White Warlock

The continuing debate seems to be mostly about semantics. Just to touch upon what i mentioned earlier, and what seems to be the contention ovine king is presenting, blindfold practice doesn't increase your senses' ability to perform, but it can increase your awareness on how to apply your senses. It may very well be that one is 'ignoring' the signals presented by one of his/her senses. By isolating that sense (in this case, touch), or by removing the dominant sense (in this case, sight), one is able to better realize what it is they are 'ignoring,' and thus understand what it is they must 'consciously' not ignore until they have reached a point where 'not' ignoring is subconscious. In this way, you essentially are increasing your sensitivity to your senses, not necessarily increasing the functions of your senses. I.e., 20/200 vision isn't going to increase to 20/20 vision merely because you give it more attention, or isolate it from all the other senses. The limits of your senses are concrete, consistent (unless there is a physical change to the organ or organs that provide the sensory information). But the limits your mind imposes on you in recognizing what your senses present... that is abstract, and thus inconsistent. Most every training exercise is there to strengthen the communication between mind and body, not to cause organs or body parts to perform at 'super-normal' levels.

Not necessarily true. Leading with one side or the other is actually quite flawed in comparison to posing an equal footing, whereby both the left and right sides of your body are at equidistance from your opponent. Of course, angle of assault, appropriate transitioning between stances, and a multitude of other factors matter as well. It needs to be noted that side-leading is more effective for 'sparring' and 'restrained competition,' as it allows for the give and take of such things. Equilateral, on the other hand, provides a far more assertive and pressure-oriented approach that is more commonly experienced in no-holds barred competitions, grappling and in 'street' confrontations. But, this is another subject entirely.

I doubt offense was taken. However, i would say you're missing out on one of the most important phases of a confrontation. And, as EaK mentioned, judo is primarily stand-up grappling and takedown. Wrestling and groundwork grappling systems, by default, are great for conditioning. The techniques in judo, bjj, and classical wrestling, if studied, will 'wake you up' as to what 'can' be done. But, choice is choice. Might want to ask if Kang Rhee is his 'birth' name. Kinda sounds like a run of Jhoon Rhee and "Kang" from Flash Gordon. As to Jung Ho Ko, couldn't find anything. I know you likely don't want to bother, especially since it seems you've moved on about him, but if you start thinking about it again, might be prudent to ask 'when' he won and with specifically 'what' competitions... seeing as i checked out 8 different TKD USTU-related competitions, running since 1986, and didn't find his name.

The bending/curving of the legs is primarily to remove some of the torque. If you have your legs straight, and they lean one way or the other, it becomes much harder to right yourself than it would if your legs were bent. Also, as you mentioned, having your legs bent does allow for better control of which direction you wish to travel. The head is a mixed one. Some argue that you should keep your head facing slightly behind you, others state to stare straight at the floor, or straight ahead. I prefer to stare slightly over my shoulder and behind me... at the floor. Learn not to keep your back stiff. Let it be relaxed. At the beginning wrap your wrists for added support, lest you injure them quick. Can't offer much more except... practice.

Thanks tkdBill. I agree that it may not likely happen anytime soon, especially since the services rendered are 'by taste.' I.e., someone may indeed be looking for a place where their child can stay busy and toss out his/her aggressions for a few hours, rather than actually obtaining skills and inner growth. Which is the crux of the matter. The riposte' to caveat emptor is personal preference, so being able to maintain a viable consumer group on such things... tough indeed.

Another thought on that would be to 'alternate' the compliments/critiques, so the same students aren't always pointing out things while the rest go, "umm... i don't know." My earlier recommend may not only allow some to get away with not trying, but also may make those who do try look too critical of their peers.

