DWx

What I do like about it is, at Blackbelt level, because you don't know what your partner is going to do, you have to learn to get really good at reading the signs. Broadly I tell students to classify attacks into: - straight, such as front punches, front strikes etc. - outward, anything coming across the body like a knifehand side strike, back fist - inward, such as ridge hands, swinging haymaker type punches - downward, downward strikes, getting hit with a beer bottle or something - miscellaneous Roughly speaking you can usually tell which class the attack will fall into based on how they shift their weight and start to move their hips/body. This gives you a split second heads up to start your block or evasion or whatever and then react further enroute. But if in doubt, always dodge.

Funnily enough we were doing this tonight. I do like his descriptions, especially the 3 step one. In our school, although we practice one step, two step and three step, we've never had one steps as such to learn. It is very much a free practice to translate what you learn in patterns to the map of the human body. For us its part of the curriculum in that at testing and just generally in training, students have to think about which blocks and strikes they have been taught and which ones are now appropriate to the situation they now find themselves in. At very low grades the attack is a simple straight punch and as I'm sure you can appreciate, there is a myriad of responses that a student can choose to perform. At advanced colour the instructor stipulates that it is now a knifehand or a downward strike or something else. At Blackbelt and above the attack is not designated and you have to react on the fly. We loosely categories response into the following: - block counter - evade counter - simultaneously intercepting and countering The 3 step description seems to mirror what I think in that it is a controlled practice which allows a beginner to think about it a little. Whilst I agree that every blow should have the potential to finish the fight, I would not restrict one step to one attack, more like as many attacks as appropriate but each one strong.

I do agree that kata is good at training those things mentioned above. But, I point out the bold highlight, because I don't think it is the sole possession of kata training. Posture, transition, and breathing are taught more "on the fly" through the concept partner training, and emphasis isn't put as much on what is a "proper" stance, and more so on how functional it is for the given situation. That I don't disagree with. Could we view Kata training and partner training as leading to fighting skill from opposite ends of the spectrum? Kata teaches you a bunch of stances and techniques. You are then put in a situation and have to cherry pick what you need to use from what you already know. Conceptual partner training puts you in the position and then you have either use what you know (perhaps a more limited repertoire) or add an additional technique to your knowledge based upon the situation you find yourself in?

Perhaps I'm missing your point... But in TKD we wouldn't ask anyone to perform a jump spinning kick if they didn't have that ability. The guy in the video is in his 20s and has the body to do this stuff so why not experiment and push himself? Btw do you have a video of the Kata as performed in your style, (I'm trying to visualise the kicks). I found this video of Kanazawa but it doesn't contain the kicks you describe: Is it something your sensei added in?

There is value in both ways I think. I think it depends on your end goal and how you want to get there. Maybe even a question of Do vs Jutsu. Certainly I think conceptual partner training is a quicker and more direct route to fighting proficiency. If your end goal is self defense IMHO that would be your best route. Heck look at MMA fighters or full contact Thai fighters or kickboxers. Their end goal is to get good at fighting as efficiently as possible A lot of their training is based around learning concepts through partner work; learning concepts through feeling it. That is not to say Kata does not have its own benefit nor that it will not provide you with a self defense base. But perhaps it isn't the quickest route to this goal. Kata to me is very much a Do practice in that it promotes physical and mental perfection as an end goal. It's about seeking that ultimate ideal of a one hit - one kill technique every time you execute a strike or punch. Much as you quoted above, Kata gives transitions, posture, proper breathing, focus, hip movements, footwork, execution of technique, stances but taught through a very strict model. Gen. Choi Hong Hi called this your "platoon tactics". The regimented way in which the class could be taught concepts. Appreciable self defense skills are the developed through transferring this to a live partner. I guess for me, the best outcome is achieved through both modes of learning.

That's cool. At least you get to watch that. Aside from Olympic Judo and TKD and a bit of boxing, most combat sports for us are on the paid networks like Sky and Eurosports.

