Ti-Kwon-Leap

Since when is UFC "anything goes"? Besides, using a single obscure fight as an argument for anything is, well, pointless. That is what I was eluding to with my apparently less than obvious sarcastic example.

What about Vanderlei Silva (muay thai) VS Kazushi Sakuraba (submission fighting)

I wonder what a dogfight would look like if there was no biting or scratching allowed ;D

Accidentally double posted...

John Will an amazing instructor, who I would train with in a second if I had the chance, he is also very funny and quick witted as well. When you see him tell him the guy from Portland (who showed up with a broken rib) wishes him well. You are a lucky man, JohnnyS.

I've had ribs broken on two occasions while sparring. It certainly didn't stop me from finishing the matches OR the opponents for that matter. Once I had the pleasure of training with John Will and Dave Meyer (black belts in Machado BJJ) What I learned from them that day completely changed my view of the importance of having grappling competency. John had many years in the striking arts so he was all too aware of the incompleteness of merely mastering striking. I would bet any amount of money on a blue belt in BJJ wiping the floor with a blue belt in ANY traditional striking art, although I think the best combination or advantage is a solid background in striking with at least a good working knowledge of grappling. I'm not going to argue with anyone about this because basically it's quite pointless. (Just giving a word to the wise) I am also not going to debate the superiority of BJJ over other grappling arts, but I will say this: It has proven it's effectiveness on more than one occasion. Another thought: Ignorance of arts other than your own have the tendency to leave you at a disadvantage not only in a physical confrontation, but intellectually as well. "Know yourself, know your enemy, and win the fight."

Boards don't hit back and incidentally people who have been snapped in half don't either.

I've been here quite a few times lately but I mostly just read posts and absorb... And... way to go ZeRo!

If one fails to break the board in question the hand/ foot bares the brunt of the impact. When you break a board, what actually happens is that the board is bent past it's point of flexibility. Failing to break the board will hurt worse because the hand/ foot gets caught with the rebound. That being said, breaking may be an art but not a necessity. Allow me to explain my point of view... On a basic level, board breaking serves to test a student's ability to focus his/ her power at a given point in space. While this does not compare to trying to land a 360 hook kick on a moving opponent, it does prepare the student for the proper mechanics necessary for well executed techniques. Could the student learn the same technique using a heavy bag? I say yes and no. Usually when one hits a heavy bag, his primary concern is hitting hard but not quickly. I'm sure you've all seen a big, slow (usually beginning) martial artist attempting to break a board with a slow, powerful kick that may knock a standing Wavemaster over but would do nothing but push a board holder back a foot or so. The ability to break light objects requires a certain amount of speed. A student learns this very quickly after an embarrasing board "pushing" test in front of friends and family. The only reason I do breaking now is for demonstration. People really seem to enjoy board breaking exibitions because they can observe techniques in their pristine simplicity. I was in a competition last night where I broke a board held 7-1/2 feet off the ground. It was a real crowd pleaser. It really wouldn't have mattered (to me) if the board was there or not, but something tells me that a jump front kick even at that height wouldn't have impressed anyone if that stupid board wasn't there. And that brings me to my final thought; there comes a point where the board doesn't really exist anymore, and I think that is the essence of breaking, [which is] overcoming that mental boundry that says: If you try to break that brick, you could really hurt yourself!

"How does a Taekwondo stylist fight on the street?" Well, we kick to the groin/knee/shin stomp on the instep, grab the head and slam the knee into it. Elbow/backfist to the temple/nose, finger jab to the eyes, knife hand to the throat etc.etc., without the benefit of any thin padding. Oh yeah, and if someone throws a punch at our head we move it out of the way Where do people get the idea that olympic style sparring is the only thing TKD students learn or are capable of???!!! Ya see that blue guy to the left? Yeah, that's a TKD stylist outside the ring. ..."let me show ya somethin' kids" -Fire Marshal Bill

When I see my opponent start his turning back kick I start my own front push kick to nudge him/her off balance thereby nullifying the accuracy and power of the kick. I use the bottom of the foot and just a slight push usually on the tush. I've never gotten a warning because when I initiate the attack the opponent has not yet exposed their back and it's not designed to score a point or hurt them. My instructor says it's a-ok so I use it when I am too close to avoid the kick. A back kick has to be lightning fast to be used offensively. The safest way is to use it to counter an opponent that has committed to a technique (such as a round kick) Another favorite use is when an opponent has side stepped to avoid a roundhouse and you quickly reverse directons to catch him from the other side. I wouldn't reccommend any fancy spinning moves in a real fight because like someone said having one's back to an opponent of an unknown style could get you tackled/choked out or leg trapped and your pretty face dragged across the road...Ouch!

