Adonis

What bugs me is a training partner who wants to talk during training. I like to drill and put in the reps. I don't like it when my partner wants to talk and not rep as much. Or does a reps a few times, and then stops and waits around for the instructor to move on to next technique or sparring. It drives me nuts! I rather spend my time perfecting my technique not sitting around wasting time. any one else driven nuts by this?

What is the proper way to use the makiwara, after you start off slow tapping it then work up to hitting it harder. Whats the prper technique to it, How many reps do you do on it in a session. How many sessions in a day, week, month. Once you develop what you want want from the training. However do you use the makiwara to keep conditioned on it? Or do you use it every day? Curious about it.

Could be Shaolin Kempo which is an americanized system made up with parts of diffrent styles in it. Most notable ones are Villari's, Nick Ciero's, and United Studios of Self Defense (USSD)

I am focusing on attacking from the guard more. My instructor is happy with my Top game, and wants me to push my bottom more for attacking. Right now though I am focusing on guard control, and guard recovery. Usually I Feel I am on the defensive with me focusing more on fighting some one who is trying to pass my guard, as opposed to actually threating them with a sweep or submission. So I have been working on guard control more so I can work on attacking better. what about every one?

Standard Structure at my school would be stretch, Warm ups, techniques, and sparring. Total (1 1/2 hours) Streching 2-5 minutes Warm ups, 10-15 minutes. 1. abs exercises 2. Forward Rolling 3. Back ward rolling 4. Shrimping 5. Standing up in base. With partner armbars, triangles, omoplata's Techniques- Depending on the subject that week. (certain passes from diffrent type of guard, or submissions or sweeps from certain positions, ect...) Usually 1-3 techniques at the most is covered. Rolling (sparring), 1st and 2nd Roll done from situational rolling. Free Rolling (sparring) for 30 or 45 minutes. I would rather have more time spent on drilling techniques then this structure and less on rolling time. I feel I get more out of it with the drills, and can apply them quicker when I do roll. When I did Karate it was pretty much same format regarding, stretching, warm ups, Techniques, maybe sparring at the end or seperate day for sparring. Those classes ran about an hour. Whats every one else's school format? Any interesting drills you like the most? Probably a drill I like alot is just standing up in the guard so I can pass. However I like the leg work out and also the focus on (posture, Hips forward shoulder back to keep my back straight) has helped me out alot since the people in my school are really good with over head sweeps from guard, and if you have bad posture even a little bit you may be going for a ride over head.

Haven't worked take downs lately sense Judo instructor left the gym. Been doing more work with Card, I feel okay with my top pressure, and am improving on passing, but I need as my instructor says on attacking from guard. Accept I get passed alot, so I have been working on guard control/retention, and guard recovery, which has helped me go on the attack more. Specifically the guards, I use, is Closed, basic open (Feet on hips/shins in shoulder or bicept area) or Spider guard and De la Riva. I am doing better with the spider and de la riva guards, if I feel them trying to pass or break my grips I switch to get control back or go to another move. Helped me is switching to instep behind the knee, and a leg on the hip and using that to control and sweep. It has helped me alot to mess with there balance, as they are worried about getting sweted then they are passing. I just wait holding guard to much and haven't really pushed to mess with balance, or go for sub or sweep to much. So I am improving slowly my instructor said, however what I do get down I have down solid. So I am happy with that. Well over I am still happy I am heading towards my goals. Regarding take downs, I need to get back into them more, maybe find some time with a partner on open mat day or something. Its hard because we don't do take downs much in my gym compared to ground techniques and rolling. I feel better about my mechanics of the techniques, and off balancing them during the entry's to set up the take down, but acutally trying to go for take downs when your partner is trying to take you down its what is getting me. Still working on the set ups. I would love by the end of the year to get 2 take downs I can hit consistently with in combination. I would be happy with a 20% success rate. How is every one else on their progress of there 2011 goals.

