ps1

I tend to agree with you here.

I think this is an excellent point.

Why does this come to mind when someone says MMA? I own and operate a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school. But I don't coach MMA. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is older than some "traditional" styles. It's been around since 1925, utilizes a "traditional" gi, a basic code of conduct, and has a set curriculum. What more would you want from a "traditional art", other than kata? Regarding MMA. It's not A martial art. It's the idea of training and combining several martial arts to improve effectiveness. So training in MMA makes you a martial artist for sure. But it does not mean you know a martial art or even have a curriculum. You know how to fight. But not, necessarily, anything more.

As far as bunkai, I've seen several things for this over the years. My advice is to ask your sensei what he/she believes it should be. If that doesn't work, come back and let us know. Here's a video of the pacing for the kata:

Well done. THe first one is always the hardest.

I really don't think its very good at all. But I'm also not a fan of these weird chair demonstrations. Don't get me wrong. Their technique is great. I also get that they are being funny in places. But I can tell you that, if I were basing my decision to train with them on that demo, I would not chose them.

English. There are few exceptions where the english translation doesn't make sense. Omoplata=shoulder blade. This doesn't really describe the technique Mata Leo'= Lion Killer. Again, doesn't describe the technique. Kimura= Name after the great Judo legend. So it doesn't describe the technique. In those examples, we keep the original name. But most everything uses english.

He's just a real guy. No pomp and cicumstance. No dog and pony shows. He respects what's real and holds nothing back. He teaches us his best stuff so that he, in turn, can learn to defend it.

The internet found this: http://videowestpros.com/kamishin/modern3.html

Isshin Ryu is an Okinawan style that was developed post WWII. They have, relatively, few kata when compared to other systems. The pinan/heian series is not taught. Instead they teach about 5 "higher level" kata between white and black. It's not uncommon to train one kata for several ranks. They are also known for their vertical fist. THEY BELIEVE that the structure of the arm is more properly lined up when using a vertical fist, thus allowing a better transfer of energy when striking. Isshin Ryu also has several weapon forms that are learned. Generally, a higher emphasis is put on weapons (especially in Dan ranks) than in other arts.

I think it just depends where you are. In my area, there are 3 Isshin Ryu schools and 2 Shotokan schools. But I know what you're saying. It's hard to find a pure art. I believe this is for 2 reasons: 1. Politics...Many instructors break off from their original instructor/orginazation for one reason or another. When this happens, they sometimes change this or that and call the art something else. Shotokan becomes PS1 Karate. 2. Broadening Horizons...Many instructors learn a little bit from several styles. But I think you'll find that they are primarily one style if you go and train. They just may have a few extra joint locks or throws or weapons ect... Any instructor who can't/won't give you their ranks in each individual style they studied should not be trusted, IMO. My own jiu-jitsu school used to be operated out of a school like that. The young man who owned the primary school was a 4th dan in TKD. Yet he refused to call his system TKD. He said it's because too many people have a negative view of the art. I tried to point out to him that it was his job to change their minds. Instead, he called it something else. I was greatful that he let me open my jiu-jitsu school inside his place, but was happy when I finally got my school away from such dishonesty. Anyway, good luck in your search.

People like to create. They like to know that their mark is left on the world when they're gone. As a species, humans are best at categorizing things and organizing them into groups based on traits. It's what we do (from a social psychology/anthropology standpoint this behavior speaks volumes toward racisim and sexisim but that's a whole other can of worms). So for a person to change a few things and recategorize their art makes perfect sense. That's not to say that makes it a true representation of reality, but it makes sense that we do it. In regard to BJJ, most of the masters I've met simply call it Jiu-Jitsu. While there are significant differences between BJJ/GJJ and Kano Jiu-jitsu/Judo, those differences were categorized largely by the public and not the Gracie Family. "Gracie" jiu-jitsu was copyrighted by Rorion Gracie right after the UFC because people fraudulently started claiming to teach it. He didn't want uncertified/untrained people giving his family art a bad name, and he wanted to capitalize on its success.

