bushido_man96

I like your punch to the face mentality. Its a very good one.

Yeah, we do that, too. Always towards the thumb for the weak link. The GM described the spreading of the hand as spreading out the bone structure of the hand and wrist, to get the grabber's grip to spread apart just that much more. How much it adds, I'm not for certain. I do understand what you are talking about here. Something I've also questioned in the past about wrist grab defenses is the likelyhood of actually having your wrist grabbed. It is not as likely, but what the wrist grab does in practice is give the students a starting point to apply the techniques. It likely goes back to the time of hand-to-hand weapons combat when the weapon hand's wrist was grabbed. As for the rest of what you have here, I recognize it as using the "fence" and trying to de-escalate the situation. As far as actually being grabbed goes, I agree that at that point, you are justified in striking, and my personal preference would be to strike until they let go. I've read it. It is a great article. In actuality, Combat Hapkido would flow well within that framework, too. In a broad sense, it would be easy to use CH techniques within that framework, using many of the simple basics. And in a more technical sense, it would work for the most part when it came to the curriculum that we test on in Combat Hapkido. Sometimes, though, the idea of applying a curriuclum gets in the way of applying the tactics and strategies, as I'm sure you've seen before. As for the distraction, "live" hand, root yourself concepts, they aren't supposed to be the overall concepts to making the system work, but rather they are supposed to be sound concepts to apply in every situation presented to us. I also agree that being ready and prepared at all times is a good idea, and being in a good stance before things get bad is the best plan. Like you say, with knees flexed, feet spread a bit, and hands up in a fence, ready to ward when necessary.

4/19/2011 My 5 year old son wanted to work the heavy bag today, so I hung it up, and I worked on his jab and cross. I got a stick out, and made him concentrate on getting his hand back to position to defend. Good time, and he listened pretty well.

Years back we did at my ATA club. Not really since. My current instructor has gym t-shirts, but none for our TKD class specifically. Maybe I could get my dad to put a cool design together, and pitch it to him. My dad does screen printing, so I might see what he can do. Good idea!

That's cool. I do like that technique, but I much prefer my Hapkido method of application than I do the Aikido application.

These are the three initial concepts I learned when I started training in Combat Hapkido. They are the three things you do at the start of a technique response or "defense." It would go like this for, lets say, a same side wrist grab: When your wrist is grabbed, you root yourself by basically getting into an athletic stance; good base with knees bent/flexed so you are ready to move. "Live" hand is basically opening the hand of the grabbed wrist as far and as wide as you can, spreading the fingers out and spreading all that bone structure out in order to open the attacker's grip if that is possible, and to get your hand and arm ready for engagement. Finally, the distraction technique is what you do with either a kick, knee strike, or a strike with your free hand to "soften up" and distract the attacker, with the goal of causing them to shift their focus and loosen the grip of the attacking hand. Ideally, these three things happen pretty close to simultaneously, and then the defense technique is executed. I'd love to hear any thoughts and feelings on these concepts, and what kind of similar concepts others might have involving the ever so important first seconds of self-defense. Just on a personal note here, I don't like the term "distraction" technique, because I don't want a technique to be just a distraction. That term makes it sound like you are not supposed to commit the technique completely, as it is just to soften them up enough to do the next technique. In my opinion, the idea is to get them to stop, so instead of a "distraction" technique, I like to refer to it as a "disabling" technique. All other thoughts welcome and appreciated!

You are very right on here. When I was putting together ideas for Combat Hapkido classes, I was thinking of adding some nice headgear for the attackers to wear so they could actually hit someone with their distraction techniques. Also, adding a punch after being grabbed, so the defender would have to defend, then go into the techniques. There are so many good ideas out there, and I think the main problem is that many instructors don't go outside of their own class format, which is often inherent in a system, to find new ideas to teach new things.

4/15/2011 Bodyweight squats: 3x20 Push-ups: 3x15 4/18/2011 Bodyweight squats: 4x20 Push-ups: 3x20 Footwork I somehow managed to wake up with a pinched nerve in my neck the other day, so now when I turn my head, I get cool tingling sensations in different parts of my body. So, I'm taking it easy again...

