bushido_man96

I have done a spear thrust, with three fingers, through a very thin, I think one-half or three-quarters inch thick board. It was cool, even though the board was lame. Thought about trying it again. Ever done top-of-the-foot round kick breaks? I like those, too.

Sorry, but I am not a fan of forms like that. However she is very athletic. Not much different than the floor exercise that Olympic gymnasts do.

I originally started training to learn how to defend myself; I was bullied as a child. However, I grew to love the training and the exercise, and liked to push myself to improve. Now, I think about my familiy a lot, and what if, just out of the blue, something did happen? What would I do? Would I be able to protect my family? I think about that a lot. I love the arts, and will always have one to study, until my dying day.

This is a great thread. Sometimes the use of common sense is better than any technique you have practiced thousands of times. I will keep these rules in mind the next time I talk about self-defense. It isn't the techniqes so much, but the mindset that matters.

I like that idea. TKD sorely lacks a system for joint manipulation and self-defense.

I would like to get consistency into the judging of the tournaments. I would try to place an equal importance on forms and sparring for tournament competition. I kind of like the idea of accumulating points throughout a tournament season, and then competing for a nationally based title (kind of like the ATA's point system). I also believe in intstuctor certification. I am not so conerned about changing the rules of sparring, but changing how it is scored. More points for head kicks, one point for puches (if they are clean), and try to deamphisize round kicks and scoring with other kicks as well.

Congratulations on your accomplishments. If you don't get psyched out by black belts and dark uniforms, that is good. Many people have a psychological block when they see things like that, automatically thinking, "oh crap, these guys are better than me." However, you can't judge a book by its cover. Keep plugging away; maybe next time it will be two first places!!

I got side kicked in the face at a point tournament as a 1st degree in the ATA. I was fortunate, because it was the last point he needed to win, and when I got to the restroom, the blood flowed. It made me mad more than it hurt, and once I got kicked, I could feel that it was going to bleed. If the match wouldn't have been over with, then I would have had blood all over my uniform.

This is a good thing, but in the tournaments that I have been to, it does not happen. I think it is a good idea, because some people don't have the integrity that others do. I don't like to judge members from my school, because of what some people may say about the places they got. At one tournament, I ended up judging forms for my future wife . Incidentally, she did not place too well. But it worked out.

The best thing to do, in my opinion, is to have the heads of the organizations get together and come up with some standardizations. Instead of throwing people in to judge, make sure they have some level of competence or experience. Also, judges meetings prior to the tournament starting would help to clear things up as well. I know how you feel. I have been to some tournaments, and seen guys do their forms, and wonder how their instructors can show their faces in public. And I am not bragging, but I work hard on forms, and I do a pretty good job. Then, when the scoring comes in, I wonder how these guys got the scores they did!!! I think some judges just sleep.

Are you kidding me? Was that Ryu, throwing that fireball?

Gimme a freakin' break!!!! I don't know if I would want to laugh at this guy or knock him out. But, I guess if I approached him, he would know what I would want to do.

I was first exposed to the arts when my dad took me to class with him when I was probably around 4 or 5. Didn't know it then, but I was hooked.

I have to go with Bruce Lee here. Musashi is great, but Lee is a bit easier for me to understand and relate to. Mabye it has to do with the time frames in which they were written. And besides, Bruce Lee is still one of the greatest wealths of martial knowledge around. Even after 30+ years, he still impacts the martial arts world.

Teaching from a curriculum is OK, ie, forms systems, one-steps, self-defense techniques. I have never had a problem with testing requirements like these. Varied classes, however, I feel help to keep the interest of students, and prevents burn-out. At my school, we have "traditional" classes, and then "extra" classes. Some of the extra classes are for kicking and sparring, or self-defense exclusively. But the traditional classes, which are required about twice a week, are the same class each time: basics for warm-up (always the same), then forms, then one-steps, then sparring, if time allows. I have felt burned-out over the last 6 months, but I keep going to class. The monotonous "traditional" classes really wear on me sometimes.

Personally, I stay away from home study systems. I like to have books for references, but as far as attaining rank by video, well, I feel like that is the ultimate form of the McDojo.

Cut down on the number of classes you do per week. In the classes you do attend, do what you can to maintian your technique. Slow the techniqes down, and work on proper form and strength. If one knee is giving you problems, work with the other. My knees give me fits, but I notice it more with the stances than with kicking. Another thing: keep stretching. Even if you don't warm up, very light cold stretching will help maintain some flexibility.

Better hope no one like Mike Tyson, Bob Sapp, or maybe a hundred other professional fighters decides to challenge you for you dojo.

Personally, I think that there would have been a gun pulled instead of a beating in today's society. With that aside, I think it is a poor indicator of martial arts training. How many well trained, non-professional fighters would have a great chance of escaping two attackers like that? I don't know, but I don't buy it.

This is a case of ego taking over. The only bad thing about the belt a practitioner wears is that it can cause ego. People need to be humble and open their minds.

I agree with you completely Isshinryu5toforever. If the captain can hold the team together and get them to victory, then he is doing a good job. Sometimes just common sense prevails. I feel that our society is too stuck on "legitimacy through certification." What I mean by this is that every position in life and work has to be certified to be accredited. Like mechanics, for instance. If he's not ASE certified, then he isn't any good, right? Wrong!! It is the same with instructors and teachers and coaches in any and all levels. My dad has never achieved a black belt in any style of martial art (he has come close), and due to personal reasons, had to stop training. Later in life, he rejoined me in my school, where I outranked him. However, I always asked him more questions then he would ask me. He knew so much about the arts, and fighting, and all kinds of things that still take me aback, even with 13+ years of experience. I still get advise and help from him. If the captain has the knowlege and experience to not only win, but to teach valuable lessons to his pupils, then in my book, he is acredited.

I started in TKD because that was the only thing available to me. I got my first taste of it at a young age when my dad would take me to his classes. I never got a uniform, but the memory of it stuck, and I was hooked for life. I might have been 6 or 7. Later we moved, and had a layoff. A friend of mine in 8th grade said he got started in TKD (it was an ATA club), and got me to go. I ended up staying, and he quit. I love TKD, and would probably never give it up. I would like to spend time in other styles, but that option is not available to me. When I started, there wasn't a whole lot of advertising for the club. It was just word of mouth that it was there. And there was no sign of the UFC around yet. I could catch boxing on TV, but could never learn it. I also liked to watch Chuck Norris movies with my dad when I was young. Eventually watched Van Damme and Segal.

I think this is a childish action, and egotistical as well. That's what tournaments are for, and the MMA's.

I have been making more head contact in sparring latley, so it is getting better. In forms and heavy bag work, I do throw hard kicks, high and low. I think my problem comes from one-steps (or two-person work?) training, in which I will crank some kicks, but stop them a few inches before striking. I have good power; my favorite board break is a 4 board round kick. So it is there, just have to get there is sparring, without hurting anyone.

Amen. Very simple, and inspirational.