bushido_man96

It sounds like you could be an instructor in the making. It is good that some people are recognizing you for your abilities. In my opinion, this is one of the most rewarding feelings that you can get from the martial arts. The fact that you can leave a lasting impression on a few individuals speaks volumes as to what you are capable of doing. The important thing to do with kids with low self-esteem is not give them false confidence. Don't praise them for something they can't do, and know they can't do. Praise them when they make an obvious improvement, or when you see them get something the way you want that first time. Also, find something they do excel at, and praise it. This should help to start building their confidence in new things.

Well, for a start "regular" TKD is getting harder and harder to define as more and more associations are forming. The "big 3" of WTF, ITF and ATA are still pretty dominant but there are plenty of schools and practitioners out there who do not train like those schools and are not affiliated with them in any way. The forms that those 3 organisations train in are all different, especially ATA who have created and copywrited theirt own Songahm set of forms. Therefore, because of the vast differences there's a) no such thing as "regular" TKD and b) no such thing as a regular TKD form. Some clubs share common forms, many do not. I could name a whole long list of TKD patterns that plenty of people wouldn't have heard of or seen. Same for me - I've not heard of some of the forms other people talk about. Also, it's not just "Heian kata jumbled up". Many forms in TKD were specifially created for TKD, rather than just a transferrance of the Shotokanised forms, such as TSD often uses. The Taeguek forms used in WTF TKD are a created by TKD practitioners for TKD practitioners, as are other groups of forms. Finally, maybe TKD forms look like "jumbled" Heian kata because there's only so many ways a person can kick or punch? Techniques are common to many styles, as are the combinations of techniques. For example, forearm block followed by supported spear hand strike is found in Heian Sandan but also in other forms. Does it mean all other forms with it in are a jumble of H. Sandan? No, it just means that there are common and set ways of performing techniques in many styles. This is a very good point. Even the associations that use the same ITF forms that General Choi created still make their own modifications to them that other associations don't have. I have seen 4 different ways to do basically the same set of forms.

Thats not what I'm saying entirly. You can still follow what I had said and still use crushing power, Like I had said before...Theres no point of getting into and explaining entire systems of fighting(I wouldn't be able to either). I use speed to get to the target, crushing power to drive through, and speed to get out again before the opponent knows what happened to them. Or if I want to get to a target, I may use my type of training to get into the target zone and follow through with more technques that are more crushing.So basicly, right now my general fighting habits are simply relying on speed to get there, then crushing power to end it. I belive in a combination of "whip" and "baseball bat". My point was that kicks which are more speed reliant kicks, have many purposes other than just feinting. Speed could be used to disarm an assailant with a knife...So could power, but speed would be more likely to catch the opponent off-guard. Power = mass X velocity squared. Power = speed + technique. These are the 2 equations that I know of for generating power output. I really don't think the baseball bat or the whip have much to do with it. Baseball bat or whip have to do with the amount of follow through, not how much power is generated.

Unfortunately, this is very true. Whether it is jokes or inuendos, it happens a lot, even if it is not meant to hurt anyone.

I have not encountered racism in the dojo from an instructor. We as martial artists should be able to put ourselves above such matters, and emmerse ourselves in the training and evironment. Any instructor who condones this behavior is stupid.

Yes, this is true. The forms used in TKD anyway, are not all that old at all. They are derivatives of shotokan style forms, from what I have read. For the most part, people should not assume that the styles of TSD and TKD date back any farther than the 1940s and 1950s.

I think that you are being too hard on yourself. Even if you had your gun, would you have been able to draw it? Did the attacker already have a gun on you? During active duty, you probably had the advantage of having your weapon(s) about you at all times. Studying the arts is a good direction to take. If I had a gun pulled on me, however, I think that I would give up my wallet rather than risk getting killed over some pocket change. I really think being prepared for these situations is one of the hardest things to train for, and it may only occur a few times in most of our lives. I realize that this is not true for active duty officers, but once you leave that environment, your level of awareness would surley go down.

