The Martial Artists' Training Log

[bushido_man96]

On 2/15/2026 at 12:56 PM, sensei8 said:

The jump spinning back kick has been my most favorite TKD kick because I can generate a lot of power, Btw, I also feel in love with the turning-around roundhouse kick, as well. I was most fortunate to have learned them both from GM Suh, and adding them to my arsenal was a turning point because they’re definitely NOT Shindokan in any shape, way, or form. 

I like a reverse side kick/spin back kick, but I like to do more of a switch-foot version of it than a jumping version, as it is quicker, and I stay closer to the floor and thus have less of a telegraph.  That, and I'm also older and my knees hate me, so I don't jump as much as I used to.

I think I probably showed you that switching version I do when we trained together.

 

2/2/2026

Aikido:  6:15 - 7:15 pm.  Weapons Class.  Jo warmups:  high-4, low-4, high-8, low-8, and high-10; about 5 total minutes of continuous partner work here.  The rest of the class was spent on kumi jo 2 and 1.  After that, we did some "free" kumi jo practice using some practice sticks (soft) to finish out the class.  It was "one-to-one" striking/blocking.  It helped to see some attacks and to block and counter.  I did get a little frustrated with practice tonight, trying to memorize and just overall make things work and flow.

[bushido_man96]

2/3/2026

Taekwondo:  5:45 - 6:30 pm.  Traditional Class.  Basics and forms.  Helped white belts and high green belts.  For white belts, I focused on stances.  For the high green belts, I focused on the circular scooping block section of Won Hyo hyung.

Sparring:  6:30 - 7:00 pm.  White belts did combinations then did one-technique, two-techniques, and three-techniques drills.  The other students worked the following drills:

Closed stance, attacker does #3 round kick, defender slide back/block and reverse side kick counter.

Open stance, attacker does #2 round kick, defender blocks/reverse side kick, or if more advanced, just reverse side kick counter.

We finished with several short rounds of sparring.  I encouraged the students to work on set-ups and the counters we drilled.

[sensei8]

5 hours ago, bushido_man96 said:

like a reverse side kick/spin back kick, but I like to do more of a switch-foot version of it than a jumping version, as it is quicker, and I stay closer to the floor and thus have less of a telegraph.  That, and I'm also older and my knees hate me, so I don't jump as much as I used to.

I think I probably showed you that switching version I do when we trained together.

Yes, you did show me that version when we trained together. That’s the curse, no matter Shindokan’s methodology and ideology, that Shindokan is quite absent of high kicks. 

Because of the high kick arsenal of TKD is why I took 1 year of TKD. That sinister turn-around roundhouse kick was the bane of my JBB tournament days; I can’t begin to tell you how many times I walked into that kick.

[bushido_man96]

14 hours ago, sensei8 said:

Because of the high kick arsenal of TKD is why I took 1 year of TKD. That sinister turn-around roundhouse kick was the bane of my JBB tournament days; I can’t begin to tell you how many times I walked into that kick.

By "turn-around roundhouse kick," do you mean like a round kick that comes from a spin side type of turn, or the 360 degree spinning round kick?

 

2/5/2026

BJJ:  6:45 - 8:00 pm.  Warmup:  2 rounds, 4 minutes, light rolling.  The focus of the class tonight was getting to position to work leg locks.  We started out with one seated and the other kneeling, and working to get a leg over on the knee from outside the opponent's leg.  This advanced to trying to keep the leg in the 50/50 position and establishing a good knee line.  We worked a little on setting a heel hook and an ankle lock.  Then we did some scrambles from the 50/50 position.  For free rolling, I did 2 rounds of 4 minutes each.  Then stretched.

[bushido_man96]

2/10/2026

Taekwondo:  5:45 - 6:30 pm.  Traditional Class.  I taught this class.  Prior to class I was able to run through Choi Yong three times.  My balance was bad on the repeat kicks.  I was extremely short of breath and had kind of a cold sweat going on.  For class, I got through basics (went at a better clip), then went through white belt, low orange belt, low and high green belt, and middle brown belt forms.  One-steps were done testing style, with an attacker doing down blocks continuously so the students testing could get through them all.

Sparring:  6:30 - 7:00 pm.  Padded drills, switching sides and switching roles as they went.

1.  Closed stance, attacker does front leg round kick (#1 or 3), defender blocks and does a front leg round kick counter as quick as they can.

2.  Closed stance, attacker does front leg round kick, defender blocks and spin side kick counter, or just did the spin side kick counter upon recognition of the attack.

3.  Open stance, attacker does front leg side kick, defender blocks and side steps the back leg to a 45 degree angle forward and counters with punches and kicks.  I call this the "Crossing the T" drill.

After the drills we had time for one round of free sparring.  I encouraged the students to try to work the drilled components above.  Stretched afterwards.