bushido_man96

Definitely not a mutual agreement. He sent his 2 week notice via a text message which I find immature and cowardly (just my opinion). Our instructor feels blind sided and betrayed. The person that left wanted to take our school in a different direction, more MMA and kickboxing, and less kata and point fighting. Multiple times the head instructor allowed this person to try to get an MMA program going at the school and each time the interest just wasn't there to continue. Also, the head instructor and his family often times helped this individual with bills when he couldn't afford something and provided him with the school's van when he couldn't afford car repairs. This plus the recruiting of students are the main pain points. I knew he wasn't happy, but I feel the whole way he handled things was unprofessional. I've wished him well and thanked him for his work with my sons. So many things like this happen via text or social media anymore. Its the way this younger generation is becoming. They won't confront and speak to someone face to face. But I don't know how old this instructor that left is. It will be interesting to see if his program gains traction away from your school that he couldn't gain while there. There definitely is a niche out there for that approach, and I can understand the desire for someone to move from a more traditional teaching mode and curriculum to the MMA platform. As for the other aspects, its too bad that he couldn't have at least been more up front with someone that helped him out so much. But, perhaps he couldn't do it face-to-face because of that, but still felt he needed to go his own way.

Welcome to KF!

I don't think its dead. They put out season 3, and I imagine they are working on season 4. Just be patient.

It could be this, or another possibility is shoulder impingement. I had that, and had to have an operation done. I don't bench press right now because of that. Get it looked at, and see what the docs think. If the pain ranges from one area to another, to could be nerve related, as well.

6/8/2015 Defensive Tactics Club: 1:00 - 2:45 pm. Some bag work to warm up, then two rounds of stand-up sparring with kicks, MMA rules. Three rounds of being against the wall, covering and dodging shots, then clinching or circling out. That's a really good drill, making one get used to stand in under pressure. Strength Training Squats: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 140x5, 175x5, 205x3; work sets: 260x5, 260x5, 260x5. Push Press: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 65x5, 90x5; work sets: 114x5, 114x5, 114x5. Power Cleans: 90x3, 90x3, 90x3, 90x3, 90x3. Power Snatches: 65x2, 65x2, 65x2. 6/9/2015 Defensive Tactics Club: 2:00 - 2:45 pm. Worked on weapon retention, from the GRACIE and Krav curriculum. Did the standing strong side (arm bar takedown/break with the body) and weak side in-holster retention (standing Kimura, ends on the ground) from GRACIE, which end up controlling the subject on the ground. Also did some GRACIE retention on the ground, with a mounted opponent who grabs the gun (UMPA swim and trap), and from the guard (Kimura). With Krav, I did mounted gunman pistol disarm, which is done as the UMPA while controlling the gun. 6/10/2015 Strength Training Squats: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 140x5, 175x5, 205x3; work sets: 262x5, 262x5, 262x5. Press: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 65x5, 85x5; work sets: 106x5, 106x5, 106x5. Deadlifts: warm-ups: 135x5, 165x5, 195x5, 225x3; work set: 315x5. The last deadlift session was a killer, so this one, I put on the belt for the first time, and it really made a difference. It was still tough pulling, but everything stayed much tighter. What a difference. It'll probably be work sets with the belt on from here on out.

Looks like fun!

In all my TKD experience, I've used hip twist, and no sine wave. I do ITF forms in my current style, but no sine wave. I've watched it a lot, but I don't think I could ever force myself to do it. At least, no the exaggerated motions seen in many ITF styles. But, that's just my preference. I think initially, the idea of sine wave was supposed to be a subtle use of up and down motion, like what is natural when walking at a normal gait. But over the years, it has taken on different forms, and when General Choi went to North Korea, he reportedly brought them the "true" sine wave, which changed from what the ITF styles prior to his arrival in North Korea were using. I think its natural to have a little, little, rise and fall when moving forward and backward to do techniques. But I think when it becomes overly exaggerated, the technique is done for the sake of the sine wave, as opposed to making sure its adding anything power-wise to the technique.

