joesteph

We had a thread under General Martial Arts, "Sparring Against a Shorter Opponent" that should be accessible at: http://www.karateforums.com/sparring-against-a-shorter-opponent-vt35123.html I don't know your height, BB of C, but it sounds like you're dealing with infighters, which is what I am because of my own height, 5'6". If you're taller, you need distance for room to fight; if you're shorter, you close in. I'm trying to remember where I saw it (was it a video from YouTube or an article with photos/a video?), but the boxer dropped down from his stance and shot out a straight punch to his opponent's midsection (they were the same height). I tried that and it did surprise my opponent when I disappeared--and the punch that flew at him was a surprise, too. Have you thought not of going down on your knees, which will limit your mobility, but dropping down and firing a shot or two straight forward to his face from your surprise position? You can then jump right back up, regaining your stance and likely surprising your opponent again.

I can't tell which has greater aesthetic appeal, the Fish N' Flush toilet or the Moody Aquarium Sink.

Ed, this is a keeper! You must look like an old school warrior when you enter the training hall.

A New York Times article (today, November 18th) on MMA in a Massachusetts high school is available online, and with a video as well. The URL is: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/sports/othersports/18mma.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper You'll see that it's composed of teenagers, is properly supervised and, as for a description of MMA, this is from the article: To succeed, a fighter must acquire the skills of four separate combat sports — boxing, wrestling, kick-boxing and submission grappling — and combine them. It may only be available today, November 18th, in that it's under the "Today's Paper" heading. Sometimes they put it in accessible archives for the general public; other times, you'd have to be a subscriber, but the web site of the New York Times is: http://www.nytimes.com The name of the article is "Mixed Martial Arts Makes Its Way to High School" and it's by Justin Porter.

At his official web site: http://www.jeanclaudevandamme.us/eng/index.htm the box for his new movie only has JCVD, his photo (looking careworn), and "The Untitled Van Damme Project" on that photo. But at: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/jcvd/35132/main It says JCVD is Now Playing, and there's a synopsis and a trailer. The trailer is interesting, but ends with Coming Soon. Fandango has it released on November 7, 2008. When I checked for theaters, it looks like it has limited engagements.

Two trailers. The second one says May 2009. Intriguing concept. Star Trek; how did it/they all begin? Almost like Star Wars offering the "prequel" time. Definitely something I want to see.

Welcome to the forums, John. There's a lot going on here.

Home WaveMaster: - variety of front kicks - crescent kicks (bag paddle helpful) - side kicks, lead and rear legs, w/ and w/o step - roundhouses, w/ and w/o step - roundhouses, MT style - back kicks (donkey style)* *And experimented with a backwards "hop" or "quick step" variation; still donkey style, not spinning. Worked all right. Chil Sung E Ro Hyung--repeatedly, due to so many "balancing acts" in the hyung Class at night with David and Patrick. Was allowed to work with newest special needs student, a friend of my sons.

When I saw this reference to the brachial nerve, Tallgeese, I had to look it up. From Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachial_plexus - "It proceeds through the neck, the axilla (armpit region) and into the arm." The drawing on the Wikipedia page shows that it can be gotten to either at the neck region or what appears to be where the pecs and shoulders meet under the clavicle. Is it that you strike or squeeze? Do you go for the neck area or the pec-shoulder connection? It resembles a pressure point to me. The definition refers to the armpit region, but the drawing doesn't show it. Can you finger strike the armpit and still hit it, again, like a pressure point? If it can be used to shut down someone's arm and stop the fight before it escalates further, it's a good one to know. (Or it could be the nerve in the neck that Mr. Spock squeezes with his uncanny Vulcan abilities.)

Some years ago, Tori, I gave a strong hook punch to a solid object and, unfortunately, the manner in which it connected was that the knuckle of the little finger hit first and bore much of the impact. I thought I broke it, but I was able to move my hand (with pain), and an X-ray the next day did not pick up a fracture. The thought was that it was a bad bone bruise, but calcium (a bone "scar"?) built up over that knuckle, so that you can tell it's slightly oversized. A friend at that time who had "cracked" (as he called it) the last two knuckles was told to keep moving them and that a splint would only increase his chances of developing what he called "frozen knuckles"--that they would heal with a loss of mobility. Has the knuckle/finger had full mobility over the years? Have you developed a bone scar (sorry; I can't think of another way of describing it) on that second knuckle? If you're able to work in the ER, even now with the fracture, it sounds like you have full mobility--and an excellent recuperative capability.

In a sense, John, this places MA training (and applications) in the same category as science; science does its best to tell us how the world works (e.g., how to split an atom to release energy), but not why anything exists (Leibniz asked, "Why is there something rather than nothing?"), nor is science a guide for morality (e.g., use atomic/nuclear energy to build a bomb or produce electricity--science can do both, but does not tell us which we ought to do). I would say that mysticism is not generally well-received in the Western world, John, although metaphysics (the ultimate nature of reality) has been received rather well. Frankly, the more science (and it doesn't matter what country--and so its location on the globe--delves into science) gathers information (from subatomic particles to dark matter to dark energy to . . .), the more metaphysical the scientist (particularly the physicist) becomes. As for me, I'm a Westerner, much more at home with Kant's noumenon and phenomenon, as well as natural law, than Zen or other perspectives of the world as illogical or illusion. Those Westerners who are open to Eastern thought are a subculture in the West, perhaps disenchanted with, or unfilfilled by, Western perspectives, and find solace, even answers, in Eastern thought--and I venture to say that it's vice-versa in the East, the Western perspective as subculture there.

