bushido_man96

I think the way we will be seeing most Karatekas entering MMA right now is through the exceptionally talented and/or hardworking practitioners who achieve a high level Karate background, then move into the MMA environment through an MMA gym, and then end up spending less time in the Karate environment, and more in the MMA training environment. But, they will have that "Karate background." I think this is how we will see the few and far between Karatekas pop up, like Machida, that the more traditional Karatekas will want to see more of in MMA. Yes, Machida is a good example of a Karateka in MMA. But, he also has those other credentials. And when you watch him fight, there really is no doubt he is a Karateka first in the ring. But, Machida doesn't train in the traditional way that Karate schools do. If he did, his training schedule would be crazy, and that alone demonstrates how hard it would be for traditional Karatekas to find the training time to prepare for MMA competition. Most of us have families and jobs to do. ShoriKid, that was a great response. The one thing I would disagree with you on is that I think Kyokushin stylists might actually have a leg up on other Karate stylists, due to the level of training and contact they have in their fighting style. Thanks for the replies so far, everyone. Great discussion.

I think the goal should be to facilitate the training so that when "the moment" comes, you've practiced and practiced enough that what you have practiced comes to the fore, and that it has been researched and studied enough for the body to know it is a fluent and efficient technique. That's the goal, anyways, in my opinion.

We differ here. I don't make this distinction when kicking with instep or ball of the foot. My base foot still rotates the same amount, close to 180 degrees as I can make it go. If I don't do this, my ball of the foot kick will not have as much power, because I won't be able to get my hips and body as engaged in the kick.

I actually think that's great that you're not making your son join MA. At our club we see a lot of kids who get signed up by their parents who also train but the kids don't really want to be there. Thanks, Danielle. Its kind of tough, because I really want to share the MAs with my kids, but I don't want them to feel forced to do it because of me, and then not enjoy it, and put a bad taste in their mouths for the future. I've seen that happen firsthand at my current school, and there are some pretty miserable practitioners there that you can tell most of the time don't want to be there and are not enjoying themselves. I figure they'll come around to it if they get interested enough to. I've at least got a foot in the door with him enjoying Wrestling, and he is already asking when Wrestling starts up again.

Kudos on your breaks, jaypo. That's exactly the point I was trying to make to the students in our school, and seeing it like you did really sends the point home, I think.I think a good way to think of performing techniques in forms is in the manner you demonstrated, that if a board just happened to appear in front of a technique, that the student would be able to break the board with that technique, and not have that moment of anxiety I see so often during board breaks when the student sees the board, then gets all wound up about breaking the board instead of performing their technique.

That sounds like a cool deal. My DT partner and I would watch the Combat Hapkido videos, and then train back and forth for reps and discuss how we liked or didn't like the techniques. With experienced and dependable partners and some MA experience to go with it, video learning can be possible.

Although there is a spiritual aspect that is usually portrayed in Karate practice, it is largely up to the practitioner to observe and follow said philosophies. Many still have a desire to participate, and many of the past greats, like Norris, Wall, Uriquedez, and Wallace, were all great competitors, but that doesn't mean they didn't adhere to the philosophical aspects of the art.

Thanks for the response here, ps1. No worries on the delay!

I'm not sure what kind of boards they brought in, but I've never had boards break by dropping them. And I've seen bounces by moderately sized adults with bad technique that I would have been ashamed to call a technique. But, everyone has different experiences.

Its a good article, and written by a very knowledgeable Karateka, but I don't think it totally discounts the ability to use high kicks.

This was a reply I made to this comment by judobrah in this thread: http://www.karateforums.com/for-kyokushin-karatecas-video-vt43815-10.html I felt this topic deserved to have its own discussion thread. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on this. i couldnt agree more,i hope one day i will get to compete in knockdown karate there are still good figthers with a karate backround in mma(like gsp,lyoto machida e.t.c),but whe dont see karate being that used,even too its proven it can be very effective Part of it has to be the desire of the Karateka's to want to compete, and then dedicate their training schedule to do so. Those who have, have altered their training to be more MMA'esque, and have basically dedicated the time needed to train in a competitive schedule. Its less basics and katas practice, and more sparring, pad work, bag work, conditioning, and then the added grappling element needed to compete. The main hindrance, in my opinion, is the lack of established MMA gyms by a Karate based coached. By and large, your MMA gyms are Thai/BJJ based, or some derivative therein. The secondary hindrance is that when many folks come into MMA gyms, they are competition driven, and the gyms are competition focused. You don't have customers coming into MMA gyms saying they want to earn their black belt in Karate before they start competing. So, if more dedicated Karatekas wanted to see competitors in MMA do things "the Karate way," then you'd be looking at a Karate school that teaches a Karate-based curriculum, holding gradings and moving the students through the ranks to black belt, and then perhaps to 2nd or 3rd dan,(because a 1st degree black belt just means they have the basics down), and then once they achieve a suitable rank, put them forth in the competition world. And that's assuming the Karate school has been able to provide the grappling background the competitors will need to survive a round in MMA competition. So, in order to see more "Karate style" MMA fighters, you have to either be content with the occasional arrival of a diamond in the rough like Machida, or some Karate schools are going to have to make some changes to the way they promote and train students in order to prepare them more efficiently for the MMA ring. That's my take, anyways. Thoughts?

