DarthPenguin

don’t know what professors you’ve delt with, but all of mine have actually done the stuff they teach.Same with my gf… Criminal justice majors who have never done anything within the justice system, like law enforcement and such. But teach courses on such subjects as community policing. I think this can tend to happen in accounting as well, and business courses. They never do any actual accounting, or have ever actually run a business, but teach courses on it. I'd slightly modify the statement at the bottom - work wise what i have observed is those who are good at it do it, those who aren't good enough teach it. (the old "those who can do do, those who can't teach" saying). Slight modification i would make is most of those in the business /accounting sphere have done it, but those who weren't very good at it after a few years teach. Myself i'm an actuary and (with a few exceptions) i'd say the same holds true for my profession - we also work with a lot of accountants and general business folk, and from what i have observed the same is true for them. This reminds me of an old debate i have had with friends about football : do you need to have played to a high standard to coach it? I don't think so as it is a different skill set (i point to Jose Mourinho who was an interpreter before becoming a leading coach; Arsene Wenger did economics i think and a few others as examples. In fact most of the 'great' players who went into coaching failed as the players weren't up to their standard. To come back onto topic, the fact that Abernathy openly says he doesn't have much 'real' fight experience doesn't mean he doesn't know the techniques and can't teach them properly. It might mean that in a pressure situation he couldn't personally utilise them but that doesn't mean he can't teach someone else the mechanics. I did have a former coach that would have massively disagreed with me though here : as part of his grading system he wouldn't promote you beyond a certain point unless you could 'demonstrate some real self defence experience'; his solution for this was you had to work the door at a place in Glasgow a friend of his owned for a while. This led to 'practical training' fairly often (total scam of his but thats another story)! There’s a difference between teaching mechanics, and telling people what works in a fight and what works in real life, and what training methods are best. There’s a difference between teaching self defense, and teaching the mechanics of certain movements. Saying that combat sports training or combat sport style training doesn’t work for self defense, is that exact opposite of my fairly extensive experience. The traditional self defense training that was very similar to what Abernathy preaches and what can be found all over various TMA self defense videos did not prepare me for situations where I ended up having to protect myself or others. What did help? Combat sport training, and a self defense drill I haven’t seen replicated any where else. I think we sorta agree. Where we differ is i don't think there is an issue with someone who is a technical expert teaching the techniques but then i do agree to demonstrate that you can apply/use the techniques that you need to have applied them in the most realistic environment possible. I am always quite sceptical of some of the massively complicated 'self defence' things that are taught - in a high pressure situation will you remember "intricate precise combination 15?". In the (thankfully relatively few) times where i have had to use any i always found that i resorted to a straight front or read hand punch; front kick; elbow and (since i am Glaswegian) the head! To produce some of the complicated bunkai sequences in a high pressure, adrenaline rich, self defence situation seems like quite an ask to me! Personal view only and there are plenty of people more skilled than me who maybe can apply these things and have examples of landing a 360degree roundhouse kick in an actual fight!!

don’t know what professors you’ve delt with, but all of mine have actually done the stuff they teach.Same with my gf… Criminal justice majors who have never done anything within the justice system, like law enforcement and such. But teach courses on such subjects as community policing. I think this can tend to happen in accounting as well, and business courses. They never do any actual accounting, or have ever actually run a business, but teach courses on it. I'd slightly modify the statement at the bottom - work wise what i have observed is those who are good at it do it, those who aren't good enough teach it. (the old "those who can do do, those who can't teach" saying). Slight modification i would make is most of those in the business /accounting sphere have done it, but those who weren't very good at it after a few years teach. Myself i'm an actuary and (with a few exceptions) i'd say the same holds true for my profession - we also work with a lot of accountants and general business folk, and from what i have observed the same is true for them. This reminds me of an old debate i have had with friends about football : do you need to have played to a high standard to coach it? I don't think so as it is a different skill set (i point to Jose Mourinho who was an interpreter before becoming a leading coach; Arsene Wenger did economics i think and a few others as examples. In fact most of the 'great' players who went into coaching failed as the players weren't up to their standard. To come back onto topic, the fact that Abernathy openly says he doesn't have much 'real' fight experience doesn't mean he doesn't know the techniques and can't teach them properly. It might mean that in a pressure situation he couldn't personally utilise them but that doesn't mean he can't teach someone else the mechanics. I did have a former coach that would have massively disagreed with me though here : as part of his grading system he wouldn't promote you beyond a certain point unless you could 'demonstrate some real self defence experience'; his solution for this was you had to work the door at a place in Glasgow a friend of his owned for a while. This led to 'practical training' fairly often (total scam of his but thats another story)!

