bushido_man96

It has been going really well, Bob, aside from the short hiadus I have been on lately. I have really grown in my confidence in the techniques, and we have been making jumps into the restraint and application of the techniques more and more. Really starting to see some good transitions.

Good point. Living that mindset, and thinking like one is important, and it is also important that your training fit accordingly. I think that it there is also a misconception of what the warrior is. I think I heard once that the average lifespan of a front line Marine in combat was somewhere around 4 seconds (this is during combat, though). That's something to think about. That one warrior moment may pop up in your life, and it might last 10 seconds, and it could include the fact that you step in front of a gunman to get killed by psychopath trying to kill another. And then that's it. Warrior career over. I think that a lot of people, especially Martial Artist training everyday, get caught up in an idea that they may end up "saving the day" and getting patted on the back, chest bumps, and get to swap warrior stories in the coffee shop on Sundays when they get older. Sure, there are some people out there who get to do that. But then, there are other warriors who get killed, just that quick. And that is the reality of it. Just some thoughts to add to the discussion here.

Way to go! Congrats!

Well, we've now got some bad news for the Aikido club. The sensei has terrible back problems, and cannot work out anymore. So, he is retiring at the end of the semester from teaching Aikido. This leaves the club without a black belt, which the university has liability issues with. So, as of January, the dojo will not be allowed to meet anymore. There will still be an Aikido club, that can discuss aspects of Aikido philosophy and conduct, etc., but will not be allowed to practice technique under the embrella of the university as a club. So, we are waiting to see what we can do about this. Crappy news.

11-15-09 Front leg side kicks: 1x10, 3x5 each leg 11-16-09 Front leg side kicks: 6 sets of 5 each leg, not setting foot down between kicks. Front leg front kicks: 3 sets of 5 each leg. Knuckle push-ups: 3x10 Aikido class: 7:30 - 9:30. Felt good to get back, but it sounds like we might have some issues arising. We may not be able to work out as a club after this semester is over. 11-18-09 Push-ups: 25, 20 Yoo Sin hyung: 5 times, and a few impartial run throughs. TKD class: 6:00 - 7:00. I taught class tonight, getting ready for testing this Friday.

Good points here. As for Wagner's quote, I never really fealt that way when training. I feel like I had a pretty good idea that I wouldn't be facing any of the weapons that he mentioned, and my dad had always instructed me in the art of "keep you damned hands up!"

Mine has been in my improvement in Combat Hapkido. I found a good partner, and we really started hitting it hard. I hope to test sometime within the next year.

I thought it was an ok article, but where as the last paragraph may have clicked with some, not so much with me. I'm making myself a better person every day, with or without exposure to the Martial Arts. However, I do agree that anything that you take serious time to apply to doing, does build character.

For the same reason that the army uses rank, I guess. To identify someone's level of knowledge at a glance. Honestly, I could care less if I wore a belt or not. But, my school requires it, so I do.

I think there are times when a Martial Artist may have to make a descion that puts him in danger. At that time, they may become a warrior, for that brief time period. Now, with that said, one can train to have a warrior mind set, and approach life from a warrior point of view, as in always being prepared, checking surroundings, etc. But, I save the warrior title for those enlisted in the armed services. They are the ones likely to go to war, so they encompass it the most. One could make similar arguements in the LEO cirlces, as well, but I think it falls more to the enlisted men and women.

I don't believe it is. I think it came into vogue in America, but may have been invented by the Chinese immigrants. I think I saw that on Food Channel once.

Why? Do they freak seeing your strange underwear? Seriously, I cannot fully understand the pupose of this thread. For be it as it may, if one is all these things when they take off their belt, why bother to put one on in the first place? I think it is a good topic. I think the goal here is to make one think about what the display of rank means, or how it effects those who see it, and those who wear it. When I take off my belt....I don't even notice. Still the same person, even when I put it on.

Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin ...........................................Griffin Josh Koscheck vs. Anthony Johnson ...............................Koscheck Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Luis Arthur Cane ...............Nogueira Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan ..................................Parisyan Amir Sadollah vs. Phil Baroni ........................................Baroni Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders .....................................Saunders Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann...................................Thiago Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt ......................................Rosholt Brock Larson vs. Brian Foster ........................................Larson Caol Uno vs. Fabricio Camoes .......................................Camoes George Sotiropoulos vs. Jason Dent ...............................Dent

Hey, maybe I'm getting the hang of this...

Creative.

Go Chiefs!!!! Great to get a win! I love the rivalry between the Chiefs and Raiders.

Wow, that would be bad!!!

TKD tournaments tended to focus on kicking in competition, so they limited the hand strikes, and in some cases, attached higher point values to head kicking. Its just a different way of competing. I have competed in some TKD tournaments that did allow hand contact to the head. I prefer it that way, too.

I agree with ShoriKid's points so far. Here is a vid that made its rounds a few years ago, but it is a good illustration of what we are discussing here. Video: This is Pedro Sauer vs. Lance Bachelor, who was Mr. Utah 1992. What most people will see in this match is that the little guy won. What you have to sit back and realize are a few things, though: 1. How many of us are Pedro Sauer? Ok, with that said... 2. This fight went for a little while. If Pedro Sauer is that good, and it took Sauer that long to overcome a stregth advantage, then it should be something that is taken seriously into consideration by any fighter in any situation.

Just to turn this in a different tangent, have you asked yourself these questions? Are you going to stop training? Some people just enjoy different activities.

I think that this is a common example of over reaction, not unlike gun laws. Yeah, it doesn't make a lot of sense, but the lawmakers feel good because they think that they are accomplishing something.

I agree that there are good drills to do without a partner for sparring, but having a partner is optimal.

Aww, yes!! Raw cookie dough! Its the best. Now, if I combine that with my post-workout chocolate milk, I'll be sitting in high cotton! Awesome... Ok, maybe no one should take nutritional advise from me...

I think that this is great. If you didn't act in a rude or otherwise out-of-character manner from your normal self, then this was probably a good experience for both of you. Instead of looking at each other from a master-student perspective, you observed each other from a personal perspective. Isn't that the way it should be? There are also stories in mythologies about gods walking amongst the mortals as poor or beggars, to see how they are treated and received by the people when they don't know that they are in their presense. It gives a sense of what people really are like. Yeah, I know its a bit off topic, but something to think about....you never know when someone is checking things out.

This sums it up. Even if you have 5 minutes at a time, do some kicks, go over your form (even in your head, if you have to), or stand in a stance. These are simple things, but as time goes by, you'll discover even more things you can do to practice at home....like doing sets of side kicks between paragraphs of the book you are reading, while the wife and baby are sleeping....