bushido_man96

Hopefully we can all chime in on some Hapkido topics!

Yes, everything starts somewhere. But its not a "tradition" when it starts. It takes time to become a tradition. Then, as time goes on, its important to determine if things should keep being done the way they started or not.

Everything! Imho, the entire rank system has a tester, therefore an awarder, and in that, the entire rank system has a testing candidate, therefore, a receiver of said award. Self-promotion, imho, that's what we're talking about, is the bane of the rank systems existence. Imagine, for example, the green belt promoting himself/herself to brown belt on their own! If the higher belts can, then why not everyone, no matter the rank. The rank system would be of absolute no-value; it barely is now for many reasons. Thank God, there's always a floor!! I believe the testing system is a good system, but it really only works well for the colored belt ranks and the lower dan ranks. Once one gets to a certain level, the peers that are available to make the judgements that we all have become inundated to accept as necessary for promotion become fewer and farer between. I bring these statements back up to focus on them. Green belts self-promoting, we don't really have to worry about. We have a system in place that deals with that. Why not everyone? Because of discernment. If most people can be honest with themselves, and use some discernment to really evaluate where they are physically and mentally in their training, then there can be some sound decisions made in regards to rank involving self-evaluation and self-promotion. I think a big issue here is that many traditionalists that have been attached to the way the system of rank has been run for so long remain rigid in regards to how the system works, and don't want to see it change. That's one reason why I have always held respect for the way systems like Muay Thai, Boxing, and Wrestling work. For these styles, the proof truly is on the floor, on the mat, in the ring, etc. Where you stand on the podium at the end of the day shows how good you were that day, compared to who else showed up. This may sound like I am talking about winning only, but that's not the case. There is more to it than that. Another factor has to do with how we view humilitiy as opposed to self-aggrandizement, which is really how we view self-promotion. When Muhammed Ali said, "I'm the Greatest!" I don't recall him checking with anyone else first. But, they guy is loved...

You are right in that playing at striking will not work, but from my limited experience a lot of karate guys can never really strike full force as they could injure each other. The problem then is that you would never know if the strikes would work if you ever needed to use them. With my even more limited experience of BJJ, rolling with other guys is completely different. You don;t play, you really try your hardest to submit them, which is much harder than it looks and I honestly think that after a few years of training you would know that it would work as you are sparring against real resistance. That's just my opinion so karate guys cant really hit full force because they might injure? yet kickboxing, MT, sanshou and boxing do practice full force... how about the more likely answer is that most people here think they train in an effective art or manner and really don't. but nope, no one will admit it. You are making a valid point. But, its not necessarily that their training isn't effective; it has more to do with what the goals of the training is. WTF TKD fighters aren't likely going to be top flight strikers with their hands, but their kicking will be good. Muay Thai fighters and Kyokushin fighters are going to be a bit more rounded with both hands and feet, and knees, etc. It really depends on the goal of the training. Wrestlers have some great positional control moves, but they don't do well from their backs, where BJJers will excel. There are holes in a lot of what we do. Seeking ways to fix them is the key.

I think that JKD could really enhance what he does through Karate. JKD really has a lot of concepts to it, as opposed to rote technique. Taking those concepts and applying them along with the Karate training would be pretty beneficial, I think.

I'm surprised this was allowed to go on, and even more surprised that the dojo was made to split because of it. The head of that dojo really needed to take charge of that situation, but it appears he didn't. As for the passing of pamphlets, I agree with you as well. There really is no reason for it. There are other times and places for things like that. Not at the MA school.

Great post by Alex. All solid information. Another option, being a smaller person, is to consider some kind of what Alex would refer to as a "force multiplier;" carrying a bladed weapon, or looking into training for conceal and carry. Something to give you a bit more of an edge.

Its important to look into these kinds of statistics, and then work on ways to deal with them, and work on consistent tactics that help with this and other attacks in similar ways. Thanks for sharing the video with us!

She stays away from anything with a high iron intake. She can't take any vitamin C supplements, because it promotes the absorbtion of iron. She has also cut out a lot of soda, especially store bought stuff with high fructose corn syrup. Some little things like that.

This is all solid advice. Use a wall or chair for balance, and work on these exercises a few times per week, along with your stretching, and you should see improvement. The key, as mentioned, is making sure that chamber stays at the same level, i.e., making sure the chamber doesn't "dip" between kicks. Also, as you improve, do some focus mitt work to go to different targets. Do consecutive round kicks, mid-high, and also hi-mid. They both affect the body differently, so its important to do it both ways. Good luck to you!

