bushido_man96

The way your current style does it is how mine also does a single-knife hand block/strike. What about the double knife hand (i.e., when the non-blocking hand is used to cover the solar-plyxus instead of being pulled back to a chambered position). Do you begin with that hand in front and bring it back, or with it behind and swing it forward with the blocking hand? Double blocks, like double knifehand block or double forearm block, start with both hands back, and both come forward. Sorry, I probably didn't explain this too well. Think about the example of crossing the arms. Same idea, but instead of crossing them, the arms still do the "hugging yourself" type of pre-movement, but instead of crossing, one is above the other. It does allow for a deeper stretch of the pre-movement. Sorry for the confusion. Hope that helps.

I'm not a fan of it. I save hugging for those I'm very close to, and not sweaty guys after I've been kicked in the head a few times. If its someone I know well, then maybe one of those back-slapping type hugs. I think this may also tend to be a regional/cultural thing, too. Depending on how one was raised and what not.

Anytime, tg.

I don't, but I've considered adding in some protein to my diet, but I don't want to add too many more calories. I've heard there's a lower calorie protein shake out there at GNC, so I might check it out.

1/17/2012 Forms Naifanchi and Poe-Eun to start the morning. 1/18/2012 Deffley B Dead lift: warmup: 135x5, 225x5, 315x3; work: 330x5x3 Push press: warmup: 45x5, 85x5, 95x3, 115x2; work: 155x5x5 Rack pulls: 375x3x5

Lots of good stuff in your post up there, Justice. I like the idea of using the chair, too. I will have to play with that some. I have done plenty of moving in front of a heavy bag, but I always hit it while moving. That is good, I think, but the chair would take away the drive to hit, and I could just work on movement (and maybe kicking over the chair). Lots of good stuff so far, everyone. Great coverage on this topic by all contributors.

I'm in a more unfortunate spot with forms, where there doesn't tend to be really any application work taught with each. There are some there that I can work with, given a good partner and lots of time, but nothing done in class time. So, we have a form for each rank, as part of curriculum. This isn't bad, necessarily, either. I still have learned good technical aspects of movement from the forms I've done. However, I do think there are times when less is more. When you start to dig into the intricacies to lots of forms, it can be tough to give proper attention to so many. However, what is also nice about having so many forms available, is that each student will likley find a few that tend to work better for him or her, in relation to body size and movement style or combinations. This is where it is good to have more, so you can be sure as an instructor to fill the needs of all your students, hopefully.

Congrats to him! Quite the resume there.

While I was at academy, the guy who would put us through our PT showed me a video of the "ball of the foot" running, and showed a graph of the impact difference on the knees between heel-to-toe running and vise versa. It made lots of sense, but is tough to get used to.

Don't worry, deckerdude. In time, you'll see how the differences pan out in the styles. Hopefully, you'll be able to keep the two seperate enough they won't interfere with each other in practice. If you can, then you'll be solid!

All valid points, tg, and one's I've had in mind, as well. The new head DT guy at our academy has some of the BJJ basics he shows, and he did a class for us a few years back in which the moves were introduced, and after drilling, we did some series rolling, doing different postions, reversals, locks, etc. Really simple stuff that could be good stuff to spend time on, and not terribly complex. Here is the video I was addressing with my DT partner. It was on PoliceOne.com. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policeone.com%2Fless-lethal%2Farticles%2F4480715-Video-Suspect-wrestles-cop-to-the-ground%2F&h=QAQEnBAnAAQEH7pOU2gDJIKj1fSwW-Wwih64mwwUfv4yBow

In some of the vidoes I've seen of Capeoira, I've noticed this way of moving. I can see the power, too. It'd be tough for me to get used to, I think, after doing it otherwise for so many years, but I see the merit in the way the movements are done.

