theswarm

i've heard Okinawan Goju does alot more conditioning than Japanese is this true?

An axe vs a sword one takes direct stabs, the other swings when they both hit you die regardless your martial art is your tool or weapon

When I started crosstraining I decided that there are some huge risks regarding cross training. First of all my experience with crosstraining is 1 year of karate, then on to capoeira If you get into a fight, you don't sit there and choose a block, your arm just moves and you counter - When I block I don't think oh wow i'm gonna do an outside hooking block now, I just move my arm to deflect giving me an opening to attack. Karate to Capoeira to me is doing one straight line rigid, no frills style to a very dancey very visual rhthymic (i can't spell) art, that is more focused on evasion than 'blocking' per se. The idea of dodging stuff I'm finding very useful. I think Karate and Boxing would've worked well too with the ducking and weaving and whatnot.

I've seen Tai Chi masters who could prove you wrong there.

I think it would be street effective I crosstrain in both karate and capoeira my Mestre has been teaching for 21 years - I reckon he could kick many a person's ass. First of all the conditioning strength in the body would help - we condition so much more than karate. Secondly while there are alot of flowery techniques, the 'to the point' techniques and fighting concepts would be the ones you'd be using. capoeira is a very evasive art. anyway I gotta go

i reckon you recognize it by a feeling you get if you feel a bit dodgy about your style/art then find something new

Ok so the silly arguements aside (baghdad bob etc) - your main arguement is that GKR is after money money money. I understand and to some extent believe what you are saying - especially given the marketting techniques. But I DO cross train in another art, and I am very happy with the training I get in GKR.

I just go on toilet breaks and start doing stretches in the toilet, one time someone walked in and I was about 5 inches from the ground in side splits it looked pretty funny.

we only do harder contact amongst senseis and higher level belts usually 3rd kyu and above but i wouldn't say it's full contact as even though we do contact each other we do pull the punches and kicks (although they still hurt)

what's the difference between Kobudo and Kobujutsu then ? I know that sounds like a dumb question, but what would the difference in the lesson be?

just spar with some lower belts - they'll smack you in the face enough times by accident you'll say hmmm maybe i should keep my guard up

i reckon guys might be stronger but girls seem more coordinated and have better reflexes

it depends when you attempt to halt the hold if it's as the hold is taking place a duck and elbow to the groin. The other kind of defence I can think of is as the bear hug has just taken place - kicking your leg back and up to meet their groin - if they're alot taller than you then your best chance is the shin or the knee other than that I can't think of many other options

i've seen some pretty fast haymakers nowhere near as fast as straight punch - but still fast ones nevertheless I like that thing where you grab their shoulder but my personal reaction is always to do an outside hooking block whether it's shuto or otherwise

just free sparring /jiyu kumite and to clarify - when someone uses X technique or X combinations of technique your favourite X technique to counter on, and the way you counter is.... ?

they're not instructors (well not usually) they're seperate while I don't particularly agree with the marketting techniques of my style - it worked on me. If I had've got off my ass I'd have been doing Wing Chun a year earlier though. So they kinda helped me get off my ass.

I've kind've developed a favourite lately, It's not deliberate but as soon as I see a front kick coming I LOVE to put my opponent facing the wrong way and punching their ribs. what's your favourite technique to counter?

I like playing a game of sensei says you get them to do basics and pay attention at the same time

you learn amazing things in capoeira i take both capoeira and karate now and capoeira teaches you some really really great movement and evasion that as someone that's been doing karate I really enjoy what it's doing for my karate. My timing and ability to see my opponent rhythmically has improved and i know this sounds far fetched but that's after one capoeira lesson. The only thing I can actually remember is ginga - and that kick that hooks and sweeps, and I haven't quite managed to work out how to do that kick where you spin around and heel kick them in the head/chest

ta

the only thing i don't like about shotokan is the same thing i dont like about my own style the use of block over recieve block - then strike rather than block/counter (which i said in some other thread also)

lol

i like how chinese arts are parry counterstrike all in one move rather than block - strike

mine is two open hands one in line with my face, the other in line with my solar plexus - palms facing opponent, works good to block surface area and i usually have it long enough to only have to deflect slightly and counterstrike i've come across so many different guards though in sparring

cool what happens when in an art like kobudo they have very sharp weapons like machete, or in kali with the knives, or ninjutsu with the katana - i take it they'd armour up or have to have amazing control to spar without taking out limbs ?