bushido_man96

I'm going to our Traditional Taekwondo Association headquarter school in Topeka, KS, this weekend to test for my 4th dan. I have a pre-test black belt class on Friday evening, and then testing on Saturday morning. I haven't tested since 2007 in TKD, so its been a while. Wish me luck!

Gene LeBell is a legend in the Martial Arts community, and has been involved with mixed style competition long before it was popularized by the UFC. It would be amazing to sit and listen to this man tell his stories: http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/440075/Gene-LeBell-reflects-on-50-years-of-mixed-rules-fighting/

It appears these two are going to be squaring off in a Boxing match: http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/440098/Roy-Jones-Jr-fighting-in-Moscow-to-be-ready-for-Silva/ I think it should be fun to watch. Who do you got? Will Jone's age be an issue? And I'm wondering if it will primarily be a promotional thing, or if they are going to try to fight to knockout and go to score cards, etc. Either way, it should be interesting.

My sentiments exactly. Honorary belts / degrees don't equate to proficiency in the subject. I will say however that from personal experience competing in Russia, it does seem that Putin and his government are very supportive of the martial arts. Agreed. With the WTF being tied up in politics like it is, like it has to be, in order to remain an Olympic sport, things like this won't likely go unoticed by the IOC. And, the idea behind Martial Arts is that it can cross cultural and political barriers, etc etc. He also does hold rank in Judo, so the guy is a Martial Artist at least. Congrats to him on this honorary title.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Congrats!

Congrats to all!

Congrats, Alex! You are a great contributor, and you really do echo what this community is all about, and you exemplify that as a staff member. Here's to plenty more years to come!

Great advice.

There is a quote I've seen floating around here: "Only warriors can choose pacifism."

I saw the fight, and I don't think GSP won it, and I can see where White is upset with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. I think the scoring system needs to be addressed in MMA, and it should be done by former fighters, and not a state board that isn't familiar with fighting.

Here is the news: http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/439917/Bas-Rutten-starting-new-fight-promotion---TAO-MMA/ What are your thoughts on this? I think if anyone knows the business of MMA enough to start something up, its Bas. I think he will do well, and wish him luck.

We have some basics like that as well, but some of them I've never been able to pull off in sparring. I think I just need to keep trying. But, I also think its great that basics are built like that, for the students to have something applicable to use, and not just some movements that are particularly random.

I quoted your post there, because it segwayed into my thought, so please don't think I was just pointing you out...that was not my intention. That said, I mean by and large, there are people out there who can spend lots of time training and learning all the lethal techniques and tactics to defend themselves, but in the end, may not have what it takes to actually engage when they need to. Its one thing to learn the techniques. Its another to apply them in the heat of the moment, with blood running down your face, a cut on your arm, etc. Then, there is dealing with the possibility of the post-traumatic stress, which can be a nightmare for some people for many years to come. My point is that there is so much more to consider about fighting than just technique. Its mindset, too.

Saw this the other day: http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/439922/Jones-wants-to-retire-at-30-with-good-head-on-my-shoulders/ Not a bad plan, either. We'll see if he sticks to it, but at the moment, he seems pretty set. That brings up a good point about competition in general. We have seen what results can come from Boxers with long careers, and other heavy contact sports in general, like the NFL, and how it can affect an athletes quality of life in the future. So, setting a retire date like this isn't a bad idea, especially in a sport like MMA. Aside from that, is the "going out on top" aspect of it. How do you feel about those who appear to try to "hang on too long," and end up retiring so much lower than what they were in their prime? For me, I think its up to the fighter personally to decide this. Some just love to compete, whether they are winning or not. And if they love to compete that much, then who should decide when they are done other than them? Anywho, just a few topics for discussion. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts? Also, I'd like to hear from any Jon Jones fans on this decision, as well.

You're welcome. Our school spars using WTF rules, but I like to punch a lot more than others do. Lots of guys will end up standing right next to each other, trying to figure out a way to either kick away from each other or break away without getting kicked. I stand in there and just punch away at them. Punching is a great way to set up kicks.

Not much punching is done in the higher levels of WTF sparring because it just isn't considered enough to score. This should be fixed with the electronic scoring they have now, but the training methods haven't changed. So, you end up with more kicking and counter kicking, which will score more points anyways. So, the punch falls be the wayside. That's why I don't like the chest protector. The ITF style of TKD sparring allows hand techniques to the head, and is not as hard contact as the WTF style is, which tends to allow for more combinations including hand techniques. The ATA allows hand techniques to the body, but not the head, and is light to mid contact levels.

I'd say no. The idea is to toughen the knuckles up over time, and to develop the straight line power of the punches thrown on a makiwara. I think its main purpose is to provide feedback, not cause bloody knuckles.

That's pretty cool. Maybe you'll get a fight on TV some day!

Well, its obviously the safer option....

You're looking at a highlight reel. This video is full of knockouts and demo cuts, so yeah, what you're seeing is all going to appear "affective." What you don't see is the entire fights, the kicks that don't land, and how they set up these knockouts throughout the course of the match. This video isn't really "proof" of anything. Its meant to entertain and cause "oohs" and "ahs." There are a couple of different styles cut into that video, and all of them have MA value. Obviously, the kicks are affective, as well. But is it the best way to do things? No. Its a way to do things.

I will do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

That's good advise. You could talk to your instructor and ask if there are any sweeping techniques he is familiar with, as well. How old are you, Michael? If you have access to a high school, or are friends with a Wrestler, then get with him and see if he can take you through some of the basics of some takedowns. There are lots of variations to the single and double leg takedowns, so lots of info to take in, depending on how deep you want to go with it. If you are in high school, I would even recommend going out for Wrestling. You will learn lots, and the conditioning is great. Aside from that, you can always do a search on youtube, but there will be a lot out there, so sorting the quality from the not-so-much could be a chore. I would recommend this option last of all, but it is still an option. Good luck with your training, and please fill us in on what you learn! Welcome to KarateForums.com!

I hope it helps. Have fun with it!

I agree. I've had some of these moments in the brief time I was studying Aikido, and also with Hapkido and various defensive tactics and the little bit of BJJ that we do. It defenitely helps to see things from a fresh perspective.