bushido_man96

Its great that you have a supportive MA family around you. Its great to have that team feeling when you go to train, that everyone is on your side and supportive.

Right now, its finding the time to train. Between my job, which rotates shifts, and family with boys at the age of beginning to get into all kinds of activities, my time is not often my own. Along with all that, I haven't been able to stay in very good shape, which makes the time I have to train not as much fun as it once was.

Welcome to KF, Jeremy!

Welcome to KF! Glad to have you here!

Congrats to all the nominees, and best of luck to everyone!

I'm not sure what the omo sweep is. I don't think I've seen it before.

True, it was designed to be used by the IDF. I don't know to what extent it is trained with them, but I do know that adult males are required to serve at least 2 years of military service. So, if they are training Krav for 2 years, they'll get effective at it. I think people misconstrue the "shortest time possible" statement. The idea behind the good systems is that the concepts should be picked up quickly, and the student should be able to start applying them from day one. That is not the same as being a "microwave" style. You have to keep training. The Police Krav I trained is developed with our country's laws and use-of-force continuum in mind, so it is still effective. I didn't view how I was learning as being a "traditional" system. Maybe some see it that way, but that was not my experience. I also have to strongly disagree with you when you say it is not a Martial Art in itself. Sure it is. It may not be like Eastern styles, but it is a Martial Art. Never heard any of those three examples you gave stated in the class I was involved in. And we have cause at times to escalate to lethal threats. I have no doubt that those that designed these systems bring knowledge from other styles. But Shotokan came that way. So did Aikido. So did TKD. So I don't see the concern there. This I agree with. And there are some people who will actually try to sell things this way. Again, in my class experience, nothing like this was ever related to me in any way, shape, or form. I agree that being honest with students about what an instructor is teaching is paramount, and that's how I approach teaching, as well. In the end, it really comes back to the differences between learning an RBSD system and a "traditional" system, and the rivalries that seem to extend between the two. I don't see why one wouldn't want to gain experience in both. They really compliment each other quite well.

There is a lot to be said there. No truer words were spoken.

Yes most Taekwondo rules don't allow for sweeps or throws (wish we could). That said, crossing the feet together still leaves you very vulnerable to side kicks and back kicks knocking you off balance. These are the two staple kicks for us and they tend to train them till they're very fast. Being caught in the foot-to-foot crossover position is very dangerous indeed. We don't sweep or throw, either. I would enjoy training to do that, though. Although, for as vulnerable that kicking is supposed to leave the kicker, especially high kicking, I don't really see a lot of sweeping kickers at the MMA level. I don't ever really see the kicks get caught, either, which is another big concern you hear when it comes to using high kicks in defense. No doubt, the threat is there, but I don't see it as much as one might think.

I'm 36, and don't think its an "older age." I think that as long as you express your concerns to the instructor, and listen to your body, you should be able to train. Go for it!

The Korean arts we know today are very heavily influenced by the Japanese arts. During the Japanese occupation, any practice of the MA by the Koreans was suppressed, and erased if it could be done. The founders of the original Kwans after the occupation had experience with some form of Karate, or some Chinese styles along with it. The arguments for the kicking influences of Taek Kyon are iffy at best. Hapkido is more closely tied to Daito-Ryu Aikijitsu than Aikido. From these influences, the Korean styles have developed into their own styles over the course of the years. But the original influences can't be denied anymore.

Some nice tidbits on the Americana. Thanks for that! Loved the combination aspect. Thanks for sharing, once again!

That was a very interesting position. Thanks for sharing that. I don't have enough experience to really offer much on the omo, but I've noticed that when I have done it from the guard position, I have trouble really sitting up into it. Perhaps its just a matter of getting used to it. I also have short legs, so I don't know if the omo is better for longer-legged individuals or not. This is arguable way above my grappling pay grade at this point, but perhaps in the future I can play with it a little.

I agree that there are no short cuts. But I also believe that some traditional styles take longer than necessary at times in some areas. And I think this is more of an instructor issue than a system issue.I also wouldn't assume too much about the entirety of Krav Maga from the actions of one practitioner. There could be concepts he has yet to grasp, but who knows. I've been involved in "traditional" styles for my entire MA career, and I learned quite a bit of helpful information from the Krav system. During the training, we would do a "zig-zag" drill. This was done by lining up in two lines facing each other, leaving room between, and putting one practitioner at the head of the line. Then, the person starts the drill with the first attacker, who would do some kind of random attack; it could be a choke from the front, or gun to the back, whatever we have covered. The student defends the attack, then moves onto the next attacker across, hence the "zig-zag." Its a high-stress situation, where the student has to react to what he's given. The most important concept to keep in mind for this drill was to keep going. Some guys would do something different from the defenses we practiced. But the point of it was to let the concepts taught come through, which would allow the student to finish and move on to the next attacker. So its not all about set defenses against certain attacks. Training tends to start that way, or appear that way, because it gives the student a starting point, and every style I've seen does something like that to start out. Aikido uses wrist grabs to learn various concepts. Karate and TKD styles use one-step and three-step sparring to do this. Wrestlers and BJJer's drill similarly. The goal is to move on, and use the concepts developed from drilling to respond to attacks. From what I've see, that is what Krav seeks to do, as well.

