bushido_man96

You may need to strengthen the muscles that hold the side kick up. Put your hand on the wall, and point your base foot at the wall. Then, hold your straight leg out at waist level (or as high as you can), and do leg lifts, up and then down, slow and controlled. Then do side kicks from that wall position, without setting the leg down. Make sure your hip turns over, and line up your heel, knee, hip, and shoulder.

First of all, most amateur boxers are kids who often live at home and just go to school. Most karateka who achieve black belt are adults whose lives do not revolve around the dojo, so it takes longer to achieve the same level of fighting proficiency. How many adults do you know who can successfully juggle working 50 hours a week, spending time with family and maintaining their home and other interests, and training martial arts 18+hours a week? Anyway, to correct some faulty math, a boxer training 18 hours a week would actually amass 2808 hours of training in three years. And I noticed that in your karate figure that by granting the Shodans only 4 hours a week of training you are obviously not counting time spent training outside the gym, ie home training, cardio, weights, stretching, etc. I am sure that most who have the dedication needed to reach blackbelt often train on their own at least a few hours a week. In my school it takes a minimum 5-6 years to reach Shodan, and that is at 3 two-hour classes per week, not to mention outside training time which for most is a minimum 3 additional hours of cardiovascular and strength training. My math comes to a minimum of 2340-2808 hours of training to reach Shodan, in our system at least. Seems about the same as your boxer, I believe, though I grant that the boxer is fitter in a shorter period of time. However, IMO if you match up a well-conditioned black belt against a well-conditioned amateur boxer, I would bet my bucks that the black belt would likely win. More tools at his disposal--I should know, I've done both. With respect, Sohan I agree with you here, Sohan. I don't have the time to dedicate to be a professional fighter, which is what most amateur boxers work towards. I can get in 2 or 3 classes per week, 2 days I can get in a solo workout, and I lift 4 days a week, along with some cardio on those. I have a family as well, and I feel like I am taking from them if I spend all of my time training. And I enjoy my time with my family. Actually met my wife in TKD class!

You can add the striking, that's the easy part.

Here, here!

After viewing some videos of this kick, I realize that it is a kick that I don't do. It is very interesting. I noticed that it was not done with the base foot pivoted, but that may have been that style. This kick looks to me like it could hurt the knee, but I could be wrong. I could see slapping that kick up under someone's chin...ouch!

If a tall guy gets taken down, he loses the height advantage.

I think you have it right here. Although I don't practice karate, I have learned much of the same aspects through the study of my art as well. Things like integrity, and perserverance, have helped me in all kinds of ways. I feel like I am a better person today than I was 4 years ago, and in 4 more years, I will be a better person than I am today. And hopefully, I can help a few more people make themselves better on the way.

I don't really believe in destiny, fate, or any of that stuff. I believe that I am in control of my life, not the variables of everyday life, but my variables.

I feel that strength training is very beneficial to all people, not just martial artists. I wish I was as big as some of the lifters that go to the gym I work out at. Hopefully, I will get that way some day. Also, in order to be able to perform plyometric exercises, one must possess a certain level of strength, which can be achieved through weight lifting exercises that focus on strength building. If I remember right, and Sohan can tell me if I am correct on the number or not, you should be able to squat 1.5 times your bodyweight without much trouble before recommending plyometric exercises involving the lower body. I assume the same is true at some level concerning upper body plyos as well, like explosive push-ups and what not. I can bench press over my body weight, but I can't do explosive push-ups very well, so some strength training would help me there, I think.

The record you produce, Sohan, is the kind that really counts.

Here is a dilema that I have seen happen in my school. Once our adult students get to the rank of 1st dan recommended, they are required to teach so many hours of orientation, or help out with classes. What I have noticed is that class experience does not always translate into teaching experience. I can sit and watch a 1st dan show a technique to a new student, and then have them mimic it. Then, if they don't do it right, they say "no, like this," and then do the technique again, and try to get them to mimic again. Not everyone can learn this way. I guess what I am getting at is that there is more to teaching than the "monkey see, monkey do" philosophy. I believe that before a black belt is thrown into the fire, it is the chief instructor's responsibility to teach the black belts how to teach. Some people are natural teachers. Some are not. But everyone can learn how, if they are shown the way.

This just hit me, KarateKid1975, if you can't find that spark at any dojo, maybe you should start your own? Just a thought.

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.