bushido_man96

That is a very good article. I am glad it was dug up. Now I can direct people from the "English vs. Japanese in training" thread to this one when they talk about losing traditions because the language isn't used.

Tang Soo Do is a Korean style, and may incorporate a lot of kicks. I have always been interested in Aikido, but have never had an opportunity to take it.

I agree with you, Sohan. I would rather have an unskilled, uncoordinated, mediocre student that works his butt off everyday in class, than have a super-talented guy that can do more with his pinky finger than the other can with his whole body, but shows up and doesn't give it his all everyday. Willingness and drive are two very important attributes.

I believe the difference between a do and a jutsu is how it was related to actual combat situations in a war. After the advent of the firearm, and the decline of close quarters combat in warfare, the need to study as much hand to hand combat began to fall away. This can even be seen in Western Martial Arts as well. When the jutsu fell away, in order to somewhat preserve them, they started to become the dos we now know of. As far as the "grappling existing in katas" arguement goes, it may be that there are those applications. The only problem is that unless you get the opportunity to practice those applications with a resisting partner, then one's ability to use them proficiently in a fight will low.

I could have my dad print t-shirts that say "I WILL kick you in the head!"

This is just my opinion, but if you can train hard in a 3 minute round, and wear yourself down each time, then fighting a two minute round should be a little easier. In theory, you are right. BUT, here's the rub. You pace yourself differently when you fight longer. If I am training for a fight with 5 min rounds, I will be more conservative than I would be in a two min round, because I have to last longer. Consequently, I wouldn't be ready for the faster pace of a 2 min round. On the flip side, if I just trained a bunch of 2 min rounds even though I have a 5 min round fight, I will gas too soon. I can see the problem there. But, is there as much difference between the 2 minute and 3 minute round?

I've taken these kinds of kicks without the protectors before. You recover, and you go on. Usually, though, if you have your hands up, you can absorb most of the impact.

I've heard that training in shoes all of the time can be hard on the knees, with the kicking. Have you heard this, and is there any backing to it?

He did have other vetures to help pay the bills. He charged about $100 an hour to teach private lessons to some of Hollywood's finest actors. Can you imagine how much he could charge today?

As a counter to the Final Fu post, has anyone been watching The Contender? It has been entertaining, and there are good young fighters on the show.

I came up with an idea for a series of workouts as a black belt and/or instructor who doesn't get the opportunity to test as often as our colored belt counterparts. What I have done is gone back and looked at the basic techniques learned at each belt level, starting with white belt. I made a workout based on those techniques, stances, and combinations, etc. As part of the workout, I practice the forms and one-steps for that rank 5 times each. After the next testing that our school has, I will move on to the next rank, using basics and forms from that rank. I will continue on that workout until the testing cycle ends, and then move on to the next rank. A good way to keep up on the basics, which will, in turn, help with learning advanced techniques.

Breathe. Aodhan When you do them, do you look down at the floor, or towards a wall or something else?

For what it's worth, I notice differences in the forms I practice from association to association as well. You see the differences at tournaments and in books.

Definitely not trying to get into overweight bashing, by any means. I think my point was that some masters who were in good shape when they were younger sometimes take dramatic steps backward as they age, perhaps resting on their ever-widening laurels somewhat. I felt that though they have become masters by nature of their extensive knowledge, past results, and contributions to the arts, they are likely not to be as feared performance-wise against younger and much fitter practitioners (who are somewhat lesser skilled) because of their decline in fitness. And really, could anyone really see putting one of our venerated 60 year old buffet jockeys in the ring, or even on the street, with a trained professional fighter like Fedor or Matt Hughes? However, don't misconstrue my comments to mean that just because a master is a Buddha-belly geriatric that they are necessarily a pushover. At less than 5 feet tall and well past 80 y.o., Shorin-ryu Grandmaster Eizo Shimabuku is still a very dangerous man who I personally would not care to tangle with. But keep in mind he still trains regularly and has kept in very good condition even at an advanced age. Interestingly, I recently experienced a seminar and some one-on-one with a very popular and renowned Buddha-esque master who I shall leave unnamed that I feel quite certain doesn't have the fitness to successfully leverage his skills to defeat me. Twenty years ago, there would be no way I could say this, as he was always in top form, but today he might want to hope he catches me with his first few blows, because otherwise he's in trouble. With respect, Sohan No offence was taken from anyone, I was just trying to keep things light. I understand exactly what is being said here, and I agree that Masters should try to live the example, so to speak. It is important for them to be able to move well in some capacity, although I don't think they should have to be in the same form as the likes of Fedor or Hughes. And, in case you are wondering, I am not really buddha like fat, just a little round. My aeorbic capacity isn't great, but I do my fair share of working out, and I am trying to improve it.

