Jay

Haha I was a little embarressed to say but Lupin steped up. I too at age 6 wanted to be a power ranger. So I trained until the age of about 12 or so in shotokan karate. Then I quit for 2 years. My friend who I had started with when I was 6 had just got up to the same grade as me so me not wanting to be beaten started again. We then both graded together until I was about 16. He left, I continued. Since then its just what I do. I don't really know why I do it now. Sometimes I ask myself this, I figure I don't see the point continuing. Im pretty comfortable that I would be able to defend myself as well as I could ever expect to. Im not particularily interested in fighting in competitions so I don't need to learn that way of thinking. Yet when I don't train I miss it. So you tell me

Interesting you say this. If someone pulls a gun on you and treatens to kill you are you legally allowed to kill him with your sword. Morally I would say you are. In the US im not sure over here certainly the courts wouldn't react so kindly.

I think alot of what people underestimate in these tournaments is fitness. After you have had 4 or so matches your gonna be on your last legs so it were. You need to have the fitness to last the distance. The fitter you are the better your mind will function because you won't be breathing so hard. Also your going to want to practice your sparring. Work your combinations and feints/fakes. Also work on your kicks. Now I don't know how this tournament works but generally its kicks to the head that score more. So lots of high kicking. Feints low and high kicks work welll together. Good Luck

Imho, this is an inappropriate way for any black belt and/or any instructor to act/react to that type of situation, especially during class. What did that really teach the entire class? One who isn't the instructor has no business taking corrective actions on their own. Matter of fact, the instructor has no business taking corrective actions, and that's what that was imho, in class because instructors have, or should have, other professional methods of disciplining their students. To cause a student, especially a minor student, to cry isn't how we're suppose to help our fellow martial artists. To bully a bully in class would've led me to tell that black belt to go home for that day because this isn't how these type of situations should be dealt with in class; not by any black belt or any rank, and not by the instructor. How would I have handled that situation? It's simple. I would've quitely instructed that bullying student as well as the parent into my office immediately, and then I would've suspended that student for a week minimum for bullying and I would've explained to that student and parent why bullying isn't allowed in my dojo. In that, I would've also explained why bullying isn't an appropriate action for anybody to display, especially for a martial artist. Bullying and the martial arts are a oxymoron, and therefore, they should be treat as such. Fair enough, you're entitled to your opinion. But I don't believe I was bullying the kid at all. Maybe you had to be there to understand what was going on as as with a lot of internet communication, maybe I'm not conveying what happened properly. He was unpleasant to the other kids so I joked that I would spar him properly (even he laughed when I said it). I actually think he probably would learn more from that then just talking to him. You showed him up. People can react two ways they either train harder or just give up. Its good discipline to make him train harder and is good to implement psychologically. Whenever he spars higher grades and adults you are always 'bullied'. I know I have done it, when you are a teen and in the adult class its hard. But eventually you learn to take it as it comes the higher grades always smack you around a bit. You learn to stick up for yourself.

You know your a martial artist when you wake up your housemate practicing kicks with toothbrush in mouth.

I haven't played soccer in a year. I've never played ice hockey. I get hit by hockey pucks sometimes, because I'm a sports photographer and I don't always see stuff coming when I'm taking pictures. First of all you need to check with your doctor to tell you what you are and are not allowed to do, you need to be honest and tell him as they don't always read through your entire file, thye are busy people and some files are huge. This is for your own safety. Secondly provided number one is all sorted if its not then you probably could get along with some other arts that are less contact orientated. First of all you are not small at all. Im only 5'7 and for a dude I have to go against people much bigger than me all the time. You just get used to knowing your advantages and disadvantages which is part of knowing yourself. Thirdly you shouldn't have to learn a martial art to get people to stop bullying you. There are other ways around it. The easiest thing to do is to just avoid them in the first place. You first have to question yourself why you are around these people and if its out of fear of not having any friends then you still need to let that go, besides you will probably make plenty more while training. Let us know how you get on

Its pretty standard like Jab-Cross-Hook So in that respect it COULD be good.

Lose Yourself- Eminem People may not like him but when im training and listening to it I become the enbodiment of this song. Great for motivation

Interesting and I hope I am not going off topic here but I find this relevant to a situation. I have been training for about 11 years in mainly three arts. Now I started when I was 7 lost a few years because I got bored (I was small ). Thing is its often hard for me to take advice from people mainly because they are telling me what I already know, usually its training partners and usually I just be calm and listen but after being told what im doing wrong (which is brilliant I love my partners to do that so I get better) they do tend to go on and on about why doing so and so thing is good and I personally find it hard not to get bored because I mean I have been doing this for a long time. Its the equivalent to someone saying and explaining why a spoon is good everytime you use one. Because I look alot younger than I am I don't really get taken seriously and I can find this tedious when im actual fact usually I know more than the person teaching me. It just makes me wonder how I am supposed to act in this situation. Thing is I could do the same back to them and explain in great detail about certain techniques but I never do because I feel like it isn't my place to do so, maybe because I don't think I would be taken seriously. Interesting

Speed Training-Loren W Christensen Amazing Book

Im with you in most situations however I get it sometimes when sparring. I think often I hold back when I shouldn't resulting in me getting hit more than I should. I don't think sparring is condusive to my way. Its very in out in out. I like to be in, finish them, walk away and I can't do this without hurting my opponent.

