NightOwl

At the place that I will be attending on a regular basis (as soon as the final grip of the holidays allows them to re-open) you can go barefoot or wear wrestling shoes...I actually kind of like going barefoot, or perhaps it is because I don't want to front the cost for shoes.... Either way, I have found that either going barefoot or practicing outside with shoes doesn't make too much of a difference, if anything though shoes offer a little bit of protection against people stepping on you...

Thank you everyone! But heavy lies the crown! Do all my posts have to be gems now? There may be a coup coming up....

Dropped as a child....that's golden! How did the break go? Did you break the board? It took a couple of goes

Fights usually start before any actual punches are thrown...the key is knowing when it has reached that point. But once you've gotten there it is a good idea to make the first move.

http://www.thearma.org/essays/knightvs.htm has a good article on this...a bit long so if you want the end answer....there would be no clear winner with all the varibles involved.

I agree that getting a black belt does not mean that the journey is over. However to 'stir the pot up' a bit, what do you think of the third article on this blog (on black belts): http://progressiveshotokankarate.com/weblog/index.html Should being able to fight be part of having a black belt?

I see the 'Old masters' and 'Made to train for fighting' brought up again, so I'll throw this in for a second time: According to my understanding, Kata were and are essentially collections of techniques, thus by practicing and making them, you were recording by a series of movements rather than on paper (again, paper wasn't as cheap and easy to come by as today) fighting moves so that they would not be forgotten. Thus kata had a purpose, and people found that foucasing on them helped to hone themselves mentally, but it was made for collection and memorization of moves MEANT TO BE USED OUTSIDE OF JUST THE KATA rather than as a practice in themselves. With modern recording techniques, kata as they were used practically are no longer needed, and thus we are left with the 'art' of 'martial arts', which is fine as long as you realize that practicing moves in kata won't be practical if you are not looking at them in applied situations. I found the last article on this page: http://progressiveshotokankarate.com/Articles.html on finding the application in a kata move to be particularly intresting.

How many MA weapons are actually trained with for combat ussage as opposed to use in forms, etc? Mind you, Med. Combat groups, Kendo, Eskrima/kali, Archery and some fringe groups do practice on weapon fighting, but most of the time aren't Karate dojos and such foucasing just on unarmed combat with some weapons put in for the reasons mentioned above? (not that they are bad reasons, you can have alot of fun and get a good workout from training with weapons)

Swords...Western or Japanese; both if used correctly can get the job done. Swords have a great degree of control, is both an edge and pointed weapon perfect for thrusting and slashing (some swords are more tailored to one over the other however), and a range that is niether up close or far, but in between those two. Of course, swords due to the fact that they are not considered a common acessory (as they have been in various societies in the past) would not be practical as since it is virtually impossible to conceal you'd end up having 911 called on you every 2 blocks. That is why knives are the weapon of choice, as they are easily concealed. Is the sword a better weapon? You betcha. But because they are no longer part of society its practcality dramatically drops...this is the case with MOST MA weapons. Sure if someone pulled out a switchblade, iron knuckles, etc on you a properally handled Bo staff would make their weapons look like toys...but again, you'd have a heck of a time actually BRINGING a Bo staff to that point. Still, it's be cool to see a 'Crocodile Dundee' situation play out with a young punk pulling out a knife....'You call that a knife? THIS is a knife!' (out comes katana).

Well, my sensei's dojo doesn't look overly flashy like a McDojo, and the website seems humble and modest and equally non-flashy. I do have to pay two-hundred dollars per semester if I take it in school, but I think taking martial arts is generally expensive. Sometimes I feel that I am not ready, but I still pass. I went to a TKD gym that I too become paranoid about when I started reaserching MA. I wouldn't have called it a Mcdojo per se (the instructor was a really great guy, and there was a seperate sparring class...point sparring, but sparring nonetheless), however like you I felt that I was getting belts without being ready for them. I began to question if I was just getting more 'Shiny' belts because I could memorize forms and put in a good effort rather than gaining martial skill, and so I left to find a new MA (although there were some other issues involved as well). Whether it is a mcdojo or not, if YOU feel like you are not getting the training out of it that you need, than that is what ultimately matters.

I'm sure that your Jujitsu will give you an edge, but don't expect to wipe the floor with everyone. Matches are usually won by pins; and joint locks, chokes, etc are BIG no-nos. Having said that, it should help you alot on your takedowns (as Greco-roman has some nice practical ones) and thus should complement you Jujitsu nicely. Good luck!