If sport and budo are like male and female, like yin and yang, then we truly cannot have one without the other, then can we?

I agree with ps1. This isn't something that can only happen while on the ground in a fight. It can happen at anytime in a fight. These things aren't good when you are standing up, either. The only advantage that standing really offers you in regards to these additions is to run, and if you are committed to an engagement, then running probably isn't a choice you are making. Judo made a big impact when it came onto the scene early on in some challenge matches with Traditional JJJ, and the big advantage Judo brought to the table was the extent that randori was trained. BJJ developed in kind of the opposite direction of Judo....to the ground game, as opposed to the throwing game.

If not, then no more kicking!

One thing is for sure. Once he starts, he is committed, and never throws only one technique. There is something of value in that, for sure.

I think its important to kind of stand back and look at these "warrior hands" or Iron Palms and whatnot, and really ask what is gained out of them? Calloused knuckles might "look cool" and may even afford an intimidation factor to those impressed by it, and the idea of Iron Palms to strike someone with might be tempting, as well. But, if you really concentrate on how you apply your techniques in training, learning proper mechanics along with strategies and tactics of application, then will some big ugly looking knuckles or an iron slap make much of a difference? Perhaps better to have the "warrior's mind."

I think I've read somewhere that Chuck Norris now will only kick in a pool. It give good resistance, is low impact on the joints, and you can work on good form, too. Not a bad idea. Too bad I don't have a pool.

That would actually be a lot of fun to watch.

I would guess that would be because the elbow movement would have been the beginning of the power generation. I think, anyways.

Congrats!

I think I've only ever placed first in sparring once, at an ATA tourney long ago and far away. I remember being totally gassed afterwards, too. I actually have it on video, but would need to convert it to DVD, then get it downloaded. Maybe eventually...

Yes, Danielle, that is what I am talking about. I used to start off southpaw, and then change throughout, but now I've gone back to starting orthodox, but do switch at times. If I do switch stances, and see my opponent switches because of it, I switch again, and start playing a game with them.

That would be the next move ,is it not ? and the stance is raised slowly with tension . here yahara sensei demonstrate it best ,this particular move first done 12 second into the kata ... It is one of my favourite katas ,so dynamic and invigorating and meaningful . The way I read it, and from looking at the picture, is where I drew my conclusion from. I'm not a Karate guy, so I was just trying to picture the move in my head. From what I saw in that kata, I thought it was later in the form, when he was in middle stances facing away from the camera, but they appeared to be higher than the pic he showed earlier.

I read an article some time ago on MA training and the kind of accidental contact that can happen in the dojo. The jist of the article was that when it happened, you essentially say "my bad," and move on. When the Martial Arts are no longer a contact sport, then they come pretty darn close to losing the Martial nature. When you get two bodies interacting in drills involving things like kicking, punching, locking, and throwing, stuff is going to happen. When it does, and if its accidental, apologize, and move on. No one learns anything when they spend time feeling bad about some accidental contact in a contact activity. And if the people you continue to train with continue to be lackadaisical, unispired, and just plain intrusive and obstructive to the training time that you are paying for, then I say just let them have what's coming to them. I imagine they will eventually shape up and train right, or leave. Either way, your problem gets solved.

Talk to your instructor about the contact levels that will be involved. Although I am unfamiliar with Shotokan tournaments, I don't believe that they have hard contact tournaments. That doesn't mean hard conact won't happen from time to time, but for the most part, I don't think you would be getting totally pummelled. Best of luck to you, and go in with an open mind. You will learn quite a bit in the experience.

Wow, man, that's a killer for sure! Its good to hear your recovery is going well, and your tasting training again. Keep us posted as you go along.

I don't think its "instructor ego" all the time. I think it may have more to do with the fact that a teacher has made up his mind about his teaching style, knows the type of students that will be attracted to and adhere to it, and is happy with that. Some instructors want to teach everyone, and some are more focused on those who are willing to learn what they teach, and like how they do it. Just a different thought on how to look at it. Those instructors may not see it as there loss.

Agreed. A nice balance of explanation, reps, and corrections is what a good instructor needs to get the most out of his/her classes.