drunken.master

I have heard of some Wu shu schools in Bejing that are like this. Actually looked into enrolling at one point. This one sounds pretty interesting as well.

Great link! I have been looking for more equipment to have in my home dojo...

Those sweeps are much harder with the higher ranks as they expect them all the time! The trick to sweeping someone in sparring is stepping past them (just slightly with your body like you are going to takel them) and hooking an iron leg behind both their feet. Natural instincts is to step back when someone is in your face, but there is no where to step with your foot there. As they start to stumble, a ridgehand to the chest will do the trick. But like you said, if you can get on the inside, the wrestling moves have a higher success rate.

Yeah, we have a black belt that is also a wrestler that has brought in some fantastic moves. I really like tossing those in too!

Ha ha ha! That'll teach him!

I whole-heartidly agree. At those advanced ranks, the student should be able to sweep, hock, iron broom, leg-hock from forward and back and many more!

Right! You need more take downs then that. Hock can't always work.

If it were *my* school, I would be much heavier on it. But I try my best not to step on toes too much.

OK, I wasn't sure if you were using karate as generic or as proper. So.... for a good karate movie... damn, I am sad to say I liked the original Karate Kid.

Hmmm, no, not a necessity. My wife would get angry!

Grappling is kind of a side-bar. It isn't something we heavily train on (well, us instructors do) but more of something different for the kids once in a while. We don't want them to freeze the first time they are taken to the ground in a headlock, so we prepare them for that. Now, for the instructors, we grapple pretty often. Usually, our sparring will degrade to that during black belt class. Quick foot sweep and then the grappling really begins. We go to submission.

Another approach is silent meditation and yoga. I have seen some people with built up anger let it all go with simple postures and breathing. I practice yoga twice a week and find it as a great balance to martial arts.

Absolutely. The length of time and number of students you allow to do this would be on a case-bycase, obviously. But the good student suddenly down on his luck... no need to make things worse by taking more away from him.

I now train with a makiwara fixed to the wall inside my basement dojo in conjunction with the heavy bag.

My favorite "martial arts" movie would be "Once Upon a Time in China part II" with Jet Li. And since I run a website that reviews karate movies, I'd have to say my favorite classic movie would be "Drunken Master (1978)" hence my forum name and website name.

I do several kinds of training for my martial arts. Once or twice a week a do an hour and a half of Yoga to relax the mind and body. Two hours a week I train with contact sparring/grappling. Basics (at the dojo) are three times a week (about 20 mins each time) and I also do 20 mins of basics on the heavy bag at home every other night. I go through my forms 3 or 4 times a week (I have 20 forms, so it takes time). I also train with a weapon at least once a week (nunchakus, sword, bo, etc).

We start taking them at 4 years old (20 minutes once a week is all they get though). We begin traiining them to basically breathe, stand still and punch. Once they are used to the surroundings, can listen to instruction, etc., we begin blending them into more structured classes.

No, it isn't quite in the same position as that picture (that was the closest I could find on the net). It is actually closer to what you described.

Sounds very interesting. Good luck with your new training!

It ads an extra sex appeal in my book.

My primary workout partner is a female. We work out 2-3 times a week with light-contact sparring, take downs, etc. Yes, I am more cautious of the strike zones I attack, but as she is 2nd Dan also, the work outs are full speed. As far as her sparring, she can challenge just about anyone in the dojo in regards to speed and accurracy. I've yet to see her enter a tounament and not take first. So the training is amazing for the both of us.

Sorry, on the parry I also snag the arm ith my right hand. So it isn't really a pushing away parry. More of a sticky-hands kind of block now.

As I trap the arm, I grab the two wrist pressure points with my right hand (over the top) and invert their arm. Then, using my palm, I push their hand into their forearm while pulling slightly upward and using the left hand to hold the elbow and lock. Would look a little like this: http://www.yorkjitsu.org/graphics/locks/wrist3_3.jpg

Yeah, like Sam said, there is plenty of power in that kick. Just don't pull it out on the street!

You're welcome. I've been playing with the technique a little more and moved the trap into a wrist lock. Slightly more...fun!