I'm not sure I see what you mean here. Could you elaborate some, please?

That is really great! I am waiting for when my kids get interested in it enough to want to do it on their own, as opposed to force them. I think my middle son might be willing to give Aikido a try, but Wrestling season is rolling around, and he really enjoys that. As an instructor, I love seeing a group of juniors that are pumped to be in class, and really listen well to corrections and do their best to achieve their best.

I think that's the "heavy hips" thing. They get good at smushing you.

10/4/2012 AM session at home, 30 minutes. 10/5/2012 AM session at clinic, 45 minutes. Back to work today, whoo-hoo!

Its cool that they provided the opportunity, though. Hopefully we'll see more of that in the future.

I've been watching a bit of the sparring, and have been rather enjoying it. The gear used is basically what we used in my ATA days, although that has changed now. That's how I'd prefer to spar. The only bad thing about the head shots is you get some of those slug fest flurries going on, and it takes away from some of the kicking.

The only thing really required to compete in the Olympics is being a member of the WTF. And the hard core North Korean ITFers will not likely ever, ever decide to do that.A black belt I know in the ATA once competed at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA for TKD competition, and won the Colorado state championship in his weight class. He was I think an ATA 3rd degree at the time, but paid WTF dues so he could compete. I'm sure there are some other requirements that need to be met that I'm not thinking of, black belt rank being one of them, but that's about the extent of it.

I agree with this. And I as well. Well said.

I don't listen too much right now, but anything with good beat, likely hard rock or such.

Agreed on all accounts. Breaking brings together focus, distancing, technique, speed, and power. It is a great way to evaluate a single technique. These are some great ideas to deal with the psychological aspect of getting over the boards. Thanks for sharing them! Sometimes, we'll draw some funny faces or something like that for the kids to focus on. I can think of some pictures of some people I'd like to tape to a board I'm going to break.... This is a very good exercise. The first time I did it was with one of my ATA instructors, and it was a great way to get everyone to focus on really good technique and targeting, and was a very inexpensive way to practice board breaking. Here here! That drives me bats, ESPECIALLY when I am the board holder. That's where confidence in technique comes in. Unless I have to make some serious adjustments to the holders, I line up once, then smash. And I know every holder appreciates it. When I was in the ATA, if we lined up and contacted the board on a practice technique, then that counted as an attempt, and we only got three attempts per station. I wish our school would do that, too.

No worries, judobrah. I didn't think you were being rude, and I apologize if I hadn't elaborated well enough initially. You are right about the child black belt being a touchy subject, too. Lots of opinions to look at there. Good point, BB of C. I didn't talk get too in depth on the topic at the time; everyone was ready to get home, and I didn't want to keep them while I rambled on for 15 to 20 minutes, as I easily could have. But, I don't think others enjoy the sound of my voice as much as I do... But, in regards the thoughts on power and technique, I agree with you. I think what your Kuk Sool Won instructors may have been trying to accomplish is to teach technique first, and then add power, so that as a new student one doesn't try to hit hard by sacrificing technique. But, like you say, I think they go hand in hand, and it is important to bring both aspects around in a fairly simultaneous fashion. I kind of have a theory or equation that I try to relate to those who start breaking boards. I tell them technique will get them one board, power will get another, and when you can bring your technique together with speed to generate power, then the sky's the limit. I haven't really had a way to test this yet, but I use it to try to calm their minds when they get wound up about breaking their boards or not. If their technique is sound, and they are confident in it, and they do a board break technique the same way they practice their basic technique, then they shouldn't have too much to worry about when approaching a break. And if their technique is sound, then they should be able to add a bit of speed or power to it to get a bit more oomph for breaking a second or third board. I can understand your consternation in discovering you were doing something right that another told you was wrong. Frustrating, to be sure. That's why when I've been doing something for as long as I have, and someone else comes along and says "no, no, do it this way," I will gladly listen to their advise, try things out the different way, and then try to make my own informed decision. Your last statement that I highlighted in bold, I totally agree with. That's why I told the students that we really harp on them as instructors during basics. Every technique they do should be "kyuk-pa," or the term for "break" in Korean.

If it were me, I don't think I would, but not because I really have anything against the idea. I just don't think I would do it.

Ok, I agree that the ITF one was lots better.

I don't know how often the sheepdogs become wolves, and I'm not saying it doesn't happen. What I am more inclined to believe is that those that appear to become wolves have always been wolves, but have been able to either hide their true side, or do a profession that allows their wolf side to come out in order to slake their thirst from time to time with no one the wiser. But, I think by and large that when something like that is seen, its one of those cases that its blown up to the point that makes it appear to happen at a greater percentage than it really does.