ShoriKid

PittbullJudoka trains with a couple of amateur and pro fighters. He was speaking with one about a local instructor who is running "mma" classes (subject worthy of a whole other post). Th fighter told him that since we taught stand up, Okinawan based karat for the most part, and wrestling with bjj we were teaching an mma style. Just food for thought.

You are going to have to scrub your diet clean. Look at what and how much you are eating. Do some research and figure out a good diet. Then up the cardio and watch the portions. At your size 17lbs is a bit to cut. Also, do you have time to cut the last few pounds in water weight and rest and re-hydrate before your fight? If so, the last 2 or 3 pounds can easily be dropped with a good sweat.

Yeah, but we love ya bro. And you know I have the same problem.

I've watched the video several times on both matches now. No matter how much I yell at the screen the out come doesn't change and the mistakes are still there. I even paused it a few times to let myself get into a better position, but nothing happened. On the serious side, I'm disappointed with some of the very basic mistakes I made. A couple of them were just really basic stuff. Stepping up close when standing over my opponent on the mat and basically letting him pick my ankles. Not framing and hipping in aggressively to get to guard. Getting a little too greedy and going for mount straight off from a side control. The second match, much more of the same. Only worse. Not pressuring the head after I lot the leg to the single. Could have gotten a better position from the start there I think. PittbullJudoka pointed out the bad set up on the sweep I tried when he got mount. I didn't slide down with my half guard like I normally do to start my sweep/pass work. Thing is I can see a lot of the mistakes. Something I likely couldn't have done as well a year ago. That's totally Pittbull's fault. Had to grab one of the guys and throw him in a gi jacket to work on things tonight or I was going to explode thinking about it all. Basically I think it boiled down to a bad case of competition jitters. It had been 5 or 6 years since the last time I grappled in competition. Back to the drawing board for next year.

Self protection, the enjoyment of exploring the art, fitness. Oh, yeah and I'm addicted to the martial arts. No, seriously, you should see the shakes I get after a week or two without training.

It happens to the kyu ranks. And, it continues to happen with Dan grades as well. I've seen 1st and 2nd dan cut out of conversations with 4/5th dan folks. A lot of the "you just started really training" gets thrown around then. Never mind that some of those 1st & 2nd dans have as much, or more time training as those with more stripes. As long as there is respect all the way around, everyone should have a chance to express their opinion. At the proper time.

Part of the care instructions with the gi said to soak in vinegar. So did the last black karate gi I got. Didn't soak it and can't see a difference in the fade though. So I'm up in the air on it. PittbullJudoka and I were talking about this and wondered if anyone was going to jump and make the first post. We're both in the middle on the vinegar issue.

And if you break them you have to find and train new ones. You know you dud what you could in that match. As I've said in the other two threads related to the tournament, the guy was very slow to tap before. Its a good reminder, as you said, to take care of oyr training partners

Question for the karate forums crew. For those who wear color gi, when you did your first wash did you pre-soak it in vinegar? I've had a couple of black gi in the past and it wasn't an issue. But, I just got a new Break Point jj gi and it's a sharp blue that I'd hate to see fade. So, to those vinegar soak, did it help with color fade? Those who didn't, can you see much color lose?

I'll go ahead and apologize for the video quality. I was the camera man and I got chased out of position during the last few seconds of the match. PittbullJudoka is in the white gi for this one. Note the taped ankles on the guy in the black. In the previous match his feet got crossed in back mount/control and was put in a straight ankle lock. The guy kept trying not to tap and I honestly can't recall if the ref stopped the match or he finally gave in and tapped. His instructor was trying to pass the kids limp off as a foot cramp.

Not in the stand up portion for sure. Once I hit the mats I worked to improve position before getting into much offense. Didn't want to over commit and make a mistake. It could have been a mistake in not getting more aggressive, that's true. Part of 1st time jitters, knowing I was over matched so I played it conservative. Hind sight being what it is, being more aggressive might have helped. That's why we have tape though.

Amen!

