bushido_man96

I don't think lifting weights affects flexibility that much. Not stretching does, though. There have been a lot of great fighters out there that have been pretty good sized, and still flexible. Joe Lewis is the first that comes to mind. Bruce Lee lifted like a fiend, but controlled his diet to an extreme as well. Bolo Yueng, across from Lee in Enter the Dragon, was a big man, too. I say that strength in the Martial Arts is just as important as flexibility is, and it is also important to focus on specificity for your workouts.

Oh, no, I haven't been quiet. I've got it posted in The Martial Artists' Training Log thread. That's where I'll usually post my training stuff. If I have other ideas, questions, or concerns about Aikido itself, I'll prablably post them up here, though. I have been reading through the student handbook I was given this Saturday, and I asked about some other suggested reading material to check out as well. Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere was suggested by the teacher and another student, which I already own and have read. Dynamic Aikido was suggested, too, so I'll check it out, too.

I think that the sticky hands techniques would be interesting to spend time with as well. It is quite intricate. I have seen some of the other applications of the moves coming from more direct attacks, like straight or hooking punches, as opposed to the hands on method you posted. All good stuff, though.

Good show, James. I figured you had something like that in mind.

This is one of the techniques that I was describing earlier. A good one, too.

Well, my Chiefs have started 0-3, and it is getting tough to deal with. They threw a stat up on the screen yesterday that said they lost their last 12 in a row. Nuts. One good thing that happended yesterday is that Larry Johnson got on track finally. He had 24 carries for 121 yards and a TD, and did break off a big, 48 yard run. Unfortunately, the Chiefs couldn't stop the run either, and Michael Turner is quickly becoming a diamond found in the rough for the Falcons. He and Norwood are quite a running pair. It also appears that Matt Ryan is coming along quite nicely. I felt that the Chiefs two rookie corners played pretty well, and I see no reason why they shouldn't keep starting, either. They have a young secondary now, and should build on the front line. Dorsey is looking pretty good, but they should be able to stuff the run better than they did. Tyler Thigpen wasn't spectacular, but he is the 3rd string guy, and as he gets more reps in practice, should come along. Huard might be the better option if he gets healthy, until Croyle comes back. Here's a brief game recap: http://www.chiefswarpath.com/2008season/regularseason3.htm

It sounds like it should be a ball! Good luck, and have fun!

I think that this is a good idea. When we do takedowns, wrist locks, holds, throws, etc. in class all the time, we are spoiled with a partner who knows what's coming, and how to fall and roll so as not to hurt themselves, and knows when to tap when things tighten up. We should work some of this stuff on the layperson partner from time to time, so that we get a better feeling for controlling the situation on locks, and on how they will hit the ground when they fall.

9-20-08 Aikido class: 10:00 - 12:00. My first official class, after the seminar. It went pretty well, too. We started with some breathing exercises, which I would rather not do, but, it comes with the program. After all, breathing is good, right? We then did our wrist stretches and then some basic movements, called Aikitaisos, I think. These are the body movements that tend to show up when doing the movements, so as I get a better grasp of them, I'll be spending more and more time getting them down. After that, we spent some time on breakfalling and rolling. I roll pretty well, but my knowledge on rolling is a bit more limited than what is done in the Aikido class, so I still pick up some new stuff. Afterwards I learned to do the knee walking that they do, which they called Samurai walking. I did it pretty well, but I don't think my knees care for it too much. Then, we got into some technique work. Several times I had some of the guys tell me to relax more, and I told them that I was relaxed. Every part of the techniques "flows" into each other, moving very much in a dynamic sphere. At this point, my techniques tend to be a bit choppier, until I can get the motions down, and the footwork, which is going to take some time. But, I did come away with a few things that I liked. All the throws we did came from the same side wrist grab for now, but I have seen how they move up the arm into other grabs and strikes. For some reason, which I think is related to the falling and rolling, I get sore through my shoulder muscles doing the Aikido. It isn't a joint ache sore, but muscle soreness, which is good. I like it, but I never thought I would get sore like that doing Aikido. But, that's what I get for thinking!

Try to use your front leg to attack more. Practice firing that kick off as an opponent comes in. Then, you can use it to set up other attacks off your back leg. A front thrust kick, or a front leg side kick from a more sideways stance are good ones to practice, and if you are taller, it allows you to use your leg length to your advantage. Keep up the good work! Congrats on the win!

This is good advise. Even doing Aikido and Hapkido, it is important to switch partners as often as possible, because everyone has a different level of flexibility and pain tolerance, so you have to be able to adjust your techniques accordingly. Sometimes it changes the way you have to move your body around, or how to distract to begin a technique.

The only thing that worried me about that technique was the chance of taking some kicks to the chin in a venue when such a tactic is allowed. Other than that, I can see that you can really drive a good punch in there with this technique. Just as a side note, it really shows how much technique there is to Boxing. It isn't just a bunch of slugging. It truly is a beautiful art to watch.

