bushido_man96

You're welcome, ps1. That sounds like a heck of a task there.

Kudos to you, man! That's a tough run there. 8/11/2014 Monday While Belt Forms Workout: 1:20 - 2:00 pm. Front kicks: #1,2,3,4 from sparring stance and from front stance. Blocks and strikes: From sitting stance, a) high blocks; b) middle blocks; c) knifehand strikes; d) down blocks; e) middle punches, alternating 30 of each. Chon Ji hyung x2 Choong Jang hyung x2 Stretch

I'm confused as to how testing early saves you money? Aside from that, I don't think an instructor should be calling you out in front of a class in that kind of way, but that's just me. As for which school to choose, go to the one that you feel offers you the best training experience. Part of this decision is going to depend on what your goals are, and which provides you with the best way of attaining those goals. It may be a hard decsion, but I think you will make the right one. Best of luck, and let us know what you decide.

Thank you, Luther. Best of luck to you on your upcoming test! When I was in the ATA, the high chamber was how we chambered our side kicks. But my body doesn't like doing the kick that way, and the other chamber is the one I currently use, and I prefer it now to the other. Thanks for the elaboration here. I've also heard the C-step called a "half-moon" step. I like how you train your hip movement, especially to keep the power of the body in the strikes and blocks. The only thing I don't like is the stepping and landing, then pivoting into the strike or block in a separated movement. I think that takes away the point of the step. I think over time, its most helpful to time the step with the block or strike, which brings the body into play, and still using the hips, but the hip movement becomes much more subtle, in order to avoid the telegraph. Much like Harkon72 lays out in his post. I like the Wing Chun explanation and demo there. Very useful, I think. Reference the TKD video, I think its also important to take into account that he is demonstrating a board break, and when students do board breaks, they tend to focus and commit to the technique more than they would otherwise, even compared to the performance in a form. Great shares, by the way. Loving this thread!

Thank you, Bob. One of the nice things that the ATA does is they are always thinking of ways to improve and add to the student experience. When I was in the ATA, for instance, the World Championships only involved sparring at the finals at the end of the tournament year. Now, they've branched it so that an individual can win a world championship in forms, weapons, or sparring. That's one change I've seen, of many. Sometimes, I think they change or add things that they don't need to, but, on the other hand, they have lots of people constantly coming up with ideas, which at times will lead to some that not everyone likes. But they don't stagnate, that's for sure.

Thanks for this article, Alex. Its good to have some idea of what one could expect transitioning to an art like BJJ after spending time in Eastern styles. I'm in favor of the laid back type of atmosphere, and would like to see more of it, myself. Your explanation of what to expect while training in regards to the intensity levels, and the goal of rolling is very insightful, as well.

Great article, ps1. Very nicely laid out, explained, and I like the video demonstrations, too.

Interesting fact. I think that wearing the headgear, although perhaps preventing a knockout, probably leads to concussions just because they get hit in the head more over a longer period of time.

Those are interesting ways to get to the back. Nice position at the end, too. The part in the middle where you had the leg wrapped and then went to work around the head looked really ackward. I wondered about that, if it was some kind of stylistic change to make the form "their own" or something to that affect. Nice idea for the thread, too. I only have a few videos of myself I can think of off hand. Here is one where I was trying to expound with DWx on some different ways of executing the side kick, and why I like one way better than another: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFLHyCKGMGQ&list=UUYp41FDmb5wXCSMe_HkoEJw Here are a couple from my last testing. Sparring: (I was tired and out of shape, so probably doesn't look the greatest): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD7WSCcX3SE&list=UUYp41FDmb5wXCSMe_HkoEJw Board breaking: (I really botched the spin heel kick): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wYR-mMZxU8&list=UUYp41FDmb5wXCSMe_HkoEJw And here's one of my getting choked out by Royce Gracie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7I0yotu_Zo&list=UUYp41FDmb5wXCSMe_HkoEJw

When you say C-stepping, I think of a few things: 1, you use it as a change of direction, dragging the back leg in the form of a C to follow an opponent or change direction and keep you front foot forward and stay focused on your opponent...or... 2, when you walk from stance to stance, your foot moves like a C, coming in towards the foot that is planted as it passes by, and then circles back out to its normal position when it sets down. Am I anywhere close?

