jarrettmeyer

You've got to have both. If your mind is not focuses and trained for combat, then all that time training is worthless. But if your body is poorly conditioned, you'll be sucking wind and unable to do what your mind tells you to do. To say that one is more important than the other seems to show a lack of understanding. Both must be tuned, tempered, and tested.

I answered "Yes Moderately". This is the most positive site that I have ever read on MA. I find the opinions of posters to be very insightful. They give me a great deal to contemplate.

It's like, "You must lose your self to find yourself."

I just posted this to another thread, but I'll post it here again. At my dojo, sparring class is a separate event from the rest of school. You walked in that night knowing that you were going to get hit. If it is a matter of courtesy, then I would consider that hard hitting to any target (or non-target) is a DQ. Sparring must be controlled. Given that were not pummeling eachother, if it's a valid target, then you must be prepared for the consequences. PS: I've had a woman kick so hard in the groin, that my cup was displaced to the front of my leg. Let me tell you, that's shearing force that I never want to feel again. I've had a bloody lip and a bloody nose (face is not a valid target unless you're a BB), also given to me by a female. And the only person to have dropped me to the floor at my dojo is a woman, and she's done it twice!

I love what I'm studying. Goju is so diverse, and it adapts so well to each body style. I get so much out of it. We've got strikes, infighting, locks, throws... we are all learning the same thing, but you can tell that everyone's Goju is just a little bit different. Remember, you do karate for you, not for a strip of cloth around your waist. The study of you never quits. You don't measure it in sparring points, number of known techniques, or how many times you do Sanchin each day. You measure it in your own self-improvement. The only problem with that is the belt is such an easy ruler. If you learn to put aside the material, karatedo will mean that much more to you in the long run.

"Officer, I was in fear for my daughter's life."

I don't know how I would have reacted in that situation, but I know how I do react in my own situations. I can put up with a lot. I'm not shy, but I will avoid confrontation at all costs. There's a lot of fear there. In reality, I'm probably a coward. That's a lot of the reason that I take MA. But when it comes to my wife, sister, family, friends, etc., no body had better lay a hand on them. I will hunt you down. All that fear mentioned above... *poof*... gone. For some reason, I will not stick up for myself, but those who are important to me are very important to me. When all is said and done, I don't know that I would have reacted any differently. You just don't mess with a guy's daughter.

$35 AND it includes an e-book. It's environmentally friendly.

No kidding, by my calculations, classes cost me US$6/hour. Some of you are paying 1/4 of that! That's incredible!

The neatest thing that Sensai did was teach us how to hit and how to take a hit. This was our very first sparring class. Person hitting practices punches, roundhouses, front kicks, etc. to opponents solar plexus while opponent stands there with arms behind back getting hit. Person hitting is learning control and depth. (How do you strike quickly, but not injure your opponent?) Person getting hit is getting one heck of an abdomen workout. I started out doing this with another male. When I switched to a female, I was hitting air, coming within 2-3" of her, but not making any contact. Like I said earlier, it took mental and physical conditioning for me to actually strike a woman. Rest assured that now I will hit you, regardless of your gender.

We train both sides, and we are always challenged on our weaker sides. Typically, we'll do twice as much out of our weak side than our strong. In time, our weak side will change. Reverse and repeat. Now fencing is a sport where lefties have an advantage. If you're a rightie, you're not used to lefties, but lefties practice against righties all the time. 70% of the A-rated fencers in the U.S. are lefties. ("A" is the highest grade in fencing.)

This is exactly what we were taught at my dojo. It is a very low and stable position. In the part of a shoulder throw where your opponent is above your shoulder, your weight is low and your feet are parallel - a Kiba. "Stances" don't really exist in fighting. Even if you were in a true Kiba, you'd never hold it for more than a few seconds, and you were there for a specific reason. But you would transition out it nearly immediately. When Sensai makes us hold a Kiba for long periods of time, that is for building strength.