Same attitude as me. I don't care what belt someone says they have it doesn't mean anything, it only means something in their personal school or whatever. Because you get good blackbelts and bad blackbelts that are really just whitebelts with lots of cash. I disagree about mentioning that I do martial arts to someone. I always mention it, if someone asks me what I do in my spare time I can't exactly lie. That is what I do, that is what I enjoy and im proud of my hobby if thats what you call it. I don't care what anyone else thinks im as good as I am and thats it, if thats not up to their standard then so what im not going to fight them over it, there is not a problem.

Question anything and everything, its the only way you can learn at anything. Why just sit there and blindly accept everything you are told. You must know the why the when and the how. Then you are able to work out if sed technique or principle is sound.

I do mine like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5XdkXfvudk

There isn't much you can do really without first getting something to practice. I suggest just looking around youtube for vids there are lots of bad ones but there are some good ones. Anything by Ted Wong, Danny Inosanto, Tim Tackett and of course Bruce Lee what limited footage there is will help you get an idea of what JKD is all about. The rest my friend is, well up to you to find out.

Close ups are done to make it look better. Everything looks much faster and covers for bad technique. Most modern martial arts movies are like this. There are very rarely full widescreen shots because often they just don't look real. I thought as a marketing thing it looked good, but to me it seemed like a lot of the techniques were wasting time, why bother to throw and armbar when you can hit, hit, hit surely you don't want to be spending any more time with your attacker than you have to, you just want to get away.

Its not exactly an osoto gari but I have learned a similar takedown. I learned to unbalance by controlling the opponents head. I find this a particularily good way for myself as I don't weight alot, my instructor taught me this variation. If im reaping with my right leg. I would first grast their shirt. Gi or shoulder with my left hand. I would then step around to reap while simultaeously lifting up their chin with my right hand basically lifting their head backwards.

Well from what I gather from stonecrusher69's article, Chi Sao is similar to the initial part of push hands training where you learn to feel what your opponent is doing, but in push hands it ultimately builds up to where you're goal is to actually push your partner over or off balance as in a form of sparring. Does Chi Sao do this too? Very Nice Article Im sure stonecrusher would be better to answer but I can apply my experiencce. Chi Sao does indeed involve a sparring aspect to it. You start with just feeling what you oppoenent is doing and that is the root of what happens. From there you learn to hit your opponent to find openings in their technique. When there is a gap you hit. Its like water behind a dam when there is no obstruction it flows. There is not thinking involved, its completly without thought. Greet what arrives, escort what leaves and rush upon loss of contact-Yip Man

Thanks for that . I don't think I will get this new edition at the moment. I already have two Teri Tom Books (Student of Ted's) that cover this in pretty good detail.

I have a question joesteph. I believe there is a chapter in it that was written by Ted Wong in this new edition. Do you think you could tell me what is in it. Because other than that im pretty sure its similar to the old versions. Thanks Jay

You can and we do, But I mean its different targeting wise which poses the problem in reality the top of the nose gets in the way. Interesting discussion. I don't think I mentioned deadly eye strikes and bites, but you see no technique is an end in itself. The finger jab is designed to be a jab, which can then be followed up, if you hit them then great but if you don't then usually their eyes are closed at this point giving you some time, usually I follow with a right. It can be used like a feint in that respect but with a double purpose. You simply don't hit them hard enough to be able to break your fingers. Again its probably not something I would use knowingly on a martial artist even. Because like a punch you would could just slip it, simple defence really. The skill set is different. But against someone with no head movement it is a hell of alot easier. I think tallgesse presented something interesting. I really was not trying to condemn MMA people. I know for a fact their stuff works and works rather well as can be seen. You can only use a single key in each lock and situation determines this. Bushido Man. I have seen that argument presented many times, and to be honest there is not a correct answer. I guess everyone has there own meaning to it. For me its not entirely fighting, but I am of the impression that a large part is improving your abilities in that respect.

Just make sure you are not too overzelous when you start. I can picture it now. Teacher shows a headkick. In your head you think' no problem I used to do that all the time'. Next thing you lying down in a heap with a pulled muscle. I may have done that when I started training again

Its kinda like mistakes are good. Only through erradiaction of repeated errors do we improve.

Yes we should test things agreed. But the problem is how the hell am I supposed to test the technique descrided. We have enough problems when training with it and people complaining when I get them in the eye and can't do anything for 10mins. You can't test it in the ring because people will think you are being unfair and people will probably be succomed to eye damage. Its extreamly difficult to test on the street as im not just gonna go out and get into fights with people. So how am I supposed to prove it.

I have a double end bag, they are fun and very portable if mounted like mine I have my mounted between two pullups bars on my door at uni as im not allowed to drill or anything. I find uppercuts are better on a DEB than on a heavy bag you can make them true and vertical rather than at an angle which can hurt your wrists.