bushido_man96

10/15/2024 Strength Training Leg Press: 135x10, 185x10, 225x5, 315x3, 355x5, 355x5, 355x5. Press: 45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 115x2, 137.5x5, 137.5x5, 137.5x5. Lat Pull-downs: 167.5x10, 167.5x10, 167.5x10. Stretch. 10/17/2024 Strength Training Squat: 45x5x2, 95x5, 135x5, 155x5, 155x5, 155x5. Bench Press: 45x5x2, 95x5, 115x3, 135x2, 155x5, 155x5, 155x5. Lat Pull-downs: 170x10, 170x10, 170x10. The squat felt ok at the time. I noticed later my tinnitus seemed to be louder, so I'll have to watch this. BJJ Class: 7:00 - 8:00 pm. We worked from full guard in this class. 1. Bottom guy has closed guard, and his job is to try to control top guy's posture and work to isolate head/arm (win). Top guy can't win. 5 min. I did ok here. I was able to get head/arm isolation on Kendall a few times. He struggled at first, but he caught on and was able to do the same to me. 2. Same game, but the bottom guy could work to a sweep if the top guy postured up and away. If bottom guy got head/arm isolation or a sweep, that was a win. Top guy still couldn't win. 5 min. I did get one sweep on Kendall. He said I moved faster than he thought I could . Kendall did a much better job defending from the top this time, and I didn't get as many head/arm isolations. 3. Setting triangle choke. Bottom guy started with head/arm isolation, and his job was to try to set the triangle choke. Top guy tried to defend it. 5 min, 2 rounds. Kendall and I spent most of the time just trying to figure out how to set the choke. We both have big legs (and short legs) and broad shoulders, and we had a tough time getting the choke set. We just need to keep working on it. Coach was able to talk Kendall through the choke on him, but we struggled when we grappled together.

I feel bad for Stefanski. He's had a stellar defense there for the past few years that is being squandered on a pitiful offense that I'm not sure he's to blame for. Watson is just bad, bad, bad. I didn't expect this to carry on for 3 seasons. Unfortunately, he's being paid so much guaranteed money, it's not a shock the ownership want to see him on the field. However, I think W's are better.

I prefer this outside of the training hall. The previous CI and owner of our school started a "policy" some time back of bowing to the instructor even when seeing them outside of class in public. I HATE this, and I tell students not to bow to me in public. Especially when I'm working. I don't want that kind of attention, and I think it's a foolish practice.

10/14/2024 Aikido Class: Weapons Class: 5:00 - 6:00 pm. We warmed up with jo basics: hi-4, lo-4, hi-8, and lo-8. I got to work with sensei and we really went at a pretty good clip, got to clacking those jos together. After that was jo kata 1 and 2, a few times each, on both sides. Jo 2 on the opposite side is a work in progress. Next was bokken work. We did some partner striking, doing yokomenuchi strikes back and forth, using our footwork to maintain distance (ma-ai). Again, sensei and I worked at a pretty good clip. Next was bokken kata 1 and 2 a few times each. Finally, we finished with jo disarm, and we worked on a kokyo-nage variant. Just need to work on these to get comfortable with them. TKD Workout: 6:15 - 7:00 pm. No one in class tonight but me, so I did a solo-basics workout. Started with a floor stretch, then did or regular basics with my extra ones added in. I finished off with a stretch in The Rack with the chair back at 2. I made it up to 150 degrees fairly comfortably.

I don't think universality is a necessary component. TSD does have its roots in Karate. When the Okinawan practitioners originally used the term Karate, the symbol they used was for Tang, hence "Tang Hand." Funakoshi changed the symbol to the one for "Empty," thus deriving "Empty Hand." I didn't find that on Wiki. I don't think the language used makes it Karate. An American school using primarily English language in class wouldn't necessarily detract from it's "Karate-ness." I think the same can be said of Tang Soo Do. The problem you run into is if a particular Tang Soo Do school is using the name but is a part of the groups that unified the Kwans in the early days. If the school is still using the older Karate kata, then I think you have a "Korean Karate" school.