That's a good idea. Something they can hang on their wall forever.

First off, I wanted to say that I think Patrick's first post makes a lot of good points, especially about how the internet is used today, and how people look for things. When I'm sitting around with a group discussing something, and we have questions that stump all of us, someone inevitably says, "Google it." Searching the net has become something very natural to lots of people seeking answers today. A search of the internet is what has brought so many people to this site. You are correct here. It isn't a requirement, and it doesn't guarantee anything. But, in a world where the consumer constantly seeks information on products and services information on the web, it's just a good business practice to be available there. I don't know if it tends to be a "traditional" aspect that keeps some schools from seeking out a web presence or not, but I think it really has quite a bit to do with it. YES!! Solid post, thank you for it!! I don't agree with this. I think this approach today would be comparable to not having a listing in the phone book 20 years ago. Its just the way technology has advanced, and its not a bad idea to keep up with it. More and more things are sought out online, so why not be available there?

Congrats!

Usually, when someone wants to go into business for themselves, they already have something in mind, such as a career they already have experience in, or something they enjoy that they can provide goods or services through. It doesn't sound like you have any ideas in those areas. This could really be an issue, because you have to figure out how much training you will need to learn the job, then make sure its something you can really make a go of. I'd be careful here. Make sure you know what you want to do, and that you can make it go. Capital in any business is going to be a must, and the general rule I learned in entrepreneurship classes in high school was that you needed to have enough capital saved up to account for 3 months of running the business without assuming any profits. Starting a business is not an easy task, for sure. In the mean time, look into saving for retirement so you don't have to work your whole life.

I guess this has been my major issue with the use of sine wave. Did making it different make it better, and was there really that much research put into the decision to make this change? Or did the General make the change, and everyone followed along, and now people look for ways to explain how it does deliver the power its been said to deliver? That is what I really wonder.

I don't by the comparison with the kinetic energy of a bullet. Bullet's velocity is measured in feet per second, and punching is not. Maybe I'm being overly simplistic in how I view this, but I just don't see the comparison. However, I'm not a physics major by any stretch of the imagination, so perhaps its my simple brain not being able to comprehend the formulas here.

It sounds like you have a good Aikido experience going there. However, with my brief, and it is brief, experience in Krav Maga, I don't see the issue with pre-arranged technique. The techniques are principle based, and it is pretty aggressive as a system. I'm not sure how much experience your class mate has with it, or why he would tense up. Is he a beginner overall? I don't know what the EFC is. As far as the instructor courses go, I'm not sure what all those entail, but I'd like to get an opportunity to further what I can do with Krav. From what I've seen of it, if I could get more experience with it, and offer it to the students I have, I would do it, along with what we do as a TKD school. If this is what you are referring to has happened with the instructors of other styles you have mentioned, I really don't see it as a bad thing. They receive some good training and can give it back to their students. If that means I could put on my ads that I offer TKD and Krav, then I think that's a good thing. The main thing, in my opinion, is to keep the training going with it. No one is served well by attending a seminar and then never practicing what is learned again. That doesn't help anyone.

This is a simple formula. Where the kids go, the adults follow. Focus on the kids, really be awesome with them. Offer mixed classes where kids can train with parents. So many adults join just because they "want to earn a black belt as a family." It's far more difficult to get adults to train without the children there. I have a little more success because of being a BJJ academy. Let's be honest, from a marketing perspective, BJJ is on fire right now. So, because the reputation of BJJ is one of being "the most effective", adults do come in on their own. I used to just have "Martial Arts" written on all my advertisements. And I would get interest from Moms signing up their kids. I've started adding "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu" to the adds and have seen a big spike in adults only and Dads signing up their sons. The biggest thing you can do is to be authentic and honest about what you have and what you offer. Thanks for the pointers here. Unfortunately, I don't get to have much say in the advertising, but out school does have some mixed classes. Unfortunately, we just don't get a lot of adults following. I would also love to see a college club idea crop back up, and try to run a college competition circuit, or something like that. But I just don't think that many college students are as interested. They have so much else on offer to them.

Congrats on launching your gym, Alex! I'm sure you will do a fantastic job! I can see from the few videos you've shared with us that you will be a top notch instructor. I envy your students!

They really can be 2 different facets. Muay Thai and TKD are kind of extremes- one focusing on points and speed and the other for brute strength and fighting. Not too many lead leg kicks in mt (other than a push kick) and when they are theres not much power on them. The rear cut kick would take too long to load up to be of use in TKD. Likewise the snapping motion of the kicks doesn't lend itself well to power and its not advised when you don't have protection over your feet. One thing that does work surprisingly well though- is Axe kicks. Coupled with a good push kick, often your opponent wont know which you're throwing and when your opponent is anticipating a push kick and you drop an axe kick- that can be an effective fight ender A guy from our organization originally that went on to do some Kickboxing did some axe kicks in his fights, and they worked well for him. My problem with them is my flexibility limitations and I'm not that fast with them. You really have to be explosive with them to pull them off.

I have one Tang Soo Do book at home. I'll look and see if it is mentioned in it.