bushido_man96

That's a good post, Muki. I think that it is important for certain responsibilities to be required for testing for higher ranks. They aren't for just anybody. One of those thing, I think, is teaching, or at least experiencing it. Not everyone is a teacher, but everyone can learn something from the experience. However, it seems to me that the requirements that you had were a little bit much. It is important to take into account the other things in your life, like relationships, family, etc. Without any of those things, your martial arts training may not be as complete. Balance is important in everything that we do; life, love, and Martial Arts.

The standardization isn't as universal as one might think. Korean stylists use Korean, and Japanese stylists use Japanese, etc. So, there is still a language barrier when it comes to crossing styles. However, if all of the English speakers, for instance, called the side kick a side kick, they could interact just fine.

Congrats, DWx!

I have learned just as much from my students as I have ever learned from any of my instructors. I have been humbled more than once even by the youngest and smallest students in the class.... Also the greatest teachers I have had consider themselves as students not teachers... I agree. You can learn from anyone, anytime, anywhere. The important thing is to let your ego go.

If I may interject , I think that one of the most valuable things a student can learn is to be able switch lead sides, and to be comfortable with it. It makes you a more versatile fighter, and can take your opponent out of a strategy. I love to do this when I fight/spar.

Hello, and welcome to KarateForums. Are these the styles that are available for you to take? If so, I would feel that judo would compliment your Goju training very well. You would have a mix of stand-up and takedown/groundwork, making you very well-rounded. Waiting is not a bad idea. However, if you feel that you can take on both at a lower rank in Goju, then you could start it out sooner.

You make a good point, ninjer. In the end, you could just make the arguement that there are no styles, only fighters.

Couldn't possibly agree more...very well said. Thanks, James. Its not what you put on your body, but what goes into your mind that will help the most.

Very nice, thank you! Are these done with both fighters right leg forward? When you parry the jab inside, you parry with the same side that the punch comes in on, right?

You are welcome, Fish. They would be great for wearing at like every other class, too.

Sounds great, Baron. Maybe I should look into Pilates as well.

Nice. I like yours, too, Lordtariel.

I agree, Baron. Very fruitful indeed. I have a brother who is very talented when it comes to the MA, and fighting in general. However, he is not highly motivated, and I want to get him back into it.

Just relax...you have all the time you need to get it down. Take your time, and make it your own.

Me too! I am way too linear. As a lefty, when I do straight lead, I feel like my right cross power punch is a weak little thing. My round kick is better since my preferred right leg becomes my back leg, but it just does not feel natural. I switch to straight left lead when I get tired, but I prefer leading with my right jab. I still don't duck, bob, or weave enough. (Or maybe well enough.) I guess that is why we keep at it, huh? I ordered a book on boxing today, and I am excited to see what it will offer me on that stuff.

That would be a good idea, I guess. However, I don't want the students to be wary about what they write, because they think that I may read them whenever. Don't get me wrong, I would love to read my students' journals, and if they offered, I would. However, I know that there will be times when they don't agree with what I say or teach, and I think that it is important for them to record those thoughts and feelings in their journals. If I really anger someone, and they just rip me in their journal one day, I think that is healthy for them. I don't want their recordings to be influenced because of the fact that I may be "checking up on them." That would defeat the purpose. However, I would inform them that at the same time I don't expect them to agree with everything I say 100%. And, if they would let me read and see what they think, that I would do so with an open mind. I am always ready to learn new things, even from the students....especially from the students. Got off on a tangent, there! Ok, I'm done, for now.

There are a lot of good points here. It is fun to be able to listen to what everyone views as their own Martial Arts definition. My upcoming article will address as well. There's lots of good information here that I could have used in it as well. It is great that we can all discuss this with each other. Imagine if we all could get together around a table, sit back and ramble on about this, and just let the pitchers keep coming. Wouldn't it be a great time? However, we would probably drive our wives crazy!

Don't overtrain there, Baron! 4-2-07 Today was a messed up day, because I had to go to work at 3:00 AM this morning until 7:00 AM. So, I came home and slept, because I had to go back to work at 8:00 PM tonight. But, I did do a little. I taught Orientation from 5:30 - 6:00 again today, and it went well. I was teaching the little ones to kick, so it was fun. Before the Orientation, I did about 10 minutes of shadowboxing in front of the mirror, working on slipping, straight leads, and ducking/bobbing/weaving. I also did some low roundhouse kicks, trying to get the feel of turning the hips over, for lots of damage. Just moving like that, I learned some things about my body. Like, it doesn't like bobbing and weaving.

I would agree, Baron. I think that all of those that you discussed would fall under the term "Martial Arts." Although most of us think of fighting with the fists, feet, and traditional weapons, as opposed to guns. However, I think today's military falls under the realm of Martial Arts as well.

Them look really nice, Baron. I may have to look into them.

Can you give us some more information on what you have to do here? That would help us. Also, talk with your instructor, and see what advise he would give you as well.

Wow, there are a lot of good points here. The main thing that I see is the point that Martial Sports and Martial Arts are two very different things. There are several that see it this way. However, I think that they are the same, but that is just me. I think that MMA is an appropriate term, because that is what is going on. Just because all of the arts are not being mixed, I don't think that detracts from the concept of what is happening. If we look back to the days of Pankration, would it be a fighting style, or a rule set? I think MMA competitions have brought it full circle. What Bruce Lee did with JKD was his own experience in fighting. It is well known that Bruce did not have any use for competition fighting. However, his concepts of picking and choosing, and taking what works, and stripping away the excess, has translated nicely to the viewpoints of MMA competition.

That is a very interesting article, NightOwl. Thanks for sharing it.

I kind of thought the same thing. However, there could be a reason. Head conditioning for head butting, I guess.

Well, that's easy to say, however, do we know what kind of money is being made off of the deal? I think more research would be in order before jumping into assumptions of that type.