bushido_man96

I don't think speed really masks errors. Whether slow or fast, I can usually pick out the nuances of a hand or foot technique. When it comes to grappling or joint locks, its a bit tougher for me to tell when it is done faster, though. When there is an aspect of a form or move that I want to concentrate on, I'll slow things down. However, my goal is to be able to do the movement quickly, because that is most likely how it is going to be the most useful to me.

That's a pretty cool gesture.

Right.....I suppose that is open to suggestion, isn't it?

Even if it works out ok, the damage is still done, I think. Everyone will wonder now...

True, but you can't always hit your live partner in the face...

I believe you are correct. It translates as breath, doesn't it?

My school is not affiliated with the ITF or the WTF, but we practice the ITF form set, but differently than the ITF systems do them. We don't do the sine wave movement, and our forms are done with more power, I think. We do Olympic sparring rules, and wear the WTF gear setup. We don't do any grappling, though, which is a bummer. Your forms are the ITF forms, too.

LEO = Law Enforcement Officer.

I've read other postings by you, Bushido Man, that touch on what I would call Western thought vs. (friendly vs.; no butting heads) Eastern thought. I find that I can read, even appreciate, a certain amount of Eastern philosophy, but I'm really a Westerner. My study of philosophy, of Western thought, of a Westerner's mind-approach, has been far more satisfactory to me than Eastern. A friend from the past, with whom I used to do Taiji, was very open to Eastern thought, more from readings, though, than any visit; he'd never visited that part of the world. I guess that's why when we speak of ki/chi/tan tien/chi kung/feng shui, etc., I see them to a point (like ki/chi), but I have a limit on what my mind will accept. (I wonder if a "true" Eastern mind looks at the Western and reacts the same way; too foreign?) Is it our upbringing? Our society? Our experiences in life? I believe that, in many ways, we are the sum of our experiences, and those experiences that helped shape me were Western. How Westerners can think Eastern (and vice-versa), I don't have an answer for. Yep, I'd say you're spot on here. I have been doing things and seeing things the Western way for so long, that I don't see myself changing. And, I like our Western ways and philosophies. So I stick to them.

I agree, to an extent. I think in the end you have to trying to decipher the martial applications to make it Martial Art. Again, I look back at the cardio-kickboxing analogy. If you do cardio-kickboxing with martial intent, it still doesn't make it a Martial Art.

I agree. A forceful exhale will do very nicely.

Nice. I wanted to be the Hulk, but my recent gamma radiation experiment failed, and not in a good way....

10-13-08 Chest/triceps Bench press: 205x8, 215x4, 225x3 Triceps push-down: 105x10, 120x6, 6 Back/biceps Assisted pull-ups: plate 9x6, plate 8x4. These two sets were wide grip. plate 8x4, close grip. I notice the difference in the grips; close is easier for me. Barbell curls: 75x10, 80x8, 85x4 Abs Decline crunches: 2x20 Legs One-leg press: 50x10, 85x10, 100x10 Combat Hapkido: 10:15 - 11:15. Worked on yellow belt and red belt curriculum today. We also did some work on BOB. We did some forearm strikes into the neck mainly, from different angles. Some straight in, and some from the sides. Then, using BOB as a target, I would reach around and do a wrist grab to my partner, who would then perform a distraction and breakaway, or breakaway and then a finishing strike. The idea was to get into the habit of not pulling the distractions or the finishes. I also did some Boxing on BOB, and it is a lot different, hitting that face, then it is hitting just a bag. I also worked on some of my breakfalls and rolls for Aikido. Kicks on the floor Side kick: 3x10 each leg Round kick: 3x10 each leg Then did a little stretching. I don't think my hips will be thanking me later. Aikitaisos Irimi: 20 each side Tenkan: 20 each side

Good call on the weapons training, tallgeese. Swordsmanship, although really cool and fun to learn, won't be as useful to you in self-defense as something like stick and knife training will be. Don't discount firearms training, either.

Nice. I may have to look into one, then. Have you thought about strapping two to the Wavemaster, so that you can do different levels and combinations?

Hehe...not terribly likely, but we'll see....

Here's a good one: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=CFDJDnAOKrA I laughed my butt off!

I think that having a mindset is important, though. I am not going in with my Hapkido mindset, where I am thinking "ok, I know all this stuff, but here we will approach it differently." I am approaching it with the mindset that this stuff will help me learn more self-defense. Now, I am not forsaking all of my other knowledge, either. Things like how to move efficiently, etc. But, if they show my something different, then I will work on it, and accept that it has some value. Then, I can take what I know about combat movement, and see where it fits in. I won't be totally mindless, but I won't go pushing my knowledge around, either. As far as the Eastern ideas of not having the mindset to begin with, well, as many here already know, I have never been much for Eastern thought processes. They are great for some, but just not for me.

Nice pics. I never really thought about it, but there isn't a lot of continuity there. Still, the games were a blast.

Cool. There are a lot of micro breweries out there. I'm sure some of those were collected on road trips where some of those places are.

My kids are going as the pair from Greese. It should be a good time.

I love looking at winter scenes. Seeing the cold like that is just really cool to me (excuse the pun...).

I thought this one was cool: http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2008/10/11/collection-of-incredible-lego-creations/ I love Legos! I told my parents that I got some Legos for my son, and my dad said: "you got Legos for who...????" He knows me too well! How about that rendition of Yankee Stadium, Patrick?

Cool creativity.

Now that really looks very cool. Quite a story line, too.