Training for enjoyment can be good for creativity and can also lead to some 'ah ha' moments too. Plus if not enjoying it then, it is a LOT of time to dedicate to something you don't like. You said you have trained for decades, so is there really that much more you can learn for basic self defence that you haven't already covered? (obviously you can still improve but i'm thinking of the 80/20 principle here)

Hi All, I am going to get a new Gi shortly and was wondering what people thought of Isami gi's for Shotokan? I know they have quite a strong Kyokushin following but it looks like their traditional gi is fine for Shotokan. I have a few of their BJJ gi's that i picked up in Tokyo a decade ago and i really like them - soft and extremely well made, so i thought i might go for one of their karate ones next. I did also have a question on the sizing : my BJJ gi's are a size '6' and it looks like they only go up to a size 5 on their website - does anyone know if they do a size 6 in the karate gi's? I saw that all of the gi's are made to order, so if the sizing exists i wouldn't see it being a massive issue. Failing that is there another brand/gi that people would recommend as a similar alternative quality wise (without getting into the realms of £300!) Thanks!

Congratulations!! You've worked hard for it and sounds like you deserve it Now you get to enjoy it for a bit then start working towards that Nidan!

Yeah I have always heard the same thing. The only slight caveat i would put on it is that if your instructor is relatively junior for an instructor ,and as your grade is approaching theirs, there is a (slight) possibility that they may not identify some minor issues that the grading examiner would pick out (am envisaging here a 2nd dan instructor somewhere, student grading for 1st dan with the examiner being an 8th dan master etc.) I've always taken two views on it as a student : 1) my instructor wouldn't let me take the grading unless he/she already knew i was at that level 2) as long as i give my best on that day, then that is all i can control. If i do that then i come out with the grade i deserve for that day @ Aurik : sounds like you will be fine though - the CI wouldn't be wasting his time telling you he thought you had already passed that section if he didn't have confidence in your ability

Somewhat belated response but congratulations. Also great to hear about the recognition of prior training from Master Kim. If things are so similar it makes a lot of sense but you sometimes get people who are very dogmatic and believe "but it wasn't learned from me". Glad to hear that he isn't like that, is a positive sign for the longer haul too - i have always found instructors like that better to learn from as they teach to your ability/skill rather than just blindly following the syllabus. Enjoy (re)learning the new forms for the new belt and best of luck with the training

Definitely. What the coach chooses to teach is especially relevant i think in an art like bjj which doesn't have a strictly defined syllabus. I'm 6'4" and about 225lbs (in American measurements ) and my bjj coach and karate instructor are both about a foot shorteer and probably 50-60lbs lighter. My BJJ coach's preferred techniques will naturally be different to mine (though i think he does a good job of covering a wide range of techniques). For my karate instructor the more rigid syllabus means that at least i get exposed to the required variety of techniques for my grade etc. I do tend to agree with you though that it is likely the specialist discipline training will win out in the end - it already seems to have done tbh

Cheers for the opinions everyone, sounds like it is worth a watch but one to be added to the watch myself whenever i get a chance list (alongside the Boys!). Hopefully they have an episode on where Ralph Macchio found the elixir of youth - he was in his 20s when he made the original film and seems allergic to aging much!

