bushido_man96

Man, that is crazy. I think that you may be on the right track, Tom. Melvin should be punished in some form. Perhaps a suspension of some kind, or something like that.

I have used opportunities like this as well, like when one child is doing a really good stance, and some of the others are sluffing a bit. I'll say to them "hey, thats a great front stance," and then give them a high-five or something. Other kids see that praise, and they want some, too. It works great. This is a tool I have used as well. A child acts up when drilling, and then has to sit out. Then, by rewarding the good ones with a game, they quickly change their attitude towards the drilling. Of course, it helps if you make a habit of inserting games regularly during your classes, so they are always anticipating it, and don't act up for fear of losing the privilege.

Hey, James, me again! What are the active recovery push-ups?

That is very interesting, and it counters what most of us have ever been told about weight loss. I think I may have to look into buying his book, and giving it a read or two. I know one thing, though. I weight train, and don't do cardio, and still don't lose weight. But, there is that little matter of counting calories.... Still, I think his weight training method is different than what I do. That could be part of the difference. Thanks for sharing. That is quite informative.

Wow, that was inspiring to read. Now I really can't wait to see that movie. Reading that makes me feel like I should be out working out again. Thanks for sharing that, James. That is a nice website.

Personally, what I would do is go around to each of the dojos and watch a class. Watch how the instructor conducts the class. Observe his teaching style as well. Then, after each of the classes, see if you can schedule a time to sit down with each of the instructors to ask questions. When you mention getting from point A to point B quickly, it makes think linear, which also makes me think Taekwondo and Karate. However, in table tennis, you will use some circular motions, so that makes me think more of circular styles, which may be like Hapkido. However, go watch each. You may end up liking one more than all of the others, and it may not have what you think you may be looking for. Best of luck to you, and welcome to KarateForums! Let us know what you decide to take.

That's a good point as well, Baron. I may have to try that out sometime in sparring. With TKD sparring, it is definitely easier to get off side kicks, especially with the front leg. When an opponent comes off with a back leg round kick, the lead leg side kick makes a great stop-kick. There's nothing like foiling a back leg round kick, to watch the opponent end up looking up at you from the ground. That is kind of what I was figuring. It probably isn't even worth considering, unless it becomes your only option, like if you are on one knee, and thrust out with the other leg at his knee from the ground, while he is standing. On a side note, I think it is waaay cool that you got to talk to Sauer about that. Do you get to speak with him often?

Good point, James. Turtle Press sells some DVDs made by Sang H. Kim, focusing on TKD kicking drills and tournament type kicking drills. Check it out: http://www.turtlepress.com/Tae_Kwon_Do_DVDs_and_Books_s/89.htm

Spin heel kick. Not so much to describe my art, but to describe myself... It might be slow, it might be telegraphed....but I'd gladly take a hit to land one on someone's noggin.

I think that this happens a lot because we tend to over-romanticize those that we look up to, making them more than we are. That is why I stick with my parents. I know them well. I know they have succeeded at things. I also know that they have failed at things. They don't cover things up for me. I always know that what I see is what I get, and that they always try their best, knowing that is all that you can do. Good post, ps1.

And they're usually waiting in the wings to knock you on your butt when you get too cocky. ...which is a good thing, because it gets your training back on track.

That's a good way to look at it, Elky. You can effectively see the road behind you, where you are on the road at this point in time, and you can also see where the road can take you. Very nice.

Thanks, Heidi. I like your concept of the "self-discovery." That had not occurred to me, but it is a very good concept.

You bring up a good point, Jaymac. It is important to know what the context of the contract is, so you know what to do in a case like this.

After reading this much about this guy, I think that I would consider improvised weapons, or even a bat. I don't want to dance with anyone that big. I have to go to work the next day.

This is a very good point.

I remember that video. I think that the side kick to the leg may have been for more of a stop-hit effect, and then close, as you mention, rather than a damaging attack. I could be wrong, though. However, I wonder if the damage factor of an upper leg side kick would be enough to exchange it for the more reliable round kick. I think targeting with the round kick would be much easier.

Yes, please keep us posted. Let us know how it went!

