The BB of C

Greetings, members of Karateforums. I just recently started working on the first book of a five-book series. In the book, one of the more powerful characters, Aaron Gregory, is a young expert in Tai Chi. In the chapter introducing him, he beats his instructor in a push hands competition at the age of fifteen. In the future, more complex and higher level Tai Chi techniques will be used by Aaron in combat situations. This is great, but I don't know anything about sed techniques. This is where I need your help. If you know a lot about Tai Chi and it's techniques or if you are a knowledgeable Tai Chi practitioner, I would like to get into e-mail or instant messenger contact with you so that when I have questions, I can ask someone who may know the answer. This is purely for the purpose of character development and style accuracy. I wouldn't want to overplay or sell the style short.

Try not to let yourself worry about your weight. If you can pull that off you'll be set on that front and it will surely make things easier. All the rest of it sounds like a crappy McDojo to me. I suggest switching to a better school.

Part of that is not letting his size intimidate you. Use his momentum against him. Hit his nose if you get the chance. The sides of the neck are probably going to be weak. If you're good at flying triangle locks, go for it.

Two days ago (Saturday, October 11th, 2008) I attended a Kyokushin tournament. Before I start asking questions of the Kyokushin practitioners here, I would like you to know something about myself. When I see different people fighting, I see a strategy scale. The scale is Brawling, Offensive, Counter Offensive, Perfect Medium, Defensive Counter, Defense, and then Passive. I'll assume most of you know what the strategies in the scale look like in combat. Personally, I function best on Defensive Counters. I have for as long as I can remember fighting. In sparring and self defense alike, whenever I have taken anything but Defensive Counter, I lose. This means that I block a lot and wait for the hole in my opponent's offense. At the Kyokushin tournament I went to in May, 2008 (9:29, white demo uniform and red belt), I used my Defensive Counter strategy after a bad defeat from using a Brawling strategy in January, 2008 (9:23, black shirt with black pants). Anyway, if you watch from 9:23-forward in the May, 2008 video, you'll notice a few things. I get backed up a lot and when I throw attacks, I misjudge the distance and miss (or in the case of the tornado kick - hesitate in mid air). However, when my opponent (traditional uniform, green belt) leaves himself open, he soon finds himself on the ground. After two tied rounds, the center judge decides in the favor of my opponent. A lot of people from many styles, including Kyokushin, have told me I won that fight in all reality. For the longest time I thought I got points taken off from the backfist to his head. Then I heard it was because he was backing me up. However, that's my strategy. If I move into a barrage like that, I'll take twice as much damage as I need to and I'll end up brawling again. In October of 2008 (not videotaped), I noticed the same thing from the Tae Kwon Do practitioners that were there too. They used similar strategies to me (only way better due to skill level) and as a result were backed up by the opponent and later the fight was called against them even though most of the attacks they connected, connected harder than the ones from the offensive opponents. I would speak for myself on the subject of the October tournament, however was using a Counter Offensive strategy and (like always), my poor offensive skills left me open and I took a hard side kick to my ribcage and lost. (On an unrelated note, I've taken those kicks many times before. That was the first time in competition it has actually done damage, but under Kyokushin rules, it scored him the only point he needed. In self defense situations, I was able to recover quickly enough and counter the follow-up attack from my opponents while I was still on the ground). The experience led me to ask a couple questions of myself that I could not answer. This is where I would like the Kyokushin practitioners to shed some light. Keep in mind that I am not deliberately attacking the Kyokushin style or the Kyokushin sport. I am just curious. Does the style of Kyokushin's typically-offensive tactics create a bias to defensive tactics in the Kyokushin sport? What (in your opinion) is the ratio of offensive-scale to defensive-scale fighters in the Kyokushin sport? How often (in your experience) does the offensive-scale fighter trump the defensive-scale fighters, or the defensive-scale fighters defeat the offensive-scale fighters, in the Kyokushin sport? Is a Kyokushin sport competition the place for a defensive-scale fighter at all? If no, what (in your opinion) is the best kind of full-contact competition for a defensive-scale fighter? If yes, what can a defensive-scale fighter do to improve his offensive skills or work towards Perfect Medium? I look foreword to reading your responses.

One word/perfect example: Zinnadane

I blame myself for that one.

Seems like you have a pretty good instructor then. All I know is that my instructor back then didn't like it when I got good. The instructor that I have now likes it when I can hit him.

How do you keep finding these things?

Sprawl and then practice countering with knees, elbows, or spinning sweep kicks (if you're allowed to). Pull it at first to get your reflexes used to the movements. Should you ever find this in a self defense situation, clap the ears when you sprawl. Also start practicing sacrifice counter throws. Look up Quantum Ju Jutsu on YouTube. Wrist throws might help as well because a good wrist throw is a great way to use your opponent's momentum against himself.