A waiver would not 100% protect you from a civil suit, nor would it 100% protect your from criminal prosecution. If someone was injured, especially severely, they may claim that 'excessive force' was used, which would invalidate the waiver if proven to be true. Indeed, in a civil case, they don't even have to prove it to be true. When people get together to cause physical harm to each other, what is needed are waivers, judges with some sort of bonded certification, insurance, and a clear list of rules. All of this, of course, should be examined by a 'competent' attorney that 'specializes' in such things (good luck on that one). But, people getting together for so-called fight clubs rarely do anything like that. They rent a place, or borrow a basement, or meet at an abandoned building. In the rent, the renter will have to take responsibility if all goes bad (a raid). In a basement, the owner would take responsibility, and at an abandoned building, everyone would be trespassing. If you don't have medical coverage, involving yourself in something like this is just plain dumb. If you do have medical coverage, the legal and civil issues alone should dissuade you.

Just to note, 45 minutes twice a week, at anything but free is pretty much a waste of time. 15 minutes to warm up, 15 minutes to work out, 15 minutes to cool down, and 72 hours to forget. Also, i never heard of him, nor is he listed on any competition reports as being a champion anywhere (unless you got his name completely wrong). Anyway, a true champion would know that 45 minutes twice a week won't teach you 'anything,' so i'm not trusting of this. As to the other... is that one hour a day, five days a week? Is it alone, or with scheduled classes? Are the classes segregated into skill levels? Also, what 'type' of karate? Problem here is that the term 'karate' is often used for schools teaching something 'other' than karate, so it's actually a good idea to get specific. Especially, don't be afraid to ask the tough questions, because the charlatans and those not being entirely honest will act insulted while 'most' of those being honest will be open and enthusiastic to talk to you. A real important thing is to pay attention to the instructor(s), whether they are passionate about their art. Because if they're not, neither will you be. Also, the students. Whether they are disciplined (not goofing off), courteous as a whole, and enthusiastic as well (sometimes that's hard to tell on just one or two visits watching a class). Also see how many seem to be overconfident. It could be an indication that the courses don't provide enough to learn. I would say, don't sign huge contracts and find a school that makes you feel 'at home.' Reader's Digest version.

Practice together the parts. When it is time to do the whole kata, break them into turns (one or two at a time) doing the full kata (or as much as they've learned since then), with the other students watching and making 'one' critique and 'one' compliment each, then moving onto the next student(s) to perform the kata. It will both encourage them to help each other and develop a closer inspection of their own performance. And, obviously, you'll have more room. This approach can also develop courtesy, consideration, respect and compassion in your students. *note: a relatively small dojo can encourage a more intimate relationship with your students. Foster this, but also... clearly, maintain the teacher/student differentiation. *special note: a critique must be constructive and a compliment is 'required.' Comments like, "pathetic" or "moves like a troll" are simply not constructive. You'll gain the opportunity to develop their communication and training skills at an early stage by encouraging them to point out what needs work and possibly adding their insight into 'how' to do it correctly. And don't forget the compliment.

Indeed, as milkman inferred, it is truly up to your friend. There are basically stages a person goes through. One of those stages is admission. Your friend indicating he has an addiction gives a good chance he is ready to break the addiction. But, like most addictions, trying to do it alone is dang tough... almost impossible. It may be that he needs your support, but it needs to be his call, not yours. It needs to be his request for your help, although you can tell him how close a friend he is to you, and how you care about him and always will. Showing him 'honest' love will instill in him the trust he needs to know you will be there for him throughout the process of trying to fight the addiction. But, be aware that people with addictions often don't behave the way you 'remember' them to. He may very well construe your care and friendship as an 'opportunity' to exploit you. For the addiction, if strong enough, can drive him... rather than he driving himself. One of the reasons addictions are so devastating. They don't merely attack the person, but everyone who reaches out to that person. I'm sure you experienced a bit of that with your father-in-law. It may be you could end up spreading yourself thin if you want to continue to help your father-in-law and now also help your friend. Also, as i noted in another thread about 'marriage counseling,' you should really leave the treatment and care to the professionals, and simply be his 'moral' support. Help him, guide him, but do not support him financially or emotionally. Breaking an addiction is tough, as i mentioned earlier and as you've likely already experienced with the first stages of your father-in-law's process, so he could end up dealing with some rather intense emotional moments. In most cases on this, you need to be strong, firm, not soft and consoling. He got himself into this mess and he'll need to get himself out of this. It's not a "feel sorry for him" kind of thing, but a "let's get you out of this situation so you can go on with your life" kind of thing. My absolute best advice is to visit a treatment center and ask a 'therapist' (not a nurse, not a receptionist) for advice. You can go with your friend, assuming your friend has already stepped forward and indicated he requests your assist, or you can go alone. Either way, your questions shouldn't be about what he needs to do, but what your role should be in this whole process. Good luck.

