Shorinryu Sensei

I've always had the same problem with a side stretch while against the wall with another person lifting the leg. It doesn't happen all of the time, and is "usually" resolved by lowering the leg..."wiggling" the hip a bit, and then raising it again. Why it does that, I really don't know. Those a GREAT stretches (against the wall with a partner) by the way, and really work well.

Do you need help on which end does what? I'm not sure what to tell you about the end of the sai you're talking about with the coating. Question...18" is a pretty short sai (I use 21" myself). When you hold the sai in the web of your hand and the "blade" runs down your forearm...does the point of the sai extend past your elbow? It should by about 1/2-1". The biggest suggestion I can give you kicks for proper use of the sai, is when you do a block, make sure that the blade of the sai is actually going to make contact with what you are blocking. I see that mistake all the time in tournament competition. Also, I don't know how you do your upward/high block, but you need to make sure that your arm is at a 45 degree angle to your body, not straight across and parallel to the gorund. Basically, if a baseball bat is coming straight down to your head, the sai will deflect it and channel the force of the weapon down and away from your head. You don't want to absord the entire force of the downward blow with the sai. It should be at an angle similar to this...."/" or ""....not --. Make sense? Oh heck, why don't you just hop a plane and come up here for a weekend...I'll get you all fixed up! lol On the bo's...personally, I don't care for lightweight bo's. Sure, you can whip them around real fast, but they don't have the knockdown power of a combat bo...meaning, heavyweight. Also, the heavier the bo is, the more it builds up your muscles until you get to the point you can move them just about as fast, but with much more striking power and authority, than a lightweight bo anyway. Personal preference. In a tounament, I mark down competitors that use lightweight weapons before they even do a move. If there is any doubt when they present themselves to me, I ask to look at the weapon. Light gets a lower score than heavy.

I've never actually seen the system, but I hear good things about it. Keep in mind that it will be a LOT different than the TKD you were taking, so go in with an open mind. If what I hear about it is true, and the sensei is good...I think you'll find that it is going to be a very good system and much more practical than what you were taking previously. Most likely it will be a lot different than TKD, and I would strongly suggest not trying to compare them in your mind, or vocally in class.

Correct! It's not your dojo, or your class..it's your sensei's, and his responsability to talk to spectators or parents that are causing disruptions in class or at tournaments. I've had problems with spectators and parents in class before also, and I will nicely talk to them on the side and ask them to please stop doing whatever it was that they were doing that disrupted class. Either that, or please don't come in during class time. Go to your sensei...express your concerns...and ask him if there is anything that he can do.

Just givin' ya crap kicks (sorta) And Monkey...go have another drink and be quiet over there before I rattle your cage.

Yes, we use sweeps in my TMA class, but only at the ankle, not the knee. Knee's are much more suseptable to injury (voice of experience here) in sweeping than ankles are. There are also full leg sweeps when we are standup grappling that work quite nicely and catch your opponent off guard.

I think whether to kick or punch in a fight depends on the situation. For example, if you're fighting a guy that assumes a boxing stance and looks like he knows what he's doing, I'd use low kicks because my legs are longer than my arms, and if he is a boxer, he isn't trained to watch for kicks. Trying to trade punches with a boxer is a good way to get tagged real quick. Basic rule of thumb..don't play the other guys game if you can help it...so, don't try to box a boxer unless you know how to box! I've been in a number of real fights (not competition fights) since starting on my martial arts journey, and in only once have I used a kick. It was effective and dropped the guy down to the ground and out of the fight. Every other fight I've been in has been strictly with my hands, as they are faster, more versatile, and less likely to be grabbed than a kick is. A good street fighter could grab your leg and dump you on your butt, whereas hands are much harder to grab. Another thing you need to consider is that kicks are perceived by the law as being more deadly than hands are in general, and kicking a guy hard enough to cause seriosu damage could end up with you paying his medical bills, going to jail for assualt with a deadly weapon, and maybe jail time depending on the circumstances. As I said, every situation is different.

When...dear Lord...are these people...ESPECIALLY BLACK BELTS, going to learn what the name of this weapon is??? Shame kicks...shame! *looking for a head shaking icon*

I see in your bio that you do ITF/TKD...so correct me if I'm wrong, but anything below the waist, grabbing techniques, takedowns, etc are all illegal for you...right? How about on the street? Would you head kick there for any reason?