Wow, that is interesting. The last movie I saw relating to Bruce Lee was Dragon, the Bruce Lee Story. I don't know how accurate it is, but it was an ok movie.

Oh, I've slowed down a lot since my wife began rationing my internet hours. With respect, Sohan

I was always told not to wear the uniform unless I was doing a TKD related event. I don't like wearing it in public, and prefer to change in the locker room at my school. When someone asks about me studying martial arts, I try not to make a big deal out of it. I am proud that I do it, and I am proud of what I have achieved, but I don't like to brag. That can get you into trouble. The attitude that the guy in the initial post had was pretty bad in my opinion. The "I want people to know what they are getting into" routine it seems like.

Yep, that answers my question. Now, to find a boxing club to get my son into...

Actually, a lot of countries do say "jab, cross". In Thailand for instance I can often hear "jab, cross, hook, uppercut". I have also heard the same in Japan. I'd also like to add if you don't know the Japanese terminology you're not doing Japanese Karate anymore. That's what I mean by "watered down". Am I saying you can't fight? No, not at all. I am saying you don't do Japanese karate, though.(If you trained for a few years or more) I know many Americanized schools that don't know the Japanese terminology will sometimes claim to be american/japanese or something along these lines. I mean, I guess you could say that but why? Saying you're a Japanese style and not knowing the terminology seems silly to me. Well, that's cool. I learned something new. However, I don't believe that if you use English that it makes it an American style. What you want to hold to are the training methods, not the language it is taught in. As I have mentioned earlier, mine is a Korean style, and we do use the Korean terminology. So, I do know the terminology. So, does this mean I am not practicing Americanized TKD? I am not sure about that. When I was in the ATA, I learned everything in English, except for the commands to attention, bow, ready, etc. Techniques were discussed in English. Then, I came to my current TKD association, and learned the Korean words for basic techniques. However, the techniques did not change in and of themselves. There were some style differences, of course, but other than that, I don't feel that I went through any change, or that I was learning authentic Korean style as opposed to an Americanized style.

quote Shui Tora: incorporate the Five Elements (Earth, Wind, Fire and Water) with opposites. You left out an element. What is the other?

Sure, just as there are people who can do complex math problems in their heads, whip up a gourmet meal with spaghetti O's and pancake syrup, or dunk a basketball while blindfolded. We all have our talents, but it is up to us to apply ourselves to reach our potential. Sometimes those who reach the top aren't always the ones who can leap the highest but those who never stop focusing on reaching the summit. Or something to that effect. Respectfully, Sohan Man, that is good. I like that wording a lot. Very inspirational.

Well said.

I have seen both here, wash it, or don't. One philisophy I have seen is that your belt represents the blood, sweat, and tears that you have put into your training, and washing it washes it all away. Just what I heard, not saying it is right or wrong.

no kidding! I learned the hard way to give up the body to save the head. I've gotten three concussions in my tournaments, 1 from baseball, 2 from football (other than karate they were just tough luck). It stinks! But now I haven't got hit in the head for about 4 years, lol, I learned my lesson. I always get asked to go full-contact by kick boxers and army people I train with...and some masachists...but I never do. I let them go full, but after seeing what happened to my opponent in a bare knuckle boxing match at about 75% I decided that was enough of that. Ahhh, makiwara and kime training. I hear you there. Those people who can do that stuff, they are a special breed. I have a friend like that, and a brother like that. Working out with them is fun!

I don't know about that. I think that it was probably jiu-jitsu for the most part early on, when it was taught to the samurai as unarmed combat techniques. Later on, when these techniques were not as necessary for combat (advent of the firearm), they started to become more like karate. Just my theory, though.