bushido_man96

Good points above. I wouldn't worry about price quite as much as I would as to what is being taught and how. If you want an improved ground game, then BJJ would be the way to go, I think. For throwing, Judo would be good. Also, you could look into a Hapkido school for something similar to more traditional Japanese Jujitsu.

Hello, and welcome to the Forums. What do you have available in your area to choose from? Judo might fit you well, and would complement your Wrestling skills nicely. I would also add that if you find a TKD school that isn't necessarily sport-oriented, then it might have some things that you like. Just don't let a stereotype deter you.

You really said it right there, tallgeese: everyone wins. Especially when it comes to the more resistive or "alive" training.

On several occasions, my instructor has even ASKED us students to submit ideas or suggestions on things we would like to learn (or do) in class that we might not cover in a regular class or things we feel that need more practice in; and any other comments we'd like to bring up. My instructor is flexible & open-minded in that way. So, I would suggest talking to yours after class and bring the matter up. The worst that can happen is he says no. That is awesome that you have an instructor like that. An environment in which students don't have to worry about whether or not to ask a question, or make a suggestion, is a very healthy learning environment.

Well, anytime there is a turn involved, it seems to me like a good opportunity to put in a trip/throw/takedown of some kind. Thoughts?

Welcome to KarateForums. To improve the height and explosiveness of your kicks, there are two things you can do. First is get into a good stretching routine where you focus on flexibility improvement. Second, is set up a plyometric exercise program to build up the explosiveness in your legs. There are lots of good exercises that you can find on the internet, and if you pick a few to do two days a week, along with focusing on proper technique work with your kicks, then I think you will begin to see improvements. Best of luck to you!

When you jump, make sure to tuck your legs up underneath you. Its kind of like a high-knees position, with both knees tucked up. Practice doing this by just jumping straight up, bursting as high as you can, and tucking your legs. Then land. Rinse and repeat. This is a very plyometric, explosive exercise, so if you do them in 3 sets of 10 one day, wait another day before you do them again.

I second the stun/distract methodology; I prefer to call it a destruction; I don't want to be a fly, I want to be an elephant, stampedeing. In Combat Hapkido, distraction techniques are a part of each set of moves that we do. They usually consist of low-line kicks or palm strikes to the face. It is a good tactic.

How would you test that? I would probably use some Reality Based approaches to scenario based training to see how things worked. How would you test it?

OK, along the same lines of the Is MMA a strategy? thread, do you feel that RBSD is a strategy, or a style all its own?

Now, with this part of the discussion cooling down, what does everyone think about being able to implement elements of MMA into the core curriculum of their style? Is it about upping the level of protective equipment? Or introducing some ground fighting ideas (if you know some...)? Is it something that could be implemented into a traditional curriculum with some success?

I would think that these targets could be used, but as opportunistic strikes to targets like the eyes, or the throat, or other soft targets. The leapard paw, if I am not mistaken, is much akin to the palm strike, so it would have more readily available uses, like the power slap, right? However, I do think that strikes like the palm heel strike into the jaw, or punches to the jaw or body would likely take precedence, and I say this depending on where on the use of force ladder one is at the time.

Thanks for the tip, John. I have noticed that the motion in bringing the uke down in the shio-nage is most troubling to me. I think that part of it might come from my start-and-stop approach to putting the technique together right now, though. As for the books, I have most of them, and have either read them or am in the process of reading them. I am looking into acquiring a few more, too.

I think that this is where the confusion lies. There is a difference between learning effective self-defense, and mastering a Martial Arts style. The latter should take a lifetime; the former should not. Acquiring good, solid self-defense skills, from any MA, should not take years to acquire. It should come in the first 6 months of training, I think, at least. Now, I am not talking about being able to enter a ring and win an MMA match, or being a Master. I am talking about being able to either keep yourself out of a fight, being able to do enough to survive and live another day.

Likewise, I would probably struggle with the more circular blocks that you mention. But, with time, one can adjust, and perhaps take the best of both worlds. At any rate, what is important in my mind is if you can take what you know, and make it work efficiently for you. That is the essence, I think.

I have also found this to be true. Falling and rolling seems to focus a lot on the core. I do appreciate it. Yeah, seiza pretty much sucks. I can't sit in it for too long, and it is nice that our dojo isn't too strict on it when doing the demonstrations. I'm getting better, but I don't care for it.

I agree that having some information on exactly what you are talking about would be most helpful. But, as tallgeese stated, just bringing it up in a "what do you think of this" kind of way will do two things; 1) get it out in the open, and 2) get the instructor thinking about different approaches. And it won't make you look like a know-it-all.

Congrats to you, Patrick, for putting together such a constructive place for all of us to spend some time.

:lol: That's great!

That's pretty cool. I wonder how hard it is to take apart?

My TKD school had a testing tonight, and there were 4 white belts that tested. One of them was so nervous that she almost couldn't contain herself. It reminded me of what it was like when I first tested as a white belt. I used to get really nervous, and still do, but not to the extent that I used to. I would get pretty wound up, the butterflies would kill me, and I wouldn't eat before hand (and for me, that's saying something! ). So, I was wondering how many here remember their first testing, and how nervous they were at the time? Do you still get really nervous?

I agree here as well. Arcing attacks like the hook and uppercut punches would apply as well. These are good shots to throw in close, and they should not be discounted.

I have never taught it, and have only experienced it a few times. I really enjoy the stuff that we do from Hock's system when we get to it. I don't remember much about PPCT, but I do remember this technique, the dead-leg round kick to the common peroneal, and the front pushing kick to the bladder, along with the way that the hands were held out in front. Could you give me more specifics on what you don't like about it? 11-20-08 TKD testing: 6:30 - 7:30. No workout or demo today. Led the floor for the testing.

That must be pretty nice to be able to go to class 5 days a week. I get 2 at my TKD school, and one Aikido, if I'm having a good week. With the Hapkido session, I might get 4 training sessions in a week.

My concern here lies in these statements. You state that you can play basketball at a high level, and not have these problems. If this is the case, then I don't understand why warming up at a high level would be any different. It seems inconsistent. Perhaps you should take about 15 to 20 minutes of your own time before class to do a light warm-up, prior to going into class. That may help.