bushido_man96

If you ask me, the guy isn't really doing anything all that special. It doesn't have anything to do with "internal" or "external," but more about body position, body mechanics, and which way you push or pull someone when they are in a certain position. This kind of thing isn't relegated to the Far East, either. I've read old articles about English "parlor tricks" performed using similar body mechanics.

By "emptying my cup," I try to keep an open mind to whenever someone else comes along and offers to show me how to do things. That doesn't mean I don't still like the way I do things, but I do use those opportunities to learn. To take over 15 years of training and to "empty" all of what I know, I will not be likely to do. But, I will present an open mind, and willingness to learn and try.

If you add eye gouging, fish-hooking, and biting, you've sorta got an early UFC. I just have a hard time seeing some members of the Gracie family not pulling guard against an unskilled opponent. If we're discussing a fight where we've got more real life variables like weapons and multiple attackers, nobody would deliberately get into a fight. I agree. You fight like you train, and a Gracie would likely street fight on the ground when given the chance. Someone with that kind of skill, though, could likely pull it off quick. I agree with you here, too. There is a different between a "fight" and an "attack." An attack is usually going to put someone behind the 8 ball real fast, because they didn't see it coming. That person probably ends up falling down a lot of the time, too.

It would be kind of fun to learn. The extent of my "tricking" capabilites is a 360 crescent kick, and a 360 hook or side kick...and they aren't that great, either.

I agree with you here completely. I was, or am, that way. At the time, it definitely was about the belt; it was a huge goal of mine. After that, and as I've spent more years in, you start to realize what more there is, and what else it is about. I think this happens to many of us over the years. I had to start over in a different TKD organization, too. I'm glad I had been around for several years in the arts, and had achieved that level of maturity to understand that even though I was wearing a white belt, it isn't what I was. Looking back, it was a good experience.

I think wanting to teach is a fantastic goal. Not everyone can do it well, that is for sure.

I think most of them have decent punching technique. They do pretty good jabs, crosses, and hooks, I think. Most of their defense involves covering and moving, and not outright blocking of punches. Much like Boxing does.

Welcome to KF!

7/18/2011 SL 5x5A Squats: warmup: 45x5x2, 135x5, 205x3, 225x2; work: 245x5x5 Bench press: warmup: 45x5x2, 135x5, 155x3, 175x2; work: 205x5x5 Barbell rows: warmup: 75x5x2, 95x3, 105x2; work: 145x5x5 Power cleans: 125x5 Dips: 5,5 Stretch: quads, front kick bar stretch. TKD class: 6:00 - 7:00. Basics, forms (several black belt forms), one-steps, sparring. Brief seated straddle stretch afterwards. 7/20/2011 SL 5x5B Squats: warmup: 45x5x2, 135x5, 205x3, 225x2; work: 250x5x5 Overhead press: warmup: 45x5x2, 65x3, 85x2; work: 125x5x5 Dead lift: warmup: 135x5, 175x5, 210x5; work: 300x5 Stretch: quads. The overhead press is getting tough, and the last rep of the last two sets was a grunter to get up. The dead lift is my first ever 300# lift. I was pretty pumped.

I offer my condolences as well.

I agree, Bob, if they are intertwined with each other, and not done independent of each other. I guess I'd like to see how they chain together and go seemlessly with each other, and not be kihon, THEN kata, THEN kumite. If that makes sense.... I never had either. What I've seen and learned on this site from others has caused me to go research these things on my own, and I do see loads of potential in the use of forms and applications together. In my opinion, with the use of forms applications, I would prefer to see the use of one-step sparring in my school become obsolete.

I agree with your assessment here. I think that doing paired work on the applications is a much more productive use of class time than spending it on solo forms practice. I would love to do more things like this, aside from our one-step sparring that we do. Given a chance, it should evolve and become more interactive as time goes on and experience grows.

