bushido_man96

I think that it tends to be more of a point sparring thing than anything else. I remember in my ATA days, that a popular tactic was to do the repeating round kicks with the front leg like that, advancing with a hop/slide of the base leg on each kick. I never could do it...

uh-oh, I see this thread veering off now....

We do a lot of palms, ridge, and knife hand strikes, but not many others. Some of the black belt forms do have techniques like an ox jaw, and an eye gouge, but nothing like that in lower ranks. Personally, I like the simpler strikes better, anyways. They are usually nice gross motor movements, and are therefore easier to pull off when you need them, so I don't mind the simplicity behind them.

I have dealt with students like this as well, and at times, it is just plain a lack of motivation. He could be there because his parents want him there. If thats that case, he'll likley be difficult for a while. If you can find something that he does well, really praise the heck out of him for it. It might spark him into giving a bit more effort everywhere else. If it is ADD, then it is going to take some time. You might need to have an assistant that would be assigned to helping him throughout the class. He may not be able to go the same speed as the rest of the class yet, so some individual time might help him out.

damn right. that's the best news i've heard this month! and furthermore, i am going to ignore any future study that might negate this I'll continue to conduct my own research into the matter, as well.

9-21-09 Did some work hanging from a bar, just dead hanging, and shrugging my shoulders up and down. Then did 10 assisted pull-ups. Still not feeling the greatest, and activity is tough.

I would consider going to the doctor, as well. I don't think that is an area that is likely to swell from a strike, but I guess anything is possible.

I've been using the front kick more often lately, and trying to combo off that. Sometimes, you should just pick a technique, and try to build around it.

It appears that the Soke has an important role, then, and perhaps should be reviewed as to who would replace him. That is, if you organization is determined to keep with the Okinawan tradition of things.

That's a nice breakdown, Tony. One other thing that I noticed what that it didn't look like you were following through with the kick, like you were trying to slow it down before you set it down. Like Tony said, drive through, using your hamstrings to pull the kick down. Good use of the video.

I haven't seen these yet. What does it look like?

What happened to TKD and Judo when they became Olympic games is that many of the instructors became focused on the sport applications. What you end up seeing is a highly specialized art form. Judo has become very specialized in the execution of throwing, as TKD has become very specialized in kicking. Where the problem comes in is in seeking out the talent, and pushing them through the tournament scene to build an Olympic stable. This can cause the focus to shift from all who come in the door to just those with the talent to put it all together. Not all schools are like this, though. There are good and bad schools everywhere. TKD gets the bad wrap mainly because there are so many schools out there; the more there are, then the higher the probability to find a bad one. It sucks, and it can be avoided, but its tough. Does the same thing have to happen to Karate? No. Will it, though? It could...how to stop it? Make the sport-aspect available to those who seek it, along side the traditional classes.

That could be the case, but in JKD, it is stressed "strong side forward." So, righties in JKD will typically lead with their right, and that is usually how the author describes things, as well. I'd say that it is a misprint. As I read it, I was visualizing it myself, and got the same impression you did, Joe; it wasn't making sense. I think it is a mistake.

Since you are kicking with the heel, you should have the toes pulled back with the heel leading at the apex; you'll need to get your foot into this position, anyway. Keep your arms up in a guarding posture as much as possible. Swinging arms, although they may help in momentum, telegraph. Yes, keep the torso as straight as possible throughout most of the kick. As ninjanurse suggested, a slight lean on the way back down would be ok. Here again, leaning = telegraph. See question above. I think that the 90 degree pivot is about right; that's about what I pivot on a front kick with. The axe kick is a lot like the front kick and crescent kicks, so guage your pivot on those kicks with that of your axe kick. This will also depend a bit on your own level of flexibility, which must be pretty good, if you can get your leg perpendicular to the ground for this kick. I look foward to seeing the video clip.

The Fennec Fox was all ears, man. That poor aardvark...can't help but be ugly.

Man, I'd love to have a $50 dan testing. You guys have it good.

This week has really sucked for me. Been sick all week. I'm hoping by next week it has subsided enough to get back to the gym.

I don't know that it so much as brushed off, but has more to do with the cultural carry over from the Japanese sensei who taught it originally. It has more to do with the idea that the Japanese society as a whole is that way, and less to do with the idea that "Karate instills it" in all of its students.

And another problem with the hierarchy is that if it has been around for a long time, and no one in the organization knows any other way, there can become some mad panic to fill in the voids, in which some bad decisions can be made. I think what needs to be evaluated is 1: what the position is there for, and 2: can the organization get along without that position.

Wow. I'd like to hear how that continues to play out.

I caught that on Baseball Tonight. Very cute.

I don't imagine that in an altercation that the neck is going to be that easy to manipulate. If someone grabs your head, I imagine that most of us would tighten our neck muscles, especially if we feel that the head is beginning to be manipulated. So, I don't know how practical that would be.

...unless you can take a chunk of skin off with the bite...

9-16-09 Taught class tonight. Didn't really focus on any one thing in particular tonight, but instead worked on covering all of the basics and one-steps. At the end of class, I encouraged the students to use the one-steps as templates to jump to different aspects and variations of self-defense.

9-16-09 Taught TKD class tonight from 6:00 - 7:00.