White Warlock

Ah yes, you're right. It was Mighty Mouse. Dang... it's been so long since i watched cartoons. Agreed, it does not. However, it does, on occasion, help to obtain affirmation of your actions or deeds from others. Regardless, much of the reason i posted about this was not about attempting to obtain a 'pat on the back,' either from the cop or from this community. Such was posed mostly in jest. What really encouraged me to post about it was that the cop left me pondering as to just what purpose i had served there. Had i captured the suspect of a crime, or grabbed a guy that just-so-happened to choose that particular moment to practice his running skills? Did i unwittingly provide unnecessary paperwork for the cop, or did I offend this cop by me being so uber and him being so lame? Was my assistance appreciated by that cop in particular, but some sort of policy exists within the local department that states not to encourage community assistance? Did he not detain me because he hoped not to include me in his report... to brush it under the table, as it were... thereby relieving me of immediate, or possibly even future burdens? Etc etc etc... Let's face it... i'm a heavy thinker. *scratch* *scratch* Hehe... i'm glad someone noted this. I did spend a microsecond or so to examine the situation and made the determination this person didn't have any hidden weapons. But, i could have been wrong... and thus slated for the morgue. I wasn't, so should i pat myself on the back for being able to accurately assess the situation... or should i toss it to luck? I'm inclined to do the former, but do see the logic in considering it the latter. Granted, all of this is after-the-fact, but i've always considered it important to review such events.

That was a line my little sister used to love to toss out, when describing me to her friends. Those of you who don't know it, it's from a cartoon called Underdog, about a caped dog that pretty much acts like Superman... except he's a dog, going out with a dog... defending dogs... in a dog world. Anyway, the subject title was just to drag you in here. This friday, me... the inobtrusive boring citizen, once again helped put someone behind bars. Now, you could be going, "what is this?! Looking for people to pat you on the back?" Well, maybe... but also because i wanted to bring up this interesting topic... and what better way than to do so by starting out by talking about how i had yet another opportunity to apply my martial arts skills in a real-life situation: 11:30pm and i'm about to drive out of the movie/mall parking lot, when i see a security guard on his spoofed up golf cart, high beaming these two guys behind the building, then noticed a police car shoot into the lot to the site. As the police car stopped, the two guys took off running. Conveniently, the larger and faster was running toward my car, so i threw my car in park, pulled out my keys (effectively turning off the car), tossed them in the back (where i have tons of junk for them to get lost in) and stepped out and to the front of my car. The guy running toward me saw what i was up to and said, "Don't even think about it man!" At which point my sarcasm slipped out and i responded with a short, "Too late." Maybe it was my sarcasm, my determined stance as i sat on my hood, or the mere fact he was looking for the path of least resistance, but the guy decided to change directions and head to his right... to the main road. A little annoyed that he wasn't going to make it too easy, i used my hood as footing to jump in his direction, took a few steps, grabbed him, swung him around and put him face first into a nice patch of grass that served as the mall's garden perimeter. Without much thinking about it, i parked my knee in his lower back and had his arm casually twisted up in the air near my side. Can't even recall what hold i had on him, only that he didn't even try to resist at that point, and that i wasn't putting any degree of pain on him. Maybe it was my sarcasm, my determined knee on his back, or the mere fact that i threw him around and into the ground with far too much ease (sounds like i'm exagerrating, but it really was far too easy), but he merely begged me to let him go. Of course, when the cop started running over, his begs turned into defeated curses, but yet... he still did not test my hold. And so i watched as the cop performed a very rude and not necessarily skilled arm lock on the poor guy, then proceeded to cuff him. I walked back to my car, with the cop not saying anything to me. I then hunted for my keys and found them. I poked myself out of the car again so i could get comfortably into the front seat, and the cop, towing the suspect along, was walking up to my car. He asked me why i took the suspect down. For a second there i was stumped, but then confusedly responded, "because he was running from you." At which point the cop said, "okay" and that was that. The cop walked off with his suspect and I drove off in my car, perplexed.It's been 3 days, and i'm still scratching my head. Not a thanks, no respect or courtesy whatsoever from the cop, and... i'm left wondering if his lack of talk to me was done as a means to protect me from opening up my mouth and saying something that could possibly provide this suspect something to target later. Then again, maybe he was just one helluva rude cop. It's just that, usually when i help out the local authorities, they at the very least thank me and then toss in a reminder that i should be careful. And so... i continue to scratch my head.

yes

Ninjutsu http://www.bujinkanada.com/hokkou/hokkou.html Judo North Edmonton Judo Club - (780) 478-7131 University of Alberta Judo Club & Tokugawa Judo Club - contact Kelly Thornton via email - mrst@telusplanet.net Kodokwai Judo Club - contact Bill Suen via email - catherinesuen@yahoo.com BJJ There are some Brazilian ju-jutsu schools in Calgary, Alberta, but i am not aware of any in Edmonton. Ju-jutsu (generic listings) Ketto-ryu ju-jutsu http://www.kettoryu.ca/ That's all i could find with limited time for research

My sympathies go to all those who died prematurely. Let us hope they accomplished much in their lives and performed actions which brought their family honor. Let us also hope the present conflicts will end soon and those fighting for whatever they believe to be right, can once again return to more peaceful, if not necessarily perfect, times.

