bushido_man96

Keep up the good work!

I agree, this is the most difficult part about becoming an instructor. Your time is no longer your own.

I have not, in the sense you are describing here. I'd have to say the closest thing to a "parent" style to TKD would probably be Shotokan, and I have never been to a school or worked with a practitioner. I have, however, had the pleasure to do something like what you've asked about with Sensei8, learning how things we do are similar or different, and our approaches to things. It was very informative and valuable time spent.

Sometimes forms work, sometimes bag work, sometimes focusing on specific techniques and refining movements. Sometimes its high impact, and sometimes its slow and repetitive movement of technique.

Its important to practice in levels of resistance. The first component of practice is drill. Drill the technique so that one knows it is being done the right way. Concentrate on specific cues in order to see the technique to completion. Once drilling has accomplished what it is designed to do, which is learning the technique, its important to add levels of resistance along the way. When drilling in the wrestling room, being a good partner and when drilling with around 50% resistance helps the other partner see the application in progress, and iron out any small issues the practitioner is having in execution. Wrestling live is where each partner attempts to complete the moves in real working order, reacting to the reactions of the partner along the way. This is when the practitioners start to learn how to chain movements together in order to make things happen, or see when things change and a new technique or tactic is needed. This can all be applied in the Martial Arts school, as well.

We typically don't start anyone under the age of 6, but each case is different, and I think each child should be evaluated based on how well they pick up and are able to participate in the class. Some six year olds aren't up to the challenge, and some four year olds are. As a baseline, starting around age six works out pretty well for us.

This is not the case. Training with very heavy weights can be quite beneficial to the entire body, especially exercises like the squat and the dead lift. As with any exercise, performing it correctly is the key to not causing injury. This starts with the proper training in how to do the lifts correctly. Once a lift is correctly learned, then its time to start loading the bar and adding weight. Its also important to keep track of weight training using a training log, which should be set up in such a way that an open log book should show between a week-and-a-half to two weeks worth of training notes. By keeping track of the programming (which is also very important), the lifter can see what how much weight/reps they did in the previous workout, and this guides them in selecting the proper weight for the current workout. In order to get stronger, heavier weights have to be lifted. Proper tracking and programming help the lifter approach these weights in the proper manner.

I think I've got a whole book dedicated to Sanchin. It seems to be quite the kata.

3/9/2019: District 4 Championships. I'll start with Kendall. He initially had three others in his group, which was going to basically turn into a 4-man round robin to determine seed for state. One of the wrestlers dropped out for some reason or other, so it came down to three. Kendall won his first match in the first period, pinning after throwing with a headlock. I'd rather not see the headlock, but he made it work, so on to match two. Match two was between the other two kids in the bracket, with the other one being one of his opponents from the middle school season, that likes to headlock. We watched them wrestle, and I feel it was very valuable to watch the match. The match was won by headlock, which was set up with an underhook. After watching, we talked about ways of dealing with the underhook, and we had worked on some things against that early that morning when warming up (wrist control and such tactics). In the end, Kendall decided he was just going to take a shot right off the mark to prevent the underhook attempt. So match three, he did just that, and did take the opponent down, but got rolled through, and ended up having to fight from the bottom. The bigger opponent was able to ride Kendall out from there and pin him. But the takedown almost worked, we just have to figure out how to avoid getting rolled through. He finished 1-1, and took 2nd place, which puts him at a 2 seed for the state tournament. Kenneth had four in his bracket, so it was a round robin for seeding, as well. Two of the opponents he wrestled to and lost to this year, and the third he had not wrestled yet. It turns out he's the shortest kid in the group, with all others being at least a head taller than him. His first match was against a familiar opponent that I knew he could wrestle with, and he did just that. When he got taken down, he fought off the bottom, and at one point nearly had the kid caught on his back, but couldn't hold it. He lost the match in the end, but did not get pinned (very important), score ending 9-4. I missed his second match, because the meet was being held in split gyms and separate buildings, and his second match happened during Kendall's third match. But I was met by the opponent's dad on the way back in, and he congratulated me, because Kenneth had won. Kenneth had not beaten this opponent yet either, and his dad said his kid tried to run a cement mixer, but Kenneth defended it and caught him for a pin in the second period. His third match was against the best kid in the group, who was much bigger and more solid than the others in the group, and he pinned Kenneth in the first period. So now, the magic of round-robin scoring: Kid A won all three of his matches, so got first. Kid B, Kenneth, went 1-2, pinning one, getting pinned in the last one, and losing by points in the first one. Kid C, who Kenneth beat, beat the kid Kenneth lost to first off, but didn't pin him, and lost to the Kid A, finishing 1-2. Kid D, who lost to Kid C, but beat Kenneth, but couldn't pin him, lost to Kid A by getting pinned, also finishing 1-2. So the way it all shook out in the end was that Kenneth ended up 2nd place, I think by virtue of not getting pinned in his first match. It was crazy, but I was so happy for him and proud. So both boys, having and up and down day, get 2nd place, and for the first time they both qualified for state in the same year.