What I don't like about Pressure point fighting besides some inflated claims by some of the bigger known people in that ciricle. Is some of the students its die hard students, who I think look at it as a magical pill. Basically some one looking for the easy way as opposed to putting in the hard work to develop basic practical striking techniques. They want to learn the cool way of disabling an attacker with magic points. Don't get me wrong I believe in pressure points to a point (pun intended) and its fun to do. But a person needs very solid basics before jumping into it with hopes of pulling it off. The required speed, power, timing, and every thing needed to pull it off on some one fighting you back needs to be very precise in my point of view.

yeah there is already mcmma gyms every where. I was in missouri for a littile bit 4 years ago. I saw fighters competing in local shows that were terrible. Once legiit bjj/mma fighters came into the show, it drove some of those other guys out really quickly as they soon descovered they couldn't really hang with those guys much less beat them. Any way that was mostly because of mcdojo's or mcfakes sprouting up and jumping on the UFC/MMA band wagon you see gyms offering mma training and they are terrible. Offering terrible instruction on techniques. Its painful to watch. Its happening already, I feel bad for the people who put in the time and effort and not get the credit due while some joker with crappy skills but has better marketing makes the money. Same thing as how I feel about legit TMA guys who put in the time and work to advance in rank and develop legit skills. But don't get credit becasue some 25 year old grand master with terrible technique and a made up (on his own accord) own style. But has decent marketing is geting the students and recoginition. Buyer beware right?

I am at a catch 22 with this. I agree and I don't with it. I don't like it when instructors try to push there own ideals of ethics in a group class. But with kids and teenagers, some may not have a good home life to learn from. So I think 1 on 1 Mentoring is very helpful. As regards to promotions and teaching. The fact is the student represents the instructor and the school. I Personally wouldn't want students who had questionable character representing me. On a side note, Martial Arts teache's self defense however it should go far more into just the physical aspect of it. Word self defense, mental/emotional self defense. Alot of times the person we need to defend our selves against the most...is our selves! I agree though with MMA_JIM not every one is cut out to be a black belt. Why cheapen an ART and go down the path of the McDojo (low Quality technique/training) By allowing people to be black belt with out solid basics. I know the word basics can mean diffrent things to diffent instructors. However a person earning a black belt should have a couple decent kicks and punches, and blocks, and have developed adequate timing, distance, speed, power to use them successfuly in a sparring match (resistening partner) alive training. You don't need to spar full contact all the time, (loose students that way) Or be a cage fighter, or tournament fighter, but have something decent to stand on. The black belt should be respected, the person should be a decent guy, with decent skill set that can be applied. If not then all they have is sloppy technique with no real power or speed, so its basically bad, sloppy dance, coreagraphy that the person really got there black belt in. End Rant!

I would talk to her first to see what type of sparring you two would be doing rules and and how much contact and what not, and play according to that, she may just want to do point sparring and have fun and train with a new friend. I would just do your best, don't do any thing that would be rude, watch the contact, and between rounds, or what ever if you keep getting caught with a move, ask her for pointers. If she cool with take downs then use the advice as others above said. Either way be cool and have fun this could be a great learning oppertunity for you to pick up new techniques and stratgies.

I say all that above because we all have are ups and downs, so I discovered sort of by accident a good mental training coach for particular art I do and I have gain alot of perspective and mental focus to help to over come some of the mental road black or mental battles I have had through the martial arts.

