What is your bread and butter for technique(s)?

[Alpha One Four]

I have studied martial arts for more than half of my life. It shows when I walk, when I breathe, when I sit, when I eat, and even when I sleep. Since I have a very good memory, I can easily absorb lessons in class. While I have not yet reached a master rank in anything, I have already begun to develop my own martial art.

In a few years, I want to start teaching it. This forum is everyone's chance to put their own technique in my art form. I am open to any suggestions whether good or bad. Tell me what is important to you in technique as well as your favorite way to learn. How you like class to go, the way you gain rank, and how your master speaks to you are all important to me. It doesn't matter what art you study, all styles are welcome.

And guys, be serious, please.

[bushido_man96]

Well, this is an interesting topic. Do you have a name for what you plan to put together, or do you have a main curriculum of what you plan to teach will contain? Have you taught classes before, and do you feel confident in doing that? I just ask because teaching is a whole new ball game, and I don't recall from any of your previous posts if you have teaching experience or not.

As for "bread and butter" techniques...back leg round kick is fun for me. A good front kick is useful, and side kicks are good, but require a bit of setup, in my opinion, but I don't discount them at all. Wrist locks are ok, but shoulder locks are nice, too.

As far as how I like to learn, I prefer to have a lot of two person work going on, going back and forth on various defense and offense, working a concept that way, with varying levels of resistance so you really learn how to make it work.

Finally, best of luck in your endeavor. I won't tell you not to begin teaching your own style, but I will say just make sure you've got a good plan in place to teach your curriculum, and that you are solid in all of it. Whenever someone mentions creating their own style, there are many that become dismissive of the idea.

[Alpha One Four]

Well, this is an interesting topic. Do you have a name for what you plan to put together, or do you have a main curriculum of what you plan to teach will contain? Have you taught classes before, and do you feel confident in doing that? I just ask because teaching is a whole new ball game, and I don't recall from any of your previous posts if you have teaching experience or not.

As for "bread and butter" techniques...back leg round kick is fun for me. A good front kick is useful, and side kicks are good, but require a bit of setup, in my opinion, but I don't discount them at all. Wrist locks are ok, but shoulder locks are nice, too.

As far as how I like to learn, I prefer to have a lot of two person work going on, going back and forth on various defense and offense, working a concept that way, with varying levels of resistance so you really learn how to make it work.

Finally, best of luck in your endeavor. I won't tell you not to begin teaching your own style, but I will say just make sure you've got a good plan in place to teach your curriculum, and that you are solid in all of it. Whenever someone mentions creating their own style, there are many that become dismissive of the idea.

Thanks for your input. I am actually glad you brought this up, because I teach an afterschool and summer program for kids 6-12. I am frequently asked to instruct the children's class in Goju as well. I am pretty experienced in teaching.

I don't have a name yet, that is a work in progress. I am thinking it should be more japanese since that is what I know best.

[Lupin1]

The technique I've found most useful is probably just a step to the side into a cat stance with a good 'ol sideblock. It's become an automatic reflex for me. The other night after work my friend tried to poke me in the stomach (long story) and I reflexively stepped aside and did an open hand sideblock. He jumped back and started screaming "WOAH! WOAH!" and I didn't even realize why he thought it was weird for awhile. I've done something similar on several occasions, usually when people are trying to poke/tickle me (nobody's ever actually tried to hurt me). It's the technique I've used in real-world situations the most out of any I've learned.

As for how I like to learn-- I learn best by seeing then doing. I prefer to have something explained to me only briefly and then watch a demonstration. Then I immediately want to try it myself and then get corrections with the opportunity to immediately try it again after each correction. Then I want to be able to do it several times to cement it. Long winded explanations throw me off and make me lose interest quickly. I feel bad saying this, but since my instructor suffered from an illness that's left him unable to speak without great difficulty, I've begun learning much faster and getting a lot more out of lessons. He used to be a very long-winded person and I would end up tuning him out after a minute or two and losing concentration. Now he just demonstrates then lets us try it immediately with very little explanation and I'm finding myself getting the hang of things much faster than I ever did. Some background information on a technique is necessary, but any longer than a quick interjection and I start to zone out and don't process as well.

