bushido_man96

Look into what schools you have available to you, and what gyms, if any, are nearby. Then we could give you a better idea of how to get started. Welcome to the Forums!

TKD and TSD both have their roots in Karate. Most of the other "history" that is put forth about the origins of TKD and TSD are mainly propogations made by the Koreans in charge to disengage them from being associated with the Japanese, whom they don't like.

The physical requirements must just be part of your school. I have not received anything from ATA HQ mandating specific fitness requirements for black belts or colored belt students. ATA HQ has been distributing "Training Tips" with suggested work-outs. But again, at this point they are only "suggested." Matt White Thanks for the clarification, Matt. I was kind of curious.Did you guys see that Chief Master Clark made the cover of TKDTimes Magazine this month?

I have heard of it before as well. I think it is good for the student to be aware of where the attacks can come from, and fighting multiples when you don't have far to go is good for training, too. Like others have mentioned, better for higher ranks.

That’s pretty much my take on it as well, and I am not sure whether the majority of people that practice Traditional Karate actually want it to become an Olympic sport anyway. There is a feeling that it is not exactly representative of what Karate has to offer. How do TKD practitioners feel about the whole Olympic thing? No big deal to me. I could watch it, or not. Right now, I don't care for the clinches in the style, and I don't like how hand technqiues do not score. However, those guys are great atheletes, and they train a lot. It is tough to get into.

I imagine visualization would help the fact. However, in the heat of the moment, I think it would be tougher to accomplish.

I agree, it is fun to read and learn new things like that. I tend to go in stints myself.

I suppose the complete offer, where the principles could be applied to any number of pottentail scenarios. IE its not so much the techniques you use its the way you employ them. Also a complete system should have more to offer than just "Fighting". Through the study of it, there should be a natural by product of self improvement. I see the point you are making here, but this is along the lines of what I like to refer to as the Eastern Bias. This is soley an implementation concentrated on in most of the Asian and other Far Eastern Martial Arts. Western styles never really concerned themselves with it to the extent that the Oriental styles did/do. Sure, there were some that claimed that the fighters should be gentlemen and such, but the "way of life" aspect of it wasn't a focal point like it is to Eastern styles. Therefore, I don't look at it as a major prerequisite for a system.

I don't usually listen to much music. If its playing, cool. If not, I don't go looking for some.

In my case, if I could get you to abandon the choke and go to the armbar, then I see that as a small victory, because at least I won't be going to sleep, and then not know what the heck happens to me.

I agree here. There is such a rift between these two, and it is mostly politcally driven. I was going to mention this today, but you beat me to it!

I have never witnessed anything like this first-hand, but have read plenty of stories about it. I think it is a great thing. Congrats to him!

Thanks, Zanshin. I guess I need to look to see what the point scoring system is, then. Are they just trying to include sparring in the Olympics, or are they looking to do a forms competition as well?

What are the requirements for creating a comprehensive system? What would "comprehensive" entail, exactly? I agree with you here. But what would you say are the wrong reasons to cross-train?

I have been wanting to get a life-sized tatoo of myself, but taller...

On what day of the week do your testings usually fall on? At my first TKD school, we had our testings on Saturday mornings usually. At my current school, they are usually on a Thursday evening. How about y'all? When are yours? When do you think is better? I kind of like the weekend idea, as it allows for more time, gets you started earlier, and done sooner. I also think it is easier for the spectators to get to on a Saturday.

Very nice, NightOwl. Now, how about the other 3??

Time to become a monk!!!

I think Marie is on the right track. You may need an x-ray to check it out.

It isn't that they aren't allowed to punch, its just that punches don't ever score, so they don't waste the energy to do them. Just musing but what if you managed to get a TKO off one? I'm assuming that would win you the match. Absolutely. The only problem is generating enough power to punch through the chest protector. I punch them all the time in class, and I think you could wear someone down with them, allowing your kicks to do even more damage.

Well of course! And then give us a full report!

I think you may be right, here. I think that Olympic Boxers have to wear head gear, so I think that safety is an issue. Of course, the new Martial Armor could maybe help with this. Then they would have to figure out the points scoring system, the legal target areas, and all of that lot.

Thanks for the info, Killer. I think it would be great to see Karate in an Olympic format. What the WKF needs to do is essentially the same thing that the WTF did in establishing TKD in so many various countries. They founded the Kukkiwon, which is the center of the WTF, and from which all the technical decisions are made on forms performance, rank advancement, and instructor, coaching, and officiating certifications are made.

That's great, NightOwl. I tried to hoist a taller class mate in a throw like that, and had a heck of a time. Now granted, I am not a Judo thrower, so that could be part of it. However, if I used my left leg, and kicked it back, it helped me to throw him. Much like one of the throws that they demonstrated on the Judo episode of The Human Weapon.

Someone once posted that the idea behind the Dim Mak came from a technique that someone performed to just the right spot on an opponent, and the technique was so powerful that it may have caused internal bleeding, or burst a spleen, or something of the sort, that long ago there would have been nothing that could be done about it. So, the victim would naturally end up dying, and then it would be shrouded in mystery. Today, if some gets a spleen ruptured, you can go get it taken care of, and the result is living instead of dying. To whoever pointed that out, I think it is viable, and agree with it. I don't want to take the credit, though!