JR 137

A local library used to have it. I checked it out, tried to find a copy to no avail, and returned it. The library has "lost" it. It's an excellent book, perhaps the best book on techniques that I've seen. Not worth the price it's commanding if you're not a collector though. If you're a collector or a Kyokushin die-hard, that's a whole other ball of wax.

When I played football, our coaches would have us run while holding potato chips between our thumb and index finger for a 100 yd dash. Whoever had broken chips had to do it again. And again. Adapting it to MA, maybe hold the chips while throwing modified punches and kicks. Maybe hold raw eggs. Usually if you can relax your hands, the rest will follow. Try it and report back. I'd like some feedback it it actually worked or not.

Seems as though Rener Gracie & co. feel as though their licensed teachers should be like robots, teaching exactly what they're told to teach, when they're told, and how they're told. A student of mine one day said that teaching is easy, as all the teacher has to do is read off a PowerPoint display (I teach middle school science and use PowerPoint presentations that I created for the lecture end of class). I reminded him that I created the presentations, not someone else; I emphasized what I felt important, and cut down on/eliminated what wasn't necessary; and I came up with my own real-world applications of the material. Furthermore, if I simply read off someone else's presentation without knowing anything about the material, how could I ever answer a question? Teaching is regurgitating memorized information; it's making sense of the information and installing a functional knowledge of it to your students. Gracie & co. saying he's teaching modules that they designed exactly as they've designed them is a complete cop-out IMO. Saying they taught him how to teach isn't enough. He needs to be well ahead of his students, to the point where what he's teaching them is elementary compared to what he knows. He needs to have all the answers, and from personal experience, within reason. No one has every answer, but let's be serious. Someone who's taken a 6 or 12 week course on an art and how to teach is doesn't know squat, regardless of age. Being 16 makes it that much worse, especially when he doesn't have anyone immediately available with any experience. A phone call or email isn't immediately available. Ever hear of GKR? Only difference here is they didn't give him a black belt with a white stripe through it. If you haven't heard of it, Go Kan Ryu (GKR) is a "karate school" that takes people after their second or third belt level and makes them instructors in new markets. At least the Gracies didn't give him a costume belt to wear.

At the end of the day, is it even possible to create an entirely new style? Somebody somewhere has already done practically everything, and everything's just a new spin on what's been done before. Unless someone figures out how to hover/levitate unassisted while shooting laser beams out of their eyes, then it's all been done before. Wait, isn't there a character in the Tekken series games who does this? To the bold type above... "I do not teach, you know, Karate, because I do not believe in styles anymore. I mean, I do not believe that there is such a thing as, like, a Chinese way of fighting or a Japanese way of fighting...or whatever way of fighting, because unless a human has three arms and four legs, there can be no different forms of fighting. But, basically, we only have two hands and two feet. So styles tend to, not only separate man because they have their own doctrines and the doctrine became the gospel truth that you cannot change! But if you do not have styles, if you just say, "Here I am as a human being, how can I express myself totally and completely?"...now that way, you won't create a style because style is a crystallization. That way is a process of continuing growth." ~Bruce Lee Just thought that I'd throw this out for all to chew on. That's what I was talking about, yet Bruce Lee said it far better. Every "new style" is really just a spinoff of a previous one. Why does Brazilian jujitsu look and "act"so much different than karate? Same reason why eagles look and act so much different than humans - evolution and adaptation. Realistically speaking, there are no new techniques out there being developed; there are may be new methods of delivering them - application, curriculum, theories behind them, names, etc., but there are truly no completely new techniques out there. If I were to start my own system by incorporating boxing punches, karate open hand strikes, judo throws, wrestling takedowns, BJJ ground techniques, and the Muay Thai clinch (including MT strikes during the clinch), would it truly be anything new? The only new stuff would be the curriculum and order I taught, and the name of the "style." Maybe I'm way off base here. A kick is just a kick, a punch is just a punch, etc.

At the end of the day, is it even possible to create an entirely new style? Somebody somewhere has already done practically everything, and everything's just a new spin on what's been done before. Unless someone figures out how to hover/levitate unassisted while shooting laser beams out of their eyes, then it's all been done before. Wait, isn't there a character in the Tekken series games who does this?

A former close co-worker and friend trained at one of the Gracies' schools. His CI was a purple belt. The CI was also in his mid/late 30s and held a dan rank in judo and karate. However, the policy was only a black belt could promote students; they had to wait for a designated person from their organization to come in and test everyone. I may be way off, but promotion seemed more competition based than anything else, and was quite informal. I think they watched them work out, compete against each other, and ranked them where they saw fit. That's how it seemed by his description without me asking a bunch of questions anyway. Not sure which Gracie's system it was, as there's several; I think they're all pretty close in policies though. I have no problem with a competent assistant instructor of this age, because they're being overseen and aren't making administrative decisions. A CI of this age, regardless of rank, MA experience and resume is a whole other story. I wouldn't go to a 14 year old's school even if they were Oyama's, Funakoshi's, Miyagi's, et al's former uchideshi. Everyone's entitled to spend their money and time as they wish, in opening a business, and being a customer. I genuinely wish him and his students all the best. Just because it's not for me doesn't mean it's not for anyone else. Seems like a publicity stunt and/or a way to open up a school in an untapped market (no pun intended) for the Gracies.

