baronbvp

Bushido Man, shouldn't you be like a platinum belt or something?

How about a knee massage from a certain St. Pauli Girl?

When I do decline sit-ups, I just take a 35-lb plate and hold it to my chest. You can also do it with a dumbbell.

Thanks, I'll try that when my KB class starts next week. When I turn my foot 180 degrees away from my opponent, it almost turns into a back kick or close to one. I'll work on that with the chair as you suggest. I also have to be warmed up to move like that. The likelihood that I would ever use a side kick in a real fight is low since I likely wouldn't be warmed up and wouldn't be able to move like that, at least not more than once. What Bushido Man said is true for me. I know what my body can do, so I focus on trying to do well with it as it is now. Once I get going and get my joints lubed up, I can move okay. But it ain't like it used to be... No old man emoticon?

You got that right. Mr. Leg Sweep, meet Mr. Bouncy. Take down!

Here's a great quote from the Australian Kettlebells site at http://www.kettlebells.com.au/kett.html: They look awesome. Good luck!

I'm hoping Dallas continues to struggle against my Hawks. We've lost so many cornerbacks on our frustratingly-porous defense that they may have to pick guys out of the 12th Man and play them. I hope somebody signs TO's mouth with a Sharpie.

Moving around so much has been good for us in that regard. We always have to slim down our "inventory." Before this last move, my wife and I had put everything into clear plastic storage boxes to organize our entire basement. It was great. But movers don't move stuff in your own boxes for fear of liability or damage issues, so they unpacked everything and repacked it in cardboard moving boxes. Same thing for all my tools. Now we have stacks of plastic storage boxes in our basement, and we have to do it all over again. That little project comes this weekend when we put all the Christmas stuff away. Oh boy.

How old are you, Bushido Man? I thought I remembered seeing somewhere you were 28. Does contact hurt for longer as you get older? It does to me. My body is usually tightest the second day after sparring as opposed to the next day, especially if I was hit in those same muscles. No wonder nobody plays football at my age. I'm still looking forward to it, though. But I also plan to check out the fencing place to see if I want to start that up again.

May I ask why? I see no value added by bouncing.

I just saw that Fairfax County Parks is offering fencing classes. Man. I haven't fenced in almost 30 years, but I sure would like to. Must....not..........take...............third....class....at same time.........

True enough. That's one reason I will do BJJ after KB. I think it will be easier on my body and I want to learn it. If I like KB enough to keep going, I may try to do both. I am very much looking forward to beginning to train again.

He came out on the field in a Louisville uniform. The poor guy does not look like he's doing well. I know there's debate about whether his Parkinson's was caused by chronic encephalopathy from boxing, but it sure makes you want to strap on the head gear. What a shame for such a great fighter. Good on him for getting out on that field tonight.

So what happened? How is it going now? Hopefully you'll have a new attitude from the students and parents working in there after the holidays. At least clear out the dead wood.

I'd love a VB, but we can't get it here. I've been to Perth several times and Darwin when I was deployed to East Timor. I love your country. Great people, great terrain.

Doh! My mistake. More beer!

Don't stare at what you're going to hit. Like a quarterback looking down the receiver prior to an interception, you might as well paint a target on the intended strike zone. I also like to punch or kick a second time while my hand or foot has just come back, so that you have just struck and won't telegraph the next one. You can strike a different point - it doesn't have to be two to the same spot.

Starting full contact KB class next week for three months. After that, either BJJ or stay with KB and add BJJ. Oh my body... I'd better go finish off that St. Pauli Girl in the fridge.

Well said, MizuRyu. I do the same thing, though I don't take anything long enough...

You want to eat your opponent. Physically EAT him! Reach into his chest, pull out his heart and SNACK on it like a juicy, ripe mango. He just killed your dog, man! That guy disses Santa!! HE HATES BEER AND CHICKS AND FOOTBALL!!!! Don't forget to shake his hand afterward.