Pretty cool...one dude even had blood on his uniform! The rubber band training was cool, too. I have seen those used for TKD kicking as well, but have never had the opportunity to train with them.

Is he aware of your concerns? I would suggest speaking to him first because he may not know that you, and possibly other students, feel like this. As a dan grade and one of his instructors you could make suggestions to areas you think you should be teaching and learning. If he's not prepared to listen and maybe change a few things, then consider leaving. edit: jaddensinn beat me to it I agree here as well. Do some talking first, and tell him that you want something different, and that you are considering this option. Listen, and see if he will listen as well. If he won't, then that should answer your question.

I agree. But be ready to throw another final blow if you have to.

I think that it is possible to work into a "happier" medium here. Take TKD sparring, for example. If you plan to train so that you can be successful in the ring and on the street, then you may have to streamline your ring sparring to a point where you have the basic kicks and strikes down to the point that you can score with them, and use various movement strategies to incorporate them in such a way to be successful in sparring. Then, in the street, using these more basic techniques at lower attack levels can help to improve your chances there as well. Then, the only thing you lack is some ground fighting defense, which one would most likely have to supplement in other training. But, if you spend your time on the 360 and 540 kicks in sparring, then that may be what comes to you when its go time in self-defense. These may not serve as well. I don't know for sure, though. In the end, if you have a good 540 round kick, then you probably have a good back leg round kick to the leg, too.

Looking at Ninjitsu in this way is not really the most efficient path to take. What you want to look at is what Ninjistu would have incorporated as far as tactics went for the weapons and empty hand fighting techniques. So, you would be looking more at a skill set much like what the Samurai would have used, except possibly not as extensive, because the Ninja was not a battlefield unit. So, they would have had a system to train in swordsmanship, along with their ranged weapons of choice. As for their fighting styles, they would probably have been very focused in hand strikes and attacks used for stealth, like from behind to attack the neck/throat, but most of the times, smaller arms like daggers or dirks would have been used in accordance with these.

I agree, USCMAAI. It is very foolish to underestimate anyone; including women. I have had to deal with some that have gotten very froggy at times, and it ain't no picnic!

That's really cool! Nobody better come looking for trouble at one of your family reunions! I guess I should add my wife to the list I made earlier, too. After all, I met her at class!

Open handed blocking in this manner, which I usually refer to as a parry, is a very viable and useful manner of defending attacks. Open hands can be used for trapping as well, if you decide to take it that far. There is a reason that Boxers cover or parry/slip jabs; they come to fast to really block, and then are pulled back just as fast. In self-defense drills, we use parries to direct an attacking limb into the other hand, which leads to traps, grabs, holds, etc. Just like the other blocking methods, it is a great tool to have availble to you. Why did your instructor admonish you for this? Was it because you were hooking and grabbing the attacks? If this is the case, I can see why he would do that, if grabbing isn't allowed in your sparring rules. But hooking and "sliding" the attacks away shouldn't be a problem, I don't think. When we spar in class, we put on the chest protectors, and have to make contact. In tournaments, the contact has to be trembling shock or "stumbling blow" to register a point. So, there has to be some mustard on the moves to make them score. In class, when I see that an attack isn't even going to make contact, then I don't waste energy blocking it. When you do that, it is counter-intuitive to what learning to block is about. If you attempt to block techniques that aren't going to connect, then you end up reaching for them, to apply the block. Nothing good can happen when you stretch out the limbs like that. So, in a class like that, I wouldn't even be using energy to block any of the attacks that aren't going to make contact. Its just my opinion, but I just don't think non-contact benefits anyone.

I see your point here, tallgeese, and it is a good one. But, some practitioners enjoy the aspects of training that katas and hyungs provide, so they like to hold onto them, and to dig the interpretations out of the moves (whether this is for better or worse, who can say? Or which is the more efficent method?). I think that the fact of the matter is that katas as vehicles of technique transmission are pretty much here to stay, so it is good that those who study them also have the opportunity to work on the interpretations as well.

I agree. Showing the defense to a lapel grab using the high block is a good defensive move, and easy to learn and retain. It also gives the students something to visualize when practicing katas/hyungs.

I like 'em straight out of the oven, all hot and gooey. Can't beat that!

A lot of it will depend on how savvy a fighter they are, and how you set it up, too. If a fighter is experienced, he is probably tucking his chin, which will make it hard for a direct punching attack. A spear hand thrust might get in, but it will still be tough. Also, if he has a good Boxing guard, with his hands up about his face, getting around the guard for knife hand strikes will be tough as well, as they are easy strikes to block. So, you have to have a plan to make it work.

9-19-08 At the park: Pull-ups: 2 palm out, 2 palm in, 2 palm out, 2 palm in, 2 palm out. Sitting pull-ups: 2x5 The pull-ups weren't full ones, but I pulled up as high as I could.