lowereastside

So did I - lets see how long it lasts ( LOL ).

Nothing wrong with switching Styles. You have to find what suits you. I went from Boxing to Karate to Self defense and finally Kung Fu with some cross training in Chinese grappling and Kali with friends. The bottom line is do what makes you happy.

I see it as a strike. But then again i see everything as a strike.

Davis say's "The idea of Bunkai is inflated, that if dude X does Y, you do Z. Its more like it happens and at the end of it there is an outcome." Davis in IMHO - Solid Posts - you brought up very good points in your posts. In my opinion everything is of value even the pre-arranged Bunkai's - but there comes a point that you have to move on from the pre-arranged stuff. A few years ago I started teaching some Karate people. These were 7th Dan's in a traditional style of Okinawan Karate - by no means beginners. These new students had big problems in dealing with my senior students. In IMO the Bunkai that they practiced over and over again - created many bad habits. Dropping the hands or bringing the hands back to the waist - and believe me I've heard so many explaination of why the hands are dropped or come back to the waist that I've lost count. This is just one example. And to reinforce what Davis says. A real fight is vicious - fast - .......There is no time to think - set up the opponent or whatever. You have to attack the attack. Look some individuals are fighters it does not matter what Martial Art they study - they can just plain fight. Just my 3 cents. And like a good friend use to say " Why listen to me I make no sense".

How can one achieve MUSHIN - One's make up is a big part of it - whats inside of us to begin with. We all have that animal inside of us. How my times have you read or watched the news about people being trampled to death in a fire - instead of being calm -people just go crazy. And the bigger the danger becomes the less calm people are. Now we as Martial Artists are suppose to overcome this - CORRECT? Competition cannot ( IMHO ) achieve this - to much emphasis on WINNING or NOT GETTING HURT. One must try to have a calm relaxed mind and at the same time in Combat and I mean COMBAT - not MMA - BOXING - KARATE TOURNAMENTS........try to take someone's head off. Hmmmm not that easy to make your mind blank - calm demeanor and take someone's head off with no emotion. There are to many components to this - Your Teacher - Your kata/Forms practice - meditation and so on and so on....... But ultimately you have to look inside of yourself - you must know YOURSELF first. And like one of my teachers said years ago everyone says they have a plan until they get punched in the face. Just my 3 cents.

When I was taking karate the Myth was - Don't mess with him he's a Black Belt. Just let me put it this way a Black Belt in the 1960's was looked upon being some sort of Superman ( LOL ). Those days are long gone.

Defence against multiple punches? - Attack the attack - don't wait. Just my 3 cents worth.

You advertise by word of mouth - flyers - web page - facebook -local paper - by doing demonstrations - your students sending you students........... Any means. When I kinda went public 4 years ago it was my senior students who pushed - they did the flyers - set up a web page and did facebook. I am very old school and I'm still not comfortable with it. But i'm learning to bend a little (LOL).

"and I believe Gin Foon Mark from Southern Mantis resides in the U.S. " Yes- Gin Foon Mark resides in the US - he is based in Minnesota since 1971.

Hey its been awhile. One of my Kung Fu uncles - 2 or 3 of his students have competed in MMA/UFC competitions and have been successful. However, my Kung FU uncle also teaches Boxing, JKD, Kali, Kickboxing........ Also one of my students with a Wing Chun/Hung Gar background competed in these events. However, he went to a MMA Gym for 4 months before competing. I guess you have to learn the game. And I know of a Wing Chun - Instructor Level individual who competed in the UFC and lost his 1st match and retired.

Nice read - Thanks DWx

I started out in Western Boxing. And had seen some Judo and Karate on TV and Movies. However in 1966 - The Green Hornet TV series with Bruce Lee playing Kato came out and I was hooked. It took 2 years for me to convince my Parents - but in 1968 I left Boxing ( I have a much more appreciation for it now ) and started taking Karate.

Nice post Sensei8 - A good friend of mine in Chicago - a Martial Artist since the age of 8 got a stroke about 3 years ago at age 53 - his whole left side is paralyzed - End of Martial Arts practice and teaching as he knew it. However, he still practices his forms/kata at home. I know of another individual who developed bad knees and completely stopped his practice of Martial Arts. Its up to the individual - some continue their practice with modifications and others just quit. Look I'm 60 years old - I've made some adjustments in my practice - the thing is to find the key to take it into our old age. My classmate who is 86 years old found the key and still teaches privately. My Grand Teacher pushing 87 in a few months - while dealing with heath issues - still gets on the floor correcting students while the seniors teach. We have to make some adjustments. Again - just my 3 cents.

Endurance, Stamina & Body conditioning - I would classify endurance and stamina being the same ( just my 3 cents ). Certain Forms/katas should give you the endurance/stamina & body conditioning - Forms like Sanchin in Goju-ryu and Uechi-ryu - Som Bo Jian in Southern Praying Mantis - Tit Sien in Hung gar etc etc... gives one the endurance and body conditioning - if done with the proper breath and body work. That being said - running, situps, pushups etc........don't hurt either.