there are a lot of elite level kickboxers in MMA, but i think there needs to be a caveat to that, because modern KB in japan, and the US, comes from karate, and many of those elite level kickboxers are also karateka who spent years training karate, and chose to test that karate via kickboxing.Edit Also to address the sport specific training angle, we’re roughly 30 years into formal MMA’s large scale rise and many MMA gyms are still coaching serious fighters in individual single styles for both striking and grappling, and then combining them, and most fighters still have an individual martial art as a base rather than being ‘pure’ MMA fighters. It’s my opinion that if training ‘pure’ mma were the best method and route to go, we’d see a lot more of that, especially at the higher levels. It doesn’t seem to be the correct approach because it seems to be better to have an area of expertise that’s extremely strong, either in striking or grappling which is kinda hard if you’re training ‘pure’ mma. If you’re a jack of all trades master of bone pure mma type, you might be able to out grapple a high level boxer, kickboxer, nak Muay, etc. but will you be strong enough of a grappler to overcome their striking AND the lie take down defenses? If you’re a jack of all trades you might be able to out strike a high level grappler, but is your striking and takedown defense capable of keeping you on your feet against a high level grappler? The example that always comes to my mind when i think of this is Rory MacDonald. When he was coming through there was always a big deal made that he was the first in a new wave of purely mma trained athletes and they would dominate. Didn't work out that way really. Best example of the training separate styles school of thought i can think of is GSP. He was an excellent Kyokushin Karateka. Wanted to improve his ground game and is now a multiple degree BJJ BB under Danaher. Wanted to improve his wrestling and became so dominant at it that most people erroneously think of him as a wrestler who took up mma. My view has always been that if you learn the art itself in it's "pure" form then you can choose the techniques that work for you to integrate into your personal style. If you, for sake or argument, decide to learn Kyokushin, Greco Roman and BJJ, you can then choose the techniques from each style that you believe complement your style and each other, rather than relying on a coach having the same 'database' of techniques and teaching you them all. Will be interesting to see how things progress over time and if there does end up being a shift to people who have only ever trained mma. Maybe they will use that as their base and then train in individual disciplines to improve on that aspect - eg go train Sambo to work on leg locks etc

Personally it is something that i think has very little actual bearing on my training etc. It is nice to know you are studying something that came from country X, and has been around for ages but it's the effectiveness of the training itself and the instructors that matter to me. As a simple analogy, i am proudly Scottish and the Gracie family are originally from Dumfries and emmigrated to Brazil (we used to get members of the family over regularly since they wanted to learn about their roots and referred to themselves as Scottish-Brazilian). They then were taught a Japanese martial art when in brazil and named it brazilian jiu jitsu. I can't think of anyone who would think of referring to it as Japanese (even though all the core techniques at that time would have been found in Judo) or Scottish (even though the founders were all Scots). Tbh i only refer to it as BJJ rather than just jiu jitsu when conversing with people who are also aware of Japanese jiu jitsu to differentiate it. The country it originated from just doesn't seem really important to me - other than giving a pointer to where a lot of the best practitioners can be found. Same with Karate in my book. Is it Japanese or something else? I'm not really bothered! Do i enjoy my training and believe my instructor (and their lineage) are legit? Yes i do. Thats all i'm really bothered about. Again this is purely a personal view, and probably completely missed the point of the original question!

Congrats, you also get the snazzy belt icon for the month too!

Awesome, glad to hear you are enjoying it. Just remember that bjj is very much an example of playing the long game, you get smashed for years but then gradually you get smashed less and suddenly realise you have become slightly competent (then some brown or black smashes you while having a conversation with someone and you realise how long the path is!) Here's to an awesome next 6mths (and more) on the mats!

The last three episodes could have been retitled "The Cameo of Boba Fett"

They are set in different time periods - Kenobi is set before the original star wars film and the Mandalorian is set after Return of the Jedi, so there shouldn't be any spoilers (with the disclaimer that Kenobi is yet to air!) Personally i found the second season of the Mandalorian better than the first one. Kenobi is an unknown quantity, i want it to be amazing, but i could see it being a disappointment. the upcoming Ahsoka show should be good though - she is one of the best characters in the clone wars cartoons and it will allow them to branch out a little

Anyone else as excited as me about the upcoming show? Slightly disappointed at the look of the grand inquisitor from the trailers (especially since they have done a live action pau'an before in Revenge of the Sith and they looked much better). I'm also curious if it will include a live action debut for Cal Kestis (in case there was any doubt, yes i am a massive star wars geek!)

fingers crossed!!

Please don't laugh at me for the question here but i have to ask, is the show actually any good? I've not seen it yet and have been trying to convince my other half to watch it! With two small kids, professional jobs, training and all the other things that go with life we don't have a huge amount of time to watch things so some delicate negotiation is required and have to find good shows that can both watch. If it is good i can play the "we need to at least watch the first episode card", and as long as a show is good i retain it and can reuse. If it isn't i lose it and might be stuck with an episode of some nonsense like Bridgerton to get it back lol!

Welcome. Sounds like your learning is all about self betterment and a desire to improve, which tbh is the main thing anyway! Best of luck with the learning!

