bushido_man96

To get more power, increase your speed. This will help with your power. The equation for power is: Power = 1/2 Mass x Velocity squared. Therefore, increasing speed will exponentially increase your power, whereas increasing size will not increase power to nearly the same proportion. I am not saying that you should not increase your size and strenght, but I am saying that power is a direct result of speed. Get the books Speed Training and Fighting Power written by Loren W. Christensen. These books include invaluable training material that will benefit your speed and power training.

Here is an interesting article that I found about how martial arts practitioners go through certain cycles, and how they relate to quitting/changing styles. Its a good read, and hope you enjoy it. http://www.shotokai.com/ingles/essays/iao-western-alchemy-martial-arts.html

yeah, and its a serious problem. this is essentially why i stopped doing shotokan formally. i came to learn about the original nature of karate, attended a few seminars and stuff. then i asked the senior instructor at my dojo if we could practice some of it. to cut a long story short, the answer was no. also as a nidan i did a bit of instruction in classes, and it got to the point where i just couldn't do it anymore. i couldn't stand there teaching lame blocking techniques that could get people killed in a real fight. unless you're very lucky and find a school that teaches combative karate, you'll probably have to take your training outside the dojo in an informal setting as i and another guy from my old dojo have done. I don't understand why some instructors can be so single-minded; have a my way or the high way attitued towards teaching. It is frustrating, in my opinion.

Yeah, it was a site on someone's thread, looking for a place to study. I remember it, too. I noticed a lot of 'money making' opportunities on it. No worries. If it is a McDojo, I would stay away. However, sports martial arts are not bad things, so you may want to see what is offered.

I am hoping to start picking up Combat Hapkido here again shortly. I have learned a lot of the curicculum, but I want to start working on more applications.

Quote from Sohan: Hey bushidoman, congrats on the "black belt"!!!! Thanks, Sohan! I am so happy! This is the first rank I have gained in years.

That's a cool story, Killer Miller. I like the catch you used to try to get him into class. Very nice touch. Kind of along the same lines, we have several guys in my area who used to be in martial arts. Well, now they lift weights at the gym that my instructor owns. He talks to them often, and when martial arts are brought up, they talk about how they used to do it, and would like to do it again. So, the instructor tells them to come down and do it, sign up, and all that, then they start talking about how they can't because they don't have time and junk like that. I want to tell them "Hey, I am married, have two kids, and work full time on the night shift, and I still have time to get to class." Excuses, excuses.

Not quite sure what you are asking here. Can you be a little more specific?

I have never really had a problem with my feet on any surface, and I have trained on everything: wood floor, concrete, carpet, puzzle mats, etc. My instructor has some very nice gymnastic type of padded carpet that is about 3 inches thick. It is very comfortable, and has a nice amount of give. We don't do a lot of grappling, so it isn't like grappling/wrestling mats, but it does have enough give that you can practice throws, breakfalls, and stuff like that. If I remember, I'll ask him what it is exactly.

There is a guy that is a 6th dan in our system who became a pro fighter, and has been trying to do K-1. His name is Mark Selbee, and he has used his flexibility and kicks well in his fights.

Anytime.

Otomix used to have some workout pants that weren't gi pants. You might try them.

You have to look out for places like that with the word 'kickboxing' as well. If place says it offers kickboxing, you have to check to make sure that it isn't cardio kickboxing. I do feel that XMA is great for those who like to demonstrate their athleticism in an MA venue. We all have paths we can travel. For some, it is the UFC. For others, it is teaching more 'traditional' methods, and for others, it is the level of competition offered via XMA.

There are no bad martial arts, just bad instructors. That being said, go take a look at the school, and see how things run. Then, try to talk to the head instructor, and see what you can find out about him.

Yeah, it was a site on someone's thread, looking for a place to study. I remember it, too. I noticed a lot of 'money making' opportunities on it.

That sounds like it was a good time. That would be a great experience.

Exactly. I figure if the match is 3, 2 minute rounds, train 4-5, 2 min rounds. Increase the number of rounds for endurance not the length of each round. Just as E&K says, the length of each round in training determines the pace you'll be able to sustain in a match. Good point. That makes more sense than increasing the match time.

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?