bushido_man96

Good stuff, Alex. Thanks for posting this up. It sounded like you got to get some good coaching from the side of the mat, which I think is great for learning in competitions. I loved your coache's line, "That's real life Jiu Jutsu right there!" Good stuff!

That's cool. Didn't realize that.

Nice!

We haven't changed much, that I can see. Our current GM is still around, as founder of the style. As to who will succeed, we shall see.

Nice job tallgeese!

I'm not sure if he cross-trained or not. A spinning backfist isn't exclusive to Muay Thai, and neither are thigh kicks. If we can learn high round kicks, then we can do them low, too.

Yeah, the general idea appeared to be learn and adapt for how you liked. Much looser than now.

I don't think that is necessarily true. It would be up to the NGBs of the style to control everything there.

I'm at a point in my career now where there really can't be any urgency. I can only do a little at a time, and I have to really pace things out now. Learning more patience, and its killing me!

I've had those same revelations myself. When you've done something for so long, it can be hard to see where the mistakes are when it feels right because you don't realize otherwise.

DoctorQui: it sounds like that instructor might be on a bit of a power trip more than anything. I think you should address him in private about the issues you have, and see where it goes from there.

I like the idea of being able to defend myself with my hands and feet. But, I also know the equalizer a firearm can be. I don't get to train as much as MMA trainees do, or with the kind of contact, or the amount of ground training they have. So, having a gun as an equalizer is not a bad deal. I have no interest in "dancing" with someone to see who the better man is. I want to go home and be with my family.

I have trouble seeing a "long range" escape, especially being outside of any kind of range, unless there is a big leap or some such after a technique in the escape. Most of what I've done and taught in Hapkido have been in the close range. We then finish the separation with either a release, which allows a chance to decide to follow up if necessary, or retreat if applicable. Or, the technique ends in a lock, with a finishing strike to hopefully incapacitate enough to escape or detain. In a perfect world, yes, escape would be how the grand scheme ends. But, escape isn't always a first viable option. You can escape and turn tail and run, but if the attacker pursues, then you've turned your back to him/her; not good, unless you have world class speed. So, release and evaluate is a better option, in my opinion. My other consideration comes from the LEO point of view. We want to detain, not escape, so its important that my training reflects these goals. The ability to justify further action must be appropriately articulated. So, its important that the end of a training scenario be broken down in an evaluation setting in order to practice this kind of articulation. That's also where "separate and evaluate" comes into play. Learning to evaluate the attacker's intent, and explain what you saw the intent was, will go a long way in making your case as to why you did what you did. I always agree with this.

You'd be surprised how many people don't realize they've been cut until after the fight is over.

I don't know that I've ever seen anything like that other than in those movies. Most places don't allow you carry them in public, so having the holster is probably not necessary.

I think there are already some lower level organizations that have women competing. White will probably just start plucking the good ones away from them with the offer of bigger purses on a bigger stage with the UFC. Probably won't take long at all.

Its the desire to be able to perform normally again. I know it. I'm still recovering from shoulder surgery. This past week, I've been doing a considerable number of forms, for review, mainly. I started out doing them just as walk throughs, nice and easy so as not to push my arm beyond its limits. Then, I started kicking harder and turning faster, because my legs are fine. And my left arm is fine, so I punch and block harder with it. Well, then the left arm starts to follow along, but hey, its feeling pretty good! Come the next day, my left shoulder is sore, and damn if I didn't work it a bit too much. But, I'll give it time, back off, and it will feel better soon. I think its in our nature to do what we know we could in the past like that. Just make sure to listen to your body, and optimize what you can do. Better to be able to train at a bit less than 100% than not at all.

I agree. I have some autographs of some of the ATA masters in my ATA The Way books. Wished I'd had something for GM Han to sign.

You're welcome, Bob. Karatekas talk a lot about wanting to see more of their peers in MMA. I'd love to see a guy like this in there. He's a whirlwind of striking techniques...just wonder if he has any kind of ground game.

I agree, Bob. I think with the way styles like Shotokan have come on, and made kata into how they are viewed, and the same hard-line thinking that deems them "precious," "scared," and "unchangeable" has led to that stagnation.

But what about when it interferes with karate training and becomes a particular instructors raison d'etre. In a typical hour, we would have 15 mins of warm up (including press ups, sit ups et al) then then 45 minutes of karate training including technique, kata and sparring! On Tuesday evening, this particular instructor was taking the calss, we had the usual 15 mins warm up then when it came to the session, we were doing 10-20 push ups everytime a child got there left or right mixed up, if he didn't think we were saying OSU loud enough. He even made us all do push ups when he didn't think a certain student was kicking high enough (until I pointed out to him at the end that that student had an injury)! Why didn't that student speak out, well 5 mins before he made us all do 20 for another student speaking out when they were trying to tell the instructor something (I couldn't hear what it was!). I worked out at the end that we had had about 15 minutes of karate and 45 minutes of push ups. Not exactly what most people pay for really! For the record, I have not problem with using discipline when its required, but in my opinion, dishing it out to establish authority where it isn't necessary and for such silly reasons is not constructive particularly where paying adult students are concerned. My main instructor is an 8th Dan and I have never known him dish push ups out, he doesn't need to however this 3rd Dan seems to enjoy the power! I think you have an instructor who thinks he's a drill sergeant, or something. If this many people in the class are messing up that bad, instead of making everyone do pushups, which just makes the person causing the pushups feel bad or embarrassed or both, and taking time away from everyone, they need to be separated and given 1-on-1 time to help them out. If worse comes to worse, just let these few trod on more slowly, and hold them out of some gradings until they are ready. Holding an entire class back doesn't help anyone.

I like that view. And I think that is an advantage that your art possesses; you thrive in the realm of continual, nearly perpetual, I'd venture to say, motion. You probably teach the style in that same way, too. But correct me if I'm wrong.But, in the Eastern based styles, we don't learn it that way. Everything has been basically taught early on in a more stationary manner, and then as you progress, you work into more movement and transition.

Boy, I missed this so badly. I feel so badly about missing out here, Bob. Here's a late happy birthday wish!

RIP.

That's good advise. If I had to use a knife, I think the best idea would be to let him know you have it by letting him find it in his side.