bushido_man96

I read an article in Black Belt Magazine from March '09, and in it was John Fonseca, showing some of his Karate-match strategies, which including holding and sweeping several of them. I really liked what he had to say, and I liked his combinations and set-ups, too. I think fighting that way from time to time would be a good way to shake things up in class.

I've never experienced a pulled ab. If it is worse than just having sore abs, then I'd be setting out, most likely.

Ok I guess so if we are talking sport, you'd only really be kicking chest level with the odd high kick and those two chambers are fairly close. When I chamber for round kicks or side kicks, I try to keep my chamber at waist level, or a bit higher, if I can. From there, I can deliver a kick to the mid or high section, whichever I choose. You can also go low from there, too, and I don't think that it makes for too bad a kick. If you ever watch some of Van Damme's movies, you will see that he tends to do a hybrid type of chamber for his side kicks, round kicks, and hook kicks; they all seem to come from the same starting point. Not that it is right or wrong; just an observation.

2-16-09 Weights Bench press: 205x8, go up Seated row: 170x6, 7 fail Military press: 115x6, 7 fail Lat pull-down: 160x5, 6 fail Machine curl: 50x6, 7 fail Triceps push-down: 165x4, 5 fail Ab wheel: 7, 5 (OUCH!) Breakfalls (Ukemi) Backwards breakfall: sitting x 8, kneeling x 5, standing x 5 each side Forward roll: kneeling x 5, standing x 5 each side Backward roll: kneeling x 5, standing x 5. Cardio: Bike for 25 mintues, then stretched.

Darn it, sensei8 beat me to it! Very cool, though.

White Lo orange Hi orange Lo green Hi green Lo blue Hi blue Lo brown Middle brown Hi brown Black recommened (skunk belt) Black belt. The Lo belt ranks have a white stripe through the middle of the belt. The Hi belt ranks are solid. Lo brown has a stripe through the middle, middle brown is solid, and hi brown has a piece of tape on each side.

I would be worried that if my belt did fray that much, that I might end up pulling it apart in class. I don't want that!

That is a terrible thing, too. So many times, people don't think about the consequences of their actions before doing something.

I think that the main concern is if training these things will be as beneficial and applicable for the desired outcomes as compared to what might be considered more efficient delivery systems. Like tallgeese mentioned, small joint manipulation can be a uselful tool, when applied in the right context. But, if you try to start from the outside and work your way in with small joint, you end up trying to grab a tiger by the tail, and the rodeo is on. However, if you can begin closer, like from a clinch, you can increase your level of success.

Remember what curiosity did to the cat?

Thanks, Kez.

Good for you!

Perhaps not it self-defense. But in sport, it tends to become a strategy game, and that where ideas like this come about.

That's great news, Kez.

2-11-09 100 Push-ups Week 4, Day 2: 20, 25, 20, 20, 28 = 113. I actually failed on #27 on the last set, but then put one more out. Week 4 seems to be my breaking point here. We'll see how day 3 goes. Decline abs: 2x15 Leg press: 320x10 need to go up. Cardio: Bike for 25 minutes, then stretched.

When I think of "dynamic," I think of explosive movement. Not that my interpretation is the end-all, be-all; it isn't. But when I hear the word, that's what comes to mind.

Thanks for the explanation. That helps with visualization a bit.

If I can just jump in on this, JusticeZero (perhaps unintentionally) brings up an interesting point. At the moment the only real arena where fighters are tested is MMA. So you only get experimentation with striking/grappling styles that will fair well under those rules. No Taiji practitioner or Aikido practitioner is going to do particular well in that environment as the styles aren't based around pain compliance and striking. So anyway, my point is because you're not getting that experimentation for competition purposes and apart from a few ambitious individuals, nobody is really trying to mix these styles up and cross-train them with other styles. Does this mean that styles like Taiji and Aikido are a lot more "traditional" because nobody has tried to develop them in a way that would work for a neo-MMAist? I think it would be quite an interesting experiment to take something like Taiji and try to work it into a fighting style. I think that the main issue in MMA competitions is not in trying to experiment with mixing and matching styles to see what we get; the interest is in winning, and naturally, competitors are going to gravitate to that which has been pressure-tested to work with the highest levels of success. In the early days of the UFCs, we saw more of this mix and match idea, and the "style vs. style" set-up. What we see now is what has been born out of that experimentation. I do know that there are some guys who have put different styles together to great effect; Lyota Machida has used his speacial type of Shotokan training mixed with some BJJ to good effect. He likes to fight by maintaining his distance, and assuming total control of distance in the fight. And he is good at it. We have also seen Georges St. Pierre, who I believe is a Kyokushin stylist that has also been doing a lot of Wrestling (he was going to try out for the Canadian Olympic Wrestling team). GSP is less likely to play the distance game, because he is big and strong, and good at ground-and-pound. So, he'll close, bang, and then pummell them. Its just about what you've been exposed to in your training. I have also seen that there is a guy who has done JKD for a long time, and is using it as his fighting style in MMA competitions. He hasn't made it to the level of UFC yet that I know of, but he could be on his way. So that's another perspective. Cung Le, with his extensive San Shou record, and his use of throws, slams, and his kicking repertoire has also shown a different fighting style. Its too bad that he may not continue his MMA career, because I'd really like to see what more he can bring, as far as entertainment value. In closing, you can see that there is plenty of variety in the MMA competitions, you just have to look for it.

That's a shame. From the sound of it, they were trying to make the wraps hard, to heighten the impact of the blows. That's the only thing I can think of. But with the gloves on, I wonder how much it could have helped?

That's cool that you get to work on stuff like that, tallgeese. I'd love to be able to get in on some training like that. I really hope to start getting some range time in soon, too. Just got to get that gun ordered. 2-9-09 100 push-ups Week 4, Day 1: 18, 22, 16, 16, 30 (needed 25) = 102 2-10-09 Gym Bench press: 205x6 Seated cable row: 170x6, fail Military press: 115x7, 8 fail Lat pull-down: 150x8 Machine curl: 50x6 Triceps push-downs: 165x4 Abs Cable crunches: 105x25, 20 Ab wheel: 10 Cardio: Bike for 25 minutes, stretch. TKD class: 6:00 - 7:00. There was an instructor seminar over this last weekend, and it appears that there are some different things that we are going to be doing with basics now. Some of them, I feel, would be more appropriate for higher ranked students, but we'll see how they play out. Being out all last week really showed up in class on Tuesday.

Using the same chamber position can be a good way to confuse an opponent. I also like how he used the same high chamber for both a low or a high kick. If the chamber is going to the same spot, then you can choose where you put the kick, as opposed to chambering only low, where they can be pretty sure that you are going to kick low.

Those are pretty good tips. Don't try to make things complicated, by trying obscure combinations or techniques that you have not yet practiced. Take what you have learned, and make it work for you. A good front leg front kick can help you maintain space. When you get close, the let those hands fly. And, most important, keep your hands up! Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

By "heavier hips," do you mean that they can keep their center lower?

I don't think that MMA will become like Boxing. The rule set give it more flexibility to allow fighters to be different. We will see different approaches at times, like with Machida's ideas and strategies, but I don't think that makes things "new." Like Bruce Lee had said, unless someone grows another arm, we won't see a "new" fighting style. We will see the same things applied in different ways, though.

Just wanted to remind everyone of this upcoming event. Picks are due by 12:00 AM ET on Sunday, March 1st.