My thought is that if the customer is willing to pay, then it behooves the customer to determine if the service obtained is acceptable. On this same note, if a customer is not satisfied with the service they obtained, they can always go the lawsuit route (very Californian of me, i know). Such a thing could be devastating to a single-school business, or even a chain. The publicity alone could cause them to lose plenty, so such things would likely be handled with a settlement. All in all, exploitation exists because people accept the services they receive. Either it is because they don't know what they are receiving, they don't care what they are receiving, or they don't care to dispute after they realize what they are receiving. So, really, Caveat Emptor applies (buyer beware). Adults are adults and they are responsible for their children's welfare. If the circumstances aren't illegal, the consumer adults don't concern themselves with what they are paying for, or what they are subjecting their child to, what logic is there in putting on a cape and flying to their rescue? Especially if they very likely don't even think they need rescuing... On the other hand, if there is a strong consensus in the martial arts community that these things should undergo some sort of quality assurance process, a strong group of motivated persons can attempt to form a specialized 'non-profit' consumer organization, geared to obtaining and providing consumer-sourced information about different schools and/or instructors. Indeed, a group of motivated persons here may be able to work with BBB, or some other consumer advocacy group, and create an 'agency' within them that specializes on martial arts schools. I advocate the latter, as the former would not only be very hard to start-up, but likely expensive to insure (don't doubt you will get sued). A consumer advocacy group could emphasize this as well. Well, that's always a tough definition to work with. What you may be practicing could very well not be 'black belt' material. As well, you may not have mastered it. It's truly tough to know these things when you're in the inside... and even tougher when you're 'overqualified' to step back and make a reasoned judgement about someone elses performance. As you progress in skill, you become more 'sensitive' to the flaws of those obtaining belts. Why? Because mastering, essentially, is a relative thing. In truth, i would call that a cop-out on their part. If they leave the martial arts, it's because they never truly entered it. Going to a school and finding it to be substandard can be a bit disconcerting, but someone truly interested in the arts would eventually recognize that it is substandard, and then search for better. Seriously, do you stop going out with people of your orientation just because your first date turned out to be with a hairy, overgrown ewok?

I see, so not an actual system... just an approach for competition. Got it.

Hmm... what's this "Ground and Pound" you mention?

Indeed, style bashing is a hobby for many. On the other hand, there are a lot of crappy schools out there. Even more crappy students. It all comes down to what works, what doesn't and whether someone is in a cult... or in it to learn and grow. But i do find it hard sometimes when i chat with people who are gungho about their system, yet show ignorance of so many important martial art concepts, or ignorance about other systems as a whole. Especially when those same gungho-types are into style bashing. Can't say it's easy to respect a bigot.

Hehe, just noticed you were earlier on posing similar arguments EaK. Also noticed you were having a discussion about 'fear of death,' or lack thereof. Good comments. Wanted to add that even though one may not be 'afraid' of death, there's still plenty to fear, such as the pain your loved ones would have to endure with your loss, the financial burdens you leave behind, fear of crippling injury as opposed to death, etc. Not having a fear of death does not make one invulnerable. It merely increases the likelihood of acting foolishly, or without consideration for others (including loved ones).

Do be aware, however, the 'very common' injuries in using palm strikes are damage to the metacarpals, tendonitis about the lower thumb joint, and inflammation about the carpal tunnel that could encourage the development of CPS. I.e., it's not indestructible.

Or, you could spent the $5 to just buy yourself another belt.

