xo-karate

In Finland Doctord read books. Is this bad? Or am I missing the point? If the point is that you don't learn to spar with out sparring, I do agree. You can shadow box and learn your compinations, but with out actual sparring, it's not realistic. It would be very hard to learn to roll in BJJ with out an actual partner:-) Still you can learn something - or get ready to learn. One step in learning is to think and figure out things. And final step might be to execute the techniques with out thinking:-) And that will need a lot of sparring.

Very close to my orange belt:-)

BURNOUT vs over training? What would the signs be? How do I notice or be aware of it?

What would be the ultimate gift to receive? What would you want for Christmas?

Having two months very much dedicated for training makes me want to learn in a progressive way. Just going to regular dojo classes will not give the best result. I'll probably do my own learning program for different techniques. (9 am - 11 am. Low intensity.) In boxing and karate I will just do shadow boxing and heavy bag and my usual coordination and footwork drills. This is kind of staying flexible and maintaining basic technique stuff. (Not trying to learn much new.) (1 pm - 3 pm. Technical learning.)In BJJ I am just starting. Finished my basic entry course and starting to roll with rest of the club. Maybe I'll follow the Gracie University in my mid day sessions or start to practise different scenarios from basic posistions. (But something systematic.) (6 pm - 8 pm. Actual exercise.) I'm planning to have high intensity days just before recovery days. Like doing maximum intensity weights and letting muscle grow next day. (Muscle grows in rest/recovery.) Otherwise regular dojo - mostly BJJ, but might be Shooto, Karate or Boxing Did a blog for a training diary: http://2012xo.blogspot.com

In finland police has much more power, but resisting a security guard is bad - worst than a regular person.

I have agree with the comments. Choke was too long. Person had his arms out for the guffs. BUT I can understand the feeling of the security officer. It's not easy to know how long to choke - other person did not "tap out". Nice work on no tear gas.

I have 60 days for training My plan is to have 2 total recovery days per week. This means walking, very low intensity crosscountry skiing, stretching and watching DVDs or Youtube for instructions. Other days idea is to have 3 training sessions per day - BUT! Two are techniques and stretching - semi low intensity. This leaves two high intensity weight training and 3 - 4 regular training sessions in dojo (Mostly BJJ, but depending on timetable it might be also Karate or boxing.) My biggest consern is over training - and on the otherhand not getting full speed. (I feel that one needs to do high intensity atleast once per week - max out:-) I'm not young so recovery is very much lower than it used to be. There is no reason for the program. (Maybe to get in better shape for next golf season Any thoughts?

I have to start slow, too. Twisted my knee and can't walk. I'll start by stretching hamstrings, hips and slow squats with out weights. My plan is to do 2 - 3 training session per day after Christmas. Most of the sessions are technical "studies" - learning and stretching, but some are high intensive weights or sparring/rolling. I have 60 days full time to complite my program. (Almost no work at this period:-)

I agree with JusticeZero on the point that video does not give feedback. BUT you get feedback when you try to learn the skill shown on video. You can use tons of ways of getting feedback - mirrow, heavybag, friend or just listening to your body... I also have to agree on the point made about getting insured - don't do stupid things:-) I got insured just last weekend and the instructor was 6th dan! But I was doing stupid things - too careless in randori. I think internet is one of the best "teachers". It's so full of incorrect information that you have to really think .. to find things that you agree on. It's also full of great advice - some suitable for you and some great but not for this moment or my style or body and so on.

I've had to make a reality check on my own rolling and sparring. I had a small 20 year break and now after the break and bit over 50 years of age - looks like I can not win all the time? It's very hard to deal with the fact that your not running the show - more like trying to survive:-) So I can't be the best any more. (It's not realistic to even expect it from my self.) I need to explain to my self that I roll (bjj) to be in shape and spar (karate) just for the fun of it:-). It's my way of trying to keep my ego checked - even when I get submitted or some one score a point from me.