Amari Cooper was traded to the Bills this week as well. Rumor has it that Mike Williams could be on the way out, and that is a receiver KC could afford to pick up. I also wonder how safe McCarthy's job is after that debacle against the Lions. That game should have at least been competitive.

I believe it has mainly to do with the introduction of the rank system into many styles. I think some newer generation instructors got caught up in the idea that curriculum was in place for a reason, and therefore avoided getting ahead of themselves because they just assumed that was how it was supposed to be. I could be wrong, though.

I agree. The only way I would accept the grading as rank in my school is if the student first asked permission and received it to test without me being there. But to just do a surprise testing and expect rank recognition in my school, I would not accept. If they wanted to do it and claim that rank in that style, like @Zaine mentions here, that's fine. It's their journey. Now, if it was a testing conducted within our own organization, seated by instructors that our familiar with our curriculum and requirements, then I would have some more leniency, especially if I knew about it up front. But if it was done because the student was intentionally going "behind my back" due to a lack of readiness that I would not allow them to test, then there would be more issues to consider there.

Only 5 days of down time is not too bad in the grand scheme of things.

@Montana, I like your approach to self-defense techniques. I don't like the "rank specificity" either. My Aikido sensei teaches techniques regardless of rank as well.

10/10/2024 Strength Training Leg Press: 135x10, 185x10, 225x5, 315x3, 350x5, 350x5, 350x5. Bench Press: 45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 115x2, 150x5, 150x5, 150x5. Lat Pull-downs: 165x10, 165x10, 165x10. BJJ Class: 7:00 - 8:30 pm. I was paired up with Kendall the whole night, so I got some good work in (I think...). 1. Standing, one person's job was to get double underhooks (win), and the other person's job was to try to break balance and use footwork to get an outside-to-inside foot sweep (scooping with the foot) and "lift." 6 min, 2 rounds. It was really hard to get to double underhooks on Kendall. He pummels well and moves well. I think I got to double underhooks once on him. On the flipside, Kendall struggled with setting up the foot sweep. He could get close and step behind for a sweep, but that wasn't the focus of the drill and we talked about how to get better at it, which he did. Coach provided some thoughts as well. When I was trying to foot sweep, I could get to a good position footwork wise, but he kept a good base and I had trouble breaking his balance. 2. One person on bottom, other on top in mount or side control. Bottom man's job was to escape, reverse, or get to guard (win). Top man's job was to hold the chest-to-chest or chest-to-back position (if offered) for as long as possible. Top guy couldn't win, which meant in order to switch roles, it was on the bottom man. 6 min. We did this drill with the top guy in mount position. From bottom, I could reverse or sweep or get to guard on a fairly regular basis. I felt I did ok. When Kendall was on bottom, the wrestler came out, and he turned and gave up his back a couple of times (trying to base out like a wrestler). I talked him through some better options. 3. Same game, but this time the top guy's job was to work to isolate both arms above the head and get the head, too (win). Bottom guy still trying to escape/sweep/reverse (win). 6 min. This time we worked with the top guy in side control. It was much harder for me to get out. I'd rather be under the mount. A few times I was able to get to a half-guard, but I had a hell of a time finishing to a full guard. I did carry the pressure better. Or I just dealt with it better, one of the two. It still sucked. Kendall keeps such good pressure. On our last roll I was actually getting his arms worked up while I was in mount but ran out of time. What I failed to do was walk my knees up along with my hands. We talked about it with coach afterwards and I mentioned that I feel like if my hips leave his hips I'm giving up control or something. I don't know why I think that, but that's what I think, with no basis whatsoever. After all that, Kendall and I rolled once for around 3 minutes I think. We started standing, and he got me with an arm-drag where I went down to one knee, and he all but locked up a cradle on me and took me down. Then it was a fight from the bottom. After that, Kendall rolled several matches with coach. He did pretty good at getting takedowns, but he seemed to always end up in a spider guard (I think). He tapped to chokes a few times, which is a good learning experience for him. He's getting better. One thing I mentioned to coach while working on things was that with TKD I can see everything out in front of me, and I tend to know where I am and where someone else is. I'm still learning to feel what I can't see when grappling.