I generally fight from a side stance But I move around so much to draw an attack that it never stays in one direction very long. I don't believe in just one bouncing stance. Make the opponent constantly guess where you are going. My opinion is that if your opponent is on his back leg with his toe pointed at you it doesn't take a genius to guess what kick he is going to throw. If you have a front kick that your opponent can't jam for some reason that approach might work but I don't feel very mobile(especially laterally) sparring with my toe pointed at my opponent.

The drawbacks of front kicking are that it leaves all your centerline targets exposed and directly facing your opponent. A front kick can be easily pushed aside and there you are standing square and an open target. I favor a side stance against punchers and the primary weapons I prefer are: roundhouse, side snap/thrust and hook kick. when a puncher approaches simply chamber your leg Bill Wallace style and you are ready for any three of those kicks either one at a time or in combination. The chambering of the leg also helps to cover up any possible point scoring targets. As you chamber, your body leans back and away from the puncher and he won't be able to bridge the gap, thus forcing him to abandon his strategy and play by your rules.

In a street fight you don't necessarily want to play on the ground with a stranger. I would probably react with an uppercut to the throat, nose or temple while keeping my hips as far from the attacker as possible. If I was caught off guard and he got in too close then yes, my reaction would be a chokehold whereby I used the attacker's head as a trampoline for a belly flop. (assuming that there are no witnesses) A guillotine chokehold on the street leaves the groin dangerously vulnerable My goal on the street is to avoid going to the ground (for many good reasons) In the gym, it's an entirely different matter; you just can't go around slugging people in the temple or using their heads for kneecap massage. When someone "shoots", they have to make a pretty strong commitment inertia-wise so capitalizing on their momemtum is usally fairly easy, providing you can deflect their sweaty little hands as they attempt to grab you and bring you to the mat for some unwanted attention. First, think of a matador, who sidesteps the bull and reach for an area near the elbow, sort of "helping" him on his way as he goes by. These sort of tactics are for someone who is quicker and more agile than his opponent. A good grappler is extremely hard to hold off indefinately and learning just a couple joint locks will not prepare a person for facing one on the street. My advice for an encounter with someone bigger who is trying to grab you and cuddle in a steet fight... Run like hell! PS: Not discounting anything Hapkidoist said, just pointing out the danger of standing still with an angry opponent in such a hold.

circling an opponent who depends on linear attacks keeps them off balance. If someone tries to circle you, cut off their path with lateral movement. Your job is to dictate the fight with unpredictability. The most important tool is knowing your opponent's range and being able to float at the very edge of it until an opportunity presents itself. (and it will) Try to stay in balance at all times so that you can capitalize on your opponent when he loses his.

Bruce was an innovator. He defied tradition and was hated for it. There has never been anyone who had his charisma, and as far as the beauty of his movements go, I think he may never be topped. I don't know what criteria you are using for "the best" but I'd have to say that he was the most remarkable martial artist I've ever seen. Yes it's true, Bruce Lee WAS the best (at making sure the world never forgot him)

There are so many variables that make up any two fighters. Some people are naturally more gifted when it comes to applying whatever techniques they learn in any given style. Are some styles more geared towards streetfighting? Yes! Are some fighters able to overcome and adapt their art despite it's weaknesses? Definately! Could mental toughness tip the scales and allow the man from the weaker art to prevail? I believe so. Should a person interested in effective self defense follow a single style and expect it to work universally in a confrontation??? Don't make me laugh. The best way to learn to fight is to fight. The best way to learn about how your art compares to others is to learn other arts or at least learn about, watch and examine other arts. I happen to be studying TKD at this point in my life. If I did not have the benefit of being involved in several very different disciplines, I believe that I would be ill equipped to use any single art in a situation against an opponent who is versed in several styles. I believe that to be an effective fighter one must find a blend of styles, techniques, strategies and awareness that optimizes that which works best for him/her. Every once in a while our instructor has us do an exercise where the opponents hold the belt of the other and the object is to trip/flip/or otherwise put the opponent on the mat. I win against huge guys, small guys, regardless of rank. (so far) This is because of wrestling, aikido, judo and just plain street experience as well as an instinct for "knowing people". I do not believe that I would fare half as well without the myriad experiences that have shaped me. It's never as simple as "art VS art" or "fighter VS fighter" but it is the culmination of that which is inherent+that which is learned+that which is properly applied at the proper moment. I have seen accomplished martial artists beaten by opponents with practically no technique because of a lack of seriousness. I am basically agreeing with Martial_Artist but i'm sure he realizes that... Heh.