Not sure i can offer much to these discussions. Borrowing $5 wasn't an issue, nor should you avoid it just because of this situation. However, it is recommended you borrow from someone you know well... or from a bank. It does sound like this guy has some serious issues, and i doubt he's going to blame the employers for his being fired. I.e., i expect it won't stop there and that he may proceed to exact revenge on you for his being fired. You mentioned you have a union. I strongly suggest you talk to them about the event. Do mention the supervisors that didn't intervene. Provide a list of witnesses, if you have them. I would consider reporting the assault and battery to the police and definitely recommend a restraining order be written up and delivered to the guy. I recommend you grab $5 (or possibly $10) and put it in an envelope, then request that the employers mail it to this guy for you... or have the union representative do this for you (probably the latter). I do agree, you should take those few days off to look for another job. Seems they're a little mixed up in their priorities, considering you attempted to 'de-escalate' the conflict, by leaving the scene at least once. But, having a union is a good thing in this case, and so i'll push this on you once again. Seek union counsel.

I would have to strongly disagree with this part of the article that is, unfortunately, the foundation to Brian Kodi's entire argument. I watched UFC 5 live-telecast, as well as a few prior, and... simply... the rules of engagement had changed. In UFC 5, the "Superfight" noted here had introduced the 'action break.' I.e., if both opponents were on the ground for a long period of time, and it 'looked' like nobody was getting an advantage, the referee was allowed to 'break' the fight and have the contestants stand-up again. This annoying change of rules, for the sake of 'entertainment,' directly interfered with Royce's style of wearing out his larger opponent until an opening came about, as happened in some earlier UFC bouts. Because of one of these 'action breaks,' in which the opponents were ordered to stand up and go at it again, Shamrock got in a lucky punch and gave Royce a shiner. They both quickly ended up on the ground and eventually the 'second' dramatic change entered into play. They ran out of time. This is the reason the Royces left the UFCs. Rules had been added to increase the 'action,' for the benefit of the spectators, and at the expense of the grapplers. The most two dramatic of these rules, as previously noted, are: 1. bouts with time limits (thus ensuring competitors didn't need to conserve their energy) and, 2. 'action breaks,' in which the referee was allowed to break an extended grappling scenario. But, there were many other changes made to UFC and UFC clones. Simply, UFC and other so-called NHB competitions are no longer NHB, but have instead turned into spectator sports (sports geared toward the spectators), therefore many of Kodi's arguments fall short.

Side with Sevenstar here. Some systems are inherently flawed and no amount of effort by a master will provide sufficient defense. As well, determining just what the hell is a master... that's been a toughy for many beginners. Someone calling themselves a master, students calling them a master, having lots of neat little plaques on their wall, or a hundred fancy belts adorning their waist, doesn't make a master. Knowledge, ability and attitude... Additionally, being a master doesn't guarantee they can relay their knowledge, ability and attitude to others. This requires the ability to instruct. A set of skills in and of themselves.

Yeppers, i don't apply exercise as a means of punishment, for the very same reason Squawman mentioned. Goofing off is contagious and significantly increases the likelihood of injuries. People need 110% attention on what they are practicing. Occasional lectures on the subject, to the class as a whole, helps to ensure such behaviors don't become common-place. The intent is to ensure nobody gets hurt, so directing them to 'bow out' is a good recommendation. Eventually, being 'left out' for periods of time will encourage them to cooperate and listen. If, however, they don't calm down, and they're minors, communicating to their parents is the next option. With adults, if they don't calm down even after being directed to sit it out for a bit, there's the door...

