bushido_man96

In our organziation, 3rd dan earns a teaching certification. 4th dan is a Jr. Master status, and 5th dan is Master status. 3rd dan an higher may sit on testing panels, as well. I do recall that in the ATA, master status was not attainable until reaching 6th dan, and then there was an application process, and then an acceptance process to go along with it, usually ending in a physica and mental test of some kind.

I think what it boils down to is how the maturity level of the student is viewed in relation to the rank they are allowed to have. Now, if the common sentiment that floats about the forums here is shared by most of us, and it is the feeling that a shodan "now knows the basics," then I don't see why an age requriment would be necessary. Kids can know the basics. But, if shodan means that one can fight at the top of his game, defend against multiple attackers, and the go 10 rounds with John L. Sullivan, then age requirments might be a bit more important.

Stretch everytime your body is warmed up. You wouldn't have to do full-blown stretching session each time, but stretch a few areas, just so you can take advantage of being warm. You'll hear different things on duration of each stretch. Some say a minute per stretch. Others won't. Do some research and find what works best for you.

For the explosiveness, give plyometrics a try. Find a good trainer, tell them your goals, and have them set you up on a program. It should be only 2 days a week, unless you are breaking up the body into upper and lower work.

That will happen at times, eh? 6-14-10 Aikido: 10:00 am - noon. We worked on some flowing/fluidity drills, and then worked them into some applications. From there, we moved to some transition work. Finished class with some paired jo work. TKD: 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Forms night. Got to review some colored belt forms I had not done in a while, and my 2nd dan black belt form. Did well for not doing them in a while. During the last 10 minutes of class, we did some one-steps, but we actually did a bit of progression with them into some more self-defense related applications. This was very nice to see, and I hope we get into more of it. Aikido in the morning, and TKD in the evening....that's a pretty good day! 6-15-10 Back on the treadmill today. I made my mile in 11:12, and did 1.33 in 15 minutes. It just didn't feel good today, either. TTA hi orange belt form and one-steps. ATA yellow belt form and one-steps. I did two sets of these. Had to dig up The Way, V. III to get a refresher. Stretch. Flexibility is starting to feel good again.

6-10-10 One mile jog, 11:30. Light stretch. Slept too long today. 6-11-10 Made back to Aikido today! Had a good review of some of the basics, and we also worked with the short staff today, which I always enjoy. Good two hours of class...10:00 am - noon.

That's great. I wish you were in my area. I'd come for free, for sure! And I am very interested in learning BJJ.

I beg to differ here. Many of the movements of the art are based off of sword movements, and it can be a very offensive style, if one wants it to be. Its all in how you practice it. I'd be very reluctant to say that any style is purely defensive.

Sounds great. I'd say keep at it, for sure.

Certified isn't so much that one is collecting a check, but one has met requirement levels to teach what they have been taught. More about competence, I guess. And yes, with your experience, you are likely to school them. And that's cool. You can school them all you want. Or, you could offer up what you know and help out, and try to make it better in your eyes. I'm sure the powers that be would like to have the advise of someone with that kind of experience in guiding the programs. Because believe me, these people take the idea of "keeping cops alive" very serious. The goal at the end of the shift, is to be home at the end of the shift.

MMA_Jim is right. Many of the "traditional" styles are more worried about not changing, and maintaining the status quo, as it where, than they are about evolving along, as fighting does through time. I'm not saying its a bad thing to preserve things from the past. History lessons are great things. But when attatchment to traditions holds back development, this is not productive, in my eyes.

I practice the two styles, but I don't worry about "combining" them. Use TKD when you strike, and when controls come to you, use the Aikido. Eventually, you should be able to put together some transitions. Another issue I have is using them as what you call "purely defensive." In my mind, I translate this as "waiting to get hit," and this is a bad mindset to have. Just my two cents, though.