On a side note I think outside the new students that find out its work or whatever reason and quit, There are also those who find quick progress and then plataou (sp?) off they look for the same quick results, but at a certain point progress become tapers off in yards, down to feet, down into inches and less. So basically what I am saying is alot of schools/gyms/dojo's cover The conditioning, and technical aspects very well of their art, however going into the mental aspects is often in my opinion neglected. Like how to deal with expectations of quick progess that slows down from yard to inches, and how to find the joy in the inch you learned. As your improving, how to deal with mental battles of not training and staying home and watching tv instead, and how to not have that debate in your head and to over come that mental road black and just go to class. (as often then not the class turns out so much fun and you feel better afterwards then if you didn't go) So basically maybe news letter or a quick lesson towards the end of classes on mental aspects and how to deal with them maybe of great use to the students. There is many subjects that can be covered. 1. 1% rule, how just training a form or specific move and drills a few times a day you can see results in your training quicker then if you didn't do anything outisde the gym. (as some one mentinoed earlier assining home work would be great. Just keep it to a little bit of trianing I am thinking 5 minutes or less, so they don't feel overwhelmed looking for time to do it. Plus if they want to do more they can. 2. Making drills and plans to overcome mistakes, failures in training and in competion so you can make them strengths (Turning failure into success) 3. Dealing with the negative mental side (where part of you wants to not train and be lazy and the other part knows you should train) Tips to over come it and push your self into training. 4. Dealing with Injury's and when to train (a little bit) During recovery or post recovery and when not to train and let the body heal up. How to over come the mental hurdles of injury and how it can keep you from from training becomes of fear. 5. Dealing with perception of self in comparison of others (age, physical attributes & limitations ect....) where others maybe pick up moves or progress faster and quicker promotions and how to deal with that and focus on your own training. and there are many more, but I think some students need instruction on dealing with the highs and lows of the mental side of training in the martial arts that has gotten many before and they end up quiting before the discover or gain results of training in the martial arts. Just my opinion and food for thought.

agreed not enough home training. Some people say they don't have time to do any thing. As you said you don't need to train 2 hours ever day like your blocking off time as you would when you go to class at the dojo/gym/school. Really as long as you improve by 1% a day your doing fine and will eventually reach your goals. That could be simple enough as doing a kata, or practicing a few blocks, kicks, and punches a day, which can only take a couple of minutes or a few minutes out of the whole day.

People will define the term mcdojo diffrently. To me it means low qaulity instruction & Training. After several years of martial arts, example trianing in a striking style, your still punching with your wrist bent, no hip/shoulder/foot rotation, weight dropping or lifting, or driving off the rear foot and its just all arm punching. Its just ineffective and poor fundamentals which reeks of mcdojo training. However you can't judge dojo off of one person as you don't know if they are low level of the school student, averate or the elite skill level of their particular dojo. Either way can't change the world their will always be mcdojo's out there. As long as people fill like there training is reaching their goals, and like training at their particluar school or dojo then big deal right? Have fun enjoy what your doing. Keep training and improving.

Training update. Well Judo class got canceled and the judo instructor moved on some where else. It was definetly a bummer for me. I did get a private with one of the BJJ black belts at the gym that had a good variation on Ippon that I got to work on, as well as he has a very good tomoe nagi take down and variation of it as well. So I drilled that and feel better on doing that take down or at least the mechanics of it. As for BJJ training I worked a few sweeps I been wanting to drill, over head sweep when partner stands up, and an open guard, over head sweep when a person incorrectly drives the knee over the leg. I also worked on improved my 93 guard which really helped my sweeping ablility from that position. also in the private lesson I worked on my guard control, and repostioning. Specifically from De La riva guard and Spider guard. I hang out to much in the guard, and I need to be more active moving and breaking and controling the grips I have on the sleeves. After the private I feel better on my understanding of those two guards, and my ability to stay in control. My instructor wants to see more attacks from guard, as opposed to me playing a defensive guard or always playing "catch up" I feel like I am on tracking heading towards that goal, as well as onto my new years goal. How's every one else staying on track?

Training Goals Update. Take downs: (judo) Last week 2 weeks I got to work more on my uchikomi's (entrances into take downs) I really wanted to focus on Kazushi (off balancing of partner) So I was working on those and just doing tons of reps. I worked on O'Soto Gari, and Ippon. moves felt smother to me, and my partner felt lighter, so I was doing them right. So I am happy towards progressing towards my end of year goals. Jiu-Jitsu: I have been working on my guard, specifically transiting into diffrent guards instead of holding on well pass the point of no return. Today were doing alot of positional rolling, and I got to work my guard. My partner was trying to pass, and I was to submit and sweep, and then start over. As I had standard guard, my partner got his grips on my knees and was starting to change his position so I transitioned into Spider Guard, (partial because I had his sleeve and a foot in his bicept) He was till coming around like he was going to pass my guard. So I was waiting for him to come around more so I can then load him up, and sweep him to the other side, he caught on went more squared with me. I transitioned into De la riva guard, and then as his posture was more bent more over then it should be, I loaded him up and dumped (sweeped) him over me. I was really happy on the smoothness of the guard transitioning. The sweep was a plus, as I been working on my sweeps from guard more. Over all I am happy about being on a path to complete my goals for this year. How is every one else doing about accomplishing there goals? Are you on track? Or did you get distracted and need to re dedicate your self.