Bill Gates had a baby girl recently and named her "Phoebe Adelle Gates" (true) The thing is, I keep picturing "Steven" (from the tv ads) walking up to Bill and saying: "Dude, you got Adelle"!

There was something mentioned in that book about how 95% of people who seem ready to fight will back out if given the oppourtunity to do so. It is a particularly interesting book because he really understands the mindsets, rituals and dynamics of both the aggressor and the defender. I think it is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the psychology and tactics of confrontation as well as how to deal with it.

There is an E-book floating around on kazaa if you are too lazy to buy it...

Hey this is too funny... I read this book today that has similar stories in it...Guess what it's called??? Yeah, The Art Of Fighting Without Fighting! Read an excerpt: http://www.summersdale.com/books/martialarts/geoffthompson/theartoffighting/theartoffighting-chapter.htm

If you can, practice doing your kata facing different directions, including starting out facing a corner instead of a wall. What really locks a kata into my head is to do it from start to finish in my mind especially when I am busy doing other things. When my mind is free I will go to the next move and then hold that move in my mind till the next free moment and so on. Once you master this you will probably never forget a kata ever again!

1. NEVER RETREAT IN A STRAIGHT LINE! 2. NEVER STAND STILL. 3. ALWAYS REDIRECT AN ATACK. 4. ALWAYS STYMIE HIS BEST WEAPONS. 5. ALWAYS PUT YOUR OPPONENT WHERE YOU WANT HIM. a few combinations: 1. REAR LEG ROUNDHOUSE, STEP BACK, REAR LEG ROUNDHOUSE. 2. BACK LEG BACK KICK, BACK LEG ROUNDHOUSE. 2A. BACK LEG BACK KICK, ROUNDHOUSE, SPIN BACK KICK. 3. ROUNDHOUSE, SPINNING HOOK KICK. 4. AX, ROUNDHOUSE...SLIDE BACKLEG FWD, AX W FRONT LEG. 5. BACK LEG ROUNDHOUSE, SAME LEG ROUNDHOUSE. 6. FRONT LEG DOUBLE: SIDE/ROUND. 7. COUNTER BACK LEG ROUNDHOUSE -W- SPINBACK. 8. COUNTER AX -W- SPINBACK. 9. ROUNDHOUSES MOVING BACKWARD. Just about any technique can be used as a fake as long as it is done convincingly enough to make your opponent flinch/block. Another widely used TKD fake is to lurch forward to draw an attack then sidestep/parry and launch a counter attack. I don't fake much. I just try to hit them before they can react and then let them tire out trying to retaliate. Mobility is my thing. Work off your strengths but train your weaknesses. Good luck kid

Chokeholds can be fatal after the 3 minute mark. Also, the person who the hold is applied to will enter a "fight or flight" state whereby they will be filled with an adreniline rush and will fight violently in a panicked effort to free themselves. It's not like in the movies where the guy just calmly passes out. -just a couple things to consider...

BladeLee, 1. Show up early and meditate/clear your mind for 20 minutes before class. Relaxation is the key to thinking clearly. 2. let go of your obsession with this person; you are letting your ego get the best of you. 3. Use your sparring time to analyze your weaknesses, don't be blinded by thoughts of revenge. 4. Let your opponent make his move and wait till he has exhausted his barrage of attacks, then get in a few choice shots and then go back to the task of making him miss the next techniques and so on. Work on capitalizing on the ebb and flow that every fight has. If you are uptight and obsessed you won't sense this subtle equilibrium, and eventually you will tire yourself out as well. 5. Develop personal power. The only way to achieve this is to rid yourself of your fear of losing. The next time you lose to an opponent is the best time to face that knot in your stomach and just let it go. (sounds simple, doesn't it?)