Punching and Kicking air

[TAKBULLDOG]

I like my Sensei but I'm tired of punching and kicking air.

 

We do no bag work, no strength training. Just kata.

 

I'm switching to something more physical and street prep. Im thinking of taking San Soo. I dont want to be a pro fighter, I just want to make sure I can handle myself if i'm ever attacked. Any other suggestions?

[Jussi Häkkinen]

I just want to make sure I can handle myself if i'm ever attacked. Any other suggestions?

 

Impossible. You can only make your probabilities better.

 

My suggestion: Train karate for hobby and excercise (or switch to Sanshou if you wish to), get a good knife and/or gun for your self-defense, if the area you live requires self-defense ability (Most really don't). Also, I suggest that you try to rise your awareness level about your surroundings to better be able to avoid the harm and possible situations. This is done by simply training to watch around.

[cross]

Very good tips Jussi Häkkinen.

 

Also, don't just leave without talking it over with your sensei, maybe ask him why you dont do bag work and explain that u want to be able to handle yourself better on the street.

[monkeygirl]

How long have you been training under your sensei? I simply ask because I know I wouldn't work ANY sparring or strength training, and a limited amount of bag training with someone who's only been around a week or two.

 

This is for several reasons:

 

Sparring: It takes a certain adjustment period for people to get used to moving in the martial arts, and during that time, I don't think they should be punching at anyone.

 

Strength training: If you work strength/power in class, the problem is that not every student has perfect technique in their punches, etc. If they then go on to punch a bag as hard as possible (meanwhile their wrist is limp and hanging down), they could cause serious damage to themselves. The same goes for bag training, because an overambitious student or two might punch harder than they can handle. I would wait about 4-6 months before beginning that type of training, but that's just me.

[delta1]

get a good knife and/or gun for your self-defense, if the area you live requires self-defense ability (Most really don't).

 

Good advice, as far as it goes. But I'd consider carrying and possibly using any weapon to be a martial art itself. If you ar going to carry it, you should become proficient in using it. Otherwise odds are good it may be taken and used against you. Also, carrying a firearm carries more responsability because of its potential to harm others if you do have to use it. In my opinion (and I've been a gun nutt all my life), proper use of a firearm requires every bit as much skill as any martial art, and more knowlege than most.

 

Another thing to consider about carrying weapons is the legal implications. Carry laws varry from place to place. But, aside from that, if you are armed there is no longer any such thing as a minor incident. Because of the potential for him to take your weapon, you have to treat any fight as extremely seriouse. You have to protect that weapon at all costs. He, on the other hand, has no such consideration if he chose not to carry. If you pull the weapon and can't show a credible reason to believe you were threatened with seriouse injury or death, you become the agressor. If you don't deploy the weapon and he closes with you or stuns you, he has access to your weapon.

 

Point here is that weapons, while a good tool if necessary, and if you know how to use them, can also set you up in a real delima.

 

 

Also, don't just leave without talking it over with your sensei, maybe ask him why you dont do bag work and explain that u want to be able to handle yourself better on the street.

 

I'd definately try this. You may be able to start a group of more seriouse students who do tain more realistically, under his instruction. If not, a change of schools or even styles may be a good option. You might also consider starting an independent group of interested artists from different schools in your area who want to train a little harder than the average.

[Jussi Häkkinen]

But I'd consider carrying and possibly using any weapon to be a martial art itself. If you ar going to carry it, you should become proficient in using it.

 

Naturally. I though this to be a natural thing which needed no further recommendation. If you carry a weapon, you have spent time with it and know how to use it.

Another thing to consider about carrying weapons is the legal implications. Carry laws varry from place to place.

 

Indeed they do. In Finland every weapon needs to be licensed and you can not get a pistol license without being a member of a shooting club and getting a recommendation from two persons. Also, practically only police officers may carry firearms in ready-to-use way. Knives are also forbidden to be carried in a ready-to-use way (i.e. in your pockets or in a bag if they can be taken right away. This applies to folders and multi tools as well). So, my advice isn't meant to places such as Finland or other similar relatively peaceful nations. I think most of the USA would fit under that definition as well.

 

My suggestion was for areas where self defense is a daily issue and a real threat. Although things happen also in peaceful countries, one generally does not need to study martial arts for self defense purposes - nor they are, although often marketed as self defense arts, taught in a way that would aim for realistic self defense. Of course, that is partially up to the student as well (increasingly when he gets more training years under his belt).

[delta1]

Jussi, I agree with you. Just wanted to take your advice and expand on it a little. Sometimes people get the notion that having a weapon makes them invincable, or that it solves all their problems. I've run across this attitude a lot with firearms, but those that think this are the ones most likely to cause themselves a lot more problems with any weapon. You, and maybe even most of the posters here understand this. But I'm allways surprised at some senior martial artist telling me that any punk with a gun makes their ma practice useless, or that you should forget your ma skills and just get a gun if you really need to defend yourself. (Note: those are almost verbatum quotes from a couple of very high ranking ma's on different occasions.) Nothing could be more wrong. Any how, I just thought I'd throw it out there, even if it is stating the obviouse to some of you.

[Guy_Mendiola]

i'm 13 and my 14 year old brown belt instructor taught me some of the kicks such as the roundhouse and etc, she let me hit those hand pads.

[cymry]

Just a thought - would punching air full power tire you out faster than hitting say a heavy bag? Because you have to use your muscles to stop your arms for hyperextending.

[cymry]

Or perhaps not. You have to use much more muscular force to drive a punch through resistance than through air.