bushido_man96

My biggest regret is that I quit wrestling after my 8th grade year.

8/28/2025 TKD: 5:45 - 6:30 pm. Traditional Class. This is kind of silly, but I got angry with myself because my hands shake so much and I can't control it. I decided to just squeeze my fists together even tighter, causing them to really shake, very noticeably. This went on throughout basics. Stretch after basics. For forms, I did Choi Yong twice. I'm still having trouble with balance on a back leg round kick repeat side kick. One-steps were low orange belt. Sparring: 6:30 - 7:00 pm. Lots of working with kids and low ranks. Unfortunately, BJJ got canceled tonight.

8/27/2025 Aikido: 6:15 - 7:45 pm. Warmed up on our own then we got right into technique work. Yokomenuchi sokumen iriminage (5th kyu): Omote and ura versions. Ura was much more difficult, with a tenkan (a back turn) and then continuing to twist. On both versions I must focus on drawing the arm across my body (drawing my hand to my ribs). This helps with kazushi. We did the same technique against a knife attack (yokomen). I also concentrated on trying to fall properly, as the way I'd learned to fall in TKD and Hapkido was a bit different. I did a little video review of previous ranks before class.

8/26/2025 TKD: 5:30 - 7:15 pm. Several sessions overall. Bag Circuit: 5:30 - 5:40 pm. One of the rooms at the gym has been converted to a "Boxing Room," with several different hanging bags. I did a pre-class circuit, 1 minute on each bag, 1 minute rest, 5 rounds total. 1. Kickboxing on a standard sized bag. 2. Headache ball, or double-end ball. It doesn't work great due to not being tethered to the floor properly. 3. Kickboxing on a heavier bag. 4. Long, slender bag (I think they might be called banana bags?), focusing on low shin kicks and elbows. 5. Round bag, uppercuts and hooks. Traditional Class: 5:45 - 6:30 pm. Taught this class. Regular basics, then forms: white, orange, low green, high green, high blue, 2nd dan and 3rd dan. One-steps for same. Sparring: 6:30 - 7:00 pm. Taught/participated in this class. Two rounds of regular sparring, then two rounds of making them switch feet after stepping back to their fighting positions. They had to keep that other foot forward as much as possible. I wanted them to get more comfortable sparring from the other side. Then two more rounds where I made them keep their front feet inside the square (puzzle mats). They could kick with the front foot, but it had to go back down inside the square, or they had to switch the other foot into the square. This was to get them more comfortable with sparring in close quarters. Any techniques were allowed, but I told them I didn't just want them punching because they were close. My left wrist is really bothering me. The round of bag work with uppercuts/hooks really hurt at times. Made me focus more on form and rotating my wrist and arm the right way to nullify the pain. And something funny tonight; one of the green belt girls kicked me right in the face. She threw a round kick that I blocked, but she doubled it up (I thought she was dropping it to the ground). That repeat kick caught me right in the mouth! Keep my hands up!

Chiefs lost another receiver to injury after Xavier Worthy collided with Travis Kelce. Worthy has a dislocated shoulder with no time-table to return. Rashee Rice is on suspension for the first 6 games of the season, so the word is that Hollywood Brown's receiving role will be expanded. And once again, some younger receivers will probably be playing more often. I think they need to get Smith-Schuster some more targets. He was looking pretty good, and is a solid veteran.

The club actually hosts several camps per year locally, and they provide options to help with the camps at the Hombu. Many of the camps are free to attend, so that is very helpful. He runs a not-for-profit dojo, and will usually ask for donations to attend some of the events, but they are not required either. The longer I stay in it, the more I'll learn about other fees and what not.

8/24/2025 Women's Self-Defense Seminar Day 3: 12:30 - 2:30 pm. Unfortunately this year, the seminar didn't get as much publicity as it had in years past, and it hurt the numbers a bit. I didn't attend day 1 due to scheduling conflicts (I'd been working the night shift) and they didn't need as much help on day 1. I was planning on making day 2, but I hadn't been to sleep at all that morning and knew I wasn't going to remain healthy and make it through. So day 3 was the only I made it. This day is the ground defense day. We started by covering stand up in base, then moved onto ground defense: dragged by legs, reverse from guard, reverse from mount (more traditional), reverse from mount with the hands pinned to the ground at the wrists, two-handed choke from mount (pluck-and-buck, or just buck), and choke from guard (stretch hips out, make space, kick away to stand up in base). We had a unique opportunity to work with a gal who had recently been attacked. I was familiar with the incident due to my line of work. I spoke with her for a while after the session was over, and I told her that she was in a unique position and could tell us if she thought what we were providing was malarky or not. She stated that she thought our material was very helpful and was grateful for our work. That's a pretty good deal.

