bushido_man96

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.

That's good news. sounds like you could be on your way to a mixed MA career if you are not careful

This is something that Brazilian Jiujitsu does very regularly. It is nothing to call a school and ask if you can bring some students up for the day. This has always been extremely positive. We've also done it in my Chuan Fa school as well. This became almost too competitive. The students began to go a little hard. They're never trying to harm anyone...just get caught up in the heat of the moment. But when you're striking, that can become very dangerous. It was still positive to see the applications and fight against other systems. However, when it comes to Karate and TKD schools (that I've attended)...there is always problems with it. They can't agree on rules or the businesses are too close...Personally, I feel they can't let their egos go. Many of them just worry about the bottom line. Others are forbiddin from doing this by their affiliations. I actually heard the owner of the Shotokan school where I train and teach say he wouldn't do it because he's afraid he'd loose students. Does he really have such little faith in the loyalty of his students? I was shocked! Yes, the egos are the big problems that prevent these oppurtunities for good martial artists to network together and form alliances. I hate politics.

I'd fight Abe Lincoln...tall wiry guys, fight to the death Seriously, though, I'd read that Lincoln was quite the scrapper.

I have been playing with some of the more "Olympic" style kicking techniques in my spare time, and I have found that in order to switch kicking legs like they do, that it is easier and faster to do when you swing your arms to get momentum. I think that is part of why they keep their arms low.

What you state here could be something very positive in the MA community. If the dojos could get together, and come up with a rules base for some kind of interdojo tournament, then you could stand to learn a lot from each other, without offending anybody. It could also strike some very good MA friendships, leading to training together, and the healthy exchange of information. Maybe even lead to interdojo seminars and training sessions. Lots of positive possibilities here.

Sounds like you have a good plan. If you like the shorei ryu school, go for it. TKD has some things to offer, it is a more traditional school. More of a "traditional" school will not focus quite so much on competition. Watch a class of both, and go with your gut.

I think I would like to fight Joe Lewis in his prime. Another one would be Chuck Liddle.

I would like to see Sapp fight a heavyweight boxer. One of the top tier ones. He does not seem to move very well. By the way, Sohan, funny commercial Did you see him in The Longest Yard? He is a specimen. I had not heard he used steroids. Is that confirmed?

I currently don't take any supplements. In my case, I think the best thing I could do is diet more and do more cardio. Supplements are not necessarily a bad thing, but I would defenitly stay away from anything new and shady.

Do me a favor and go get ADCC 2003. Abu Dhabi is basically the super bowl of grappling. Marcelo Garcia won the all around competition(no weight restrictions). Garcia was the shortest man in the whole tournament. I think height has MUCH more to do with striking then grappling.You are very correct here. However, when a fight starts (self-defense), then both fighters start standing up, where the height matters.

This is new to me. I have never heard of it.

The best stance; the boxers stance. A boxer once told me: keep your hands up, your chin down, and your a-- off the canvas! Seriously, the stance is light, very mobile, and very defensible.

I get a kick out of schools that advertise they teach "Muay Thai", and you get in and it's simply basic kickboxing without even teaching much elbows and knees---the best part is when it's taught by converted aerobics instructors who got their "certification" in MT but have never trained with anyone who has fought nor trained in authentic MT. With respect, Sohan Yeah, and they are worse than McDojos.

The lack of hand pad drills, and the drilling of self-defense, knee kicks, and thai round kicks/low kicks in TKD is a DIRECT result of the popularity of Olympic style TKD. There are some schools that only train Olympic fighters, and it is diluting the subtleties of the art.

This is how I feel about this situation: Do you still call your doctor Dr. Smith, or do you refuse to recoginize his station? What about teachers? This is how I view the master title; it is a station achieved in the MA community, and it should not be offensive to anyone of a religious manner.

I would strike with the part of the arm measuring from just in front of the tip of the elbow, to about 3 inches up the forearm. In my experience, hitting anything with just the tip of my elbow hurts like the dickens.

Sounds like a good time. Sometimes we need to get back to the basics to truly understand what we have learned.

I don't believe it can be put any more clearly than this. Bushidoman96, if you wish to write on something, you must first define it. Every orginization has a definition of what their "masters" are and what they know. If any orginization gives the title of Shihan/ Master/ Pendakar or whatever, without a definition of what skills and qualities that person should posess, the title is meaningless. If one, as several have already pointed out, defines master to mean perfect...or even near perfect...than it is something unachievable for all except God. And I know one thing for certian in life...I'm not God. Perhaps your article could be one of comparitive research. You could do research on what major orginizations require for their "master" ranks and compare them from there. For example...I saw someone posted saying a person should be at least 25 yrs old. That seems kind of young to me. Most 25 year olds have lived very little life to be wise enough IMO. In the Kwanmuzendokai a person must be at least 35 before earning godan (the rank associated with Shihan in that orginization). I think an article of this nature would be extremely interesting. Thanks This is a very good point that you make. I think writing this paper would be very difficult. There is an article in this forum on one man's journey to becoming a master. I loved it. I may not need to say more.

I would like to point out that there are other bad MA schools out there aside from TKD schools. The problem with the ATA is that the organization has franchised, making ATA schools like McDonald's stores. Sometimes, you eat at a bad restaurant. The ATA is like this, because it is so large. When I was in, I had great instructors, and they all were very technical and strict about being prepared of a test. My current instructor has a saying: There are no bad martial arts, just bad instructors.

You may not think about wearing your black belt to the class, but the instructor may want you to. You never know, he might, or might not. Never hurts to be prepared.

I noticed your SCA note. I have had some experience in the SCA style of swordplay as well. We really just use a simple stance with the lead leg about shoulder's width in front of the rear. I do find their ruleset very limiting.

This is a good point. What ever happened to the schools that just had KARTATE painted on the window?

Make eye contact with the students, and speak just a little louder than your normal tone usually carries. That way, everyone in the room can hear you, and you won't have students asking others what to do. One more important thing: smile, and have fun. If they see you enjoying yourself, then they will have fun, too. If everyone has fun, then everyone comes back. Another thing that I do, after I teach a class, is thank everyone for coming. I don't necessarily do it at the end of class, but I do it after everyone has changed, and they are making their way out the door. They will appreciate it.

Another good thread from Sohan. All very true. Just a side note, but I think we all would be extremely entertained if you ever took a day trip to the zoo!!