As for how one should get rank, I think it'd be good to have a definite syllabus for each rank and let people know what's expected right off the bat. Have more intermediate steps for kids than adults (such as belt stripes for kids-- adults shouldn't need that) and let people move at their own pace. If they're getting things quickly, let them move on. As someone who's generally a fast learner, nothing is more frustrating than having someone try to teach you something for twenty minutes when you got it in the first twenty seconds. Now expand that to twenty weeks. Don't put time limits on belts-- if someone is a kinestetic genius and can learn things with perfect form quickly, don't hold them back because you think they should progress on your time scale. Treat each person uniquely and let them progress at their own rate. Also with that-- don't promote someone just because they have been at one belt for a certain amount of time. Make sure they have the expected competency before moving them along even if it takes longer.

[Harkon72]

My Favorite technique is a step through Oia Zuki Jodan, time it right with hip, applied to the temple, jaw or nose area; it can be devastating.

[MasterPain]

More important than specific technique, is making sure your system is actually set up in a systematic fashion. Advanced technique should simply build upon basics, and it should fit together into a fairly simple response pattern.

Examples of response patterns- Paul Vunak's RAT- intercept, straight blast, finish with knees elbows and headbutts in trapping range

Grip to sub- forget who's this is, but good stuff

From my system- Evade, Stun, Unbalance, and Control- basically taisabaki with redirection, knock them around a bit, take their balance with leverage and body position, put them on the ground and control through positional dominance and joint manipulation or strikes.

Almost any viable technique will fall into that response pattern.

Here's a thread I put up on what I consider the core of my art, maybe you'll get something from it.

http://www.karateforums.com/one-steps-angle-drills-ippon-kumite-vt43324.html

While I totally understand what Bushidoman is saying about starting your own system, I say RES IPSA LOQUITOR! You will need to be understanding of comparisons to AmeriDoTe, but as long as it's good stuff and you can fight, who cares? I'm second generation in a style born in 93, I believe, and I've never been ashamed of it.

[MasterPain]

Anyway,

belly to back suplex.

Figure 4 top wristlock into a straight armbar into kotegaeshi

Uchi Mata

Keylock

Vitor Belfortesque Staight blast

Prison Shank Jutsu

[Alpha One Four]

Great stuff so far. In my system, I will focus on basics in every single class. Even black belts will go through the basics before each class. They will be pretty much all muscle memory and eliminate a lot of the reaction time that can get you punched in the face.

My first students are already starting. My niece and my best friend will be the test group to make sure the students don`t progress too fast or too slow. What I want is to partner up my students to make practicing easier. Making contact in training makes you more comfortable in real situations, in my opinion.

I`m thinking about doing stripes on white and brown. Brown will be a long and tough road, and stripes on white give new students a feeling of accomplishment. I`m putting everything from throws to joint locks to grappling in my style. It will be truly complete in my opinion.

[Kuma]

Many people talk about developing their own system, but fail to realize that in reality they may not be presenting something new. A new system should be one that is unlike all of the current systems present nowadays, hence the need for a new system, rather than just the want of a new system.

[Alpha One Four]

Many people talk about developing their own system, but fail to realize that in reality they may not be presenting something new. A new system should be one that is unlike all of the current systems present nowadays, hence the need for a new system, rather than just the want of a new system.

This may be true for some, but I have a several new techniques that people have not seen, at least to my knowledge. It isn`t a classic spin-off MA. It is something entirely different with old ideals revitalized in a new way. The training and belt system will also differ.

The main focus is hardening bodies and making everything work in real situations. I know that is the point of something like Krav Maga and Jeet Kune Do, but this takes those concepts much further. A lot of sparring will be involved, and nothing flashy or impractical. Also, there won't be any weapons, but there will be anti-weapons training.