ShoriKid

Isshin Ryu is uncommon? Regionally perhaps? I'm a couple of hours north of Knoxville and Isshin Ryu is thick out this way. Tournaments are hosted and/or dominated by them in many cases. I believe there are serveral highly ranked individuals in the state. Where I training in the style, it wouldn't be a bad place to be living. A few Isshin Ryu practitioners I've gotten to talk to for long would talk about how the style was a combination of Goju and Shorin Ryu, only without all the fancy/flashy stuff. Which always made me wonder about the "fancy/flashy" stuff. Young guys though. I always chalked it up to trying to impress and have that street tough image of a practical fighting art.

Well, it's an interesting question. I mean, what we teach hasn't so much got to do with watching MMA and saying "Holly crap, time to change what we're doing." It was more like watching something happen, nodding and going, "Well, yeah, and?" I wrestled in high school before I ever started my karate training though. So closing the gap to get to the group, knowing how to defend a take down and good cardio conditioning(I had a reputation for going the distance in matches my senior year) were the norm for me. We were actually talking about this in a round about way the other night as we were leaving the dojo. What we do would not be found in the majority of karate schools. We've had grappling as a component of our training since we started, mostly a mix of wrestling and judo base from our first instructors, since we started up. Pitbulljudoka went and got some actual BJJ training going on, so we are getting a major lift in that area. We have always used focus mitts for striking (I miss, miss, miss my makawari though), pads for kicking and boxing gloves present. We often start stationary and then start people moving with the pads once they have the basic mechanics down. Sparring uses standard MMA rules for a good short hand for the reality of what can happen. We've always, since I started training, looked for practical application of kata. And we haven't just tossed kata in the trash heap, but tried to show from the out set that they are more than pretty things you do for promotions. I think the two biggest things that MMA's rise and popularity have changed in my karate training are the openness to ideas and the shift in tactics addressed. In Openness I mean that people are more willing to look at what we're doing and nod as opposed to backing away slowly or mocking as something they don't need to do because it isn't what they were taught. Ground work, mitts, rounds for conditioning/skill, the sparring rules and contact level are all things we do that many strict 'traditionalists'(Not EVER meant as an insult, may explain the quotes later) would never go for. The shift in tactics has to do with the rise in MMA popularity. Ten, fifteen years ago, facing a take down in this part of the country meant a football style tackle more than a wrestler's shot, and if it wasn't a kick at the groin, you likely wouldn't face it. Now, you have a ton of guys training in backyards and basements who will shoot a double and throw a round house kick. One of our most dedicated guys was one of them. So now, sprawling, learning to stick in the space makers and shift and learning to check and counter round kicks is more practical. So, it has changed some of the things we emphasis. So, at risk of sounding like a heretic, yes, my training has changed. I haven't thrown away my traditional karate roots. I feel like I've dug them deeper, but I've let other branches of the tree flourish with some careful tending.

I look for a lot of the same things Montana and Bushido are looking for. Class structure, is it super strict, or more friendly and relaxed? Are the students paying attention if it's relaxed or scared to ask a question in a strict place? I'll look at how technique are approached and how well the upper belts get/apply the mechanics. And, if their are enough upper belts I like to see if they are individualizing the art while sticking to the same principals. If there is a kids class, is it separate, or mixed. There is a "feel" to a good dojo too. Hard to explain, but it has an atmosphere that invites hard work, camaraderie and makes you want to step on the deck and work out. And I lastly, like Montana, I like to introduce myself to the instructor at the end, compliment them on their class if it was good. If it wasn't, quietly slip away as people file out of the class.

-Points up- For condition to cut down the times you're "really, really tired", refer to the above. It extends the time before you get into that really fatigued position. The mental side of it, is much harder to train. The only way I can think of that reliably works, for me, is to regularly get pushed to that point of exhaustion and train from there. If you don't know what it feels like to have to fight while spent, you are going to be more panicked when you get there. Which blows even more energy because you'll not relax, you'll not think and make good decisions about how to use the energy you have left. I could be wrong, and many here with more years of training than me can (and, I hope, will) point to flaws in the ideology that is as follows. Get well acquainted with being exhausted. Make it an old friend and training partner. Then you will know how to physically manage your resources at that time and how to mentally handle the feeling. It will be a case of "Okay, I've been here before. I can do this if I stay cool and use the things I've done before."

I've gone to a few open karate tournaments. The last was far enough back that kids born that your are driving now. Check your rules carefully, watch divisions before yours to get an idea. And then, relax, have fun and look at it as a chance to meet new folks, see some new styles and experiment in what you're doing a bit.

Sorry Ueshiro, I don't know your location and I'm old school net enough that I tend not to pry. But, go herehttp://www.thearma.org/ and see if you can find a training group. Even if there isn't one listed where you are, you used to be able to just e-mail the groups and they would put you in touch with someone close by. Nearest organized group was 2 hours from home back when I checked into things last. But, you may be luckier than I was and find someone close by.