This is an interesting situation. What are your instructor's thoughts on all this? Was there a bad break, or a mutual agreement?

6/5/2015 Strength Training Squats: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 140x5, 175x5, 205x3; work sets: 255x5, 255x5, 255x5. Press: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 65x5, 85x5; work sets: 105x5, 105x5, 105x5. Deadlifts: warm-ups: 135x5, 165x5, 195x5, 225x3; work set: 310x5.

Whilst that is certainly something the various founders like to claim, do we have any hard evidence for this? I would say that inspiration was taken from how Taekkyon looked but is there any direct lineage? No, there really isn't any. I'm not sure that the Taekkyon that is around today would resemble what was done in the past. I think it mostly falls under revisionist TKD history.

Well, in an interview in 2012, he said he started training with the Machados "28 years ago," which would be 31 years ago, now. That means that, at the very least, he's been training since 1984, and he would have been 44 at the time. I believe he also holds a black belt rank in Judo.

I don't mind at all you asking what my style is. I currently study what is referred to in my organization at Chung Do Kwan style TKD, but I don't know how accurate that is. We use ITF forms (but not all of them), but without the sine wave, and with some minor differences in techniques. However, our sparring style is based off the Olympic format. I started my Martial Arts journey in the American Taekwondo Association, and earned 2nd degree black belt in that style. I'm currently a 4th degree in the Traditional Taekwondo Association.

Its been a busy week, time to get caught up. 6/1/2015 Defensive Tactics Club: 1:00 - 2:30 pm. 10 minute drill on the heavy bags, one person went a 30 second burst round, then rested for 30 seconds while the next person went. So each person got 5 minutes on the bags, at a high intensity. Good stuff. Two rounds of Boxing, one with the Wrestler, and one with a rather inexperienced guy. The Wrestler is taller and has more range, so its a challenge to get inside. I also struggle with defending the jab, so I'm going to research that. I worked with the other guy to get him comfortable with standing in and punching. After sparring, I held the focus mitts for a couple of the students, working combinations. Went to the ground and worked on guard passing, especially on some of the leg placement for doing so. Strength Training Squats: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 135x5, 155x5, 180x3; work sets: 245x5, 245x5, 245x5. Press: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 65x5, 85x5; work sets: 104x5, 104x5, 104x5. Deadlifts: warm-ups: 135x5, 165x5, 195x5; work set: 305x5. I was really tired today, because I didn't sleep the night before (night shift), and was up with the boys for the day, too. Missing Friday's lift didn't help, either. This workout was rough. On the presses, I focused on using some hip movement that Mark Rippetoe suggests in the technique, and it seems to be helping. 6/2/2015 Defensive Tactics Club: 2:00 - 3:30 pm. Worked on quite a bit of grappling today. We did a series that started with Kimura from guard, hitting it on both sides. From there, we set the Kimura up again, and the partner defends it by putting the hand on their hip, so the person on bottom transitions to the hip bump sweep to the mount, where he then strikes to set up an Americana. After doing the Americana, the mount person goes back to striking or choking, and the bottom person does either the UMPA or UMPA with swim-and-trap to reverse. From there, the same procedure goes again, hitting two Kimuras, and then when its time to hip bump sweep, they do it on the other side, then Americana the other side, and then the bottom person does the reversal on the other side. Then switch roles. I like being able to find series of moves to do this way, which gets each person lots of good reps for each of the moves, and keeps them moving at the same time, along with seeing options for attack and defense on each. After that series, we did mount reversal review, and then we worked on the elbow escape. After working the elbow escape, we played the mount maintenance game, where the person on bottom has to either reverse or get a leg out with the elbow escape, and the person on top tries to maintain their mount. If the bottom person succeeds, then they switch roles. We did 1 minute goes with this. I got 4 rounds in, and the other students did 8 rounds of it. A good day of really basic grappling work, I thought. TKD Class: 6:00 - 6:30 pm. Only a half-hour of class today, because I had to get my oldest boy to baseball practice. Basics, and then forms review: Dan Gun, Bo Chung, Do San, by instructor count. 6/3/2015 Strength Training Squats: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 135x5, 155x5, 180x3; work sets: 250x5, 250x5, 250x5. Push Press: warm-ups: 45x5x3, 65x5, 90x5; work sets: 112x5, 112x5, 112x5. Power Cleans: work sets: 85x3, 85x3, 85x3, 85x3, 85x3. Power Snatches: warm-ups: reps with the bar at various positions; work sets: 65x2, 65x2, 65x2. 6/4/2015 Defensive Tactics Club: 2:30 - 4:00 pm. Double Siniwali stick drill w/partner. "Three Brothers" review (I still have trouble setting the triangle, and getting into position for the omo). Then a couple of the students free-rolled, and I watched and tried to give pointers. Afterwards, we addressed some guard passing points. Finished with some paddle kicking work.

