bushido_man96

With a bulk of the kicks being low in nature, you may be right, isshinryu5toforever. I don't how well a front kick would work into a fight strategy. I suppose it could be used like a jab to the body with the foot, but then it will become more like the Thai tiip, unless fighters give it a bit more snap and less push, but how much will that wear the kicker down over the course of the fight? It would also increase the range of the fight, which could make things interesting, if it became a staple. So, we're left with the fight-ender version to the face, and it will be interesting to see if it becomes more popular.

I think the perspective comment sums it up well. There are many out there, and differences arise, and the focus should be on if they are good and work. If that's the case, then how can they be "wrong?"

I enjoyed that video, as much as I could interpret from it. It is interesting to see these things as they begin to intertwine in styles. Thanks for sharing this, Kuma. Anyone else have any experience with how one style helped them to "see" another style better?

I don't really believe in karma, so I can't help you much with that. If you don't feel good about going there, then you should probably look into something else, just to help you feel better.

I enjoyed watching his technique. Very good stuff there, what I did watch. I didn't watch it all, but he looked very crisp and clean. He should have a heck of a future.

Congrats, Montana.

In Harry Cook's Shotokan Karate, A Precise History, on pg 168, there is a quote from Hirokazu Kanazawa detailing how his training in Tai Chi helped his Karate: Kanazawa also goes on to elaborate that Tai Chi could help him do his Karate better as he got older, because of the way it teaches him to use his body. Has anyone else had any relationships between styles like this? I have noticed a bit here and there in doing Aikido and Hapkido alongside TKD, especially with some of the movements in the forms of TKD, and some things I could adapt into one-steps training. I know there are quite a few of us here that cross train, and would be interested in hearing your responses.

Go Royals! Yeah, right... Maybe the Cubs will be worth something this year...

I hadn't heard of that before. I didn't realize the toes were an area that could be stretched like that. I will give it a try. Ugh, I can't imagine that. You're one tough cookie!

Like you say here, we can find examples of where certain things have worked. We can also find examples of where certain things don't work, as well, like you state below: You can play this "what if" game all day long, with many different tactics. No tactic is full proof. The "group attack" scenario is a constant arguement to the efficacy of ground fighting in self-defense, regardless of how effective it has been proven to be. Small joint manipulation gets the same treatment. The fact of the matter is that for every scenario someone can put up on how something is effective, another scenario can be put up of how it isn't effective. That doesn't mean you should throw it out as not being beneficial or ineffective. The more tools in your toolbox, the better.

Jack Burton rocks! 3/1/2011 Round kicks from natural ready stance: 4 sets of 10, alternating. 3/2/2011 Weights: Pull day: Lat pull-down: 130x10, 140x8, 150x6 Lat pull-over: 90x10, 100x8, 110x4 Iso pull-down: 70x10, 75x8, 80x6 Upright rows: 70x10, 75x8, 80x6 Legs Bodyweight squats: 3x15 Lunges: 2x10 each leg The weights don't bother me nearly as much as these do. Man, my legs are sore now. Yoo Sin hyung x 2 TKD class: 7:00 - 8:00. Basics and one-steps. Very tiring.

The heavy bag can be rough on toes with the round kick. When I break boards with the ball of the foot round kick, I have to set up at about a 45 degree angle to the board. Otherwise, I'll kill my toes, too. You can get a feel for the angle you will need by using a wall. Don't kick the wall, but just get your foot into its striking position, put on the wall like you finished the technique and struck a board, and find the right body angle from the wall. That will be your finish point, then back track to the start position. See if that helps out. I hope that doesn't sound too confusing to you.

I have a set of General Choi's encyclopedia, since the style of TKD I practice uses that form set. However, the forms have been altered some, and the requirements for the black belt ranks are different. It appears that the first degree forms, according to Choi, are: Kwang Gae Po Eun Ge Baek As a first degree in my organization, we do only Kwang Gae. For the rank before, which is a first degree "recommended" rank, we do Choong Moo, which is done as rec and as high brown. Choi's second degree forms are: Eui Am Choong Jang Juche I know none of these forms yet, as a 3rd degree. As a second degree in my organization, we are required to test on: Po Eun (second recommended) Ge Baek (decided) Choi's third degree forms: Sam Il Yoo Sin Choi Yong The forms I do as a 3rd degree are: Se Jong (recommended) Yoo Sin (decided) We do Choong Jang at 4th degree, Choi Young at 5th degree, and Tong Il at 6th degree. So, there are quite a few discrepancies in our forms requirements, and those of the standard ITF schools, if they still follow with Choi's original requirements here. Now why my GM did this, I'm not for certain. From what I can gather, I think he started out as a WTF member in South Korea. Something happened, and when he came to America, he chose to switch to the ITF forms, but not all of them. He also made some changes to some of the forms, some of which are quite different. In Se Jong, there is one technique that goes a totally different direction, but the form still seems to end correctly. In Yoo Sin, he added two low side kicks (knee level) after each of the U shaped punches. Kind of crazy. I thought it would be interesting to hear what others that do ITF had to say in comparison here.