If you feel that you are not quite ready for this test, then wait. Better to put off for another couple of months, practice, and become more comfortable.

Does he make these comments during class? If so, definitely walk. I feel that classes should be conducted in a more professional manner, and there is no place for this kind of behavior anywhere in society, anyways. Martial artists should be ambassadors to the public of their arts, styles, and beliefs. If you feel that your morales are compromised, you should discuss this with the instructor, and then decide whether to leave or not.

Cung Lee is who you may be refering to. I've seen a few of his fights on ESPN and he's very impressive. Just totally dominates the other fighters. I really like the San Shou rules. It allows strikes and throws but not ground work. It really helps to avoid the "lay and pray" we see sometimes in the UFC with fighters that aren't skilled at a ground game. Yes, that's right--Cung Lee. He outclasses everyone he fights.

I agree. The ICHF system is very nice, and has some very good applications. I think it is very practical, as all of the kicks are done below the waist level, and the use of distraction techniques facilitates the moves very well.

IMO, it's not about ego so much as it is reality. In a real fight, if a blow almost lands, I'm not gonna acknowledge it because it MIGHT have KOed me. I'm gonne keep fighting. In sparring, I do the same. Actually, I think there is more of an ego issue involved from those who expect to have the technique respected. Why are they expecting acknowledgement? I don't think it's about ego, as much as it is about the fact that many blows that would likely be finishing blows (or at least heavily damaging) in a sparring bout are often ignored by the receiver, who continues fighting as if they had never been touched. Since we pull punches and kicks somewhat to avoid injuring our partner, this sometimes leads to overconfidence, where the receiver gradually learns not to protect themselves adequately because there is no sense of risk. By stopping to acknowledge the blow, one is recognizing that their defense has failed, and they realize they must improve next time to avoid being injured. This is because sparring is not about winning, it's about learning. With respect, Sohan This is the difference between training in full contact, and training in the controlled environment of most MA schools.

Our instructor is very good about informing the new sparrers about the idea of respecting controlled techniques. As for your second comment, I don't expect an acknowledgment. What happens is that I throw a very controlled technique, like a spinning hook kick, as a counter to a round kick. In order not to take off their head, I slow the kick before reaching their head, where it would have landed if going full tilt. Then, as I am putting my controlled technique to the floor, which is going a little slower, they procede to throw some kick or punch or flurry of blows, taking advantage of my position because I controlled the technique out of courtesy.

You make a very good point here, elbows_and_knees. I realize that you probably train differently than I do. It is not so much a "point" that I would have scored, but that my round kick is on your face, and the person just walks through to lay one on you. Our training environment requires us to control our techniques, because we don't have the same equipment available for full contact sports, like in your Thai boxing. Just a contrast in ideas. This is one of the problems that is posed in "traditional" class settings.

I have done this before, but it usually leads to reprimands froms the instructor .

I don't believe that learning anything on line or in books is a good idea. Especially basics, since basics are the core of everything you do in the martial arts. Noone can afford to learn the basics the wrong way, because the rest of their training will suffer. An instructor is needed to give immediate feedback and correct errors. Books and videos are wonderful resources for review of material, basics, and techniques. They do have their uses, just not for initial learning.

When sparring, under controlled conditions, in our school we have a "respect" acknowledgment when getting nailed with a good technique. When we fight, we are controlled, trying not to take someone's head off. So, when a controlled kick finds home, the other fighter will usually "yield" for a second to acknowledge that the technique scored. A problem that we have with some is that they don't respect a technique that is contolled, and they blast right to you. So, many times, the next technique has less control, and the other person is mad because you decked them. My question is this: Does anyone else have to deal with this in their style? How do you deal with it? Should it be dealt with? I am expecting a lot of different comebacks on this. I feel that the full contact practitioners won't consider it like the more traditional style of schools will. But I would like to hear answers and anecdotes. Why this is good and why it is bad.

