Shorin Ryuu

Many traditional Japanese arts (Note: Japanese, not Okinawan) started out this way, since it was a way for samurai to fight with little or no weapons, in case they were damaged or lost in a fight. Take jujitsu, for example. The huge emphasis was on taking down the opponent or disabling them enough to stab them and this method was used because they often wore armor. It is hard to punch through armor, or so I'm told...Later, as with most all traditional Japanese fighting arts, its focus shifted more towards tournament training or self-improvement. That wasn't the point of this post though, I was just saying that a lot of the traditional Japanese arts started this way as well. Hehe, like combative swimming (I didn't think it was an art till I read about it).

I haven't seen that...what happens?

I've had a guitar for five years...never really learned how to play it... *is ashamed*

I like the altitude (7,258 ft. or 2,212 meters). It makes the air nice and clean and fun for training...When I was a survival instructor for three weeks this summer, we went to a national park where the altitude was 9,500 ft. That was a lot of fun.

I wear a white gi...just because... I do wash it frequently, just because it is harder to ventilate in a not-washed-in-a-long-time gi.

I agree with Kirves on this one. In the old days especially, people would go around and train with many different masters and many different styles. Many of the older masters have expressed regret that everything has be delineated into styles nowadays. Most all teachers I have encountered suscribe to the philosophy that every style has something to offer.

I'm studying Japanese, so I watch anime. (Translation: I'm an anime geek) I'm in my church choir, so that takes up some time here and there. Maybe this is related to training, but I do a lot of reading on karate history and things like that, as well as just asian history (I'm majoring in both Political Science and Foreign Area Studies with an emphasis on Asia so I do a lot of that for my major as well). As a result, my school often sends me to conferences and things both here in the states and overseas (only a couple of times). Hmm, what else...hang out with friends at our campus bar. I don't really drink, but there's lots of fun things to do there...pool tables, shuffleboard...?...movies...etc. I'm not too big about the whole college party scene. I try to take care of my bonsai tree, with varying results. I'm going to try to shoot my m-9 pistol when i have time, but i haven't had a chance to do so since I got it. Thats about it.

I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado USA. http://www.coloradosprings.com/home.jsp

I've seen this move taught in many traditional martial arts circles. It isn't like it is a brand new thing...

Yeah, they call those "people"

Enjoy your time here...it certainly can be quite interesting.

I'm sure it isn't meant to fulfill all of your training needs, but serves as an interesting tool for openings and things. I wouldn't mind having one, just to see how hard and fast I hit.

Lol. Chiishi or chikaraishi is what I knew these as. At first, I was very confused... Chikara=power ishi=stone

Hmm. My school and dorm is on the side of a mountain...

I try to be chivalrous to men and women. Meaning, I try to be nice to everyone. It just makes life easier for me and others. I usually try to think of three things I can do a week to make people's lives easier, and then do them. I used to try to do it everyday, but I would always slip up and forget...

Lol, don't worry fireka, I'm sure there will be something for us to do next year. There are always people out there to catch. I plan to do OSI for the Air Force (don't find out till February though) and that also deals with counter-terrorism. If I don't get that, I know I can get myself an intelligence slot.

I'm fortunate. I train at my university club and get great instruction for free. The instructor has a dojo in the city, but he teaches at my school because he wants to spread awareness of traditional arts.

As someone mentioned, they studied Kyushojitsu, and pressure point theory is the basis for all of this. If you study traditional Okinawan karate, all of their advanced techniques are based on pressure point manipulation. I'm sure there are many chinese styles that are as well, since a lot of this came from China, I just don't know them as well. Some people have done more valid research on this topic than others. I admit, there are many crackpot books out there. George Dillman has done extensive research on this, combining medical studies and martial arts studies and has written several good books for this. It has been scientifically proven that hitting pressure points in one part of the body makes others much more effective and vulnerable. When you fight, you may not necessarily think about hitting gall bladder 20 on the base of the neck, or maybe you will. That is why it takes a long time to master techniques. Reducing it to punching and kicking real fast turns it into a strength contest. Implementing things like pressure points allows weaker opponents to take down stronger ones. All in all, you won't be strong forever. Training to be more efficient in addition to strength is what will make martial arts a lifetime skill. In terms of just pointing out traditional weak spots in the body, it helps to understand the true theory behind everything. Sure, a wrist lock is a wrist lock, but employing pressure points in the proper way makes the technique so much more effective. Many techniques are taught without pressure point manipulation, and it is not until later that the more advanced student learns what is really behind it. Plus, different pressure points require different methods of striking at different angles. Now, as complicated as this is, why do you think there is so much stressing on accuracy of kata and form in traditional arts? Because they concealed many pressure point techniques for different situations. Kata is just an easier way to remember them rather than just looking at a book. Delayed death touches are really more the result of a pressure point strike or vital point damage that causes a blood clot or some disorder in the body that affects the opponent's health, either in a few days or a few years. Back when medical technology was not up to the modern level, these strikes seemed mysterious indeed. Nowadays, they can be treated. The danger of these techniques are perhaps one reason why there was so much secrecy behind the arts. You don't want to give any joe schmoe off the street a machine gun. Likewise, you didn't want to let just anybody know these techniques. Blah, blah, blah...i could go on for much longer, but you get the point.

Wow, that looks interesting though.

I'm usually very calm and collected. I do try to use strategies and tactics. I understand that many moves have to be fast reflexes, but this whole "zen and the martial arts" thing is sometimes overrated, in my opinion. I think it is important to actually realize what you are doing rather than just rushing in and doing whatever. This doesn't mean that every move I make I contemplate over for a long time or at all, but I follow concepts, analyze my opponent, etc.

I felt the same way...

dragon ball...heheh, i suppose its good if you are 10 years old...lol. Still, kinda fun in a juvenile way, maybe. It just got old, in my opinion. (Once again, the Japanese version was what I saw) G-force...Gatchaman (I've only really seen the Japanese version) was a classic though. I had the misfortune of seeing the US version too...it was kinda bad...

No, more like this: Math 243. Calculus III. Multivariate calculus, including vector functions, partial differentiation, directional derivatives, line integrals, and multiple integration. Maxima and minima in multiple dimensions and the method of Lagrange Multipliers. Solid analytical geometry to include lines, planes, and surfaces in 3-space.

I used to play the piano back in the day...and the trumpet...but not anymore. I sing in choir though.

I dunno, there's something less appetizing about eating a big slice of kansas in the morning then there is about fresh pancakes. I'm sticking with pancakes.