bushido_man96

Fighting and Christianity have gone hand in hand for centuries. That doesn't make it right or wrong, though; its just a fact of life. The Old Testament is rife with tales of combat, and it even has its own strongman story in Sampson. Most cultures have had to deal with combat at some point or another, and most of these cultures have religion that help to set the morals and guidelines of their culture. Fighting just happens, and the culture can reflect what they are willing to fight for.

I can't do those worth a hoot. They are tough!

4-4-09 Aikido class: 10:00 - 12:00. I got to work on all of the techniques that my rank gets tested on: Lapel grab Ikkyo, cross-wrist grab Kotegaeshi, and cross-wrist grab Kokyunage. I felt good with the initial introductions, and now I can work on them outside of class, and really focus on them. We also did a bokken kata that is a requirement for the 3rd kyus we have testing, and I kind of liked it. It was rather simple, but the sempai said I did a good job, especially with the strikes, and using my hips, etc. He said that I must have done something before, and I mentioned my SCA time, and all the reading up I have done on Western Swordsmanship. 4-6-09 Weights Bench press: 225x5, 6 fail Row: 190x5, 6 fail Military press: 125x5, 6 fail Lat pull-down: 160x6, 7 fail Leg extensions: 145x10 Leg curls: 190x10 Machine curls: 55x7, 8 fail Triceps push-down: 185x5, 6 fail Decline crunches: 2x20 Cardio: Bike for 25 minutes, then stretch. Aikido: 8:45 - 10:00. Focused on testing stuff.

4-3-09 Weights Bench press: 225x5, 6 fail Row: 190x5, 6 fail Military press: 125x5, 6 fail Lat pull-down: 160x6, 7 fail Leg extensions: 145x10 Leg curls: 190x10 Machine curls: 55x7, 8 fail Triceps push-down: 185x5, 6 fail Decline crunches: 2x20 Cardio: Bike for 25 minutes, then stretch.

I should add the tons of books that I have, plus 2 3-ring binders; one with a bunch of MA stuff in it, ranging from class planners to all of the articles and essays that I have written, along with some others done by friends and colleagues, and another that has curriculum for ATA and TTA TKD, and my Combat Hapkido requirements, plus the stuff I am putting together for my Hapkido classes. And, the Aikido curriculum book.

Truestar, I think some of the problem comes from what the judges are experienced in, too. If they have Karate experience, I think that it plays a small part in how they judge. I don't know that it leads to a bias, but when you see something that you identify with as familiar, and are comfortable with it, I think that leads to some bias. Po-Eun is a good form, but is short. You might think about trying Se-Jong as well, if you have done that one yet. It is a lot of hand techniques, and it doesn't repeat hardly at all. I have always liked it, and can really power it out.

I have read that as well. I don't know how accurate that is, but I imagine it is close. I do think having it seperate TKD from the Karate gi is one reason it was introduced.Doesn't the ITF wear the ones that tie across, though? They always looked like it, and the uniforms that I wear are always the tie across types. I wouldn't let the type of uniform distract me from taking a style. Even though I have always participated in styles that wear some type of uniform like the gi/dobok in my training, I prefer to wear something more comfortable and less restrictive, like shorts and a T-shirt (preferably a KC Chiefs T-shirt...). At any rate, the uniform would be the least of my concerns when looking into studying a style. The material learned is tantamount.

John, thank you for the comments. I am still fairly new with a lot of the movement principles of Aikido, so I'll try to consider them as I go along. I have done Nikkyo as well; I just haven't focused on it as much, as it isn't one of the techniques I'll be tested on. However, with what I have done with it, Nikkyo seems to be easier to apply than Ikkyo does. I have noticed that when I look for examples on the internet, all the examples that I see show the grab taking place, but the standards for the Aikido Association of America (AAA) seem to be to intercept the grab, as opposed to letting the grab become completed. However, I would like to practice both, because sometimes a grab will get through. I have also been practicing Kotegaeshi and Kokyunage, both without letting the grab land. It just seems to be the way the AAA does it. Thoughts on this, John?

And that's fine. But don't be offended if everyone offers up their opinions, as well. That what discussion communities are about.

