bushido_man96

As far as LEO experience goes, pressure points can be good on the passive resister, but when it comes to full on active resistance, not so reliable. At that point, going for larger clusters like the common peroneal or the brachial stun serve you better. They are easier targets to hit, and offer more reliable results (unless your scrapping with a Thai Boxer...). However, the better option is to just escalate to something like OC, Taser, or even baton.

Another excerpt from Harry Cook's Shotokan Karate, A Precise History. This quote is from Takayuki Mikami, who is not anyone I am really familiar with, but I'm sure some of our Karate brethern here are. The quote has to do with the way training was for him at Hosei University: The bold is the part that stood out to me for this thread. What is your opinion on this type of training, or way of being taught? I can understand the repitition, but as for nothing being explained, I kind of waver a bit there. How would you feel about training this way?

That's impressive and very wrong at the same time! I almost feel the same way about that as I do about my friend's Hello Kitty Nunchaku. Although I did once make a meccano and razor-blade guillotine upon which I tried to decapitate a 6" Ewok action figure. Thick neck on an Ewok, takes a lot of cutting... Wow...not quite sure how to take that....

You'll have to fill me in. I don't recall that fight. It might have been one I didn't see.

3/15/2011 Weights: Pull day: Barbell curls: 65x10, 75x8, 80x6 Shoulder shrugs: 220x10, 240x10, 260x8 Cross body dumbell curls: 20x10, 25x10, 30x8 Overhead cable pull-down curls: 70x10x3 Dumbell wrist curls: 15x20x3 Reverse dumbell wrist curls: 15x20, 15, 15 Abs: Ab coaster: 20x10x3 Thera crunch: 25x10x3 Smith crunch: 30x10x3

I wouldn't worry about hampering the class. Its the instructor's job to bring you along. I'd at least go check it out, and see if you like it or not.

Eye gouges and groin kicks are not end-all, be-all techniques. Can they be valid? Sure. Can they fail, yes. The eye is a very small target to hit, so that's one thing to keep in mind. But, if a Boxer or MMA fighter can hit someone with a jab, then they can probably extend their fingers if they feel the need, and poke someone in the eye. There is cross over there. Competition environments do involve rules, but they also often times involve well trained fighters. What competition brings to the table is active resisitance. If a Judoka who has practiced and performed a hip toss thousands of time in class and in competitions against resisting opponents who expect to be thrown in some way, and they still don't stop it, then to say that they could not perform it in street self-defense against someone who may not be expecting it, or no how to defend it, just doesn't jive. MMA comps do have rules, too. And they are in place mainly for the protection of the competition, and the rules have made the competition better. But think back to the days when there were fewer rules, and how often a match was decided by a groin kick or an eye gouge. Not many come to mind.

What is the best construction toy of all time? For me, it has to Legos, hands down. Its such a great toy, in fact, that I still play with them, as an adult, and don't even care to hide that fact. As a kid, I was also a fan of Lincoln Logs, and also played with Tinker Toys periodically (my grandma had them at her place when we visited). But, I just don't think you can beat the versatility of Legos.

I'm also keeping them in my thoughts and prayers. Terrible deal.

"Martial Science" to me sounds like someplace that might be willing to evolve and change over time. What you describe, though, doesn't seem to jive with that. Someone who hurts students to get compliance doesn't sound good at all. I'd be more inclined to look into a class, just from the description.

I'd heard about the StrikeForce purchase. I'm not sure what he plans on doing with it yet.

3/14/2011 Home workout: Basics while watching a movie in the early morning hours (love the night shift...) Alternating single punch, sitting stance: 10 Alternating double punch, sitting stance: 10 (20 punches in all) Alternating triple punch, sitting stance: 10 (30 total) Down block, front stance: 10 each side Lead punch, front stance: 10 each side Reverse punch, front stance: 10 each side Lead down block, reverse face punch, front stance: 10 each side (20 techs total) Knife hand, back stance: 10 each side Middle block, back stance: 10 each side High block, front stance: 10 each side Double knife hand block: 10 each side Upset knife hand, front stance: 10 each side Reverse upset knife hand, front stance: 10 each side Double forearm block, front stance: 10 each side Weights: Push day: Military press: 95x10, 105x8, 115x5 Iso shoulder press: 45x10, 55x8, 60x6 Rear deltoid fly: 90x10, 105x8, 120x6 Deltoid machine: 115x10, 130x8, 145x6 Abs: Smith crunch: 30x15x3 Cable crunch: 100x15, 150x10, 10 Also tried 2 pull-ups. TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:00. Basics and forms class. Basics got changed up, which was nice. We did some consecutive blocks and movements, and some block/counters with kicks during basics. Got lots of form review, too. Was actually sore after class. Nice feeling. A pretty good workout day overall.