Thanks for the info, tallgeese. I do like what I've done with Krav on the disarms, both hand gun and long gun. They are all close-quarters, so you are already in there when it starts. I just need to spend some more time with them is all. GRACIE also offers some interesting weapons retention, especially in the holster, that Krav doesn't have (or I haven't seen). I'm not familiar with the PPCT rentions or disarms. 7/28/2014 TKD Class: Taught, 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Basics, forms, one-steps, and some sparring. 8/4/2014 I was filtering through my MA notebook, and found some old "forms workouts" I put together years ago for working on belt-specific requirements when I was in the ATA. So, I'm going to try an experiment. I'm basically going to start myself over, and run myself on 2 month testing cycles, doing these workouts I put together years ago, but I'll do my current forms instead of the ATA forms. I have them set up for 6 days of the week, and should cover about 30 minutes per workout. Monday White Belt Form Workout: Front kicks: #1,2,3,4 front kicks from front stance, doing as a floor drill. Blocks and strikes: from sitting stance, a) high blocks; b) middle blocks; c) down blocks; d) knife hand strikes; e) middle punches; I did alternating hands, 30 total of each. Chon Ji hyung, 2 times, then stretched. TKD Class: Taught, 6:00 - 7:10 pm. Worked basics, reviewed forms from white belt to blue belt, then Gae Baek, one-steps from white belt up, then had them do some round-robin sparring. I had two high blue belts, one low blue belt, and two 2nd degrees in class tonight, so was able to really move along. I even hopped in with them on one-steps. 8/5/2014 Tuesday White Belt Form Workout: Side kicks: #1,2,3,4 from sitting stance, as a floor drill. Around 5-8 minutes. Front kicks: from natural ready position, alternatint front kicks to a target pad I attached to my standing bag, doing 20 per set, 4 sets, as high as I could, as fast as I could. Also sprinkled in some of my rehab exercises. Chon Ji hyung a couple of times, and stretched.

Putting on mass is going to be directly related to how much calories you take in. If you up the caloric intake, along with lifting, then you will add some size. If you don't up your calories, then you will probably not put on as much mass, but along with that, you won't gain as much strength, either.

Refence the bold above, I agree. As a Martial Artist grows and matures, what they are seeking often changes. This article would be great for rehashing at differen points in an MAist's career.

I think one of the advantages that Wrestling has is that its so offensive minded. Wrestlers don't train from their back, because you can't win from there. And although that can hurt them at times, especially when one tries to belly out after a takedown, which gives the opponent their back. Not a good strategy, but given a little training time, a Wrestler can learn some nuances that allow them to work from their back, and get back to the dominant position. I think the overall training mindset of the Wrestler is very advantageous for them.

Thank you, Danielle. I do think the ATA tries to do the best job it can in preparing its black belts to teach. Some of it is over-marketed, but a lot of their concepts and principles are right on target. The thing with personal approach/individual contact is to make sure its not too much, and not too little. The key is to be appropriate, which most people are, anyway. As an instructor when I correct technique, using appropriate contact to get a punch in the right place, or a kick chamber positioned properly, etc, helps really register it with the student. What's important is that no physical contact should last more than a second or two, really. It sounds to me like things are a bit over-regulated for you over there, Danielle, and its too bad it has gotten that way.

Its great to be able to get together with a few of the people that you know you can really get to expounding on the Martial Arts. Its easy to get carried away, too. An instructor has to constantly check himself with the audience he is speaking with, and make sure he isn't going over too many heads. Save the real good stuff for those that will appreciate it.

Solid post!! React to ANYTHING!! That's should be the jewel of the MA, any MA, imho!! When working off specific attacks for specific defenses, this can happen often in Hapkido or Aikido classes (the one's I've been involved in, anyway). Uke gets confused or loses track of what is being focused on. Its quite humorous. I often visualize Jim Carrey saying "you attacked me wrong!" On a side note, having principle-based responses are very helpful to minimizing these funny moments.

Kids, between 45 minutes and an hour, if you can do a focused kids class. Adults, hour to hour and a half. I like to go hour and a half anymore, to get in all the segments of the class. Kids younger than 8, really only need about 30 minutes.

What is this course you are doing? Sounds very interesting. I was also curious if you had a system you use for handgun or long gun disarm/retention for your department. Do you have one system you use for DT, or a few things pulled from different places to round it all out? I agree, weights are great for squats. But everyone is afraid of them. But the same people who are afraid to squat due to back and knees have no qualms with putting 300 or 400 lbs on just their elbows. Kudos to you for doing all that squatting! I'm trying to get myself back into it, as well. I can see the importance here. But, I also see how it can be important to burn out once in a while; just not that regularly.

I've never made any style transitions, but I have done TKD in one facet or another for over 20 years. Right now, I do more of an Olympic style of sparring, whereas before I did the ATA point system of sparring. Within the TKD styles of sparring, you can see lots of different methods. In point systems, you can see more lead leg kicking, without putting the foot down. In Olympic style, you see more rear leg kicking and combinations and counters, because there is no stopping to call points. Some will be counter fighters, and others more offensive. You just never know what you are going to get. I'm not sure if that helped you out at all, but I'd be willing to try to answer any other questions you'd have.

I wish i still kept many of my old belts. Alas I was young and didn't think of keeping them. But hey what can I do, lesson learnt! I'd have to do some digging to see if I still have all of mine. I did keep the certificates, though. Most of them, I keep in clear page holders in a notebook. The bigger ones I have framed.

Great article. Very thorough, and a great guide. Happy Birthday, Danielle!

Congrats!

So it is your national association then for all styles? That was my question, as well. How many different styles can you test for, and how does that affect the judges that sit on the panels?

Congrats! Very well deserved!