The primary thing that separates styles isn't movement...it's doctrine. Most arts have percussion techniques, grappling techniques, and weapon techniques. It's how those particular systems utilize their techniques that defines the style. A karate stylist will grapple (even if its just grabbing a sleeve) to set up their percussion techniques (strikes). A Jiu-jitsuka will use percussion to set up their grappling. Clearly, they were necessary to someone. The evidence is that they exist. Helio found that a locked closed guard was highly effective for his small frame. It was an easier method of launching this techniques. So on for Funakoshi Sensei and so on. Once we're talking about different methods of the same doctrine, we are discussing differences in strategy. TKD and Shotokan are both percussion arts. But the strategies each employ are different (often). This is what separates them from one another. A more obvious or understandable example would be the difference between Army Rangers and Army Delta Force. Both are Army. Both are ground style forces. But the way they employ their weapons and actions are very different.

The only thing that's really changed is the awareness that the guard can be a dangerous place for the guy on top as well as the guy on bottom. In the past, the guy on top thought that nothing bad could happen and kept getting caught in chokes and armbars. Now they know better. Ground and Pound specialists make defending submissions in the guard a huge part of their training. Additionally, Royce wore a gi in the old days. This made him a little stickier than they are now because both are without pants or shirt. Very slippery. This is why armbars are so rare from that position now.

For most open competitions, no one cares much about the uniform. You could be up agaisnt kung fu artists that have completely different uniforms.

If you have the knowledge, Skills, and abilities required of any given rank, why should you not be that rank?

Honestly, getting people in the door is the easy part. Especially with social media. The tough part is going to be the business side of things. Who's handling all of that? Do you have an attorney, accountant, insurance? Who will look over the lease you're signing with the sports center? Be sure to keep a good record of any personal money you spend on teh school...it's all tax deductible. If you're not already itemizing your taxes...next year might be the time to do it. You're going to be amazed at how much time you spend working on the school while you're NOT teaching. I'm not sure why you think not doing it for profit is a good idea...but that's up to you. You're giving your time and providing a service, you should be compensated in some fashion. Or, you might be able to do it the easy way where you essentially become an employee of the sport center and they handle all the billing....might work best for your needs. Facebook is a wonderful tool to spread the word...given you're friends with people in that area. In all honesty, word of mouth is the most powerful for a martial arts school. Have business cards made up. Spend time in the area. Once a handful of the students there know you're in town, the others will come to check you out. Once they get in the door...the responsibility is all yours to keep them there. Be confident in your curriculum. Don't try to be something you're not just to conform to what you feel others want. Be youself. If they come in wanting TKD, and you don't teach TKD, you can demonstrate what you do teach. If they don't like that, tell them where the TKD school is. You won't please everyone all the time. Don't expect yourself to.

Nice work. Great job just stepping on that mat. To give some others who may not know, the Pan-Ams is the third largest and third most prestegious grappling tournament in the world. The best of the best are always in attendence. Very cool that you went. My friend, Darren Branch, won his division this year. He's a small guy, not exactly sure of weight...maybe 135 or 140. But brown belt. I'm hoping to compete out there next year or the year after. I'll be in the same division as Saulo Ribeiro. Sooooo....yeeaaahhh.

