Sasori_Te

I think the reverse of what Sevenstar and White Warlock are saying is also true. The reason that many martial artists have their rear-end handed to them in an actual confrontation by an untrained person is mindset. The untrained can be scared and just unload on a trained person. The way most martial arts train doesn't allow for this kind of explosive, all-out, anything goes attack. Free sparring certainly won't do it. Well rounded training will. You need varied drills including "blind" drills to take your reactions to the next level. As far as fighting a professional fighter such as Chuck Liddell or any of those guys, anyone that doesn't train that hard might be (might) in trouble. Thankfully most of us will never know that because these highly trained guys dont usually make a habit of going out and starting trouble. However, I don't usually think too much of an instructor that goes out of their way to tell me how tough he is or how unbeatable their art is. Can you say EGO?! Just my take on things.

I had an aquaintence from a former job that was a Godan in Hayashiha Shito Ryu under Rudy Croswell. He had to know 160 plus katas (including weapons forms) by the time he was a 3rd Dan. I thought that this was a bit extreme. He seemed to love it though. I don't understand the opint of superficially knowing that many kata. He claimed that he knew them all at an in depth level. I had also heard some things about Sensei Croswell that were a bit disturbing. My friend knew about these things and confirmed them. He said that Sensei Croswell was young when they happened and he was the best instructor that he had ever seen. I think he was a little biased*L*.

Point taken. I'm a little jaded by "instructors" that give themselves rank and have absolutely no idea about how to go about teaching a class. I've seen these types of organizations time and time again helping pull the wool over the eyes of trusting students. They don't care what your qualifications are. THey will certify your rank as being whatever you tell them it is. Then they will give you exercises to keep the kiddies, who happen to make up the financial base of most commercial schools happy. It chaps my BUTT! Sorry about the rant.

Torris said his/ her overall goal is to become a master. When exactly does one become a master. Doesn't being a master by definition say that you have learned everything there is to know about your chosen art? I don't personally know any masters, at least not anyone who would give call themself by that title.

You should try to never be angry in a fighting situation. Strong emotion leads down the path of bad judgement.

I don't let students free spar without first engaging in pre-arranged sparring. I think proper distance and timing, as well as proper technique needs to be learned before a student is turned loose, so to speak, to free spar.

Thanks folks. I can always count on you guys for information. I thought it might be something like that. I have an acquaintence that has a member school. I would never consider being a member of an organization like this. I don't understand how a valid instructor would need help with their cirriculum.

Thanks everyone.

Once upon a time, I had rejoined my first instructors class after we reconciled some old differences. I wore my very first heavy weight gi to class. It was fairly old and ragged. We were doing a stretching routine. I bent over to stretch and there was a loud tearing sound. You guessed it. My gi pants ripped right down the back seam. At least I was wearing underwear and not just a strap and cup.

Does anyone have any first hand knowledge about NAPMA (National Association of Professional Martial Artists)? I saw a school advertising belonging to this particular organization. I haven't really been able to find anything on them. I've seen a few things on the net that say very little. I ahve my suspicions about what they represent, but I am interested to see what you good folks think.

Thank you guys. It's nice to be back in the forum. Thanks Cathal, I've checked with those guys. It's not really what I'm looking for. I'm an old time Okinawan stylist. I'm looking at an Isshin Ryu school right now, but it even seems far away from my normal comfort zone. Also I've yet to find a school that I think puts the proper emphasis on kata.

Hey folks, I'm back. I finally got settled into the Cleveland/ Akron area. I'm still looking for a martial arts school here. Help!!

Hello folks, I'm back after a bit of a hiatus. I am now settled into the Cleveland area.

I would personally use some sort of palm "slap" type block. But, the best block to use is the block that works for you. I don't mean to come off like a jerk but martial arts should be very personal to the individual. Not everyone is built the same or has the same reflex timing. So, whatever works best for you is the right block to use, unless of course you are doing pre-arranged sparring and are supposed to be doing a particular block in order to practice its use. In any event your instructor should let you know this.

Drunken Monkey, what is the kenpo way. I thought Kenpo/Kempo meant "fist law" or "fist way". Or are you speaking specifically about Ed Parker's American Kenpo?

I think if you study an internal art then meditation would be more crucial. Not that external arts don't have internal aspects, but it's not nearly as important to develop internal "energy" especially early in the training.

I don't really know anything about Shuai Chiao. I'm open to any good instruction however.

What in the heck is Clevaland-ish??

Does anyone know any good inside info on Cleveland, Ohio? It looks like I'll be moving once again. I'm looking for suggestions or any help on schools there that I might not be able to find on line.

Congratulations! Always keep in mind that the knowledge is more important than any belt. Good luck in the future.

Well, I would agree with all of you. He claims to know bunkai and many oyo techniques for the kata that he studies. He studies or has studied regularly with some fairly noted Asian masters such as Kanei Mabuni (spelling?) and Kenzo Mabuni, Yuichi Kuda, Teruo Hayashi and Toshishiro Obata. I can't say positively whether or not he has studied with all of these individuals but I know for a fact that his instructor has attained high ranking with each of these individuals. Again I stress that high rank doesn't necessarily mean anything in and of itself. My bottom line point is, how can you have any sort of in depth knowledge with that much redundancy rolling around in your head? He said what someone else said earlier, The movements in most of the kata are similar if not the same. The bunkai is the same for these movements. I then asked him again why it's necessary to study so many kata when you admit yourself that the movements in all of them can be found in 15 to 20 kata. He din't have any easy answers for that question. I believe that he said that his instructor was trying to respect all of his teachers by keeping their kata and teachings in tact as they were taught to him. I still think it's too much. But as was also pointed out earlier, what ever floats his boat. It's definitely not for me.

Most of the jobs that I have worked on had clauses in the contract that state something to the effect: If you get into an altercation at work, whether it's your fault or not, you will be terminated along with everyone else involved. Of course, you always have the right to seek legal redress, but that doesn't do you much good if your out of work. After all, you have to pay for a lawyer to help you. Kind of hard to do if you're out of work. You need to decide for yourself how much this job means to you. If you start dropping legal threats to HR, I'm guessing you won't be there much longer, union or not. I know my advice sucks but it's grounded in corporate realism. 3 days is better than being fired out right.

I recently had a discussion with a new colleague of mine. He's a 5th dan in Hayashi Ha Shito Ryu. His dojo practices 119 (that I know of) kata, including weapons forms. How could you ever have anything more than a superficial understanding of the katas and their techniques with this many kata?He knows all of the kata movements and claims to know the bunkai ( I can buy that, maybe ) and the oyo as well. He's only been training 17 years (though up to 20 hours per week on some weeks, by his estimation). I personally think quality over quantity wins out any day of the week. What do you folks think? When I brouth these points up to him, he said that he bet that any of his kata would look better than any of mine. I told him maybe but looking good isn't why I train. Any way, thoughts? Opinions?

Listen to your instructor. You just need more exposure and experience.

I have never heard of a brick on the bottom of a pile shattering. I have heard of them being cracked but have never seen this with my own eyes. As I've said before, most of the breaking that I've seen done used some sort of gimmick to facilitate the break. Note I said most, not all, before anyone gets their panties in a twist.