CredoTe

Did they chirp and tweet all the way out the window?

Yes! Congrats! Way to go!!!

I think I understand your overall idea.... The right tool for the right job every time, yes? To expand that, not just one right tool, but the right set of tools...

Yes, good, simple bunkai/oyo, as you showed, work well.

Absolutely... Whenever training with the masters above me (Okinawans and Westerners, when they're able to visit the U.S.), they never ask about my rank. They ask, "How long have you trained?" And when I tell them, they always respond with, "Show me." YES!! Then I'll add...my favorite saying...Proof is on the floor!!

Absolutely... Whenever training with the masters above me (Okinawans and Westerners, when they're able to visit the U.S.), they never ask about my rank. They ask, "How long have you trained?" And when I tell them, they always respond with, "Show me."

Thank you for the great OP... This has been a great discussion, indeed

I do think it is a smart move, but to borrow from Bob's "Proof is on the Floor", proof will be on the field. Meaning, will the Brownies be able to actually play him correctly? If they are able to, will Johnny "Mr Football" be able to handle it? Overall, I'm cautiously optimistic. Yeah, that's been pretty typical of Brownies team management. IMHO, their ignorance is a significant reason why the team has struggled so much to retain good players and produce a winning season. Right now, we're not even looking for Super Bowl wins. Just build a team that can consistently achieve .500+ seasons. This is also why drafting Johnny seemed so surprising and such a win for the team. We're not used to things like that happening... Nope... We're used to things like this happening (thank you Josh Gordon): http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000348872/article/browns-josh-gordon-faces-potential-suspension http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2014/05/jimmy_haslam_expects_josh_gord.html

*huff-puff-party-kazoo*

Will you have more than 1 adult present? When working with minors of any age, it's good practice to have at least two adults present, even if the 2nd adult is not an instructor (i.e. advanced student helping out, or a parent of a student spectating, etc). This is all for safety's sake (and a little CYA). I know this advice is not necessarily about what or how to teach MA to kids, but will save you a lot of headache in the long run, and the students' parents will appreciate it more than you know.

The Tenshin training/concept we study encompasses these three movement types. In essence, our understanding and methodology that I explained above for Uke is a Westernized, procedural approach to training in the all concepts you mention (timing, control, movement). Why do we do it that way? Because we're Westerners, of course! It's not surprising that their concepts are bunched in threes; their learning process is that way, too... Shu-Ha-Ri You can do tai sabaki without the deflection at times. If you don't have to deflect the attack, counter strike becomes a good option, almost like an intercepting strike. In TKD, sometimes we will block a round kick and counter with a spin side kick. But, if the practitioner gets good at detecting the move, see the round kick coming, many will just spin and counter with the spin side kick, not blocking the round kick at all, just a countermove. Evade doesn't necessarily mean lack of attack. Yes... Tai-Sabaki and the Tenshin I mention are related concepts.

No problem For us, the concept behind the execution of an Uke goes like this: 1. Shime - this is both closing (turtle shelling) and covering your body; the "X" wind up of an Uke begins here. 2. Barai/harai - the off-hand in the "X" wind up of the Uke parries the opponent's attack to provide assured protection and control (if need be) 3. Tenshin - body movement & positioning; this includes moving off your opponent's line of attack. 4. Uke - strikes the opponent in vulnerable target areas. Students learn these concepts like this: > 1 & 4 for beginners for the first few months or more until movements are understood effectively > 1, 3, & 4 for intermediate to advanced students until movements are understood effectively > 1, 2, 3, & 4 for advanced, and must be able to show effective, cohesive movements to attain black belt For #4 above, fill in the Uke with any of the three basic Ukes below: Jodan Uke ("high block") is essentially an elbow strike. Chudan Uke ("chest/middle block") is a closed-fist strike that uses the first two knuckles like a back fist; it's not a back fist, per se, but uses the first two knuckles in a similar manner. Gedan Uke ("low block") is essentially a hammer fist. You may have seen this referred to as a Gedan barai ("low sweep/parry"); the movements are almost the same as Gedan Uke, but is used as a sweep/parry redirect instead of a hammer fist. Once these are understood effectively, you can fill in #4 above with any simultaneous defensive/offensive movements. From: And from: Hmmm... *emoticon-for-chin-scratcher-here* ... That's a "toughie", Bob. If I had to classify our Uke concepts for beginners as "blocking" or "deflecting", I would have to put them under deflecting because the combination of body movement and parrying is redirecting the opponent's attack and using it against them; the end result is to put the opponent in a precarious position of being open and vulnerable, with the Uke used as the initial counter-attack to said vulnerabilities. Bushido_man, very intuitive question Which hand crosses where is important. The hand performing the Uke crosses in front of the hand performing the harai/barai. This may sound strange, but when used with proper Shime, it works quite well. Remember, these movements all move together like cars in a locomotive train; they go in a certain order, but they all move together in one motion. Another factor that I didn't mention before, because it is a concept all of its own, is Gamaku (whole-body power generation, not just hips). Gamaku is factored into everything, from Shime to Tenshin to strike. As for how long we take to teach students the full meaning, in general it takes a little over a year for a student to practice the concepts in the order mentioned above. To recall and expand: Beginners (10th & 9th kyus) practice concepts 1 & 4 together for a few months to gain the basic idea of an Uke, with a few basic but effective bunkai/oyo. As they advance in skill and understanding, students (8th & 7th kyus) practice concepts 1, 3, & 4 together for a few additional months to gain a more fluid understanding of how to use an Uke. Even without the harai/barai, these three concepts together can gain them significant position against opponents. After about a year of training with us, students (6th kyu up) practice concepts 1, 2, 3, & 4 together. We stress test them to ensure that they can use at least one bunkai/oyo from these concepts effectively before becoming advanced students. Black belts must be able to use all four concepts fluidly with several different bunkai/oyo.