Congratulations, Neil! Will you be changing your KarateForums signature, now that you've passed the test?

Tiger, would you be interested in an alternative? The WaveMaster Powerline (less expensive when bought from Century than Asian World of Martial Arts) can take additions. AWMA offers a "Double Strong Arm" (item #81324), like the two arms at the top of the Wing Chun dummy, "Strong Arm" (item #81302 and 81304, depending on length desired) that's the middle arm of the dummy, and "Strong-Leg" (item #81322) as the leg of the Wing Chun dummy. I don't know if you have a WaveMaster Powerline already, but these additions are removable, so the WaveMaster can be used as originally intended, or what you customize it with. AWMA even has a 30% off coupon for online orders only, by entering promo code HC on the online order form. You might want to check out Century and AWMA to see if this would be acceptable, especially with the discount code from AWMA.

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

How did that happen regarding your hand, Tori? If you're able to return on Monday, is it a hairline fracture? (The hand is such a small part of the body, but it's complex to be able to perform its functions. It's got a million tiny parts.) Thirty-six? Who's telling you you're "too old"? Someone outside the school, I'd guess; someone within the school would know better.

I don't know how he bends them into the right shapes; there's not a "creased" part that I can see. Excellent sculptures. You wouldn't really know they're hub caps from a distance.

My instructor has suggested stretching after class too, dmsteve. I usually don't have knee problems anymore, but if I feel it there, I've taken a few moments to do some stretching after class.

How odd, Arcelt. You're returning at age thirty-three, and that's when I started. I worked out with weights to put muscle weight on; you're weight-training to get into shape also, but to replace what you have with muscle. Weights led to me being tutored by an Isshinryu green belt, and it was mostly contact sparring. When I tried TKD, I found that it wasn't only non-contact, but that the high roundhouses and side kicks weren't for me. I did study Taiji, taking classes and working with my Isshinryu friend, and we picked things up from videos and practiced with one-another. You did Goju-Ryu when younger, and in another posting, you related catching your instructor off-guard and applying a takedown; now your interest is leading you towards Aikido. I stopped about two decades ago, but am now returning to martial arts. My children take Soo Bahk Do (related to Tang Soo Do and TKD) and have profited by it, especially as they're special needs and their instructor is aces with them. I decided to start Soo Bahk Do to work with them at home, and it's helped me regarding physical health since I no longer weight-train after doing it for twenty years. You're interested more so in the art itself and its tradition. Since my age is fifty-six, I've determined that I need to work on my self-defense abilities; I'm at the age (and am gray-haired, look middle-aged) that cowards looking for easy prey go after. If you go to the top of this web page and click on Photo Album, you can see a photo of me with my children and our instructor. I've decided not to live in fear; I will defend myself to the best of my abilities and, if I go down, I'm taking a piece of my adversary(ies) with me. I think it's great to be able to concentrate on the art itself, the tradition it upholds, and perhaps even learn of other, related arts, with their traditions. At age thirty-three, without needing to place self-defense first on the list, I think you're right to go for what your heart desires. Aikido is a "blending" art in so many ways; it may be perfect for you. Have you observed any classes? Some schools offer an intro lesson and even an intro period (my Soo Bahk Do instructor gives the first two weeks free). Running, lifting weights, getting back into martial arts . . . Looks like you know what you're doing, Arcelt.

What was your Sensei's reaction, Arcelt? Laughed? "Good job!" I'm sure he wasn't mad. Just wondering.

Congratulations to all!

Ki Cho Hyungs (Il, E, Sam Bu) Pyung Ahn Cho Dan Chil Sung E Ro Hyung Body a bit achy (in a good way) from the Thursday and Friday classes.

I wonder if that comes with experience, Tallgeese? Once you can really say you know what you're doing with the Golden Triangle, you can probably train yourself to dart your eyes to that lower area (and rapidly back up) for greater awareness.

It really does look like a good one. I'm glad Patrick posted this; I just don't recall knowing about it. These "Watchmen" also look caught between protecting people and being hated/feared by them. Makes for an interesting story to go with the special effects.

The one move that the young woman performed that I wondered about was defense against the rear choke. I redid it with a dan member, even leaning my weight into it, and he felt that it was feasible if done immediately, before the attacker could lock his arm by using his hand. Only then did he think she had the opportunity to pull the arm and slip her head out going under his arm and to the side. I thought I'd seen something similar to it and, sure enough, it's a scene in Red Belt. The woman who's unsure about taking a martial art is revealed to be a rape victim. The instructor recreated the attack by being behind her and, instead of a applying a choke, he had a knife in the hand of the arm wrapped around her throat. The knife was at the side of her neck, not in front of it. In the movie, she pulls hard on that arm, using her weight for more force, then slips herself out, under his arm as in the video BB of C linked to. She then continues with a martial art move he directs her to do, but the similarity is not the knife, but that the hand was not aiding the arm in locking it around her neck.

Looks like a fun movie. Grumpy old man and boy scout kid in an animated adventure. Must have used a million balloons . . .