yamesu

What do you mean by "decades ago" exactly? Hi mate, I was speaking specifically for Kyokushin. I think that training was more raw and full-on back in the 60's to the 90's, now its not as hardcore as it used to be, and only those training for tournaments will really get the full effect of conditioning and kumite (sparring). Conversely, nowdays we have a number of years (Idaresay even hundreds, but in the last 20-30 years and especially with the advent of cross-training and MMA) of refinement of what works for present day and what does not. Even specific kicks have been refined (such as high roundhouses). Taking the best of both worlds would be my optimal change. Hard training, with the techniques and know-how of present day. Hope that makes sense.....

Thanks Bushido That does put it more in perspective for me. I think that may be the issue I am having - Ive only really ever done snap side kicks. After drilling it out some more over the past week I can say I have developed a little more power at the end of the kick, but when laying into a heavy bag, it still does not compare to the step behind kick. Another thing I noticed is that every now and again, my kicking foot gets caught on my supporting leg before shooting the kick out- though i think this may be due to me loading up my foot position before I move my foot past the support leg...

No problems. Some thing new to contribute to this thread- There is a new Shoto student at the KK dojo I have been training at recently, and a couple of nights ago, we had what would resemble more of a Shoto style lesson than a Kyokushin lesson. Anyways, long story short, we drilled the step-in-front side kick for a while on kick sheilds, and I just could not get it! I think it feels wrong and unnatural. Perhaps because I am not used to it, but it really felt like the hips cannot generate enough power to force out the kick. It felt like the hips were turning the wrong direction before the leg snapped out, so it was really creating inertia in the opposite direction, which hindered the end power result... I intend on drilling it a little more to see if I can pick up on a bit of the cross step (though dont really like or advocate it to begin with) and develop a little more power. OSU.

Only to make training more like it was decades ago, but with the added experience of decades of practice and refinement of techniques.

Gold!

In a sense, aren't they one and the same? Only if the Art is strongly built upon kata Some schools may use kata simply as a means to delevop coordination, basic techiques and movement. Not sure I agree with that philosophy. But in the system I am in, kata is the heart of karate. Totally agree with you on the ethos that Kata IS the heart of Karate Agreed, without kata it is basially just kickboxing with different stances

I appreciate your attempt here, but could you translate to some English for me? My Japanese isn't quite that extensive. Thank you! Extremely sorry Bushido - I tend to fall into the trap of thinking that most people know what Im on about. Kokutsu Dachi is just a backwards leaning stance, so 70% of weight on the back leg, 30% on the front, kind of like a cat-stance but a bit wider so-to-speak. An example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zitAv5VdeuQ&feature=BFa&list=PLA6861E42C3D59FB4&index=21 Tsuru-Ashi-Dachi is a crane stance, 100% of the weight on the supporting leg, the other (kicking leg) An example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npwL3JZOtwA&feature=autoplay&list=PLA6861E42C3D59FB4&index=18&playnext=2 Basically what I was trying to say was that from a stance where the weight is shifted to teh back leg, the front/kicking leg comes up to the knee, and then fires out a side kick through pivoting and forcing the hips out. This guy sort of shows the transition to crane stance before the pivot and kick, but he is firing off the rear leg (so weight shifts first to the front leg). I hope this helps

In a sense, aren't they one and the same? Only if the Art is strongly built upon kata Some schools may use kata simply as a means to delevop coordination, basic techiques and movement.

Just to clarify what you are saying here, do you only do it as a back leg kick, then? It is a powerful kick that way, for sure, but I always find it is just so much slower and more cumbersome to get around to execute. That could just be that I'm slow, too. No not at all. It is fired off the front just as easily (perhaps more-so) as the back leg. My best attempt at a written analogy would be - think Kokutsu Dachi, bringing the front leg into a Tsuru-Ashi-Dashi, then turning and extending the leg straight through into the kick. Sanshou fighters display good examples of this in practice. I agree though - and am in the same boat. If i fire the side kick off my back leg like this, I'll rarely ever land it.... The power is there, but it is well telegraphed, so ends up becoming more of a "push" kick. Osu

In kyokushin i have never been taught to 'step' behind or in front, the Yoko Geri is fired straight from a pivot in Tsuru-Ashi-Dachi (like turning for a roundhouse, but a little further, and then firing the side kick in a straight line to the target). What about step-up as a set up too?.. Like bringing the insides of the feet together then firing the kick?

Very interesting topic and discussions! I agree with Sojobo, in that in-depth understanding of any given kata requires in-depth understanding of the Art itself. Than there is also schools which require higher level students to come up with their own bunkai for kata... Thus application is down to the individual and how well it will work for them. OSU!

Another beginning!

Im confused... The link takes me to a video of two senior citizens throwing wild punches at one another...

I have to disagree with some of these comments. I had lived in a bad area for a few years of my younger life, where there is basically at least one fight or bashing a night in pubs etc (I dont live there anymore thank Science!). I have friends there that are pretty street-savvy and include security and bouncers, and they have explained to me (and I have seen it first hand) that once you have read the attempt at dominant body language, as previously mentioned, one of the worst things a person can do is back down in a timid manner. This is a major sign of weakness and can lead to (and more often than not does) being hit unto itself. The best thing to do is assert yourself, not enter into the violence if it is not necessary, but also not back down. Once it has begun, its too late to back out. Unfortunately if someone wants to hit you, and they have moved into a position to do so, there is very little talking rationally can do.... The problem is, the nature of violence is chaotic, and as such, cannot be controlled. I just avoid it if I can. As MA'ists the most important skill is learning not to put ourselves in compromising situations in the first place IMHO.