Fallen Hero, for any 'expert' information on ki, don't expect to find quick answers on the internet. No 'expert' worth his gumption is going to post some 'quick and easy' set of actions to obtain 'mastery.' Well, first off... be patient. As inferred in my earlier post, it will take a very long time for you to study ki. Far longer than merely the basic physical actions required to obtain a black belt in most martial art systems. More importantly, however, is that 'ki,' just like all those cute, yet ambiguous foreign words, is hotly contested even in the upper levels of the martial arts community. It is contested as to whether it's all smoke and mirrors, basic applied physics, actual 'energy' that can be harnessed, or simply 'visualization' concepts. Because of this, you'll find differing answers to your questions, and a whole cavalry of crackpots. I would say the best thing you can do at this stage of your studies is to do 'research' on what the 'experts' say is, or is not, ki. As a starting point, you can visit this thread (http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=14711) for my opinion and the opinion of others that have visited Karateforums. And if you're actually serious about your studies, you'll read the whole friggin' thread.

Ugh! Please! Don't refer to links about video games and 'cartoons' for guidance on ki, or anything related to 'real' martial arts. The people who devise those games and cartoons have a 'fantasy' concept of it all. They don't practice it and are attempting to create something 'fun' for the profit-aspect of their product (whether it be a game, or DragonballZ videos). Stay grounded and learn from 'real' masters, not from kids hoping to go, "kamayameyaka" or some other such drivel. 'Real' masters claiming to have captured the essense of ki development have studied for 'decades,' not months as that site infers. Geez... this is getting old.

Well, actually... a little more could be said. Like possibly defining what 'superior' is, what entails offense as opposed to defense, and why it is that 'one-liners' from masters are treated with such reverence when it took them ages to become masters in the first place.

Agreed

Well, that's not quite the concept, and it's not a theory. Economy of motion covers many things, including ensuring that each action helps to setup the next action, thereby economizing your actions by eliminating 'preparation.' An example would be this tendency of amateurs to 'chamber' their punches. Counterproductive, in that the additional range gained is countered by the resistance encountered due to your muscles having tensed, and for having involved your 'opposing' muscles at the onset. As well, you end up telegraphing and extending the time it takes for your attack to reach its intended target. Other aspects of economy of motion is to take the most direct route, as opposed to the haymaker approach. Economy of motion conceivably encourages 'linear' attacks, although this is actually a misnomer. What it encourages is that one doesn't waste movement when committing any action. I.e., no need to move your head 3 feet to avoid a strike, when all is needed is to move it 3 inches. There's quite a bit more to this concept of economy of motion, and i'm... sorry to say... i am given the strong impression you haven't had 'appropriate' exposure to this concept. As to the other comment about some systems showing how to create more energy at a shorter distance... yes, it can be done. Nothing magical. Merely a recognition of two basic concepts. One is that instead of moving one part of your body a significant distance to strike your target, or avoid a strike, one uses the entire body to move your striking surface closer to your opponent, thus not only decreasing the distance your striking surface has to travel with the energy generated by that one particular limb, but that you encourage your entire body to participate in the strike, thus exponentially, yet incrementally, increasing the overall power generated. The other would be about centerline generated strikes or actions, as opposed to pivot, or side-body generated strikes or actions, but that's on a different end of the discussions. Anyway, what you seem to be advocating with your theory, is the use of haymakers as a 'one-all' solution to confrontations. Obviously, i'm going to say... umm... no. The 'one-strike' solution to any confrontation is a pipe dream. Granted, it happens on occasion, but more often than not you need to utilize a multitude of strikes to disorient your opponent, break down his defenses, and provide you with even more opportunities to commit assault with minimal resistance. Otherwise, you're putting all your eggs in one basket, which is essentially what the 'one-strike' approach is. In the more effective approach to dealing with a confrontation (and please take into consideration i'm not really inclined to write up all the specifics on this, so i'm going to simplify and generalize), the goals should be overwhelm your opponent and end the confrontation as quickly as possible. By these basic goals, we can assume that the most effective means to overwhelm would be to present a multitude of attacks, whether they be strikes, grabs, pushes, pulls, slaps, nibbles, or tickles... the goal of overwhelming encourages that you do not merely present 'one' strike to end the confrontation, but that you present a multitude of them... and do so within a short time frame. Afterwards, you can slow it down and make your more 'potent,' more power oriented strikes... if necessary. What i just described some systems refer to as 'bursting' or 'blasting.' Probably (and this is often debated) the most powerful concept in gaining the offensive, encouraging the opponent to go on the defensive, and in providing you with the openings you need to end the confrontation as quickly as possible. I noted you study muy thai. In muy thai 'sparring' and 'competition,' generating the 'power' strike, or kick, is definitely encouraged. And, it is a very effective utility. But, do consider that competition holds with it many 'rules and restrictions' on what you can do, or are allowed to do. As well, consider that those types of competitions pit you against same or similarly trained opponents. Therefore, what is encouraged there does work effectively, because of the 'test tube' exposure. However, real life confrontations vary significantly. You do not know how many opponents there may be in the crowd. You do not know if the person has a weapon (knife, gun, or pepper spray) hidden on his person. You do not know if anyone will help or hinder your 'little competition.' You frankly don't know if your opponent is going to 'change' the dynamics of the confrontation by entering into it a hostage or a broken bottle. Because of this, biding your time, dancing and waiting for the window of opportunity to open up so you can present that 'one-strike' wonder you've been developing... is simply a bad idea. Fast, efficient, merciless. Last i wish to touch upon is the concept of 'targets.' Striking, generating significant force, is a waste, if the target struck is capable of absorbing the strike, if the target struck is at an angle (thus having your power deflected), and/or if the target is simply missed. So, essentially, what i am advocating, is that you make your strikes count. All of them, not just the one. Make sure you strike your targets, because it takes minimal power to generate maximal damage, if you strike the right targets. However, you shouldn't rely on targeting, any more than you should rely on power. Instead, you should attempt to do all you can to increase your accuracy whilst also increasing your power, and increasing the amount of strikes you generate in a shorter period of time (note also that more strikes generated means that even if you miss a few times, you'll still get in plenty of hits). Part of this is attained by decreasing the distance your strikes have to travel, as the longer the distance your strike has to travel, the lessor the accuracy. So, by working on developing your skills to produce the most amount of power in the shortest distance, you not only increase damage you could cause with each strike, increase the likelihood that those strikes will hit their intended targets, but because you are traveling a shorter distance... you can produce more attacks in a shorter time. Hope this helps.