I remember seeing those before, and they are great videos. Even in their brevity there's lots to see. Thanks for sharing those @Wastelander.

My Aikido instructor is looking into getting some HEMA equipment to test out with jo and bokken. If you're going to start looking, HEMA would be the way to go, as they focus on re-creation of Western European weapons styles.

I think @Montana and @Nidan Melbourne both make some very good points worth considering in the case for and against children earning black belts. The prevalence of bullying is an important aspect to consider for kids, and is something to be considered by MA instructors. Great points by both of you.

In my current TKD organization, we run two month testing cycles. It's expected that students make at least two class days per week minimum in order to be ready to test within those two months. However, permission to test is only granted if the student is ready; it's not guaranteed. At the recommended black belt level, the student has three testing cycles to prepare, and must test by the third cycle, or they go back in rank. A different level of commitment is expected at this time. Once a student makes it to 1st dan, they must wait 1.5 years to test for 2nd dan rec, then in 6 months must test for 2nd dan decided. Then 2.5 year wait to test for 3rd dan rec. and so on. After 3rd dan proper, there are no more "recommended" ranks (although I have heard of the GM knocking some 3rd dans to 4th rec for various reasons; I have not seen this in my time in the organization). Here are the standards for the Aikido organization I train in: 7th kyu: minimum 2 months and 20 hours of training. 6th kyu: minimum 3 months and 30 hours of training after earning 7th kyu. 5th kyu: minimum 3 months and 30 hours of training after earning 6th kyu. 4th kyu: minimum 3 months and 30 hours of training after earning 5th kyu, plus prior attendance at 1 seminar or national Kangeiko. 3rd kyu: minimum 6 months and 60 hours of training after earning 4th kyu, plus prior attendance at 1 association camp. 2nd kyu: minimum 6 months and 60 hours of training after earning 3rd kyu, plus prior attendance at 1 instructor's seminar. 1st kyu: minimum 6 months and 60 hours of training after earning 2nd kyu, plus prior attendance at 1 association seminar since earing 2nd kyu. I went 10 years between 4th dan and 5th dan in TKD. I went 11 years between 7th kyu and 6th kyu in AKD.

There is quite a psychological aspect to self-defense that many don't learn. We all do the physical portion, but the psychological is just as important to train.

This is a very personal thing, to be sure, and it takes quite a bit of internal reflection to determine if something like this is the right thing to do or not. I agree that it is definitely symbolic, as the knowledge can't be taken away. I had trained to a 2nd dan rank in one TKD organization and then became a white belt in another. I don't know if I'd consider that "giving up rank" though.

Truer words were never spoken.

They are pretty fun watches. I think I enjoyed the second one better. The characters, brothers, had lots more interaction together, and it made the movie more fun.

8/22/2025 I had a nice long text string with a former instructor/colleague about law enforcement defensive tactics, and what some of his approaches to it are, and what he thinks of the state of law enforcement DT in general. Very informative, and we share a lot of the same opinions. BJJ: 7:00 - 8:15 pm. Three warmup rounds, got to work the same positions we've been focusing on lately (camping position, low head/high head pressure). We went at "walking speed," just getting loosened up and "reminding our bodies what jiujitsu is. Then we were back to working the camping position/low head/high head positions again. On top, we worked on keeping the hands busy and gradually progressed the drills to positions that would allow us to pass. I'm starting to see more, to recognize more. Then we did the standing/sitting pass/destabilize game for a few rounds, then moved to open mat. I had one good round with the instructor and spent most of the time in a position of disadvantage. But he said I did a good job defending some things, making him work more. I had to make some adjustments against a tall, long-limbed guy I rolled with, mainly in that camping position. I had to settle down with my head a bit lower on his body so I could control his hips better.

8/21/2025 TKD: 5:45 - 6:30 pm. Traditional Class. In basics I focused on breathing and being tight upon execution of techniques, especially the ones where we don't do audible kihaps. I had a brief stretch after basics, then into forms, Do San x2. One-steps: white and low green. I helped white belt focus on more of the little self-defense aspects. Sparring: 6:30 - 7:00 pm. Sparred white belt and low green belt kids, a 2nd dan adult, a high blue adult, and a high green adult. With the kids I worked more from an orthodox stance, and with the higher ranks I worked from unorthodox. The blue belt gal wanted just wanted to close and punch, so I let her wear herself out. Next time, she'll see the front leg side kicks. With the 2nd dan I worked foorwork set-ups and baiting. The CI addressed students doing the same thing over and over again not working, and having to change things up, try something different. I thought, "yes, unless you use that knowledge to set them up."

