bushido_man96

Those are things you should focus on, then. Practicing the basics is always beneficial.

Congrats!!!

Its nice that the guy is willing to work with you on your schedule.

As you advance in your styles, you may start to see areas within your striking where you can begin to enter into the locks and redirections/joint manipulations that you will learn from aikido. I would not rush into this, but it is something that you can build up to. I think you will be amazed at the combination of the two.

nothing is useless if it is done properly. this kick has many uses when done properly. ever been flicked in the butt by a towel? it hurts. this kick uses the same principal. its a snap technique, not designed to go thru a brick wall. Let me clarrify a few things here. Side snap kick is useless in a self-defense situation. The kick was introduced into Japanese schools as a means of flexibilty and fitness for the students, not as a self defensive kick. If you look at any older styled kata, they use a front kick, not a side snap kick. They turn toward the opponent and fire out a front kick. Before you say, hang on, what if someone attacks you from the side, the defender slides away from the attacker to face them, and viola, a front kick is applied to the groin, knee, shin, or ankle. I feel that most techniques can have a use in self-defense. I look at this snapping side kick as kind of like a jab, but with a kick. I would use a jab in self-defense, so why not a "jab kick" to the knee in self-defense? It does not take a lot of pressure to buckle a knee, therefore it could be very effective in self-defense.

From the statements that we tend to make on the subject of testing, it seems that we all experience a "thinning of the herd" due to people not getting to test because they think it is automatic. If this is the case, then how is it that we see so many of what I like to call "super schools" around, that have over 200 members in so many cities? Just a thought to throw out there. I am not trying to bash big schools, and I admire their ability to attain such a high number of students. But, should we, as teachers, be vying for smaller dojos, with a low student/teacher ratio? Or should we try to make a living off of it? And, is there a happy medium? A book I can recommend is called Black Belt Management, written by John Graden, who is heavily endorsed by Joe Lewis. He seems to have nailed down the pattern to making a good living and having a good school at the same time (however, he was in a huge market area). What do you think?

You pretty much have the testing requirements of my style above. We start each class with basics, which consists of floor drills essentially, doing single techniques while walking in stances, and moving up to combinations of kicks, punches, and blocks. After that, we do forms, then go on to one-steps. After one-steps, we spar.

Thanks, that answers my questions.

I am curious as to what you all think should be required at a testing. This is what my school requires: Form One-steps for rank White and orange belts: combinations hi orange and up: testing sparring lo brown and up: board breaking Reccomended black testing for Chodan: ALL low rank material, as well as sparring, board breaks, and currnent material, also an essay on what being a black belt means to you. Some things I feel should be added are self-defense techniques of some kind. I am also a big advocate of knowing low rank material. Anything else you all can throw on would be great. I am wanting to know, that way if I ever get to run my own show again, I will be open-minded, and think outside the box, to really give the most benefit to my students. Thanks a million!

If I am thinking of the correct technique, you want to make sure your lower leg isn't snapping up, putting pressure on the knee. Make sure your kick is still going out, not up.

Loren Christensen has been an advocate of the exercise called the red line drill. You could do it with forms. Let them warm up with the form a few times, then have them keep good technique and pick up the speed. Then, get them to do it as fast as they can with still correct techniques. Next, you turn 'em loose. This is were you can get them to focus the kime. Tell them that they now have to blast the form faster than they ever have, a couple of times. Get them jacked up, and have them fired up when they go. Have them yell on more moves than normal. Chant things to them that will spark their attitude. Tell them to visualize their worst enemies. At this point, you want neck break speed, and it is ok if technique fails some. This drill is designed to help get past speed barriers by taking movements that are ingrained in muscle memory, and then letting them fly. You finish by doing the form again a few times at normal speed, to make sure to reset the good technique. I figured, that if they are going to blast a form this fast, why not get the riled up, and work on that kime? Kill two birds with one stone.

If someone could download a video of this side snap kick, and a video of the regular side thrust kick, I would appreciate it. Then, I could see the difference in the delivery. When I do a side kick, I guess a snapping kick would be off of my front leg, without as much hip rotation, but still pivoting the base foot. If I am getting close here, let me know.

I think shootboxing can be very good for self-defense. I think it has a pretty high level of contact in the competition side, and you get striking and takedowns, and I think groundwork. If the Wing Chun club won't contact you back, go drop in on a class. Watch and see what it is like.

The problem with this statement is that you are assuming the yellow sash understands and performs the material as well as they would at a higher level. This isn't true. Just because I may have learned Seisan to receive my green belt doesn't mean at that point I was as qualified to teach it. My current years of experience have given me insight and refinement to my kata that enables me to teach it with a deeper understanding than I ever could have at greenbelt rank. Could I show the pattern to someone as a green belt? Sure. Would I be have been able to teach it as effectively as an instructor should at my current level? No way. With respect, Sohan of course they arent able to perform the technique as good as a black belt. but they perform it well enuf to get passed white sash. so techniquely, if they teach a white sash they way they do it, they should also be able to get passed white sash. the point isnt will the yellow sash be able to teach as well as the instructor, the point is that someone with no experience will get something out of learning from someone with experience, regardless of how much experience it is. does ian thorpe teach me to swim? no. will i drown if thrown in the deep end? no. There are good points on both sides here. The main question is to the quality of instruction. Knowing what to teach, and how to teach it, are just as important as being able to perform the material. There is no substitute for a quality instructor. Of course, it is difficult to become a good, quality instructor if you never get the chance to teach. The important thing is to make sure that bad habits are not developed because of a lack of experience in teaching. You have to have the good foundation in order for the training to advance.

Good point, good point.

Kansas: uh, The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. The Kansas Speedway (yea nascar!) There are a few more, I'll have to think of them. Oh, yeah, ME!! just kidding.

I don't block in sparring the same way I block when I do forms, but it is still blocking, even though you don't use the whole technique. The techniques are taught to build strength and coordination. When sparring and/or fighting, you have to change things up a bit. It is important to be able to alter the blocking motion to be faster, and not telegraphic. It all has to do with levels of learning. You learn the techniques first, and then you start to learn how to alter them for application. Take bunkai, for example. When you apply the katas to bunkai, some things change. The kata is great for teaching the techniques, and then bunkai comes along and teaches applications, which changes things a little bit.

I think that the quality of grappling found in karate schools will continue to increase with time, and with attempts to better themselves, much as Mr. Speakman has done here. I believe that he is very competent, and probably has a very good system that he is working into his curicullum. Keep in mind, it was just a demo, and he probably did not go into detail completely.

I don't think anyone looks bad in a gi. I have gotten to wear I feel quite comfortable in mine, like it is everyday wear. And I think gis accomodate women fairly well.

That hand and forearm armor looks good, do you think it could suffice for my weapons training, or should I look elsewhere?

On the surface, they seem somewhat similar, however, Systema stresses relaxation and more "flow" whereas, KM seems to be more "explosive" for lack of a better term. Ah, I see. Thanks for differentiating them for me.

Great, thanks.

There are sword styles that block with the back of the blade, there are styles that block with the flat of the blade, and there are styles that parry with the edge of the blade. Also, what was referred to as 'voiding' in western styles was popular as well. Voiding was getting the body out of the way of the strike. Then a counter strike could be made.

Just a side note: We have a testing this week Thursday. Just yesterday at class, the instructor was letting some of the kids know that they may have to wait another cycle, because they don't look ready.

If you could give the name of the technique in English, I could help you figure something out.