'broadly' you can paint across the whole of the world's populace the title of warrior, for we all essentially are engaged in some form of struggle or conflict throughout our lives. Silly discussion, really, as it's not truly asking if you're a thug or a warrior, as much as it is asking whether you are a criminal, with violence possibly being the venue you choose to act in criminal fashion. And touching upon the arguments posed in the original thread, if spiritual aspects are not associated with your training, it doesn't make you a thug. Granted, you are missing an element to your training that will develop 'you' more, and thus bring your mind and body closer together, but without 'spiritual' training tied to your combat training, you are not 'denied' the ability to obtain spiritual training elsewhere. Also, just because someone learns 'how to fight,' doesn't mean they suddenly abandon their values and start behaving like a criminal (which is, essentially, what a thug is). So, all in all, it's a silly discussion.

I won't argue that directly, but will so indirectly. Instead of not quitting when you feel like quitting, how about trying to 'understand' why it is you feel like quitting in the first place? After all, if it's because of a bully in the class, an instructor making passes at you, or your need to make an income and your classes conflicting with your work schedule, i would say 'not quitting' would be a bad idea. As well, just because you fear incarceration, there is no reason to commit a crime so you can spend some time in jail. Same goes for fearing the idea of putting your hand in fire. Do you suggest we should just put our hand in fire and get it over with? Understanding your fear is far better than merely overcoming it by direct immersion. And last, if there's a legitimate reason for feeling anger, burying that emotion could very well do more harm than good. Better to 'understand' what it is that angers you, examine if there are means to 'remove' your impetus for anger, and pursue such options if they do indeed exist, rather than bury the emotion and maintain an outward calm. I know people are always looking for simple answers, but if it were all simple answers, do you truly think the martial arts would be a lifelong pursuit for so many?

exactly. Learn to understand yourself and accept, not combat yourself and deny.