Here are a few of the other well known blogs that are now featured under the MartialArts.com.my portal.

Tomcat's Taekwondo Blog ... better get on it, Andy!

Charles Goodin's Karate Thoughts

For the entire list of blogs ... check out MCM's Blog list

My initial post at My Malaysian Brothers.

Wait a minute. I thought training aids like power bags, paddles, kick shields, etc. are there to help you learn how to apply taekwondo or karate techniques better?

In a way, yes. However, I have noticed instances where kick shields used to drill roundhouse kicks turn a so-so martial artist into a CRAP martial artist. Not that the kick was any less fast or any less powerful.

The problem is that the kick shield is held outside the visual frame of the body. So the poor student is kicking at an area not central to the objective -- that is to kick onto the human body. All the training aid was good for was to drill a powerful kick on a flat pad held 30 cm away from the body. Why do you think success would falter? Both the eyes and the weapon are calibrated off the main target!

Dave Navarro's Spread TV: Randy Couture: Spread TV Interview: EP 9


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QUESTION:
I have a question for you. A friend of mine is a black belt in TKD he's pretty fast when he trows kicks and throws different combinations always one kick immediately after another kick so he always catches me. How do you deal with that?

ANSWER:
It depends on how you are fighting. I don't have a DVD that addresses that as such, but I have fought TKD guys, Karate guys, Wing Chun guys, Kali guys, Hapkido guys, etc. It matters a great deal how you are fighting. Are you fighting to touch or to hit? Hit or to hurt? Hurt or to injure? Injure or kill? If the intent is not there to at least hurt it makes any fighting more difficult.

Also, when you fight anyone you must remember that there are several ways to deal with it. It doesn't matter a great deal who they are or what style:

One is to close the gap which will not allow him to kick or at least not more than once. Kicking requires a certain distance between you and the kicker. If you stand still and he kicks he gets to choose when and how often he kicks so he gets to create the combinations and it's up to you to defend yourself. Move in immediately and get out of defense and into offense. (Ales and Masukan for PSP folks.)

Two is to use angles versus backing up when they attack. If you back up against any type of attack, in a straight line, they will be able to continue to attack. Kicks are not very manueverable so if you choose to back up for the initial attack you should do so at an angle. Then the attacker will be forced to change simple combinations into complex ones where the body has to re orient. Additionally, if you do both close the gap and change angle it really messes with the relationship (Ales for PSP folks).

Third, any attack generates from one of four places - either shoulder or either hip. If you want to defend against any attack the best way is to go to the source. Attack the source of the attack directly. I normally just block kicks by kicking the kick as it starts or by attacking the hip or upper thigh close to where it generates. The same can be done for strikes of any kind. This is best when combined with the previous two. The key is to block in a way that is destructive to structure. Not just blccking or attacking the limb that as kicking or striking, but actually destroying structure by doing so. (Totokan and or Timbilan can do this for PSP folks.)

Fourth, close the gap, attack, change angle, destroy structure, and then monitor additional attacks by putting your hands or feet in ready positions to deal with additional attacks by monitoring the zones from which they generate. Additionally, by closing the gap and catching or locking the attacker you can nullify many follow up attacks. This is only a good option if you haven't already and aren't able to destroy the opponent. I don't advocate this over hitting the attacker repeatedly or breaking down there structure but it does work if you close the gap but are unable to effectivel attack. (Tangkapan and Kuncian for PSP folks.) Locking requires more skill than the opponent catching does not.

Fifth, if this isn't working for you, learn to control the range of the fight so that you can break away when you want to or close or use the tools you want to use and are comfortable using. Do not fight the other persons fight. This is hard to learn especially if you get hit but you are still better to fight your best fight than to fight their best fight.

Sixth, be ready to take it to the end. Be willing to close, over-run, take a hit, and get close enough to move beyond injuring to killing. Intent to do harm as quickly as possible is necessary. To what level needs to be determined responsibly. If there is a weapon involved on the part of the attacker you need be willing to move to killing. (Pembasmian for PSP folks).

Those are my suggestions. Which one works for you will depend on your skill and understanding and of course the attackers skill and understanding.

Sincerely,
Guru Stark
Pencak Silat Pertempuran

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This Guest Post is by my friend and senior, Sensei Pat Nakata. Nakata Sensei is the head of the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate Association in Hawaii. He was a student of Chosin (Choshin) Chibana in Shorin-Ryu, and also studied Ryukyu Kobudo under Sensei Fumio Nagaishi. When he was a young man, he studied Wado-Ryu Karate under Sensei Walter Nishioka.

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In Karate, we often say that the student must be able to control his temper. One reason for this is so that the student can hold back, and not unnecessarily harm other people. A hot headed student is much more likely to initiate or be drawn into fights.

Karate is a self defense art. It is not offensive. But it is not quickly defensive either. Students should not be looking for reasons to defend themselves. They should want to avoid the use of the destructive aspects of Karate unless it is truly the last resort -- not the next to the last resort.

I mentioned the "destructive aspects of Karate" because there are many techniques that can be used without unduly harming the attacker. Escape is a technique. Dodging and slipping an attack are techniques. Not all techniques involve the use of deadly or crippling force.

Getting back to the temper issue, rage also clouds the student's judgment and ability to think clearly. Like an enraged bull, an angry student is more likely to miss things (like the facts that the attacker is carrying a weapon or has friends lurking nearby) and rush into a bad situation. A cool headed student is better able to evaluate the situation and react with the best defense.

So a student should learn to control his temper. If someone bumps into him, this is not a reason to get mad. If someone says an unkind thing or yells, the student should learn to keep his temper in check. When he feels his face getting red, his blood rushing, and his heart pounding, he must learn to slow his breathing and remain alert.

A student should learn to control his temper.

But also, as a student matures things should not bother him as much. It is not just that his temper is controlled -- it is that the student becomes more calm. It should be harder and harder for someone to upset and anger the student.

One reason for this is that with time, the student will have seen more and more ridiculous situations. What used to make him angry when he was young will seem trivial with the benefit of time and experience.

An advanced student does not have to control his temper as much because he is a more calm person -- cool and calm.

Personally, I would rather deal with an angry attacker than one who is cool, calm, and focused on harming me. The same applies in defense.

When a student is young, petty thing might seem more important. People sometimes get into Karate fights over silly things: your teacher is no good, you did not earn your rank, you are a fake, you made a bad call in judging.... It all sounds like a bad Kung Fu movie where the lackey says, "you insulted my Master!"

Students should learn to control their tempers. With time, they should learn to become so calm that the temper does not rise up, or does so only in very serious situations.

The next time something or someone makes you really mad, try to see if you can remain calm. Maybe you will succeed, maybe you will not. But the effort is useful. With practice, you will get better at it. And with time and experience, things that made you mad will start to seem less and less important.

Please do not get me wrong. In a life and death situation I am not suggesting that the student should not react. I am saying that he should act in a determined and controlled manner -- not in a blind or uncontrolled rage.

By the way, this also applies in business. If an employee gets mad at his boss or client, he will most likely lose his job. An employee needs to be able to keep his temper in check and act professionally and courteously. If the student can learn to control his temper and cultivate a calm manner in Karate, he can also apply this in the business world and his social interactions.

Respectfully,

Charles C. Goodin