I feel that advanced students should work on basics in a different way, like switching the drills up, or adding more advanced techniques into the basics. Our school has a set of basics that we do at the beginning of every class. Then for our black belt classes, we do some made up patterns, that present the basics in different ways. Higher ranking students should be learning and practicing higher ranking material, but the basics should not be allowed to suffer. Belive it or not, there is a happy medium.

Yup that is right, and that is why I plan on taking a grappling art as well once I get to a good enough level. I can't say I completely agree with you though because the whole grappler and versus striker thing is true, full contact martial arts tournaments aren't realistic really many vital areas are not aloud to be hit, which I think gives grapplers a little bit of an edge in stuff like the U.F.C. and what not. You make a good point about the rules involved in the UFC and other "full contact" venues. If the grappler shoots, then he should expect punches to the back of the head, elbows to the back and neck, and possibly a knee to the face. At the same time, if a karate-ka kicks, he should be ready for a single-leg take down. There are so many variables, it is impossible to argue. Essentially, these arguements always become a battle of egos, and nothing more.

I believe that it is the practitioner that makes the difference, not the style. There are street fighters out there that can prove this point. My late grandfather on my father's side had no martial training in his life, save for what he might have learned in the Navy. When my dad was 13, he watched him take a gun from another man, and proceed to pistol whip him until he was no longer stupid. My point is, a fighter can get just as much experience in the streets as anyone training daily can. In fact, his training may be better because he learns everything at full speed, and in real situations. I DO NOT CONDONE THIS KIND OF TRAINING, HOWEVER. I am just using this scenario to make a point.

sounds like shin splints. Eat some banannas, and get some potassium in you. it should help.

I think that running has such a high impact on your knees that after so many years, it does break them down. I am not a runner, but after 13 years of TKD, my knees are starting to suffer. They ache right now, just sitting and typing. I find that they start to bother me when I drive for extended periods of time. As your body gets older, overtraining will start to wear on your joints, and your could actually regress as a result of overtraining. If you have access to one, try to get to an elliptical machine. They are great for me, as I feel no impact on my knees at all. Try it in place of running, and see what happens.

I have a fairly entertaining story, as it was not a fight, but just a full contact sparring session that me and my brothers had out in the front yard just for fun. We were all 3 in TKD at the time, so we put the pads on, and added in wrestling and low kicking. My youngest brother developed a very good "hit and run" tactic, so he stayed pretty safe. Me and my other brother, however, was a totally different matter. We were sparring along, trading shots, and he could wrestle a little, and he eventually took me down and worked me over. I worked my way free (I HATE wrestling), and while he was still down on all 4s, I took a shot at the back of his head. I threw my pads off and said I was done. He threw his off, and said "No, you ain't." So, we padded back up, really mad at each other, and ready to go. He put his hands and feet pads on, and I put on head gear and hands, but not feet pads. We started going, and I got a round kick in on his ribs, but he trapped my leg under his arm, which he just had up in guard. I don't think he meant to catch it, but it stuck there. So, with my foot stuck, with out thinking, I launced my self off of my base leg, and brought a nasty spinning hook kick around to land on the side of his face. It made the coolest CA-CHUNK sound, and he went down!!!! He rolled onto his stomach, and told me to go get him a towel to quench is bloody nose. Then, we WERE done. Best "full contact" story I have. The scary part is that he didn't go unconscious.

Many people don't give the high kicks the merit that they deserve. There are risks inherent in using them, but that goes for any technique used in fighting. One must appreciate the skill involved in using high kicks skillfuly in both tournament and self-defense situations. Anybody can go out and slug away, but it takes practice, patience, practice, and practice to be able to perform high kicks successfully on a skilled opponent.

What kind of a seminar did you attend? Was it Combat Hapkido (ICHF)? I did Combat Hapkido for about 9 months off and on, and enjoyed it. The only downfall to it is that it is very curriculum heavy.