Congratulations!

3/7/2019 TKD Class: 6:30 -7:30 pm. Basics, a brief stretch, form (Choong Jang), one-steps (white belt), and sparring consisted of combinations and testing sparring with no pads. Quick stretch after class. Tonight after forms, my instructor asked me what my favorite form was. I told him it was Gae Baek, as I feel like I get a lot of power out of it, and it just seems to "fit" the way my body likes to do things.

I've never used chalk, just a mixed grip from 120 up. never had this happen before but I did seek out the new bars in the gym with very rough gnarling which is probably the reason. I definitely recommend using chalk. You don't need a lot of it, and I've purchased some chalk balls at sporting goods stores that work really well. Our gym doesn't allow chalk, because too many people scatter it around like fairy dust and never clean up after themselves. But I can get away with using these chalk balls because I just rub what I need on my hands without making the mess, and the only chalk left over is on the bar.

Too true.

Thank you so much, Bob! Stay tuned for updates!

Our school does what called a "Little Lions" program, which is very much what you are referring to, Danielle. We have a series of stripes we give out over the course of a two month cycle, all based on character traits and physical skills: balance, coordination, listening, focus, teamwork, etc. We have two 30 minute classes per week for them, and at the end of the two month cycle, they have a testing. We run a separate belt system for these classes, as well. Its really a great way to feed kids into the regular classes, and is a big part of how our school actually keeps going.

2/27/2019 Taught TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Basics, forms, and one-steps today. I had a couple of fresh-faced white belts in class, so tried to hammer in on some basics. The CI was sick with the flu that day, so a surprise to be teaching, but a good one, to be sure.

Coffee with milk? May as well be a cappuccino. Those scopes really suck, but here's to getting some good news out of it. Now, about your deadlift. Do you use chalk? That helps with the calluses.

I agree. I know instructors who used to say that lifting weights would slow you down and kill your flexibility. "Bulking up" would make you slow and plodding. Not stretching kills your flexibility, not strong muscles. I can't think of any downsides to getting bigger and stronger. Then there is the school of thought that a Martial Artist should only weight train using motions they use in class; like using pulley systems to do weighted punching motions, or to stretch the legs and do kicking motions with bands tied to the ankles. Or, the most perpetuated fallacy I think I've heard throughout my MA career as far as weight training goes, was to "lift lighter weights for higher reps, to increase muscle endurance," or that lifting that way would "make you faster." The fact of the matter is that Martial Artists can reap the same benefits from doing full body, core barbell lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, press, power clean and power snatch) as many other athletes do. These exercises strengthen the body using the body as it was intended to be used, all together, through a full range of motion. And I don't think I've ever heard anyone say, "Geez, I wish I wasn't so damn strong...."