It's up to the individual network or country to cherry pick from the footage filmed by the Olympic Broadcasting Service as to what they want to show. OBS film the lot and has nothing to do with the IOC . I'd imagine a lot of it's down to what the networks think will pick up views and that's dictated by what's popular their country. For example TKD isn't as popular as athletics so if they're on at the same time and NBC has to pick one its most likely going to be athletics they show on their main channel. Not to derail the topic, but I always think that those networks who have commercial breaks have a hell of a scheduling nightmare making sure the ads are timed exactly right so as not to miss any of the action. From what I remember of 2012 I think a lot of people missed whole chunks of the opening and closing ceremonies because networks have to get the commercial breaks in somewhere.

Great advice I find I need a good 12 hours

ITF TKD has always placed a value on special techniques or "fancy" techniques. It's the Do for us. Striving to obtain complete mastery over ones body and pushing to do what everyone else can't. It's pushing yourself beyond what you thought you could do and training to be better. For those who find kicking easy, this can mean jumping and spinning kicks.

The Olympic broadcasting service films and broadcasts everything. In the UK we generally have access to all sports and all matches. It's up to individual countries and networks to choose what they want to show and then put their own overlays and commentary on top. Do you think the blood and other injuries be something the American network would show? (can't remember which one of yours has the rights)

We have very much the same in our TKD dojang and this is common in my style. We're not overly disciplined compared to some schools but we: - wait be the door and join in at the back when invited if late, no reshuffling the lines unless invited to by the instructor - when lining up, walk behind your seniors, don't cross in front of them to get to your spot - give way to seniors (both in age and rank) - seniors should be called sir/miss or appropriate title (not really enforced except with instructor and very senior people) - if asked a question or asked to demonstrate say "yes sir/miss" and stand up If sitting down - bow on entering and leaving if a senior grade is in the room - greet instructors and seniors both class, thank them after, and introduce yourself to any new or visiting students - if you need to adjust your dobok or hair or something, turn around or step to the side in between exercises and do it quickly Probably more rules that I can't remember because I take them for granted now.

^nice videos. And I don't doubt the skill level of the vast majority of BJJ practitioners. Not wanting to get into a style v style debate but those strikers weren't exactly top notch. In fact so much for being a TKD Blackbelt but the 2nd fight was just 2 guys grappling; they even start from a clinch. If BJJ was the ultimate style we'd still be seeing it dominant in the UFC and similar fighting venues but fighters now recognise the they have to be effective at both stand up and ground work. Some counter examples:

Sure they're all related. Same bodies and same tools to work it. Also all of these styles are connected in that they have been born out of one another so share the same base and methodology. TKD is derived from Karate, BJJ ultimately from Judo. Karate and Judo are connected through Jujutsu etc. The biggest disparity is when you compare styles which developed worlds away in different times in different places; Kalaripayat is different in many ways to Greco-Roman wrestling which is different to Capoeira which is different to Wing Chun and so on. A lot of stylist differences IMHO can be attributed to cultural differences impacting on methodology and ideology.

Only way to learn this in my opinion is to feel it. Spar and spar some more, do drill work and keep training until you know your own range. Before you can feel your space you have to know about yourself, your own range and understand your opponent's movements and how far they can reach.

I agree with wagnerk. Seems to be a WTF style club but other than that there isn't much info to go on. His website doesn't give all that much away: http://vortexicma.com/wp/about/about-vortexic/ You're in a better position than most having trained in something before. Best you can do is attend a few sessions and keep an open mind. Good luck

Very much a cultural and Eastern thing. We don't really show respect for our elders through these types of traditions in the West. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing. But then again culture can differ closer to home too. I still struggle when travelling with European colleagues who absolutely insist that because I'm female, they have to hold open doors and pull out my chair etc. Not the done thing even in Britain. FWIW I have done a fair amount of travel in the TKD world and we stick to a lot of Korean customs which are again built upon Confucian values. We stand up when a senior approaches us. We don't start eating till our senior does. We pour drinks for our seniors and so on.

