bushido_man96

I think once one is getting close to hitting the high colored belt and black belt tests, you are no longer a beginner. It may be early in your journey yet, but I think not a beginner anymore.

Welcome to KarateForums! Glad to have you here.

This is a great topic. I think this really comes down to the preference or experiences of the instructors that do the teaching. I am a fan of this kind of workout regimen. Especially the powerlifting style involving full body lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, and power cleans. If a program is built right, you only have to do these 3 days a week. That is, if you want to build the kind of strength that will benefit you in class. The problem is, in order to get some good out of it, you have to dedicate the time to it. And that's too much time to include in a Martial Arts class. Sure, you can supplement body weight exercises instead, like squats, push-ups, burpees, etc, but you only build so much strength when you don't progressively add weight. But, you still benefit. But, the biggest problem is the time they take. Especially cardio, if you want benefit from it. When I sign up for a Martial Arts class, I want to learn Martial Arts. I don't want an exercise program. If I can make time, I would do that myself. I'm terrible at push-ups and crunches, and would rather spend time learning self-defense techniques and drilling. These are the kinds of drills that I would rather spend time doing. At our Defensive Tactics club, we do pummeling drills as warm-ups, both standing and on the ground. I also try to do some drills with them that get them moving, but have them working on blocking and evading along with them. I also have them do shrimping along the floor for warm-up. I like the idea of using mitts or in TKD doing hogu drills to get moving and work technique that way. I like doing technique-focused stuff, especially with a partner if at all possible. We don't do any kind of the general conditioning exercises in our TKD classes. We start with basics, and that will generally take about 15 minutes of the class. We usually move at a pretty good clip, and I always get tired and winded doing basics. So, that provides a nice warm-up, a bit of cardio, and its all TKD technique, to boot. None of it is partner, but it beats running for 15 minutes. If I'm going to do some kind of general conditioning, I'd prefer to do it on the side, on my own. If some instructor wants me to rip off 50 push-ups, I can't do it. I'd rather not spend time in class watching others do what I can't and feeling silly for not being in the same kind of shape that others are. I'd much rather being doing skill building drills that give me a workout in the process.

I can relate!!! I can third that, as well. I've never been able to do split, but I've lost flexibility as I've gotten older. Amen to that. Without my family, I've got nothing.

Hi Bushido, sorry to be a pain, but could you explain this to me? I am interested in the setup of stations, rotations and also what is BL/FL? (I assume back leg and front leg, but just wanted to check ) Hi, yamesu. I'll elaborate. You are correct on FL/BL; front leg and back leg. The "station" is what you use for the techniques, like a Powerline bag, or someone holding a kicking shield, or a target pad. Some are interchangeable. But you don't necessarily rotate to a different bag. Also, as you probably noticed in the descriptions, the "stations" are kind of themed, like the one highlighted above, side kicks and spin back kicks. So, if you have a big class, you can pair two kickers to a Powerline and do one station, and have some others on target pads doing those stations, and then switch them up so everyone get to do them all. Hope that helps. I'm considering putting together some different classes, perhaps more target pad themed to switch things up. 11/12/2014 DT Club: 2:00 - 3:00 pm. We worked on some headlock defenses, one of which was similar to one I've done with the GRACIE system. The Wrestler I was working with showed me a nice variation, too, where it was more of a drop than step around and sitting to a roll. We would secure the arm, step around in front, and then sit and roll the bad guy over. The other variation was with the bad guy in a wider base, doing more of a sit back and roll them over. The focus was getting rolled over and ending in the top position, for LE focus. Then I did a free roll, getting pretty well smoked by the Wrestler. I don't feel quite as bad about that, now that I see his name up as last year's conference champion. PT w/Kendall: Push-ups 3x6 for both of us. I helped Kendall with assisted bridges x10. We both did wall walk bridges x10, and bridge push-ups x5. Kendall did a handstand for 1 minute on the wall, and then he did front and back neck bridging to build strength. TKD Kicking Class: 6:00 - 7:00 pm. All Powerline stations today. Station 1 FL side kick x10 each leg BL side kick x10 each leg BL spin back kick x10 each leg BL spin back, switch away, x10 each leg. 80 kicks total Station 2 FL round kick x10 each leg BL round kick x10 each leg FL hop round kick x10 each leg BL jump round kick x10 each leg. 80 kicks total Station 3 FL push kick x10 each leg BL push kick x10 each leg FL hop side kick x10 each leg FL crossover side kick x10 each leg. 80 kicks total Station 4 FL repeat round kicks x10 each leg; first 5 sets mid/hi, second 5 sets hi/mid (20 kicks each leg) BL repeat round kicks x10 each leg; first 5 sets mid/hi, second 5 sets hi/mid (20 kicks each leg) FL side kick to repeat round kick x10 each leg (20 kicks each leg) BL side step to BL round kick x10 each leg. 140 kicks total Station 6 BL jump spin back kick x10 each leg BL spin back kick to spin back kick, I call these "repeaters." x20 total BL spin back check kick to repeat round kick x10 (20 kicks each leg) BL side check kick to spin back kick x10 each leg (20 kicks each leg). 140 total kicks 520 total kicks for the session. Then stretch.

