bushido_man96

I currently have to lay off training because of shoulder surgery. My arm still hurts after a month of recovery, and I don't do much with it at all. So, I've been taking a few days of the week doing some bag work with my left arm, or doing some kicking work from youtube videos. Yesterday I did just some sets of back kicks in the living room between reading chapters of a novel. I think next week, after starting work back up, I'll go to the gym and do some walk/running on the treadmill, or work on the bike. Little things just to keep me moving.

Congrats on the award, DoctorQui! Well deserved!

Watching the first video. Its quite a difference, how some of us would love to be able to spend that much time a day training, and how some, like the kids, do it to help their families.

Boss Fight....classic!

I enjoy it myself. Good fun all around!

Being in TKD for most of my career, I'm kind of acclimated to 9 or 10 belt systems. I think they are pretty decent belt systems, too, as I've been able to see through testings and tournaments how the progress tracks as the students keep moving up. I don't see anything wrong with belts systems with fewer than 9 belts, either. In the end, it really depends on the goals of the system or the instructor, and how they set up the advancement of the system. To me, its interesting how many Asian systems have the use of the belt systems, whereas many Westerns systems don't have one, but the skill levels are more readily identified in one's ability to compete with others, and the skill levels are revealed in that context. So, in regards to how many belts might be needed, the answer could be none. In the end, I think its up to the goals of the system.

Welcome to the KF Black Belt Club, Dobbersky!

That's kind of what I was thinking. I try not to get that far into it. I can't think of a time when I trained until I puked, but there have been a few times I thought I was on the verge of doing so. I made sure to stop then.

9/27/2012 AM - 30 minutes of rehab. Kwonkicker front kick tutorial. Back leg and Front leg kicks, stepping back leg kicks, shuffling front leg kicks, using both the bag and kicking without the bag - 20 minutes. Afternoon - 30 minutes of rehab. TKD Testing - 6:30 - 8:00. The instructor asked if I would be able to judge, as we had a girl testing for black belt. She did a really good job, and I could see that her technique had gotten so much better. There were several colored belts that tested as well, and everyone did a pretty good job. 9/28/2012 AM - PT at the clinic for an hour and 15 minutes. Afternoon - 30 min. at home. 9/29/2012 AM session - 30 minutes. 9/30/2012 AM rehab 30 min.

Good advise from everyone. I was told once that any kick you want to do jumping, you have to do it on the ground, first. That way, you study the foot work in the set up, and add the jump in when you get it down.

I think these are some good tips. I also think its important for any stand-up fighter to acquaint themselves with some basic ground moves, like some sweeps or reversals, and working from guard and passing it.

If it is true, I don't think it is disgraceful. There is too much other crap on TV anymore to call this disgraceful. I also kind of like the idea that if someone was trying to mug him, he was able to make them look and feel like fools. In my experience, bad things don't happen to bad people often enough.

I think the major issue for a Wrestler would be getting over the fact that being on your back is ok in BJJ, then just adapting to the different rule set using chokes and locks. I'd think it would be a great base to have, and BJJ could only make it better.

I really don't think things have changed that much over the course of human history. There have always been big guys with egos, and little guys with egos, and fighting has been around forever. I think that TV and MMA exposure just makes it appear like there is more of it now.

Can that philosophy be backed with proof, though? I routinely break 4 boards with head high round kicks, and I think that's pretty good power. I don't think I could break many more than that with a thigh level round kick. Its like anything else; if it isn't trained, then it can't be used. If it is going to be trained, it has to be done properly in terms of application and context.

Ok, catch up time. I'm such a procrastinator... 9/17/2012 AM rehab exercises for 25 minutes. Tension side kicks: sets 3, each leg, 10 sets. Setting leg down between each kick. Bag Work left jab: 10 lead left back fist: 10 lead left hook: 10 lead left uppercut: 10 left cross: 10 rear left hook: 10 rear left uppercut: 10 left upset knifehand strike: 10 left knifehand strike: 10 left hammerfist: 10 left upset hammerfist: 10 left ridgehand: 10 left upset ridgehand: 10 PM rehab: 25 minutes. 9/18/2012 AM physical therapy at clinic: 45 minutes. Started pulley work and adding in weight for resistance. PM: 30 minute rehab at home. 9/19/2012 AM rehab - 30 minutes. Bag Work left jab: 10 left cross: 10 left lead uppercut: 10 left lead hook: 10 left rear uppercut: 10 left rear hook: 10 PM rehab - 30 minutes. 9/20/2012 AM and PM home rehab - 30 minutes each. 9/21/2012 AM therapy session at clinic - 45 minutes. PM 30 minutes home rehab. 9/22/2012 Exercises broken up throughout the day. 9/23/2012 AM and PM home sessions - 30 minutes each. 9/24/2012 and 9/25/2012 AM therapy session at the clinic: 45 minutes. PM home session - 30 minutes; only 10 minutes on the 25th PM session; out of town and didn't have all my stuff with me, so I improvised a bit. 9/26/2012 AM and PM 30 minutes sessions. Floor Kicks: 3 sets of 10 side kicks, each leg.

