bushido_man96

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95 moves. Loooong!

Ok, its about time I got this wrapped up. Here are the videos from our annual local tourney, the Western Kansas Classic. We had over 1100 kids come to this tournament, so its always a fun day! Match 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frl9JSqXt3w Kendall wrestled this kid more than anyone else this year, but this was by far his best match against him. He started the first round off on the wrong foot, getting tied up to high, but worked through it. There was also a near-bad incident towards the end of the first round where Kendall heard the wrong whistle and got up too soon, but it didn't end badly. He was able to work from the bottom in this match, got some points on reversals, and got good back points, too. He won this match, 18-3. Match 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KM5HAAPK3E This match was against the same kid who won the state tournament the week before. We knew this would be a tough one, but, Kendall handled it well, taking the loss, getting pinned in the second. This kid is just flat good. Match 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIBymduqmu4 Win by pin. Early on, he tied up early, but disengaged to work something better. Match 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVTnHrOJ9cQ The other guy we seem to wrestle every meet, a guy from our own club. Kendall wrestled him tough all three rounds, and the score was tight the whole way through. He had an escape and a decent sprawl in the first round that gained him some points. He has always been able to work really well on top against this kid, usually keeping him from being able to reverse or escape, so I had him on top for the third round, which helped him seal it. Match 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3M_1WISEYk This was a kid who liked to headlock and toss, as well, so I tried to keep Kendall convinced to not tie up with him too much. He got tripped one and recovered in the 2nd period, and then got headlocked and flipped, but rolled through it, ending on top, working for back points. In the 3rd, he did another good job countering a throw. This kid was tough to keep on his back, though, so no pin, but finished with a win. Overall, he took 3rd place, losing once and then working he way along the back side of the bracket. I was very proud of him, seeing all his hard work come together this season. On 4/7/2013, we had the awards banquet for the club, and Kendall took home the award for most 1st place finishes for the 6 and under age group. We also learned that there are practices for free-style available now, and Kendall is going to do that now, too. I'm just excited to be doing more Wrestling!

There are a lot of assumptions flying around that there are so many schools teaching a mix now. But do we know what the numbers are, really? The school I attend is a TKD school. No mixing or add-ons. We did have the Combat Hapkido curriculum we were using for a while, but this was an extra that some of us students did after our TKD classes. I see nothing wrong with it, either. If I had my way, I'd still be doing the Combat Hapkido alongside my TKD training, and if I opened my own school, Combat Hapkido would be part of what I do, because I think it is very useful. My students would advance in rank in both styles, TKD and Combat Hapkido. Now, would this make my school one of those, "a little of this, a little of that," schools? I say nay. My school would be teaching two things, and I would make sure they worked together. By the time a student tests for 1st dan, he/she would attain a black belt rank in TKD and Combat Hapkido. So I am curious how this detracts from the "traditional" side of what I do? I'm curious as to why MMA is not a "true" Martial Art? Simply because it is tagged as a sport? As mentioned above, many, many MMA practitioners don't go on to compete at a high level. So wouldn't that imply that perhaps those individuals are practicing MMA for something more than mere competition purposes?

When doing basics, techniques are called out in Korean, for the most part, except when we start doing the combinations towards the end of basics. When doing forms and one-steps, we usually end up using English terms for the techniques, but at times, the Korean. I've also noticed the Korean terms we use for some of the techniques are different than those I see in various manuals to describe the same techniques.

The first instructor I really gained and still have a great amount of respect for did so by being genuinely interested in my journey, and helping me along and being as helpful and up front as possible with me, sometimes to the point of being very blunt. We still talk often today, and his advise still means the world to me.

I wouldn't call you a TKD outsider Brian. You know a lot about TKD and martial arts in general and discussions with you have definitely helped broaden my knowledge and views. TBH even within the style I do often people don't understand stuff anyway. Thanks, Danielle. JusticeZero: usually, the base leg is supposed to be slightly bent. Also, usually, the base leg is directly under the hips for balance, except on some kicks where the stylist is trying to achieve a lunge to close some distance. I hope that helps.

