bushido_man96

2-21-08 Traditional TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:00. In tonight's class, we spent a lot of time in stances it seemed like. My legs got tired, and I found myself breaking the stances from time to time. I try to push myself to hold the stances, but I guess I need more work. We did some sparring, but I didn't get to spar with any high ranks. One of the 2nd degrees said that he wanted to start taking the contact up a notch, to prepare for tourneys, and I told him that I thought it was a good idea.

I like the gold embroidery on my belt. I have seen the red, but didn't like it as much. The gold shows up nicely.

I prefer to think that it goes into my mind. But, I can see what you are saying.

I think you are right about the backs of the uniforms; he was an ITF black belt before. Is the child perhaps just wearing a kiddy costume?

I don't think they do much, because the clinch is mainly used in those styles as a stall mechanism. However, I do think it is a useful idea, to train strikes from the clinch.

It sounds like the sempai is just getting used to teaching. He may get better as time goes by. Just remember that you may start teaching some day, and someone isn't going to like it as much, just because you are not the sensei. They will have to get used to how you teach, and you need some patience to do that. With that said, I do think that this sempai may be going a bit overboard with his explanations. It is important to focus on learning good technique, but it is also important for the students to get the reps in. Maybe he just likes the sound of his own voice, who knows? I would wait another week or two, and see if it gets any better. If it doesn't, then I would take up some of the suggestions made above, and approach him about it. If he doesn't like what you say, then go to the sensei and tell him that it just won't work out for you. Maybe the sensei will take you back.

Indeed, with one very simple movement. Mind you looks easy. Its flippin hard to perfect though. Yes, this I understand.

It's all good! The reason that I say concepts, is mainly due to the Fencing analogy. In order to be fencing, you need a foil. JKD doesn't use one. And, I don't think that knowing Lee's philosophies on things he would state that JKD is based on this style, this style, and this style. He would simply say it is "his style" and "your style." That's enough philosophy out of me for the day!

I think that you could start up the Judo class now, if you want to. Karate and Judo are so different that I don't think there will be any major confusion caused by doing both at once.

Wouldn't it be more correct to say that JKD is based of some of the concepts of these arts, as opposed to the arts themselves?

A Game of Thrones; Eddard Ned arrives at the Red Keep, and is told to convene with the Small Council immediately. The members of the Small Council are Varys the eunich, The Master of Whispers; Renly Baratheon, the youngest brother of Robert (not to mention looking like a young Robert); Petyr Baelish (Littlefinger), The Master of Coin; and Grand Maester Pycelle, and of course, Eddard, the Hand of the King. Petyr and Eddard have a little bit of a verbal duel, and they don’t like each other. Renly laughs aloud at Stark’s innuendoes. The Council also consists of Stannis, Robert’s older brother, and Ser Barristan (The Bold) Selmy, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. The latter two are missing, along with the King. The matter to discuss is the King’s wish to hold a tournament in celebration of Ned’s arrival as the new Hand of the King, with the purse totaling 90,000 gold pieces. Ned learns from Littlefinger that the Realm is over 6 million dragons in debt, spread mostly to the Lannisters (coincidence, I think not!), some to Braavos, Lord Tyrell, and some Tyroshis. Ned is appalled by this, and wishes not to proceed with the tourney. After the meeting, Ned heads to his chambers, brooding over the last 2 weeks of the journey. Sansa blamed Arya for Lady’s death, and Arya brooded over her friend’s death. Ned was still angry with Robert, who spent the days drunk in the wheelhouse. Littlefinger arrives to lead Ned to Cat, who Ned is astonished to find is in King’s Landing. He leads him to a brothel he owns where Cat is being hidden. She tells Ned why she is injured, about Bran, and the dagger they believed to be Tyrion’s work towards Bran. Cat told all about Lord Arryn’s death to Baelish, and they are convinced that Varys knows, too. The chapter ends with Ned sending Cat back to Winterfell, and with word to his bannermen Helman Tallhart and Galbart Glover to raise bowman around Moat Cailin, to hold the Neck in case of war with the Lannisters, should they prove Arryn’s death. He also fears what Robert may have become. Cat is reignited by Littlefinger’s assistance, and I think she is being snowed by him. Ned is not as convinced. A side note/foreshadow: Ned remembers what Jon said about there being a wolf pup for each of the children, and that perhaps the gods sent them to protect the children; after Bran’s wolf saved his life, he fears what he may have done in killing Sansa’s.