Or, Karate-No-HeineKen....

If it becomes something that is required to do, then by that very nature, choice is taken away. Who is going to require it? What governing body do you put in charge of such retired professional athletes? And not just NFL players. Boxers and MMA athletes would have to be considered here as well. I think that there has been enough exposure that most people that take up a contact sport like American football, rugby, MMA, boxing, wrestling, or even TKD realize that there are inherent risks in these sports, to include, but not limited to, head trauma. Especially as the athletes get bigger and stronger at the professional levels. Former players that are up for offering their brains for research is great. But to require all of them to do so is different, and an infringement on rights and privacy.

It is refreshing to not see a bunch of spinning and twirling done with nunchaku. Thanks for sharing the videos.

It's really quite simply a matter of how the sensei teaching the curriculum wants to teach it. Some are good with weapons first and only. Some are not. It could be that a sensei wants to see what kind of discipline and dedication the student is willing to put into training before putting a weapon in their hands that can become a dangerous force multiplier. For others, it could simply be because that is the way it was when they learned it and that is the way they will do it. They just follow the same method they learned. I'm fortunate in that if I wanted to, I could just learn the weapons curriculum at the Aikido school I attend. But it's only offered one day a week, unless the sensei chooses to do a weapons day during the other classes. In the end, if your options are limited, you'll just have to make do. Or don't. Your choice.

8/20/2025 Aikido: 6:15 - 7:45 pm. Warm-ups and aikitaisos, brief internals work, and then right into technique work. We did lots of defenses against the lunge punch, or stepping straight punch: Kokyonage "buddy drop": After taisabaki outside the punch, getting deep (and not focusing on blocking the hand so much), monkey grip to the inside shoulder, tying the elbow to the hip and using the "rowing motion" from aikitaisos (funakogi undo) to break the posture, step across behind them and finish on the other shoulder (but really happens at the same time). I have to keep the rowing close to me, and not out and away from me. Variations including grabbing the collar at the back of the neck instead of hooking the shoulder to break balance and apply pressure into the hips through the small of the back. Kotegashi: From the same punch attack. After the taisabaki and "block," a tenkan motion sets up the kotegashi. Jujunage: The attack was a same side lapel grab followed by a face punch. Taisabaki outside the punching arm and pass deep at the shoulder. Then the other hand seizes that punching arm and the other uses the arm grabbing the lapel as a lever into the other arm, as an armbar. It's a "crossed arms" throw. Again, step deep and don't think of the hand so much. Last up was "free work," and I chose to work shomenuchi ikkyo omote and ura, both of which are a technique for my rank.

Ha, my deflection worked! Just kidding! I do like the concepts you've laid out. Instead of talking a specific technique, which can be limited, concepts can be applied to various situations and are therefore more successful. Or rather, they make techniques more successful. We discuss this at times when I bring up passing and pinning attacks. When doing this, I also like to incorporate foot movement to get off the line (taisabaki basically). I always like to gain a position of advantage as well. Great stuff @sensei8, and I look forward to the rest of the discussion.

8/15/2025 BJJ: 7:00 - 8:30 pm. We worked an armbar/triangle/omo plata transition from guard for a chunk of class. Good movement pattern work and review. Then we went over the camping position again, and a variation on it from half-guard. Three rounds of open mat. I got taken down three times by a female wrestler, which was fun/not fun. My takedown game is trash. I got to where I could see some transitions into the positions we've been working. Now when I get there, I at least have a plan in mind.

8/7/2025 TKD Testing: 6:00 - 8:00 pm. A pretty good testing overall. Seeing lots of improvements, and still things to work on. More to follow in my testing evaluation post. 8/8/2025 BJJ: 7:00 - 8:30 pm. More work from the knee-slice/outrigger/camping position, working low head/high head transitions. The positions apply pressure in different ways. The high head position puts your lower body into kind of a wrestler's sprawling position, with hips heavy into your partner's hips. Top player worked to beat the knee shield and get to the high head position. Then we eventually worked to scurrying to half-guard so we could work to a pressure pass. Or, if you could get heavy pressure on stacked knees you could pass to side control. Then we did free-rolling from that start position. I can see some things that are going on, I just have trouble stopping it. I think the key is slowing things down, or getting things to slow down.