Okay, most of you guys on here know that I'm primarily a stand up guy, have been for nearly two decades now. However, I have always loved grappling. I wrestled in high school, right after the waters dropped and Noah pulled his singlet out of storage. We integrated grappling as part of our core requirements within the Makotokan dojo. Pittbulljudoka brings up good BJJ from Shield Systems in Knoxville and for the past 8 weeks we've been prepping for the TN state BJJ tournament. So, off we go to compete today. Weight was good, hit 174 dressed, got told there were no masters division competitors under 230 that I could roll with so I was bounced down to adult division. Which I had signed up for in the first place. White belts start getting called at 1:30. I don't hit the mats until almost 4:00 as the last weight class called. 7 competitors in our group, 4 of them multi-stripe whites. A couple Pittbull says are about to hit blue belt soon the way they roll. I got the buy in the first round. First match I get I draw a 4 stripe that had a really good match. Hesitated on the take down and lost out when he grabbed my ankles after I shucked him down to the mats. Some transitioning and working back and forth and I give up a position, escape and scramble. I end up in his guard, screw up my pass, which PittbullJudoka almost smacks me for after the match. My opponent gives up guard and tries to take my back. I defend, get side control and try to move to mount. I'm swept and get to guard, threaten a collar choke and go for an arm bar. Didn't extend my hips so he defends and time runs out. I lost on points, but scored a few and felt good. My opponent was pretty cool, complimented the pace I set, the scrambles and how close the arm bar was. Second match is for 3rd in the division. Another 4 stripe. More time is spent on our feet and again I hesitate on the take down having pulled him in with the belt but didn't pick up the leg for the trip take down to follow up. We hit the mats and I work, but I'm not having as much luck here. Transitions are a bit slower coming and I get under in half guard, lock down and get collar handles to start to work up. Lose half guard and re-establish a couple of times before he gets mount and gets heavy, setting in top side hooks and shutting down my attempts to sweep. Tried to rock him and switch sides up, but nothing. He's on me tight and I'm having to work to keep my arms in and working, trying to get space to get on a hip. He presses me in, trying to smother a bit as he set up an Ezekial choke (I found this out later). I'm still trying to get my hips moving to get guard back and then that head pressure turns into the choke and it's tight. Real, vision blurring, tight. I hang in as long as I can, trying to make space, get to an elbow, anything. And as the world gets fuzzy and narrow I tap. Again, the guy was cool, compliments me on the work I made him do. I compliment him on his top game and heck of a choke. Mentally I'm already going over the matches and had near involuntary muscle twitches as I thought of the little changes I could have made to maybe have done better(made the drive home interesting). Setting the hips in a little more and giving one last pull to get the elbow past on the arm bar. Not hesitating to pick up the leg in the second match. A different grip on the collars from half guard that might have made him move or a better set to work back to guard. Pittbull got it all on tape so I'll be watching it over and over and we'll be working on things. Lot of extra work on positional escapes and re-establishing guard. So, I went and competed against guys I had a decade of life on, but countless hours less experience on the ground. It was fun. I wish I'd gotten to hit the mats earlier, but that's how things go. PittbullJudoka stuck around to coach me, and I hope I listened better than I think I did. I get a little tunnel vision on the mats. PittbullJudoka had a good day. Brought home a medal against some stiff, and stubborn competition. He can tell his story himself if he wants, though I'll brag on him if forced. He may also have to correct what I mis-remember from the matches with that mat/tunnel vision. All in all it was a great experience. I'm not a big competition guy, but I've always loved it when I get to test my mettle. I recommend to the stand up guys that dabble, get on the mats at least once to see how things go. It's a good experience. Sorry to have rambled a bit, but couldn't help but share with you guys here. Kind of like telling my extended martial arts family.

Amen. "Pressure points" are just anatomical weak points on the body. Their use is like an octane boost for the engine of a car. They can improve performance when used right. But, they won't run the engine be themselves and they are no substitute for a powerful engine to start with. Hitting hard along weak lines of the body is never a bad thing.

Mr. Lewis was one of the legendary black belts and fighters I grew up reading about and watching film of. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Pad work is important for several reasons. At least to me and mine. You can build impact power in cases where you can't get a heavy bag hung. They provide feed back from your partner. Are mobile and allow you to learn to gauge and control distance, cutting some off and gaining superior angles. They can work on developing combinations and give that feed back that tells you your stance is off or your balance is poor. All of these things can come from good pad work. There are a whole host of things that can be learned and developed through proper pad work. Makiwara develop power and focused techniques in a different way. Some people like them, some don't. I like them, but haven't used them in a long time due to not being able to get a properly floor mounted makiwara. Both are good tools that develop different skills and attributes. Both need to be worked properly if they are to do anything for your training.