I'd say you'd want to start the punch from higher, and arc it down. I don't think your hips should try to rotate down, just rotate them like you would with a hook punch.

That's a pretty tall order, pardon the pun. Hopefully, you are a bit faster, and can use your speed to move in, strike, and move out. Really work the legs, try to bring him down that way. Best of luck, and please keep us posted!

Nike recently dropped Adrian Peterson, as well. I agree with their choice to do so. I don't like to these kind of pre-fight actions, either, and wouldn't want my sons to see them as an example of how a person should act. In the end, though, since he was representing Nike, its up to Nike to decide whether or not that is how they want to be represented. So, I'm good for it.

Couldn't agree more. We do one-steps in our TKD training, and they are referred to as our "self-defense techniques." They could be, if they evolved from the simple format that we use to do them. One-steps can be a great training tool, but they have to be done right, and they have grow, I believe, and eventually, become more interactive than a down block, step forward and punch, let the defender to the defense, and that's it.

Sounds odd. Its not some kind of carpel-tunnel syndrome, is it?

11/6/2014 PT w/Kendall: Kendall did handstands, candlesticks, and some wall-walk bridges. 11/10/2014 PT/Wrestling w/Kendall: 3x5 push-ups (I did these, too). Then we worked on sprawling to the Iowa twist x5. Then I had Kendall do sprawls, repeatedly, working on the bounce back up, and making sure to drop his chest to the ground and be heavy. TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Taught class, hitting basics, forms, one-steps, and sparring.

If a school has a testing format, then I don't like to see auto-grading. If there is a test, make it a test. Otherwise, its not a test. Now, some schools/styles don't do testings, but promote based on what they see in the classroom when they see fit. I don't have a problem with this method, either. But, do one or the other.

Fear not, I'm sure I'll have lots of questions coming.

Hehe, I don't have a problem with getting subbed. That happens a lot. Happened today, too. I really got switch partners. The guy I roll with is the conference Wrestling champ at school.

There are lots of things that can create falsehoods in the MAs. One-steps can do it, if they are not taught properly. Basic can develop falsehoods, if you never learn to strike a bag or break a board. The list goes on. An instructor has to bring it all together for the students. I think competition gets picked on a lot more than the other aspects of training because not everyone is good at competition, and its how some of those that don't do well in competitions justify it. I think many times, it becomes a pride/ego thing. Not always, but sometimes it is the case.

These things do make training at home difficult. When so many others require your time, its tough to do anything but rest when you have your own time.

Thanks for the thoughts, Alex. I will try to put them to work over the next few weeks.

I will be watching this, as soon as I have some time! Just a note on your opening post. Many times, I've heard that the use of the gi in training doesn't help as much for self-defense, because many people don't wear material as durable as it is. Sure, shirts can be grabbed and used and whatnot, but the long sleeves of the gi aren't always there for us to use. That's one thing I notice in your grips in your videos, how you have the gi sleeve to grab onto, whereas our DT club only grapples no gi. But, I'm not saying I disagree with the importance of the use of the gi. I think it can be quite useful for training. I'm just repeating what I have heard in the past, and the arguments for training without a gi, BJJ or other styles included.

I agree. Its important for an instructor to be wary of what is going on through his/her school. Its important for the students to know and understand that they are ambassadors of the school, and their actions reflect on the school.

I'm not so sure about all that philosophical stuff. I guess if you look long enough, you will find what you are looking for.

I do enjoy seeing these drills. I see similarities between this drill and some of the ones seen over in the Wing Chun posts, too. We did a flow drill together, didn't we, Bob? I don't recall what it was called, though. It was kind of like a sticking hands type of drill, I think.

I like the side kick defense. Are you blocking with both hands there? Also, I've noticed with straight line kicks that come to the center, getting the timing on them to block can be a bugger. Are you hitting an angle there, or are you staying straight on? It looked like you stayed pretty straight on. Again, very nice video. I do like seeing these takedown applications and sweeps.

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing. I've seen in this video and in another shown recently involving a different flow drill exercise, with the punches coming towards the chest, and not the face. Do you change things with punches that come in high at all, or does that cause the flow of the drill to change? What do you do to work on those things?

I was promised rank for "x" amount of time, and instructor rank within three years.... maybe lesss. That's a big "no-no" in my book. Maybe I'm being too picky. I'm really not in it for the rank. ... I'll give it some more thought I don't like seeing those kinds of promises made, either. You could just tell them that you don't want those guarantees, and see what kind of training arrangements you can make.

Our school doesn't advertise its prices, but if you come in and ask about classes, we have a book with the pricing laid out based on what you sign up for. We don't have any pricing listed on our website, though. I think that many don't list prices because they want someone to come look and see what they have to offer before being turned off by a price. You mention yourself that you have a budget, so if you see a price over your budget, you kick that school out of consideration. An instructor would much rather have someone come in and check things out personally, and see what they have to offer. If its good enough, perhaps someone might make the adjustments to their budget in order to attend the school.