SBN Doug

Granted, the number of techniques is not staggering. And, while the form is one of the longer ones before black, it's not a super difficult one either. However, if you visit some of the schools in the Houston area, where I started, you'll see that they follow many of the rules by the letter. One is that, for the most part, students aren't allowed to test any more frequently than every 3 months. And, they are expected to have most of the Korean terminology for what they know so far, all the falling, the 18 basic strikes, all the basic kicks, and all the proper etiquet down by your yellow belt. Also, with the average student going twice a week, one day is usually forms and falling (sparring once they're yellow) and the other day techniques and assorted other training, they normally only pick up a couple new techniques a week. That equates to over two and a half months IF they never missed a class AND they picked it up AND retained it right away. Suffice to say, if you're in a smaller class atmosphere, esspecially considering you have a master there, consider yourself fortunate to be getting the material at a little of an accelerated pace. If you ever have to move, be prepared to demonstrate your Patience & Perseverance.

A formal welcome tessone. KSW incorporated just enough of the TKD like kicks into a majority of Hapkido like throwing/locking/pressure point techniques for me. I've been totally addicted ever since. I've had to drive an hour each way every Friday to continue my training over the last three years since I moved to CT. I still won't change.

Hiya, take it from someone who was first man on the varsity golf team since I was a junior in high school. It is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to get a golf scholarship at a GOOD university. There are not many to go around, and you have to be fantastic. If you want a better way to get a scholarship, get into the fine arts. There are usually a lot more available for the department to give out, and a lot easier to obtain. You still have to be VERY good, but not on the same level as golf. Then, after band or choir practice, you head over to the gym for martial arts practice. :up:

Typically, if the student is brand new to KSW, it will take them 4-6 months to get a yellow belt. Yellow belt is the "standard" for starting sparring in KSW. The variation in this type of policy varies in direct proportion to the distance that school is from the Grandmaster's headquarters. For example, the tourneyments that used to go on at West Point, when there was a school there under Master Sims, allowed take-downs and went a full 3 minutes without stopping (recording points for each clean technique landed or takedown). I loved those rules. I don't personnaly like the "point-stop" sparring.

We start off out about 6 months. We start newbees with no contact to get them to develop the ability to use cominations, keep their guard up, move in circles, etc. Also, no contact rules usually turn into light contact by accident. We then step it up to light contact after they have their basics, which inevitably turns into medium contact in the heat of the moment. We don't wear chest bads, so we try and stay away from full contact. However, the same as Ti-Kwon-Leap, we train on heavy bags for the full contact delivery of the technique.

Yeah, but how much of the "americanized" chinese food is REALLY chinese food? I kind of doubt they smother a battered, deepfried piece of meat in a thick sweet sauce. Otherwise, they would have the same weight problem the "average" american does.

First I'll state that if I had the time to grab a rope, take off my jacket, or anything else to aid in defense I would. However, the situation here, as I understand it, is that you have no time to do anything but react. For the downward stabbing motion, that I laughed my butt off watching Jim Carey try and teach on a In Living Color skit, we have four "basic" defenses. All include basically what YODA described. We basically step in and block fore arm to fore arm. Simultaneously, we either: when bloking with right, left arm wraps behind his elbow (in the bend) and grabs our right forearm. Take another step forward, locking the arm backwards, and take them down. Pry/break the arm until the knife drops. same as above, but blocking with the left. block with right, countergrab wrist, lock elbow out stright to right as you step in behind elbow. Either "chicken wing" your elbow over theirs and drop them, breaking the arm or dislocating the shoulder, and get knife to drop from grip, OR knife hand to the pressure point just above the elbow, forcing them to the ground. Replace hand behind elbow with knee and pry/break arm to get knife released. We build on these at higher levels, but I agree with YODA about posting too much on these boards.