Officially gave up on my mid-90s Iron Man today when cleaning out the closet. Kept the pants to knock around the house in. I've a black Iron Man my wife got me 7 or 8 years ago with the pro-pants (lace up front). It's faded to grey and the seams are warn through in the shoulders. Pants are showing signs of wear as well. Piranha Gear tournament cut 14oz gi. Wife accidentally shrank the jacket a bit and the washer tried to eat the pants. Well sewn, but not pleased with the cut. A Pro Force judo gi in black. Patched back into service with another of it's make. Now lives at the dojo as a spare gi when ever someone needs handles for a drill. Pro-Force Gladiator jj gi in black. Has seen a lot of wear in the last few months as we're preping for a BJJ tourney next month. I'll have a Break Point in blue in a couple of weeks. Washing depends. Most of the time we're in gi pants and rash guards, so the pants can go several classes without a wash unless we are really putting in the work. A jacket gets washed at least once a week, even when training in cool weather. I believe in sweating when training and I don't enjoy trying not to tap to my own gi-funk. JJ gi gets washed every week. Air dried between classes since it takes nearly 2 days dry when washed and hung to dry unless it's just unbelievably hot out. I haven't done a formal folding in forever and only iron the karate gis once in a blue moon. Normally I lay the jacket out, fold the pants up and drop them into the body of the jacket. Then the clean shorts and rash guard go in. Fold the sides of the jacket over, cross the sleeves and loop the belt around the whole thing to make a handle. Or if I'm having to pack a gear bag somewhere it's tossed into the top and packed down until I can zip the bag.

Sensei8, I'm less concerned with how fast I can run. I'm more concerned with how fast the guy next to me can run. I just need to beat him.

Kata, as practiced by a great many karateka today is not sufficient to train or transmit the combative skills found without good martial arts. They are lions without teeth, swords with no edge, a gun without ammunition. While all powerful and potentially deadly things, they cannot realize their potential in their disarmed state. Kata trained to communicate and carry forward the combative techniques and principles requires more than just dancing through the movements. It requires that they be broken down systematically and practiced with live, resisting partners. That you drill down to examine not just the particular applications found within the kata, but how those applications communicate a more widely useful principle of fighting. If you wish to practice only kata as the only aspect of karate, and do so as done in most dojo that is your right. However what you are left with is a hollowed out form that won't do much for your defensive skills. Basics/Kihon are the alphabet that you build the language of martial arts with. Combinations/drills are the words built with that alphabet. Kata are just short stories that we copy down using that alphabet and the words. The stories teach us about structure and use of our words, they're examples. We still aren't writing our own stories yet. Until we learn the lessons of other writers, have built up our vocabulary of words, we aren't telling our own stories. We aren't complete martial artist, IMO, until we reach that point where we're telling our own stories.

Koryu Uchinadi isn't something you'll find all over the place, like Shotokan, Kyokushin, Goju etc. I would greatly enjoy the chance, but I feel I'm more in line with a lot of their approach than I am with many more "main stream" styles/dojos. The grappling elements are present in most forms of Okinawan karate, when looking at their roots. However, over the years they have become less prevalent in training. I have theories and opinions as to why, but I think that's a topic for another thread. If the seizing/grappling/locking element is something you don't have an interest in, that's okay, but K.U. would not be for you. Sounds like the instructors have the sort of background you're looking for technically, but are teaching from a different approach. The skills you learn, punches, kicks, blocks, etc. will transfer readily to Kyokushin. That will be the base the main instructor is formed on, so I can't see that he's changed that much. They'll be drilling them differently and I don't know if you'll be doing much knock down style sparring. So, there may be an adjustment there. What I would do is this. go by the dojo, ask to sit in and watch a class or two. I can't think of any good instructors that mind someone interested in the class sitting quietly to the side and watching. Then speak to the main instructor and let him know what you're interested in. He will be able to tell you if it might be a good fit for what you want. And, if you're interested and they don't require long term contracts, I'd sign up for a month of training. 30 days should give you a good idea if it's going to be for you.

As a gimped up old wrestler who gets to toy with BJJ as part of our training, I'm glad you liked it. The majority of the BJJ academies I've heard people speak of have good reputations for being open and friendly. I look at BJJ as an augmentation of my stand up for self defense. However, I'm training for my first grappling tournament in 5 or 6 years right now and I'm loving it. Like tallgeese said, it BJJ is an art that meets a lot of needs.

And then you have to face the fact that you will only have "respect" in circles that are involved in that type of competition. A knock down style will not really get much respect from a lot of point/forms centric competitors. Point/forms comp won't get you far with knock down fighters etcetera.

Mine is black. Pittbulljudoka has me about talked into buying a new one, which is looking like I'll go with blue for it. I don't have a preference other than "not white". To hard to keep clean. An unbleached cotton is nice to go with if color isn't allowed and keeping dirt from showing as much is a problem.

The rebel in me wants to go back a little further on karate's roots and start everyone with naihanchi/tekki. But I think people's heads would explode if there were no Pinan/Hiean series or a Taikyoko

Mostly it's not that they think you're a thug. It's sarcasm.