Welcome. Nice to (virtually) meet you!

Best of luck with the testing. Just remember your instructor would not let you grade unless they believed you were ready for it. You are (skill wise) already your new grade, you just need to demonstrate it and be given permission to display the appropriate belt colour!

Viewing it through a business lens the CI has to decide on their business model and what do they want to achieve and what is in their power to control. eg retention, do they want to retain a large student base due to a reputation for excellent training and exacting standards or do they want to retain one due to a reputation for fast progression and a feel good factor? Personally i think the former is more sustainable as if you can get a solid base of long term dedicated students then you keep a solid income stream Some people though find a high turnover of 'transitory' students works for them. They rely on being able to get new faces through the door and seek to maximise the profit available from it. There does seem to be a different perspective on the martials arts as a business idea in the UK though. Discounting boxing gyms, there has never been a massive focus on martial arts teaching being used as a 'job'. People taught from a love of the art and generally sought to recoup their costs for teaching, with a small amount extra. Now we are beginning to see more full time martial arts coaches. Where i live it is mainly a few full time bjj academies, some mma schools, and one taekwondo academy near me, where the instructor has made it their livelihood. I'll be interested to see how things develop over here as things change.

I think the change over time is totally right. I relatively recently returned to karate after many many years away doing other styles and had trained in the 80s/early 90s. When i mention that to people at my current karate class they almost unanimously comment on it being a lot rougher back then (i have to remind myself about the contact requirements all the time whenever i spar!) I have always felt that the contact requirements seemed to be more like a safety valve for people when training. If the rules said minimum contact, we usually always went a lot harder than that with regular training partners, but it meant that if someone was uncomfortable with the level of contact there was a clear mechanism to enforce this. The coach/instructor would just say to watch it - though tbh it was usually obvious and never needed said. Nowadays it seems that the contact rules are taken as gospel and people are less willing to adjust to their (and their partners) preferences. I would like to note that i am in no way advocating for ignoring an instructor's views on how to teach their class. If they want to enforce minimum contact then they are totally entitled to do so and their wishes should be adhered to. We just always had a list of places we could train that would be a little less rigid in that regard, and you could choose to attend there or not as you saw fit. I think it’s just a reality of the modern world. 80s/90s the idea of fighting in general wasn’t viewed as an inherently bad thing, particularly if it’s self defense, so if you came to school or work with a black eye a few friends or something might ask about it but most people would mind their own business. A minor at any age comes to school with a black eye there’s a very real possibility the police are called regardless of what the minor says. For adults black eyes aren’t viewed as professional appearance in most industries these days, so you’re actually putting your professional life at risk, all for a hobby you’re spending money on. Thats a very fair point. I get reminded all the time of the change in attitudes when i give my son the same advice my dad gave me "if someone tries to pick on you, hit them back. Telling the teacher doesn't work, they just flag you as an easy target" and then get reminded by my partner that that isn't allowed at all nowadays! The work thing is a fair point too, i'm an actuary and i have had a lot of funny looks when i attend lunchtime training sessions and come back into the office a bit bruised etc. WFH does help with that though!!

I think the change over time is totally right. I relatively recently returned to karate after many many years away doing other styles and had trained in the 80s/early 90s. When i mention that to people at my current karate class they almost unanimously comment on it being a lot rougher back then (i have to remind myself about the contact requirements all the time whenever i spar!) I have always felt that the contact requirements seemed to be more like a safety valve for people when training. If the rules said minimum contact, we usually always went a lot harder than that with regular training partners, but it meant that if someone was uncomfortable with the level of contact there was a clear mechanism to enforce this. The coach/instructor would just say to watch it - though tbh it was usually obvious and never needed said. Nowadays it seems that the contact rules are taken as gospel and people are less willing to adjust to their (and their partners) preferences. I would like to note that i am in no way advocating for ignoring an instructor's views on how to teach their class. If they want to enforce minimum contact then they are totally entitled to do so and their wishes should be adhered to. We just always had a list of places we could train that would be a little less rigid in that regard, and you could choose to attend there or not as you saw fit.

I'm sorry but i have to object to any hint of referring to Chuck Norris as not being invincible - in the movies sounds like he is not invincible out of them. Pretty sure this is classed as blasphemy!!! (sorry couldn't resist)