bushido_man96

I saw that the Cowboys were eliminated. That stinks, Bob. KC on the other hand, has finally won some games and they clinched their playoff berth by clinching their division, and for the first time in team history have one back-to-back AFC West division titles. Now, with the playoff game locked up, KC has announced that they will sit Alex Smith and start Patrick Mahommes against the Broncos this Sunday. It will be fun to see what kind of potential he has.

12/20/2017 Strength Training Deadlifts: 115x5, 135x5, 170x3, 198x5. Incline Bench Press: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 65x5, 95x5; work sets: 120x5, 120x5, 120x5. MA Training TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Basics (lots of switched-up basics tonight, with several drills of repeated back leg kicks, like switch-foot axe kicks and back leg inside axe kicks, etc.)., stretching, form (Choong Jang), one-steps (blue belt and up), and sparring. Sparring was somewhat better tonight, although very tiring. I sparred three matches, all younger, athletic guys. First was a high brown belt, next was a 2nd degree, and finally a 3rd degree. I defended myself much better this go-around, and didn't get pegged in the head. I even switched my stance against the 2nd degree in an attempt to throw him off a bit, which he admitted worked. Win for the experienced guy! 12/27/2017 Strength Training Press: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 65x5, 85x3; work sets: 115x5, 115x5, 115x5. Lat Pull-downs: 130x10, 130x10, 130x10. I didn't make it to class tonight. The cold weather has really been aggravating my knees, making it hurt to walk, let alone go to a class and kick for an hour.

And I as well. I'll keep your school and his family in my prayers.

I think this should go back to how the instructors run their schools and teach their students. This kind of thing has happened with TKD, especially with the Olympic styles. If Olympic sparring is the focus of the school, then it tends to attract those athletic students that are looking to compete, and they focus on that, and not so much on self-defense, because the success of the school and the instructor are built on their tournament success. I think its important as an instructor to not fall into this temptation to focus the school this way, because that's what we end up with.

I wish I knew what that was. I'm learning this more and more as I get older, especially with young adults in the room that I have to spar with. They are just too fast and athletic for me try to play keep-up with them. So find myself blocking a lot more, moving when needed, and throwing strikes that will land.

I've always wondered about this, and if people think this of me. I don't think I move any differently, really, but I probably wouldn't, either. I just don't know if people watch me and think that.

Coincidence. You also have to consider culture. What some cultures consider to be taboo or bad luck, others don't. It could be that Lee didn't grow up believing breaking mirrors was bad luck.

I respect your opinion but disagree a great deal. I do agree it’s not always needed just as you pointed out people hitting hard without full body rotation. However I was also taught to perform a roundhouse with my heel pointing at the target for maximum power, because of the hip rotation. Obviously it’s not always needed but can be very effective, and this is how I see the reverse punch. Where I really disagree is when you say it doesn’t generate power better then other methods, I mean I agree that it’s true, but I disagree with you throwing it out based on this. Perhapse the methods you use to generate power with your hips in your style aren’t any better then other methods as well but you certainly don’t disregard them as very useful! As I said I learned and tech many techniques involving movement of the feel and whole body where using the pulling hand to control or even pull, won’t be as effective. At any rate, I believe this was a real intent in this technique that you have echoed it being overlooked. This was kind of my point in my post, so not shocking. Hope Mr Poage is ok, I know he’s not, but I hope he will be! Take care. I didn't mean that the body rotation wasn't important--just that pulling the hand to the hip to accomplish it wasn't necessary. I'm not necessarily "throwing it out," but I don't really emphasize that usage of hikite when I teach. I mention it, but find the other uses to be more useful, so I emphasize those instead. When teaching students to generate power, I'm much more concerned with the legs, hips, core, and shoulders than the hands. Thanks for the well wishes! I hear you. In terms of a fight is use mostly a higher hands like a boxer anyways but there are some attacks that I practice in which the traditional approach suits me. In most cases I would throw out traditional techniques that produce power for overall protection as in a box in guard. I was just interested in seeing what the overall view was on this. As I said for most of the 90s I saw these techniques as a way to generate power and it wasn’t until I got into Tang Soo Do techniques that I really learned applications because it’s application heavy just as most Karate styles are. I see both sides of this. As a lower rank, I spent so much time using both arms in the motions, learning to generate power. As I got to higher ranks, I was able to generate the same power without using both hands at the same time. So, in essence, its a learning tool early on. But, I do think the use of the pulling hand in grabbing and pulling in an opponent can't be overlooked as an application, either.

