bushido_man96

My feelings on child black belts has changed over time. It will depend a lot on what the curriculum of the school is. In our school, kids and adults follow the same curriculum, so if both are doing the same, then why should there be a difference in how they are promoted or ranked? At this point in this discussion, I like to introduce the arts that don't use a ranking system: Wrestling, Jeet Kune Do, Muay Thai, Boxing. The practitioners of these styles don't have to worry about this. They show up, they practice, and their skill level is recognized by everyone in the gym, whatever it may be. Limits aren't put on what is taught, just on what they might be able to retain, depending on their skill level. As far as schools being "crap," that is going to depend on what you expect out of an MA school. Some schools may be curriculum based, and others may be sport focused, and some may be self-defense based. So, each one will likely have different results. And not all students are created equal, either. So, do you base levels off of independent improvement, or compare to other students? Lots of questions to answer, and none of the answers seem simple.

Not too strange, really. Some magazine did a pole one time, asking what people's number one fear was. #1 was public speaking. #2 was dying. People would rather die than get up and speak in public! So, it isn't really all that odd to be a bit jittery about something like that. Most of us MAists will step inbetween some big dudes fighting to break it up, or stare down someone trying to intimidate us, or stand and face a drunk wanting to attack us or our family.... .....but if a wasp comes flying by, I do that slapping-the-air-and-skipping-away jig....

Welcome to the Forums, Dave.

RIP

I agree as well. I think it is important that respect recipricates. There is a difference between earning and demanding respect, and earning it is far better, in the long run.

6-30-09 Helped a student with some hip rotation issues today, and also got to do the first orientation for 2 new students. Its always kind of fun to get some fresh minds in there. I worked with them on a few stances, walking in stance, and then adding in some techniques.

7-1-09 Combat Hapkido: 8:00 - 9:00. Worked on more trapping drills today. While we were warming up, we were moving from one trapping drill into another, and we stayed really smooth. The pracitice is paying off.

Ah, well, that adds to the confusion for me a bit. I think I'll just call it side kick. Its easier that way.

Thanks for sharing, Bob.

Katas do tend to have variances from place to place, so it is something to be expected. Right or wrong, I don't know. I do think it odd that your instructor taught you a brown belt level kata as a white belt, but, as mentioned, it may be just a one-time thing, and afterwards, he may take you back to the earlier katas.

I agree. I didn't take up Martial Arts training for internal aspects of self-improvement, or to become a better person; I like to think I was a pretty good person already. I wanted to learn how to fight/defend myself, and everything else is just a bonus. I do, however, agree that leading by example is important, but not just for Martial Artists. Its important for society as a whole, and I think it is the responsibility of society as a whole to lead the younger generartions in the right way. I don't think it is the responsibility of Martial Arts training, or Martial Artists to head this parade; its EVERYONE'S responsibiltiy.

I think that there are a lot of people that feel this way, but I think that it is getting to the point that it isn't necessary. Take Boxing as an example. If you want to learn to Box, you go to the Boxing gym and take it up. I think that learning MMA style fighting is getting closer to going the same route. If you want to learn MMA, you can just go to the local MMA gym and sign up to learn. Most of them have the coaches needed to for the various areas of focus; Boxing, Muay Thai perhaps, and some kind of Grappling. Obviously, there will be elite gyms, and then more mainstream gyms, but I really think that this is the way it is going to be going in the near future (if it isn't already).

I would have to agree with tallgeese on this one. MMA fighters are sharp, and fast. They also wear gloves that are a touch thicker, so they won't do quite as much damage as the cloth pads that the Shotokai competitors were wearing. I practice what I consider to be a hard style, and we do all the hard blocks in every class. But when we spar, opportunities to use those blocks aren't that frequent. They work well against circular kicks and hook punches, but otherwise the zoned blocking that redirects more than damages gets used more. You could view video clips of the Olympic TKDers and their kicks, and think that they could dominate in MMA as well, but it just doesn't directly translate. Those guys, and those in the video above, might win some matches, but without the specialized training regimine that serious MMAers go through, they wouldn't get to a very high level of competition. Take Lyota Machida, for example. He has done a great job of taking Shotokan into the MMA ring, but do you think that he appears to fight like those of the video clip, as far as the speed and quick tagging goes? He has some similarities, for sure, but he has modified his training to fit the MMA mold, and has also supplemented groundfighting to boot. But, if he got into the Shotokai ring that those in the video were fighing in, he might not do as well as them in that venue, because he hasn't focused his training to it. I think that what your focus is will have a big impact on your sparring.

I would have to agree with tallgeese on this one. MMA fighters are sharp, and fast. They also wear gloves that are a touch thicker, so they won't do quite as much damage as the cloth pads that the Shotokai competitors were wearing. I practice what I consider to be a hard style, and we do all the hard blocks in every class. But when we spar, opportunities to use those blocks aren't that frequent. They work well against circular kicks and hook punches, but otherwise the zoned blocking that redirects more than damages gets used more. You could view video clips of the Olympic TKDers and their kicks, and think that they could dominate in MMA as well, but it just doesn't directly translate. Those guys, and those in the video above, might win some matches, but without the specialized training regimine that serious MMAers go through, they wouldn't get to a very high level of competition. Take Lyota Machida, for example. He has done a great job of taking Shotokan into the MMA ring, but do you think that he appears to fight like those of the video clip, as far as the speed and quick tagging goes? He has some similarities, for sure, but he has modified his training to fit the MMA mold, and has also supplemented groundfighting to boot. But, if he got into the Shotokai ring that those in the video were fighing in, he might not do as well as them in that venue, because he hasn't focused his training to it. I think that what your focus is will have a big impact on your sparring.