4-18-07 Conditioning Sledgehammers: 3x1:30, 1 min. rest Jump rope: 4x1 min. rounds. Worked on alternating feet, bringing knees up high at times, and keeping the feet low at times. It is coming along, I guess. Slowly. Punch outs on heavy bag: 3x30 sec, 1 min. rest Pull ups: I did 3, pulling between 1/4 and 1/2 the way up, and holding the position for a few seconds. It isn't much, but it feels like improvement. Orientation: taught from 5:30 - 6:00. Kicking Class: 6:00 - 7:00. We started with 15 minutes of stretching, and then got into forms. I did my form (Gae Baek) 4 times, working on technique targeting and stance placement, working for about 15 more minutes. Bag Work Step-up round kick: 10 each leg Switching back leg round kick: 10 each leg 360 degree spin round kick: 5 each leg Also worked on punching combinations, along with setting up with side steps. Clapper Target Work Back leg inside axe kick: 10 each leg Spin heel kick: 10 each leg[/u]

That is a cool work out idea, James. I always thought that chopping wood we be great to do as well. I just don't have any to chop. (It would be a great reason to by an axe, too! ) 4-17-07 I just did a general solo workout at home, while I was watching my son. Lying side leg raises: 3x20 Push ups: 14, 5 Push ups with 18 month old on back: 5, 10, 8 Diamond push ups: 5 Supermans (back hyperextensions): 20 Shadow boxing: 3x1 min. I worked on footwork mostly, but threw in a few punches and some kicks as well.

Well put, ps1. I notice the "sticking" problem of the side kick when I spar in class all the time. Even if you concentrate on ripping it back really quick, you still get that little bit of lag time from it. I think the success rate of a side kick goes up the lower you go down on the body (knees, upper leg, etc.). There again, however, will be more likely to happen in self-defense, but not in the ring. Just as a side note, do you think that side kicks to the upper leg would be legal in MMA competitions? Not that they would be as useful as the round kick, but would they be legal to do? Or would the risk to the knee be too great?

Your style looks to be WTF, until you mentioned Kwang Gae and Gae Baek, which are ITF style forms.

I think that TKD and Shotokan both have the same kicks, but TKD just focuses on them more, adding spinning variants, jumping variants, and then adding in both variants. It depends on the TKD person doing the teaching as to how much of the different kicking you do, how often it is trained. There are also a lot of competition-focused TKD schools out there, which tends to alter the teaching methodologies. TKD actually has some of its roots in Shotokan. If you do an ITF style of TKD, you may see some of the similarities between the two. As far as the self-defense aspect of any martial art goes, it usually depends on the instructor's knowledge and viewpoints to training self-defense. Hey, DancingSteve, thanks for throwing my old thread back up there!

This is what I have been taught as well.