The only Ippon Kumite I've seen were the AAU format for black belt only. A single point wins, with the technical requirements being very high to actually get that point. It lead to some very serious study and cautions approach of the competitors. Then a explosion of close in technique that was hard to follow, but very clean. Often with a lot more stiff contact than other forms of sparring. Usually the only spectators were other martial artists who were either competing in the event, or appreciated the format and stayed to watch as it was always held last in the day.

All I can say is that I'm jelious. I love getting together to exchange techniques and ideas with other martial artists.

First of all, you most certainly are grappling with people quite often in karate--what else do you think you are pulling your hand back to your hip for, and what exactly do you think your other hand is doing when one of them is striking or blocking with your knife hand, for example? In addition, strong muscles, ligaments and tendons in the hands will help prevent injuries while striking because those are the things holding your bones in place when you punch. THis, this many times over. Karate traditionally practiced will involve a lot of gripping for control, joint/limb manipulation. Strong grips through finger and hand conditioning is absolutely vital for this.

If you want to get faster, slow down. Or, as I tell students, "Smooth is fast, slow is smooth, so slow is fast". Love the looks that gets.

Can I sell you mine? It's only slightly used.

Assuming the same weight, nope, you're different sizes. Fighting taller people in stand up sucks, and when they are on the ground, it's the same thing. Taller guys are longer, so they have more "reach" on the ground and once they learn to use it, it is an advantage you have to over come. Not that you can't, but it's something you have to learn to compensate for.

I was the "gate keeper" of sorts in my first dojo for several years. When someone with prior training came in and wanted to work out, they would be allowed to after signing their waivers and forms. A couple of weeks in they always wanted to spar. I was always the first person they face, regardless of the level of experience they claimed to have. Many were just looking for a good place to train. Some though, were looking to prove that they came from better training and wanted bragging rights. Those nights were...interesting. I did issue a challenge once, in a strange way. A Chinese style instructor had moved into our area. This new instructor papered the county in his fliers, advertising that he taught every thing under the sun. Told his lead student he had trained at my old home dojo a few years back, during the time I was still active there. He claimed that he trained there for six months and during that time had sparred, handily defeated all of the students and that lastly he sparred the instructor and, in the "fight" that followed easily defeated him. Now, my feathers were ruffled and I spoke to the instructor I was assisting at the time. His answer was very simple. The dojo was mine any night I wanted or needed it. This new Chinese style instructor was training out of the same gym we were, though getting him to speak directly to any of the Japanese/Okinawan stylists was very hard. I made it readily known, through his senior student, that I had trained at the dojo he claimed to have cleaned out, at the time he claimed to have done it, and didn't recall him ever darkening the door. And that any night he wanted to, we could get together and see if he could back up the claim that the instruction there was weak and produced weak students. The Chinese stylist folded up and left the county very shortly after this. I can't claim that I was responsible. He never darkened our door, kept the doors locked while he conducted class and still wouldn't speak to anyone. I assuming that he couldn't financially meet his obligations to rent the space and that was the cause. Oddly, he just tried to rent the space we left back in March of this year.

Worst? Man, it's hard to pick.-lol- Umm, okay, caught a hard counter right one night that staggered me up. I go wobbling back to catch my balance and get a little help staying off the wall. I finish the round and tell one of the guys "If you guys hadn't caught me, I'd been in trouble there." I thought a couple of them had stopped me and kept me off the wall. Turns out it was one guy. Honorable mention? Sparring with my instructor as he got ready for a kickboxing match. Last round we're spent and we're working from a lose clench, leaning in on each other. I start ripping body shots for the liver, he hammers me with short hooks to the head. I just turned my head in a bit and kept working until the bell. I get home and my brother in law, when it's nearly full dark out, asks what the heck happened to me. Next day, my history prof asks if I was in a car wreck.

I would look at people like the Diaz brothers, BJ Penn, Kenny Florian, Marcus Davis, Sam Stout, Spencer Fisher, and upper level fighter with decent striking has nice, clean movement and punches. As bushido_man96 said, they will generally cover to stop most strikes and check low kicks. When they're not experienced, gassed or going for a looping over hand, things can get wild.

After a lot of years training in traditional styles and having always had some open minded, adding in things that don't seem "traditional" at first turned out to be on the money. Heavy bag work, double ended bag work, lots of partnered work etc were always important. Stealing what was good from somewhere else and seeing how it can both improve what you're doing and how it fits into the frame work of your existing skills. All more traditional than you would at first think. The fixation on kata as a primary thing to spend class time on is something that I don't think earlier karatemen would have advocated. It eats up a lot of class time though and lets the instructor get around to a lot of students. Drills, working on fundamentals and two man sets were where most of the time would be spent. Kata is for when you don't have partners to work with and to instill movements that have good application (something you have to put a lot of work into). When you have training partners you should be using them. Time devoted to kata should be enough to learn them well enough to practice on your own. Then get the occasional correction. Along with that working out two man drills that break down the applications. Lastly, kata, to me is something that will allows you to continue training after you've gotten too old to bang around every night. All of this is opinion of course and, combine with $2 will get you a coffee at the corner store. But, as tallgeese said, martial arts are an individual thing. As long as you aren't selling you're individual thing as the be all, end all of MA and deriding those who disagree, it's all good.