The founder of Kyokushin Karate, Sosai Mas Oyama, learned Shotokan under Gichin Funakoshi and later on Goju Ryu under a senior student of Chojun Miyagi (he was eventually awarded an 8th dan by Gogen Yamaguchi). Oyama essentially combined Goju and Shotokan with jissen kumite to make Kyokushin. That is what I thought I remembered reading. But I read so much, things can get garbled at times....

I agree about keeping things in perspective. Not too much, not too little. Everything in moderation, including moderation.

I think that the front kick has many great uses; a push, a stop-kick, and it is great for lower level attacks to knees and legs. It is also one of the more efficient kicks to throw high, if thats the kind of thing you dig. Welcome aboard, as well.

Ok, after spending some more time with the sempai on Ikkyo, I had a bad spot in it, where I was taking that extra step to push the arm up, and then slide over; I should have been doing it more like in the video, with one smooth motion. So, I have that fixed better.

I think awareness is a good thing. But, taking free shots at your students everytime they turn around is not a good way to teach it. They'll become paranoid as opposed to aware, I think. I think it falls under the abuse of power.

I don't buy that at all. Does that mean that everytime a student turns around in class, then it is ok to take a shot at them? There are better, more constructive ways to teach this skill, I think.

I think it depends. Being calm is kind of an emotion, too, but why is it necessarily a better emotion than anger? Its like night and day; you don't have one without the other, and if there was only day, but no night, then things would start to get out of balance. Something like that. As I mentioned, I think that we can control our anger. I think that sometimes, people like to use anger as a crutch, or an excuse. People will claim that they did something because they got angry; I don't buy into that. You do something because you want to, because you choose to; not because "the anger made you do it." We are in control of our actions, always. Anger doesn't change that. We are the ones that change it, in my view.

Joe - I think that your reactions were not inappropriate at all. I think that many of us have been in the escalating contact level sparring situation before. It sounds to me like being angry did not cause a problem for you there.

Along with this advise, as you pull the hip back, un-pivot (if that makes sense) with the base leg foot at the same time. You will have to really engage your foot and ankle when doing this, but it should help you to get it back to your position.

It comes down to each side presenting their case, with each side bringing an attorney to argue for them. If this man is a man of honor, then I don't think he would actually lie about what happened in the school. There is a lot of talk in this thread about what is or isn't traditional. I don't think that instructors taking shots at students to prove a point is a part of "traditional" training. Things like discipline and self-control usually fall under the character traits of "traditional" styles. Kicking a student while bent over to "teach" them not to drop their belt does not pertain to any of these traits, in my view. It looks more like abuse of power to me.

A waiver can only do so much. Even with a waiver signed, lawsuits can still ensue, and can still be won. Especially in cases of negligence, and in a case like this, where the incident is cleary not an accident in training.

Miguel Torres vs. Takeya Mizugaki…………………………Torres…………..Sub Jeff Curran vs. Joseph Benavidez…………………………..Curran………….Dec Benson Henderson vs. Shane Roller……………………….Henderson…..Dec Rafael Assuncao vs. Jameel Massouh…………………….Massouh……….Sub Anthony Njokuani vs. Anthony Pettis……………………..Njokuani………KO Dominick Cruz vs. Ivan Lopez………………………………..Cruz…………….KO Wagnney Fabiano vs. Fredson Paixao…………………….Fabiano……….Sub Eddie Wineland vs. Rani Yahya……………………………….Yahya………….Sub Manny Tapia vs. Akitoshi Tamura……………………………Tapia…………..Sub Rafael Dias vs. Cole Province…………………………………..Dias……………Sub

The Swanson/Nunes fight is cancelled, I believe. It was not on the updated card. Edited above and here: Miguel Torres vs. Takeya Mizugaki Jeff Curran vs. Joseph Benavidez Benson Henderson vs. Shane Roller Rafael Assuncao vs. Jameel Massouh Anthony Njokuani vs. Anthony Pettis Dominick Cruz vs. Ivan Lopez Wagnney Fabiano vs. Fredson Paixao Eddie Wineland vs. Rani Yahya Manny Tapia vs. Akitoshi Tamura Rafael Dias vs. Cole Province

I hear ya. When I drink it, I take it black. When the wife and I got married, we took a trip to Jamaica, and I really liked their Blue Mountain coffee. It wasn't to spiffed up; just a really good roast.

Awesome! I can't wait for the Ghostbusters movie.

The Hobbit House was cool.