I don't know about this. Head kicks are pretty popular in movies and that is what a "street fighter" is going to be thinking about. They might expect a head kick more than anything else because they are familiar with TKD as a popular system of martial arts as opposed to some other system that has little to no kicks to the head. I see your point here. I also have heard a lot the arguement that the kick could be caught, and then the kicker would be in a world of trouble. And this would be true. However, how many people that you might go up against, in a "self-defense scenario," will have trained to catch kicks like that? And it is said that "you don't rise to the occassion, you sink to the level of your training." Another example I would bring up is how often do you see kicks caught in MMA matches, performed by experience MAists with lots of training and practice against kickers and kicking. Not many, that I've seen, yet. So, I'll admit that it could happen, and I wouldn't want it to happen to me, so I don't think about kicking high in self-defense. But I don't think the "catch the kick" arguement holds a lot of water, either.

I think what needs to be kept in perspective is that bowing is just a cultural aspect of the east in showing respect; not unlike a handshake. That's how I look at it and explain it, and try to ease the minds of those who question it.

Ah, my bad. Sorry. Perhaps it is a training kata unique to that particular instructor.

In my current TKD style, the knife hand block tends to start with both arms crossed, the knife hand on the inside, for both blocking or striking, if I recall correctly. I like to consider the crossing of the arms as an initial "guarding" or "protecting" defensive position, similar to what Iain Abernethy demonstrates in his applications, prior to the striking hand either striking or doing some other application. When I was in the ATA, we always did "blocks on bottom, strikes on top." That is, the arms crossed parallel to each other, instead of crossing like an X, and to make things consistent for students and instructors, blocking arms were crossed on the bottom, and striking arms were crossed on the top. Less application there, in my mind, and more of a technical aspect.

All valid, excellent points, tallgeese. I've had a discussion with my DT partner just recently, and showed a different video to him, but one of a former high school state Wrestler taking an officer down on the street, striking him several times, before the officer fought away and used his Taser to bring the guy down. I told him it was "why we needed to learn ground fighting." He told me he wanted to focus more on staying off the ground, and one comment he made was that officers won't go to 3 classes a week, and he won't be able to teach a complete system. I told him that you don't need a whole system, but there are things that can be trained so when officers do end up on the ground, they will at least have some exposure and a plan to get heading in the right direction. I'm not sure he's buying it yet, but I will keep working on it.

That was pretty freakin' cool!

There is a fellow with a youtube channel I've checked out; calls himself Kwonkicker; and he is a TKD guy who has adapted his training and fought some Muay Thai. You might check out some of his stuff for some ideas.

One of the biggest things with gaining flexibility is being consistent with your stretching. Along with the advise given above, make it a part of your routine so it is done regularly.

1/13/2012 Deffley C Squats: warmup: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 245x2; work: 280x3x5 Overhead press: warmup: 45x5, 75x5, 95x3, 115x2; work: 120x3x5 Incline bench press: warmup: 45x5, 65x5, 85x3, 95x2; work: 120x3x5 Seated good-mornings: 120x3x12 Hip thrusts: 3x10 Glute-ham raises: 3x5 Front squat: 120x3x5 Stretch: standing/kneeling quads, front/twist/side kick bar stretches, toe touches, chest/tris/bis. 1/15/2012 The Aikido club I was attending several months back has just opened up a dojo off-campus, and are now offering more class times, along with some different philosophical and meditation offerings. I attended the demo they had on 1/15 to watch and check things out. They had a good turnout of students, and the demo was fun to watch. I hope the school pans out for him, and I hope to find some time to get in there. 1/16/2012 Deffley A Squats: warmup: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 245x2; work: 285x3x5 Bench press: warmup: 45x5, 135x5, 185x3, 205x2; work: 240x4,5,5 Barbell rows: warmup: 95x5, 115x3, 135x2; work: 175x3x5 Hip thrusts: 3x10 Glute-ham raises: 3x5 Seated good-mornings: 125x3x12 Stretch: standing/kneeling quads, front/twist/side kick bar stretches, toe touches, chest/tris/bis.

Welcome, ZenGuitar!

Welcome to the Forums!

Welcome to KF, Dave!

I thought there was a form called Empi that had a lot of elbow strikes in it. Is that it?