Like every other technique - depends on the target, angle, where I am in relation to my opponent, what opening(s) he's left me, etc. If a punch was better than every other hand technique in every single instance, no one would train using it.

I think a Gracie black belt takes something like 10 years to achieve. I've heard of purple belts opening their own schools. Those were all adults though. The market will determine if a 16 year old should open their own school, I guess. I'm assuming it's actually owned and operated by an adult. Forget MA stuff for a second; how's a 16 year old supposed to sign legal contracts? If someone gets hurt and sues, is a 16 year old legally liable? I'd have strong issues with it even if it wasn't an MA school. Adding MA to it makes it worse. Not my business, not my problem (no pun intended). I wouldn't train there, let alone send my kids. Wouldn't matter now good the instruction theoretically was.

We use it mostly before class. There is a class of using proper technique to the bags as an actual dummy of sorts. Other times when we had a few kids we used freestanding as kind of a "fun time" for the kid to keep interest type things. I wish we had more time and could put a regular time for using the bags. I personally like using them to work on proper technique and actually hitting something. Yet I am weird. For now they are every so often class time (after kihon, kata, and kumite or in place of kumite). I'm kind of mixed on whether I want to hit a heavy bag or not during class (not counting a formal/scheduled conditioning class). I don't go to the dojo to "workout." Yes, I get a good workout through kumite, kihon, etc., but I go to learn. I wouldn't join a dojo that did a lot of cardio or even strengthening stuff. I want to learn. I'd join a group exercise class like Crossfit if I wanted the group workout. I look at it as class time is learning time, and open floor time can be hitting a bag time. Maybe I'm just weird. I have no problem with anyone thinking differently than I do. I'm with you JR, our dojo is a high school gym, we (our karate club) have a heavy bag there, but it doesn't get used during class, maybe a play around beforehand while waiting for everyone to finish their stretching. I have my own at home for those sorts of sessions. I feel like I explained that wrong. We only do this once in a blue moon. I was just trying to explain what we do when we use it. My sense is like you guys that believes mostly in the 3 k's of martial arts. We honestly do the basics streches, some basic pe level pushups/situps/etc for warmup and kihon and kata and kumite make up most the class time at this time. As for the use in class I personally think it should be done a little more than my dojo does. I personally have found that working out is part of what I consider my way of karate. To improve ones mind (kata, kihon, sparing) and body(working out, kata, Kihon, Sparing). Sorry for any misspellings its been a long night. I do love seeing everyone reasons for why so I can completely understand Jr. Also I personally don't believe anyone is truely normal. That would make the world a boring place I feel like I said personally to much sorry. Just trying to say that its in my opinion and I am tired. I knew what you meant, liger. Didn't explain it wrong at all. I was just making a general statement/question, not directed at anyone specifically.

Find a place that doesn't conflict with family commitments, and train! It's easier said than done, but once you get into a rythym/set schedule, it's not so bad. I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old. My blood pressure was going up, my weight was going up, and my stress was going up. Had to break the cycle the best way I knew how. I was away for almost 15 years, and missed it every day. Now that I'm back and in a routine - 2 nights per week, no excuses- I feel so much better. It's the only thing I have that takes my mind off of everything. Job stress doesn't cross my mind when someone's throwing a kick at my head. Telling the kids the same thing 100 times and them still not listening doesn't cross my mind when someone's throwing a punch at me, and on and on. I try to stick to the same 2 days every week, but I've got to change them every now and then due to family stuff. But I still go twice a week. There's a ton of excuses to not train. Once you're in a routine, the excuses will stop. Please don't interpret that as me being harsh, a jerk, etc. I say it all in a positive way. It's not as hard as I thought it would be. You make time for everyone else; make sure you make time for yourself too!

Which bag are you referring to? Kind of reminded me of the Right Guard commercials in the 80s - "Anything less would be uncivilized." Sorry, I'm slow...but I don't understand the question...trust me...it's me, NOT you!! I think he's asking what brand of bag is it that have that you like so much? I was asking which one he DIDN'T like so much. I think it was Outslayer.