You may need to tailor your training a bit differently. Listen to your body. You may be able to do basics and forms, but you might have to hold off on sparring for a while.

One thing about respect for me is that it is a two-way street. When I was in the ATA, the guy who became my main instructor would refer to the students by Mr. or Mrs. "Smith" or whatever, just like we referred to him as Mr. "Smith." So, what he expected of us, we also expected of him. I think that is how respect has to be. It has to be earned, and not commanded.

Well that's cool. How do you get so lucky?

Good job, tallgeese. I can't imagine going that many matches. I'd need a serious cardio overhaul. 2/27/2011 Se Jong hyung x 3. I looked at the version of Se Jong in Choi's Encyclopedia, and boy is the version we do way different. I'm not sure what our GM was thinking. 2/28/2011 Weights: Push day: Bench press: 175x10, 185x8, 195x6 Incline bench: 135x10, 145x6, 4 Dips: 3 sets of 5 Legs Leg extension: 130x10, 145x8, 160x6 Leg curl: 110x10, 130x8, 150x4 Abs Thera crunch: 25x10x5 Repeat round kicks: 5 sets each leg, 5 kicks each time, without setting down.

Oh yeah, done that, too. I actually went driving around checking out some near where I was staying once. Checked out a Chinese style school. It was cool to see something different.

Usually, an organization or group or whatever would have someone in mind for when this time comes. We may not always think its the best choice, but we have to believe that the person making the choice, did so for a good reason.

Agreed. High kicks can work, and can work well. They are not always what we might consider a "high percentage" technique. As per my style: 1. No. 2. No. All techniques must be above the belt in competition. 3. No. However, we do practice some of these things in our one-steps. The competitive side of things has a different focus on a different skill set, thus more kicking, and high kicking. As mentioned earlier, its tough to do sparring at a reasonable pace without some kind of rules in place. I do agree that some rule sets out there don't apply as well to self-defense, but training can be tailored to suit. This can be hard to pin down, as well. What is the safest, most reliable thing one can do under the circumstances of self-defense? Run? Sure, unless you're slow like me. Punches? Some guys can take them; some can't. Joint locks? Can be tough on resisting opponents. Grappling? Great, unless a crowd of baddies show up. How about a gun? Great, unless someone already has a gun on you. I do agree that there are some strategies that are likely to have a higher success rate, and that kicks above the belt are not always "high percentage" moves. But, its good to have the tool in your box if you need it.

Training from a street perspective still does not allow you to ignore those rules in training either. Using those targets, then you can only go through the motions. The beauty about sparring for self defense is then it simply boils down to target selection. A low kick to the outer thigh can now easily become a low kick to the outside of the knee. The push kick to the midsection can now become a front kick to the groin. Your jab to the nose can become a finger jab to the eyes. The attributes are all there, it's just adapting to the situation. In the reverse, if you only train techniques that are "too deadly" for the dojo you now have in essence actually limited yourself. Now you cannot respond to a situation that might involve a lesser use of force than what you have trained for. Also, once you realize that it's actually quite difficult to hit a person in some of the large targets while fighting, you realize some of the smaller targets that are often espoused as fight enders in self defense (in actuality, quite not as often as we are led to believe) are even harder to strike. All training boils down to the fact that we need to recognize the limitations of what we are training for. Whether you train in a "combat sport" or a "street fight only" martial art, both have already restricted what you can actually train simply by the nature that you, along with your other fellow students, are a willing participant and thus will not be maiming or killing each other that day. I think Kuma makes a valid point here. Its hard to train "hard" to all the target areas in an "alive" sparring arrangement, and retain training partners. At the same time, I think its important to drop the sparring rules from time to time, and visit training methods that do allow the groin shots, kicks to the knee, etc, to be trained, as well.

I agree with Montana. Check out your local schools, talk with the instructors, and find out what each offers. Travel time, price, and class availability will all likely consider into your decision, as well, so check them out when talking to the instructors. Welcome to KF, as well!

I've had several of these moments in Combat Hapkido and Aikido. There were quite a few movements I was struggling with in Hapkido, but lots of work really helped me get one of those "Aha" moments.

I don't really "fear" my instructor, or many of the higher ranks in our organization. I'm sure if many of them wanted to, they could whip on me, if they felt the need, but there are lots of people like that in the world, as it is. As for their ability to withhold information, and affect what I learn, I take with a grain of salt. I know that there is enough information out there to find out what it is I would like to know, if need be. I think the biggest thing about respect, at least for me, is that it has be earned, and not commanded. If someone commands respect from others, or holds sway over them with something they want or would like to learn in order to gain that respect, then its not respect. I do have to say I don't care for the "sir" stuff all the time, and I definitely don't like it outside of the school, either. As far as I'm concerned, outside of the school, there isn't anyone the rank stuff pretty much falls away.

2/23/2011 3/4 mile walk. Some basic kicking, mainly side kicks and front kicks, not much above belt level. Some mini-dips in a chair with wooden arms. Yoo-Sin hyung in the living room, 3 times, focusing on good technique.