Martial arts discussion thread

[KalEl]

Yeah yeah, same concept, but more modern execution. Traditional makiwara are attached to stationary posts, whereas what I'm talking about are modern focus pads/mitts that have toughened striking surfaces that's not as cushiony soft as regular focus pads and they deliver a slight stinging sensation to the knuckles when you punch them. My Chen Tai Chi teacher had a set of focus pads that were leather, and inside was a layer of soft material, but under that was a layer of wood.

I've yet to make contact with _anything_ in my GKR training so far. I don't know if my Senseis even bring focus pads, shields or bags to training (if they do, I've never seen them in use). I asked one of the more senior students if we ever do padwork, and he said rarely.

when i was actively teaching gkr classes i used to bring in a variety of pads and shields in regularly.

[Bartrim]

Been a week since the bare knuckle sparring. Still have the marks.

[GoktimusPrime]

Hirudoid Cream is your friend.

[5FDP]

Hirudoid Cream is your friend.

...Or he could just man-up and grow a set

[Bartrim]

Hirudoid Cream is your friend.

...Or he could just man-up and grow a set

Just need a spoonful of concrete

[GoktimusPrime]

At least you guys have contact... <jelly>

At last week's training all the white belts had to do distanced no touch sparring. I k i d y o u n o t (though I wish I were). We were all paired off in front of a partner, then we had to stand like two metres apart and not come any closer!! Then "spar." i.e. if someone throws an attack, we're meant to defend against it. Everyone just treated it as one big joke -- because nobody knew when they should block or dodge or anything. Like I'd throw a combination attack, and my partner would usually either just "take" the hits or block too late. And if I "grabbed" them, they would completely ignore it. Hits to the groin, takedowns... nothing registered because we were standing so far away from each other! Half the people couldn't stop giggling and laughing at the activity. I tried to take it seriously and gave it my best effort... but it felt completely pointless. I'd rather do endless kata rote drills than distanced no touch sparring. (-_-)

Then afterwards we played this game where the colour belts have to grab the white belts and bring them over to the far end of the hall where there are these steps, and if you touch the steps, you lose. It took 2 guys (3 at one stage) a long time to take me down - even then because they were just ignore a lot of my attacks, like when I tapped my attacker's face/throat, or grabbed the fabric part of the trousers just below the groin (i.e. simulating crushing their janglies) -- they just ignored it and kept wrestling with me. But in the end it took 2 senior students to take me down, and even then I used scissor legs to take one of them down with me and continued ground-fighting, but the guy tapped out, so I released him. Later one of them apologised to me for "cheating," but I told him it was cool -- because people do cheat in real fights. Cheating's awesome! I like it when my attackers are cheap, because it makes me work harder at trying to defend myself against their cheap attacks, which are always the best attacks.

Btw, I'm going to Thursday classes now instead of Fridays. They seem to have a slightly better attitude toward self defence than the people at the Friday Dojo (especially the Sensei, whom I've had interesting discussions with), although Sensei admits that while GKR is capable of self defence, it's rarely the focus of their training. But one thing I prefer about Friday's class is that they have separate children's and adult classes -- the Thursday Dojo combines them together... and makes adults and children work together as if they're equals, which I find frustrating. Like half the people I was No Touch Sparring against were kids... one of them was so small I had to get down on my knees (I didn't even bother trying to "attack" him, I just "defended" with one hand). So there are some parts of Thu's training that I prefer, but some parts that I don't.

The No Touch Sparring thing is just ridiculous... aside from really not equipping you with any skills (no more than doing just basics against thin air, which you might as well be doing - in theory students are meant to react to their opponent moving, but reality it doesn't happen (at least not properly) because there's never any threat of them coming in range or ever touching you)), it's potentially dangerous in giving students (especially the children) false confidence in believing that they can defend themselves. (-_-) I told the Thu Sensei that I have sparred before in the Fri classes and I do bring sparring gear with me, but I was told that they never let White Belts spar because of insurance/safety reasons... fair enough... but again, I'd rather be doing katas or basics than this George Dillman inspired form of fighting!

[KalEl]

Just need a spoonful of concrete

hehe

[Bartrim]

So we had a grading yesterday as it was the end of a turn. I am unable to grade until the end of the year as I will be going for my first brown belt. Even though I couldn't grade I participated then the training anyway and got to meet formally (He was at our grand opening but never officially met him) Shihan Rob Williams. We always have guest instructors from other KRMAS academies come to gradings but I consider myself lucky that it was him who came to our grading yesterday. As well as being the Australian National Sanda coach he also owns the Lithgow academy where I will be grading at the end of the year. Got to go to dinner with him and my sensei and he gave me some valuable insight to the path to black belt and the journey afterwards.

[KalEl]

So we had a grading yesterday as it was the end of a turn. I am unable to grade until the end of the year as I will be going for my first brown belt. Even though I couldn't grade I participated then the training anyway and got to meet formally (He was at our grand opening but never officially met him) Shihan Rob Williams. We always have guest instructors from other KRMAS academies come to gradings but I consider myself lucky that it was him who came to our grading yesterday. As well as being the Australian National Sanda coach he also owns the Lithgow academy where I will be grading at the end of the year. Got to go to dinner with him and my sensei and he gave me some valuable insight to the path to black belt and the journey afterwards.

very cool dude

[GoktimusPrime]

They say that black belt is when the real training begins (everything before then is prelim). Do you guys actually incorporate Sanda techniques in your Karate training? (or does is it taught separately?). For anyone reading this who may not know, Sanda (aka Sanshou) is a modern Chinese martial sport. I must admit that Sanda has produced some very impressive fighters, particularly Cung Le... I'm quite impressed at his ability to connect hits and make combos flow from that. He's also quite good at just flooring his opponents in as few moves as possible. Which is precisely how one should aim to fight in a self defence scenario -- that "This ends NOW!" mentality (or as Karate calls it, "One hit one kill") I've personally never tried Sanda myself, so I can't really comment much more about it.