Few, I try and do a little yard work over the weekend and suddenly I find myself way behind on a topic I had been waiting weeks to get going again. :lol: YODA, I'm not totally sure which exact motion his arm is making by your description. Is he coming downward with a diagonal stab, or upward with a diagonal slice? We've got a few options for each, so I'll wait for clarification.

With the description you gave, I would choose the traditional Hapkido. Then again, since I study Kuk Sool Won, I might be a little bias toward the traditional Hapkido.

TKD, Point taken about the UN. But I said I would "LIKE" it that way. Didn't say it would ever happen. :lol:

I've never heard of the "combat" one, sorry.

I've only worked out while sick twice. Both times I had a slight fever (NO NAUSEA), and when I came out my fever was gone. But boy did I suffer while I was there. I guess you could say I did what Sai suggested. I was a little ill, but knew I could do it with a little extra determination. If I had been any worse off, I wouldn't have gone.

Notice I said "some". Personally, I always thought of that as grappling as well. I think if you stick to asking how much grappling is in an art, and not classifying an art as a grappling art (aside from Ju Jitsu and wresling) then you're on solid ground with everyone.

Hey, don't you guys start them thinking rednecks are only in the south. I've seen more rednecks up here in CT than I did in even the small towns of south Texas. I was pleased initially, but I think it's time to get out. On the other fronts, I would prefer to see UN troops start taking on more of these issues, and stop our government from playing world police officers. If we keep getting viewed as THE nation getting in everybody's business, regardless of who are our partners, we'll keep being the focus of these fanatic's hate propoganda. Just one opinion out of billions, of course

Aaaannnnndddd waiting!

Hapkido would probably compliment a Muay Thai practitioner very well. The pure striking of MT and the more heavy influence of joint locks, breaks, and throws in Hapkido would round you nicely. Hapkido does still have kicks, hand strikes, elbows, etc. As your question infered, it does also teach some weapons, but I'm not sure at what level. It's better known, but about as available as my art (Kuk Sool Won), which is closely related to Hapkido. If you can find a school of either near by, I highly recommend watching either one for a better idea.

karatekid1975, What's "step sparring"???

ZR440 :up: However, KSW is still light on ground fighting. Taikudo-ka, some would disagree that some of the arts you describe (standing joint manipulations, arm bars, etc.) should be classified as "grappling" arts. Grappling is usually used to describe an art that takes you to the ground, close quarters, and manuvers into position to execute some of those moves. Ju Jitsu and BJJ are excellent examples. Aikido, Hapkido, KSW, etc. are not usually classified as a grappling art, even though I've always thought of them as having a focus in that area.

My deepest appologies. I set out to drop the kids off at the grandparents over the weekend. I didn't see the challenge until Monday morning. Feel free tho eliminate me if so desired.

tigerstyle18, How much time are you assuming we dedicate to this aspect of training? I'm not sure about other styles, but we have about an extra 30 min. at the end of each test where we do breaking. There is no "breaking practice" during class. We practice our punching and kicking in the air, and on heavy bags. the breaking at the test is exactly that, testing how good our technique is. We also dedicate at least 1 1/2 hours a week for sparring. I don't see the conflict in time.

Shhhhhhh! You're not suposed to let them know that! And as a response to that age old cliche: True, the board doesn't hit back. However, if you have practiced you techniques to a point where you can go through a number of boards with little effort, then when you use it on an attacker, they won't hit back either.

LOL, what a small world, uh internet. Mine is from the Sistersville area. They live in St. Marys now. His brothers are on both sides of the river as well.

I would say Tae Kwon Do. Would you feel more comfortable in the organization that focuses on defense, or sport? Check some threads in the "Korean Martial Arts" section for more info.

Sorry, My dad's from there, and they just recently moved back to be near his brothers, but I only get there for an occational visit.

Yeah, but don't the look spiffy in those jackets and helmets? Aren't they supposed to be able to still sip their tee while riding? Seriously, I always thought they were using those dogs as wee do in the states, to just flush out the quarry. Then the hunters would get the fox. I'll never watch Marry Poppins the same again.