ShoriKid

My ground work isn't advanced enough to call anything I'm doing "Game planned". What tallgeese out lines is pretty much what I try to do, just a much more basic level. There is always a submission I want to work on during a roll. A position I want to either work or escape from. Working to half guard or escaping side control right now for example. And usually, I try to hit one thing PittbullJudoka has shown us recently. For me it doesn't matter who I'm working with, that's my plan. The only times I go straight toward the finish without regards to those things is when I'm being pushed for a drill or something similar where seeing what you can do exhausted is the point. Stand up training fallows a close parallel where there is always something I'm working towards. If you aren't directing your free rolling/sparring time toward a goal you won't make the kind of progress you could.

Legal way. A lot of what karate does isn't kosher in the vast majority of tournament rules. So it gets brushed past.

Congratulations ps1! That's a big step.

Which I'm still going to keep working on. Swear I'm going to get it! For me, scissor and butterfly. I think I am going to start a YouTube channel to share some techniques with the world haha. You're struggling on the Classic/shaolin sweep ? Wouldn't call it struggling, any more so than any other technique. I'm just working on hitting it smoothly and reliably.

Which I'm still going to keep working on. Swear I'm going to get it! For me, scissor and butterfly.

I provide three different classes (not counting kids). 1. Fundamentals: This is a highly fight based class that is designed to teach the fundamental techniques of BJJ. The focus is on what to do if you're being struck. IE: self defense, less focus on jiu-jitsu v jiu-jitsu, but there is a little bit of that. It contains Rickson and Pedro's version of the 88 techniques required to go from White to blue. You can think of this as a beginners class. 2. Positional Mastery: This is a jiu-jitsu v jiu-jitsu focused class designed to develop triggers for action. So if the opponent puts his hand here I do this. If I get grip X I do that. This is an advanced class for sure, but everyone is invited to participate. 3. Sport Class: This is exactly what it says. Jiu-Jitsu for the sport aspect. This is the only class where I talk about points and develop strategies that are designed to win a competition. I've found that attending all three class styles during the week has helped my students tremendously. The skill level in the school is growing by leaps and bounds. PS1, sounds like a great way to break down the structure of classes. Before I got to the part of how it's helped grow student skill I was thinking it would really net a lot of improvement due to the focus in each class.

Night one you are invited to spar. Big gloves with the more experienced students or the instructors. Matsubayashi Ryu dojo I began started at 8th kyu and then with the black belts only for a little bit. Once they knew you wouldn't kill anyone, you were open to spar with anyone in class.

5 years back I was in better shape physically, in some aspects, and had just tested for my Nidan after years of not worrying about gradings and just training with my instructors. Spiritually I was pretty solid, studying and growing in my faith. My connection and thoughts on the martial arts were growing as well with a more active hand in teaching and helping contribute to the curriculum at our dojo. Now, I'm the lead instructor. My cardio is better than the muscular side, but I'm trying to fix that split. I'm facing an up coming opportunity to promote again after 4 years pretty much on my own with only seminars, video and study to further my training. These days I'm still working on refining the curriculum, expanding my ground game thanks to PittbullJudoka's BJJ training. I still love to bang, but I'm refining and getting more subtle. Funny how I can see the change more now than I did 5 years back when I really first saw it. Spiritually I'm as interested in the development of my students as myself. Sharing experience and thoughts and not hammering away at what they "should" think. 5 years from now, perhaps I will have tested for the Sandan, and be looking to test one more time. I hope to keep my physical conditioning up as part o my over all health. The curriculum will be settled, mostly, but I'll still be refining and digging for depth in kata, application and pulling movements apart. I'll compete a few more times before the injuries make it laughable for a guy my age to get on the mats with 20-somethings. Maybe I'll have a stripe or two on that white belt I grapple in. Maybe there will be 2 black belts that can point out our dojo and say "I learned from those guys" and be proud of that fact anywhere they go. 10 years from now. Gads, that's a long time to look ahead. Still working on kata and grappling. Still teaching I hope. My hair will be gray, my whiskers going white (already starting!). I'll be leaving banging to the younger guys most nights, but I'll still slip in a mouth piece and go at it now and then. Maybe, if I bust my rump, I'll have a blue belt in BJJ. Might compete and actually do one of the "masters" divisions or something like that finally. 20 years on. Maybe I've given up belts, or gotten another stripe and just don't care. Might be teaching grandkids by then, or second generation students. Some young buck will be assisting us in teaching. I still won't be smart enough not to get on the floor with guys half my age and scrap once in a while. More depth, less breadth in everything.