1>Guard Eye poke....poke that sucker in so hard they cry! 2>Half Guard Ear Bite...lets face it, you pull a mike tyson on them and they take notice. 3>Mount Go for the "boys" lets face it....its a bad spot, the eyes are to far away, the closest soft spot is the groin! Smash that a few times and then UPA away! 4>Rear Mount SPIKE! Flip yourself when ready and drive that suckers head into the matt. I have seen it done on a BJJ Purple belt in a bar once....not good! I think I'm gonna have to make a video about this topic. Most people have no idea how to handle a skilled grappler. Everyone is trying to apply free movement concepts to a situation where you don't have free movement. 1. Eye Poke. This isn't horrible. But a good grappler is going to treat the movement the same whether it's an eye poke attempt or an attempt to reach the back of the head. They are going to take control of your arm and pass to a superior position. This is very easy to do. 2. I don't know how you think you're getting to the ear from half guard. Someone with good control has your face pinned to the side. You aren't even able to turn your head, let alone lift it to bite. 3. Groin strikes and grabs are (mostly) ineffective anyway. Adrenaline and anger usually take over when the groin is struck/grabbed. Doing it from this position is among the worst ideas you can come up with. There are several videos with people trying it. From cross chokes, to mounted triangle to kimura and americana attacks and even just getting bludgened unmercifully with elbows...this is an all around bad idea. You've just taken someone who already wanted to hurt you, put them in a very dominant position, then gave them more reason to want to hurt you harder. 4. I think this is situationally dependant. For sure, if someone just jumps on your back like they can do in the ring or on a mat...a spike is very effective. I cringe when guys do that. It's just bad jiu-jitsu. But if I'm on your back and you just roll forward (we were both on the ground already), that's not very effective. I love the sequence, it starts with sweep. A fundamental grappling skill. The cheating isn't on the end of beating the grappling, it's in the final control phase AFTER grappling skill has countered poor position. I also agree that this is the best way to beat a grappler. You're not going to surprise him with groin grabs, biting, hairpulling ect. I have honestly had several people attempt each of these tactics...none of those people enjoyed my response to their dirty tactics. Those are not going to win for you. You beat him by taking it out of the grappling situations and back into your own sphere of control. Whether it's a gun, a soccer kick to the head, or hitting him with your truck, you need to have free movement.

These are good options. I just finished refing a bjj tourney this weekend. Top 5 takedowns I witnessed: 1. Double Leg 2. Tai Otoshi 3. Duck under and spin down 4. Single Leg 5. Uchi mata It was a good mix of judo moves and wrestling moves

Respectfully, most of what you think would be effective here, would simply set you up for failure. I do agree that you could get the eyes from the guard. But everything you mention from the half guard would not be good. Holding the hair would open the back door for your back to be exposed. Holding it with the other hand would get you rolled over. If you're being crossfaced, you can't turn your head to bite anything. Getting the arm out of a kimura is a matter of proper mechanics. Elbowing the head isn't illegal now. That should tell you it's not an effective way to set up the kimura, unless you honestly believe you're the first human to think of that. It will get them to defend, but more likely to get you the americana or straight armlock. More importantly, give you an underhook so you can advance to a better position.

1>Guard- up kick to the head from the bottom (there's not really anything illegal from the top 2>Half Guard- Not much that would be useful from here that's illegal in the ufc. The upkick could be useful from here. 3>Mount Can't think of much 4>Rear Mount Pull the hair to make it easier to sink a choke. Also, I tend to agree with what everyone else has said prior to my response. Doing things like biting, reaching for eyes, fishhooking ect...are not really the best things against someone who is grappling and can often get you into a worse position.

Ditto

Welcome to the forums! There is a complete difference in training Karate v Muay Thai. Muay Thai is, like boxing, a sport. That's all it ever was. So training it for a short time is acceptable, like most sports. If you research Muay Thai you'll see that most of the people that train and fight regularly, especially in Thailand, are very young (under 25 yrs old) and have very short careers. The highest goal of most MT practitioners is to gain enough notoriety and wins that people want to train with him when he retires. Karate Do is not meant to be trained that way. Certainly it can be trained this way, but this is not it's purpose. Therefore "doing karate" to supplement your Muay Thai is kind of a waste of time. If you take it up under that sort of premise, you're unlikely to glean anything useful from it. Karate is meant to be a way of life. So how long do you do it? How long do you breathe?

Nothing. Save it, put it in a bank. Then the next time you have $20, put it into that same bank. Continue for a while and before long, presto...you'll have enough money to pay for a year of classes.