Your daughter is at the stage where friends are going to be a big, if not THE biggest part of her life. This will continue through high school. Forcing her to contine in the martial arts when she really doesn't want to will do nothing but give her resentment towards the art, and you for forcing her to continue. Dad, I think you need to let her make her own decision...whether or not you like it. I've seen this in manyyoung girls over the years. They start out hot and heavy with training, but start to "burn out" after a while because it is taking time away from other aspects of her young life that she is putting more importance on...such as her friends.

I voted "other". Basically, it depends on what strike you're going to do, and are you striking a nerve center, or bone (face)? "All of the above" would probably fit better.

I'd guess usually...yes. We call them "belt factories" a lot on here.

TKD would be the most abused I would think, but locally there have been several other dojo's through here in past years including: Montana Free Style -- black belts in a year! Oki-Ryu -- Still in existence here. I've watched his class a number of times. VERY weak IMHO. American Free Style -- not one, but TWO black belts in a year! ... and several I can't remember what they were called. Most don't last long once the word gets out that they are crap.

The Korean version of a McDojo. Basically, any martial arts school that is of poor quality, substandard instruction, belts for lttle work, etc.

That's about 22% black belts. Over 1 in 5 students are black belts. That's pretty top heavy rank-wise.

Actually, that's who I do have the problems with now and then mostly. Plus, I like to country dance and do so on Wednesday and Satruday nights, and now and then I have some wannabe cowboy with a trash can lid on his belt and high heel boots, try to start something. The bouncer and I are good buds because I always back him up if I'm there, so he watches out for me and takes care of the problem usually before it escalates to anything serious.

There are dirty techniques in the martial arts? Hmmmm...I've never seen any.

I think you're on the right track. Get a good, solid base in Goju first..say 2 years or so at least, before you start mixing things up. To try to mix systems as a beginner to the arts will only confuse you, and you'll end up being weak in all of the ssytems instead of strong in one, and adding to it.

I've always tried to avoid fights if possible, but my chosen art has served me VERY well a number of times where I've had to depend on it. At 6'6" and 240lbs, I haven't had to defend myself against anybody bigger than me, but I have successfully had to defend myself against 3 guys back in 1987 and came out without a scratch. Like Master Jules, I've done a fair amount of bouncer/security work also in the not so distant past (and subject to being called to do it again), and I've found the techniques I've learned are effective, relatively easy to use, and I have total faith in them.

How many people in the entire dojo? 50 black belts is a LOT...and some are 10 years of age?

In karate, hands and feet are generally (varies between systems) used equally...or 50/50. I don't see any evidence of Olympic TKD participants doing anything with their hands, except watching them dangle at their sides. Also in karate, or at least the majority of the karate I've seen, sweeps, take downs, grabbing, hand strikes, and the head and *shudder* groin are legal targets. Outside of Olympic TKD participants wearing a uniform and belt, there are few similarities between Olympic TKD and karate IMHO.

I have a nasty curve in my lower spine, right about the belt line, and where it gets me the most is when I do any sort of kick with my right leg. No pain down the leg, but certainly in the back. It will drop me literally to the ground.

I don't recall seeing any bashing of MMA's anywhere on the forum, but I don't read all of the catagories either. Anyway, the one problem I have with "some" of the MMA's schools is that the inbstructor has a brown belt in one style, a blue in another...and maybe a couple of 1st degree black belts in a couple of others. With this background, they think they know enough to start their own school and system. What they fail to realize is, it takes many...MANY years to learn and perfect all of the subtle aspects of an art. A brown or low black belt is just a good foundation of the BASICS of an art...know mastery of that art. And learninga few moves from one system...and a few from another...that's just not good. Techniques from systems, such as I do..flow one technique into another and build upon each other. You won't get that by "hodge-podging" a little of this system..and a little of that system together to make a "new" system.

Nope...I've only been involved in the arts for 30 years. That's not enough time to "know it all" and start my own system yet. Maybe in another 30 years or so....we'll see.

My training has really suffered this past year because of a chronic back injury. When I first started the arts, I attended 3, three hour classes/week, and trained on my own religously at least one hour/day on my own....some times more. In the past year, depending on how my back has been feeling, I have been trying to train twice/week or more if possible...but there are quite a few weeks that I can't do much of anything in the way of hard training. Most often I will start practicing kata or basics..and anywhere from 15 minutes, to an hour, and that's about all I can take. IT SUCKS!!!