The last thing the world needs is celebreties in MA...I'd shiver to think what would happen to the psychologists of the World should Tom Cruise lear Dim Mak

Aye, when the 'Civil War' game comes around I tend to lock the doors and stock up on rations . Fortunately I go to a different Oregon school so I can play the switzerland card if need be.... My worst MA experience was back in my TKD days testing for my third belt. I had to break a board with an ax kick, so I was practicing at home (on a hardwood floor...yeah, I was dropped too many times as a kid) and 'surprise' ended up hurtin' my heel something awful. Needless to say breaking the board later that night was not a plesant experience...

http://taijutsu.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87&Itemid=77 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPd4FEKASJQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIpCb1dkk40 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45vOvs3X7eQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujiCwM23ZM8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TieBJRH-lTE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0jOMc9R4Ak&mode=related&search= Hopefully that cleaned up the links a little bit. And I do appreciate your input Some0ne, goodness knows that more experienced persons with this group is needed for a well balanced overview. The particular place that I know of is not too fond of cross-training...but I did link earlier to a dojo that DID do cross training with sparring and a little boxing to incorperate Taijutsu in a situation where your opponent is resisting and actually hitting back (about 6 or so posts back I belive). I still maintain that I could see some of the techniques used in an actual combat situation, and the canadian place seemed to move at a faster and more realistic pace. My problem is that a large percentage of the time the techniques are practiced way too stiffly against someone who throws usually just one attack (mind you alot of MAs don't set you up for a real situation...but sometimes it seems like it was made for exhibition...see the old guy with the string). I still have an intrest in the art (I will probally check out Dr. Hatsumi's academy when I move to Japan later this year) and I still say check it out but keep in mind that for SD you will need to practice in a sparring/resisting situation which some Budo Taijitsu places DO offer (and it seemes like your friends are suplementing their training nicely by incorperating Muay Tai and BJJ...have you noticed them slip in any BT moves?) but alot of them seem not to.

alrighty, more NINJAAAAAAAAAAAAAA information. Pizza provided later. Here is taijutsu in a 'sparring' situation (that's what they say at least...I personally think that it is more or less of a set up situation): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBJb3YG5Ktc&mode=related&search= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UinLk4yIxNQ&mode=related&search= And here are training segments, etc. My problem is that it is way too choreographed...you can start off like that but you need to practice against someone actually hitting back/resisting. Also notice the weapon 'tricks' rolling, basic throws, the totally sweet ninja taking out an armed attacker with streamers, and the varying speeds of the different classes: http://taijutsu.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87&Itemid=77 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPd4FEKASJQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIpCb1dkk40 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45vOvs3X7eQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujiCwM23ZM8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TieBJRH-lTE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0jOMc9R4Ak&mode=related&search= Anyone practice BT on these boards and know if they add in resisting at higher levels?

I think a good illustration of the kata debate is archery vs kyudo archery. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_archery Kyudo is very controlled and has a strong emphasis on stance and setting up the shot rather than accuracy (targets are usually set at a fairly close range for practice). Can you become proficient with a bow by training hard in kyudo? Perhaps, and perhaps you will improve your concentration and mucsle strength. But Kyudo is essentially a ritualized version of archery to keep it from dying out, and you can easily become more proficient at a faster pace AND with much more realistic application with traditional archery than with bow and arrow 'kata'.

You won't find an art that you gain an edge in by getting older, but you can find arts that are less demanding physically and more contemplative (and thus perhaps one that you could continue to practice well into your later years). Is this what you meant?

definately the latter! Mind you, I personally don't think that there is enough of a liubrary to warrent purchasing it, but if it turns out like the DS then I'll probally eventually get one. ....And if I want a high-end system: the 360 is already getting most of PS3's 'exclusives', and to be honest, there isn't a 200+ dollar difference in image quality (not to mention that Xboxlive's online is WAAAY better than what the PS3 has going). Blue ray isn't too hot either.

Aye, I dislike the stance but like the emphasis on the face as a target + the trapping as well.

"Can a ninja catch a cold?" The better question is, 'Can a cold catch a ninja?', and the answer is no...they are too fast.

Was he the guy who started TKD?

what about ankle weights? Would those help?

I don't know why this is, but for some reason no one thinks that any Western civilizations or cultures developed any useful weapons or fighting forms. It seems that the only sword ever created is the Japanese Samurai sword. Because the west never held on tightly to it's old martial arts and weapons, so there isn't that sense of ancient 'mystique '. Rather they updated their fighting methods to fit the times. Eventually, swords were phased out for guns, grappling into wrestling, bareknuckle fighting into boxing, and swordfighting into fencing...they did have skilled swordsmen, fighters, AND fighting styles, but it seems to me at least that they decided to get rid of the old and mostly stick with the new. European weapons were hardly bad: crossbows, spears, bows, etc were used both in the East and west. Instead of the Bo, they had a quaterstaff, and while the sword design was different, both could be used fairly well for hacking away an opponent. However because the samurai were around for so long, they are the last people who lived literally by the sword, and as such they have an air of romanticism and nobility that we sometimes long for (although chivalry has never been a common in either culture for the most part). This is true, however, there are a lot of people out there reconstructing the old systems, and there are some very good medieval stylists out there. There are also some very good websites. The other thing that gets me is that many people who 'practice' Eastern weapon styles do forms, but no weapon on weapon practice. The exception seems to be kendo, but I can't think of any others, aside from the Fillipino styles. True, alot of weapons are just used in forms and not trained with for fighting purposes

Is that the "opportunity to save the town" cartoon? haha, yes that's the one! I'd post it but copyright and all that you know...

So when did board breaking come into style? Did it come from iron body training initially? Or was it always (as it is now) for show? (PS if there are any 'Far Side' fans out there....remember the Karate class cartoon? I think that's a good example of how breaking things is equated with martial skill in the layman's eyes)