bushido_man96

Well, the lack of popularity of it is one problem. I know that there are some Medieval re-creationists that have worked on the style, but they are pretty spread out, and the groups tend to be relegated to larger cities. If you check out https://www.thearma.org, you will get pointed in the right direction.

I think it is workable. However, to echo Tiger's concerns, it is important that the presense of younger practitioners doesn't effect the training of the adults.

Classroom teachers have found that the more teaching conforms to an organization's desires, the more creativity goes out the window. An example can be "teaching for the test" that the organization wants, but education (all that it implies) can suffer from a narrow focus; a stilted study can result. I can see creativity being applied in the martial arts by the teacher who will prepare students for testing, but also introduce that which is not organization-directed and yet has merit. This is the "truer" teacher. I agree here, Joe, and I have a personal experience for it. My daughter's middle school right now is in the process of gearing up for the state assessments. So, instead of continuing with their regular teaching and curriculum, they are focusing all their time on what is on the assessments, which I think is wrong. The assessments are meant to see where the school and system is a whole, compared to nationwide standards. By teaching to the assessment, it skews the results, but in the end, makes them look good as a school that "performs exceptionally when compared statewide on the assessments." That is excellent. Well said.

I think that the teacher should be able to adapt the content to needs as they arise. However, I think that it is important to do this within one's realm of knowledge. An organization may set a curriculum that is tested by, and that is fine; but it doesn't have to be the only curriculum taught in any MA class setting. I think that yes, a teacher should be willing to listen to what the students want to learn, and be willing to cater to that want, if it: 1.) fits the goals of what the teacher has for his school, 2.) is something that the teacher knows and can do, or knows someone that can present it, and will do so, and 3.) the teacher doesn't show up to class each time and says "so what do you want to work on today?" Now, allow me to elaborate... 1. From our discussions, John, I don't think that you would be interested in spending a class period, or a block of classes, in teaching students to kick to the head, and to work on the nuances of technical aspects associated with high kicks (kicking to the head). Although it may be "fun" for the class, it will likely take up valuable time for applicable self-defense skills, which many people don't look at high kicks as. 2. It would not behoove me to attempt to teach ground fighting and defense skills to my class, if that is what they wanted, simply because I know just about jack squat on the subject, other than what I read. However, if I know of someone that is experienced in the field, then I should be willing to defer to the knowledge of someone else to help teach something to my class that I cannot. 3. I do think that it is the responsibility of the teacher to show up with a class planner, so-to-speak. The teacher should have some kind of idea of the subject matter that he is approaching for the day, week, block, etc. However, flexibility in planning is what leads to my explanation to #1. I think that as new ideas and training advances are made, then yes, they should be evaluated and tested to see if they will benefit the student body as a whole. They may not need to be incorporated at the expense of other things, but be combined and used together, if applicable. If not, then new may need to replace old. As for having a broad and deep understanding of the subject matter, I think is a definite yes.

Thanks for the continued evaluation, tallgeese. Its good to see that it is holding up under continued duress.

Thank you for the advise. I'll add that title to my list of those to pick up.

It sounds like you had an enjoyable experience, and that is one of the main things. If you learned something, then you did not come away empty handed.

I think that you are spot on about the way sparring is taught in most schools, JusticeZero. Most sparring matches tend to start at a determined distance, and the mutuality of the endeavor is not always conducive to that of what an attack is like. When most attacks happen, there isn't really any "close the gap" strategy; it is usually already closed, with the bad guy already on top of you.

I've wondered that myself.I watched the last half of it, and the farther along it went, the less I wished I'd watched. All they should be allowed to say is "thank you" when they take that award....

I hope Tekken is good, too. I think that Zelda would have some promise, if Peter Jackson gets to do it.

I have found a good chocolate chip cookie recipe recently, and have been making them. Usually, I do the eating rather than the cooking, though. I'm a mess in the kitchen.

I just finished Cussler's Skeleton Coast, and have started Serpent. I am also reading A Killing Art, The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do. Really interesting stuff there.

That's awesome!

That is good news.

Playing it by ear will be a good thing. You don't want to rush it, have a setback, and then miss out on more training, for sure. Good luck with the rehab.

Thanks for the advise, tallgeese. I keep working toward some things, and even if I can't do it the way I'd like to, I can change things a little, and get closer. Awesome DT stuff. You gotta love dept. DT training. I want to get in and help my DT partner with his PD classes, but there seems to be a bit of a "cross-over resistance" that is pretty petty between the departments, if you ask me. Oh well, politics are everywhere. 100 Push-ups Week 4, Day 3: 23, 28, 23, 23, (13, 13, 7) 33 = 130. That last set got broke up, but I pushed through to get the amount I needed to finish it out. Its hardly optimal, but it got me through. That last set is tough. Floor kicking Side kick: 3x10 each side Round kick: 3x10 each side I didn't get to class tonight; the wife was pretty ill, so I stayed home to help out with the kids and all. Oh, well. There is always Thursday, and this Saturday at the college, instead of the Aikido class, there is going to be an open DT session with one of the Highway Patrol guys showing up to present some cuffing stuff; one of the professors that teaches a DT course through the college is going to be there; the 4th dan from our school, who also does the Aikido, will be there as well. It should be a good training opportunity, I think. I look forward to it.

Ok, here we go, question by question, because I liked JusticeZero's approach.... I think it does matter. Some schools don't spar as much as others. My Aikido club, for example, doesn't spar. However, my TKD school requires sparring as part of higher rank testing requirements. However, techniques you learn from kihon/kata might have sparring applications, but you have to spar in order to learn to see them. I think after a while, when you do begin sparring, you will see this take place. They might differ from school to school, and definitely can from style to style. In my TKD, we don't do any kind of bunkai (although I have found resources for it). I think instructors do develop their own (I know of one experiments constantly with them), and sometimes there will be bunkai handed down, that makes a good base to start with. Eventually, you may develop bunkai that your instructor did not. Unfortunately, this is not the case. My TKD school mentions "self-defense" in its flyers, ads, and tag lines, but we don't do a lot of rote self-defense work. It could be that my instructor expects the students to develop good self-defense skills through basics, one-steps, etc., but that isn't a guarantee. Anymore, there is a seperation. Some arts have more of a SD focus than others. Many times, the sparring training, although it can have some SD cross-over benefits, is usually done with a rule set established for competition purposes. JusticeZero put forth some good information in his post on the subject.

Welcome to KF! I echo the above sentiments....there is no time like the present!

Or....switching on requires a front kick, turning off requires an axe kick....

I agree. I think that if you throw first-timers to the wolves, its a good way to limit the types of students you get early on and keep. I think that if you bring the students around the right way, you can even get the more timid, less physical students to enjoy sparring, and become proficient at it. The key word here is "first-timer." As one can notice in the BB of C's post, you will at times run into those who have prior experience in MAs or fighting in general, or those who just don't mind a higher level of contact. Then, you can throw them in with higher ranks sooner rather than later, and get them up to the level they want to be at.

I would do it.

Welcome!

Where? Was he an extra?

Nice. Some brands I had not heard of there, but that's not unusual. I'm not much of an instant coffee guy, but I do like a good cup now and then.

I'd try the Mountain Dew. I wonder if the difference is noticible?