This seriously cracked me up! I love the analogy!

This is a common issue, and I think if anyone tells you they didnt suffer from it for some time when they first started they are fibbing to you! I find that after some time, I have learnt to put myself into what I can only describe as a "Zen" state of mind.... Nothing else matters except me and my sparring partner or opponent. Its weird, but its like a state of total concentration, which I achieve with nothing else but meditations. I agree with the previous posters, to overcome this, the only thing to do is practice more and more. Practice until you are comfortable. Also - I dont know what sort of tournament it is, but if it is full contact, I would not recommend doing any full contact sparring for the two weeks prior to the day... Dont want to sustain any injury that will carry over to the ring! GOOD LUCK FOR SEPTEMBER!!!! Let us know how you go

In Kyokushin we do a lot of techniques against one another. For example, Chudan-Uchi-Uke while standign facing one another to make contact with the appropriate part of the arm. This then continues with various other blocks. For shins its the same deal. Partner throws a gedan-mawashi (low roundhouse) and you block with sune-uke (shin block/parry). I particularly hate this one... ouchies! Start soft and work up from there. I tend to let bruises heal naturally. This can take up to a week for the dark-purple suckers!

I agree, if anything, the younger generations are the only way we have to continue to move the MA traditions through the ages. The more who become interested in taking up MA as a result fo movies like this, the better

I agree with Kuma, in Kyokushin there are a number of different approaches to sparring that lead up to full-contact without gloves. Its really up to the individuals. I dont mind going hand with other guys at the same level or above me, granted it usually ends in wlaking away in a little apin that requires a few days for recovery time! Conversely, I have never been a fan of sparring with women, I mostly just drill out my sabakai and blocking (i find it really hard to throw a punch, however light/soft, at a female). We also play games for sparring to develop different skills. More recently I have been attending the head dojo here under my Shihan, and we have done several little "games" to develop sparring. A couple of examples: 1) Boxing for head punches ONLY with 16oz boxing gloves. 2) Slaps to the head and face, no gloves, aiming for speed and accuracy. 3) Pinned up with back facing the wall, two opponents and they (one at a time) can each take two full-contact punches of any kind to the body. You are not allowed to counter but only block. 4) Free-sparring where the front hand can attack and counter, but the back hand is only allowed to block/parry. 5) Free-sparring where one person allowed to block and punch only with hand arm techniques, the other allowed to kick and block only with leg techniques. Each have there pros and cons, but are fun and a little different to continuous full-contact. Mixes it up a bit. OSU.

I understand what you are saying, but to a small degree I disagree... Will it make it worse, yes probably at first. But I think this is akin to a lot of other training areas, and i am sure anyone who has seriously used a Makiwara would attest to the fact that you will hurt yourself at first, but whats the option? Give Up? Or, keep training, giving your knuckles little taps getting harder and harder until you eventually can hit with more precise force than previously?... It is the nature of the beast that is Martial Arts. If everyone gave up after injury and resorted to full safety and protection, we would not have even light contact sparring anymore, let alone full contact. I do agree that nowdays we have the means and equipment to protect ourselves though. And this too is a good thing, with many advantages. It really comes down to what ones personal preferences are I think... Whatever works for the individual.

Garyu

PINCH!!!!!!!!!!!! With all of your might... Presumably, if your arms are pinned by your sides, your handsshould be near the attachers thigh or groin. PINCH!!!! Also - if they are stronger than you and will lift you, either use 'dead weight' or flail wildly (one of the two), where you just let your muscles go and flop, its couterintuitive, and may not make them let go, but certainly makes it more difficult to keep a hold! I do agree with other posters though. Compliant Uke, the rear bear hug being a bad psition for an attacker etc.. But still, if it does happen, use anything you can.

I agree, and I am the same - only really use gloves for softer kumite or when at a kickboxing class.... In saying that, I guess I did start out with gloves as a younger karate-ka, and then moved to knuckle pushups and gloveless bag work, so I wouldnt in hinsight, recommend going all out on a heavy bag with no gloves for someone new to the game. But if you think your ready for it, I say go wild.

Ah, I was just getting ready to ask about this one. Is it the One Hundred Push-ups program? I was doing it a while back, but fell off it. If that app is out there, I might be interested in it. Where did you find it? Hey Bushido, Yes it is the 100 push-ups program, and I found this at the app's store by typing in "Health" and sorting through the list... I also found the 200 sit-ups app, but have not started that as yet. Truth be told - I was looking for a massage application, haha, but ended up getting training app's instead!

Thanks Patrick :) I love fruit ninja... except my better half has the household high-score, but its fun none-the-less! Bushido and Jay - some of them are really worth checking out from what I have seen. I have just got a hold of a 5 minute ab workout, and it has really been quite effective in making me keep up with daily ab routines. I am waiting for a kettlebell app... Ive also downloaded one (yeah Ive been having fun with this) that assures me Ill be doing single sets of 100 pushups in no time... Considering I was doing 40 per set about a year ago, but my lack of training took me down to 15-20 per set, in a metter of a week just following this app has brought me back to 45! Nice (yes I am sure I could have done it without thye app, but it helped me to get motivated about the whole thing).