ps1

Me too. This book is a prime example. I've read it and it's nothing but BJJ inserted into TKD forms: http://www.amazon.com/Taekwondo-Grappling-Techniques-Competitive-Martial/dp/0804840067/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289242115&sr=8-1

Many people follow that line of thought. And, at first glance, it doesn't seem flawed. But it's not until you experience it for yourself that you will truly realize why it's flawed. That's my whole point. Fighting can only be mastered through experience of it. The closer your training is to that experience, the better you will be and more efficient your techniques will be. Sport, is as close to real fighting as we can come without killing one another in street altercations. It teaches you to deal with the physiology changes that come with an adrenaline dump. I remember my first BJJ tournament, it felt like my fingers were all glued together (you lose small motor function when your adrenaline dumps), I had tunnel vision, my heart was racing. In time, I learned to deal with this.

Not really. Kumite and any form of rule based fighting you can only practise say 30% of potential techniques as in a real fight. You/we are practicing timing, footwork in a stand up fight with guards etc. When was the last time you saw someone lift their hands up in a guard positon for a street fight, measure the distance and pull off a straight reverse punch? I haven't. Do you practice glassing someone in your dojo? Do you practice poking eyes out? Tearing a set of keys across someone face? Ripping a finger out of it's socket? stamping on peoples rib cage? Pulling out a pen from your pocket and stabbing someone in the face? Pushing one opponent away from you as someone else comes in behind you with a knife? What you practice in the dojo is different to what you would use in a real fight. I think you'll find yourself pretty much preaching to the choir with your comments. Most of us have "practiced" many of those things. There are alot of very high level martial artists on this forum. However, I believe what you're getting at is that while you can "practice" those movements, you can't actually do them to another human being without causing significant harm. Which is my whole point when it comes to aliveness in training. If you can't ever practice it, it's just theory. So stick to moves that can be practiced. Everyone needs oxygen. So the choke is my favorite fight ender, hands down. I would take the choke over an eye rake or rib stomp or knife stab any day. I choke...you pass out. Fight is over.

Sounds like you are saying you see the value in Kata, however most people dont use them as such? or are you saying all kata is as good as free style kata to music non sense? Hoping it's the former ! Certainly the former. But most people treat it as nothing more than dance. "If you dance this kata well, you get that belt." People put way too much emphasis on kata (performed in a solo manner) in the dojo rather than focusing on partner drills and practicing the techniques contained therein. That is, when the instructors even know how to properly interpret their kata.

Great work!! My instructor always told us to treat every day like a test! Apparently, you have! Congratulations!

There have been a number of threads on this topic over the years. In the end, very little is ever conceded by either side on this argument. However, I will use your examples and a few of my own to attempt to illustrate my points. Sparring/kumite/point fighting: These are games. There is often very light contact and knockouts are almost never acceptable (except a few martial arts). They are good for learning coordination and timing...nothing more. Few examples of this are able to build fighting skill. Therefore, they tend to be useless for self defense altercations. RBSD arts: They tend to have hard sparring that includes lots of grabs and strikes. However, they don't usually believe in using protective gear which leads to strikes making only light contact. This, in turn, leads to the attacker having to "properly react" to each strike in order for the moves to work. The problem is that not all people react to a strike in the same way. A strike to the groin requires your attacker to bend over and grab at their groin. However, in my experience, most trained people and people under the influence of drugs, don't respond to the strike much at all. Therefore, while it's certainly better than arts that just point spar, your opponents are still being compliant to you. This is only moderately useful in preparing for a street altercation. Boxing/ thai boxing/ mma/ BJJ (I will also lump knockdown karate styles in here): These are martial sports. That is to say, they have a very high level of aliveness in their training. You actually get hit very hard in a multitude of places and ways. You train against someone who is absolutely trying to stop what you are doing to them. While there are rules that govern them, it is those same rules that allow the high level of violence to exist in the art. The arguments against these arts tends to be in the non-lethality of the techniques being used. However, I would rather relegate myself to a few moves I am sure work rather than those people feel work in theory. I feel, for preparing of an actual altercation, these are the best types of arts to train because you have learned to deal with both being hit and using your skills against a person trying to stop you. Side Note: The Key here is aliveness. That is, fully preforming techniques against a resisting opponent who is trying to preform their techniques on you. Anyone practicing any art that is following this principle will usually find they are able to apply their art in an actual altercation. What I am saying is it's more about the aliveness than the particular style you practice. This is the point of view I've developed. As you'll see in responses, there are many others. Welcome to the forums!

The argument you make about creative/musical kata is the same one I would make about all kata. Most people treat them as nothing more than a specified dance. All you see in this child's division is a reflection of that treatment. Art is always a reflection of the world in which it was made.