Envy / Jealousy / Competition Among Top Students? - It's part of human nature. I tell my students to feed off one another. One of my students is a Mixed Martial Artist - and competed in MMA events - UFC etc. When he first got on my floor only myself and my most Senior student was able to deal with him. My other senior students could either match him or he outmatched my other senior students. I told them all - to put the ego - jealousy aside and use each other to get better - to feed off one another. It's great having the MMA student in my class - he's helped and both he and my other students including myself have profited from the environment that I have set up. At 60 yrs old I am on the floor touching hands with all of my students - It keeps me sharp and I can transmit the Art to them. Sometimes blows do land by accident it part of it - but at 60 yrs of age I don't need a broken nose or missing teeth including my students. If a student(s) gets out of hand and keeps getting out of hand - I will just ask them to leave - and I have thrown students out - and there is no coming back.

I've heard and read stories of individuals been able to defend themselves after only one class or a few classes of self -defense - A poke in the eye ............... Again this is what I've heard and read. There are also many legal issues involved - I'm not an Attorney - and many will say I would rather be judged by 12 then carried by 6. I personally don't like to use the word Self Defense - but that's me. Combative is the word that I like to use - but again that's me and the mind-set of the Kung -Fu that I teach. I teach MA's step by step - the more advanced one becomes the more pressure is put on the individual. Example - a few years back I had this individual come watch a couple of my classes - this person 6.5 feet 300lbs was a NYC Police Officer - Bouncer.............oh he also held an 8th Dan in Karate and 10 years of Judo under his belt. His grip was that I did not have Sparring in my Class. I told him that while I've done my share of Sparring in the past Boxing/Karate- It is not what I teach - but he did not understand what the heck I was talking about. I finally took one of my advanced students - and said to the student - lets show him what we do - and we briefly go at it - and I mean GO AT IT. When we finished I looked at the Big Guy - and the look on his face was priceless. And he says you guys looked like you were actually fighting for real - that's crazy. Then he say's why don't you use protective equipment. I informed the Big Guy that sometimes we do but by using the equipment it kind of takes the edge off. Then the Big Guy say's I not doing that - that's just plain crazy. I informed him he is a long way of doing that type of training. What impressed him more is that we were actually using the art we practice and not just kickboxing - that he took notice of. He joined for awhile but did not have the patience - Jook Lum Mantis is not a easy Fix its a step by step climbing up the ladder kind of thing. example when training the hand - each element of the hand must be trained - each finger - the palm - the edge of the hand - the back of the hand - the wrist and so on...............and herbal medicine must be used - today many of the old ways are being lost - and I understand - Job - Family - Internet......... So the quick fix is in - likes 15 self defense classes will put you on your way - and I guess its better then nothing. Let me stop - like my Wife say's your just going to get yourself in trouble.

Again my 3 cents - My college degree still stands today after 35 years of receiving it. Now can I go in today and pass all my exams? UM -

Look - it is what it is - Human nature and all that......... How many times have you heard " Why can't we get along " Why? because we're Human Being's - that's WHY! Look - I try to stay out of the Politics - And in the last couple of years I've gotten better - refraining from making negative statements about other styles of MA and other Instructor's and Organizations - But my DNA will not permit me to fully refrain from making my comments to my students and close friends concerning the above ( I'm So Ashamed - LOL ) The only thing we can do is try to be better Human Being's - but we've not PERFECT. Again my 3 cents.

DWx says " It's Korean so they called it Korean Karate for simplicity. " Right on point that is what is was advertised in the 1960's in NYC - Korean Karate - and in small lettering Moo Duk kwan, Jidokwan and so on.............

Lineage - IMO is the next link in the chain. To Acknowledge those who came before us - Respect. That being said - we must develop ourselves to uphold that Lineage. We must not only carry on and respect our Lineage - but must uphold and carry on the Skills of the Lineage. Anyway just my 3 cents.

What makes traditional....Traditional? IMO the handing down of,the Arts from generation to generation.

Mark Bishop's - OKINAWAN KARATE ( Teachers, Styles......) is a good read.

For me - it was more the teacher than the style. Aside from my teacher - the Jook Lum Mantis style that I practice - one can take it into their old age. And I've made friends with other Southern Mantis people from around the world - Australia - China - England........

My 3 cents - we have 2 arms 2 legs and 1 head. How many ways can we ...............?

My 1st karate Class - This happened the day before my 1st class - but worth telling ( I think ). I go in to sign up - pay my dues - get my uniform. Then Sensei Urban says " you can start today or tomorrow", then says " maybe you should start tomorrow class is going to start in a few minutes go sit and watch the class today." I go to sit down and this brown belt is fooling around with the Bo Staff - swinging it around. All of a sudden the Staff slips out of his hands flies toward me - and hits me right in the face. Sensei Urban looks at the brown belt ( if looks could k***) then comes over to me - looks at my swollen face - and tells me to follow him back to his office - and gives me an ice pack - then he looks at me with a half smile and says " Geez you have'n't even stated yet and you've gotten hurt " LOL. Just an Omen of things to come.