I'd say you make a good point Luther. TSD is, at it's core, a style of Karate that was learned by a Korean and then taught in Korea...as Karate. It should be noted that Hwang Kee was one of the few (if only) original Kwan founder that declined to be pulled under the new TKD umbrella.

10/8/2024 Strength Training Leg Press: 135x10, 185x10, 225x5, 295x3, 315x2, 345x5, 345x5, 345x5. Press: 45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 115x2, 135x5, 135x5, 135x5. Lat Pull-downs: 162.5x10, 162.5x10, 162.5x10. 10/9/2024 TKD Class: Traditional Class: 5:30 - 6:30 pm. I led the class today. There were only three of us, counting the 3rd dan that usually teaches the class, but he wanted to jump into basics and asked that I lead it. After getting through the normal strikes and blocks, I added in some things on the kicking basics and the combinations. From our twin low blocks/front stance position, we usually do stretching kicks and then back leg front kicks advancing down the floor, and then finish with outer crescent kicks in place. I added inner crescent kicks, and then finished with a combination of outer crescent kick followed by same leg spin outer crescent kick. After we did our side kicks advancing down the floor in sitting stance, I added hook kicks advancing down the floor in a similar manner. We did our normal combinations to finish, and I added in the long lost 3rd combination we hardly do any more; double face punches in front stance, followed by back leg round kick, followed by spin outer crescent kick. I used the whole length of the dojang on most of the kicking and combination work, switching things up halfway down the floor. Basics took us about 20 minutes, and it was a good warm-up. I watched and critiqued forms next; Toi Gye, Hwa Rang, and Yoo Sin. Then I did my form, Choong Jang. I then watched them do low-blue/brown belt one-steps, and then we hopped into sparring. No pads, 2 rounds. I need to see things better and move a little more. Finished up with a nice floor stretch.

I was surprised to that firing. They have had a bit of slow start, but nothing they can't come back from. Now, with the firing, you have to wonder if it will motivate the team, or destroy the attitude in the locker room. I read an article today that said the Chiefs could be in the running for WR Tee Higgins. That'd be nice, but they'd have to do about as much money-juggling for him as they would to get Davante Adams, who is probably the better player. I've heard Adams is interested in playing with QBs he played with in the past; hence New Orleans and the NY Jets being options. But could he pass up a chance to play with Mahomes? I guess well shall see what happens.

I wish the TKD styles I've been sparring in allowed for grabbing and sweeping. It's a great tool to be familiar with.

I think part of it has to do with how the techniques became more stylized as they went along. Long front stances look good, especially in forms competitions.

Well, Royals lost to the Yankees and got eliminated. Here's to looking forward to next year.

I second this. This is a vastly underutilized approach to training. I always think I'm doing one thing, and then when I see the video, realize I am not.

Congratulations Aurik! Excellent work!

Great win by the Royals, and looking to go ahead in the series at home in Kauffman Stadium tonight. I'll be keeping an eye on that.

Yeah, I just saw this myself. Should be interesting. At least they'll get to figure out what they have in Maye. I saw Jets HC Saleh got fired. We'll see how that affects the Jets going forward. Big matchup with the Bills this weekend. KC had a mixed bag this weekend. Great performance by Mahomes, and I liked seeing the passing yardage go up. Kelce got involved early again, which is great, and it was awesome to see Juju get the targets he got. I hope this is a sign of things to come; Juju was money a few years ago when he went to the Super Bowl with KC. Kareem Hunt has filled in wonderfully for Pacheco, and when Pacheco gets back, we'll have a seriously tough backfield to deal with. The big issue this week was the lack of TDs scored in the red zone. Granted, one was a deflected interception and the other was a TD called back on a holding call by Taylor. That would have been 2 more red zone TDs, which would have put the game well out of reach. They've got to capitalize on red zone possessions.

