bushido_man96

Welcome to KF! Glad to have you here!

Brains are overrated. Unless you're a zombie. Now that's deep....

Bushido_man, please don't let me think You're putting disabled people in the same bracket as children. They may be disabled but they are far from being "child-like". Question, You're in a group of people, mixed ages and abilities, everyone needs to get out of the situation for survival as it dangerous for everyone. So You're telling me everyone in the group is going to stand to attention etc and listen to the 10 year old boy? Or listen to the amputee who's an ex-marine etc. I don't think Brian is saying that the disabled or handicapped are like children, more along the lines of any reason that's been given for children not to have a blackbelt can be considered a reason for those people not to have one too if we wanted to discriminate that way. Reasons like children aren't physically strong enough, children aren't able to examine a situation and act like a mature adult would, could be applied to some people. And even if you don't want to think about it like this, again, what do you say to particularly small adult females or immature adults? Thank you, DWx. This was exactly the point I was making.

Bushido_man, please don't let me think You're putting disabled people in the same bracket as children. They may be disabled but they are far from being "child-like". I'm not bracketing anybody. I'm just pointing out what I think are inconsistencies in how some award black belts. I didn't say anything of the sort. Are you saying all of your black belts could stand up and take control of this very vague situation you have just laid out? Have all of your black belts had survival training? If so, what does this entail, and how does it work into the curriculum for testings? Are all ex-military automatically eligible for black belt status when they sign up for a class, but the 12 year old girl in this article doesn't even get considered?

I think there is some truth to this. Grossman has some thoughts on this phenomenon in his books in regards to how warfare has changed, as well as the warriors, over the years.

I agree with you here to an extent, but I also believe that one can train their mindset to get past this kind of thing, and learn how to deal with that fear when it comes on.

Wow, never knew that about dolphins. You never hear anything bad about that animal. I've learned something today. And that animal is considered one of the most intelligent on the planet.

Its not just Capoeira, Justice. Although I don't experience this quite to the extent that you do with every technique, there are some that I get it with. When I throw a spinning heel kick, with all my 250+ lbs behind it, I make sure its either not full speed, or I try to "slow up" the kick when reaching the target. I'm not always flexible enough to kick over the other person's head, so what usually happens is it gets blocked, or they swerve out of the way of the slower kick, then hop in and punch or kick or whatever. There have been a few times when I have told someone, "hey, next time, I won't pull that kick." Then it kind of registers with them. But its always after the fact. This is a very good idea. I've had some impromptu things like this happen in some DT stuff we've done, but never in Aikido class. This would be a good idea for Combat Hapkido.

I'll tell you this about Yoo Sin, DWx: it will never, ever, be my form. Its my current form, and I just can't stand doing it. I like the first half of the form, but the second half is just a pain in the butt for me.

When it comes to Karate history, does the guy know what he is talking about? I'm not condoning any part of his personal life. I just say the book is a decent one for a KarateKa to read.

Just yesterday I finished reading Harry Cook's Shotokan Karate, A Precise History. I know that there are a lot of negative opinions about Cook out there now, but be that as it may, this book is, I would have to say, a pretty well researched and layed out source of information. I'd love to give a concise review of the work here, but I've been reading it in bits and pieces for the better part of a year and a half, so I'll leave it to others to read and decide. Its full of anecdotal information, insight, and a lot of work went into putting it together. I'd say if you have Karate-Do Kyohan in your library, this would probably go well alongside it.

Yep, all too complicated for me.

I am reading (thanks to DWx ) Rob Redmond's book, Kata, The Folk Dances of Shotokan, and on pp 50 - 51, he relates the idea of having a "tokui" kata, or the one kata that you specialize in. This is the form you do that Redmond says you would have particular skill in; perhaps the one you are known to perform, given the chance and the choice. Redmond puts it this way: "This will be the first kata that you stop becoming and start making into you." I know we've had some varying discussions on forms practice in general, and I thought, what the heck, why not throw this direction in there, too! So, do you have a form that you feel you specialize in? For me, it would have to be Ge-Baek. Its a second degree form for my school, and I always loved doing it, I could really rock it out with a lot of power, and I had my best tournament placings ever with it. My best testing so far, when I tested for my 3rd dan, this form was a requirement. This form's movements seem short and compact to me, and I feel I can deliver every ounce of power my short, stubby, round body can muster into it, and I am exhausted upon completion, and feel like I really just rang somebody's bell. Yeah, Ge-Baek is my form. What is your "tokui" form? Even if you aren't a high rank yet, and feel you've grown to enjoy one particular form above all the others, please share it with us, and why.