If I want to examine the sorts of violent attack I'd most commonly face in a defense situation outside of pre-arranged mutual combat, the drunk football play and the fat old man are what I'd be more interested in. If I want to learn what I will face when confronted with another highly trained martial artist in a traditional art, you will want to watch particular types of competition. If I'm examining something concerning TMA it does not dictate that I can only examine those fights consisting of two traditionally trained martial artists.

Plenty of spinning back fists miss. Most of it due to telegraphing, some are sent by Western Union. Those that land though, tend to get a really good result. Most MMA guys go by a set formula, one that works well for the competition venue. They don't see a lot of spinning back fists with MT, Boxing, BJJ and Wrestling. It can definitely surprise.

Senseikellam, Which Meijin lines have you had? I've been looking at their uniforms for several months and really wanted to good feed back on them. I'd love to go up to one of the top Taikido lines, but I can't sink that much into a single uniform right now. So, the one I'm looking at right now, with custom embroidery, is the Meijin Premium in black. How heavy is the weave of the cotton canvas in the uniform and how well do they hold up over time? I'm still banging around in a pair of old (one is 15 years old!) Century Iron Man uniforms and a many times patched single weave judo gi right now and I want to treat myself to a new gi.

Shonnie Carter pulled the same sort of spinning backfist several years back. It's been done before. Heck, a friends son got a KO with a spinning backfist in the second round of his first ami fight. Done right, either with no telegraph, or a good set up strike, spinning techniques have a ton of power and if they connect, that person is in trouble.

When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Which is why we tell our guys that grappling can be a good option when you're dealing with intoxicated friends. You don't want them trying to drive, but if all you can do is strike, you have to put a hurt on some people when they have too much alcohol. Drunks tend to come in either easy to stop, or straight out bullet proof. So, instead of beating your friend up to stop them from doing something stupid, which is still a better option, you can take them down and get to good position to stop them. The second point you raise is pretty valid. One of our guys was training himself with youtube video and UFC fight DVDs before he started with us. He worked on basic round house kicks, shooting doubles and singles. So, ten years back, I wouldn't have worried too much about someone shooting in, a higher on the body football tackle maybe, but not a wrestling take down. Sure, against someone with actual training instead of basement work and backyard fight clubs, you don't have to have that much skill, but a good grounding in the basics will do. So, the need for grappling training is higher than it used to be. As a side note, the need for good defense against round house kicks used to be minimal. Mostly for that off case where you ran into someone with some prior training. Which wouldn't be often. Now, you get just enough guys who can sling their leg up, at least for a low kick, that checking and defending is important. As the land scape of martial arts in the general public changes, so does the need to adapt our training.

Jay, Tallgesse, Care if a primarily stand up guy drops into the conversation? Jay, I'm like you, I don't want to get pinned down in a self-defense situation. But, we train ground skills, BJJ with a dash of wrestling for years back that we try to keep sharp. When we've worked basic positions, escapes and sweeps and how to maintain position in a purely grappling context, we start mixing it into our stand up skills. One of the drills we work from is our basic get up. 2 minutes in the center, start from your back. The aggressor gets what ever position they want. Time starts and all you're trying to do is get a clean escape. Stand up, free of their limbs and in a good, clear, defensive position. The aggressor has gloves on and can strike to keep you honest. The guy on the bottom gets up and the drill starts over until the 2 minutes is finished. They are constantly reminded, bottom man just wants up clean and with as little damage as possible, it's not about the submission. The top man is reminded, whatever you do, keep them down, hit them or go for the sub, it's your game. As I keep telling the guys, I train ground work for two reasons. One, I enjoy the ability to push hard with less worry about injury than going hard contact in stand up. Two, I'm selfish. I've spent too many years training my striking skills to get knocked off my feet or tackled by a former football player and have all that hard work canceled out. I want to get up and fight on my terms. So ground work is how I get to keep fighting the stand up fight.

I started strong side forward because my right hand was so weak to start with. I've adapted to switch out, but I'm still better strong side in the lead. Which makes that left hand lead a lot stronger than most people expect. Which is good with me. So my stronger, faster, more coordinated hand is in the lead. Not that out of line with a couple of older generation karate men, as I have discovered.

bushido_man96, Found the same thing myself over the years. In close, thumb up/mug up seems to work a bit better.

On the lighter side, I know if a guy is wearing good head gear, my hands are generally safer. I mean, good gear keeps bone on bone contact down. In our dojo, when the contact level gets picked up the head gear comes out. Good, tight boxing style head gear. Chin, cheeks and sides of the head are well protected. Also keeps you from landing shots on the forehead which saves hands from breakage.