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community. There is an ongoing concern as to what the practice of forms does for the martial arts. Some will say “forms are the essence of the style.” Some will say they are not. Some will say forms are simulated combat. Some will say they are merely exercise. I am not endeavoring to answer these questions. To do so would be to spark another string to a never ending discussion that, in the martial arts community, borders on the lines of discussing politics and religion. What my goals are in the writing of this article are to point out what forms practice does provide to the martial arts student. The concepts I intend to discuss herein should be easily found in the performance of all types of forms ranging from Tai Chi to Karate to Tang Soo Do. Forms can help improve two aspects of martial arts training: physical and mental. I will discuss the physical aspects first, as they are more easily discerned from forms practice and then I will move on to the mental aspects. Physical Aspects Physical aspects that can be developed through forms practice are sometimes easy to notice and sometimes more subtle. Included in the physical aspects developed through forms practice are strength, speed, coordination and timing. Strength is built through forms practice in both the upper and lower body. In the lower body, strength is developed through proper execution of stances. By varying degrees of knee bends and various distribution of body weight to each leg, stances help to develop strength in the legs, which also helps develop kicking power. Strong legs form a good base for physical fitness. Strength is built in the upper body through the dynamics of the striking and blocking techniques performed. It is true that many martial arts blocks and strikes use over-exaggerated movements, usually involving both arms in a pushing and pulling method, along with a twist of the hips and wrist or arm rotation, along with shoulder movement. What good is all of this movement? These exaggerated movements help to develop the muscles of the upper body, which will help to develop powerful punches, strikes and blocks for self defense, as well as strength for physical fitness. Through the development of this strength, and through repetitions of practice, the martial artist develops power and speed from these exaggerated movements. Coordination is another physical aspect developed through the practice of forms. Techniques help develop coordination in a couple of ways. Many times blocking and striking motions involve a strange angle, or the movement of both arms or the movement of an arm and a leg simultaneously. Movements like this bring up remarks like, “Why would one do a technique like this? It doesn’t make sense.” When a practitioner performs techniques like this, involving the use of more than one limb at a time, the practitioner develops the ability to coordinate different motions with different limbs at the same time. Whether pushing/pulling, or moving opposite directions to different targets, practicing these movements helps the martial artist improve body coordination. Improving body coordination by using complex movements as done in forms practice improves the body’s ability to perform simple, daily movements. These movements help to increase physical ability and overall athleticism. Another way forms practice can improve coordination is through technique combinations. Most forms consist of more than ten moves. If this is the case, then it is possible to run a series of techniques together. This can be done by doing two or more techniques in quick succession, by stepping while throwing a technique in a sequence and timing a technique to hit its target as the foot steps down and then flowing into the next technique. In forms practice, there are countless different combinations available to the student. The practice of the combinations in forms can assist the martial arts student in developing strategies for sparring and/or fighting. There are also stepping and transitional movements done in forms that help the student coordinate turning and stepping with the lower body while performing upper body techniques simultaneously. Coordination is also developed through the kicks in forms, helping students to learn a sense of balance and cooperation between upper and lower body. Through improved coordination, the practitioner gains a kinesthetic sense of what the body is doing and will help the body feel more comfortable when executing simple actions that are used every day. Improved coordination will also help in sparring and self defense. It is easy to see the improvement of upper and lower body coordination when one watches a beginner practice forms. The novice practitioner can often be seen stepping into a technique and then stopping and looking down at his feet upon completion of the technique, to make sure that his feet are set right and his weight is properly distributed in the correct stance. The experienced student does not have to look down at his stance, because he can “feel” if it is right or not, due to repetitive practice of his forms. A sense of timing can also be developed through forms practice. One aspect of timing is hand/foot timing, which is when the technique is held back until right before the foot sets down, as in a step forward or after delivering a kick. By holding back the technique until the instant before the foot lands, it allows the practitioner to get the hips and shoulders to twist into the technique, maximizing power on impact. Timing is also developed through the combination techniques, finishing the techniques quickly, while leaving enough of a pause between them to give the combination rhythm, and permitting the practitioner to give definition to the stance and facilitating transition into the next technique. Through the use of hand/foot timing and the execution of combinations, the form develops an overall timing and rhythm. Mental Aspects There are also a few mental aspects that are honed through forms practice. The first of these is memory. Through the repetitious execution of forms, the student develops the ability to memorize a set of moves, ranging anywhere from 18 moves upward to over 100 moves, depending on style. Apart from simply memorizing the techniques, the practitioner must also memorize what stance they are done in, which side of the body does the technique and where the target is. One can see that by learning and practicing a set of forms, the ability to memorize, retain, and recall information has been improved. Another type of memory developed is muscle memory. Through repetitive execution of technique via forms practice, the muscles begin to retain the mechanics involved with each technique. This sort of memory increases the efficiency with which the body acts. The second mental aspect developed through forms practice is focus. When practicing forms, it is important to concentrate on the task at hand. A student must be able to focus his internal energy into the execution of his techniques, applying the timing, speed, power and coordination required to execute good technique. Mind and body must work as one, and focus is the glue that holds the two together. This focus is facilitated by developing proper breathing, which accompanies the execution of each technique. Another aspect of focus was mentioned earlier, pertaining to the focus of targets for techniques. Without an actual, physical target in front of him, the student must focus and visualize where each technique is going to land. Conclusion The practice of forms in the martial arts can help develop and refine several physical and mental aspects that are important to the martial arts student. Physical abilities including strength and speed are developed along with timing and coordination. Important mental aspects, such as memorization and focus, are honed as well. There are many feelings and theories as to where forms came from, why they were designed and what they accomplish. I hope that this article has provided some insight as to what forms practice does offer the martial artist.