I appreciate the feedback @DarthPenguin. We are mainly doing no gi, although the instructor has worn his gi once, and he said we can do it from time to time. But I think I'll be the only one other than him in the gi, so not sure how much that helps me, if at all. 10/7/2024 Aikido Class: Weapons Class: 5:00 - 6:00 pm. Started with jo warm-ups, hi-8, then did jo kata 1, a few times on the traditional side and a few times on the unorthodox side. Good review. We also did jo disarms again, this time a kote-gashi throw, moving to the outside of a shomenuchi strike. I need to focus on my center, where it is, and where everything else is in relation to my center. I need to stay in my center, especially when turning and rotating. After jo, we did bokken strikes and thrusts up and down the floor, and worked on getting a good launch to cover distance. This is tough for me, having short legs, but made some progress on figuring it out. We did bokken kata 1 twice.

Very cool. I like this idea of disruption in partner drills. I like his blending with Aikido, too. It's fun when you start seeing where the two styles can cross up a little. I've been really enjoying training with the jo and bokken at the Aikido dojo. I like jo better. The sensei also doesn't seem to concerned about how the testing requirements shake out; if he feels something is useful, he'll teach it to us.

Testing notes: 10/3/2024, Sun Yi’s Academy, Hays, KS This was a small testing (we have quite a few small ones anymore), only four testing: three low-orange belts and one low-green belt. We had three black belts in attendance as well (not counting me and the CI), so a brief warm-up of basics was done and then the black belts demonstrated their forms, some one-steps, and did some board breaks. Even though the black belts aren’t testing, I still use it as a time to evaluate what they do. We didn’t have enough wood boards for the breaking, so we used the re-breakable boards we have at the school. I even had a little fun and did a ridge hand strike, which might have been a first for me. As I mentioned, three low-orange and one low-green belt tested. It’s that awkward low-rank to just getting into the intermediate ranks phase. I find students either think about things way to much or not enough. Here are my notes (and I do share these with the students as a whole at the end of testing): Take time to target on one-steps (even the black belts). When we teach the one-steps, we show the vital points/areas we want the strikes to target. Some students get carried away with either the move combinations that they go fast and miss a target (like a knife hand strike going down to a hip and not into the ribs/side area), or in the case of lower ranks, they are not focusing on targets at all and are just doing the techniques. I implored the students to be more cognizant of this going forward. Completion/flow. I saw either too much flow, and techniques got run together and stance got sloppy, or I saw too much completion, resulting in deliberate and extended separation of techniques (too much pause). Too much completion results in no rhythm in the hyung. The orange belts were flowing too fast and not completing their techniques or finishing their stances. The green belt was taking too long between techniques, making the hyung look like 24 separate movements. I challenged the students going forward to go find the happy medium between the two. They have to go beyond just rote memorization of the material. The CI made a good point; he said, “you have to put some of you in the form.” Along the same lines on the notes on one-steps, the students need to be cognizant of where the targets are in sparring. During testing sparring, there were a few times where kicks were thrown to the back, which is not a legal target for us. Alongside this, is knowing where your technique is going when you execute it. I also emphasized the need to improve blocking and guarding in sparring. I see too much of a hand poking toward an incoming kick instead of performing a good blocking technique or getting the arms into a solid defensive guarding position. Body position was a point as well. I saw a few times where students would square their bodies to their opponents, giving lots of target opportunities. I emphasized staying more bladed to present fewer targets. Granted, a lot of this could be cleaned up when working on sparring in class, which needs to happen more often. The students have been sparring more, but I am of the opinion that more focused drilling needs to be done in order to help shore up these issues. Often times, the students will spar, instructors observe, then give advice when the round is over. This is ok for some, but not all students will just “listen and apply.” Some need the drilling to familiarize their bodies with the positioning and to see it play out in real time. The last thing I did notice, but the CI mentioned (I failed to do so) is that all the low rank student’s sparring offense was good. They were putting combinations together of strikes and kicks, and multiple kick combinations. So many times, I see lower ranks be more timid, and they tend to move in, throw one technique, and then fail to follow up and leave themselves open to being attacked, or they will bounce away or fall away after a kick, giving up the ground they just gained. Their offensive mindset was good overall. In conclusion, there is some technical clean-up I’d like to see take place between now and the next testing with these students. But their progress is good so far.

