shogeri

I have trained for almost 3 decades. Things come at me in slow motion. The more I work ~ out the better my response are, and the more accurate. I do not fear getting hit. I breathe. I do not meditate prior to fighting or in training. I meditate to cultivate qi, that's about it. However, you do need to train your mind to read everything a body is doing. You should also teach your hands and legs to have a higher sense of sensitivity to pressure or movement as well. Usually one just needs to clear one's mind before a battle. Tell yourself, it's real. Make that convince yourself. Tell your sparring opponents to come at you with intent to strike, and not pull back. You do the same. Having the killer mindset releases a person from the burden of a situation that should have never been dominated by conscious efforts. Menjo and MasterH make some good points...very similar to mine.

I am studying Yang, Cheng Fu as taught by the World Taiji Boxing Association (WTBA). Within my system, I also teach Qigong, and Taiji Boxing, and I am researching TCM methods as well. Good luck on your training.

Kyokushin, traditionally is goju ryu and shotokan combined into one system with a more combative skill training syllabus. It's the training methods that make Kyokushin what it is meant to be, and that sets it apart. One merely has to add those same methods to Goju Ryu, along with Internal Concepts as taught in the Chinese Martial Arts, and POOF! ~ ~ one is left with the ultimate Traditional Style. Now I am just kidding. But the point is that it's not always the style or system itself, but the; how, where, when and why it is taught ~ that truly shows what said system is about. When I say system, I meant in respect to this thread, which is traditional. Kyokushin, since it takes from two, and combines it into one, is a traditional system, since those original two are based upon Chinese Kempo, Naha/Shuri/Omari Te, Quan Fa or some combination thereof. The basics of most traditional systems are usually twofold, but at some point, tend to merge into one path. Most of us have a grasp on the basics of Japanese Karateka, or Okinawan Naha Te or Karate-Do. These basics, are the same. It's the principles of application that separate one person's technical training from another. I would say that if Kyokushin is taught as it is traditionally intended then those using such would be formidable opponents. But then again, I could say the same about Goju Ryu practitioners, Jujutsu-ka, Aikido, Taijiquan Chinese Boxing, and so on. It's the experience of practicing Kyokushin that makes it important. So go for it! p.s I agree with Meguro about the Hawaiian scene. p.s.s If I have to do it all over again, I would have went to Okinawa to train, or I would have went to Australia and learned Traditional Taijiquan Pressure Point Fajing-Quan Chinese Boxing.

Congrats and good luck on future efforts! Work smart, not hard!

Posture and mindset, in addition to breathing are just as important. I teach to not necessarily focus on any one thing, and that includes breathing. Good luck!

I agree with those above! In my own words: Close the gap. Parry if need be Then strike Then strike-down or Sweep (or take the knee) with throw down, Continue striking, then lock, submission hold into a break if need be.

Just go to google and look up Zhan Zhuang: Standing Like a Tree Qigong However, it is wise to have someone who knows what to look for to help correct your form and or structure, since doing it wrong can also can discomfort or pain, etc.

"Martial arts are just sports like any other." I wholeheartedly disagree. A sport is an activity, whereas a martial art is so much more.

Great Article...It was well written, and very visual. Thanks!

When I say cross training, I meant karate and tkd at the same time. In oklahoma, there seems to be an unspoken rivalry going on. And it's not every instructor, just many of those that people tell me about. The ones I know personally, are somewhat neutral about the idea. That is, 1 out 5, say something negative either about another tkd system or karate. Just some thoughts... Later!

Many of us are repeating phrases of not just 10 or 20 years, but of 50 or more, when it comes to saying that 'the children of today do not respect anything'... What is a dojo or dojang? It is a school. A place of learning. A place of understanding, of sharing, and of building specific skills both social and personal as they relate to the Martial Arts. The social part, is the least important. One can always socialize after class, or prior to. A Martial Arts school has its own set of etiquette for a reason. The instructor, sets and maintains the standards in regards to discipline, respect, student-teacher relationships, and so on. As an online business, management, and customer service manager, I teach my clients, that the customer is not always right, and that they need to do what they feel is best for their company. Having a good client pool to choose from means bulding up and maintaining sound relatioships or partnerships, where both sides are consumers and customers. To have a school, where it is about the student, and not the school, is to have a school that will either not last, or will not produce quality services, or such services will not be fully expressed or known by those purchasing them. That is, when students rule the classroom, the teacher will not be able to teach effectively. Thus, the students will be paying for less than what they originally bargained for. But in reality, you reap what you sow. I wish everyone the best of luck, and the best of respect.

I have yet to meet a higher ranked TKD instructor that openly accepts a students desire to cross train. Now, they might be open to such, if they have had cross training themselves. But, if they have not, then generally speaking (not collectively), they shun away from such, mostly out of pride, but there are other reasons, such as; The pride that comes with believing that one system (or instructor of such system) has all the answers. The fear that doing other systems might hinder a students progress within their own. Or the misunderstanding of how all styles are actually related on many different levels, and when a student pulls that all together, then that is a good thing. Quite frankly, what I do on my own time, is my business, and not that of my instructors, so long as I am not breaking any laws, or doing anything imooral or unethical. Now so far as money goes, try buying a DVD at first, and just watch them do shotokan (or whatever), and see just how far you could go with it. You could alsoo go to some other schools, and just sit in and watch. Open up to people, and start your own network of resources. You could easily eliminate the money factor in that way. It might be best to have an end goal in mind with TKD training, and then move on after that, especially if your instructor gives you any grief over time. You could always return to TKD if things didn't work out. Anyhow, good luck! I wish you best!

