bushido_man96

The kicking is quite powerful, and should prove useful in these types of matches. However, the deciding factor of the matches seems to be the ground fighting, which I assume is more BJJ than Capoeira However, it does appear that the kicking concepts of Capoeira can be translated to these types of fights. You don't see the genga as dominant, but the ability for the fighters to switch feet is still seen. In the last fight, the low kick worked very well to take down the opponent, and set him up for the arm bar. Seeing the two styles work together is very cool.

That would be the road that I hope they take. We will see, though.

Very nice vids, ps1. Keep them coming!

Is it really worth getting into it with a stranger over something like that, though? I mean, you can never be sure if someone has a knife or a gun, or what intentions they may have. I know that it may not happen often, but it only has to happen like that once...

This is true, but the partner has to be willing to be hypnotised. Not many opponents are that way.

12-6-07 Traditional TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:00. Upper body basics made my shoulders sore tonight, so I guess it was a good run through. Kicking was ok, and I haven't noticed any pulling in either of my hamstring muscles, so that is a bonus. My form is coming along better, and I am feeling more confident when doing it, and my instructor is saying that it is coming along well, too. Class shut down a bit early, so I spent about 20 minutes stretching out. I have been working on my spin side kicks, and have a new book that I have gotten some ideas from for improving my technique.

12-5-07 Punching workout R Jab: 10x5 lbs. L Jab: 10x5 lbs. R Cross: 10x5 lbs. L Cross: 10x5 lbs. R Jab: 3x10x5 lbs. L Jab: 3x10x5 lbs. R Cross: 3x10x5 lbs. L Cross: 3x10x5 lbs.

You guys are making me out to be some kind of jerk or something! Well, I guess my wife is pretty patient. After all, she did say that she was giving me all kinds of hints and stuff, trying to let on that she liked me, but I could never pick up on it. It took her to practically stomp on my foot and say "Hey! I like you!!!" for me to really figure it out. So yeah, that would make her pretty patient. However, don't confuse what I have said earlier. I am not saying that I am always right; believe me, when it comes to sticking one's foot in one's mouth, you can call me Captain Foot. But, there are times, although they may be few and far between, that the wife is wrong. And I am more than willing to wait for an apology.

We shall see, I guess.

Good advise here. Hopefully, your instructor will work with you in regards to your size and abilities early on, and as things improve, you will improve as well. Now, you may want to do some exercising on your own to supplement your Karate training, like jogging or lifting weights, or something like that. However, it would not be required. Overall, I don't think you should be concerned about your fitness levels right now in regards to starting a class.

You may not think that 1-2 years doesn't qualify anyone to branch off, but others may feel that it is. At any rate, it depends on what one's goals are in training. If someone wants to begin their training for a few years in a style, and then branch out and continue with their initial style and then another at the same time, then I don't see anything wrong with that at all. There is nothing wrong with being a well-rounded fighter, and it doesn't make you any less of a Martial Artist. Besides that, it isn't a strictly American idea. The Pankratiasts of ancient and present Greece were obvious proponents of being well-rounded fighters. I also think that Zorbs makes a good point about other aspects of atheltics. If a TKD student wanted to play football, it probably wouldn't matter to an instructor as much to do both of those activities, even though football practice may obviously cut into TKD training time. However, the idea of taking a seperate Martial Art that the student may be able to train in on off days for the other class would bother an instructor.

What do you mean by that? Wrestling is one of the most widespread and oldest styles of martial arts- whether shuai jiao in china, the wrestling of the greeks, or modern day greco roman (which is actually mostly derived from a French grappling style with some other European styles thrown in despite the name), wrestling is a martial art in that it is a set system and school of combat moves. What about taking up Judo or submission wrestling or shuai jiao as mentioned before? I agree with NightOwl completely. I think that Wrestling is a Martial Art, along with Boxing, Savate, MMA, Pankration, and Muay Thai and Kickboxing. Just about every culture that ever existed had some form of folk Wrestling that it used. It appears that you only seem to disagree with cross-training in Eastern styles, from the way these posts sound.

...but I never liked algebra.

I would be interested in seeing the direction they take on portraying TKD's history.

Olympic TKD did do that, but now they have electronic scoring, with chest protectors that register "trembling shock."

What if a high school student was training TKD with you, and then decided that he wanted to take up Wrestling in high school as well? Would you tell him that he would have to pick one or the other? In the end, I view this as the same scenario.

I think that in general the lower body is the most important in martial arts. Whether it is hip rotation for striking as mentioned, lower body leverage in many grappling styles, or even an emphasis on low stances. I like all of these explanations. Very good ways to explain the use and importance of the hips.

12-4-07 Taught Kids Class: 4:00 - 5:00. I worked on a variety of things in this class today. After basics, I rolled out the wavemaster bags. I had the kids practice punching on the bags, at my count, and focusing on using the hips in their punching technique to develop power, also focusing on pulling the opposite hand back. We did a front hand punch and a revese punch, using the hips in each. I then moved on to doing knife hand strikes in a similar manner. Then, I had them turn their backs to the bags, get in a sitting stance, and then do punches. Instead of punching the bag, they had to elbow the bag with the reaction hand, to focus on pulling the hand all the way back to the chamber position. I finished with having them do front kicks to the bag, but after the kick, they had to hold the rechamber position before returning the leg to the ground.

12-3-07 Chest/triceps Dumbell bench press: 70x8, 75x6, 80x4 Dumbell bench flies: 40x8, 45x6, 50x4 Dips: 10, 10, 7 Triceps push-downs: 90x10, 105x8, 6 Abs Roman chair crunches: 3x20 Side raises: 3x20x35 lbs. Forearms Gripper: 3x12x30 lbs. Legs Physio ball curls: 3x10 Calf raises: 3x10x160 lbs. Solo workout: 10:00 - 11:00. Worked on round kicks and punches on the heavy bag, working for technique and power/follow through. I also worked on my form, and felt like I have improved on some parts of it that were giving me problems. Finished up with some Ho Sin Sul with one of my classmates. Traditional TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:00. Today's class was shaken up from the normal routine. After upper body basics, we worked on free flowing combinations in different areas; some kicking, some open-hand techniques, some spinning techniques. Later on, we did some sparring where we at one point focused on countering, and at another point focused on attacking. It was a very good class.

Is the sun shinning brightly over there in Fantasy Land? Hey, it works for me! Dead serious! However, I am not saying that I am always right, either. However, there are times where I am.

Congrats to your school's students, Zanshin!

If they do an Olympic style TKD fight at the end, it will be interesting in deed. The Olypians are so fast, and can counter really quick. That, and they won't be allowed to punch to the head, so that will change their game plans really quick. It should be good.

Just do what you can in training for now, and take it easy on that foot until you see the podiatrist, then. No sense in pushing it too far.

I think you are right there.

I agree that those guys are great athletes. I could see the speed that they have. The only thing that seems to matter, though, is whoever gets the first fast move in. Perhaps they should do a more continuous style of sparring, as opposed to a stop-and-point sparring.