My personal thoughts are that you should first determine 'why' you are bahaving that way. Although i'm working with insufficient information here, it looks to me like fear is the issue you're struggling with. Fight or flight is the determinate of how someone handles a situation, in relation to the threats posed, when fear is the overriding emotion. In this case, you aren't given the option of flight, but it seems your body is saying, "run away." Then, when you are toss into the fray, you are 'fighting' your 'nature' and diving headfirst into the confrontation. In short, it looks as if you are fighting three fights, not merely one... or two. You are fighting your opponent, your fear-induced adrenalin, AND your inclination to run. There's a start. Understanding where you are coming from. The why of the beasts within you that you must learn to 'work with,' rather than fight head-on. Assuming my assumption is correct, here are some things you could try, not all of which should be applied simultaneously: Easiest - Jog outside or around the competition area. Release some of that 'flight' energy (not my best recommendation), Less Easy - Rather than jumping around and moving, practice techniques and katas while waiting. Use your energies to strengthen your focus on 'smart-fighting,' Somewhat Hard - Turn yourself off. Sounds harder than it actually is. All you need to do is think calm thoughts and sit down. Put ear plugs on if it will help. Bring your mind into a state of peace. Hard - Think of your opponent as your little brother, even before you enter the mat. Think of 'schooling' him, but also be aware you don't want to underestimate him... as that could be embarrassing. Harder - Watch others fighting, especially those that you may eventually have to fight against. Focus on their weaknesses and their strengths... attempt to evaluate them. By doing this, you bring yourself into 'contemplative-mode,' rather than combative-mode, Hardest - Still water, stone mountain

No, that is not the only reason. There are many reasons why one should not go to the ground in a street fight, and yes... much of it does have to do with the possibility of not knowing how many are out there to oppose you. A spectator may just be a friend of one of the people you are fighting... as is the case that happened with my brother decades ago: He was working through college driving taxis, and the front passenger pulled out a gun, parked it to the side of his head, and demanded his money. My brother, being the scrapper-physicist he is, thrust the guy and the gun forward while hitting the brakes, knocked the gun under the steering wheel, and proceeded to pound the ... refuse from the... refuse. Catch here is, there was a passenger in the back seat, which proceeded to pound on my brother from over the front seat. But, my brother being loaded with adrenalin pretty much ignored the second passenger, since he didn't pose a weapon. Instead, he continued to pound on the initial target... until the second passenger got out and tried to help his partner escape through the front seat passenger side. But, again... my brother, being the scrapper-physicist that he is, also happens to be somewhat of a pit-bull-physicist (yes, i'm having fun saying that). He clung to the guy as he was dragged out by his friend... and continued the wailings and beatings on his initial target, the refuse who was foolish enough to pull out a gun on my brother. The second passenger (aka: his partner), tried and failed to get my brother to stop, so he ran. And here's where the ugly is. One of the spectators (and yes, there were a few), offered to hold this guy down while my brother chases the other guy. Refuse was already thoroughly beaten and subdued, so my brother accepted the offer and decided to take his lumbering-physicist self and apply it to the not-well-practiced art of running, after quickly locking his car (with the weapon inside). As well as can be noted by my sarcasm, my brother failed to capture the other guy and returned to his cab, only to find that the thoroughly beaten and subdued refuse... was nowhere to be found. Nor, for that matter, was the guy who offered to hold him down. A friend, it turned out.All in all, my brother was lucky. He was lucky that the second passenger didn't have a lethal weapon to use and he was even luckier that the so-called good samaritan didn't decide to assist his friends by jumping into the fray... or grabbing a household utensil to finish my brother off. He was lucky that he was so thoroughly intimidating in his ferocity that he caused the 'spectator' friend to think twice about joining in. Yes, going to the ground is not a good option and yes, it is not always a choice. However, if the option presents itself to go to the ground, and you are on the street, the temptation should be avoided, unless it is clear you are going to get your butt wiped by maintaining a stand-up confrontation. The thing to note is, going to the ground takes away a tremendous amount of your options, not the least of which is... escaping from the confrontation altogether.

Still pimping your club, eh? Just to clarify... wushidao has nothing to do with 'wushu,' in the traditional sense, at least as far as i've been able to tell from that silly website.

Is this where i'm supposed to grin and nod like some know-it-all guru?

Being a southpaw, i've always held the 'discomfort' advantage, so my interest in studying northpaw (for lack of a better term) was somewhat limited. However, when switching to northpaw, the advantage you mentioned, of having the power side forward, didn't really come into play much. I state this because the position of being forward already poses an expenditure of potential energy. Now, my power hand is forward and unable to garner sufficient power, through distance * acceleration. I've noted that speed is the factor of advantage with the lead side and power is the factor of advantage with the trailing side. Your argument that blocking with the trailing side, as opposed to the lead side, is valid... and i apply that often. However, such an approach doesn't need to be posed merely on a 'switch' of lead advantage. I.e., if i'm right-handed, i don't have to be in a southpaw stance in order to apply a trailing-hand butterfly block. As standard, I practice both lead and trailing blocks and parries. This ensures i have two layers of block/parry, rather than just one. It also ensures i do not train myself to harbor dependencies. That is the one thing i truly believe is of the most value here with learning to work in various stances and positions. Breaking dependencies. As a ringfighter, learning to fight 'southpaw' is a great advantage to most right-handers, mainly because 'southpaws' are few and far between... so opponents aren't used to fighting lefties. But, in the street, it is a far more practical issue. If, for example, you are being attacked from the right and you dispatch your opponent, but then get pressured from the left, it would present a huge window of opportunity if you were to 'switch' stances to accommodate the incoming threat. As well, if you obtained an injury on your left side, posing it in front gives your opponent a great opportunity to exploit your injury. If you switch to southpaw, and have trained in doing so, you protect that injury and are still able to fight effectively. Personal thoughts.

