bushido_man96

I wish I could read that article. It sounds like this guy uses the term "McDojo" openly, and in a positive light. This would be the first time I have ever heard of anything like this. This is indeed not a good thing. It sounds like this guy is proud of how he made his money, and is not concerned with the fact that he is fueling the fire in the Martial Arts community about such schools that prefer to churn out belts at the expense of good teaching, good learning, etc. It sounds to me that someone of this nature has lost all integrity, for himself and others. Are you being too hard on him? I think not.

In TKD, Hwa-rang and Choong Moo forms have round kicks in them, as do some of the black belt forms (Ch'ang On system). As for the Karate aspect, I think I saw somewhere on these forums that the round kick was not originally a Karate technique, but was adopted when a practitioner witnessed it in a Thai match. I can't vouge for that for certain, though; it is just what I had read. Can anyone shed some light on this?

That sounds great, man! I am glad to here that you have found where you feel that you belong. On your comment here, I would say that JKD is never taught as a style, but as a set of philosophies and methods. In the book, Lee actually states that you can apply the concepts (better word) to any style that you study. Anyhow, perhaps you won't be "Dazed and Confused" any longer!

I would love to post up here, but I have not read any yet! I know, I know. However, a friend of mine gave me the first three books (paperbacks) for Christmas one year, and I am going to start reading the series. So, when I do finally get to the 7th book, the paperback should be out, and not be too expensive.

Wow, sharp kid! I used to play with one when I was younger. Now, I would probably get so frustrated with it that I would just round kick it out the back door!!! What, I have patience.

It looks nice, but I don't think it is realistic. It would be the equivalent of training XMA for self-defense purposes.

Since you will have the time, do role-playing in each of the sessions. Do some research on what the popular forms of attack are, and then role-play. Role-play everything, from the approach, to the attacks, the defenses, etc. Whatever you do, don't do anything that is going to give these kids a false sense of security. Explain the reality behind the situations of being attacked, whether it be by a bully, or a kidnapper.

6-11-07 Chest/triceps Bench press: 205x6, 215x4, 225x2 No spotter today. Skull crackers: 70x10, 80x6, 85x4 Overhead tricep ext: 90x10, 90x10, 90x8 Abs Roman chair sit-ups: 2x20 Bend-over, reach-backs: 10 each side, using a 5 lb. dumbell. Swiss ball roll-out (praying mantis): 10 These last 2 ab exercises I got out of Solo Training 2. In the book, Christensen recommended only doing one set of each, 2 times a week, and then adding as you feel more comfortable. They were both kind of ackward, and they did make my gut a little sore! If anyone wants explanations on what he calls them, and how he explains them, just let me know. Conditioning Tuck jumps: 3x10 Jump rope: 3x1 min. rounds Sledgehammers: 3x1 min. rounds, 1 min. rest Pool I took my daughter swimming, so while I was there, I decided to practice some kicks in the pool. I didn't do a whole lot, but I wanted to be able to kick in class this evening, too! Front leg swings (pulling down, too): 2x10 each side Front kicks: 2x10 each side Side kicks: 2x10 each side Back kicks: 2x10 each side...these were especially tiring. Taught Orientation from 5:30 - 6:00. The kid I have now is very sharp; his stances are already good, and he has pretty good technique. Traditional Class from 6:00 - 7:00.

These are good recommendations. I have read and enjoyed them all. Zen in the Martial Arts, by Joe Hyams, is also a good read. Not very historical, but very anecdotal, and enjoyable. Here is a title to be on the lookout for: Karate Chronicles: The History of Okinawan and Japanese Karate, by Harry Cook, B.A. It is going to be a pricy book, at around $100, not counting the shipping, but it may be exactly what you are looking for. I saw the information in an add in Classical Fighting Arts magazine. The book is to be released in late 2007. There is a number you can call to reserve a copy, if it is what you want.

I am glad that you brought this up, because it is a good point. When kicking with the ball of the foot, you have to make sure that your target is at the proper angle when striking with that area. Take a board break, for example. If I am kicking with my back leg, I line up at about a 45 degree angle to the board. That way, when I make contact, I am only making contact with the ball of the foot, and the toes are out of the way, maximizing the striking area. That is why in sparring, you see so much instep striking. The surface is flat, and doesn't require any special angles to get to the target from. Same way with the shin. That is why the shin is so versatile as well; no angular restricitions, and it is a very hard tool, causing lots of damage.