LOL - I've noticed over the years in regard to relationships and karate, that it seems to work best if both partners are either involved in some kind of martial arts or at the very least very familiar with it. Who else can understand our hobby / past time / obsession but a fellow practitioner? Just my observation. If I'm wrong - someone please give a "shout out" - No offense to my husband it could get a little annoying having both partners involve in martial arts I have to be on my guard all the time when I'm around him in and out of the dojo. I never no when he will throw a kick or a punch or put me in a standing arm lock. Not to say I might not deserve it every once in a while but it does get annoying but I would not change it, we take ma as a family. Holy crap would I ever love it if my life was like that. I can picture it now: As I was walked into the kitchen, she was enjoying herself with a Frank Peretti book. We greet each other and return to what we were doing. Our eyes meet. Only for a split second, but in that split second we silently say "I love you" and "Prepare for battle." We attempt to shake it off as nothing. I hear a chair slide across the tile floor and three thumping footsteps of a dashing opponent. My reflexes take over and the refrigerator door becomes a makeshift shield that shelters me from a blast that would have made a stack of cinderblocks turn pale with fear. I attempt a sweep kick counter, but alas, my lover is too fast and evades with a graceful backhand spring. We face each other for three seconds that seem like three hours. Then the battle begins...

I wouldn't say that quite really. When that happened to me they told me to hold back and do things on the same level as the rest of the class which eventually lead to me being kicked out of the school. I would say it's true to an extent but ultimately it depends on weather the instructor is arrogant or not.

My older brother started me out on that when I was seven.

BB of C . . . I don't know what kind of writing you do, fiction or non-fiction, but there are women who are definitely attracted to creative men. I don't doubt it. I write action/adventure novels. The ones that I've known so far Not saying there's not, Just saying I find them rare. Some people are better at it than others. When people ask me, the first thing I tell them is my writing. I can't even count the number of times I've been telling someone (man or woman) about my books and this would happen: BB of C: "And he teams up with a guy named Craig who knows an Israili martial art called Krav Maga-" Person: *Interruption* "Do you know karate?" BB of C: "Yes. Anyway-" Person: "How many people can you beat up at once?" BB of C: Where that happens to me, I've seen it not happen as much with other people unless the martial arts were that person's sole hobby. I think it might have to do with a person having more than one or two hobbies, one being martial arts, and the other two not relating at all to martial arts. Like ladies may like martial arts and shoe shopping DON'T KILL ME!

I voted "Yes, I believe I have the skills..." just because I have before and I've known other people who have as well. But at the same time, I must keep it in perspective. It was high school and though people were legitimately trying to hit me, I don't think any of them were actually trying to hurt me. Of course I could be wrong on that as well.

A lot of things can be self taught. But I would always suggest seeking an instructor.

Something that helps me clear out nervouness. Before competitions, I tell my friends who are good fighters to attack me full force. We even full contact fight with weapons sometimes. I make the simulation as heated and realistic as possible. Then when I go into the competition, I find it's not nearly as bad as what I was training.

He is a lucky guy. Every time a girl asks me what my hobbies are and I tell them, their dull faced through "writing books" and then when I say "and a little martial arts" she'll look at me like I just threatened her life.

Tack on "and donate proceeds to charities" and that basically sums up what I would do. I like the way you think, BB of C. I feel the same way myself. After taking care of my family, I'd be free to help others. _____ _____ I like the way you think too but my family (at the moment) is already pretty well off

Imagine you're fighting or about to spar. Your choice. Anyway, picture your opponent in front of you, whatever stance he's in (if any). You're looking at him with one of your shoulder pointing to him. Let's say it's your right shoulder facing him. That means that your right foot would be forward with your toes pointing in his direction. Your left leg would be behind you with your foot and toes creating a 90-degree angle with your right foot (meaning they're off to the side). Your legs are spread so your center of gravity is slightly lower but you can still spring up into any kind of attack if need be. This is a side stance. Kuk Sool Won calls it a front stance (Ba-nah, right front stance). It's great for circular counters like wrist locks or spinning kicks. It can also be used for linear offensive techniques like front, thrust, side, high and low kicks. I never liked squaring off. I can't stand squaring off. I always lose fights and/or sparring matches whenever I try to square off. It's because though I'm guarding my head well, I don't have the circular defense advantage and my stomach, chest and legs are still left open. I use the side stance (if I'm standing left, my left arm is extended and my right elbow is at my ribcage, my right fist is under my left elbow and a few inches back. If I'm standing right, I have my right hand forward and my left hand slightly back and lowered, both hands are open, that's just me though). That way I have easy access to both linear and circular attacks and defenses. I also gain coverage because my chest and stomach is still covered. I can block attacks to the side of my head simply by raising my shoulder and lowering my head or using an upward block. If an attack goes at my back I turn to the side and lift up my knee. That works in deflecting low to medium aimed attacks. Higher aimed attacks I tend to parry with my forearm or hand (which gives me the option of trapping, locking and throwing in some cases). That's how I use it. I'm also relaxed so I can react quicker and keep my mind clear.

A basic rule of thumb with widespread styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kyokushin, Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, and Wing Chun, and other worldwide styles, is that every school is different. For example, in the Isshin-Ryu school I attend, we focus on very precice forms and hard contact fighting. There's another Isshin-Ryu school in a neighboring town that's a bit laid back on how precice your katas are and they use light contact sparring. Similar differences between school and cirriculum (though in the same style) can be applied to just about every style. The more popular the style, the more it happens. It stinks but it's true. It's very possible the same thing could be going on with Chung Do Kwon.

Tack on "and donate proceeds to charities" and that basically sums up what I would do.

That's basically how I live, yes.

That's pretty cool. I'm interested to see who other states might have.

I suggest standing at a side and having your hands/arms guarding yourself comfortably. This way you can still be in a natural stance and keep your vitals covered.

Exactly. And you know me, I'd never try to imply one style is better than another. But back then, when Judo was in its purest form, they typically trained better than the Jujutsu practitioners and it obviously works so they shouldn't stray away from it.