Dark Shogun

So last night I was having a discussion over coffee with a friend about stunguns. Any way, he thinks that he would beat me in a stun gun vs katana duel. I told him no way, he has no MA experience, I have 2.5 yrs iaido/kenjutsu, 6mnths kendo and 13 years karate experience. He seems convinced that there is no way I could cut him without getting zapped first which would immobilise and thus defeat me. On the other hand I've never seen one before but I believe they are basicly a short cattle prod. What do you think? Is a stun gun really that effective?

I'm thinking more from the point of view of Security Guards/Law Enforcement. So what do you think?

So Soo Bak is ONLY foot techniques? As in, can be mastered by a guy with no arms?

Learn to kick and you will be able lay someone out with bare feet. Once you can kick properly, steel toe boots will just be overkill. But then theres nothing wrong with that. Me? Comfterble shoes which allow me to move, kick, and run.

What is diamond pattern?

This reminds me of a jujutsu influence on karate thread I started on the jujutsu forum a while back. Those interested in this thread may wish to visit and resurrect it. http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=16579&highlight= Also have a look at this site on the subject of Japanese influence on karate. https://www.kempo.4mg.com/articles/okinawan.htm

Does anyone have any info on this 'foot only style'?

Thanks elbows_and_knees, I was about to abandon this thread. I've never seen MB before (exept in that Ong Bak movie). Do you if MB is similar to other traditional arts like traditional kung fu or karate? Is MB mostly 'kata/form' based?

So getting back to traditional MT or Muay Boran... What does everyone think of the effectiveness of MB? How does it compare to MT?

Does anyone else practice the white crane kata Hakatsura (sp?) or whatever it's called as part of their Goju training?

I know a katana is better used in 2 hands but I just like the idea of using 2 weapons at once and since I already use a katana, I got to thinking what is useful weapon to have as a sidearm which can be employed in the left hand with the katana in need be. In the left hand I would take a blade over a shield because the presence of the blade creates an area of threat to the enemy which he cannot enter without being in danger. Also the blade can be used to parry and thus can defend as well as the shield. And no one can grab your blade but they can grab your shield. Plus you could just wear armour anyway. The jutte sound to me like a good option but it is a shame that it creates less of a threat then a blade. Oh well.

We grade when Sensei tell us to. I think this is a better method in deciding if a student is ready to grade. The use of a 'system' to decide if a student is ready is falable becasue all students are different. Is this girl grading because Sensei has looked at her technique and said "hmm, she looks ready to test for 2ndDan"? OR is she grading because she has 'done her time in 1stDan' and therefore claims the right to grade?

My wife sometimes does a class at her local gym called 'body combat' which is like a cardio boxing/tai bo type of thing. A few more sessions and she'll be ready to take me on!!

In theory yes, but I seldom get into live situations. I find if I drill with a partner using various combinations over and over they become instinctive. If I make a mistake I just improvise and go into different combo.

Ok try this one on weapon fans. If one is holding a katana in their right hand, what is the ideal weapon to put in one's left hand? Wakazashi (blade presents a threat) Shield (excelent defence) Sai or jutte (good for defence and traping) Fan (it would look cool) Stick (?) Flail (?) If you are a leftie then reverse hands but same question. Also lets assume we are not worried about what's leagle to carry or what can be found on the ground. And please no one say 'your brain' or 'a gun' or 'run away' or 'a phone to call the police' or anything like that. Alright, let's go.

So your a Mortal Kombat fan eh? I never understood why they could keep throwing those weapons and still have them. Enough about computer games, I would take sai over tessen anyday. IMO a pair of sai are one of the best weapons around. They are excelent for defence and traping and deliver more than enough damage.

Bleeding Lion, I love that part of Gekisai, it's a great little combo. I like to use a catch and kick like in Shisoshin and then go into the gekisai combo from there. So it would go catch an arm on the inside kick or knee geidan, elbow to the chest, backfist to the face (or maybe palm strike under the chin), while still holding the arm you caught, smash it with a geidan uke and grab some clothes as you come under the arm, let go of the arm and reverse punch to the jaw, then turn that knife hand stike into a throw by grabing and applying the same motion. It's probably difficult to picture this forum being text based an all. It's a nice blend of Shisoshin and Gekisai and that guy aint getting up. Sure it's not exacly like the kata but the kata is just a guide after all.

People like those guys at your school and those 12 guys wearing tents tend to be all talk and no action. If they were action, they'd soon sing a differnt tune.

A good open hand push, put some distance between you and the woman. This will hopefully discourage her. Also this make it clear to onlookers that your are defending yourself and not attacking.

Jundokan Goju Ryu.

I did one with my heel when running up and down the dojo doing a warm up drill. I did another when I fell backward during sparing. I once kicked a bag so hard it swung up into the ceiling and broke the plaster board. M kendo sensei stabed a hold in a wall with a shinai. That's all I can remember for now. Edit: and once in my youth my brother and I were wrestleing and I pushed him into a wall and his bum went right through it. We hastily patched it up before the parents got home. The perfect crime.

I once did kendo but now do iai and kenjutsu. If you want to learn to fight with a sword pass on kendo and hold out for koryu kenjutsu. Kenjutsu dojo are rare in the west tho. If you are looking for a MA that is lot of fun than I would recomend kendo. You get to put on armour and hit each other with sticks, it's great! If self defence is what you are looking for than go for karate. Although I've never trained in Shorin Ryu I've heard that it is a very effective style. So, it really depends on what you want out of your MA.

The tall guy has the advantage for sure. He has longer weapons with joints in them so that they can be used a close and long range. Joints can also be used to lower the centre of gravity.

I can imagine Elvis walking into a dojo in Japan and saying "gimmie a black belt baby", and the sensei saying "Ah, Elvis-san, you take mine". At his gradings his sensei would say "Do this kata, now do that kata, now do Blue Suede Shoes!" And he'd be like "Oh man, you said we were gunna do karate!". I'm just kidding, I watch too much Johny Bravo.

The goal of training is to increase skill and become more poficient. The goal of competition is to win within the parameters of the contest. Once you start competition the goal of karate changes from the former the the later. There should be no karate competition. That is not to say that kumite/randori is not without use. It is an indespencible training tool, but keep it as a training tool and do not make it the goal.