Actually it sort of ran the opposite as to the number of rounds. Until the MQ rules became popular rounds were often of variable length with each lasting until a knock down was scored. Unless the fight had a predetermined number of rounds they lasted until a man was downed and couldn't come to the mark in the given time, most commonly one minute. Some famous fights went into the triple digits.

2/2 2.25 mile run just before the snow. Push ups 5x25, Sit ups 2x3min 2/3 2.25 mile run, full stretch, Naihanchi run with intent for 15 min. 2/5 2.25 mile run push ups 4x25 2/7 2.25 mile run, 12x2:00 heavy bag work, kick focus on switch kicks & Thai style round kick

Off the top of my head Greg Jackson hasn't fought. Seems to be at least a fair hand at coaching fighters. Tons of good boxing coaches never fought either and turn out great fighters. Knowing the "game" and being able to communicate techniques, tactics and strategy are the keys. Having fought wouldn't hurt, but it's not a hard and fast requirement.

It took a while for this to be much of an issue in MMA, but today you have to be balanced. I particularly remember Jens Pulver puting on an absolute clinic of sprawl and brawl against a good grappler, who could do nothing to answer but flop on his back and pray to whoever his higher power was that Jens would just get in his guard already. I do miss Lil Evil at his best. The gi, to a striker who is used to it, offers plenty of tactics which can gain advantage in the stand up phase. Offers plenty of defensive options all the way around. It would make things interesting for sure.

1/29 X Guard drills, live rolling. Kata review. 1/30 Body weight work out. Push ups 5x25, Dips 4x20, Hanging ab work. 1/31 1 mile run, Switch kicks and combinations, sparring.

Posture control. Striking,.grappling, throwing it doesn't matter. You need to control the other person's posture to be successful.

Mostly this. The instructor is demoing all of the drills the first time through for the whole class. Usually with the co-instructor or the sempai. (PitbullJudoka and I run our dojo together) The instructors will be on the receiving end of drills fore more time than the sending end. Students will be paired senior/junior to work with each other.

JCavin, You have the right of it in working on breaking down basics and focusing on foot work. When you make it to train and are totally spent, you have to do what your body will allow. Over training is as damaging as being injured when it comes to what it does to your body. I, when much, much younger, did full body weight routine every other day and trained 5 days a week. My body was so torn down that I wasn't making any real gains lifting. I was struggling in my MA training as well. When I shortened my routine and cut it to every third day, I had much better gains in both work outs. I like to break down kata on the days when my body is just too worn down to do a full work out. That or get a technical roll in to sharpen my BJJ skills (which are far from impressive any ways). On the days when I don't have physical attributes to carry me through I have to focus much more on the technique of what I'm doing.

1/26 2.5 miles

The designers of kata assumed that you need more complex attacking options when your initial offense failed? That the aggressor actually got to fight back and thus you need to engage, usually starting with a counter or entanglement? Just as a guess there as I wasn't the one formulating the kata.

Never surrender initiative in a conflict. It's strategically and tactically a bad, bad idea. Taking the first action in a self defense situation is good. Once you are back on your heels, defending, it's a long climb back to neutrality. Let alone the dominance you need come out on top. Kata may have "defensive" techniques as openers, but the fact is they are not always applied that way. Nor will you find may in the self defense field who don't advocate for the first strike when de-escalation and escape have been eliminated. The aggressor has crossed the line with the first "strike" when threatening someone and not taking the chance to walk or back away when it was given. They made the decision. After that, it's time to put them on their butts and go.

1/24 1 mile x2 (to and from the dojo) 20 min of kata at speed/power before each class.

ps1 has much wisdom in his posting.

I don't know there sensei8, in kumite we use blocks to deflect, entangle and if they open the opportunity, throw take down. Low blocks were put to good use clearing someone's hands so I could land a punch. Chest blocks to tangle up hands and allow me to get into very close range. They aren't picture perfect as you will see them in kata, but kata and conflict are very different things. The more I work application do bunkai work, the more I believe that kata open with "blocks" because it is about gaining control. Stealing initiative, controlling limbs, breaking balance, all so you aren't on your heels as it were. You receive the attack, break the opponent down so they can't continue that attack and then counter.

MP, I'm sorry, but none of us are worthy or that manly.

1/22 Beginning Xguard sweeps to Knee on Belly and passing to side control. Mit and thai pad work for 45min. 3 rounds light sparring.

This very much. Or speak with your old instructor and see about grading. If they aren't still active seek out someone in that style to grade with.