bushido_man96

I agree. I constantly wonder these things of myself, and try to push myself to get to a level that I feel that I should be at. I am not in any hurry to test again anytime soon, so I have the time to make sure that I am gaining knowledge and improving. Glib, yes, but I can see a point to the statement...

Very interesting! Another martial artist who said....what handicap!?!Excellent! Thanks for sharing that! I have one of his books. That guy is a BJJ machine, and I can only imagine what it would be like to train with someone like him. This is an interesting instance, Bob, and I have not heard of anything like it. I'm sure there would be some challenges to work through, as far as communication goes. However, a deaf instructor could offer a class to other deaf students, all of whom could communicate through sign language. Another point to consider would be whether or not the instructor could read lips or not. But in the end, I think it would be possible for someone to do.

I remember that story. Very nice one, too.

Are these done with the back leg each time? And when sliding backwards, do you switch feet and round kick, or slide back and do a front leg round kick?

7-20-09 Weights Bench press (free weights): 185x9 Row: 200x6, 7 fail Military press (free): 95x10 Lat pull-down: 170x6, 7 fail Bicep curl: 70x7, 8 fail Triceps push-down: 165x7 Leg extensions: 130x10, 10 Leg curls: 160x12, 12 Gripper: 30x15x3 Leg press: 228x10, 240x10 Decline crunches: 15x10x3 MA session Combat Hapkido: 9:30 - 10:30. Worked through trapping drills and some combinations strings. 7-21-09 Dumbell Punching - 5 lbs each hand Jab: 3x10 each side Cross: 3x10 each side, hitting the bag as well. Bag Work Punching work: 3 rounds Front leg round kick: 10 each leg; right leg pulled on the groin a bit. Front leg side kick: 3x10 each leg, trying not to telegraph. 7-23-09 TKD class: 6:00 - 7:30. I felt like I had some more to put into basics tonight, and I felt really worked. I think I might have zipped through my form a bit fast, but the instructor didn't comment on too much, so maybe it was pretty decent. I did get to spar a 2 minute continuous round with one of the first degrees, and although I think I could have performed a bit better, I didn't feel totally spent after the match. I would have needed more than a minute break to go again, though. I need to get some more sparring in, like doing some round robin work, to get a bit more used to hanging in there. We finished with some back and forth drill work, and then stretched.

I think that once a student has developed the strength and actions in the hips, that one can get away with doing this. But, its important to learn the proper way, first.

These are some of the same reasons that my instructor cites. By using big movements early on, and developing muscles, it makes the moves that we "shorten up" that much more powerful.

Very well said. I like your points here, and I agree with you.

Ah, that's another thing that wouldn't jive on karma for me. I'm not a re-incarnation guy, either.

Great thoughts guys. Thanks for sharing them. Another drill... Chase/push drill: This one is good to do in equal portions of time, like 30 seconds of chase, and then 30 seconds of push. Basically, the holder will let the kicker "chase" him around a ring by backing away and circling, so that the kicker can get some combos going. When its time to switch, the holder "pushes" toward the kicker, cramming them, so they have to make space, and kick as the holder comes into them. Really kills the legs.

Welcome to KF, Conrad.

Very cool homes. Thanks for sharing. I can only imagine what it would be like to have my own gym in my own house.

That's pretty cool. It gives a sense of familiarity, in a way, knowing they aren't just sets.

That's a good idea, too. Never thought of that. Makes me think of the movie Gladiator, where Maximus always rubbed dirt on his hands before going into a fight; I'd guess it was to keep grip on that weapon.

For anyone interested, here is a link to the article that tallgeese posted on the subject: Principle Based Martial Arts Training. Be sure to give it a look; very good read.

Man, that's too bad, for both the show, and for the state of the MMA comps like this. We should have been watching a match that had potential to go for a few rounds, maybe 3, with two fighters in top form, and both rated high. Now, we will be seeing a fighter step in who hasn't had the time to adequately train and prepare for a force like Fedor, and the card will likely suffer.