Awesome, and I agree completely. I'm interested in the PPCT Ground Avoidance/Ground Evasion course they offer to see how effective and realistic it is, my department may be having it and instructor certification here soon. Sounds cool. One of our PD officers here just went through a course, so I need to get with him to see what he is doing now. This is true, but not everyone is going to have the time or the resources to devote to full-time, or even part-time, BJJ training. So, its good to get a condensed idea of what to do, and to practice (key word there), so that you at least have a plan when you get taken down.

Being attacked by a grappler is a concern for me, because I know it is where I am weakest. As for the other questions, I'm not sure I have an answer there. I do think that some traditional instructors worry about finding information somewhere other than from them. I have seen this first hand, but others may not have.

The reality of it is that we don't get to choose if we are bigger or smaller, especially in stature. Yes, we can choose how much working out we do, and what kind, to regulate our musculature, but I don't get to choose how tall I am, and what kind of build I come with. Same thing with the muscle twitch fibers. So, if this is the case, then size isn't relative to how fast one is...the muscle fiber distribution is. Just like some people or more prone towards the power lifter build, and some to the wide receiver build. I will never have a wide receiver build. I am short and stocky, with fairly broad shoulders and wide hips. No V shaped body for me, no matter how I train. So I guess what I am saying is that, in the end, there may be an ideal, but not everyone is going to be able to attain the same ideal. But, they can still pursue the same things, such as Martial Arts.

6-9-10 Jogged mile in 11:22, and in 15 minutes I got to 1.33 miles. Stretched out really good afterwards, then did some forms work: TTA white belt form ATA white belt form TTA white belt one-steps ATA white belt one-steps TTA low orange belt form ATA low orange belt form TTA low orange belt one-steps ATA orange belt one-steps

I think that TKD can be very good for self-defense, if taught properly. It takes the right instruction, and, as mentioned previously, but it can be very useful in self-defense.

Ok, so.... Bruce Lee was faster than a lot of people. Probably faster than both you and me, so I don't know what that really proves. And he also believed in weight training for strength and power. He was amazingly strong for his size. I know of a guy who Wrestles for our college here, and also fights in MMA fights, weighs around 150 lbs when he isn't Wrestling, and can bench press 400 lbs. And you wouldn't know if by looking at him. Some people can carry more weight than others, and strength comes in all sizes.

Professional athletes and other people dedicated to a physical activity also have discipline and structure though. Agreed. It comes from anyone willing to dedicate time and effort in anything that they feel is important to them, and want to become good at. Heck, even professional video game players have these attributes, when it comes to their trade. Also, I don't think discipline and structure = nobility. Discipline is just a willingness to stick to task, persevere, and finish. Structure is basically being methodical about it. This will sound a bit rash, but these are even traits that serial killers have, and I don't think any of us would view them as "noble." In the end, my point is that many Martial Arts organizations or high ranked teachers, officials, etc, like to push this idea that the Martial Arts will make people such better people, when in the end, it is up to each person as to how good, how noble, they will be in the end. Martial Arts training hasn't made me into a better person. I like to think that I was a good person to begin with, and that the work ethics and morals taught to me by my parents are what make me who I am, and helped me to be able to achieve what I have thus far in life, and I don't tie it all into the idea that if I had not found Taekwondo, that I would be a lesser person than I am today.

I'll admit, I used to have a personalized plate that said BUSHIDO. But, I lived in a town where pretty much everyone knew I was an MAist, so it was no secret.

In response to this, I think that Lupin1 is kind of on the same track that I am in saying:

6-7-10 Back to class tonight. One hour of basics and forms. The stretching after running may be helping.

You could switch sides, or move your arms to a different position.

I believe in fighting, and that at times, it is necessary.

Steroids and HGH can do some very amazing things. It's sad to say that most of the professional strength and conditioning coaches in the country find 300 lb men moving that fast as very suspect. Testing can be tricked and avoided. When there's hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, certain things get overlooked. I'm sure some are natural....but that would be the exception, not the rule. If that is the case, then that is too bad. Lots of kids with heros out there. So does that automatically determine that a powerlifter who wants to be an MAist isn't going to reach full potential because of his bulkiness? I see Joe Lewis in my head, who was never really slow.