Judo Monthly or not? One man's opinion

Patrick from Mokuren Dojo has a thoughtful review of Judo Monthly posted on the superb forum CoCA forum. Check his review thread out, then post comments there.

Back away from the ledges!

I know things have been slow here at TDA. I've been slammed with a bunch of work and travel, and had to choose between getting the infamous Convocation of Combat Arts Forum started with my fellow fighting blog friends, or posting. I chose the forum, 'cause it's been in the works for so long. Most of my free time has been invested in trying to fix up the house more so it'll sell and we can move to the Pittsburgh area. Lots of work, let me tell you!

Don't jump, however, we have a bunch of good posts in store:

• I am reviewing "Termite, An Olympic dream that inspired the world," a book whose subject I recently met.
• I also received an interesting package on women's self-defense from Paladin to review, done by one of the most interesting people in the martial arts world, Melissa Soalt. I'm going to try to finish that by next week, in conjuction with an interview.
• I have a good number of new instructional material from MCMAP, the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program for you. You'll love it!
• I've got one ready to go on the continuum of force. I just need to put some finishing touches.
• Another book is on the way, and it sounds really interesting. Details to come...
  

So I haven't been slacking as much as you've probably thought!

New MA forum opens to Thunderous Applause!

Check out the new Convocation of Martial Arts Forums! It's a combined effort of the best MA bloggers around, to cut through all the classical, and non-classical mess, and give us somewhere to talk up the good posts of the day, discuss the latest secret death strike we've learned, or hang out and chat about whatever.

There are unconfirmed rumors of it being a "secret society," but it's not that cool yet. Hmmm... Give it a try here, and join the fun!

Please read these other fine supporting MA blogs:
Dojo Rat
Boot to the Head
Striking Thoughts
GrappleArts.com
Black Belt Mama
Martial Views
fightclub.gaijindo.com
The Blue Wave Taekwondo School
MMA-Training
Mokuren Dojo
Plus more to come shortly!

Cross 'em or not?

Stephan at the Grappling Tip of the Week Blog on whether or not you should cross your ankles when doing a basic armbar. A good read.

Hock on the Five Minute Rule

"Have you heard about the Five Minute Rule? It goes like this. If someone shows me a fighting tactic or technique, and I can't learn it in five minutes. Its worthless to me. Or, if I show someone something and they cannot learn it in five minutes, its worthless. It is a rule that declares if a move is too complicated and too hard to learn it should be forgotten, after...well...five minutes."

Interesting idea, and perhaps it has some merit. Think, though, about how many techniques you know that aren't learned until later in your training. Call them advanced techniques, or whatever you want, but they can't be taught to a beginner with any degree of confidence that they'd be absorbed in that amount of time. I think that, geared to the audience's skill and experience level, the idea may have some validity, but without that caveat, it means that most of us (myself included) are simpletons, or that many techniques are worthless. Thoughts?

Hock has more to say on this. Read the rest from his 5 May 2007 post (scroll down). You can also comment on his forum, which is extensive.

TDA Training adding Reviews, Current Reading, and the fabled Forum!

FYI, I am adding back the current reading and informal book reviews to the site. I fly almost every week, and tend to devour a book every one to two weeks (at least), so this will be easy. I don't have the time to do extensive research and write reviews of my casual reading, so those will be called the TDA Training Coffee Table, and will be located on the sidebar. I'm just going to tell you how I liked it, and what it was like without spoiling it for you. I hope you will comment with your opinions, if you've read the same books, or with recommendations for me so that I don't go stir-crazy on those planes. :-)

I'll also be adding book and video reviews, and calling it TDA Training Reviews as a category, and review martial arts training materials, from media such as books, video, and Web sites, to training equipment or methods. These will be more formal, and include a breakdown of how the material can be used, the methodology or theories behind them (as I understand it), and whether I think it'll be effective. If I don't know, I may send the material to one of my many MA blogging friends that you see on the sidebar, and ask their opinions before publishing. I want to include some kind of rating system, and will link back to the publishers and authors. I'll also start doing more interviews. I don't want to recommend things which are useless, and pledge full disclosure of anything that may color my opinions. Keep in mind, these will be my opinions only, and though I've trained in a lot of styles in my ~30 years in the martial arts, they are not to be considered any more or less valuable than anyone else's. That's why want your feedback in comments.

Finally, with the community of martial arts bloggers, I will be setting up the mythical forum. No promises on the date, but look for that soon in a rough form, and for constant improvements. I don't want to keep putting it off until it's "perfect," 'cause it'll never happen. ! I know that there are a lot of forums or bulletin boards out there, but the difference will be that it won't be on any one style or centered on any one site. It will be linked from a number of excellent blogs (and TDA, too!), and may be moderated by a number of us. The differences will be in your participation and the topics. Let's see how good we can make it together!

Clark Kent? No, Superman!