He plays a mind game with his students. Nothing more. In my opinion, they are weaker for it. Not stronger. To me, this guy isn't much better than a cult leader trying to recruit people he feels are mentally below him because controlling others makes him feel better about his own insecurities. These types of things are a scam and a disgrace to the martial arts.

Do you have anything that documents this statement? And to which karateka (Okinawan, Japanese or even more specific to a particular style) are you refering? I should point out that I'm not saying you're wrong, just that such a bold statement requires some proof.

That would fall into the sweep category for me. I know that, for tourney play, it's not the same, but that's the category I lump it into.

Systema is real in so much as there are many followers of the art.

Is it realistic to train for multiple attackers? Yes, but only if you are already very competent at taking on one attacker. Lets take an example from outside the realm of fighting for a moment. Imagine we are training someone for basketball. Do we teach them how to handle a double team before we are sure the kid has good ball handling skills? No, of course not. I'm not talking about passing the ball here, just how to attack the double team. Afterall, we can't pass off the fight. However, as the kid gets very good, we can teach them these skills. Now, let's look at the NBA. You can estimate the number of players who can effectively handle a double team on a consistent basis to be very small at best. Most of those guys are in the hall of fame. So, is it doable? Sure. Is it likely that every one who trains it will be good at it? No, not really. Of course, if you put even the worst NBA player against 2 high school players, he'll beat them every time. So there's a hierarchy of sorts. Unfortunately, we can't always choose our adversaries. The same holds true for any skill. Fighting is no different. I've seen teachers making 9 year old green belts, who have very little dexterity, agility, kinesthetic awareness and skill, train against multiple attackers. All that came out of it is that the kid looked really sloppy. Is that realistic? In my opinion, no. The kid would get himself hurt trying this against a few bullies, let alone a more dangerous encounter. I believe our time is better spent learning to deal with one attacker. Once we are exceptional at that skill, moving on to multiple attackers is something to train from time to time. Just hope that neither attacker has much fighting experience, or you may be in alot of trouble.

Agreed. Your story harkens back to a story told to me by Saulo Ribeiro (very well known world champ in BJJ) about Rickson Gracie. It goes along these lines: Rickson was teaching a seminar to very advanced black belts. Many of them were world champions. Saulo was in attendance, among others. When Rickson told them he wanted to work on the cross choke from the mount, many of the audience voiced disagreement because they felt the move was too basic. Rickson agreed that the move was perhaps too basic. So instead, they would spar. After sweeping, mounting, and cross choking everyone, he stated, "if this move is too basic, how am I choking all of you with it?" Needless to say, they worked on the cross choke from the mount. I should also mention that the cross choke is one of the first submissions you learn in BJJ, Judo, Aiki Jujitsu, and even exists in Karate.

Sounds like some overuse. Just rest after class. By that time your body has cooled down and isn't necessarily prepared for movement again. If the problem persists, you should see a physician about it.

Time. It takes the average person between one and two years to go from white to blue. It takes around three to go from blue to purple. Three more to go to brown...and three more to go to black. Most people just don't count on the amount of time it takes.

Thanks... Yes it is Pedro's tradition.

Here's the highlight vid

Making a highlight video. I'll post a vid. Essentially you just demonstrate techniques and series of techniques. I train at The Brazilian Jiu-Jiujitsu and Self Defense Academy in Boardman Ohio. We are affiliates of Pedro Sauer...all of our testing is done through him.

And Earned my Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt today.... Wooooo hooooo

It depends completely on the organization in which you are competing. Your best bets are to either ask your instructor, contact the person/organization putting on the tournament, or google search the organization and read up on it. Some competitions allow the full gamut of judo throws while others only allow off balancing techniques such as front foot sweeps. If you let us know what you intend to compete in, we'll try to help you more.

To me, they are the same kick. I've heard this kick refered as a few different things: Twist kick, inverted round house, and reverse saber.

I would stick with sir and ma'am. You can't go wrong with those. They are polite and more correct than improperly using sempai.

No. The sempai/kohai relationship is much different that that. Further, it often has nothing to do with rank.

It's easy to say that about something like aikido. However, let's talk about iaido. While the mindset that is required to master the art is quite useful to anyone, the martial movements are quite antiquated. Is that to say they are fruitless... no... far from. However, the art will not help you much in a fight today. This is because there is no aliveness in the art. I believe that, in dissecting aikido will give you the same result. This is a video of Morihei Ueshiba performing "no touch" moves. ^ I'll never believe in any art that tells its practitioners you can cause bodily harm while making no contact with the opponent.