No problem For us, the concept behind the execution of an Uke goes like this: 1. Shime - this is both closing (turtle shelling) and covering your body; the "X" wind up of an Uke begins here. 2. Barai/harai - the off-hand in the "X" wind up of the Uke parries the opponent's attack to provide assured protection and control (if need be) 3. Tenshin - body movement & positioning; this includes moving off your opponent's line of attack. 4. Uke - strikes the opponent in vulnerable target areas. Students learn these concepts like this: > 1 & 4 for beginners for the first few months or more until movements are understood effectively > 1, 3, & 4 for intermediate to advanced students until movements are understood effectively > 1, 2, 3, & 4 for advanced, and must be able to show effective, cohesive movements to attain black belt For #4 above, fill in the Uke with any of the three basic Ukes below: Jodan Uke ("high block") is essentially an elbow strike. Chudan Uke ("chest/middle block") is a closed-fist strike that uses the first two knuckles like a back fist; it's not a back fist, per se, but uses the first two knuckles in a similar manner. Gedan Uke ("low block") is essentially a hammer fist. You may have seen this referred to as a Gedan barai ("low sweep/parry"); the movements are almost the same as Gedan Uke, but is used as a sweep/parry redirect instead of a hammer fist. Once these are understood effectively, you can fill in #4 above with any simultaneous defensive/offensive movements.

I tend to agree with ps1 and where he is going with his argument. I have some grappling experience, most of it with the GRACIE course I've taken through LEO training opportunities. I don't think that if I started added in 30 minutes of grappling work in the classes I taught that it would allow me to call what I teach MMA. Nor would it be if I started adding Combat Hapkido into the curriculum. We would be doing multiple styles and working them together, but I would not be training anyone to do a whole lot in an MMA fight. I wouldn't feel right if I started saying that I was teaching MMA. You know seeing that MMA has been around before the label stuck, in one way or another, and it came into its own, ALL MA are MMA. This is what seems to be the argument, and therefore, we've all the right to teach some hybrid of MMA. Shindokan's brand of Tuite, imho, is MMA, considering we're an Okinawan brand of some type or another, and Okinawan MA came from somewhere else first. Borrow, don't borrow, call it what you want, just as long as its effective, and that that effectiveness can be taught. Imho. IMHO, some of the confusion is attributed to whether a given practitioner is mixing arts or combining concepts. This may seem like splitting hairs, but allow me to explain... From previous posts, I think we all have a good idea of what mixing styles entails, and it is true that many "single" arts today are indeed a mix of many arts. However, to show what I mean, let's look at what bushido_man said in the quote above... From bushido_man's quote, he's trained in a "mix" of arts (besides his base TKD). If he shared some of that training with his students, I agree that he wouldn't be training them in "MMA" nor a "mixed art". Rather, he's showing them concepts they can use to enhance their own art; he'd be combining concepts. I'm in slight disagreement with sensei8 when he mentions Tuite. See, rather than a separate art form, Tuite is a set of concepts that provide fighting sense and cohesion when combined with the basics of Okinawan karate. It's not a separate MA from Okinawan karate, it's part of the same art; again, combining concepts. For myself, when I train with my Ti instructor, I'm not really learning a separate art. I'm infusing my Shorin-Ryu with a set of concepts that were meant to be a part of it from the beginning. Ti is a set of concepts, not a separate art, and doesn't make my art an "MMA" nor a "mixed art" at all...

