bushido_man96

I've not seen this issue before, but I'd suggest doing some tip-toe walking and up-and-down motions onto the balls of the feet. That might help with your ankle mobility. Can you sit in a deep squat and keep your heels on the ground?

Congrats, Bob, on this milestone! You truly are an embodiment of what this community is, and I am proud to call you friend. Congrats!

Hence the term, "using the right tool for the job."

Some instructors have a different approach to teaching than others. I'd say that if you don't like the feel of the instructor and the class, then you should look somewhere else.

That's a great deal, LLLEARNER! Having access to drop on and train whenever is an awesome opportunity.

I would say of the TKD styles out there, the WTF has done the most work of tying to make TKD stand out more from Shotokan and its Karate roots. This is easily seen in the progression of its form/poomsae syllabus over the years, but even more so in its approach to changing how sparring was done. I think that the pioneers that were still around in the WTF when the Olympic TKD dream finally came true probably felt that they had finally made TKD what they wanted it to be when contrasted with Shotokan.

Quite a bit of difference between the performance of these two.

I don't like the labels that come along with ranks in some styles, either. My organization is like this. At 4th Dan, my title is "Jr. Master." I don't care for this, and thankfully am not addressed this way. I'm just referred to as Mr. Walker, and I prefer it to stay that way.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't think the bad that is out there is that much. By bad, I mainly mean here in the context of your post. I've never held anything back from a student. I don't try to overwhelm them, either. As an instructor, you've got to find the balance; the balance of what they are ready for, and what they are not quite ready for yet. And even then, you can talk to them about the ideas and concepts of what comes next, so they can prepare for it. Part of the deal is brining them along as far as you can as an instructor, but also making them seek and find for themselves. They need to learn how to do that, because they won't always have you around as the instructor.

Sometimes, we think too hard about something. A simple analogy has really gone off the rails here, I think.

Forgive me if I'm wrong but isn't Tang Soo Do basically Shotokan? It does come from Shotokan, but it isn't the same as Shotokan. There are a lot of similarities, but there are differences as well.

As a martial artist, I am more than my moving parts. The (male) predictabilities of the mechanically inclined martial artist loses out on the adaptability qualitys of (female) spontaneity and unpredictable surprise maneuvering. The conversation appears to be changing directions. But, that's great.I don't think you've accurately described a difference between males and females. Nor do I think the idea of using the term "mechanics" to define how the actions of Martial Arts techniques takes place lends itself to male or female. It just "is."

Congrats, Tempest! Well deserved!

I love to fish! Winter is here now, and I could go trout fish if I had time, but I don't know that I will this year. The lakes I typically fish at are usually stocked with crappie, white bass, black bass, wipers, catfish, walleye, and drum. I fish bottom or top, just depends on what seems to be working.

KC dropped one to Tampa Bay. Not a huge deal, I guess, but I would have liked to see the momentum continue going into next week's match-up with Denver.

I don't think its a male/female question, really. The idea of mechanics really just refers to the moving parts of an apparatus. Our bodies are the apparatus, and how we move is the mechanics. Feet on the ground, hips, shoulders, etc. All part of the "power train," I guess you could say.

Thank you for the kind words, Patrick.

Welcome to KF, Lowkickr!

Good point. Kicking the upper leg with a round kick is better than punching it, unless you fall to your knees. If you would find yourself in a lethal force situation, a knife hand lends itself to striking the neck better than the fits does.

Solid Post! When I see students get double graded I think that they must have deserved it and been very talented. I see this usually as pertaining to a student with some prior experience, as well.

Ideally, these concepts would be taught in concordance with a self-defense course, and thus, self-defense would be enough.

I agree with DWx. I would imagine they are learning hand-to-hand techniques, knife defense techniques, possibly some firearm defenses of some kind, and hopefully some situational awareness.

I agree with the others. All of the techniques and concepts we use as Martial Artists are the tools in our preverbal toolbox. Choke defenses are great, if you're being choked. Sometimes a punch is good to use, and sometimes a palm heel is better. Knee strikes are good when you're close, and kicks are better at range. So I say yes, it is a pertinent analogy.

We teach to talk all the time, giving verbal commands during training so that we do so in a confrontation. Saying things like, "stop resisting!" or "stop fighting!" and giving commands like "get on the ground!" or "your under arrest!" Other phrases that key in on what is really happening helps other officers to realize the severity of what is going on. When we train choke defenses, we yell "stop choking me!" When we train weapon retention, we yell things like "gun grab!" or "he's got my gun! he's got my gun!" If an officer hears a fellow officer yelling that, it keys the other officer in on what level of force to come into the fight with. Civilians in a self-defense situation can yell similar things out that might help others around to realize who the aggressor is. Also, witnesses telling police officers that one person kept yelling "leave me alone" or "I don't want to fight" can be very helpful in shaking out who started what. In the case of body language, there are a few things that can make a difference. Holding hands up in what is commonly referred to as the "fence" position (hands open and facing the aggressor in a placating manner, but up high to protect the face) is much less aggressive looking than the typical hands up in balled up fists position. These are just a few things that can help others determine who might be the aggressor and who might be the victim.