bushido_man96

I've never been good at visualization training. I have trouble imagining things at times. Sometimes I've been able to go through material in my head, but that's about it, and I have trouble with directional orientation when doing it. I've never been one to meditate, either. However, some breathing exercises is something we do in Aikido from time to time, and it seems to be helpful, and I work on breathing exercises at times when I'm driving.

This is cool. Is the movie to be released in theaters, or will it be a Netflix exclusive?

10/21/2024 Aikido Class: Weapons Class: 5:00 - 6:00 pm. Lots of jo work today. We had some new students in the class, so we worked a lot on hi-4. I got to do some lo-8 with another experienced student, and got some good continuous work in. Then we did jo kata 1, both sides, and jo kata 2. We had to really dig into memory and put jo kata 2 together, but we got there, and I think it'll stick better from that work. We finished with some jo-dori. TKD Class: Black Belt Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Just me and the CI, so we did all 12 three-steps, and then all colored belt one-steps. The three-steps we did back and forth, and for the one-steps, we did each belt rank's one-steps continuously, then attacked for the other partner to do them all. Some good steady work, and my outer crescent kicks went better today. We finished by doing all black belt forms up to our current rank. Then I sat in The Rack and stretched up to 140 degrees. 10/22/2024 Strength Training Leg Press: 135x10, 185x10, 225x5, 315x3, 360x5, 360x5, 360x5. Bench Press: 45x5x2, 95x5, 115x3, 135x2, 160x5, 160x5, 160x5. Lat Pull-downs: 172.5x10, 172.5x10, 172.5x10. Press was on the agenda for today, but my head wasn't feeling it, so I did bench instead. I put the belt on for the work sets, and I noticed a difference.

Kudos to you! Trying to escape side control really sucks!

This is a good point. However, I think that has a lot to do with the Japanese Occupation of Korea and how the Koreans railed against anything Japanese after it was over. It's like an absentee father that a child has never met. They may never consider them their "father," but that doesn't mean they aren't related.

I think time in rank is pretty important. I honestly think our school should have more time between gradings than we currently do. However, there's nothing wrong with having a student wait two cycles to make sure they are ready to test.

10/19/2024 Joint Shorin-Ryu Karate/Aikido Seminar: 3:30 - 6:30 pm. I've recently learned that there is a Shorin-Ryu dojo about an hour northeast of me in a small town, High Winds Okinawan Karate. They held a seminar about a month or so ago, but due to other commitments I was unable to attend. My Aikido Sensei was able to attend for a day, and he had a good time and said they were very proficient. So he invited them to come do a joint training session at his dojo, with their Senseis teaching Shorin-Ryu material the first hour and a half, and him teaching Aikido the second hour and a half. I got to attend this one, and had a really good time. I'm going to get long-winded here, fair warning. Karate: 3:30 - 5:00 pm. We started off with learning some basic techniques; high blocks, straight punches, outside-to-inside blocks, front thrust kicks, knife hand blocks (shuto), etc. We moved to doing the kicks and punches on shields, in combinations. Then we moved to focus mitts, doing strike/strike/block or duck/kick. It was fun, as we haven't done focus mitt work in our school in forever. This was all stuff I was familiar with, other than a few nuances which didn't really cause any issues. Still fun. Next, they did some self-defense work. First was against a two-handed choke from the front. The instructor taught to look one way and use the opposite arm to lock down on the same side arm, pinning it to your chest. The other hand high blocks up to knock the other hand off, and then that high block hand comes back down as a knife hand strike to the neck. Then he showed defenses against a bar-arm/rear naked choke from behind. We secured the wrist of the attacker and raise our other hand up, then swing it down between our bodies and use the momentum to turn to face them at the same time. From there, it was body lock and work to throw or find other solutions. Then the attack was augmented to be choking and dragging you backwards. From there we secured the wrist again, pulled down for some breathing room, and stepped the leg back around the attacker's leg on the closed side of the lock. The step back helps to regain balance and put a pivot point on their leg. Then it was twist into them slightly and then big twist back to the front, throwing them over the leg. Last self-defense scenario was against a straight reverse punch or stepping punch. Outside-to-inside block (I'd just call it inside block, they called it outside block) right above the elbow and simultaneous punch to the ribs with the other hand. Punching hand then comes up towards the shoulder while the other hand stayed connected, then slide down to the wrist and arm bar, and if they try to bend the arm, switch over to an S-lock and take them down the other way. Lastly, we finished up with them showing us some of the body conditioning they do. Punches to the abdomen while tightening the core/kiai, doing inside blocks to each other to toughen the arms, and finally standing in fighting stance and taking round kicks to the inside and outside of the leg just above the knee. Lots of good concepts, and it was very interesting to see how they did things. Always cool to learn new stuff. Aikido: 5:00 - 6:30 pm. We started with rolling and breakfalling (ukemi), which I always need work on to smooth things out. We worked ikkyo and nikkyo applications to a lapel grab/straight punch attack. We did nikkyo first, and this went well, stepping to the inside of the attacking arm (big step off-line) and sending the hand to their shoulder to defend while stretching them out. Then slide that arm down to secure the wrist, turn back and keep the body bladed to avoid attack and secure the nikkyo lock on the shoulder. Then we blocked on the inside with the other hand while sweeping the back foot all the way back and around, moving the body out of the way and setting up the transition into ikkyo, almost like and arm bar, but turning the elbow to point down at the finish, with something like an S-lock on the wrist. It was an odd stepping motion with the block, and I had to really think about it to get it down. Then from that position to get the arm moving, there is a back step with the leg in front to a front stance-like position, then I do what I liken to turning from one front stance to another front stance facing the other way, using the hips to generate the movement of the attacker into position. Keeping it all tied to the hips is the key. Last technique was going outside to block the arm, what he referred to as the "Hail Mary" version, due to the more potential for being struck. This went into juju-nage, which is twisting one arm around the other and throwing. Took some work, but got to where it was feeling better. We got to do some "free work" after, where we could blend elements of what we learned from the Karate section, or from what we know previously, into the techniques. This was fun to explore. I primarily see opportunities to strike and kick. This seminar was a lot of fun, I met some great people, and even caught up with an old friend who attends that Karate dojo. I look forward to more opportunities to train with them.

I think at some point, the practitioners that have been on the journey for a very long time, eventually do make it their own. I know I have started to do that.

I think it's very important to spar with different body types, ranks, and experience levels. It's good to see something you haven't seen before, and it makes you better. Sparring tall opponents has always been a problem for me, so I like to spar taller people when I get the chance. I tend to spar the others in our dojang using what I call "old man tricks." I get in close and punch a lot. When kicks come in, sometimes I'll pin my elbow into my ribs and end up blocking with my elbow. I'll take a shot to deliver a shot of my own. I don't bounce around a lot when I spar anymore, and I'll sit down and kind of "tank up," letting them come to me and then retaliate with some quick bursts. Reaching out and hooking their hand is fun, too. They think about that and try to avoid it, opening up something else.

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.