForums!

I don't think RBSD is a codified system, so I'm leaning towards strategy based on martial arts skills, no matter what the source(s). It may even depend on the instructor, who sees concepts to be conveyed, likely because s/he is familiar with the concepts from the arts the RBSD techniques being taught originate from. Chin Na is a non-codified system of many grabs and joint-locks, which other martial arts have incorporated; RBSD seems to be an incorporator from codified systems, in a manner that I'd still call strategy until (if ever) it becomes codified--meaning that it would stand independently, identifiably.

Before I had started weight-training, DWx, I was more sensitive regarding pain, but due to strains, etc., that occured while training, I became less sensitive. I no longer weight-train, but when we do joint locks, or if I have an MA training injury, I'm much more open to accepting the pain and keep moving forward. An immediate difference in reaction to pain between me and someone newer to MA is in the joint locks I referred to, above. While other adults may tap at what I consider early, I'll tell my partner to "give it the gas." I wonder if, because we may have less fear as we perform MA, we "feel" less pain; pain, I'm suggesting, would be heightened in the mind by fear.

Thanks for the BBC article link, DWx. I copied and pasted it (and will give all due credit; to do otherwise would be unethical). I can adapt it to my class.

These are on-target observations. A throat strike implies that the opening is there to execute it and, of course, a fight is not necessarily a one-shot deal to defend yourself against an attacker.

Philosophy ("the love of wisdom") is usually offered on the college level, and sometimes it's part of the core curriculum. I was told years ago that it's too involved to be offered on the high school level, yet courses in psychology and sociology, both challenging disciplines, are found on that level. After a good deal of searching, I found what I considered to be a good book for high school juniors and seniors for a high school philosophy course, and offered it as a half-year (one semester) course starting in 1993. I'm still teaching it. Here's one of the written assignments I give to my students: Why Is It Wrong? Consider the following three questions: 1. Why is it wrong to lie? 2. Why is it wrong to cheat? 3. Why is it wrong to steal? The person asking these questions is not afraid of being caught and punished. The person wants to know why it is wrong to do any of these things. Your assignment is to explain what it means to lie, to cheat, to steal. Then you must explain why it is wrong to do each one of these. If you do not agree that it is wrong to do one or more of them, then explain why it is right (or, more neutrally if you prefer, why it is neither right nor wrong, just an action). The students give well-reasoned written responses, and class discussion is very interesting. Why do you suppose philosophy isn't offered more often on the high school level? Did you take philosophy in high school or college? Do you think that you would have (or would now) take philosophy in high school if it had been (or if it were) offered?

Many movie-makers put a great deal of time and money into car chase scenes that they expect will rev up the action in a movie. The following link is to a scene from "Gone in 60 Seconds," where the Cobra is stolen by Nicolas Cage and some really fast and fancy driving is done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUNUPOwGZBE What do you think of car chase scenes? Do they really add excitement to the movie? Do you usually find yourself entertained by them or not? (Poll above)

Ki Cho Hyungs (Il, E, Sam Bu) Pyung Ahn Cho Dan Chil Sung E Ro Hyung Class at night with my sons. Greater one-on-one emphasis being given them is a necessity.

John, "Repulse the Monkey" is from Taiji. You move backwards, your arms and legs in a pattern so that the arms appear to repulse with open hands, your legs are in motion like they are on railroad tracks, and no kicking is done while doing this Taiji move. The following is a "combat" demo of Repulse the Monkey, rather than the more subtle Taiji form: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWhw26ypFAI Here it's analyzed from Taiji, with power coming from the legs, through the hips, and into the arms: http://www.expertvillage.com/video/123002_tai-chi-step-back-repulse-2.htm

I'm not a dan member, Roys15, but there is a difference between a re-test and a pop quiz. Would you consider a portion of the test redone, rather than the entire test? My instructor has already warned higher belts that dan testing is everything from the very first white belt hyung. She has higher belts working with lower ones already, and examines as she goes along, that teaching, not only learning, is being done right. (Then again, sometimes the best way to know, "truly" know, something is to teach it to someone else; you wind up understanding it better.)

Personally, I believe it's a combination of the amount of power you can generate, along with the fact that the force is on a smaller area, exactly where the finger joint-knuckles strike. "X" amount of force striking area "Y" is much more "piercing" if concentrated on a small area, rather than a larger one (spread out). It also depends, as far as I can see, on how the throat is struck. Check out the following women's self-defense video (by Mallory Senne, who also does Aikido) on striking the throat: http://www.expertvillage.com/video/120270_self-defense-throat-strikes.htm The throat has a stronger area up front than the weaker areas on both sides, as she points out. (The nose is the same and is addressed in a different video--on how to break it.) For any striking of an adversary, the appropriate amount of force is to be used. The situation I referred to in my posting, above, from a presentation by GM Son, would be against a muscular individual that I wouldn't chance getting his hands on me. I could, of course, hit him as hard as possible with exactly the strike we're discussing, and while he chokes--but doesn't die--I get out of there, pronto! I've never made it a secret that I believe in hit, likely run, and definitely call the police. I think it's right and proper that you're concerned about taking life, Sil Lum; it has to be that there was no other way, especially if you're protecting others as well as yourself.

I remember knicknaming it a "Y-hand," thumb, fingers, and forearm forming the letter in my mind. Every strike likely has an exotic name, but sometimes we remember it better when we use our own terms. When I studied TKD in the past, Grandmaster Son visited, and there was a bit of a presentation. His English wasn't his strongest point, but one thing that was clear was when he said that you could be fighting someone with "no neck." We understood him to mean a muscular man, one who likely built up his traps and neck muscles. (A lot like BOB.) He demonstrated the same hand formation as you're describing, Tallgeese, and said to do a strike right to the throat. I'm not saying that GM Son said to do this as a first strike, but he was, to me, saying to us that we should keep it ready in our arsenal. I'd say so. No one likes to get hit in the throat, giving him cause to pause, and maybe it'll help get you out of there.

I wonder if this causes a higher retention of students? When it becomes social, it adds something special to what you're doing, a camaraderie.

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

Class at night with my sons. A scheduling change has been introduced this week by our instructor, allowing for continued individual attention even though the special needs program has somewhat grown.