Welcome to the forums ChrisOneisom. Sounds like a cool idea. Even without the video cameras you could get people to choreograph mini fight or action scenes to show the group. There was a recent thread on the topic of summer camps, might be able to get a few ideas here: http://www.karateforums.com/karate-training-camp-vt46126.html

Funny I would have said it was more male orientated here... I don't take a class but a lot of people who train at my TKD club do. We do a lot of circuit type training in our Thursday night fitness class too.

True; but also true for all kicks, even a simple roundhouse. He is not practicing these kicks for their combat effectiveness. They are to test his athletic ability. This guy can already kick well (as shown by his many other videos) so why not try to push the boundaries and train to do something most people can't?

That would be cool. The obstacle to that is finding which part to make safer and which rules to impose or restrict from the regular UFC.Actually, I think it would be safer than Olympic Boxing is now. They don't take as many blows to the head with all the gear that it is believed to help make the sport safer, when in fact, they just encourage more slugging to the head. Of course, not many will actually view it that way, or take the time to research it properly to see which is safer. I think that by and large, the IOC would probably view it as too barbaric as is to allow it into the Olympics.The IOC I think had agreed to do away with headgear for the male events (but not the women's bouts for some reason). Based on the fact that it does result in more head shots.

I've just finished with Tang Soo do after reaching my goal of 1st Dan. Looking to do something a bit different and so for now have chosen BJJ. You are right when you say it is humbling rolling with those guys!!! Even the second belt takes like 2 years (Blue) and I'm amazed at the skill level and how they can wrap me up so easily. Then again I have no grappling skills at the moment. None of the guys I trained with, even 5th or 6th dans, would ever win against these blue belts as they are completely different. They also spend their time grappling and can't progress unless they have proved their skills. Whereas a lot of our time was spent doing forms etc. Although that is true and a very good point, I'd also imagine a blue belt wouldn't be able to strike very well or beat a 5th or 6th dan in a punching and kicking contest.

The GinjaNinja is very good. Wish I had that flexibility and ability to jump!!! Great difficulty with these types of kicks is that he's rotating his hips one way for the spin then going against it to throw the kick. Not the most powerful of kicks but so difficult to perform.

I do think this is the case at times. In the West, it has never been unusual to seek out someone different if you needed to learn something different, or if you couldn't gain anything further from the one you were learning from peviously. People's attitudes and views on things change over time. General Choi himself experienced this when he made the decision to move into North Korea with the ITF to gain government funding for his TKD. This was not popular with everyone who was a student of his, and it showed when they didn't follow him. Yes that certainly is a valid point. Loyalty and politics are still a big deal in the ITF today. Especially since the passing of the General. Well according to General Choi (where the initial quote came from), loyalty is not breached by visiting other schools and styles. In fact he explicitly encourages it. But I think he makes the distinction that you should choose an instructor who you default to for advice and decisions and the person who you will support. Myself and friends I train with across the country (each under different instructors), all typically refer to our instructors as our "TKD fathers" because we've independently all developed that Confucian type of parent/teacher and child/student relationship.

This exactly.

IMHO this is down to leg strength. Specifically the upper leg. You're flexible enough that you can use the momentum of the leg to throw one kick high but when you don't have that force, ie. when you have to throw the 2nd you've not got that strength to lift it high enough. Exercises to develop the quads, hamstring and adductor will help. So (bodyweight) squats and leg raises would be good. Throwing in some plyometric exercise would also help such as squat jumps, leaps, maybe even burpees. Then also practice as wagnerk has suggested by using a wall or chair to support you initially. The most important bit will be to retrieve your leg to chamber under control and keep that chamber position high. To further develop the kicks, practice doing them slowly and focus on proper alignment of your body and hips throughout. A great exercise from this position is to execute a slow side kick or roundhouse to full extension, then hold the leg and do small movements with it. Keep lifting the side kick up 2 cm, left and right and also do small figures of 8. That will really work your adductors. I would also point out the kicking high when coming through off the back leg can also be easier because the rotation forces you to take your hip over and to rotate your standing leg. This is not so crucial with leg kicks and often when then throwing the 2nd kick students don't fully rotate over. So make sure that you kick to the leg, pull up to chamber and keep the knee high, the throw the kick whilst rotating your hips over.