The tournaments here in the okc/texas/missouri/kansas/arkansas area, are not even close to either one of your examples killer. They are the stereotype that people think of. They take what the less contact example you spoke of and water it down even more. Just as other things are ~ here in the bible belt ~ the heart of america...lol Whether you do less contact, sport contact, or full contact, the point is the same, accidents occur, and you should go in expecting to get hit, while doing your best not to... Later!

Well sadly, within the Martial Arts, like many mainstream businesses in the modern world, we find the trend that: Business professionals are often promoted or placed into management without prior training. That is, their promotion is either based upon technical proficiency, or prior knowledge of business, or the specific philosophy of the candidate lines up with that of the corporation or it is a strategic (or privately motivated) move by the company board or president, etc. Then, if it is noted that they have not managerial or leadership skills, they are sent to school, and or workshops ~ after the fact. In the business world, I see person after person get promoted, and they simply lack the interpersonal skills, the communication skills, and all of the leadership qualities we come to expect. ---------------------------------------- We find that many institutions follow such a trend, and the Martial Art Systems or Schools are no different. The school of Martial Arts, or association that backs such system upon, must foster and find ways to bring out these leadership skills as a person works up the ranks after their initial black belt test. First there are written tests to help determine possible choices that will be made by the candidate. Secondly, a board or higher rank, should watch, or send "secret shoppers", to the classes, in order to see if a certain level is being maintained. Thirdly, Masters should be placed upon a board themselves in order to be a part of a system or association's process of rank promotion or community involvement. If a person is bad, or shows poor judgment, then they more than likely have always been that way. It is up to the person who taught that Master, to distinguish, and piecemeal, which characteristics are positive, and will show the school in a positive light, and which ones will not. Just as the student must carefully choose the instructor, so too, must the instructor choose the student. Well, those are some of my further thoughts on this. Later!

That was a nice read!

Here are at least four basic dangers to be aware of when doing jujutsu and or judo holds or throw that may cause unconsciousness: 1 ) To perform a "choking" hold on subjects with cardiac disorders or hypertension - could cause harm. 2 ) To apply "choking" on youngsters whose central nervous system and heart have not yet attained complete development - could cause harm. 3 ) To continue to hold after the subject falls unconscious - could cause harm. 4 ) When a person hits the ground (or other object) during or just after passing out - could cause further harm. Just because something bad hasn't happened, doesn't mean it will not. Always be proactive, and make sure there is someone qualified to take over in case of an emergency situation. Because of wind change, it is best to throw caution to the wind, and not pride. © - Me

With proper training you can teach your body to absorb blows. Then there are those you simply just learn to take. With proper breathing one can take 40 to 50 percent more blows than those who do not breathe properly along with the correct redirection techniques. Add balance, parry methods, body positioning to the mix as well. The biggest thing is also to expect to get hit. Most people in the arts forget that they might get hit, so many times they don't even train for it. I am not saying 'no' to conditioning, just to some traditional techniques. The principle of absorbing blows, along with all that it involves has not changed. And yes, I too went through the sanchin/shime testing for years...I may have even posted a bit of information either on this forum or on a different martial art forum relating to goju ryu and the sanchin kata. When I think of body hardening, I envision sand, beans, gravel, boards, metal, and glass. Take care! Later!

I agree, and still continue to say that: Judo has evolved into a throwing art. It could work for multiple attacks. BJJ has evolved into a submission art. Jujijutsu has evolved into two paths: 1) similar to judo, but with strikes 2) similar to tradtional jujujsu, with locks, throw, submissions, and so on... Aikido is about long term investment, so it might take a while before you begin to reap what you sow.... There are slight variation, but all in all based upon the poll, that is what I say... Later!

I agree, it was a great article! Thanks!

If it seems to work into your expectations, talents, and abilities, then it it certainly worth a try. If it's not for you, then you will know both by observation of those who have been doing such a system for while, and by your own capacity to mold the style into who are already are. good luck!

I have been practicing and researching the internal arts for over a decade, and the external arts, my entire life it seems. I can say that in those 25 or more years, hardly have I ever heard that an internalist say they need to worry about muscle size. The only strength conditioning I have found has come from the ongoing presence of push hands. Power comes from and is manifested from within. The muscles are involved, true, but it's not size that matters. It is how well you have cultivated your qi, and how efficient you are at turning it into useful qi, or jing... Such as that used when you striking another person, especially in specific pressure point areas. Take care. It's not how hard you train, it's how smart you train that counts!

I am heavy into the mental aspects and the philosophy of the arts, and the direction that they are going. So I agree with belasko, and yet with the others as well. Keep an open mind, do not limit your self, nor allow others to place limits upon you. Take yourself to a given expected level, and then climb above it. Do this time and time again. Good luck!

Breaking boards are good to a degree. Do what is safe, and wise. Learn from others. However, remember the old saying, 'boards do not hit back...' Take care!

I am glad you are finding what you seek from others, and I hope the replies posted here will lead you to become more aware of those things needed in your own personal arsenal. Good luck!

I am still in the process of starting the internal arts, since the age of 34... Prior to that it was all external (and to a degree it will always be), for 20 years.... You are never too old to start. Focus on your own training, not others. The Martial Arts are good to share, and better when practiced with others, but they are esoteric, and geared toward the individual and their own expectations, and effort put forth. Good luck!