bushido_man96

"Sijak" is the Korean term for begin.

It would depend on which style of Karate you are referring to. Can you give us some specifics? Maybe then we could help better.

Thanks for the tips, John. I have noticed that the Aikido classes tend to be a bit more helter-skelter in what they teach. It just seems to go on a whim of the class teacher. When we did the seminar, however, it was a bit different. We started with a technique, and we did it from one particular instance, like the same side grab. Then, we moved to doing it from a punch. Then, from maybe a grab and punch. I liked this approach, and I would like to see more of it in a class.

I would love to have a go at some BJJ. I have no ground game, so that or Wrestling would be great to do.

This is a great topic. I like this. For TKD, I would change the sparring approach, first and foremost. I'd still probably do some tournament type of training for those wanting to compete, but it wouldn't be my focus. I think that basics/kihon are good to keep, because they teach good movements for developing power. Although tallgeese doesn't like the chamber motions of strikes and blocks, if trained properly, it can be useful as a flinch-style cover, prior to technique execution. I would find applications for forms training that would lend itself to self-defense more. Reading books and experimenting with the moves, and with scenarios. I did one with the simple knife hand strike in class last week, and I thought it went really well. Introducing some combatives from some of the RBSD stuff that I do from time to time comes to mind, as well. I'm sure I can think of a better way to line this out, given some time. I really think that this is something that can be done by just about any style.

I agree. I remember the first time I taught a warm-up...I was quite nervous. Then, I started taking over kids classes, and I wasn't taken as seriously as the head instructor was. Its a process where you have to build some rapport with the students, and the sooner you can start, then the better.

Well, congrats then, Ozpunker! It sounds like this testing was especially good for you. And in the end, it all did work out.

Wow! That is crazy!

Classic Fighting Arts is a good magazine, although a bit more narrow in its coverage. What I like about it is that it is based on scholary research. Black Belt Magazine is the one I read the most. It usually has a wide range of material, and I enjoy seeing other viewpoints of MAs. I also read TKDTimes magazine. I like it, and it has expaned the content it takes on from mainly Korean MAs to other arts as well, including some MMA. Although I think its columnists tend to be a bit narrowminded, the content of the mag is ok.

Ok, since you ask, I'll answer in two parts.1. My school really is not much more than a curriculum-based school. What I mean by that is that we do basics, forms, one-steps, and sparring in class, and testing is based on if you know your forms and one-steps well enough to be allowed to test. Other than this, we don't delve much into other things (much to my chagrin, but that's another topic entirely...). So, for the purpose of what rank is in our school, I see no need for it. 2. If material tends to become more combative in nature, with more emphasis put on when and how you use what you learn, and based on things like laws, the use-of-force ladder, etc, then I do think that it would be an asset to have a junior ranking system. I'll admit that I kind of ride the fence on the junior black belt thing. I don't know that it is a necessity or not. However, the more arguements I see about the junior rank, the more I think I begin to prefer it.

Josh Koscheck vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida…Koscheck KO Mike Swick vs. Jonathan Goulet…………Swick KO Steve Cantwell vs. Razak Al-Hassan….Cantwell Sub Tim Credeur vs. Nate Loughran………….Loughran Dec Luigi Fioravanti vs. Brodie Farber……….Faber Dec Steve Bruno vs. Johnny Rees………………Bruno KO Ben Saunders vs. Brandon Wolff…………Wolff Dec Corey Hill vs. Dale Hartt………………………Hartt Sub Eddie Sanchez vs. Justin McCully………..Sanchez Sub Jim Miller vs. Matt Wiman……………………Miller KO

Our school does not use a Junior ranking system.

We have stripes on both sides of the belt. Since I am a 3rd dan, we have 3 stripes on each side. Org name on left, our name on right, both English and Korean.

No, it had more to do with not wanting to put it on after doing forms, or having to race off to the restroom when they called his group to compete. A convenience thing for him, I guess.

This is unfortunate. But, even with a black belt, people are still emotional beings, and at times, they can get the better of the best of us. I do know that my emotions still get the better of me at times. So, I wouldn't be too quick to pass a lot of judgement on them. I agree with Tiger here. If the rules aren't enforced properly, then you will see things like this happen. If it were me, and I got some guy trying to pound the tar out of me, and nothing is being done about it, then I am going to respond in kind. I'm into self-perserverance, ya know? So, some of the blame has to go to the officiating. Its their job to control the action. This doesn't bother me so much. After all, compeititions are set up to compare skill to skill. I agree that competition is not for everyone, but when one enters a competition, then the goal is to try to win it. But, within the rules.

I hear you there, ShoriKid. I don't like that idea at all. That's when I throw out trying to score, and just trying to hit. Hitting is easier than "scoring," in my opinion.

If I saw this I'd be on the floor in stitches laughing so hard. It was quite funny to see. The bad thing was that the guy was from our school.....

Earlier this year, I went to a Weapon Retention and Control seminar, and a Ground Defense seminar, both of which were put on by our state Law Enforcement Training Center. They were a lot of fun, and I learned a lot, especially in the Ground Defense class. A month or so before that, I attended our TKD org's annual Black Belt Seminar, which was a really big workout, really. It was still a good time, though. Most recently, I attended an Aikido seminar, and since attending that seminar, I joined the Aikido club that our University has.

I typically will kick with the full, big chamber, but sometimes I will come from underneath at an angle, like the Olympic style round kick. When I break boards, its the big chamber, and I use the ball of the foot. Sometimes, I'll do a 360 degree jump with the break, too, just for "kicks."

The strangest "wardrobe malfunction" that I have ever seen at a tourney was a guy who wear his athletic supporter and cup on the OUTSIDE of his pants, as opposed to the inside. It just looked wrong.

We have stripes on both sides of the belt, so we can't use that as a guide. However, school name goes on the left, and our name goes on the right side. Double wrapped, square knot tie.

In Combat Hapkido, I do a lot of round kicks to the thigh area, usually with the shin. In TKD sparring, I'll use it off the back leg, to the body or the head. Sometimes I'll use a front leg round kick, but not often. In sparring, its usually with the instep.

That sucker is huge! I had heard that, too, John. It would be cool to try. How expensive was it?

Some people are plain nuts!

What is a Chisai Kun?