I understood that and my outburst was not directed at you, but at the mass of lazy 'so-called' journalists out there. They give a bad name to the good journalists and provide an easy-in for special interests to toss out messages that are fallacious or outright damaging to the general public. Anyway, off topic.

lol

I see where a little of the arguments stemmed from. Practicing something under a set of rules, and practicing something to work under a set of rules... these are completely different. Both boxing and wing chun are practiced under a set of rules, to ensure injuries to those 'practicing' is significantly reduced. However, when one practices boxing, it is to be applied in a ruleset environment, as opposed to wing chun, which is practiced to be applied outside of a ruleset environment. I.e., one is geared towards application as a sport, within a restricted environ (a ring with gloves, rounds, breaks, judges and a whole mess of limiting rules), while the other is geared towards application in a no-holds barred situation (the street, mall, office, jungle, or sandbox, with rocks, stones, guns, knives, and sand). On a personal level... any 'system' of combat is worthy of being given the title of 'martial art,' despite it's literal meaning. Whether it be goju-ru karate, tkd, wing chun, wushu, tai chi, judo, aikido, freestyle wrestling, boxing, or fencing, they all offer an insight into combat. Each specializes in a different area, and many of these are applied only under a set of rules... but it is because of these rules that such systems become so intense in their training. I've learned that systems which allow one to 'compete' also allow for a deeper understanding of techniques and their applicability. Such is the case with judo, wrestling, sambo, boxing, fencing, savate, kickboxing, thai boxing, san shou (not to be confused with san soo), and others that are 'geared' for competition. Granted, they may not be the 'ultimate' martial art, but the fact of the matter is... because these systems are designed to be applied in competition, they receive a far deeper study into their specific field of expertise. This... cannot be ignored.

Yes. Trying to fight their fight is putting you at a disadvantage. Judges vary. However, if you work your fight, rather than your opponent's fight, it will show. Also, there's absolutely no such thing as, "moving around too much." As long as you are actively fighting and keeping your opponent frustrated, your movement is just right. Judges, as knowledgeable as some of them are, they are not the people you should be trying to please. It is you. Focus on becoming a better martial artist.

Art Stone would be the 'magic person' in my life. He was my wresting coach in high school (he was there for 5 years and brought the team to Metro the first year, CIF the next four years). I met up with him again in college, where he was coaching wrestling, teaching judo, and offering a self-defense course. He still teaches at the same college (24+ years), as well as instructs self defense at the police academy. He is about 5' in height, yet used to wrestle most every CIF wrestler (regardless of weight class) with one hand flying in the air, like a bronco buster. His enthusiasm and energy was inspiring.

Know the rules and the point system. Each competition and event is different. Even ones you've gone to regularly, end up making changes 'very' often.

I'm not saying it can't work, but look at the last part of your sentence - YOU have not applied it. Consequently, how do you know that YOU can make it work? There are thai boxers that can make a flying knee work in the ring - I can't, because my flying knee sucks. No dessert for you, for taking my comments out of context. My argument posed in that particular post was, "common sense." It is common sense that if i grab your finger and bend it against the direction of the joint, the bone will either break, or the joint will dislocate. Just because i haven't applied it doesn't mean it doesn't work... only that i haven't applied it. But common sense clearly shows that it will work. Also, i can 'practice' the action, without actually committing to the end result. Same can be said for many of the finishing locks. You don't necessarily have to 'break' someone's arm just to know it works. You can apply the technique without actually applying the end result. Especially in practice, where you're supposed to be maintaining a degree of trust with your training partner, not putting him in the hospital every workout session (or the morgue for that matter), just because you have no self-control or lack the 'common sense' to realize techniques will work.

Competitions are generally geared toward weight classes, so strength does play a large part in such circumstances. But, things change dramatically when size is the predominating factor. I used to wrestle much larger opponents than me all the time, and found them easier to deal with than smaller opponents. This was based primarily on the fact i was more skilled, but secondarily because i utilized my advantage... which was that i was smaller and quicker. Capitalize on your strengths, always. In the case when you are smaller, stay mobile, apply leverage over brute strength, do your best to avoid muscle contests, and don't let them sit on you.

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Rich, that's an advertisement for a book and it doesn't answer hardly anything. It poses the questions most people ask, but doesn't provide answers. As well, what it does say on that advertisement... is hogie.