McDojos

[Sokusen]

If you can't fight do you deserve a black belt? No. If you can fight do you deserve n a black belt? No. If you start handing out black belts to those people who are only good fighters then you cheapen the belt as much as those dojos that give them to those who can't.

[rmurray]

I think I didn't understand Jim's point but I also agree that if you can't fight you shouldn't get your blackbelt. But I think everyone would agree with that. Heck, I think if you can't fight you really haven't earned your greenbelt. Certainly not your brownbelt.

[MMA_Jim]

Yeah, I still dont think you follow me 100%. A black belt should be able to fight- but that doesnt mean he has to be great at it either. Just because you lose doesnt mean you're a bad fighter (and the reverse is true too).

But he should be able to execute his techniques in a, efficient manner. For example, I've lost count of how many 17 yr old black belts I've see who are 140lbs without a muscle in their body. They're young and have the potential to develop proper technique, strength, and power, but they simply dont have it. Even if they could connect with their shot, theres nothing behind it. Thats embarassing

[Sokusen]

I've lost count of how many 17 yr old black belts I've see who are 140lbs without a muscle in their body. They're young and have the potential to develop proper technique, strength, and power, but they simply dont have it. Even if they could connect with their shot, theres nothing behind it. Thats embarassing

I agree. If they don't have proper technique then I agree with you. Now here is a hypothetical question. Turn that 17 year old into a 30 year old still 140lb but has proper technique, speed and a strong understanding of the system he is studying. But due to the sheer fact that he doesn't have the body mass behind his strikes he will never be able to really hurt someone bigger then him self. Does he deserve a black belt?

[MMA_Jim]

I agree. If they don't have proper technique then I agree with you. Now here is a hypothetical question. Turn that 17 year old into a 30 year old still 140lb but has proper technique, speed and a strong understanding of the system he is studying. But due to the sheer fact that he doesn't have the body mass behind his strikes he will never be able to really hurt someone bigger then him self. Does he deserve a black belt?

In a word- no. By definition, proper technique will yeild a powerfull strike. There isnt a person I train with who knows how to throw a proper cut kick and lacks the power behind it. Some of these guys are older (in the 40's range). Thats what proper technique is. Of course they're not hitting as hard in the pros in the room, but they can still hit hard because they've got proper technique, regardless of their size.

[Groinstrike]

I agree. If they don't have proper technique then I agree with you. Now here is a hypothetical question. Turn that 17 year old into a 30 year old still 140lb but has proper technique, speed and a strong understanding of the system he is studying. But due to the sheer fact that he doesn't have the body mass behind his strikes he will never be able to really hurt someone bigger then him self. Does he deserve a black belt?

In a word- no. By definition, proper technique will yeild a powerfull strike. There isnt a person I train with who knows how to throw a proper cut kick and lacks the power behind it. Some of these guys are older (in the 40's range). Thats what proper technique is. Of course they're not hitting as hard in the pros in the room, but they can still hit hard because they've got proper technique, regardless of their size.

I am 145 pounds, i am decently strong for my size, but nothing to brag about. I am a 2nd degree brown belt in my system and do not have extremely powerful strikes. What i do have however is an understanding of what targets on the body will yield the greatest amount of trauma for the littlest power, for example eyes, groin, throat. I have meet and sparred with many black belts that do not hit what i would call "hard", but because of the understaning of anatomically weak areas of the body, and with their ability to put strikes together with combination yield great results.

[MMA_Jim]

I wouldnt call attempts to hit the eyes, throat, and groin an "understanding of vulnerable targets." I've discussed those targets in other posts.

Ive sparred with plenty of guys who are 145- and some that are smaller. Im sorry to say, it seems as if no one has taught you how to hit properly. Go to a regular boxing gym- I promise you they'll be able to teach you how to hit effectively.

Again, Ive seen people train in karate (used as a generic term here) for more than 20 years, and they still dont have a basic understanding of how to throw a cross that a regular hobbyist boxer knows how to do.

You can hit hard- you just need someone to teach you how.

[Wastelander]

I wouldnt call attempts to hit the eyes, throat, and groin an "understanding of vulnerable targets." I've discussed those targets in other posts.

Ive sparred with plenty of guys who are 145- and some that are smaller. Im sorry to say, it seems as if no one has taught you how to hit properly. Go to a regular boxing gym- I promise you they'll be able to teach you how to hit effectively.

Again, Ive seen people train in karate (used as a generic term here) for more than 20 years, and they still dont have a basic understanding of how to throw a cross that a regular hobbyist boxer knows how to do.

You can hit hard- you just need someone to teach you how.

I'm 6'1" and 176lbs and physically quite weak for my size. I have only trained in karate and I can hit as hard as my strength, body weight and leverage allow. I have sparred with a former pro boxer and his comments were only on my head movement and some of my angles of attack, not my power. Boxing is not the be-all-end-all of powerful striking.

[MasterPain]

I agree. If they don't have proper technique then I agree with you. Now here is a hypothetical question. Turn that 17 year old into a 30 year old still 140lb but has proper technique, speed and a strong understanding of the system he is studying. But due to the sheer fact that he doesn't have the body mass behind his strikes he will never be able to really hurt someone bigger then him self. Does he deserve a black belt?

In a word- no. By definition, proper technique will yeild a powerfull strike. There isnt a person I train with who knows how to throw a proper cut kick and lacks the power behind it. Some of these guys are older (in the 40's range). Thats what proper technique is. Of course they're not hitting as hard in the pros in the room, but they can still hit hard because they've got proper technique, regardless of their size.

I am 145 pounds, i am decently strong for my size, but nothing to brag about. I am a 2nd degree brown belt in my system and do not have extremely powerful strikes. What i do have however is an understanding of what targets on the body will yield the greatest amount of trauma for the littlest power, for example eyes, groin, throat. I have meet and sparred with many black belts that do not hit what i would call "hard", but because of the understaning of anatomically weak areas of the body, and with their ability to put strikes together with combination yield great results.

Your theory of striking weaker areas of the body to make up for size difference and landing a series of punches in combination to make up for a lack of body mass behind your strikes completely negate all knowledge you may have of generating power from the ground up, hip torque, starting relaxed and tensing at the point of impact, follow through, ect, ect. and of course ect. We have intentionally trained you wrong, as a joke.

[MMA_Jim]

Your theory of striking weaker areas of the body to make up for size difference and landing a series of punches in combination to make up for a lack of body mass behind your strikes completely negate all knowledge you may have of generating power from the ground up, hip torque, starting relaxed and tensing at the point of impact, follow through, ect, ect. and of course ect.

So now "knowledge of vulnerable areas of the body" has expanded beyond eye gouging and groin kicking....

We have intentionally trained you wrong, as a joke.

Of course they intentionally taught you wrong, right? After all, it wouldnt cross your mind that perhaps the same instructors just dont know much about fighting. They are BLACK BELTS afterall...

Seriously, Im here to tell you how you CAN learn how to put some weight into your punches and kicks, but you choose to not to heed the advice. At the end of the day, its your loss