Menjo

Well, thats just my own personnal experiance. From what I see, a larger opponent can often get away with not using complete and proper technique(In karate anyway) in lower levels. The smaller people are completely forced to use proper technique if they want any success. This is only my karate and some Muay Thai experiance, I'm sure its alot different in what you train. Maybe, but regardless...the question said the smaller guy had stamina. It would only be fair, since there is always some sort of "flaw" in almost many statements. Eventually, for any progress, some sort of assumption must be made, big or small.

It's a double edged sword. Traditional artists often don't like to grant the title of martial art to sport arts because of differences in training. Arguments get mixed up and miscommunication is a main factor. You can see where this is going.

that's the part I think a lot of people miss. They like to assume that the big guy has no skill, which is not true. I was always into bodybuilding and now I'm into powerlifting. But I've been training MA for years. there are a lot of big guys with skill. Good point, however If you look at the question, the big guy is assumed to have no skill. I find often a lot of big guys to develop bad habits that take away from skill. Such as relying on strength to take advantage, this could be considered skill, but that’s all relative. There are alot who develop a technically weak block, because they never went through the learning process of being forced to change. Posture is another thing big guys often develop bad habits in.They're used to people not knowing how to deal with a large mass and so they continue their strategy, consciously or not. So I think this question its a fair assumption in general. Chances are, they had good instruction which made them change their natural habits. Plus, these people have already been in martial arts, a big guy who hasn't trained in martial arts...In my belief, develops the use of strength over skill naturaly. Thats why its generaly assumed, sometimes its also exaggerated.

Of course, this is on of the reasons why balance, hip rotation and such, are so important. I believe that for someone to truly do damage, you must fully commit yourself. Then, once they are down, you have time to consider other factors.

Awesome, this kata is my favorite to watch...although I haven't learned it, and wont for quite some time. In terms of development, I'd say its requires alot of body connection to even get a solid knowledge of it, compared to other kata. This is why it is a very advanced kata. Your success in this kata relys on your hips, breathing, and experiance. You might also notice that Nijushiho teaches and develops a certain flow with your techniques.

Yep, expect alot of cardio and fitness training to get you into the right shape...for your sparring in the future.

Depends on you, depends on your instructor, depends on your location(Different countries train differently). Just depends on training! Good luck.

Congratulations, would you say it was as difficult as you imagined?

A number of reasons. I really enjoy my karate training, but recently i was looking for some "answers" and i didnt think my karate training was providing me with these. But after doing boxing for a short while it didnt really have the answers either, so i did alot of searching and started looking deeper into my karate and realise it will be better for me in the long term. Wow, that is almost what exaclty happened to me awhile ago. Wierd. Well good luck with whatever art you choose in the end. As long as you learned something uselful for yourself later on.

Congratulations!

Yes, I agree, and thanks for expanding on that. Say I had to take on 6 experianced attakers... My logic is that I would fight like I COULD win this fight, yet chances are that I would not come out of it without some sort of loss. My point here is that I think its important for one to NOT give into something that facts or stats tell them. In this case, generaly most people who are attacked by 6 people, will not win the fight. This is reasonable and important not to forget this, but I wont let it control my life when I have to rely on chancy circumstances. Sometimes you just gotta go out on a limb and do your best... When it comes down to it, forget rules and forget those put downs, just do what you have to do. Your training should already be planted into your body and mind, whether it be traditional or Mixed, its always possible to make it work. This is what I LIKE to think, of course its very hard to apply in real life! This is a general principle, but its often lost in the modern world. Thats valid, however, I dont think I got my message clearly across before. So Ok, to be a little more specific...I think a practicioner of martial arts should be someone who studies and trains in BOTH sides of the term Martial Arts. I think a healthy balance is best, but along with "traditional" schools, MMA tends to only focus on one aspect of Martial Arts. Some might consider this an art of science I guess, but in general, I wouldn't. I pretty much agree with you there.

I find alot of Martial artists lose the essense of martial arts by only focusing on science and competitions. In my opinion...So are wing chun practitioners, also it seems now alot of new martial arts are becoming more and more fitting to the average person...I think its the fame, money and overall population adaption have to do with MMA success. Comparing Karate alone I find is ineffective, because your judging past peoples potential, not karate's potential. Karate I beileve should become whatever you want it to be for yourself.