That sounds very good in theory, but I've never had a male tell me that I hit too hard or to be less aggressive. Because of conditioning, I take it easier on some of the women. It's a learning thing. Just like you learn what techniques to use, you also learn just how much contact your opponent can take before he/she will complain. On the other side, there's one woman in particular who's actually my favorite person to spar. She's a black belt, and she is just good. Really good. She's dropped me to floor a few times; she does not hold back. She tells me that if I hold back, she'll make me feel it. Just be aware that women come in all types. Personally, I wouldn't go to a sparring class and complain that I got hit too hard. It's a sparring class. It's a separate class from our other classes. You walked in the door knowing you were going to get hit tonight.

I pay $80/month. Classes are offered every night of the week, and I make it a point to go at least twice. I usually go three times. (I've done 4 once, but that makes it tough to go back and do my real job.) At brown belt, you can start instructing. Hopefully Sensai will let me do that. (Of course, that's 3 years away. )

There is a profound balancing act between remembering the old and evolving the new. I think that the masters of old were able to evolve the arts because of the number of dedicated years each devoted to the study of arts. My father works for . All the time with him, it's, "We new this design didn't work in the 70's. Why are these college gradu-idiots trying it now?" After 5 years of teaching computer programming, I still believe that programming design should be done away from a computer. Try telling that to a college freshman. They just don't get it. Regardless of field, whether it's math, physics, or martial arts, you can only improve when you know what has been done before. It is my belief that there are very few martial arts students today who know enough to evolve the system. I know that although MA may contribute greatly to my life, that I will never give anything back. Why? I'm not that dedicated. Yes, I work out. Yes, I practice my forms at home. Yes, I give 100% every time I am at the dojo. Yes, I am trying to learn to apply calmness and courtesy to my daily work life. No, I will not live up to what those teachers thought a student should be. To further complicate the matter, not only do you have to be good enough at what you do, you also must be a good teacher of your craft. I have met many who would be excellent innovators in their field, but lack the communication skills to send forth their ideas.

You don't. You cannot control your emotions. Emotions are an involuntary chemical response to a stimulus. If you see a fight, your mind will activate various centers of brain and you will sense a feeling of anxiety, including the release of adrenaline. You control your cognitive reaction to those emotions. That just takes time and practice.

This is very true, but I'm going to make the assumption that this teaching style is not limited to Goju Ryu. When you start out, a low block is a low block. Later, it becomes more. You will learn that as you step into the low block, and follow up with a second technique. Parry, then counter as one motion. You will learn about nerve masses, located at the inside of the groin and just above an below the knee. The block becomes a strike within itself. You will learn about grappling techniques that begin with catching an opponent's leg. The block becomes a lock, and subsequently a throw. This is done because you can't learn all of it at once. Your brain and body take time to analyze (break down) and synthesize (rebuild) the technique. And if you don't take time to learn it all slowly and correctly, you will end up a master of half-correct, zero-viability techniques.

Don't get me wrong, I love point sparring and full contact sparring. But I make no connection between point sparring and self-defense/fighting. As my sensai says every time we practice, "Sparring is sport. Point sparring is a game. I can hit you with a clean, controlled technique before you can hit me." That's why I'm glad that I'm at a dojo where (eventually) I'll get to do both. Anyone is allowed to point spar - kyu and dan grades. Only the black belts do the full contact stuff.

I really think that it's all three: practice, meditate, and practice more. Last night, I was really focusing on relaxation and breathing, and I had a much more effective practice. Only be tense for a brief moment, then be soft and quiet again. If I can keep in that mindset, I do really well. It seems that if I start to spiral out of control - get tense, get frustrated, etc. - I might as well start all over with the stretching that I do before class. I had a fencing instructor in college who was really great about this. He had been on the US Olympic team. He would conduct the class at a whisper. You had to be always working on your relaxation and breathing, because even labored breathing would drown him out.

