bushido_man96

It would make sense that a percentage ends with gunshots, in an environment where guns are rampant. But, in the course of the struggle, both are probably trying to gain a positional advantage to draw and use their weapon to end the fight. As for the the U.S. armed forces, I do know that they have implemented a combatives program, with several levels of training. It begins with basic ground fighting skills from BJJ, and works up to Boxing/Thai Boxing skills, and eventually into weapons, I think short stick being the main weapon.

I like the hybrid version shown here. He makes a very good point about the trajectory of the front snap kick. If you are going to kick to the body with the front snap kick, it is hard to get good results. You have to get some thrust in there. Your results will get better with the front snap kick if it is low, or high, like to the chin. Joesteph, I think that you could break boards with your heel on a front kick without any problem, especially if you try to get that thrust in it.

That is a solid philosophy. Its always good to have higher expectations of yourself than others do.

I think that is a solid goal. Not everyone gets to carry the torch on after the GM passes it down.

In doing the kick this way, is the body presented to the front? Or do you turn the body, but keep the kicking leg in the perpindicular fashion to the ground for both kicks? Or, do you keep your body facing forward for the chamber for both kicks, and then pivot your body to the side if you wish to side kick? I can see the merit in both. I would just like to know which way you go.

Are you saying, ShoriKid, that at one point you form an "X" with your forearms in front of your face? It seems to be that way for a split second, then the forearms separate, with the inside hand being brought back down. In this manner, the initial "X" cover also becomes a defense. Then the outside hand can push down and trap the attacking hand, and the inside hand can slide up into the high block position, but instead of blocking, you can attack with the forearm into the chest or neck area. I like to reference Iain Abernethy in some of these areas, mainly because he knows more than I do... Abernethy views these techniques not as "blocks," but more as "responses," which is more inline with the actual translations of the techniques from their Japanese names. One of his examples is using a hand-against-hand point of origin, that may happen during a scuffle. If you feel the opponent's hand go to your throat, then you drive the arm up in a high block motion to keep it away from your throat. Then, the body is open to counter attack. Alternatively, the next idea spouts from a lapel grab. He secures the grabbing hand with the same side hand, while smashing down on the crook of the elbow of the grabbing hand (initial downward motion of the high block). This action causes the attacker to bend forward with the pressure and weight of the initial strike. Now that he is bent forward, the high "response" is jammed up into his chin/neck/head, or whatever is available as a target. Strikes as blocks, and blocks as strikes.

If this is the case, then it is another example of how sometimes tradition can lead to stagnation. Tradition is not always a good thing.

Go ahead and share it with your friends! I don't mind at all. As for the experience that you had with your instructor, I don't think that I would stick around and put up with that. I don't care what their rank is; it does not give them free reign to insult me.

Nate Diaz...Sub Mac Danzig...Sub Alan "The Talent" Belcher...KO Houston "The Assassin" Alexander...KO Alessio "Legionarius" Sakara...KO Wilson Gouveia...Dec Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon...KO Drew "The Massacre" McFedries...KO Rob "The Rosedale Reaper" Kimmons...Sub Brad Morris...Dec

That's pretty cool. It must have been a nice surprise, with the pet coming home like that.

I remember Joe and Mac, and the BattleToads. That's it.

Funny! And the split at the end was awesome, too! Poof! Gone....Ninja cat disappears...

9-11-08 TKD class: 6:00 - 7:00. Tonights class, unfortunately, was the last official class of one of my good friends, and a 2nd dan, before he moves for a new job. He'll still be around, and I'll be able to keep in touch with him, but he is really one of the guys that I like to go to when it comes to training help. He is also a great training partner. The school that he is heading to is going to be getting a really great student, who will be a really good teacher some day. That said, since is was his last official class here, after sparring him 1 to 1, I got to be in on the 3 on 1 match against him, as well. That match consisted of a lot of me turning into Vulture_man96, making sure that most of my shots on him came from behind him, where he couldn't see me...

Thanks, tallgeese. It has been a good way to rehash some things that I haven't been over in a while. Its also a nice shakeup, because at times, my creativity is a bit nil.

Um, a ton....I don't know what the count is right now. Especially if you count my library of fiction titles, which has grown exponentially in the last year as well. I got the books in today. I started reading the facsimilie book, and I will read Wagner and Hand's book second. Awesome!!

I think that you will enjoy the class. In the end, the participants will be very appreciative of your participation, as well. I am sure all of you will learn something.

They're not??? Then you should be training harder I guess that will be an area of my training that I will never excell in. I like it that way, too!

I take it you've seen the videos of the Shaolin monks conditioning their testicals? Part of me wants to be able to do that. Part of me wants to never see that video again Trust your feelings here....go with the latter!!!!

In the JKD sense, I think the trapping concepts come from chi sao and lop sao techniques. It has to do with removing and obstruction (arm or hand) from a line of attack, along with possibly pinning it and keeping it out of the line of attack.

That's a good lesson. Something about "it hits all by itself..."

Yes, American Taekwondo Association. My brother and I had both judged in tournaments for the ATA, so we knew how the form should look. The ATA keeps there poomsae a lot more uniform, with lots less interpretation than other form sets. The forms are also copyrighted, so they can't be taken and used by other organization. It allows the ATA to keep things fairly standarized.

I look at it this way: if you have to stand and take a shot, he will have to stand there eventually too....

Okinawan? Wouldn't that make it Naihanchi??? Ah, its semantics, isn't it?? For my TKD style, I think Choong Moo.

I don't know if you really have a choice here. You may not subscribe to the whole "spirituality" aspect that some do, but that's not the only place where the mind-body-spirit connection comes in. I explain to my students that when you are training hard and your body doesn't want to go on and your mind is having trouble focusing, it's your spirit that pushes you forward. Well, that could be, too.

That is exactly what I was thinking. As a board holder, I absolutely hate standing there, holding boards, and waiting for a breaker to do there 14 practice attempts before they then MISS and have to set up 14 more times before trying again.