Some shadowboxing, and some forms review. Bag work if one is available.

I don't beleive so. The quality of the training is whats it a McDojo. The term comes from McDonalds, and while greed may be an issue for the company, the main problem most have with McDonalds is the poor quality of their food. Money is a factor, but if a school has irritating (even arguably predatory) billing practices, that doesn't mean their training is lacking. A school shouldn't be judged by how it keeps the lights on and pays the instructors, but on the type of training they provide. Well said. The price shouldn't be the only factor that is considered mcdojo-ish.

I always enjoyed working on a speed bag. Great coordination work, and you can work some different techniques with them if you get creative.

Chuck Norris, at 75 years young, has earned his 3rd degree black belt in BJJ: http://fightland.vice.com/blog/chuck-norris-earns-3rd-degree-black-belt-in-bjj Pretty cool. Congrats to Chuck!

I see what you are saying, and I like your explanation. I don't have any issues with the use of the term "integrated" to describe how your style is different. If I ever get to teach TKD on my own within the organization that I am in now, I will more than likely introduce some of the concepts and things I've learned in other styles into my classes. But, I will also keep the curriculum required by the headquarters school for testing and grading. I guess what I'm getting at is that I wouldn't have a problem with describing what I do as "integrated" TKD, but I wouldn't put that on the sign outside. That would likely just say Taekwondo on it. Unless I get the opportunity to bring back the Combat Hapkido curriculum. If I did that, I'd put "Taekwondo and Combat Hapkido" on the sign. I also wanted to let you know I wasn't digging to you on the spelling of Hapkido. Its all good. It happens.

I agree with this idea, but it has to be kept in context, though. Its good to learn lots of different things, but its also good to try to get a good grasp on a concept first, experiment with it, and if you don't think it works for you, then look at moving on. Overloading with learning for the sake of learning isn't always a great idea.

Thanks for the advise, Alex. I try to get my feet up as close to my butt as possible, so I have a good base on the ground before I bump. Sometimes is works, and sometimes not. If it doesn't, I just sit up and hug, and bring them down and close that way.

Great point. The main thing would be to listen to your body, and make sure recovery is an important part of your program, as well.

That is really cool! I think its says something to how humble the guy is, that he would seek someone's opinion on his performance regardless of the rank of the person he is asking. It sounds like he has a heck of a work ethic, too! I'll see if I can find Ill Yeo footage soon.

Welcome back to the Martial Arts, and welcome to KF!

I believe that this is shared across the board, no matter the style. Having an open class is the bread and butter of most schools of the MA; it has been for me, as it was for my own Sensei. For us, its hard at times to justify separating the classes. We have separate classes for our 4-7 year olds, but otherwise, our classes are mixed kids/adults, because the classes would be so small otherwise.

Rank is arbitrary-skill is definite. Don't let the color of your belt define you and don't let your past keep you from enjoying the ride. Solid post!! Agreed, very well put!