Ok, the title may sound odd, but its something that I think about almost every class when I see students doing side kicks, and chopping the chambers up to where the kick looks like a half round/half side kick, and not a good side kick. Rateh noted something about learning to chamber side kicks and back kicks in the thread What did I teach today? : Now, I am not trying to assume that the difficulties in teaching a good side kick are compounded by the existence of the round kick, but when I see things like this happen in class, it frustrates me because the short cut gets taken a lot on a side kick, and the short cut is always in the chamber. Then it always turns into the half-in-half kick. Do any other instructors see this problem with teaching the side kick, especially to the beginners through intermediate levels? I even catch it in some black belts at times, trying to make a fast side kick with half a chamber. Just a little rant from me. Anyone else?

If that's the reason, it's silly. I don't even look at the belt when judging. I don't like longer belts because when I do front kicks, the end has a tendency to fly up into my face. So, I wear my proper size or 1/2 size small. John I agree with you here. If a judge is too busy staring at belt length, and not judging the form, then he probably doesn't have the necessary requirments to be a judge.

Tony, if you are looking for a different perpective to approach the ITF patterns from, check out Stuart Pual Anslow's book Ch'ang Hon Taekwon-do Hae Sul - Real Applications to the ITF Patterns: Vol 1: http://www.amazon.com/Chang-Hon-Taekwon-do-Hae-Sul/dp/1906628041/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248412649&sr=1-1 It might give you a different take on the patterns. It only covers up to Toi Gye hyung, but I think the author intends to add a second volume in the future (I hope so, anyways).

When you watch what is done in the class, look at how the kicking is done, and the footwork that is done in the forms. You can see how it will affect your knees by watching the footwork. Higer kicking will be a bit rougher on the knees, I think, because of more pivoting, and the need for flexibility. Lower kicking will be a bit better for the knees. Also of importance is learning to kick properly; making sure you have good pivot movements with the base leg, not locking the kicking leg out completely upon completion of the kick, and things like that. Quality in kicking is important, regardless of the art you practice.

I always learned it as a 1 in 10 rule, and I have seen it go that way. When I began my training in the ATA in 1993 (I think...), I can remember testing with quite a few peers. For a while, I had from 6 - 10 testing with me, for the same rank, at each testing. But as the ranks went up, the number of the group went down. At our 1st degree testing, there were 3 of us. Later on, the other 2 went on, moved, etc, and as far as I know, neither still train. But, I haven't seen or heard from them in a long time, so perhaps they have got back into it. A pity if they did not, because they both were a lot better and more talented than I am.

I agree with all of the replies here so far. There tends to come a time when the teacher can't teach as much as he used to, because the skill of the students it beginning to catch up with what he knows. Different perspectives can also lead to new learning, so going to a different teacher of the same style may lead one down a different path, as well. I think that there may come a time when instead of being teacher/student, they become peers, and can then rely on each other for learning and teaching.

I see what you are saying here, and I highlighted the last point, to emphasize it, and add to the discussion here. I think one point you have to consider is whether or not the way Qin accomplished his goal was the only means to this end. Take, for example, if Hitler would have emerged victorious from WWII. Germany may have become a very prominent and successful place to live (for some people, anyways...), but in the end, would it have been a good way to come to those reforms? I do think that at times we accept some evils as necessary, but the extent of the evil is what should be evaluated, and whether or not another route could be arrived at; much like you have stated. This is the point I was stating above; thanks for bringing it out. It does make one think. Of course, you also have to consider the attitudes of all other sides involved, as well. Yet, history is riddled with situations like this, on all sides of the globe. These are the points that tend to put a cut-off point on the idea of things being "mutually dependent." Maybe its because of my job, but I can't observe the kinds of charges and read about the things that people do, that are inherently evil, and think to myself as evil and good being "mutually dependant." Karma is an aspect of Eastern thought that I have a tough time clinging to, as well. I hear it typically translated or "Westernized" by the saying "what goes around, comes around." I just don't buy into it. The reason is, because nothing is guaranteed in life. The bad guys don't always get caught; not everyone "gets what's coming to them." Its nice to think that it might work that way, but in my experience, it just doesn't. It does appear that the most of us agree that the concept of "mutual dependence" does work in Martial Arts training: Thanks for all of the replies so far, Kempohands, tonydee, isshinryu5toforever, and joesteph. Your contributions here have been very enlightening to me especially, as I have little knowledge of these subjects.

Thank you for sharing that! Very solid! I second. If half of the talented students in the world worked half that hard....who knows?

Hehe, pretty cool. Very creative.