ps1

The problem arises though, Patrick, when people take the policies and say there is no in between. There are many orgs out there that do just that.

Good point. But like I conceded if you're sending a student to a panel a test does make sense.

Sounds like a nice drill. I will pass it along. I will call it...Cathal's drill:)

I think people forget that we train martial arts. While the main goal is not fighting (for some it is...but you get my point), it still contains combative techniques. In my 21 years of practice I've been abused by student and teacher alike. If someone doesn't appreciate us trying to make them better, they know where the door is. I didn't force them to come in the door. But I'll make sure the handle hits em in the rear on the way out.

Many great points. Thanks for the post. It was very interesting.

That's a great mix. Sounds like a great find.

https://www.judoinfo.com I think you'll find this site very interesting. It's the largest and most complete judo website available. You could check it out for years and not learn everything available on it. This is what to expect later.

Excellent advice!

i understand that you are very concern and don't wanna hear kinda Dr. Phil advice, so i get to the point first. 2 months is long enough, you gotta start running make a goal of running 3 miles under 24 min. as for fighting , you need somebody to teach you some practical boxing and knife defense. remember wind can break a strong tree but it can't break a tiny stem of a wild grass , it bends and it stands up again. Great advice right there!

Some great stuff in just the first 5 minutes! THanks for the vid!

I should also point out that I'm not trying to advocate running away or anything else illegal!

Not to sound too harsh. Hire a good defense attorney. Self defense is about knowing what problems are most threatning at your current moment. Your best defense is not to go to prison.

Knee in the belly sweep/cross choke combo. Simple but extremely effective. Of course the Rear Naked Choke!

Yeah...it was one of the toughest things I've ever done. I still have nightmares

This is very correct. For example, in a jab you will notice that the front foot steps. However, this is done because it allows the hips to move with the punch. Then, a boxer pivots the hips and brings them through for the cross. The same footwork is great for a back fist to reverse punch combo. It's basic. I'm sure you could find something at google video or you tube showing it. As a general rule, you want to move the foot on the same side of the punch your throwing. Lead hand/lead foot, rear hand/rear foot (slide or pivot depending on the strike). As Bushido mentioned, it's more about the hips than anything.

I think, for the goal setting perspective, that applies to children more than adults. Hopefully, a mature adult should not need superficial tests as a goal. However, this is a great point for children. I don't think it is a good form of quality control. Most schools do test. There are still far too many subpar black belts out there. That just comes from incompetent instructors.

I do like the point you make about the "buddy buddy" approach. I've seen that happen. I should say though, a truly qualified instructor shouldn't stoop to that level. For example, I have a friend who's sensei is also his father. Those were the toughest standards I've ever seen. He took 12 years to earn black belt. He started at six and earned it when he was 18! But...he's very good. Many people often point out the credibility issue that you bring up. However, I've found it only ever means anything within that particular orginization. The average population wouldn't know your credible certificate from one made up on the computer. Which is why the world has so many sub-par black belts (who may never have actually earned one. Thanks for the response. You bring up some good points.

It's impossible to say for sure what the ramifications will be. As bushido_man96 so correctly pointed out, fighting can only end up in a bad situation. You will have to look into your city, county, and state laws. Additionally, you will want to see what the precedent is that your local courts have established. That is, in similar cases, how do the judges usually rule. Here are some good rules of thumb: 1. A woman defending against a man who is larger than her will likely be safe (assuming no death). 2. Any person with no weapon defending against someone with a weapon will be looked upon favorably. 3. If you kill anyone, no matter the circumstances, you will probably face charges. You'll need to defend your actions in court. 4. Being sued is a totally seperate matter. This is handled in civil court. Expect to face a civil suit after the completion of a criminal suit.

I am of the opinion that belt tests, kyu and dan alike, are truly useless. The only exception I will note are those who fall under some orginization. Because the testing board had likely never seen the student perform they need to be sure that the student meets the requirements. Here is my reasoning: 1. The teacher sees the student each class. Therefore the teacher knows what the student's capabilities are. 2. The teacher should be pushing the students hard each class. Shugyo should be employed intermittently. Therefore the teacher knows how hard the student is willing to push him/herself. 3. Tests aren't really that traditional considering the rank system we use is less than 100 years old. It used to be that the students just knew who was most skilled and who was less skilled. 4. Testing adds a sense of finality that I do not think should exist. This is an ingrained thing. People see a test as the end of a journey. When, in actuallity, it should be the beginning of a new one. I am of the belief that when a student is ready for a new rank, the teacher should just tie it on. Please, I look forward to your thoughts and counter points to my argument here. I always find this to be a stimulating point of debate.

Sounds like a way for someone to make money. Like Brandon Fisher said, how can one org say what's correct in different systems. For example: A BJJ school and Shotokan school register, whose standards are correct? Seems like a scam.

Thanks. Seems like a nice video.

Sorry, my comment is more of the same. I know Bassai Dai very well. But not the version you are performing. It seemed quite sharp though.

I agree with this concept as well. I don't feel that it is the responsibility of a fighting style to teach these things...I feel that this responsibility belongs to peers, parents, guardians, etc. The point I was making was in relation to a previous point about a style/art teaching culture or ideals, and I feel that in many activities one can receive such things as discipline, focus, etc. Ok, I'm trackin'

I wouldn't think of it. Open discussion is what the forum is all about! My point is that the test does not seem to prove anything (nor do any other tests for that matter). You see your students day in and day out. Push them day in and day out. They reach their limits each time they train and manage to push past them. What does the test prove? I only picked your test because it seemed to be the most physically demanding. I am of the opinion that, unless you are under some certifying body and the people promoting you never see you, all tests are superfluous if the instructor has been pushing the student since day one. Certianly Shugyo is an invaluable training tool. But that's all it is, a tool to teach the mind that it can go further than it thinks. Shugyo should not be reserved only for tests though. Love the quote though, one of my favorites. Someone above talked about "breaking the student down." This is a technique used in the military (with which I am all too familiar). But the idea behind it is to get the most green recruit in line and on par with a minimum standard of how to act. They break them down so they can learn to follow orders without hesitation, meed physical demands and the mental demands of service. Certainly a student to be promoted to shodan, who has trained for years on end does not need broken down? More importantly, can not be so easily broken down. They already follow the rules, set the example and demonstrate only the highest levels of respect. I believe, if you NEED to break down a shodan candidate, they should not be a shodan. I would hope you never consider that. But I know no hope is required because it will never happen:) I propose this question to everyone. If a test is required to prove to the student they earned something, then was it ever actually earned? I have a college degree or two, but the pieces of paper did not prove to me I earned it. Nor did the final exams I took. It's the knowledge I took away from the various courses that is the proof! When someone asks me about Nuclear Medicine or Exercise Physiology, I am able to answer intelligently and professionally. That's the proof. If not for the journey required, the destination would be meaningless.

I perfer to use a flat foot when kicking in doors and other surfaces. When I kick the hip joint I also use a flat foot. For most other uses I strike with the ball.