Orginally it was self defense and I still enjoy self defense but over time that didn't become my only reason. Other reasons I enjoy it is the mental training it gives me, the confidence, staying in shape, and just that is fun to me, and the sense of accomplishment I get from it. Like working on a technique or a series of techniques for awhile and finally getting them to work on your partner especially if your partner is actively resisting you so you know technique is working. Also the friendships with other students and also with the instructor is awesome as well. I also love the sense of self realization or finding out more about your self and your capabilities is amazing as well. I just find my orginal reason goes on the back burner for me. As I am older I really don't get into fights or look for them, and I don't really hang out in places where I have a higher % of getting attacked. Don't get me wrong I enjoy doing the self defense techniques but it is no longer my main reason why I still train.

My 2011 goals for Martial Training are. 1. Improve my guard. a) Develop smooth transitions between my close, open, spider, and de la riva guards, and half guard. b) Improve my mechanics of some sweeps I know from each position so I can get them to work at a higher percentage rate for me during sparring. c) Work on a sequence of sweep attacks that I can use for rolling to up my % of sweep effectiveness. 2. Develop my Judo throws so I can hit them more repeatedly during sparring, and chain the moves together where I feel like I got a good % attack sequence from it. Specifically (Please forgive my butchered spellings of the throws) O'Soto Gari, Uchi mata, Ippon seoinage, sumi gaeshi, tomoe nagi, and also develop good mechanics for a good wrestling shot, double leg, and single leg, and work on 2 or 3 good set ups for each. Thats about it. I have alot of training goals but I like to keep it to a few technqiues. I really need to set some smaller mid term goals, 3-6 month goals, as well as short term. 1-3 months, as well as daily and weekly goals so I can keep focused on the goal and keep track of the progress.

Thank you for the response I appreciate it. Its been a long while (years) since I focused on Martial Art History. Read some neat books that had stories and training history of different styles and there respective masters.

Effective to me is all about the results. Results rule period!

\Makes Sense since he studied with multiple instructors that he would learn there Kata. I read in some Karate book on diffrenent karate Masters that he only really emphasized was naihanchi kata. Any way thanks for pointing that out. Yeah I read in the book also that he was a brawler. Was he sort of a hot head from your research who liked to brawl. Or he did a lot of fighting with other karate gyms kind of like the Gracies started doing when they came to america.

Doubt is good and bad depending how it is used. I think doubting ones abilities to much hinders training and ones growth, brings on frusteration. However not facing fears and doubt hinders one's abilities as they won't engage in anything that would expose them or wake them up to their own abilities. So they avoid tough sparring partners, or maybe a high ranking student or instructor avoids certain techniques they aren't good at because they don't want to look silly. ect... Over coming doubt is a great thing though and allows one to grow. Its a freeing feeling to feel the reality of ones abilities or lack of abialities, becasue then you have room to grown, learn, and improve. As long as ego doesn't get in the way your good to go. Good thread by the way.

My experience is the more stuff you cram in the less time you can spend to perfect moves. Which is what is needed in self defense is a few good solid techniques instead of a bunch of techniques that they can't exacute on some one resisting or attacking them to save there life. However nothing wrong with broading your herizons just remember the more time you spend aquiring Kata the less time you get to spend on pefecting them. I believe it was Choki Motubu (sp?) that only new one Kata and drilled that over and over he was one heck of a fighter on Okinawa. Its common for beggineers in the martiail arts to want to aquite tons of techniques. Trust me on this I didi it to and I really wish I spent my time learning better balance in my stances and how to develop, power, speed, and timing in my techniques instead of going on a Kata, or Technique collection hunt. Just my opinion

You must have went to a Royler Seminar.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I appreciate it. Thats a bummer he is doing that. I thought maybe they would approach him. He is very good at marketing. Definetly helped Ryan Hall out and his other guys in getting there name out there.