joe2002

It is my view that pressure points are on the body if I hit you I hit a pressure point so there for I incorperate using pressure points in my fighting. I belive that the study of pressure points is fine and good for someone at around a black belts skill level (and I don't mean the one you get with your milkshake and fries). The reason I think this is because you divert your time away from building your foundation of good solid techniques. Cause without those I don't care what pressure points you know you won't beable to make them work when you need to (like in a life or death fight). If you look at kata (and I'm not trying to turn this into a form vs formlessness discussion) you will see that when you are told to do the straight punch or the reverse punch or what ever it is always the same area (i.e. the center of the chest) if you were to look at those area's in comparison to a pressure point chart you will find that those areas are filled with many of the pressure points that are applicable to fighting. So with out ever having to learn the names (gall blader 6, heart 5, big toe 1) you have been tought how to incorperate pressure points into your fighting. So there really is no point to learning what they are called and focus your training on them untill much later in your development as a MA. And then that is only if you really want to know.

I've seen both versions and the newest one is more of an updated version of the older one. Meaning that it has all that the first one has but it corrects some errors in the book and has some more information that the original doesn't have. This is of course based on me thinking I know what your talking about.

Let me ask the "If a tree falls in the woods and no ones there to here it, does it make a sound?" question. If a martial artist gets into a confrontation and comes out on top however it was accomplished does someone have to see it or does he have to brag about it in order for it to happen. I mean the person they bested isn't going to go around saying they got there butt kicked by someone (well most people don't brag about getting there butts kicked). I'm not trying to sound as if this is always the case but I do want to bring to light that society is quick to point out when someone or something messes up but not very quick to point out when they succeed. And I think that there is more successes out there then people realize. I think that there is no way for anyone to really prove that there is an ultimate system, or an ultimate way of training. So really it's a matter of deciding whether or not what you do is enough, and if you are not happy with it then decide wethere it's your not taking your training serious, your instructor isn't doing their job, or what your doing is not prepairing you for the situations you could find yourself in.

I used to live in Boise just a few months ago if you would like e-mail me and I can give you some info, or you can try and get ahold of another member here by the name of sauzin who live's there and he could give you the same info.

We always hold ours at the very end, it allows for more control and power in your technique.

The only problem I have with this artical is that most of the examples given are really vague. I have seen to many wild things to say that I'm a non beliver but I have yet to see someone levitate or throw balls of fire, I'm not saying it couldn't happen. I'm just saying that the problem is no real proof is given to back up these claims. I could say the same thing as anyone from this article and say the reason I can't tell you how to do it right now like this is cause it takes years of diligent study and training, but that wouldn't mean that I'm telling the truth. If I could learn to do these amazing things I would, but I cant so that means that these amazing feats are impossable. Its like the question about if a tree falls in the woods and no ones around too hear it. Does it make a sound? Well yes it does but it doesn't effect anyone cause there is no one there for it to affact. But I agree Ki is somethint real. However I view it as something that is created not controlled, so therefor I don't need to confuse my students by talking about it I just teach them how to create it in there technique. Well hopefully I did not insult anyone cause that was never my intintion, if I have please let me know so I can apoligize and explain myself.

The day you stop needing to be corrected on your martial skill is the day you stop needing to breath.

ncole_91 the http://www.ottawajka.com looks to be your best choice. check it out to see if you like it. if this is a McDojo I appoligize its hard to really tell from a website, but the way this one reads to me vs. the others says this should be your choice. Hopefully you will find what you seek. Good Luck in your search. also to address 47MartialMan question about is it better to train in a McDojo vs trying to learn from a book or video. I think that if the person has no experiance at all, they will probably come out with about the same level of skill. the differences are probably going to be that the person training in a McDojo will probably suffer more or less injuries (depending on the instructor) then the person training from the book, and they will have others there to work thier stuff on. But the person training from the book wont have the same false confidince built up cause they wouldn't have fooled themselves into thinking that they learned real stuff from an expert. just my two cents on that question.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with your overall argument, because you said it was between martial athlete vs. martial artist (and I assuming you meant real traditional karateka or someone who practices a traditional art in a traditional way, not someone who is lazy or/and studying in a McDojo). The reason I disagree is because the training you list for the traditional stylist sounds like something you would find in a McDojo, not in a traditional school. Or practiced by someone who would like to claim they really train when they don’t. Yes, kata is a part of the traditionalist training. The thing about kata is that you can get a pretty good cardio workout if you are doing the kata correctly, and not just going through the motions. You also listed lightweight kumite. I know that with beginners and many lower ranks you could call their kumite workout lightweight, but you will find this with anybody first learning to spar. As time progresses so does the nature of the kumite the student is capable of. Much of this depends on the instructor and how they like to progress there student. I have known quite a few that the their sparring regiment is pretty unforgiving of those who are not prepared (i.e. broken ribs and the like). As far as your impractical technique point, I found lacking. The reason is because you use the reverse punch as an example, but the thing about the reverse punch is that anybody training in any type of empty hand combat art or sport has that punch. It may not look the same but the fundamentals of that punch are common everywhere. So that punch is not just something unique to karate. The other thing is that I have had to use that punch in an actual street fight, so I can say that it is a valid technique. Now as I listed above, I don’t agree with your overall argument, and I don’t agree that it’s as all encompassing as you’re presenting. But I do think there is a valid point in your argument. There are many who do not train on their own so they do not gain the physical conditioning that many martial athletes have. And would therefore be in trouble when fighting someone who does, but I would not say that they would straight out win cause win it comes to actual combat the situation always dictates.