I really don't think "traditional" MA is going away. There are more MMA style gyms popping up, and I think that's a great thing. I also think there is a misconception that these arts we call "traditional" don't change. Shotokan isn't all that old, and is a modified version of what Funakoshi learned from Okinawan masters. Aikido comes from Aiki-Jujutsu, and the spiritual aspect is nothing more than Ueshiba's spiritual and philosophical outlook on life. What makes what he did "traditional" when it wouldn't be if I took what I've learned in TKD and applied my own spiritual and philosophical outlooks to it and passed them on to my own students? Is it because the pictures of my school aren't in black and white? I really don't think so. The bottom line is, people grow and change. I've been exposed to the belief systems of various instructors, and while all have been wise and good teachers, I've come to realize that I just don't see eye-to-eye with them all the time. So, instead of agreeing with things I don't agree with, I choose to have my own opinions and approaches to teaching the MAs. Everyone does this, I think, to some extent or another. No matter how much we respect and admire someone, I don't think anyone really ends up being exactly alike that person. I respect and admire the hell out of my parents, but I am not the exact same as them. Its really no different with the MA instructors of my past and present. The last thing I'll mention in this post is the approach of these spiritual and philosophical aspects in regards to "traditional" MAs, and where they come from. Many of our MA experiences come from Eastern-based styles. As much as I enjoy my Eastern-based, Shotokan-derived TKD style, I was born and raised as a Westerner, and have Western beliefs and ideals instilled in me. I think a good example you can see in this is how many BJJ schools tend to be much more laid-back and informal in comparison to it's Eastern ancestors, Jujutsu/Judo. And there is nothing wrong with that. I don't want to try to be Korean, although I am learning a Korean MA. Honestly, the Koreans doing TKD over in Korea are going to do a good job of maintaining their Korean beliefs and ideals in TKD over there, so I don't really feel an obligation to conform my students to Korean ideals. And I don't say that as an insult at all. Its just the differences in cultures, and I think its a good thing. Ok, I rambled there for a bit, and I'm sure there will be some different points of view from what I've stated, but hey, that's what makes it great.

I agree here. We all have our "bread and butter" techniques. I think our body type and tendencies/habits tend to tailor these "bread and butter" techniques to us. From there, its important to learn how to apply the "bread and butter" to various scenarios. I like straight arm bars, so its important to be able to learn how to apply them from various angles and entries. From there, its important to know a good counter for them, and also a good "switch to" move, in case one thwarts the move on the way to locking it in, like a wrist throw/takedown. From the "bread and butter," its important to learn others so that you have other options to choose from. You never know when injury inflicted during a fight/combat might render a limb of less use, altering what it is you can or can't do. Screw drivers, wrenches, and hammers are good tools to have in the tool box; they get used a lot. But its nice to have a torque wrench on hand from time to time, too.

Well....thanks to the likes of La Salle and Wichita State, I have to pretty much set my bracket on fire and let it kindle the fireplace, because I'm pretty sure it isn't worth the paper its printed on, now. I had Gonzaga as a Final Four team, and Indiana, with the Hoosiers winning it. KU was working for me, though, until the last 3 minutes of that debacle against Michigan. What a mess this year!

Harkon, I feel sorry for you! I don't know what I'd watch if there was no NFL. More racing, I guess.

That is so cool!

Well done Alex! Its always great to read your posts, too. You always provide some insight!

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I would be interested to see studies on this. Squats, both bodyweight and barbell, tend to get a bad rap as being harmful to the knees and back that is undeserved. I can see issues if you are relaxing your knees on the squat and/or hyper-extending your legs on the kicks, but if you do the squats and kicks properly I wouldn't expect to have any issues. I've certainly never had issues with them, myself, and neither have any of the people I've trained with. Are we talking about a one-legged squat, with the other leg extended as a front kick, or a squat, stand and front kick exercise that alternates front kicks on each leg? Two different things.

3/25/2013 Solo work: Did all forms, from Chon Ji up through Yoo Sin, 3-steps 1-4, and some stretching. Taught TKD Class: 6-7 pm. Big class, with an even mix of kids and adults. Got through it all, and some fun sparring.

Super article!

Congrats!

You could approach the instructor in regards to the differences you observed. Maybe there is rhyme to the reason.

Thanks for sharing this article, Danielle. I really enjoy reading up on the General's teaching points, and the overall history of the development of TKD, whether they are points I agree with or not. The more I read about sine wave at times, the more confused I become, as we don't really do it. But, there are some similarities I see in breathing and motion, even without the sine wave to separate the movements in our TKD. Sometimes, I feel like a kind of TKD outsider, because our organization doesn't use any kind of sine wave, and our forms also have some minor differences from what I see in books or on videos. Articles like yours really help to link it back to where it came from. Thanks again! Very well written.

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I was reading Stuart Anslow's Encyclopedia of Taekwon-do Patterns, Vol 2, and he also covers the GTF forms in the book. One of these is Jook Am, a hyung created by Grand Master Park, Jung Tae. This appears to be one of the longest and most difficult forms to perform to me. Lots of slow consecutive kicks, and then fast consecutive kicks, jumping kicks, especially the flying 3-directional kick. I didn't know if many of the Korean stylists here had seen or heard of it, and thought I'd throw it up here. Looks like it would be fun, but a bit out of my talent zone to perform well:

Cool vacation, Alex! Thanks for sharing the match, too. I also appreciate the bit on the rules. I'd like to see more of it, and how it would relate to Wrestling rules. Sounds like there is a lot more grey area to deal with than in Wrestling.

This helped a lot. I was placing my hands wrong; I was not going between my legs with the one hand, which made things funky. Now I see how that momentum gets built. Now maybe I can try it with more success.