bushido_man96

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.

That's a viable concern, Bob. In can depend on the kick. For higher kicks, the pivot foot is vastly important. The more you can pivot that foot, the more you can open the hips, allowing for more power. But, for lower kicks, like to the upper leg or even the knee, the complete 180 degree pivot isn't as necessary. Of course, if you like to get that full pivot when you kick low, have at it. But, from what I've worked with, it isn't as necessary, and by not doing a full pivot, you can get the kick there faster. Also, the full pivot isn't are required for adequate power when kicking lower. The higher the kick, though, the more important the proper pivot becomes.

Then the headposts that remain, and the board, should begin deliberating on this matter, and decide what the best course of action would be.

That's adorable.

I like both, as well. The nice thing about a testing day is that it presents the idea of a goal to be reached, with a time frame to put to it; be it months, days, or years away. It allows for objectives to be set in order to work towards the goal, which will in the end (should) improve the day-to-day performance, which is evaluated for the purposes of allowing a student to test. I read a thesis once on how the testing is representative of a rite of passage, in a way. I like this idea, and I think that it is what makes the testing what it is.

To me, it's when you shouldn't have to. There have been times that I could have avoided a fight by leaving, running, or giving them what they want (once something as simple as a seat in a park). I am a very slight man (about 5'6" and 125lb.), and each one took that as an opportunity to control me by force or threats. That is wrong; I am not required to yield to anyone who happens to have greater biceps. I will fight with fist, foot, tooth, and nail for what is right, and I am no less justified by the fact that I could have avoided causing or receiving injury. To bow to these brutes would be a worse consequence than my swollen lip or my oppressor's broken nose. Edmund Parker said it well: "Should it be a matter of life or death, of right or wrong, then here are my weapons . . . " I can see where you are coming from here, and I can't say that I have never felt that way before, either. Being bullied isn't fun, nor should it be tolerated. There are times when discretion is the better part of valor, and there are times when action, or inaction to respond to rude requests, is the way to go, as well.

To discuss a move like a neck break without discussing the legal ramifications of using such a technique is not a good idea, in my opinion. If one is to even consider jumping to a technique like that, the other person better have a weapon or something in hand.

I agree about the practice, but using the methods that test your moves is going to be very beneficial practice. The DT sessions that I have had have been great for this. Also, doing research, and then working off the data, is a good approach to take, as well.

I agree. Get it checked out.

It was enjoyable, and the sensei is so smooth, watching him and then going out and just butchering it like I do, really gives me hope that I can attain that level of control at some point.

Agreed. Each tourney is a learning experience. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I think this is a very good point. Ueshiba comes to mind with his philosophies of Aikido. Norse, I believe. They dine in the halls of Valhalla, and then go out to fight and die in the fields of Asgard, and then, arise, and return to dine, and then do it all over again.

That's great. I'm glad that there are schools out there like that. I never said that "child prodigy" is an excuse. What I am saying is that not every child has the same talent level, nor are all children capable of the same things. Nor do I think that all children should be awarded black belts, either. However, I do think that those shown in the threads here are exceptional students, and not every child is going to be achieving that level of skill that early. I think that they can get closer to it, but some children will take longer to get there than others.

I've been there, as well. Especially with Combat Hapkido, we try to make sure that we finish more and more on the ground. But, its all give and take, too; my partner knows that I get a turn after he does.