A Game of Thrones; Jon This is a long chapter... This chapter begins in the yard at the Wall, with Jon facing off with some other boys at sword practice. He works them all over good, but the Mater at Arms, Ser Alliser Thorne, berates him anyways. The boys aren’t part of the Watch officially yet, and are in training to see what they will qualify to be. We meet some characters who become close to Jon eventually. We meet Grenn, the Aurochs, who is 16, big and strong. We meet Todder, who is called Toad. After the fights in the yard, in which Grenn is injured, the four boys decide to gang up on Jon, who defends himself well, before the fight is stopped by Donal Noye, a one-armed blacksmith who came to Wall at the age of 30, because he lost his arm to an axe wound. He was rumored to be the smith who forged Robert’s great warhammer, and was the smith of Robert’s brother, Stannis. Noye was a veteran of countless battles. He dismisses the other boys, and has a heart-to-heart with Jon, setting things straight, and clearing up the reality of life on the Wall and in the Watch. Benjen even had to give him some tough love by telling him that being family or the son of Eddard Stark would get him no favors. The truth, he figures out, came from Tyrion’s talk with him on the way up. Notes: Ser Alliser began calling Jon “Lord Snow,” and it has stuck with the others. Jon hates it. Jon also alludes to the cold, and how he doesn’t like it. Mance Rayder and his wildlings is mentioned as well. Also, the Wall is said to be nearly 700 feet tall, wide enough to walk over 12 knights abreast, and is older than the Seven Kingdoms. Jon is stationed at Castle Black. The places of the Wall are actually falling to ruin. Castle Black once housed over 5000 men and horses. Now, a tenth that. Tyrion, always well informed, makes mention that Benjen is late in returning, and Jon had a vision of Benjen dead in the snow when he left and berated Jon again. He was a fortnight missing. At supper, Alliser brings news to Jon that the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, Ser Jeor Mormont, wants to speak with him. The letter reads that Bran lives. Jon is elated, and in the dining hall, even picks up Tyrion and swings him around. Everyone looks, and Jon approaches Grenn in his glee, to say he would help him with his swordsmanship. Thorne laughs, and Jon ends up insulting him in front of all to see. The hall laughs at Thorne, and Jon makes an enemy, but also a few friends.

Most of them are in some of the first threads posted, with the links and what not that litter them. If you go back in the history, you can find them.

I haven't seen much of the new episodes, but I have seen that they are a bit more serious now. Before, they were always humurous.

I agree with you here. We are accountable. Don't get too caught up in what you see involving the new MMAs, especially what you see in the rings at the events. A lot of the trash talking that you are seeing is a show. It doesn't mean that these guys are like this all of the time. But when it comes to stepping into the ring, they don't want to appear nicey-nice to the opponent. They are coming after them, and want to beat them. You have to go to the gyms, and experience each of them for yourself. Sure, you will find some jerks, but this is true in any other style of MA, or any other walk of life, for that matter.

I tried to get on, but they said they were full up. Still some junk over there that needs to be cleaned up.

This is what I take.

A good suplex will require some flexibility of the back to get the really good technique. You have to arch your back pretty good.

Training reaction time is a good idea. However, one should keep in mind that action is always faster than reaction.

Looks pretty good to me. Maybe MA flicks will get back to the way they were before green screens and Jet Li wire work, and Jackie Chan humor. I need the late '80s and '90s stuff back!

TMNT was alway enjoyable.

I saw a little bit of the Hapkido episode of Fight Quest, and I like what I saw. I would like to see more, but my schedule doesn't always let me.

Ahhh, perhaps a pole question....????

Hmm, good MA books... The Little Capoeira Book by Nestor Capoeira is a good read, and it is something that you don't see a lot in writing about. Good history and philosophy sections (I thought), and just good reading. I'll think of more soon, fear not...

That is awesome. I have trouble with them, especially the push-up part. Mainly because, well, my push-ups suck. I will work on them, though.