bushido_man96

These sound a lot like how the WTF does their Olympic style kicks. The way is a great drill, and I use that at times to help a student with their spin back kicks. They are good variations.

When I was a trainee instructor with my first club, I did get paid, but it equated to about minimum wage at the time. Now, I don't get paid as an instructor, but I do get a discounted membership fee.

Ideally, an isntructor should make sure that if he allows a student to test, then he believs that student can pass the test. But, just because they have the ability to pass the test, doesn't guarantee they will pass the test. I think part of the problem with today's society is that everyone tries to remove the fear of failure from everything we do. The fact of the matter is that failure still happens, whether we want to sugar coat everything or not. What we need to do be able to do is teach people how to deal with and overcome failure, instead of being afraid of it, and trying to get around it so everyone can feel good and equal and all that. In closing, I say it is the instructor's responsibility to make sure a student is ready to test. It is not the instructor's responsibiltiy to pass the test; that lies with the student. Another thought; in school, everyone takes the tests at the same time. Just because one person goofed off and didn't study, they don't get an extension for extra preparation. I know we don't teach Martial Arts in the same way, but why couldn't it work that way? I would say, if I was going to conduct my testings in this manner, I probably wouldn't charge for them. But what would be wrong with this way of testing?

Yeah, its the idea that is easier to go into motion if you are already in motion...an object in motion tends to stay in motion, I guess.

You can try to throw the crescent kick a bit lower, into the body, legs, or knees, for a different effect, and it doesn't require as much turning of the body as a round kick or side kick do.

I don't know. I think there are lots of teens that get into Boxing, so I don't know that it would be much different if MMA were available. It would depend on the parents, too.

Right now I just supplement lifting weights with my MA training. I used to do more plyometric stuff, but haven't done so lately. I'm trying to lift for power right now, and do a lot of squats.

8/5/2011 Weekly stats Weight: 254 lbs BF%: 31.5 BMI: 38.6 SL 5x5B Squats: warmup: 45x5x2, 135x5, 205x3, 225x2; work: 260x5x5 Overhead press: warmup: 45x5x2, 65x3, 85x2; work: 130x5x5 Dead lift: warmup: 135x5, 175x5, 210x5; work: 285x5 Stretch: front kick bar stretch, standing quad. 8/8/2011 Aikido: 9-10 am. Stretch: light stretching of legs and back. Technique: worked on tenkan, and then some exercises on movement energy and motion with tenkan. Then worked into a sankyo lock from tenkan, then into some throws off some line work. SL 5x5A Squats: warmup: 45x5x2, 135x5, 205x3, 225x2; work: 265x5x5 Bench press: warmup: 45x5x2, 135x5, 155x3, 175x2; work: 215x5x5 Barbell rows: warmup: 75x5x2, 95x3, 105x2; work: 140x5x5 Power clean: 140x5 Dips: 6, 6, 5 Stretch: front kick bar stretch, standing quads.

I'm guilty!! I know I am too, Bob. Its so easy to continue to ramble on about something one is so passionate about.

Ah, ok. Thanks!

Yes, Bob. Including eating breakfast....its the Martial Breakfast!!!!

Oooo....I think we all here can relate to this happening to us from time to time...I know I can. Yeah, that feeling of not being in control of what is going on is NOT a good feeling. Makes me feel so small and insignificant...

Cung Le was really good at setting up his spin back kicks. He usually led with a round kick, and then sat the round kick foot down in a position that facilitated a quicker spin.

Being serious is important in sparring. Being too aggressive can be an issue, especially when it comes down to no one is learning anything. I'd say if you feel the need to be a bit more defensive in sparring, especially to keep from being injured, then that's what you have to do. I'd also say that if the environment you train is such that you run a higher risk of being injured every day, then it may be prudent to find a different school to train in.

What is Mokuso?

This isn't uncommon, as I understand it. I've seen both, and I think either is acceptable. Most TKD styles start at 9th gup/kyu.

Just to clarify what you are saying here, do you only do it as a back leg kick, then? It is a powerful kick that way, for sure, but I always find it is just so much slower and more cumbersome to get around to execute. That could just be that I'm slow, too.

Yeah, I think you are right about that, Bob. Once that adrenaline rush hits, many don't know how to deal with it, and they get that tunnel vision, and focus on one task, which becomes fighting or fleeing.

A little reminder, sometimes is in order. But not to such an extent that the student would question whether it is wise to return to class or not. Control tends to become a factor from time to time, especially in some intermediate level students that get excited about the abilities they have developed, and may not realize they are a bit out of control.

Yes, he does, but like stated earlier, just because a Martial Artist does it, doesn't make it a Martial Art necessarily. I will not deny the athletic ability required to be able to do that stuff, though. Those guys are good.

This is a valid point. I think for many years it was just assumed that those who came to study the Martial Arts already knew how to get away or avoid things, so the teachers taught what they thought the students came for, the actual self-defense techiques; kicking, punching, joint manipulation, throws, takedowns, grappling, etc. Only relatively recently has the ideas of training avoidance and awareness come more into play, and those tend to follow more along the lines of what Reality Based instructors package into their systems, as opposed to what many more traditional based styles do, or even the sport styles like Boxing, Wrestling, MMA, etc do. The fact of the matter is that those things probably need to be addressed more often than the actually are, and could be dealt with in minor sessions of each class, or a few classes per week.

This is how our classes are in TKD. Its great for teaching, because you don't have to come up with many class ideas; its already laid out for you. The downside is that it doesn't allow for impromptu stuff and changing things up doesn't happen very often. Also, since we kind of follow that kihon/kata/kumite format, it tends to feel like we fall into a rut at times.

Rhadi Ferguson won't let the people he personally trains wear an ipod or anything. He says you need to be self motivated because music won't be there to motivate you when you need it. He feels this is true in all aspects of being successful. I tend to agree. I agree with this. I actually heard a fellow once complaining about not being able to lift (weights) to the music that was currently playing. And it was like he actually let it affect his lifting. I just couldn't understand that. I never really thought about it as a clock before, but I can see what you mean here. It would be interesting to see how it is used, and watch the movement flowing with the the rhythm.

8/3/2011 Aikido: 9-10 am. Finally made it back to a class! My 5 year old son came along, too, and he had a pretty good time, and got to do the throws at the end, as well. Stretch: seated straddle, left and right, cobra stretch, butterfly and back. Technique: worked on irimi, an entering technique, doing some partner stuff to work on movement and tai sabaki. Finished up with doing what they call a "buddy drop" type of throw from the irimi. SL 5x5A Squats: warmup: 45x5x2, 135x5, 205x3, 225x2; work: 255x5x5 Bench press: warmup: 45x5x2, 135x5, 155x3, 175x2; work: 210x5x5 Barbell rows: warmup: 75x5x2, 95x3, 105x2; work: 135x5x5 Power clean: 135x5 Stretch: front kick bar stretch, standing quads.

Agreed...step behind is the way we do it also. I do agree with you guys here. I think in general crossing the legs is not very sound tactically. Its a good way to get pushed over I think. Any step done needs to be done quickly, and with as little time spent crossed up as possible.