2006 - A great year for TDA

We have a lot to be thankful for in 2006:

1. Working out with a great group of guys - Sam, Mike, and Daniel are the best! I've learned as much as I've taught, and am eager to learn more. Daniel moved out of the area, and got hitched (we wish you the best).
2. No major injuries. Except for Mike's Wepner-like bleeding ways, there was no blood spilled in anger or otherwise.
3. We've worked our way through most of the Army's MACP, and started on the USMC's MCMAP combatives programs.
4. This site has been a huge success. What began as a journal of our training has morphed into a major site for martial artists of all stripes from all over the world. We now have over 1000 visits per month with 2-3 thousand page views now. The chart points almost straight up! Thanks to all the readers.
5. "We discovered" some great blogging martial artists and sites, including George Ruiz' Le Blog, Bob Orlando's insights, Christopher Caile's FightingArts.com, Stephan Kesting's GrappleArts site and blog, Hock Hochheim, and, more recently, John Vesia's Martial Views, and Experience Martial Arts (a great new site).

From all of us at TDA Training, here's wishing you an excellent and safe year in '07, and many more!

Today's TDA Tip: Fight fire with water

One of the most fundamental principles of self-defense is to put yourself in the best position to use your best techniques or assets, while nullifying those of your opponent. Fight fire with water. Here are some ideas:

• A strong fighter with more powerful attacks should be countered by using evasion, angles, and redirection. Beat a weaker fighter by overwhelming him with force.


• A smaller fighter should fight in-close, and to the flanks of a larger fighter. That way you can bring all of your weapons to bear with minimal risk.


• Move away from the power hand or foot of your opponent. Never let your man use his strengths against you. In many cases, that means circle away from the rear hand and leg of the enemy.


• If you can do it safely, it may be prudent to grapple with a superior striker. Conversely, strike versus a superior grappler.

I think you've got the idea now.

Get to work!

Everything will work sometime

This is a correction (backpedal?) to the post where I explain why I don't like the grounded takedown style of Masakazu Imanari, but also a general point: all techniques will work - sometime... Have you ever seen a cartwheel kick, or a 540-degree roundhouse kick? Think it'll work? It will, but only under the right circumstances, and that's the key. Our philosophy is to "play the percentages, " and use the techniques which are most likely to accomplish our goal. Sometimes that may be a trick play, like the aforementioned cartwheel or 540. Once you make those types of techniques your mainstay, that's where you can get into trouble. Some examples:

• Muhammad Ali knocked out big George Foreman in Zaire after employing a tactic thereafter known and the "rope-a-dope." I think Ali claimed to have planned it beforehand, but even his trainer admits that it was something that just happened. Instead of employing his mobility and working from the center of the ring as he'd done in the past, Ali laid on the ropes and slipped and rolled with the bombs of the more powerful Foreman. Within a few round Foreman was exhausted, then Ali went to work and knocked out the bigger, younger man in the eighth. The best fighters and competitors learn to improvise when their game plan isn't working. The "rope-a-dope" was undoubtedly effective that night. In fact, that fight has gone down in history as one of the most shocking upset victories in the ring. Ali employed it frequently for the remainder of his career, and thus absorbed far more punishment than he'd ever taken before. Tactically, it was sound for that encounter, that night, with that particular opponent, but would it have worked against someone who was patient, stalking, and wasn't eager for a knockout? More importantly for us, would it work on the street? I don't think so...
• In MMA, some of the more spectacular knockouts have been from flying knees, jump-in punches, and high kicks. Does that mean that they can work? Obviously they can, and they do. I always sneak in one high kick every time I spar, and we spar with eye jabs, grabbing of the head, arms, hair and clothing, elbows, knees, and leg kicks. We also continue the fight if someone goes down. They work. If, however, I were to high kick constantly in self-defense, or jump kick, I'd probably not be writing this now, as I'd be in a hospital, at least.
• The fake punt or field goal in football can either give away excellent field position or a touchdown to the opposing team, or it can be a quick score or get the ball back for the offense. It works. Is rarely done, though...
  

