Montana

I think what you guys are missinbg here is the purpose of training in karate or muay thai. Karate was developed for self-defense purposes, whereas muay thai is for sport. True, there is a lot of sport karate out there now, which I think is really sad and pathetic (personal opinion), but training traditionally for karate is to protect yourself on the street against any sort of attack, not just attacks from one particular style of martial art.

Agreed. The karate fighter approached the JJ guy with his hands down, no defensive posture at all. He was either extremely overconfident...or stupid.

Every height has its advantages, and its disadvantages. Tall people have a greater reach, usually (not always) a harder punch/kick due to more mass, but a larger target area to defend. Short people have speed, lower center of gravity (more stable) and a smaller target area to defend. The thing to watch out with taller people when they fight a shorter person is that most of them are "head hunters"...meaning they go for head shots the majority of the time, as that's what's easiest for them to attack. A shorter person needs to understand that and learn to get under their attack and go for the torso more than their head.

Agreed! Simple? Well, simpler than higher katas perhaps, but simple...not even! Our "simpliest", first kata is Pinan Shodan (Shotokan people call it Nidan). Attention to minute details is important the higher you are ranked. Nobody does it perfectly, especially myself, but that is our goal. Just on a side note here, ALL kata can be asked for for each and every test we take. ALL known kata are practiced by ALL karateka (including myself) during each practice. Each and every kata in our system is as important as any other and has its place in our system. Well, now you did it. You went and made me use upper case!

6'6" here...that's about 198cm for you metric folks. Being taller than everybody else in class has it's on set of "issues" too.

I had a student a few years back (Don) that after getting his first of 3 brown belts started attending an Ed Parker Kempo class occassionally without telling me about it for a while. I had lunch with that other sensei now and then and that's how I found out about it. I had been suspicious anyway, as Don was trying different stances, blocks and techniques that we didn't use in my class...now I knew why. I wasn't angry about it and have no problem if a student isn't satisfied with what I'm teaching, but I think I deserved to at least be informed about it after putting nearly 3 years into teaching a student.

A card that you show someone before thumping them, so that you aren't held liable for their butt-whooping? Am I understanding your statement correctly? I think the idea is that while they're reading the card and starting to laugh hysterically over it, you nail them!

There was an article many years ago...1970's somewhere...possibly in BB magazine or in a medical journal about it. The article was about the continuing growth of a serious, continually training martial artist, not a tournament competitor. The difference is the honing and refining of skills was a continuing process and that advancements can still be achieved into the mid-60's. Of course this doesn't pertain to UFC sort of competitions. Take for example a true master of the arts, any art, when they are in their 50's or above. They normally have the skills to defeat a much younger opponent, also with MA skills. There are countless examples of this. How old was your sensei, and could you, as a much younger person, defeat them?

I disagree. When you reach black belt level, or that level which you are considered proficient in the basic fundamentals of your particular system, then that is the time that you are really learning "IMHO". I have progressed so much since that time that I can't begin to describe it since getting my BB back in 1978. My reflexes are faster, timing is better, understanding of what I'm doing is phonomenally better, speed and smoothness of my techniques is better...in general, reaching black belt is just the beginning of understanding what your art is all about. Did you know that as a martial artist, you don't reach your peak until your mid-60's? It's true.

You've got to watch the whole thing...Ninja kata perhaps? http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?ei=UTF-8&cache=1&gid=137966&vid=600913&b=2

Agreed.

Unless you're planning on wearing a cup everytime you leave your house, and your purpose for training in a MA is for self-defense purposes (not just sport), then you;'d better learn how to block/protect your groin. It's not all that difficult actually. Use your legs to block more than your hands. Also, we keep our kicks lower. The higher your kicks, the easier it is to get nailed in the groin (DUH!)

Yep! We don't full contact the groin...you don't have to to know you got it. Most cups make a distinctive "pop" when struck. But then again, very few of my students wear a cup anyway. I've found that those that do on a regular basis tend to not protect that area nearly as much. I leave that as an option for 18 years and up...but not an option for 17 and below. Those kids are required to wear a cup. For myself, I haven't worn one probably in 25+ years, and even then, it was seldom. I block instead.

I like your signature! About the vid...GREAT sweeps, very fast and powerful and yes, he'd be very hard to defend against. Not knowing the rules, I would be using more lateral movement against him. Everybody he fought stood straight on to him. He'd still kick my butt though!

I prefer simple and effective. Front leg roundhouse to the groin...it either makes contact, or at least causes your opponent to drop his guard. Either way, followed up immediately as your foot is coming down with a backfist or punch to the head. Works most of the time.

Keeping in mind that I know very little about iaido, so maybe somebody can verify this for me. In the video, with the katana in his belt, the curve of the katana is on the top instead of the bottom...is that the correct way of placing it in his belt? Or is it correct either way? I've never seen it that way before.

True. Red in some systems is the equilivant of brown (or just before black belt) in other systems. In my own particular system, and I believe the majority of Okinawan/Japanese systems, a solid red belt denotes the head of the system. Only one person can wear it (legally).

The system I practice already has mixed three different, and distinct systems some 300 years ago. They are: 1. Okinawan Shorin Ryu Matsumura Seito Karate-Do 2. Okinawan Tuite (joint locks/grappling) 3. Okinawan Kobudo (weapons) It is a very complete (IMHO) system and well rounded.

Aalong that line, I've taught many people that had the interest and were willing to train hard...for free, because they couldn't afford it. Slackers? No...they can use the door. I use barter quite a bit actually. Mostly mechanics, a dentist once, students father that was a professional sign maker (I had some really nice signs in my dojo), etc. To me, barter is the same as cash, especially with a low overhead that I have.

AGREED! AGREED! AGREED!

Just a short story here. Way back in my college and early martial arts training days (1978 I think) I was having coffee inb the college student union building with several male friends between classes. One of these guys, a strange, paranoid fellow, started asking me questions about my training and why I did it. When self-defense against an attacker came up he made the point that he would defend himself with his gun. I said.."Oh really?"...and then launched myself across the table (remember, this was college, so it was sort of a "show off" thing ), grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him across the table onto the floor and proceeded to "beat" the snot out of him. No, I didn't actually make any contact with him, but threw about 5 hard, straight punches at his face while he was on the floor. He had no defense against it and if I'd wanted to, could have made a real mess out of him. I then said..."What good did yoru gun do against that?" His reply was "I'd go to my dorm room and get my gun and come back and kill you." I said..."To late, you're already DEAD!"..and that's one reason I study the arts. My point here (that was a short story?) is that unless you walk around with a loaded, cocked and ready handgun in your hand at all times, what good will it do you? For myself, there are many reasons I continue, for more than 30 years now, to train in the arts. Self-defense is one reason, physical fitness another, fascination with the art another...and mostly, it's just plain FUN!

Fun here also. In over 30 years of training in the arts, I can't remember even one class that I didn't enjoy. Well...maybe the one where that guy really nailed me good and made me see stars...but hey, that was fun too!

oh my god i would not want to get in a street fight with you. i had no idea how experienced people on this forum actually were... Um...I'd never heard of any of those first three systems, so I did a search on the net for them out of curiosity. Cartoon/anime martial arts shouldn't scare you to much unless you're a cartoon character.

Good luck! Can you explain to me why there is the "recommended", and then the "decided" testings? It makes no sense to me to have to test twice. Either you are, or you're not, promoted. Do you have to pay for both tests?

The Bruce Lee screen test...circa 1964 http://miraulam.multiply.com/video/item/16