bushido_man96

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?

Congrats!

Thanks, tallgeese. I'll read it over, and see what I can come up with when I get a chance.

Pacquiao was really something else. He pretty much outclassed De La Hoya. I like Oscar, but this kid was solid.

$20 isn't too bad, really. If you do, let us know how you like the full package.

Being a good kicker isn't about high kicking. Its about being tactically sound with your kicking, and using good technique and power when you do it.

When it comes to using adrenaline, there is really only so much you can use. The body doesn't have a controlled release of adrenaline. That's why its called a "dump." It dumps, and then it is done. Now, being able to control what startles you, and delay the dump, is a trainable thing. But not how much adrenaline your body uses at a time, I believe. As for Chinese/Japanese influences on TKD; yes, they are there. But, not everyone in the MAs are zen masters, and so it is with TKD. I don't worry about the internal so much.

Thanks for finding that link, Joe. Perhaps I'll look into it. After all, I read everything else out there!

At our classes, we say it the easy way; in English...."your form, your count." Then we say sijak. I know, I'm not any fun, using English....

That helps to clarify things a bit. Thanks, John.