Yeah, hopefully things will improve for you soon. I think it is good that he added a month to your contract, and it is not something you should feel bad about. I can understand how busy having a baby can make someone. However, it it means that he has to re-prioritize, then that is what he should do, and make it known to everyone that he is doing it. It is only fair to the students.

I don't really know what Parkour is, but from the descriptions, it sounds like the acrobatic stuff that Jackie Chan does in his movies to get away from people. In my opinion, if you try to do stuff like that, you are going to be in a world of hurt if you mess it up. If you want to run, then run. I know that schools should teach every aspect of self-defense, but let's not over-complicate this. Running is running. The way you get faster is to do sprint training. The way to gain endurance is to run distance. Now, if you want to try to swing from escape ladders, try to climb a wall, etc., then best of luck to you. That is going to take quite some time to become good at, and most schools aren't equipped with the "environment" to train you how to do something like that. And if I am mistaken as to what you are talking about, then disregard the above statement.

This comment cracks me up! Thanks. I already have plenty of reading material to catch up on, and I just got my latest issue of this year's Black Belt Magazine in the mail. I haven't got to it yet, because I am still reading on the back issues! Perhaps I will have to come back to the back issues, and read on current events. In the news area of the old one I am reading, there is a spot on "Jet Li's newest movie, Cradle 2 The Grave." That really dates it!

I can understand what you are saying, but there is something you have to look at from the male's point-of-view; the possibility of sexual harrassment accusations. It is a very big thing now, and many guys don't want to run the risk of being accused of such a thing. That is why it can be so uncomfortable to do such things, even in an environment like a Martial Arts school.

Ok, I got my questions sent to the proper email address this time. I will wait and see, now. I will post the results when I get them.

Thanks Baron. As far as whining about the little things, like clutches and homework, goes, I can't fault anyone for that. I have gotten back to whining about the little things again myself. I guess it is a good sign, that I don't have too much to worry about for now.

Sweet. Someone put a lot of work into that. Thanks for sharing, Baron!

Plyometrics... That's a dirty word. Despite that, I agree that I've found they help quite a bit. Yeah, I know. Everytime I say it, I wash my mouth out with chocolate! I did some today, and my knees are not thanking me for it right now!

Just as a warning, keep in mind that you may be very busy, especially if you are teaching part-time, and working full-time. Depending on how many hours of class time you offer per week, it is going to cut into your free-time, family-time, and training-time. Those are all things to keep in mind. Unless you are really, really dedicated, it can lead to a quick burn-out.

Good luck with your class! Keep in mind what Rick said, with keeping it simple. I wouldn't get into knife disarms or anything tricky like that. Some general awareness and safety stuff would be good for them. As for techinques, I would not venture to propose anything. Everyone has different ideas on self-defense methods, so I would not venture anything there. Nor do I really have the experience to do so comfortably.

Some people have different schedules than others, though, and may not be able to make it to the regularly scheduled classes that schools have. Therefore, private lessons may be the only way that some can get lessons in.

Very true. Just throw something, like a back leg round kick. Watch how they react, especially if it becomes a habit for them. Then, you can work feints to open up other areas.

I use all three, depending on the situation. I make sure to practice all three as well. I can break 4 boards with a ball of the foot round kick, done head level. I can also break 2 boards with an instep round kick at chest to head level. So you can use both; although not everyone is into pain as much as I am. The shin kick is also a very powerful kick as well, and I use it for low kicks to the legs. Cross brought up some interesting points when it comes to choosing the tool to kick with. One other thing to consider is range as well. If you throw a kick, and the opponent moves (as they often do), then you may not have a choice as to which tool you strike with. If they are close, the shin will do the damage. If they move away, then the instep may be the only way to get to them with that move, at that time. Wearing shoes/boots, as cross mentioned, can also give an extra layer of protection to the striking tool. This is the only time that I think I would strike with the toe(s) of my foot (especially wearing steel-toed boots). However, I have seen clips of the toes being used. I think it would take many years to toughen the toes up for that, though.

^^this^^ I would much prefer a palm strike under the chin. Less telegraphed(under the line of vision), less chance of breaking hand, more chance of hurting the person, more options for follow ups. That would work well, too. My friend and I have been doing some Close Quarters Combatives, and we do a lot with open hand techniques as well.

I think that would be best for you right now. Instead of worrying about what you can't do, worry about what you can do right now. Things may fall into place for you later.