I think at times, looking at different training strategies and scenarios might be more beneficial than just openly sparring. However, with the sparring idea in mind, I think an Aikidoka would benefit greatly by having some proficiency in some strikes to set up their locks and manipulations. That's what I like and dislike about Aikido; the style of training isn't conducive to sparring, but the randori style they use can be a good training tool. However, the idea of sparring would also open their eyes as to what it would actually require to pull off their techniques in a more offensive (as opposed to defensive) manner. One of the things that I like more about Hapkido is that things aren't based as much on the other person's energy to do the moves. Hapkido stylist tend to create the energy they need, when they need it.

10/19/2012 Afternoon Forms Workout Songham 1 x5 Chon Ji x5 Naifanchi x5 I did these very slowly and deliberately, so as not to aggravate my injured left arm. I had to alter a few movements to save my arm, but it was good, slow, deliberate work. So, along with this 15 form workout, I got 3 distinct movement patterns in. Songham 1 moves in a straight line l pattern, going forward, turns to go back the other way, turns again, and heads back to the start position. For the most part, the form is forward facing, with two side on stances. Chon Ji moves in a + pattern, following a distinct block then attack movement pattern, mostly front facing, and half-facing in the back stances. Naifanchi moves in another straight line, but in a side to side -- pattern, and the body remains facing forward the entire time. All in all, a fun conglomeration of movement patterns to do in one forms workout.

I agree here as well. My wife and daughter have had experience shooting handguns. My 7 year old son has shot a small caliber revolver, as well. We will eventually be practicing a lot more gun time as a family. Getting some council time would probably be good. Just to talk the whole experience out. I agree with you there. As far as her use of force level goes, I don't see anything wrong with how she did or what she did. She was defending herself in her own home against a felon, committing a person felony (aggravated burglary), along with criminal damage to property (misdemeanor). I'm guessing she was afraid for her life, and in that case, she used appropriate force. She could have unloaded that gun into the perp, and been justified, in my view. I agree with you here. I don't think there should be any reason to blow the effects of this situation out of proportion. She proved to herself at an early age that she doesn't have to be a victim; how powerful a lesson is that?

The analogy of the professor and student is being used here, so what about the idea of the analogy of peer reviewed studies and works?

We have a wheel kick too, we call it a Rabo de Arraia. Main difference is that it works differently, has less power, and is a LOT! more vulnerable to counters or to random things turning it around. It's easier to hide in some techniques, and it might come up, so we teach it on occasion. Mea lua de compasso isn't a wheel kick. How does your wheel kick differ from this other kick? What I mean, is, what mechanics differs them, I guess?

I posted an article in this thread that should be of interest to this thread as well: 12 year old Oklahoma girl shoots home intruder This girl did a very good job of defending herself in a lethal threat situation. I don't see any reason why a girl like this couldn't earn a full black belt rank in the Martial Arts. I also think that we as Martial Arts instructors need to really think about how we address the "lethality" of the Martial Arts we teach. A lot of instructors think because they are teaching Martial Arts, and they teach all these moves that are considered "lethal," that they are teaching people how to kill. In actuality, they are not. Teaching someone how to kill is a whole other level of training, one taken on by military or law enforcement training. Along with the techniques, a type of mind set has to be trained for it, as well. A lot of us aren't trying to train killers. We want to train others to defend themselves. And I'm not saying we aren't teaching our students how to use lethal force levels if necessary. I guess what I'm getting at is that in my teaching experiences, I don't say things like "now if you do this, you can kill them" very much in class. I'm curious as to how often others say it or demonstrate it.

10/19/2012 AM therapy at the clinic - 30 minutes. Last session. Bag Work 3 rounds of left hand only work on the bag, rounds lasting between 30 seconds and 1 minute. BL round kick: 3x5 each leg. BL 45 degree round kick: 2x5 each leg. Kicks done between rounds.

If the instructor thinks it will be best, then go with it for a while and see how you get on. If you are doing both classes, I think that will be pretty helpful for you.

I've been reading a bit in the book already. One note the author keyed on was the Chinese practitioner's apparent willingness to seek out any kind of form, and then alter it if they felt it needed to be altered for them to use, in contrast to the Okinawan and Japanese idea of "standardizing" the katas into having a right and wrong way of them being done.

That's good to hear! Some things are tougher to pick up than others, and we all learn differently, and have different comfort levels. Kudos to you for sticking with it, and making progress!

I guess the difference between me and others is that I don't really care to "transcend" anything. I just want to do my thing, and seek what I want when I want to. I'm not really looking for any "truth."

Saw this article on a Facebook page today, and thought it would make a nice topic piece: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=157&sid=22617747 Things here went well. It appears the family had a plan of sorts, and communication and cool-headedness kept this girl alive. Thoughts?