KempoTiger

Hawaii and then California tend to be the American "Mecca's" of Martial Arts

2nd Degree in Kempo, 8th Kyu in Iaido

is this just a one time demonstration class or are you planning on teaching out of the school for a considerable amount of time?

Welcome to my world. I've noticed my lower ranks are progressing a much faster rate and at a much higher level than some of the students who came before them. To an extent I see it as a personal failure on my end in regards to my older students, but I've also learned how to imrpove them as well, so they'll be comming along. But yeah when you have a fresh batch of motivated students it really helps you get through the day with a smile on your face

Better? Well if you ask me I'd say American Kempo, simply because it's a newer and more refined version of its Okinawan predecessor. Beyond that much American Kempo today is a variant of Kajukenbo which in my opinion is a more complete system due to it's foundation.

a) Fame is not something I think you'd want. Money is something you want, and I think having that combined with the respect of your current students plus a happy comfortable lifestyle with friends and family is something to shoot for. b) As Menjo said, betting on becomming a movie star or something like that is wishful thinking, and thousands of people have their hopes and dreams crushed every day because of such attitudes. c) If you want to be the best, train to be the best and then sign up to become a PRIDE fighter. Prove it to us. I'll respect you if you take down Bob Sapp while only using feet *wink wink*

Not free, but dirt cheap in community colleges.

heh...last time I competed at an open to all styles tournament, I made up my own form combining the flashiest techniques of my favorite forms/katas in Kempo, and ran with it (got second place) I know my Sensei didn't care about that, just ask and see if he cares about your situation.

Did I mention that I beat up Bodhidharma? Guy was such a wuss.....

"please don't kick me....please don't kick me....."

Street Fighter vs SNK 2 baby!

It's not insulting at all. You make very good points. I suppose this comes down to how I'd handle an experienced fighter vs. an untrained fighter. Ironically, a year or so ago while I was teaching, I realized that 90% of the time when it comes to drilling effective techniques, a strike right to the face is the way to go, before continuing with any other movements. So I see what you mean. I will tell you though from personal experience in a fight, that I have indeed used arm strikes. The way it played out though was the guy through a big haymaker type punch towards my face. I stepped forward and to the side punching him in the face while blocking the arm. After he stumbled back, I caught the slack by holding his arm....so I struck the arm with a forearm strike sending him to the ground. My point is that I chose to control him rather than just pummel him to death.

I only hurt my friends intentionally...sorry

No no, it's nothing like that. We don't have any formal rules as to how we refer to the parents. As a rule of thumb out of sheer respect, all of our younger instructors refer to everyone older than them as "sir, ma'am, miss etc.." or they use the last name with Mr, Mrs etc. It's not that often I even need to use a name when speaking to them, because I'm usually very personal and direct so there's no mistaking who I am speaking to, but sometimes I need to use a name, and more and more of them feel more comfortable on a first name basis I suppose. 9/10 times when I'm talking to them, the kids aren't even around anyway btw.

I've now got more than a few parents of the children I teach getting upset and requesting that I refer to them by their first name rather than the typical formal Mr, Mrs, Ms that I've grown accustomed too. I'm only 21. Downside to this is that it doubles the number of names I need to remember.....it used to be just their childs first and last name...now I need to match parents names to kids as well (not to mention parents who happen to be uncles and aunts of other kids who also train) Ah well, Apparently either I'm getting older and are now on more of an equal footing....or they're getting older and they don't want to face it

I still can't figure out why they fight differently in PRIDE. A friend of mine claims that they're just better fighters, and they've figured out how to outstrike a grappler without getting grabbed, but I'm just not buying it. It's gotta be the name or something attracting different kinds of fighters....either that or a conspiracy by the owners of the shows to only allow certain fighters in! A conspiracy I say!

Pressure points are usefull as tools, because they are NOT a means to an end. They have been legal since the very first UFC and like many of the other myths of MA's they have gone their way. As I said, they're usefull as an accessory to a move, for example, using a cross face on an opponent from the back mount to lift his chin and expose his neck. Another example would be driving ones elbows into an opponents inner thighs to open his guard. So you see pressure points do exist in UFC and MMA, they just dont do what people thought they would (i.e. KILL/maim someone) As far as kicking someone while they go for a shot, thats never been very effective. The only one I can remember was Hendo vs Rezno Gracie, which is one successfull attempt out of over 100 MMA shows I've seen. While I think this rule is a hinderance to strikers, they've got way too many rules already in their favor, so they've got no room to complain. The points are legal, but as anyone who's been in a fight knows merely grabbing or pressing them isn't going to help you in any way. The way to make them work is to strike them and strike them hard. But many of the most useful ones are along the neck, and striking the neck to lead into a lock isn't allowed to the best of my knowledge.

