mr_obvious

Here's a related story I came across while surfing a sportbike forum I frequent: http://abcnews.go.com/US/TheLaw/videotaping-cops-arrest/story?id=11179076&page=1

Pantera: Far Beyond Driven F.T.W.

Diet, cardio, stretching, weight training.......in that order.

Welcome! Some thoughts, might help you out..... Remember that MA isn't a videogame....you don't win, or "finish." Think of it more like learning to drive; you wouldn't stop driving after passing the DMV test, proving you can operate a motor vehicle. A resounding jest bandied about on KF, might help your kids out when confronted by a belt factory student at school. Belt factories charge thousands for a black belt, eBay has 'em for $2.95 + shipping. Black belt doesn't necessarily equal "competent martial artist."

I vote to keep sweeping the sucker!

Sorry for the hijack..... Take care with those video cams and even cell cams (these days). Recording someone's voice without their knowledge and / or consent is a Federal offense. In some jurisdictions, so is videotaping even without audio. One example: call nearly any automated phone system, and while waiting for a customer (dis)service rep....most all of them will advise that 'calls may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance, training, etc.' Just don't want to see any good people, accidentally get themselves into deep yogurt I do agree that watching one's self on video is a good training tool.

GL rayjag! Strange, huh? You get there and for all you'd know -- you may as well be in a whole other country. No trace of the dank smog from the LA basin, no traffic.....just pine trees, mountains and the lake in sight

I would like to add, that for the unacclimated, no amount of cardio and conditioning can prevent edema. Swelling of blood vessels, body and brain tissue due to reduced barometric pressure. Happened to me recently while on vacation in Big Bear California (incidentally, where Tito Ortiz' trains). The town itself is 7,000ft above, with surrounding areas escalating to near 8,500. 2nd day there, the TERRIBLE headache began. Couldn't sleep.... By the 3rd day, I had some pretty bangin vascularity going on, just sitting still. Never felt winded, gassed or over exerted; again, not a lack of physical conditioning. Being from Florida, where our highest elevation is ~300ft, 7kft+ was just too much of a shock. Descended and finished my vacation in the desert

BJJ as a system is surely effective enough. I would echo what others have said......... 1) BJJ is not the end-all-be-all fighting system. Just like... 2) Striking systems aren't wholly effective in *every* situation either. 3) BJJ's predominance in MMA, and pop culture to some extent, make it the preference of a lot of n00bsteak martial artists. 4) n00bz, hormonal youths, adrenaline junkies....are vocal, and think they're the.....um....[stuff]; and whatever system they're practicing is "the best." 5) Right now....BJJ's prominence and popularity attracts the type described in points #3&4. Growing up in SoCal, in the 80's I saw the same thing happen with Karate; fueled, no doubt by the prominent box office hits of the era. A lot of kids who took Karate (usually at undisciplined McDojos) walked around with chips on their shoulders; in similar fashion. In my area, in the last two years..... The number of BJJ / MMA schools has equaled, perhaps even surpassed the number of traditional striking schools. Seems I spot a new one under construction every few months...... While I've not met any of the proprietors / instructors, and can't really comment on their disposition. I have noticed many of their websites and blogs constantly 'remind' members to leave their egos at the door, that there are lessons to be learned -- even when you lose a match, get tapped out, whatever. Reading between the lines, it's as if every n00b walking through the door expects to "own-up" right from the start. In the Karate schools I've trained, respect comes before all else. Including Sensei & Sempai (of course) fellow Deshi, Dojo visitors, adversaries, other arts.....whatever it may be -- respect comes first. It seems this lesson isn't taught, or at best, not emphasized in many BJJ circles. Doesn't make the BJJ system any better or worse than something else. In a nutshell, no, not "annoyed" with BJJ. Just......some of it's practitioner's egos

I tend to favor rapid-fire, blitz-type-combos.....then getting the heck out. In real life, hopefully the opponent would be neutralized. Of course in kumite, the force is reduced and combined with safety gear, the opponent is usually still standing; so the objective is to regroup for the next blitz. I've tried the "sniper" or "surgical" approach, and all I end up doing is training my bounce more than anything. Other people are the opposite, and work best with a "one-shot, one-kill" practice.

I'll read up on it. I can tell you, if I can get it to work, I'm sure not gonna be dreaming about Martial Arts, lol

I didn't vote, because both are effective, in different ways......depending on what you're hoping to accomplish. I'd say #1 is more powerful, #2 more surgical when executed as described. As often happens, the choice which to deploy, depends largely on your posture prior to executing (taking time to position feet, in opposition to an experienced fighter would telegraph intention, me thinks).

Good stuff, from time-to-time. On occasion, I have friends over to full-contact spar. The informal setting and having none of the time constraints of a "class," we can practice what I call "rewind sparring." Basically whenever someone executes a particularly good strike, sweep, throw, block, etc. in response to what the other is doing -- we stop, go back and examine it. What made the technique work, what went wrong for the losing end -- kinda like a post-mortem form of Bunkai.

I'd step in to assist in defusing the situation. Assuming of course, my teacher is acting in self-defense and not the aggressor.

Well....... You get a couple ropes, grab an end with each hand and swing either up-down, side-side or in circles. Works the deltoid group and not much else. Might tie the loose ends to something to reduce the flailing