The trick plays in any sport work because they are unexpected. They are unexpected because of the risk involved. We need to weigh the risks, and balance it with the chance for success. Sometimes dropping to the ground and attempting a knee bar or ankle break could do just the trick, or it could get you stomped. Just a thought...

Sam's 2nd Dan

Sam Bertolino earned his 2nd Dan. Congrats Sam!

Sport Trickery, Self-Defense Folly - video

Here's a good example of something that's very good in sport, which will probably be anywhere from impractical to stupid in a non-sport environment.

Masakazu Imanari Highlights


What's wrong with this picture? Masakazu's odd (from a "street" perspective) attack and countering style is precisely what makes him so hard to fight in a ring. The conditions favor him, except for taking a knee on the way in (I recently saw that happen in a Pride re-broadcast.Thanks to Stephan from GrappleArts.com for this.

New Links - The Bulls Dog and Dojo Rat!

I've been checking out both The Bull's Dog, and Dojo Rat, and enjoy both.

The Bull's Dog description is "Ted Sares fought as an amateur boxer in the Chicago area in the 50's. He has since become a boxing historian and member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He specializes in articles that capture the pathos of the sport. His works have been featured on a number of boxing sites and magazines including East Side Boxing, Fightkings, WAIL Magazine, IBRO Journal, Saddoboxing.com, and many others." I enjoy boxing's rich history and colorful characters, and this blog seems to feature both.

Dojo Rat is a new (November '06?) blog with a concentration of Kenpo, plus other concepts and styles. I like the video content, and unassuming quality of the clear writing style.

As always, I link to sites I like, but also which enhance the training of our readers, so please check out these and other links on the sidebar. Enjoy!

Great Thai Clinch Article

Read Roberto Pedreira's fine work, "The Subtle Science of the Muay Thai Clinch," when you can. It's excellent.

Also see some of our posts:
Best Defense Against Knee
Fighting in the Clinch
Defend the Thai Clinch
Takedown Counter to Thai Clinch and Knee
Pull Back, Not Down!
Throw from the Thai Clinch
Why You Don't Duck Out of a Thai Clinch

The Thai clinch is just one of many clinching techniques. It's important to know them, and be able to use and counter them. Most fights involve some grappling, and those who don't know it are likely to be a victim of that ignorance.

Back to work!

Goodin on Grandmasters

Karate Thoughts Blog's Charles Goodin on the plethora of "grandmasters."

What is the term for "Grandmaster" in Japanese or Okinawan? Is there such a term, or is this an American term that we have adopted for great Karate people?

Is a "Grandmaster" a "Hanshi" or a "Judan"? What is the standard?

Please answer this question. Who was the founder of Goju-Ryu?

Did you answer "Chojun Miyagi" or "Grandmaster Chojun Miyagi"?

Who introduced Karate to the Okinawan school system?

Did you answer "Anko Itosu" or "Grandmaster Anko Itosu"?

If Chojun Miyagi and Anko Itosu were not Grandmasters, then who was? Wasn't it enough for Sokon Matsumura to be called "Bushi"?

Is a "Grandmaster" someone who has produced a student who is a "Master"? Then what happens when the student himself produces a "Master"? Does the Grandmaster" become a "Great Grandmaster"?Is there no end to this?

Read it all.

Added "Instructional" Category

I have added the Instructional category. It's for posts which contain step-by-step photos or a breakdown of technique. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

Added Categories

I have categorized posts all posts from 2004 and 2005. All that remains is to do the same for 2006. The only issue is that '04-'05 have a total of 103 posts, whereas 2006 encompasses 539 posts, so far!
I will try to do about a month each day until they're done.

Please check out the Best of TDA (best posts, in my humble opinion) on the sidebar, and don't forget to subscribe (scroll down)!

Thanks for reading TDA Training!
________________________

Update: Now categorized through February 2006

Today's TDA Tip: Lose the kurotty stance!

