joesteph

Leg stretches Class at night with my sons

Floor-fighting is an art in itself. If against one attacker, you've got a decent chance; more than one, the odds aren't in your favor.

I checked out this video and a couple of realted others on the same YouTube page. Lots of face-striking against multiples, including open-hand techniques that made me think of raking moves. Backing up as though wanting no trouble--then springing forward--is sound. Related videos included having several guys against one, but the one with the biggest mouth was most forward, allowing an attack and passing through his disorganized buddies behind him. There was one with picking up a chair to defend yourself. What I've read in the past, though, is that if you're going to use a chair that way, don't have its legs facing your opponent like a rectangle; have it like a diamond--which is just a turned rectangle, but bound to cause him/them more damage.

Although my art isn't Judo or JiuJitsu, the posted basic throws by ps1 were interesting enough to have me poke around YouTube. There's one that, the way the camera filmed the throw, I can't see how she threw her opponent. It's at: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=d8GnKZYcZgA&feature=related The woman throws the noticeably taller man, and it's so effortless from what I can see, that I don't know if she didn't actually just "tip a scale" so-to-speak. But if she did, how would she have kept a strong central position? I doubt she simply bent at the waist. Any ideas? _____ _____

I read the two articles included in DWx's postings, and I understand Bushido Man's point. I think that with the 21st Century technology we have, we can combine the electronic with the video and arrive at much more accurate scoring. In fencing, electronic scoring has gone on for some time now, and this new technology of video so precise that it follows the ball (Wimbledon) can clarify head strikes. So long as TKD remains in the Olympics, like Judo, these devices will only be of help. _____ _____

30 Pushups using extension bars 80 Leg raises BOB--On and off throughout the day, pounding away, concentrating on technique with force for all strikes, then on speed with force for punches; feel "tired" in my shoulders Leg stretches

And the pronounciations are really odd when said by Westerners, Moriniuk. It says on your web site: "Muay Thai, pronounced Moo-ay Tie, Moo (as in "mood"), ay (as in "way") and Tie (as in to "tie" a knot) translates into English as Thai style boxing." I've heard it pronounced "Moo Tie," "Moo-ee Tie," and "Moy Tie." I was glad to find the correct pronunciation on your school's site. Regarding spelling, it's the same difficulty putting Korean (my art is Soo Bahk Do) into English lettering and pronunciation. _____ _____

I've really got to practice with this one. I found Alice Blue the hardest, as it's more subtle a change, but I did better with the medium tones than the bright ones. I thought I'd do best with the brights, but the numbers don't lie. I see that a challenge of the test is that you don't know when the color will change, really keeping you on alert. Anything under .5 I was glad about; the closer to .4, the better. I did get some in the .3 range. This is actually a good "test" for my psychology students to take, in that we study classical and operant conditioning, and this is operant with a variable time schedule. It's hard to give fancy terms to students and expect that these have meaning to them; this is a real-life test, with the reward being a good score. Thanks, DWx!

It comes up for both tamashiwara and tameshiwari on the Internet, AJ, and there are some cool videos under each's name. I liked these: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=8P4JrGJRHhc http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhtl3oIa2AA _____ _____

That's a good comparison. Paintings in the distant past were quite often beautiful landscape scenes. Drawings of performing the martial arts may not have been common. I've got a copy of the Muye Dobo Tongji, which has as its subtitle, "The Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts of Ancient Korea." I purchased it because the founder of my art, Soo Bahk Do, was Grandmaster Hwang Kee, who came across this book when it was already three centuries old, meaning that it's about 350 by now. What is particularly unique about the Muye Dobo Tongji is that it contains drawings of what is described in the text (empty-handed fighting, fighting with weapons, fighting on horseback). There are no drawings of wood-breaking, suggesting to me that that would be something an instructor would teach his students one-on-one. I'm sure it was performed in China as well as the others, Morimuk; I feel that the closest you can get to a starting point is who you believe started it as a system, such as for examination purposes for his students.

She certainly sounds like a beautiful person. You're a lucky guy to have met her. _____ _____

Because October's coming up, Chikara, and that's when your contract ends. I guess he has no problem taking money from a woman. BTW, I liked the cat signature; the several lines were nice, but I missed the cat; "karate es el amor de mi vida" has class. _____ Ki Cho Hyung Il Bu Ki Cho Hyung E Bu Ki Cho Hyung Sam Bu Pyung Ahn Cho Dan--3X Beating up BOB's face with jabs and cross punches from the high guard position I favor, paying particular attention to turning on the ball of the foot, whether jab or cross punch, as well as turning the body.

I realize that the original question refers to rape, and that Jim's answer (in the middle section of his posting) refers to the question asked, yet I couldn't help but notice that the very first sentence Jim wrote was what we're primarily concerned with in the martial arts--self-defense. I included quoting the last sentence because it ties in so well with the first.

I wonder, Moriniuk, if the author might have meant that Oyama incorporated or developed within his teachings that certain breaks, particularly of wood as it's easy to standardize, had to be able to be performed by his students in order to measure progress in power and focus. Something can be around for many years, but not be systematized, and the first to do so could be credited with "inventing."

