bushido_man96

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.

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.