Hmmmm...I'm assuming that you mean that one can get alot more power in a situation from anger. If one can do that with anger alone, imagine someone who has complete control of every inch of their body, and suddenly used enough spirit to benefit from the powers of anger, and at the same time, get the powers of balance and control. With total control, one can reach a higher power level than even anger. I would not want to fight any opponent who has the ablility to manipulate me in anyway they find useful, and at the same time, have the ablility to kill me without little or no effort, and also, have a spirit and body power to overcome my anger and adrenaline. Anger is easily manipulated, one can do many things to manipulate the situation for thier advantage agaisnt an angered opponent. It may be emotional, physical, or mental, regardless... Control in this sense also doesnt have to be taken as the typical small asian master who is enlightened. A UFC fighter would have control over any slum bar fighter who hasnt reached the same martial skill, or like any other skilled martial artist. Control can open you to use spirit and the benefits of anger without any regret. Control is what I aim for, but for anyone, I believe this is difficult to achieve. P.S.-Sorry for going off-topic with this.

I like that answer. My view on this point is that I use my mind during alot of training exercises and drills, when I am in a "battle" I forget my thoughts and rely on the body to carry out what my mind set it out for. The mind trains the body to think on its own, the body trains the mind to become absent when required. It then becomes obvious that one needs balance, and it is also critical not to surround yourself with techniques but its important to flow in your own way. Your own way becomes your martial art because we all know that ones martial art becomes apart of them. I often get frustrated when I hear of discussions that say certain styles(probably the more traditional ones) have completely different mind sets in the heat of a battle. I would disagree...Yes training methods are very different indeed, but to empty the mind...How many variations of that are around? I think its a universal feeling(true empty mind) that is similar which is achieved through different means. You can free your mind with any style, just in the end, your body will carry out different sub-conscious means of accomplishing a goal. Now that is a very broad approach, but I would like this to be taken in a general sense. Now in anyway I am NOT saying that I completely understand the concepts, however, I think I'm learning enough to discuss it... I know that I have never experienced a complete empty mind, but I don't train with that in mind also, then I would contradict myself. So I just train, and sometimes I feel more liberated at some times more than other times, who knows when one will reach this awesome point. When the mind is absent, I find it gets its maximum power. This being said, to have your mind become absent, its obvious that one needs strenuous training and long training to achieve this. So I think its the Mind which is most vital, but mostly in the sense that it is the mind which is the MOST responsible in ones training. Suddenly the body seems to become much more than what it seems(to me anyway). Sometimes I confuse myself with that approach! Note: When I said its important not to surround ones self with techniques, I mean that your body should already be living your style of training, and the body should naturally move accordingly. During formal training, I like to cloud my mind with technique fixing and corrections so later I can reflect with more training, and then when I need it, I dont have to go through the thought process. Just some thoughts.

Well actually that is the difference between different martial arts. All have different ideas, whether you like it or not, there may be a martial art that beileves what you would think as foolish. Being open-minded in a combat situation ahead of time, can save one from some serious regret later on. I think striking an incoming takedown can work if you have enough skill. This requires alot of skill, because you need to have the required technique really worked well into your mind and body. Same thing here, saying that this one method is the only sensible way is almost insulting to other martial arts. Different methods work for different people, noone has invented of a completely superior system.

Meh, Its not scary at all. It can be indimidating when you first walk in, but other than that, once you get into it, you should be fine When I made the switch, I simply just had a bloodlust and a drive to test myself agaisnt MMA. So to help yourself get into Muay Thai, try to find a reason to start it up. I'm sure you do have reasons, but when you reach an obstacle like fear, just make sure you have enough will power drive to get it done. Also, I doubt you'll be starting off fighting some 5 year veteran in your first few classes, I think they generaly start off with alot of cardio training and simple basic techniques to improve your "fighting-fit" ability. If your near a black belt in Karate, then your mind set should be already in top fighting or even training shape. Be confident that you have experiance, dont let it give you guilt. Hope that helps a little.

LOl....right. I see it as with proper posture and follow through you get the air pulled out of you, for me anyway.

Well...I dont know an art that doesnt focus on breathing. Shotokan has alot of breathing to it, but breathing in Shotokan naturally comes with proper technique. If I do proper technique, breathing naturaly follows, this is with any other art.

Welcome!

So after a strenuous workout or marathon, the warrior in you hankers for a steaming bowl of oatmeal? LOL, yep. With a good hearty drink too. I always thought this was a popular thing

In addition to what everyone else said,I'd go with Oatmeal! or porridge. Also rice.

Congrats!

Disgusting.

Ok, then somewhere in the book(to lazy to look), there was a story where he told a boy to use a specific sparring tactic to defeat a samurai. I said i thought it was in the fire section, however I was wrong, so to be safe, I'll use that story. However I dont see the point of re-writing all that, Yes yes, this story was probably not true, and yes it had a deeper meaning, skip all the "knows" and I THINK he mentioned a tactic. I would consider my post off topic, in response to your last sentence.

I think it does actually in the "fire" section, involving swords. Example: How he used strategy to plan out an effective technique for an opponent. I would count it as sparring tactics, because he says exactly what he did and how it could be used on other situations. P.S. This was meant to be an edit