1/20/2014 Taught TKD: 6 - 7:30 pm. I started out the class going through some of the upper body basics along with them, just to get some work in. I also extended basics a bit to give the students some new stuff to work on. I added a jumping round kick, and had the brown belts and up work on a flying side kick, as done in our form Choong Moo. The ones below brown belt did our double punch, round kick, spin crescent kick combo. Then we made it through forms, working on some timing and stance issues on several, and then one-steps.

I had done some in the past, but I'm not a big fan of it. It is nice for some variety, and if you only have limited time to workout, its a nice package put together.

Especially if MMA does make it into the Olympics eventually.That just might happen because the UFC's a major brand, and it's had it's 15 minutes of fame, so to speak. The IOC is watching MMA; I'm sure of that. Oh, yes, I'm sure they are watching. And if the IOC likes ratings, and they see the ratings of the UFC and other MMA events, then I think they will eventually see the possibilities in the ratings for Olympic MMA.

True; but also true for all kicks, even a simple roundhouse. He is not practicing these kicks for their combat effectiveness. They are to test his athletic ability. This guy can already kick well (as shown by his many other videos) so why not try to push the boundaries and train to do something most people can't? I agree. That has always been one of the challenges I've enjoyed in my years in TKD; the physical challenge of performing the kicks.

Go check it out and see how they run things. Give it a few months, and see how you like it. You can always move on if you don't like what they have to offer.

I enjoy Hapkido, and have trained in the Combat Hapkido system. I really enjoyed it, and hope to continue my training through it soon.

I agree. Learning to close and make space when needed to work to the goal takes time and practice. Good drilling is hard to replace. That is something that forms training can't really give us. We can try guage the space required for a certain technique by looking at how we do it in the form; i.e., we can see that an angle punch in Yoo Sin is tighter to the body than a front stance lunge punch, leading us to believe that the angle punch technique is one performed when closing with an opponent. But, without having someone there to work on this with, doing it alone won't teach us much.So, the big factor in learning how to close and open space when necessary is through realistic training drills involving at least one partner, if not more. Sparring can be a great tool for training it, but its important to keep the context of the type of sparring each of us does in mind, and how it would relate in regards to actual self-defense.

I guess the question is, what is the "core?" If the core is physical, then I'd say yes, because there are only certain ways the body can move and bend. Its different when you start talking about philosophies and ideals.

How so? Fighting has been around a long, long time, and not just in the East. This is not the case. Traditional styles shape traditional styles, not all styles. Boxing and Wrestling were not shaped by any traditional styles.

I think what it has lead to is the fact that the full resistance that is achievable through grappling practice is of increased value in training, providing skill improvement under pressure. I don't think it leads to the view that it always wins. But, there is something to be said about the effectiveness of the training method. What's wrong with continuing to seek rank after a sensei has passed, though? I think we can all agree that the farther we get into our Martial careers, the more important self-evaluation becomes. I think most of us also agree that the higher dan ranks have more to do with things done to perpetuate the Martial Arts (not just the one or two we study) and teaching, and are not soley based on physical testing requirements. So, why is it so wrong that if someone after some careful self-evaluation, determines that they have perhaps surpassed their previous rank, and decide to bump themselves up? Now, I'm not saying that everyone takes these steps to do this with themselves. Some feel a need to do so in order to appear like the high ranking head of a new organization, or because they part ways with a different organization and try to prove a point. My point is, there are varying reasons and approaches to take when it comes to high ranks, and how to achieve them. And they all appear selfish because no one is promoting them, and they are promoting themselves, or seeking a group of peers that acknowledge their self-promotion in an attempt to justify it to the masses that, by and large, won't be accepting of it anyway. It will be an endless debate.

Welcome to KF!

By all accounts, they should have, too. But, that's why the play the games, right? So, who do you have for Championship Weekend? I think the Seahawks and the Patriots.

Great stuff, thanks for sharing!

You need to not be concerned with winning. You need to concern yourself with escaping and surviving. They are not the same thing. That is what I would have you focus on.

1/16/2014 TKD class: 7 - 8 pm. Basics, Yoo Sin for forms, then I got to begin work on my new form, Choong Jang. Finished with a few bouts of sparring, and then some stretching.