bushido_man96

OK, another question or two about Bunkai. Do you tend to teach bunkai for each move in the form? Do you teach it transitioning from one move to the next, for every move, or just a few? About how much time do you spend on it in class, and how much time to ensure they have it down (i.e., two months worth of bunkai per form before testing)? I know that everyone will learn differently, and some faster than others. But if you have some guidelines that I could look into, that would be great. I was thinking along the lines of taking maybe a month to get the form down, and then spending the next few months focusing on the bunkai, to get the application process down, and be fluid with the movements. Thanks a bunch!

I am working on formulating my own curriculum, in case I want to have my own school again some day. I plan on including sparring. I have a few questions: 1. Do you have students work on sparring at white belt, or do you just drill with them? I have had students start after the 3rd rank, and my current school does it after white belt is passed. 2. What sparring techniques do you teach at white belt? I was thinking of keeping it real basic, mainly with getting the Olympic style round kick down, front and back leg, and using some footwork. 3. Can anyone help me out with drawing footwork and feinting footwork, if there is a difference? What do you guys think? I am going to work on Olympic and a non-Olympic style of sparring, but am looking for Olympic style drills. Any info will be greatly appreciated, regardless of style. Thanks in advance!

What's a budgie?

When asked if he wanted his pizza cut into 4 or 8 pieces, Yogi Berra replied: "Oh, 4, I can't eat 8."

Welcome to the Forums!

Hey there! Christmas is usually as big a deal for my family as Turkey Day is. I think it is just that Turkey Day comes first. Any time like this where the whole family gets together, is just a great time over all. During the hollidays, I tend to average about 3 big meals per holliday, and then the leftovers!!

Cool, thanks, Drag'n. I don't know why, but I always invisioned practitioners lined up, taking leg kicks to build up resitance. It may be from the Kickboxer movie, I guess. Sorry, I know better than that, now, though.

If it is hurting your groin, it is probably a matter of flexibility, or perhaps muscle strength, as opposed to technique. I would have to see the kick to help you, for sure.

Hmm, not sure what to tell ya. You can always work with the other hand, though!

Hey, that's cool. However, you may check into it before you cut your losses. It may not be too expensive, because many are just clubs under the umbrella of the university.

Please, call me John. And Warrior-Scholar has some of the most educated Tang Soo Do, Soo Bahk, and Moo Sa Do minds around. I like to pretend I'm one of em Cool. I'll try to remember to call you John. I call just about everyone by their usernames, because I see it all of the time. I am very interested in TSD, so I may ask you some questions about it from time to time.

I know that there are a lot of smaller TKD associations out there as well. The one I am in is one of them (TTA).

That is a good question; however, styles like muay Thai and boxing have been able to by-pass katas completely, and make very competent fighters soley through the use of drills and sparring. Newer styles like Krav Maga have also been successful without the use of forms training. This is true to an extent. However the statement was that to practice drills you needed to derive them from kata. Going solely by this line of thought, sloppy kata will lead to sloppy drills. However, you don't need the katas to derive the drills. The Eastern Arts are the ones responsible for the katas, and for the derivation of drills from them. Many Western fightings styles never used katas as drills. Boxing is one, wrestling is another, not to mention their weapons usage. However, I have seen a source that said that pankratiasts used a form of kata, but I have only seen this in one place. I'll concede that point. However, they have gone beyond the need to practice kata, and focus on drilling and application. MMA fighters, boxers, and grapplers don't spend time on forms. They get right into the meat and potatoes of fighting. They still dedicate the time needed to be successful. Maybe they don't spend that time on forms, but they get plenty of training time in. Let me make this one last comment on "realistic military fighting systems" that happen to make their way to the public. Sure the Russians might use Systema and the Isrealis might use Krav Maga, but how much time to you think they practice and focus on their hand-to-hand skills as opposed to say other skills like detecting possible hostilities, firearms, etc? I agree with you here. As I have said before, I enjoy my forms training. However, I don't feel that it should overshadow my self-defense training.

What is "Macdojoish" about it? Is it just because someone wants to compete, or because someone is willing to give a demonstration for show? I am having trouble understanding the definition here.

It is a nice kata.

Just got to break them loose!

We all mess up from time to time. Just make it up next time!

Welcome to KarateForums, Andy!

I try to keep the arc that the kick travels in very tight. It makes it easier to control, especially if you chamber and rechamber the leg. Proper pivoting of the base leg is important as well.

Well, how old are you? I am 28, 29 in January. Oops i thought you were older than that i'm 29, 30 in july. Hehe I guess I am just bad off!! Maybe if I lost some weight, that would help...

That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to do, because that is the case with many physical activities that are done today. Why try to scare people off by making that the first thing they read?

Welcome to KF!

I think this is good food for thought! Now, it comes down to what constitutes "holding your own." Does it mean that you can kick someone in the groin, and then knock them over and run? Kick them in the leg, then in the head? Or going 3 rounds 3 minutes long and winning a sparring match? Like I mentioned earlier, there are so many variables to consider.

Very good question. Even technique may not be enough. Knowing technique does not necessarily translate to fighting ability. I know guys that don't have a lick of tangible technique, but they can scrap. That is a very good question as well. Why not test them for Nidan?

When I do axe kicks, I tend to chamber them as well.