3/2: High Plains Shootout in Goodland. It was a long drive out that morning, but that's how it goes in Kids Wrestling. Kendall is back in Kids now that his middle school season is over. What sucked is the long drive was for just one opponent each, so it was a best two-out-of-three. I'll start off with Kendall. He wrestled a 165 pounder, which meant Kendall had a weight advantage, put probably no more than 6 or 7 lbs. if I had to guess. Both matches went about the same, with no points in the opening periods, but Kendall securing pins in the second periods. Kendall did work on a slide-by that he had been practicing, which he almost hit in the second match. But, he went 2-0 against an opponent he had not wrestled before. Kenneth wrestled a 95 pounder, so Kenneth was the heavier of the two, weighing in at 106. And Kenneth had some exciting matches. The first match ended with Kenneth losing, 8-7, to, of all things, a locked hands call. I wasn't upset about the call itself, but what upset me is that the ref held his hands locked for the last 20 seconds of the match, let time run out, and then awarded the point. His opponent was really aggressive, and made Kenneth have to work, which was great. The match started with the opponent coming in fast, but Kenneth defended and was able to sprawl, get behind, and then work a takedown from behind, taking the early lead. Try as he might, he could not get a half-Nelson in, and found himself off to the side too much, and the opponent was able to stand up for an escape. Kenneth next got taken down, because he didn't sprawl, and didn't move his feet well enough, and while backing up, tried to turn sideways and toss the kid, which just helped the kid get the takedown. So, down 3-2 now, he goes on bottom, gets a standup, and then while standing, he slings the kid away, but doesn't cover, and could have got two more. He starts period 2 on top, but again couldn't get any back points. He was driving with a half, but the opponent was coming up, and he went to a knee, and got reversed. Kenneth escaped again, but got taken down again because he backed up too much, and they went to the third period, with Kenneth on bottom. He escaped again, was able to sprawl and get behind for two, but couldn't turn him, and the locked hands call came. They were tied, the period ran out, and he lost, 8-7, to the locked hands call. A tough loss. Match two, another good one. The opponent went after Kenneth like a rocket again, and Kenneth sprawled, but did it wrong and landed off to the side, which allowed his opponent to jump on top for the two. Kenneth worked a pretty good switch to get back on top, but again, couldn't get any back points. Period two started, and Kenneth had choice, and wanted neutral, so like a fool, I gave it to him. Afterwards, I knew I should have put him on bottom, because he was scoring on bottom, and scoring from neutral had been a crap-shoot. Kenneth controlled his position much better, but he gets into what I call the spin-cycle at times, and he got spun around and taken down. But he ran a really fast switch and got two, kept the kid down, but could not turn him. Period three started with Kenneth on top. He broke him down, but couldn't turn him at all. Perhaps a chicken wing would have been better than a half. Regulation ended in a 4-4 tie. Kenneth started OT with better control, swung the kid down again, but didn't cover, but as he got up, Kenneth hugged him up from behind and took him down for the 6-4 win. Match 3...looked to be the makings of an epic tie-breaking match. Kenneth got a takedown with a trip in the first, rode him out, but again, couldn't turn him. Kenneth was going to have choice in the second period, but the trip aggravated an ankle injury the opponent had, and he was unable to continue wrestling, and Kenneth won by forfeit. That was really unfortunate, because the kids were working each other hard, and I really wanted to see how this match shook out. This was the last tournament opportunity for the boys before Districts, which is this coming weekend. Top four placers in districts go on to the State tournament in Topeka.

That is very well put, Bob.

It can definitely be useful, I think, although it can be tough at times, too. Palming the face, especially covering the eyes briefly to deliver a blow elsewhere, can help in gaining an advantage. It might be something that can be pulled off in a self-defense scenario from the fence position with the lead hand, and is worth experimenting with in training. I don't think it should be a tactic of primary focus, because there are so many things to consider, but it could be useful.

I don't use apps like this, either. I'm sure they have their uses, but I don't think I would get much use out one.

Welcome to KF! Glad to have you!

Staying focused during a class for me usually isn't hard to do. Its when I've got down time that I need to focus more, and I usually try to work my mind on different things. Reading helps, playing word games helps. At work, I try to keep an eye on the surroundings, and at times I'll push myself to be on the lookout for cameras, mirrors, what people are doing or not doing, etc.

2/20/2019 Finally, after being sick for several weeks, I made it back to class. TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Basics, stretch, forms (Po Eun), One-steps (blue belt), and sparring (three matches). Knees didn't like it, but that's ok. I took it easy where I needed too, and the next day wasn't too bad.