I chose "No, but I will use everything I have to try" because the question did specify "defeat" rather than "handle." It's not a criticism of the question as the question is valid as stated, nor is it a game of semantics; if the question had said "handle," I'd have selected the "Yes" answer that referred to my instructor and trust. That first "Yes" would be, as I see it, for a higher belt than I have, or an individual with actual experience in that situation, no matter what belt rank. Incidentally, my instructor has had us focus on zoning and, instead of looking to defeat the opponents, concentrate on not getting cornered. (One of the benefits of a small dojang is that the walls are right there for you to practice not being pinned against.) Although the dojang is non-contact, she permitted open hand light contact against the arms and shoulders. I remember bending the rules when I grabbed the do bok of one of my attackers in order to zone, but I wasn't using excessive force, and he was over half-a-foot taller than me. A good thinking question. _____ _____

I agree with Doug that the legs go beyond kicking to proper stances. A strong stance incorporates proper body balance, and stances might need to be held for a period of time (how many times has a class held a particular stance while the instructor checks on and corrects individual students?). I also include in a strong stance that it be low enough to have the center "drop" to where the body is in position to use an upper body strike, like a punch, and not have the body be thrown out of balance ("top heavy" so falling over). And, since we're repeatedly moving from stance to stance, the legs are always called upon to be strong. I remember the "water" and "fire" posting, and with them in mind, my stances are a bit lower--and sounder--which I noticed when practicing self-defense techniques with a partner last night in class. I even stepped better, particularly forward, giving my upper body better reach for strikes called for in the techniques without tipping the scales (the upper body) over.

I understand much better now. Funny how the rules turn out to be "theory" (it exists on paper) rather than "practice" (tournaments). It explains discrepancies better when it's realized that there are three ITF organizations, not one, and though each has essentially similar rules, here-and-there we'll find a different viewpoint about how tournaments are regulated. So you've not only adjusted, you've come to prefer the changes. Well, it's better to be a happy camper than a sad one. The philosophical side of DWx has spoken! _____ _____

I'd like to check this one out, Kansas City; it's something unexpected, and though it's called "double," it's not just spinning around twice the same way. When I do a spinning backfist, I tend to do a 360. (I don't do many of them because it's a dizzying experience for me.) Is it that, when you complete your first spinning backfist, you don't go completely around, but land the foot spinning with the backfist in front of you, a 180 for that foot and so your stance? (That sounds like it's less likely to cause dizziness, too.) If that's so, then you're in the opposite stance from before, and can perform the attack by spinning in the opposite direction from before. I hope I'm on the mark because it sounds clever.

I'm not sure, Moriniuk, if you're asking one question, about tamashiwara, or more than one, tamashiwara and wood breaking. What I found at the International Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Federation (ISKKF) web site: http://www.worldbudokan.com/Articles/MakiwaraTamashiwara.htm was an article titled "MAKIWARA & TAMASHIWARA: The Lost Art of Breaking," by George W. Alexander, a 9th Degree Black Belt. Like Wikipedia, the focus was really on makiwara, but he did say: The word tamashiwara means breaking or testing of strength by breaking various types of objects. . . . There is however one special type of tamashiwara technique. This is called shi-ho-wari breaking in four different directions with the last board breaking before the pieces of the other broken boards hit the floor. Perhaps your question focused on the board-breaking alone? That last board breaking before the pieces of others hit the floor sounds amazing. Was this accomplishment the true focus of your question? There was no origin of this form of breaking mentioned in the article. The article did refer to Master Oyama and Sensei Reeves by name, then to other, unnamed martial artists: There are many feats of breaking that have become legendary like the ones of Master Mas Oyama who reportedly was able to knock out a bull with a single reverse punch. Reputedly, he did this more then once. Sensei Mike Reeves . . . can break four hundred boards in one minute! Other karate legends have smashed hundreds of pounds of ice with a single blow. I think many in this forum have seen ice-breaking, either in person or on video. I don't know if anyone in this forum has done ice-breaking or concrete slab breaking, but board-breaking, I'm sure, has been done by many here. The article went on to say: Another benefit of tamashiwara is that it gives the practitioner a way of testing or measuring his power and the progression of this power. He is able to see that in the beginning he could break only one board; then possibly after a year or so he is able to break two boards. After another year or so and after consistent and intense training he can possibly break three or four boards. Does Shorin-Ryu, the web site where I found the article, fit under Kyokushin as one of the derivative styles you referred to? I thought it developed separately. As for Korean styles, I know my own art, Soo Bahk Do, incorporates board-breaking, which I have to perform by elbow strike for my next test.

Do I detect respect for a woman's talents, and recognition of her abilities? Congratulations on your hard-earned promotion.

I had thought of this as well, Prostar, for the side kick and roundhouse, in that your opponent, even if good at blocking, will not know which you're going to fire off, making him wait that extra half-second to see what you're doing--and so be less-prepared. I hadn't thought of the hook kick, so that's an added bonus to confuse your opponent. I think that, so long as the side kick goes straight to its target, then economy of movement and a good thrust should be its measure.

I believe you're the first to post striking to the ribs, Prostar, and you say that you used it by going "up and into" the target. Did you find that the ridge hand, by being "slim" compared with the fist, was able to get in there without worrying about his elbows getting in your way? Did you drop down a bit for the strike, or that wasn't necessary?

When I'd learned of Chung Do Kwan, rayjag, I found out that it referred to Grand Master Won Kuk Lee and, in a quote from him cited in Wikipedia, he said, "I was sitting on the beach in Korea watching the waves crash onto the shore. It then suddenly hit me that the name Blue Waves (Chung Do) would be a good name for the school, so I came up with the name Chung Do Kwan." Were you ever yourself told that Chung Do meant Blue Waves? Kwon (instead of Kwan) must mean fist. Was the history of the art taught to you as you climbed the belt level to dan ranking?

Off to Tashkent, Uzbekistan! Your instructor must really enjoy the competition circuit, DWx. Good for him. Bronze medals too! . . . . . . . . . .

Tack on "and donate proceeds to charities" and that basically sums up what I would do. I like the way you think, BB of C. I feel the same way myself. After taking care of my family, I'd be free to help others. _____ _____