Must mastery=perfection? I don't think so. I think that it requires a high level of skill and experience, but I don't think that "perfection" has to enter into the equation.

I think that making the distinction between styles of Martial Arts is important, but it is moreso to those of us who have put a lot more time and energy into it than those who have not. So naturally, this kind of generalizing will strike a cord with us. I would think that by now, with the kind of exposure that the Martial Arts gets as a whole, that we would be far beyond this kind of classifiaction. There was a time when much of what came out of Korea was called Korean Karate, but as you said, much has changed since then, and even if TKD and TSD do carry Karate heritage, these styles have differentiated themselves from that. When discussing the semantics of Martial Arts, I don't take offense when someone refers to what I do as something that it is not because of some superiority complex. If someone mistakes what I do as Karate, I would not be upset because they called it Karate. I would just politely inform them what it is that I do, and perhaps what it does entail, should they inquire further. To be called Karate I don't view as an insult, just a mistake. I do think that it is tough to get too frustrated with the layperson when it comes to these things. However, as a journalist, I would expect that they might dig a little deeper into the research, so as not to cause this kind of misinformation to be presented. Why would this be important? Well, anytime you put that kind of time and effort into acquiring skill in some area, then you tend to become partial to what you do, and you like it to be recognized for what it is, and not generalized too much.

Congrats!

I think that the cornhole should come with a surgeon general's warning that death may occur after eating! As for me, I'm pretty much a ketchup and mustard guy.

I'm guessing he didn't do that with his teeth...cool, though.

I agree with you, Tiger. Too long or too short, and I would get curious. But, the main thing to consider is if the training is good or not. If the training is that good, then I'd stick with it.

I have had one tooth pulled before, and I don't remember having too many problems afterwards. But, it wasn't a wisdom tooth, it was an absessed tooth that was causing me a lot of headaches. I hear that wisdom teeth are different, and require a different procedure. Look at this little experience as a testing; get through it, and you pass.

6-30-09 TKD class: 6:00 - 7:30. Pretty much a regular class tonight, no sparring, which is probably a good thing, since I'm still nursing the sore groin. But, I was able to do more tonight than I did last week. I did round kicks and side kicks on both legs, but not too high or fast on the side kicks. I did work on Do-Kangs 1 and 2 with one of the 1st dans that will get to test soon, and I had him work on really using his hips with the movements. These two sets are all upper body strikes, so these are great for hip work. TKD orientation: 7:30 - 8:00. We had 4 total here, and we split off into groups of 2, because my 2 were fresh. We did some stance work, walking in stances, and worked a few strikes.

I usually tend to rotate my foot as I'm kicking. When we do our spinning side kicks, out butt is usually pointing at the target, like the video clip you showed demonstrates, so I would but that as a thrusting kick, for sure. When we do our cross-over stepping side kicks in basics, I think it might be more like the piercing kick. However, for a time, I was doing it like a thrusting kick, which slowed me way down, and really changed the balance and the way the power came on the kick. When I do a back leg side kick in our basics, I'm not sure which it would fall under. I get a good pivot, and and my leg up tight, but I don't think I get quite to the butt-pointing-at-the-target point. I bring the back leg up more like a front kick chamber, and then get it into the side kick position towards the beginning of the kicking motion. That way, I don't feel like I am "swinging" my leg around to do the kick. I like it to feel like my power is going forward. In my TKD training, I have never been taught a side "piercing" kick or a side "thrusting" kick. I have always just done a side kick. I've seen Choi talk of both in the Encyclopedia, but have never worried about distinguising between the two. So this has been somewhat enlightening to me.

Aches and pains come from doing any physical activity; MA practice is no different. There will be times when you will be sore. As you progress, your body will get used to what you are doing, and it will be more passing. I do agree with tallgeese, in that there should be some levels of contact when training in the Martial Arts. I can understand that you don't want to hit people you like, and I think that is a sound judgement. As a white belt, I don't expect that you will be diving into the type of sparring that your link showed. Your instructor will bring you along, as he sees you are fit to be taught. At higher levels, the sparring may get more intense, but that is ok; it shows you are advancing. Best of luck, and stick with it.

Ha! This reminds me of when we first met Pedro Sauer. Tony (my direct instructor) had been training for 9 years on his own and attending various seminars. He had a bb in JJJ. He figured that, on a scale of 1 to 10, he was about a 7 or 8. After Pedro...he realized he was more of a 1 or 2. Since then, he's just exploded. Now he's a bjj brown belt that regularly beats tough black belts. But he says he owes it all to getting in a good BJJ program with Pedro. With this in mind, do you feel that the time spent with JJJ has been a boon to the time in BJJ? Or do you feel that jumping into BJJ would have been more beneficial to you?