bushido_man96

Nice article; thanks for the link.

Welcome to the Forums! The best thing you can do is go to the club and talk with the instructor about the style, the classes, and whatever other information you would like to have. Watching a class would be a good idea, too.

These are good suggestions, here. If you are getting what you want, then that is great. As far as looking at the website, I noticed that not many of the classes went over an hour long. I don't think I like that very much, but that is just me. However, $30 per testing, I think is a good deal. I don't think that just because a school charges for testings makes it a McDojo. This is America, the land of opportunity. If someone learns a skill like TKD, karate, etc, and wants to provide a service to the public by offering classes for a fee, then great; power to them. After all, that is the American Dream, isn't it? Doing what you love, and making money at it. Now, with that said, it is the responsibility of every business owner, whether they be selling food, clothing, MA skills, etc., to provide the best product that they can to the consumer. Now, we all know that it doesn't always work out that way, and we as consumers have to do our homework so that we know where we can get the most bang for our hard-earned buck. In the end, it comes down to responsibility; both that of the consumer and the businessman.

Not to mention that this can be a great workout!

This is why practicing lower rank forms and material is important in our school as well. Higher ranks are expected to be examples for lower ranks, and to be able to help if they ask a question. Black belts are to have the material down, with no excuses.

High school wrestling will be a great compliment to your jujitsu training, I believe. You will learn takedowns, as was mentioned, and although there is not a lot of locking and choking, you will still learn some very good moves that you can use to manipulate your opponents. It is a fun sport, and the conditioning is excellent. One difference you will notice is that you will be constantly trying to pin your opponent, by putting him on his back and holding him there. You will quickly learn that being on the bottom is bad for a wrestler, which may take some adjustments to get used to. Have fun, and good luck with it! Keep us posted as to how you do.

I agree with you on this point. This is a reason why I won't be testing again any time soon with my association. This is almost an echo of what I have been through. I have always enjoyed doing forms, but I have also liked sparring, and I also realize that sparring is what I need the most work on. I am ok at sparring, and I can take a shot, but, I would like to improve my skill level more and more all the time. There are some in our school who are both good at forms and sparring. However, we have several who don't care for sparring at all, and they won't do it if they don't have to. On Wednesdays, we have a kicking/sparring drills class, that we use to work on some sparring ideas. I wish we would spar more in that class, be we never really do. However, we do practice footwork drills, do bagwork, and do some timed rounds on different things as well. However, the students that don't like it, don't show up, so it is really their own fault if they don't improve in that area. In our school, their is descrepancy as well. Most of it comes from the ladies in the class, as they seem to be the ones that don't like sparring as much. I do ok, but some of the 1st degrees are a little more athletic than I am; I make up for it with toughness, though. This is a good point as well. However, our instructor is really good about making sure the students are ready to test before he allows them to do so.

I think it is great that this is an interesting aspect for you, and I think that it is great that you pursue it. However, I don't feel that it has to be required for everyone who wants to learn an art or style, and just wants to learn fighting techniques and self-defense. Good luck, carrying your training into the new year!

Dropped as a child....that's golden! How did the break go? Did you break the board?

There is a video out of the singer from tool choking someone who climbed on stage at one of his concerts. He gets back control and continues singing while choking the guy. Applications at work!!

I think that a black belt should be able to defend themselves to the point that they can get away from an attacker or situation. This doesn't mean they should be able to dance 12 rounds, or be able to knock everyone out that they meet. There are many different ways to get out of a physical confrontation, be it physically or mentally. However, there are so many scenarios involved with self-defense, that a black belt may not win every fight.

Congratualtions!

The typical European longsword only weighed around 3 pounds. That is not too heavy. It is really a very manageble weapon, and not as slow as everyone would think.

This is a misconception about European fighting styles. They trained very hard, and very well, and also knew how to fight hand to hand. I think saying that a samurai would win on the first blow is quite unrealistic. Do you really think that a European knight would try to not kill on the first stroke?

It is going to depend on the skill level of the fighters involved. I don't believe that one culture's 'style' is superior to the other.

I can't view it yet. Who won?

I say make your own decisions based off what you want to do to improve yourself. If you want to pay the insane amount, then go for it. If not, then don't. If there is a higher up you can talk to about the situation, then I would do that, if you think it may help. Otherwise, it may just be time to get out.

Thanks again, ive read alot of Iain's articles in the past. You are welcome!

I have also seen a book put out by Turtle Press, called Boxing, the American Martial Art. Has anyone read it, or know anything about it or the author? I have bought many books through Turtle Press, and have been eyeing this one for quite some time, but haven't bought it yet.

I am curious as well. I have heard it mentioned, but I don't think I have ever seen it.

Also, check this thread, on pg. 9; books by Ian Abernethey: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=8082 He also has a web site, and has done a lot of work with applying forms to fighting.

Here is a link to a thread that I ran on the subject a while back: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=28725&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight= Give a look; it may be of some use. I too had some of the same questions you had.

Alright!!!!!!!!!!!! For once, the stars align, the universe is in order, and everything falls into place! With the Denver loss in OT to the San Francisco 49ers, the Chiefs get into the playoffs!!! The Chiefs will play at Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon, 3:30. The Chiefs have a great running game, and the Colts are not very strong when it comes to stopping the run, so they do have a chance. I am so excited; I haven't watched a meaningful game in January in over 3 years, I think! A side note to winning the game, Larry Johnson set a new NFL record for most rushing attempts in a season, and also seat a new Chiefs record for rushing yards in a season, beating his own mark from last season. Just imagine if Willie Roaf, who could block the sun if he wanted to, wouldn't have retired.....2000 yards??? Maybe??

Hey, thanks, Sohan! I was going to watch that game, but I needed to get some sleep to be to work tonight. I thought it was the evening game, but oh well. It all worked out, didn't it! I am so excited! Go Chiefs, go Chiefs! Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a rather interesting experience to share. When I was 17, my family moved to Atlanta. I got a job at the local McDonalds, and the first night I was working, my car wouldn't start, so the assistant manager offered to give me a lift home. We had a pleasant conversation, and he told me about his girlfriend, his family in Illinois, and where to go for fun in Atlanta. Nothing out of the ordinary. The following night he showed up at a manager's meeting with a bandage on his hand, seeming out of sorts. The day after that he didn't show up for his regular shift, and we discovered later that day that he was being eagerly sought by the police for a brutal murder that had occurred the previous evening at his apartment complex. To make a long story short, he eventually was caught and convicted for the murder of his secret boyfriend (and disposing of the body in a very Dahmer-esque fashion) and he remained on death row for nearly 21 years until he was executed in Georgia in 2005. I left McDonalds after only a month. I was a bit freaked out, understandably. With respect, Sohan Wow, man, that is spooky. I guess you just never know...