"Best block, no be there..." Absolutely... To clarify what we do, from: and from: These two quotes best illustrate the basis for how we train to receive an attack. First, we don't train to directly "block" with the arm executing the Uke. We combine Tenshin (body movement/positioning) and Shime (to close, i.e. "turtle shelling", includes covering with arms/hands) with a harai/barai (i.e. parry, check, etc) while executing the Uke. The Tenshin is both evasion and positioning for counter-attack in one motion; the Shime provides cover to our bodies, a parry and control with one hand (the harai/barai), and in-motion preparation for the Uke with the other. During Shime, in order to cover, parry, and prep for Uke, the arms usually make an "X"-like shape across the body, referred to as a kosa. When the Uke subsequently is executed, it is a strike. In the case of a Jodan Age-Uke (usually shortened to Jodan Uke, "high block"), we strike with the lower part of the forearm where the elbow is; it is essentially an elbow strike. So, for us, an Uke is neither just a "block" nor just a "deflection". We use evasion with positioning to rob the attack, a deflection (harai/barai) to ensure protection and control, and a strike (the Uke), all together. As JZ mentioned, lots of covering the body to protect/"turtle shell" ourselves, with modifying the trajectory of the opponent's attack, and then sudden powerful impact against vulnerable target points.

Welcome to KF, glad you made us a part of your journey...

Welcome to KF! How's things in Augusta? I spent a few years there as an engineer stationed at the IP mill... It still stinkin' the place up like usual? Also, if I remember correctly, ya'll are buried under the annual yellow-green pine pollen about this time, yes..?

Yeah! I'm experiencing that right, now, actually. We have a student that's been a dedicated, take-the-bull-by-the-horns practitioner since he started years ago. He reached 1st kyu over a year ago, meaning his time-in-grade has been surpassed to be eligible for the Shodan test. However, ever since he make 1st kyu, his dedication has dropped like a stone... For the life of me, I can't figure it out. He has some personal issues to work out, but so does everybody... I've tried to approach him about it, but I just can't seem to put a finger on it... The longer he languishes, the longer his Shodan test will be pushed back. I hope he doesn't just sit on brown belt row for a while and then leave...

Whoa... Great video piece...

Congratulations! Very much earned!

Being as this was posted about a year ago, ill give you an updated...as I became more versed in Shotokan, i've started to successfully be able to implement the techniques, it took a lot of work to get out my comfort zone, but it's been worth it. I've learned so much more, for both MMA striking and kickboxing, it's helped my left handed game (i'm a righty) significantly, and it's made me fall in love with martial arts all over again. What you said about the it taking awhile for the fruits of my work to be enjoyed, you were spot on it...it did take me a while, but it's been so worth it. My mind has been opened now to so many things now, it's been quite a great journey! This is what I'm talking about, I'm so very proud of your progress. The great thing about that is that, there's so much more ahead in your MA training. I'm glad that you see that the "blocking" is actually a deflection, no matter the core, imho!! I'm glad that I was able to help you; it's my honor!! Now, you go rock and roll and you train HARD!! Yes! The fruits of training hard and "Ah HA!" moments!

It is essentially the same for us in Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu). Pretty much any part of the body that's a target from the stomach downwards are our prime targets for kicks. When we do practice high kicks, it's more for development of balance and body control than for practical use. ^^^This!^^^ This doesn't surprise be because the three of us are related through the styles that we're training in.

No, hojo undo is not exclusively Goju, although they seem to have popularized it. Many of the Okinawan arts do them. Think of hojo undo as strength and conditioning training of it's time. Agreed. Also, in the modern sense, Hojo Undo can be any sort of exercise that involves strength training and conditioning. This is especially important for dojos that have limited resources and cannot do the old/traditional Hojo Undo exercises because they don't have the tools (chishi, nagiri, etc) or the knowledge to use them. Modern exercise equipment is a good substitute and accomplishes close to the same thing.

It is essentially the same for us in Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu). Pretty much any part of the body that's a target from the stomach downwards are our prime targets for kicks. When we do practice high kicks, it's more for development of balance and body control than for practical use.

Absolutely... Great post I continually remind my students that they must have a clear purpose in mind for their training, for their being in class, so that they're not there "just to do it"...