Watch any martial arts flicks where our here sees the bad guys, they see him, then they circle around him while he drops his weight, widens his stance, and puts up his dukes? See anything wrong with that? I do, and here's why:

A stance should never be perceived as such before something happens. Don’t show your stuff before you have to, because surprise is the best weapon we have. Don’t stand like a wrestler, boxer, or kicker. If I was on the side of the perceived threat, in other words the potential assailant or his friends, if I saw someone drop down into a “kurotty” stance, I’d perceive that person as a greater threat than before, and shoot, stab, or gang-attack him. When you give up the element of surprise you've given up your best chance to get out of an attack or confrontation in one piece. One other point is that witnesses who aren't in earshot may perceive you as the instigator. Your stance and demeanor may be interpreted as threatening, then any attack by the bad guy(s) may be understood as defensive. You don't want to get in trouble.

The solution to all of this is to stand in a non-threatening, subtle, defensive stance. Raise your hands in front of you, palms out to show you mean no harm, and take a very small step back with the foot you like in the rear. Then, slightly bend your knees to facilitate an explosion forward or sidesteps to evade. This is the time to use your [verbal skills] to talk your way out of a situation, if possible. While talk, notice escape routes and environmental barriers, scan your new friend and others for potential weapons, and keep an eye on his body language to sense his intent. Last, I would try to position myself so that there is no one behind me. A wall, column, car, or desk is a good thing to have at your back in circumstances like this.

See previous posts (Joe Lewis on "the fastest technique") for some other ideas.

Thanks for reading. Email and comments are welcome.

UPDATE: Tony Blauer has a few words on this as well. Check it out.

Why you don't duck out of a Thai clinch

RSS Feed pause during updates

I am updating all previous posts, and what's happening is that the RSS feed updates each change, so subscribers are getting tons of updates from old posts. I am going to pause the feed until the updates are complete.

What I am doing is tagging each post with categories for easy reference as you will see on the right sidebar. Please email with any suggested categories to add or change.

I'm liking the new format

The Blogger Beta format is excellent. The Categories feature is, to me, the best addition. Hope you like it.

There may be some changes

I am switching this blog to the new Blogger version, and there may be issues. Stay tuned!

On "backing down"

Let's say you are in line to use the ATM or get a cup at your local convenience store and some dude decides that his time is more valuable than yours: he steps in front of you in the line. What do you do? One response, and an understandable one, may be to tell the perpetrator where he can go. Let's walk through consequences here:

1. You tell him off, he ignores you. It escalates into something physical and someone gets hurt.


2. You tell him off, he apologizes and slinks to the back of the line like a good boy.


3. You tell him off and he shoots you, thereby ruining your week.

If we leave your fantastic fighting skills and ten world bareknuckle combat championships out of the picture for a minute. In all of these cases, someone has lost "face." If you allow the infraction (by ignoring him), it may burn you up so much that it's all you talk about for the next two weeks. On the other hand, if you tell him off, you have raised the ante to where he is forced to respond or lose face. You have actually taken a situation up a notch when it wasn't necessary.

My advice is to leave it alone. Leave the escalation to someone else. We want to avoid, and if necessary, finish up situations, not cause them. We have an ethical obligation, with the great potential for harm in our hands and feet to restrain ourselves, and control our emotions. Your approach may be different, but I also look upon the use of potentially lethal force as a lose-lose situation, and I hate to lose!

Tags: Self-defense

There is hope!

I often lament the work ethic and lax morals of the younger people now, probably in the same manner that my elders have done with my generation. Be of good cheer - there is hope! I met an outstanding young man of sixteen named James a couple of weeks ago on a flight from Kansas to DC.

James was gregarious, striking up a conversation with me almost immediately, and within about an hour, I knew what his ambitions and plans for the future were. He was also Qan experienced young martial artist, having trained in Wing Chun and TKD, but mostly self-trained and taught. After the subject came up, his face lit up as he pumped me for information on the different systems I taught and studied, on my recommendations for his training, and on "realistic" self-defense. He had a great grasp of martial arts etiquette, was very respectful to me, and others, and also seemed to have good ideas on technique and tactics. Impressive.