We use it mostly before class. There is a class of using proper technique to the bags as an actual dummy of sorts. Other times when we had a few kids we used freestanding as kind of a "fun time" for the kid to keep interest type things. I wish we had more time and could put a regular time for using the bags. I personally like using them to work on proper technique and actually hitting something. Yet I am weird. For now they are every so often class time (after kihon, kata, and kumite or in place of kumite). I'm kind of mixed on whether I want to hit a heavy bag or not during class (not counting a formal/scheduled conditioning class). I don't go to the dojo to "workout." Yes, I get a good workout through kumite, kihon, etc., but I go to learn. I wouldn't join a dojo that did a lot of cardio or even strengthening stuff. I want to learn. I'd join a group exercise class like Crossfit if I wanted the group workout. I look at it as class time is learning time, and open floor time can be hitting a bag time. Maybe I'm just weird. I have no problem with anyone thinking differently than I do.

That Everlast cardio bag was firmer than anything else there, minus a bag that had settled and had spots that were like concrete. I kept wondering why it had cardio written on it. Maybe because it wasn't 100 + lbs? What do you hang a 500 lb bag from, a crane? On another note, it should be very easy to hang a bag in my basement. I've got 2 4x6 (possibly bigger) beams that run the length of the basement and have several spots where I can wrap a hanger strap all the way around it, thereby not having to drill and screw in a hanger. Got the perfect spot all picked out. Maybe I can put my Total Gym down there too and make Chuck Norris proud. The waiting game begins...

Our dojo is bare bones. 1 heavy bag, a few large rectangular striking pads (don't know what they're called), some food away mats, and a bunch of weapons. To quote my CI, "we're a small club." I haven't seen anyone hit the heavy bag, other than my CI when I'm the first one in before the first class. Not sure if the advanced classes use it or not. But I've always wondered when I see pics of dojos with heavy bags - do you hit them during normal class times, are there specific scheduled classes that focus on them, such as a conditioning class, or are they only used during open floor times? My old dojo had a heavy bag that we could hit during open floor times. Never used it during formal classes during the six years I was there. Same for the freestanding bags, but we'd use them in a specific conditioning class where there wasn't much instruction; it was kind of like (I hate to say it!) cardio karate class, only we'd strike much harder, not at such a fast pace, and do specific kumite stuff. Gotta get my own heavy bag.

If I started my own style, I'd wear a black belt. No dan stripes on it, no dan level certificate. I'd "let" my students rank me after I was dead. I figure after I'm dead, it won't make any difference to me, only them. Then again, Sosai JR of JR Kwon Do (ripoff of Rex Kwon Do) has a nice ring to it. If Oyama's title was Sosai, why should mine be any different? Now back to reality... Then again, who ranked these living legends, recently deceased legends, and the founders anyway? I guess if you've got the status of a guy like Fumio Demura, Mas Oyama, Joko Ninomiya or the like, no one's going to criticize your self promotion. Did anyone have the guts to ask Oyama who promoted him to 9th dan when he was alive?

Thanks a lot for the insight. Much appreciated.

What are the chances? Is it like that to keep it out of the way when not in use, or do you hit it like that sometimes? Primarily to keep it out of the way, but I do occasionally hit it that way I thought up a bunch of potentially great bobbing and weaving drills with it that way. It's all about being creative. Now the clown downstairs has to get his junk out of there!

Heresy!!!!! I kid.

Which bag are you referring to? Kind of reminded me of the Right Guard commercials in the 80s - "Anything less would be uncivilized." Sorry, I'm slow...but I don't understand the question...trust me...it's me, NOT you!! Which punching bag were you referring to? The Outslayer Muay Thai bag, the body bag, or the Everlast cardio heavy bag? I think you meant an Outslayer bag, but I wasn't sure. If it wasn't dense enough, they can reportedly be filled up to 300 lbs, by you or the company.

What are the chances? Is it like that to keep it out of the way when not in use, or do you hit it like that sometimes?

The swords were $3 a piece. Bought 2, then the next time I was at that store I had to buy another one so the 3 of us can go at it together. Fending off a 2 year old and a 4 year old at the same time with the foam swords isn't as easy at it seems lol.

Kyokushin and especially Enshin don't have a big web/advertising presence for some reason. Mane because they get tired of people coming in, seeing that it's not light contact and leaving. You've got to look for them, they don't come looking for you. Perhaps email the Enshin honbu or other dojo and ask if there's anyone remotely close to you?

Pool noodles should work pretty good. The thing I bought was an impulse purchase. It's a lot softer and bigger. I wouldn't have paid the regular $15 price for it, but half off called my name. We also bought some foam samuari swords a while back. The 3 of us have a lot of fun with those.

The blind spot isn't a static/non-moving spot. From what I understand of it, it's that "defenseless pocket" that I think Bruce Lee called it. It's basically getting to the outside where they miss/overswing, haven't recovered yet, and you're free to blast away at their side. I'm not an Enshin student, so take it with a grain of salt. That's my interpretation.

The first rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club.