I would have to say go with the system that allows you to use your strength but improves your weaknesses. I say this because most situations will not shape themselves to your strengths. but when your need is there so will your strengths. so by picking the style which still allows you to improve your strengths and at the same time work on making your weaknesses part of your strengths you will be better prepaired for more situations.

Confucious Say: Man with whole in pocket feel cocky all day. Man with deadly hand must be careful when put on aftershave.

actually the question was about how to controle adrenaline shakes, and also whether or not you should try to use an adrenalin rush or control it. I do happen to agree with you sevenstars nobody really has time to sit and do a proper meditation or any exercise for that mater. But I also happen to agree with JeetKuneDo that meditation does not take alot of time to perform. what I mean and what I failed to explain in my previous post is that when I said that I would do breathing exercise and internal focusing exercises, is that this is training that I included in my overall workout. ie. incorperating them in basic drills, kata, sparring, monkey line, etc. so that like any other aspect of my karate I could utilize it in combate without thought. being able to focus your mind, body, soal and emotions are all things that can be done and done with out thought if you train them to do so and train them properly. Now I will not say that I have perfected this but I have found that I haven't had a cause of the shakes in a very long time. I would also have to say to your the question, that you should always strive for the control of your body. which does not mean that the adrinalin rush will not be there, it just means that you will not lash out or do something that you shouldn't or that you did not mean to.

another thing that is not so apparent is that by working with weapons (and I mean traditional weapons) you also greatly increase your capability for you empty hand ability. for you see studying another empty hand system dosn't really teach you that much more, because the principles are really the same. but if you put weapons into the equation then all of a sudden you have to really change the way you think. and because of that you will really learn things you never would have thought of. Ill give you an easy example. lets say you do a simple side strike with a bo. if you look at the movement that you use to create that strike and then compair it to the movement to a simple straight punch you will see that they are identical to one another. there are so many thing that can be learned from studying weapons like timing and technique that I would highly suggest that if you truly wanted to become a great martial artist or if you preffer the term Warrior or Fighter, then you will take up the study of traditional weapons.

I think that what some people don't under stand and you seem to be one of them from what I have read is that the black belt rank is nothing more than a starting point. Not a finishing line. What I'm trying to say here is that it takes 3-4 years (that's right I said years) of basics work (which everything in Karate, and other systemiazed fighting arts, are basics), before a person can start to learn how to use those basics with stratagy and tactics. The reason this is is because if your techniques are not ingrained into you they will never work the way you want when you want exspecially when you don't have time to make a mistake. Now if I'm correct in what I've read that means you are now at the point where you are capable to start learning the tactics and stratagy you are so enthusastically quick to bash. Now I'm not say that all that is posted here are correct and I'm certainly not saying that they are universal, but I have read many of them and I think that once you start getting a firm grasp on how tachtics and stratagy really work and how to recognize them then you will be able to find what your looking for. If after you read this and feel I am in the wrong then I invite you to prove your case by grabing a couple of example and show how you would tactically or stratigically change what other have said they would do. but if you really can't do it I would think an apoligy to those who frequent this forum (of which many have put in the time that would call for you sho at least a little respect) is in order. your comment are very rude, and there is no reason for that. if I have offended you or anyone else I apoligize I did not mean to I just don't see the need to be rude.

One thing that seems to work for me is doing basic breathing and internal focusing exercises, which can be done while working on a physical exercise. though you know I can't honestly remember when I had my adrenaline pumping like that, where I had to work to gain control over myself. but those are what I used to get myself back under control.