I wish James all God's blessings in life, and extend an open invitation to train with us and share his knowledge. James, give me a call or email when you are back in the DC area!- Nathan

Resisting Rape: Teaching Women's Self-Defense

I just read Ronin's post on resisting rape on his blog. He brings up some good points. One of the hardest subjects to cover in teaching martial arts is handling a rape situation. I remember assisting at a women's self-defense seminar when I was about 15 years-old and a woman breaking down as she was trying to learn the techniques. She had been raped, and also physically abused by her husband. She needed more than the standard Karate techniques she was learning that day. Make no mistake, teaching women's self defense is a calling that few are prepared, or qualified, to do. I have now been teaching it for about 20 years in a seminar format, and have a few opinions I'd like to share.

1. Many, if not most of the women who should be taking self-defense classes aren't going to do it. Like the lady cited in my example above, they are too afraid and emotionally damaged to take that step.


2. You need to adapt your techniques to your subject. Many techniques taught in a standard curriculum aren't suitable for women. You need to either modify the techniques you teach or get new ones that will work on a much larger attacker. Many instructors (male and female) mistake what is effective for them with what will work for a scared woman who is usually weaker than her attacker. One way to check this is to try your techniques on someone who is much larger and stronger than you, or have a regular student or instructor do it. An eye-opener for me was when I tried some of my techniques on a 6'5" 275 pro football player. I learned quickly what wouldn't work. If I couldn't make it happen, can an untrained woman?


3. Psychologically prepare your students to do whatever it takes to survive. Often, they aren't willing to be vicious enough to successfully stop or maim an attacker. I typically ask my seminar participants whether they have children. I point to someone who raised her hand and ask her what she would do to protect them. She will usually say, "anything!" I then tell everyone to think of what will happen in a home invasion rape to their kids after the rapist has killed her. It changes the perspective a little. Many don't value their own lives nearly enough, but cherish their children. Use that!


4. Don't start teaching your physical techniques from a stand-up position; start with the "victim" down and an attacker on top of her. How many times have you seen or heard of a male mugger or rapist confronting a woman, squaring off with her, then grabbing her or punching her as he would a male subject? Women wake up in their beds with someone on top of them; they are grabbed by the hair and thrown to the ground, or intimidated into complying with verbal commands by the presence or voice of the scumbag. What sense does it make to teach someone who's depending on you to impart something which could save her life a technique that she may never use? Teach her how to maim or stun an attacker such that he can't chase her, or that he has to seek an emergency room to help put his eye back in it's socket. Start down, then work your way up.


5. Use as many male volunteer attackers as you can get. If a skill can be effectively executed on a strong male in a safe environment, it will build the confidence and instinct to resist when the time is right. Teaching someone how to do something ineffectively is worse than teaching nothing at all.


6. Follow up with literature from your local police department or the Web that details crime prevention strategies. Make sure they leave knowing how to walk confidently and to use their voices. Hook them up with good information on purchasing a handgun and names of instructors, courses, and ranges to learn and maintain their skills.


7. Encourage regular participation in a martial arts curriculum that focuses on self-defense, even if it's not yours.

If you have any questions or comments, please email us or comment. All comments are reviewed before posting, and usually elicit a response comment within 24 hours.

Tags: women's self defense, rape, karate

UPDATE: Read this DefendU Q & A for a good example of a technique I also teach (as the "grounded defensive position").

Today's Quote - Tyson on "plans"

"Every fighter's got a plan until they get hit in the mouth." – Mike Tyson

I love that quote. Sometimes we just want to fight "our fight," and to train the way we want to train. Most of us will never fight at a championship level in anything, but if we are interested in being able to successfully fight for our lives, that means that we need to plan for the worst. What are you more likely to face, a national-level TKD player or a drunk? What types of techniques are you likely to face? Is it more important to train versus the axe kick or versus the tackle?

I used to focus on drilling my side kick for hundreds of reps a week, sometimes thousands. I could stop virtually anyone in their tracks, and once knocked someone out of the air with it by merely extending it with perfect timing - no power. I don't worry about doing it nearly the same amount today because I realize that it's not as important as it once was. I focus more on fighting out of a natural stance; I train more versus hands than feet. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the fun of dealing with stylized techniques or sport as much as the next fellow, but it's not the biggest part of my "plan." Back to work!

Infrequent posting

Due to my workload, travel, and getting the house ready to sell, I expect to be posting less frequently, kind of like now! Expect 1-2 posts per week, rather than per day, as I was doing for a while there.