Ok JusticeZero - a very good statement - you are writing that people can learn from internet, but it might not be what they think they should be learning. They learn, but wrong things/techniques. If the "technique" was a aerobic exercise of a kickboxing workout, the main focus might not have been on technical issues. (It sounds like it should have been, if they were breaking their joints.) I've looked at Gracie academy and I am sure that teaching is very sound. It has a very good pedagogical progression. So there are good sites and not so good ones and there are things to copy and things to just be aware of. We learn in so many ways:-) I just watch some bjj players roll. Did not mimic them. Just toke notice on how they passed guards and stuff. I am not sure what I learned, maybe something will come from it:-) My point - if you can learn something bad, you can learn something good - and other way around too.

congratulations for your orange belt:-)

Like the idea of negative position - and very much the implication to all styles. This gives a lot to work with. Thanks Tallgeese

In BJJ training the idea is that you can learn much from getting pinned or if some one gets a submission of you. So you learn all the time. (This is same in Judo - you should learn when you are thrown... but ...)

Argument was made by a 6th dan Judoka. His the head coach of our national team. He stated that even the national team has a problem with taking it easy - real, but not sloppy. Sparring starts easy, but it builds up to full spead vey fast. How do you prevent this? How can you keep players ego checked?

Yep - this was the problem. We were on a BJJ camp and the instructor was a Judoka. For the last 5 minutes we had randori. My uke was a white belt bjj with no Judo background. (I toke it easy, but made a mistake of trying a Tai Otoshi. Got to much around my self and knee was flexed. Uke did not go over, but fell on my knee. A big dude:-) I feel stupid! I should have stayed with Hiza Guruma and De Ashi Barai which are much safer and I can do them better. (Or just walked throu the match... just blocking his attacks with my hip, which was one of the exercises during the session.) I think I'll be training soon after Christmas.

We had an interesting discussion on sparring yesterday. Argument was that if you always spar 100%, you will not learn the tecniques. (Or atleast not so many- you tend to stick with the ones you are safe with.) If you always spar too soft, you will learn sloppy techniques. So most of the times, you should be save and let the other score, if the technique is good enough. If you are a competitor, you need to do some full speed - full effort sparring ( some - not all the time). And sloppy sparring? Maybe warm up? or cool down? Maybe it should never be sloppy, only slow motion:-)

Found some videos about closing cap and punching but not very much. I think one feint with upper body? Have to search harder:-)

twisted my knee yesterday on Judo randori. Uke landed on my knee and knee twisted. Can't walk today and this means not aple to practise for a while. This was an example of not so smart training...

Attended a BJJ camp today. Sensei was 6 th dan Judoka Jaakko Saari. He showed a nice kuzushi exercise - "Mongolian wrestling". It's sparring (randori standing). Both grap on each others belts and it's played with Sumo rules. If you touch the tatami with other part than foot, you loose.

My first question was if one should train with younger players or make a group for "oldies" - my conclution is that for an entry to martial arts a seniors group might have some advantaces, but maybe it should only be "pre-basic" training group to get an unexperienced newbie confortable for martial arts training. What should an experienced martial artist over 50 focus on training? a) I think that strength training for major muscle groups is important. (Strength training can be done with or with out weights - I use weights.) b) Flexibility - I wish I'd do it more:-) c) Learning new techniques and moves!!! (Works your coordination and keeps your memory sharp(er).) d) Anaerobic training - I am going from stady state running towards interval training or "tabata" type of exercises. (First some basic conditinining with jogging, but as soon as my head can take it, I'll start intervals.) What is your goal in training - as an experienced martial artist ? How do you train?

Not a chance! My students, from youngest to oldest, men AND women, are lumped into the same class..ALWAYS! We train and learn together despite abilities, gender, strengths...and yes, weakness's. I have seveeral people in class with various disabilities, including myself, such as bad backs, knees, shoulders, bad right hand (myself due to a chainsaw injury of the right wrist) etc. Fast learners or slow makes no difference, we are all here to train and learn and we find ways to compensate for those that aren't working with a 100% perfecft body, coordination or brain. I've been teaching this way since 1978 and it works well for me and I wouldn't do it any other way. Maybe I should have written it more accurate. Maybe training with class full of only "more mature martial artist" let's you take it easier - and it will slow you down eventually?

Maybe training with young players - like under 30 - keeps you active? Maybe training with "more mature martial artist" let's you take it easier - and it will slow you down eventually?

Maybe XO should be an entry level for newby adults? After one year of sparring with old and "not so flexible" partisipants should start taking classes with other players. (Or go to a basic class.) I think that most important goal on XO should be: 1) Physical condition - flexibility and coordination 2) Basic techniques - blocking, hitting, kicking, break falls, takedowns, moving in/to positions, and some submissions. 3) Getting confortable in sparring and rolling.