This is what I reference it to. I've also been told the off-hand pulls back for the "equal and opposite reaction" aspect of the technique, which I heard more now that it perhaps isn't that applicable in that sense.

Different things at different times. Right now, its the will to carry on so that I don't lose everything that I've built up to this point. By this time next year, there may be a totally different motivating factor in my life.

I'm not a hyper person, nor do I really consider myself "high-energy." But I wouldn't say that I'm calm all the time, either. I'm pretty laid back, but have been known to get amped up at times, too.

That's cool! I have no suggestions to offer, other than to have a fun trip!

I feel that way, too, JR.

Yeah, that's the kind of mess I don't need to be wrapping myself up in. Too much to worry about, and then worry about not admitting it, so that I won't jinx myself. Its a vicious cycle...

Well, its a bit late digging this up, but let's check in and see how things are going! The Chiefs have been inconsistent. The offense has been putting up numbers, but the defense has been porous at times, and quite frustrating to watch. If anything keeps the Chiefs from winning in the playoffs this season, it'll be that defense. How's everyone else feeling about their team!?

I like your style!

Ok, a couple of ways to look at this. I think that from day one, a student should probably be learning something that can applicably help them in some self-defense situation, be it lesson on environmental awareness, or a simple choke defense. The student should take something away from that very first lesson. Now, becoming proficient in anything just takes time, training, and experience, and it varies for everyone. What's important is that the instructor can teach the system in an efficient manner that allows the student to be able to begin applying it. Again, this all takes time, and all students are not created equal. So, that said, its a tough question to answer, especially in a concrete manner. I would hope that within at least six months training time a student should be confident enough to be able to defend themselves in a situation. That doesn't read "win a fight," though. That reads "being able to get away."

Because its something I enjoy doing and provides my people I can train with.

I avoid procrastination all the time. As a matter of fact, I put it off as much as I can...

I want to be younger when I grow up.....

I'm not superstitious. Too many other things to worry about.

12/4/2017 Strength Training Incline Bench Press: 45x5x2, 65x5, 85x5; work sets: 115x5, 115x5, 115x5. Lat Pull-downs: 130x10, 130x10, 130x10 Jump rope between sets. 12/6/2017 Defensive Tactics Training: 3:30 - 5:30 pm. Worked some basic escort position takedowns, striking, and standing weapon retention, both in and out of the holster. This was for a local area department doing some use-of-force training. 12/13/2017 Strength Training Press: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 65x5, 85x3; work sets: 110x5, 110x5, 110x5. Lat Pull-downs: 130x10, 130x10, 130x10. TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Basics (they hurt), forms (Choong Jang), one-steps (orange belt and green belt), and some sparring. Sparring was an adventure; after performing a spinning kick and landing on the guy's foot, I stopped to let him regain himself, and got blasted in the chest with a punch for my effort, and also took an axe kick variation to the head, causing the ever-embarrassing headgear shift to take place. Fun night. Its hell to get old.

Praying for a full recovery for your sensei. The saving grace is that he was with you when it happened. You probably saved his life.

To add to what DWx said, the ATA does have their own encyclopedia volumes titled "The Way," one volume for each colored belt rank, and one for traditions and philosophies, if you are in the ATA. Please, tell us which system you are in, and what forms set it uses, as this will be much more helpful. Outside of the forms and perhaps one-step sparring your system might do, anything else that is taught is purely going to be preference of your instructor, as there isn't any hard and fast rules as to what instructors have to teach their students. Perhaps you could explain a little bit more to us about what you do in your classes and what you are looking to expand on.

I've been there before. It can be a conflict for guys at times, to either hit there and try not to feel weird for doing it, or hit them there, and risk someone taking offense. I was this way a lot more when I sparred without chest protectors. If the female is wearing a chest protector, then I don't feel quite as bad about it.