It sounds like you are getting enough class time in, so perhaps use your outside of dojo training time for conditioning like running and jump rope. Running and jumping rope are both great training tools for fighting. As for running, make sure to pace yourself. You will get sore at first, but as your body gets used to it, it will adapt and recover. With only being a month out, you may not see the results as much for this tournament as for those down the road. If your good at jumping rope already, you might consider doing it for rounds. If your opponents aren't buying them now, you might just forego them altogether, at least for this competition. But, a few things to consider: 1. Fake moves you already do. If you never do a front kick, then faking one might not do you any good. But, if you do a lot of front kicks, then faking it will gain you something, because they should try to counter what they think is coming. But make sure its something you connect with, as well, regularly. If you don't make a lot of contact with techniques, then fakes won't do you much good, either. 2. A good fake has to look committed. If your fake doesn't start like your normal technique would, then no one any good will buy it. You've got to sell your fake like its the actual technique coming. Can't help you here. I'm no dietician, but I would recommend that you get a good protein source somewhere, since you don't eat meat. It might be tough to get all that work in you want in just a month. But, if you start working on them now, they will come over time for later events. What you might do is pick one of these, like fakes, and work on them specifically, and see if you can develop something you can take in with you feeling confident about. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

I just looked at the form in the video...there are a number of minor differences in the way we do Won Hyo, but the difference in Mr. Suska's form that brings him back to center is around 0:51 where he steps to his left before performing the last two moves. In our case we come back to a closed stance after the side kick so we end up to our right. It's all good... Yeah thats weird now that you pointed that out. I've always put my foot down shoulder width after the kick, don't know why he crosses over. I noticed the same. We put our foot down in a closed stance as well, landing the right foot right next to the left foot, both feet facing back to the starting direction, and then step out to the last two moves. That was the only difference I saw in footwork. Maybe I'm just too erratic with my feet.

Good luck to you. Let us know how it goes.

Self-defense was, is, and always will be my reason for practicing Martial Arts. I do enjoy other aspects of them; physical challenge of learning techiques and what not, but I always think about self-defense.

Its not a very good instructional clip, it goes so fast. I slowed down the beginning, and saw he deflected the knife strike with his hand. I'm not sure how well that would work out, but I guess I'd trade a cut hand for being stabbed in the throat. It looks like some of his later defense used the knife to deflect, first. Since I'm no knife fighter, I'd probably look elsewhere, like Filipino or the like.

I'm doing more training at home, focusing on my current form, and trying to improve my technique and flow.

I like it! I will be taking a look at this later on. It should make a good leg workout. I may have to peel back the number of reps to start out, though.

3/3/2011 Taught TKD class: 6:00 - 7:15. Gave the students a good talking-to about being a proper "uke" for one-steps and the like, in regards to punching proper targets, and not falling down for someone doing a takedown, or bending over for someone doing an armlock, etc. 3/4/2011 Forms at home: Chon Ji, Dan Gun, Bo Chung, Do San. 3/9/2011 Home training: Side kicks: from sitting stance, stepping together and then kicking over the banister in the kitchen. 2 sets of 10 kicks on each leg. Form segment work from Yoo Sin: moves 53-66, which starts with the waving kicks and moves through the inside crescent kick to consecutive side kicks, which is a segment that has been giving me fits. 10 reps. TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:00. Worked on basics and one-steps tonight, then ended with some self-defense transitions from some of the one-steps. I hope this becomes more commonplace, as it is what is missing from our one-steps training.

That's pretty much right. I had one a few years back and seemed like it took forever to get over it. It actually hurt more when I used that leg as a base leg, especially on spin side kicks. The stretch it gave just really tweaked it good. Rest it well, then ease back into it.

Whether it is right or not, I've considered spending some time to learn some of these forms that I will not get a chance to learn. I'd be teaching myself in essence, but with the knowledge I have on how to do the techniques and move, I don't think I would have too much trouble with it. I'd just apply the techniques as I know them from my training. Who knows, I might learn something new. I kind of noticed that. I like Kwang Gae ok, and I felt I did it pretty well. I did take first at a tourney with that one. But I loved doing Gae Baek. It just felt like I was built for it. Lots of shorter, compact moves and combinations, and lots of power. However, we do a hopping side kick in place of where the jump side kick is in that form; another change the GM made. As near as I have been able to tell, the diagrams don't change much. In Yoo Sin, the knee-level side kicks are added one each after the U-shaped punches, so it doesn't really disturb where the form goes. It does change the move number, technically. However, we aren't ever quized or asked about the origins of the forms. On a board in our classroom is a paper with the names of the forms, and a brief blurb of why it is named such, but its more for those interested than anything else. I have done reading on why the forms are called such, the symbol, etc, but its more out of my own search for knowledge than anything else. Yes, we do, with one additional form our GM added for hi orange belt. You would probably see some differences in them if I showed them to you. Also, Won Hyo never ends right. It always finishes one stance length to the right, I believe. I'm going to try to record myself doing some of my forms sometime, and see if I can post them on my Facebook page, or to YouTube. When and if I do, I'll let you know.

Kudos, blade! Enjoy the ride with your daughter.

Check out interp. of the bunkai after the kata http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q42Br_EaDlg Thanks for sharing that, Chuck. That was an intersting look at the jump spin. Stepping off and kicking like that was interesting. Not sure I'd try that one, but he looked good doing it. Bob, I don't doubt you at all there. In Choong Moo hyung, we have a jumping 360 spin that ends with a double palm block. Its just digging in and finding out "why."

I don't really think this is the case here. I don't know much at all about Karate's history, as it isn't the art I study. However, from reading this book, Cook seems to have done a good job of gathering information, substantiating it through various sources, and putting it together in a kind of chronology of events throughout the history of Shotokan. I don't see a lot of opinion interjected.