You mentioned counter-puncher; how about counter-kicker? You could also require a staple move for anytime a combination is thrown; like a hook punch, or a hook kick, for example. As for the grappling part of it, you assign different "missions" for the fighters. For instance, one draws a card that says they can only win with a choke from side mount (however practical this is; I'm not a grappler...yet), or one can only win after sweeping his opponent. Things like that to make them focus on different moves and setups, particularly ones they are uncomfortable with.

I'd call that a bait. I guess by giving them an opportunity, you still remain the one being attacked; although a foolish idea, I think. Anybody can get lucky, and I know my luck is terrible as it is, so I wouldn't try anything like that. I'm not saying you would either, but I see what you are getting at here, as well.

Actually, studies have shown that muscles help to insulate the body better from damage. So, having big muscles helps with being "tough." That's probably a big part of why most of the professional fighters out there are well muscled guys. I beg to differ on this as well. Being bigger and stronger than your opponent is a significant attribute in fighting and self-defense; that's why they created weight classes in professional combat sports. Its also the reason why in justifying a use of force, the size of the attacker can be brought into play in order to justify a higher degree of force in escaping an attack. I'm not saying you are wrong in that experience isn't valuable; it very much is. What I am saying is that you can't discount someone's size and strength as an advantage to them, either. You should also never assume that your attacker doesn't know anything about fighting. Underestimating your enemy is a good way to get thumped, too.

The data presented is what it is. Since most of us have enough control to not go out and start fights with anyone, its going to be little more than conjecture as to how things would change when a trained MAist is attacked. I think Liver Punch makes good points here, too; if you are a trained ground fighter, don't let the stats from a fight study dictate whether or not you take someone to the ground in a fight or not. I haven't read enough of the study here, but I wonder if these fights are "picked" fights, where the two combatants started off in a mouthing off contest, followed with posturing, and then came to blows, or if they were "jumped" by someone not paying attention; a surprise attack. This information could change the dynamics of the study completely.

Our colored belt system has a "recommended" and "decided" grading subsystem. Basically, the "decided" is like getting a + on your grade, like the difference between an A and an A+. I don't mind it at all. Everyone has different abilities, and everyone can't be judged the same. There are also varying degrees of being good. Some people are very sound technicians, and their bodies are built so that every kick and technique they do looks so tight and awesome. My instructor is tall and lean, and he has very tightly chambered kicks, and has good power all around. I'm rather hefty, and am quite a bit shorter. Being stockier, I don't develop the same tightness to the chambers of my kicks, so I can't compare my technique to his very well; to me, his will always look better. But, then there are some people who might be more powerful with their hand techniques, or better at sparring, or have had multiple chances to defend themselves, and have excelled in those areas. So, I think there are varying things that MAists can be good at, and still be different enough that you can't pick out at first sight why one is a certain rank and another is higher or lower.

7/15/2011 SL 5x5B Squats: warmup: 45x5x2, 135x5, 205x3, 225x2; work: 240x5x5 Overhead press: warmup: 45x5x2, 65x3, 85x2; work: 120x5x5 Dead lift: warmup: 135x5, 175x5, 210x5; work: 295x5 With the deload on squats, I really focused on my technique, especially hip drive. Dead lift felt really good. End of week stats: Weight: 255 lbs BF: 30.5% BMI: 38.8

The following post was removed in error: I apologize for any inconvenience.

The following post was removed in error: I apologize for any inconveniences.

The following post was removed in error: I apologize for any inconveniences.

The following post was removed in error: I apologize for any inconveniences.

The following post was removed in error: I apologize for any incoveniences.

The study was focusing on the assumption of unskilled fighters, so in that context, it's not a terrible sample. I would still significantly prefer something else, but it is acceptable for a non-academic study. I'd also say that for control purposes, MMA fights would probably work. I think that MMA fights would not be as good as a control group, because you have a more select sample you are picking from. Its also a different environment than "non-consesnual" combat takes place in. Therefore, I don't think it would accurately reflect what happens in "non-consensual" combat.

I agree with you here; every MAist must do what they feel is best for them. However, the fact of the matter is that when a fight happens, try as one might to control all aspects of a fight, there are variables in fights that arise that may be out of our control. Hence, more people end up on the ground than they might plan.