I only got to see the one match. I got to see more Boxing than any of the other combat sports, which is ok, because I enjoy it, too. I'd love to see MMA make it back to the Olympics, though. I regards to the Judo match, I realize that part of the reason that I didn't see anything really clean was because of the skill level of each of the participants. So, its a kudos to them.

Hello and welcome to KarateForums.com!

Ah, 5th dan beatings...how I miss them!

I don't agree with the ATA's black belt policies, but thats not for me to deal with. As far as the XMA goes, the ATA is not the only MA out there spouting XMA. Its just another branch of what the ATA offers to its students, should they want to do it. And it is not the only thing done at their world championships. They do forms divisions, sparring divisions, etc. Also, their "world" tournament is a two-day event, maybe more, now. One day is reserved for the top ten champion competitions for the forms, weapons, sparring, etc. The next day is open to all ATA competitors. So, its not just the cream of the crop, its also the mediocre and poor competition showing up. When you have that range of demographics, then you'll notice differences. I'm not going to say that the ATA doesn't have any bad schools. They are out there. But there are a lot more good ATA schools than there are bad ones. And they are doing things to improve, as well, especially at the higher ranked black belt testings. I'm sure the big whigs at the ATA know what image of them is out there. They may care, and they may not. But I'm saying that the organization, as a whole, gets too much flack, and not enough credit for the positive things that it provides. One of my favorite pet peeves is the "belts don't matter" stuff that's prattled often. I guess it does matter, though, if its a camo belt. It must be a "fake" belt, I guess. My last gasp here is that I have met some great MAist that have come out of the ATA. I've had some great instructors in the ATA that taught me the importance of technique and instructing well. I have a former instructor that is a 4th degree, very good, one time world champ runner up in sparring, and a great self-defense instructor who uses skills learned through the ATA every day in his job as a police officer. I also know an ATA stylist who competed very well in Olympic style competitions. There are lots of good ATA instructors out there, and if you can get a good one, you are in no way getting a bad MA career.

To be honest, although fun to watch, I didn't find the women's US gold Judo match all that entertaining. I could see how they were working and countering one another, but as far as a fun factor goes, I didn't see that one awesome, clean, Judo toss I was hoping for.

Not sure here. Do you mean why do we do a technique to begin with? I'd say its what tends to be useful when attacked. It may start as something reactionary at first, but then as time and training move one, it becomes refined and altered.

i understand what you are saying i was tryng to say that if someone comes at you by complete suprise,you will problably wont use head kicks,know what i mean?its like if you are atacked by complete suprise,heads kicks would problably be something you wouldnt use,since you dont even have time to think it trough I think when you start thinking of kicks in terms of "head kicks" and "leg kicks" and the like, you start to complicate things too much. Instead, just train the kick, and work on finding the different levels and targets of opportunity when they become available. Like punching. No one thinks too hard about whether to punch the body or the head; at least, its not discussed nearly as much as head kicking/body kicking. Another point I'd like to add is in regards to the "instinctive response" you keep alluding to. Instead of asking "would you do" this or that, begin training in response drills, where stimuli comes out of no where, and therefore you react to it with what you know. If you want to train to respond with head kicks, use this kind of drill to do so. If you want to respond with hands, use this drill to do so. Because if you never do drills like this, then your response to stimuli will be most likely crappy, no matter what your train in.

Every technique is a tool. Lots of people are quick to discount head kicks in self-defense. However, given the proper circumstance, one could prove useful. It just depends on the circumstances, and how much preparation has been done in order to make them useful. You used the word "flashy" to describe back kicks and side kicks. I don't view these as "flashy" kicks, but more as basic kicks, along with the round kick. Low kicks are very useful, especially those below the waist, as many people don't have experience defending low kicks. There are also good targets offered below the waist.

Welcome to the Forums, Vengeance!