Thank you Bob! 10/3/2024 Strength Training Leg Press: 45x10, 135x10, 185x5, 225x5, 295x3, 315x2, 340x5, 340x5, 340x5. Bench Press: 45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 115x2, 145x5, 145x5, 145x5. Lat Pull-downs: 160x10, 160x10, 160x10. TKD Testing: 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Small testing, only 4 total, three low-orange belts and a low green belt. Overall, it went ok. I saw some things that I thought should have been cleaned up prior to testing, but overall, as lower ranks, some things I expected. I'll do another testing notes post over in Testing, Grading, and Promotions forum. The CI did start out with some basics and a demo by three black belts, and I got to do a ridge hand board break. BJJ: 7:15 - 8:15 pm. Due to testing, I was about 15 minutes late to class, but the schools are close to each other (about a block away), so I stopped in and found three of them training, so I jumped in. They were already doing ground work when I got there. 1. One person seated, other standing. Seated person's job was to try to get hooks in low, or get to a cross guard, grab an ankle, etc, and try to break their balance and get the hands to the ground or their butt on the ground (win). Standing person's job was to manipulate the legs and try to get both feet around to the down person's hip (I think he called it a J-step?) (win). They could do this by pushing one/pulling the other leg, shove the knees in do a leg-drag like you'd do an arm-drag, etc. 6 min. This was very tough. Made my abs tired! When the instructor (he's a blue belt) would put his hooks in on me, it's like he was glued to me. I did get a few takedowns, but man I had to work for them. When I'd set hooks, he'd get out real easily. I tried to stay active, but it was so hard, and he seems to move so effortlessly. 2. Same setup, but the standing guy's job was to get to knee-on-belly for a win. 6 min. More of the same, very hard for me. Lots of work trying to keep hooks in and turning to avoid that J-step. 3. This time, we started at knee-on-belly. Bottom guy's job was obviously to get out/get to guard (win). Top guy's job was isolate/lock arm/head or the far arm at the shoulder (win). x2, 6 min then 3 min. I had a hard time figuring out how to keep good pressure and balance in the top position. One might think being as heavy as I am, staying heavy on someone wouldn't be a problem, but it really is a skill all it's own (one my boys know well). Coach described it as a "floating pin" in which you need to be ready to move and react and keep that pressure down. Also helpful is using the hand to pressure into the far hip to keep them from shrimping and turning easily. There was a few times when I'd try to follow his movement and shove my outrigger out too far, and he'd scoop the heel and get to a win. I got a little better at controlling that as we went on by staying more active with that leg when adjusting. There was a few spots where he snuck out on bottom and I was able to scramble and re-establish the position, which was good progress I guess. When on bottom, it just sucked. He'd keep his hook tucked in right at my hip, making it hard to shrimp and make room. Part of it is I just need to get into better "grappling shape" so I can move and scramble when I need to. And work on shrimping out and moving back. 4. Working in mount. Bottom guy's job was to reverse/escape to guard (win). Top guy's job was to hold position and work the arms up to isolate head/arm or both arms/head. 6 min. I've actually done some static work from the mount and under the mount, so I had at least some idea of things to do, like reversals, sweeps, or elbow escape. I did get one reversal, which felt really good for a change. I tried to umpa and elbow escape, but he had a good base and a few times when I'd shrimp I'd end up caught on my side and lose. There were times when my partner was working up higher when on top, and I did a decent job of pulling myself back up under him more square, where I could try to work. I did the first few drills with the coach, then switched up. The guy I worked with for the majority of class, we worked well together and talked a lot about what was happening as it was happening. Kind of helped making some improvements. Super respectful guy and loves the game. This is kind of what this class was, too. It was tough, spending a lot of time in disadvantageous positions and trying to improve position. Wore me out, but a good class.