My list is long because I like to try things and I've been around awhile. But I haven't taken any of them for years at a time because of moving around and being gone on deployment, so I wouldn't say I excel at any of them. Let's see... I started judo as a young pup, since a "friend" of mine was bullying me in school. Turned out he was in my judo class and did it there too. Gave it up after he rolled me up in a judo mat and almost suffocated me. Later, I took it again in college for real from some black belt friends when I joined their shotokan/judo club. (Early MMA!) Like you, I learned stability. But to me, the best part was learning how to fall from all kinds of angles, including being upside down. Judo has led me (along with watching Royce Gracie in UFC/MMA) to BJJ, which I will start later this year. Shotokan taught me how to see everything, look at nothing. Wipe the window clean and defend against all strikes. Sort of Karate Kid but I like the striking. I found sparring more effective than waxing cars or painting fences. Fencing (with foil) in high school actually taught me a LOT about footwork and the beauty of speed. I am naturally fast for a tallish slender guy and I use that to my advantage, even now. Fencing also taught me aggressive attack and to have fun while fighting. I really enjoyed it and wish I'd kept with it. I wrestled for a year in high school, which taught me the beauty of the takedown and the reversal - more clinching than judo. I also learned I don't like smelly armpits on my face - motivation to keep my shoulders off the mat. A fight in high school with a big friend of mine, who turned bully on me in front of the rest of our class, taught me that when the smaller guy stands up for himself, bullies stop. That was huge in my life, and the story of that fight spread like wildfire all over the school. There's some bully threads on here that elaborate. I think we all know that bullies must at some point be confronted. JKD in college from a BB roommate taught me how to punch by aligning the two big knuckles with the two bones in my wrist. A simple early rule but one that has saved my scrawny wrists and finger bones numerous times. I also learned humility (see another thread) and flow of one technique into another. Boxing taught me how to duck, bob, and weave and how damn tiring it is to keep your hands up. I like boxing and have a long reach but not the power of someone with some bulk and more strength. I boxed some in flight school, but I felt after MA that I should be using my legs too. TKD taught me that I shouldn't do TKD. I can't kick high at all no matter how much I stretch my hips. Luckily, I don't expect to attack anyone on horseback - at least not without a 9mm. Various sparring with friends and acquaintances, military combat arts, knife and gun fighting, etc in the Navy, along with survival, evasion, resistance, and escape training taught how to come back if I ever got shot down or put myself in the dirt or ocean. And how to fight fiercely, violently, but in control - him or me style. Shorin Ryu is the style I trained in most recently and I guess most extensively. It taught me that I am too old to spend all my dojo time on kata and simple group exercises, that I prefer to spar over dance, and that I want to kickbox. I liked karate, though, and would go back to that dojo if I could. I would just spar even more. Watching muay thai fighters in Thailand on several deployments and seeing Royce Gracie own early UFC taught me that MT and BJJ rule the new day. I am in agreement with you, Bushido Man, Sohan, and others that a full-spectrum style or hybrid of styles that cover striking, clinching, and ground fighting is what's best in the modern age. Look at MMA today and tell me those guys wouldn't do well against a legacy judoka, karateka, etc - at least without weapons. I learned everywhere how to avoid and deescalate a situation. This has been my single greatest lesson. I doubt I am as good a fighter as many people on the forums because I just never got that much time actually fighting. It came in a lot of one-month and three-month periods - fits and spurts - and the occasional other situation, quick training, or drunken brawl with friends. Oh yeah, and tackle golf. I also love to lift weights. But I'm an ectomorph, so I don't get big. I'm excited to start a three-month KB class next week and BJJ later in the year, at least that's the plan. I may do both if my body can take it once I get back in shape. My own version of MMA. Sorry for the long post.

Well, in basic chronological order I've TAKEN: Judo Fencing Wrestling Shotokan (I think) with judo JKD Boxing TKD Military combat arts KB Shorin Ryu What am I GOOD at? Staying alive!

I found the same thing. In Shorin Ryu, we worked on kata on Mondays and group exercises on Wednesdays. Fridays was sparring day. I was usually one of the only ones there, never any females. I would spar with two other yellow belts, a green belt (very strong guy), and a couple of younger brown and black belts. Sparring was by far the best part of my training. My hybrid background came in handy while I learned and had fun. In fact, I liked it so much I decided to take up kickboxing instead. That is how I naturally fight anyway, and I am looking for contact. I can't wait until my KB class starts next week. I also want to do BJJ, which my old dojo knew nothing about. I would teach them some grappling but it wasn't right - I was the student! When I was younger, one of my life's goals was earning a black belt. I was never anywhere long enough to do that, or at least I didn't make it happen in any one style. Now I just like to learn to fight better. Perhaps one day I'll be a black belt on karateforums and achieve my goal.

Some people are naturally great guitarists. Some are great surfers. And some are just naturally great at karate. It's all about maximizing your potential and putting in the work and the hours. See for yourself, judge for yourself. Can this person teach you about yourself on your journey and help you make yourself a better fighter? That is worth paying money for.