Kicks, I complete agree with you, but all my seniors at my dojo, sensai included, tell me that I fight too square. In reaction, I move more sideways. You're exactly right, my back foot (and even my reverse punch) has to come all the way around my body to get to the target. It seems to be very inefficient. On the counterargument, many of the people at my dojo will use kicks from the rear (hook heel, roundhouse), and even as the only white belt who spars, I've never been hit with any. It's probably for the same reason: they do the same thing. They also have to go all the way around their body. It's way too telegraphic. Part of it comes from previous boxing experience. I'll square up, and I'm okay with taking a few hits/glancing blows if I can get in and pummel the tar of you. But when sparring, if that first hit lands, it's a point. It's a very different mentality, and I'm still not used to it. It's much more speed and control. Finesse replaces strength. Finesse is not my strong suit. I like your idea of setting up techniques from the rear, though. It makes a lot of sense. Thank you very much. I will definitely have something to work on this weekend. Man I love this!

I find that I am very challenged by martial arts. I love being able to notice my own improvement, and I hate not being able to get my techniques perfect. From what I've read from so many posts and posters, this will never change. Last night, we were working some basic punching combinations. As the night goes on, I notice that I do things incorrectly while I do them. Even worse, when I realize that I am doing something incorrectly mid technique, I also realize that I am not relaxed and that, once again, my brain is the way of my body. Worse yet, I get upset about this general fault. The result is I am thinking too much. I'm not looking for the "practice more" response. I know to slow down and speed up gradually. I know the solution, and with time and practice, I'll get it. (I hope.) I am looking for people who have learned to listen to their bodies and not their brains. What techniques do you use? I can get really relaxed during stretching and cool down, but I find myself completely unable to keep that level of calmness in the middle of class. Please help!

That's my biggest problem right now. I can't get the back side of my body turned quickly enough to throw a kick from the away side. I telegraph too much and by the time my leg is out, my opponent is 10' away or got their instep smashing my crotch. Cup or no cup, do that a few times and you'll never throw out of the back leg again. Back to practice tonight!

I'm with Snakeeel on this one. I'm a Catholic, and I have no problem with ki the way I understand its existence. Ki is energy. We all have energy. Our nervous systems are the most incredible electricochemical designs ever. Learning how this biological system works and using it to the extent of its abilities is science, not superstition. Where science and science fiction cross are all of those stories out there about "redirecting energy so your fist become fire" and similar myths. Believing in these stories is no different than believing in God. It's faith. You can't prove that they never happened.

Absolutely, great point, and I totally agree! Humans are weird that way. On top of that, one misbehaving student will attract more attention than a dozen students behaving properly, regardless of belt. There probably is a "external attitude scale" built in somewhere. If you see a black belt not giving 100% (and you can tell the difference between a student who is distracted because of relationships/work/school versus a student who's being lazy), you'll remember that more than a yellow belt doing the same. But I still believe that both the white belt and the black belt should be held to the same mental standard. The physical standard will come with time.

Should you not be a good person just because you are not a BB? Should you not live by your creed/religion/mantra/etc? Should you not respect your dojo/sifu/sensai because you're a white belt? Should you ever be a show-off in anything? Why should these things only be expected of BB? Although I don't teach MA, I do teach a lot of other stuff (math, physics, computer programming, statistics). All you can be is an example. I don't think that there's this rigorous mental discipline that must be followed at all times. And everyone can be an example. I'm still a white belt. I try to be kind. I try to be respectful. I try to help out whenever I can. Sometimes I'm good; sometimes I'm not. Sometimes I say things I shouldn't say. But I'm aware of it. Does becoming a BB mean that all of that will go away? Probably not. I think from the moment you are born, you should be working towards balance. That's why I got into MA. For me, MA is my balance between all of that other analytical stuff that I do all day. It complements my body with my mind. If there is a mental aspect to becoming a black belt, I think that becoming a it means understanding balance in your life. (Maybe that's a yin-yang thing.) Sure, you can go to class 5 days per week and learn every technique. But what about your spouse, kids, parents, school, work, church, friends, etc? Therefore, in answer to your question and assuming a very idealist viewpoint, I am forced to say that I think that being a black belt should be the ability to perform technique to a level desired by your sensai/sifu, whatever level that may be. You should be doing the mental stuff anyway.