here we go again....ok my thoughts on this. First and foremost we have to remember that the UFC is a sport. Nothing more nothing less. Now we can argue whether it's the closest thing we have to a real fight or not, but for now I think we can all agree it's still a sport. Now as a sport (especially a commercialized sport) the UFC has rules. As it's progressed from illegal backyard brawls and pit fighting, it's gained many more rules to make it "safer" as well as more entertaining. Apparently the powers that be don't want to see a 45 minute matchup of one of the Gracie's trying to tire their opponent and pull off a lock. They also don't want lawsuits when one of these fighters get's kicked in the knee, then groin, with a follow-up driving roundhouse kick into the face shattering their jaw. What it comes down to, is that in the sport of the UFC, they have to use what works to win. Pressure points won't work unless you really apply them which you can't so that's out. Driving your foot down on the back of the head of that grappler going for a shoot isn't allowed, so that's out. What they're reduced to is trying to bash the other guys face in, and perhaps tie him up on the ground if he doesn't get KO'd. They are doing what they have to do to win within the confines of the ring. Ok now that my UFC bashing is out of the way, let me rebut myself a bit, and bring to light some of the better points of the sport. First and foremost "I" believe that the UFC has done much to undo the dogma of many I'll call "established" styles. To use the term "traditional" as SG did above, opens the debate up in too many different directions. In the beginnings of the legal form of the UFC there wasn't many rules, and many stylist from known established systems competed, and fought in the form they were taught. Long story short, many of these fighters did nothing short of abandon their style in favor of a more brawl-style beatimup fashion. Right off the bat, grapplers finally came to shine and the typical dogma of "you don't want to go to the ground in a fight unless you have to" that just about all of us have heard in nearly any martial arts class was put to rest. Now this isn't to say that in a street fight, that still doesn't hold true. For one doesn't want to get caught on the ground trying to get someone to submit while getting kicked in the head by three of the other guys friends. But in a 1 on 1 matchup, grapplers seemed to be taking the cake, forcing the other fighter to fight "their way." Many kicking styles such as much of the Korean arts, were no match for grapplers, who had a knack for shooting in at the right moment. Kung fu stylists seemed to lack the power to match up with raw strength of a Thai kickboxer. All of this is of course debatable but thats the way it played out in the UFC matches. My thoughts anyways.

I'd say google or Ebay are your friends.... Some suggestions though if I will : -) Finding a strong steady stream and stand in it walking upstream for 2 hours. -) Standing under a waterfall. -) Cover your arms in brass rings and sit in a horse stance. -) Use said brass rings and perform forms with them on. -) Bind your feet to make them smaller, so you can kick into more accurate pressure points. (also makes a delightful fashion statement with your new tiny shoes) -) Do pull-ups outside while a small Asian man hits you with a stick -) Punch a tree trunk until your knuckles flatten. -) Fight a bear and/or wolverine -) Paint a fence (But ONLY use UP AND DOWN strokes...NOT side to side) -) Wax my car -) Balance a teapot on your head while standing on one foot, and singing Russian songs karaoke style. Hope this helped!

I've begun just striking the fear of God (well....my fist rather) into people like that. If they're a friend of mine, usually something like that is accompanied by a quick follow-up strike through the chest. If I don't know the person, or they're just an occasional aquaintence then I usually don't even react and just stare at them with a look of anger/bemusement/apathy combined somehow...(at least thats how I'm told it looks) until they feel stupid and let out a nervous laugh. Funny thing, is a friend of a friend of mine made a comment referring to me as the resident "shaolin monk" and proceeded to sit into some awkward looking kung fu stance making heavy exhaling breathing sounds. It was his lucky day because I decided on the spot he was more than just an occasional friend, and he got kicked square in the chest, clearing him off his feet The lesson here kids, is that violence and intimidation is ALWAYS the answer!

Arnis is one of the words along with Eskrima and Kali to denote weapon based Filipino Martial Arts. I'm surprised you don't know that if you attend an Inosanto lineage school. What does your teacher use to refer to Filipino Martial Arts? I personally never knew what Arnis was up until a few months ago when I heard the term used and looked it up myself. Up until then I always thought that the two terms were Kali and Escrima.

??? What? I'm just saying the guy who got tapped most likely made up some * story that the church leadership believed. That's all. I'm willing to believe the reaction would have been the same if the person who got up in his face was a female and he did something equivalent (and the woman made up some story later on). :blush: oops....that last post wasn't directed at you Shorin. I was replying to the initial thread. I was angered by the instant flow of thoughts about my perception of modern day Christians, the Roman Catholic church in particular. As USC said, the church leaders seem to believe that violence is better than mock homosexuality....

You are so tempting me to post something that will be deleted in a matter of moments I'll just reserve my detailed opinion and just say that I agree with your friend, and think that the church was "wrong."

To the best of my knowledge, it is a concept that's held in most Wing Tsun schools. A few techniques I was shown, involved blocking a punch down, then sliding forward to trap it down while simultaneously striking the other arm down over it to lock their limbs down. Immediately following that movement would be me sliding my first hand up into a chop or some strike to the neck. All of these motions would be completeled in the a matter of a moment.