I was just thinking about someone who once taught for me at my main school (we had three). Let's call him Mr. Eric, as our students did. I wasn't too impressed by what I saw on the surface. Mr. Eric was tall, somewhat thin and gangly, and awkward-looking. He later told me the story of how he became an instructor and black belt: he had a friend who was a black belt, and went to an open karate tournament with him. As he left the tournament, he told his friend he wasn't too impressed by what he saw, and thought he could take 'em. If you saw Mr. Eric, you'd probably think accountant, but he had the heart of a lion, and kicked like the proverbial mule! He rose to the challenge of his friend, and, with a few weeks training, entered an open tournament with a borrowed black belt, and placed! He trained for a while with his friend, and less than a year thereafter, applied as an instructor with a chain of schools that some would call "McDojos", but I knew had a pretty good TKD system, 'cause I taught for them. He got the job.

Mr. Eric had a lot of catching up to do - he had little knowledge of forms, or of why techniques worked. What he lacked in experience, he made up for in discipline: he could repeat, and teach everything you showed him in the same manner, including explanations and examples. He was uncanny in how he stuck to the curriculum and lesson plans. I would often feign death as I heard him drone through the same example and sermon to his students on how and why you do a technique, and... his students were awesome! I'd say that, due to his lack of background, he was the finest instructor I saw at bringing beginners up to brown belt, then handed them off. His standards were so high that he rarely let anyone take even a pre-test without drilling them on the test multiple times. His superb preparation for his students was so ironic because, himself, had never formally tested for a single belt, other than black!

What may also stand out to many of his students was his abilities to spar. Mr. Eric had little control (never learned it), and if he didn't see the value in a particular technique immediately, he had no time for it. I helped him develop pretty good hands, and a better side kick than black belts with decades more experience, but the timing he had in the ring was all his own. He had a habit of leading off with his feet, getting close, pressing with his hands, then when his unfortunate opponents retreated straight back, he'd nail them in the side of the head with a perfectly timed back-leg roundhouse kick. Devastating.

Even more than his natural ability and discipline, what strikes me still today was Mr. Eric's wonder, warmth, and innocence. He had a strangely childlike excitement at the everyday things, and the ability to cheer up a discouraged youngster. He'd chew out a grown man, fifteen years his senior, then turn the criticism on himself in a way that made the student understand what he meant. He was a loving husband and father, talking excitedly about his new wife, then his young son. I miss him.

After we parted ways (he needed to earn more than I could afford to raise his young family), I heard that he fell off a ladder and struck his head on a windowsill while doing some minor home repairs. I am ashamed to admit I couldn't handle it. It still chokes me up today. I have no idea where he is, or what he's doing today. At the time, I heard that there was major brain damage, and he may have been paralyzed.

One of the other instructors always called him "Clark Kent!" To me, Mr. Eric will always be Superman...

Love one another. Thanks for reading TDA Training.

New Link - Formosa Neijia

Thanks to Dojo Rat, I've been turned on to Formosa Neijia, a blog by an internal martial artist who moved to Taiwan to study "xingyiquan, baguazhang, and taijiquan." I read a couple of posts after seeing DR's link, and am hooked on reading this blog. I've never formally studied Chinese internal MA, but the practical applications intrigue me, thanks to this and Dojo Rat's posts. Thanks DR!

Pic of the Day: It is a Thin Blue Line

Howstuffworks on How Pickpockets Work

I love the site, HowStuffWorks.com, and often just browse it for the sheer enjoyment of learning something translated into layman's terms. Usually something we use in everyday life, or may experience. One such subject is pickpockets. Check out their article on this common crime, and how to prevent it, "How Pickpockets Work."

"Pickpocketing is one of the oldest and most widespread crimes in the world. The appeal is its relative safety: A skilled pickpocket can make off with just as much money as an armed robber, without much danger of confrontation or risk of being identified in a line-up. By the time the victim even realizes what has happened, the pickpocket is long gone."

Dojo Rat videos up on YouTube

I noticed that Dojo Rat, our favorite internal/external style (both) MA blogger, has also added a video bar on his site (the copycat!), but I wanted to make sure you had quick access to all of them at YouTube. Watch and learn!

And the best fight is...

Boot to the Head muses on Twitchguru's list of Top 10 Movie Fights. I've seen some of those on the list, and would only add the knife fight in Saving Private Ryan for it's intensity and reality. I could actually feel the knife start to pierce the chest of the GI, and feel the desperation in his eyes as he pleaded with the German to spare his life. Gritty...

Debates like this are fun because they can go on forever, like asking, "Who's the best fighter of all time?" Good list, though.

Update: Dojo Rat reminds us of the epic battle with the bikers in Billy Jack!

Covering up in a streetfight

I've been meaning to post for a while on the subject of covering up, after Patrick at Moruken Dojo asked for my thoughts on his post on a non-violent technique, and George at Boot to the Head posted on an example of someone covering up in the ring (see video after reading his post).

In both cases, the authors are right - covering up is a horrible tactic. In the Moruken example, the young lady is being taught a technique for protecting herself while on the ground, though it's obvious from the context that it's being used for shielding herself from kicks or blows from above while she lays prone, and that it's either for a civil rights or other protest context. In Boot's example, one fighter is pinned in a corner and, as George says, hoping that the bad man will go away! What are the merits and drawbacks of this common ploy?

In the "Nonviolent self-defense" context, it may not be a bad idea. Throughout recent history, consciences around the world have been stirred by the sight of the powerful victimizing the powerless. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. helped bring an end to empire and racial injustice by highlighting the moral injustice of their respective causes. Those effects were brought about by their eschewing of violence to achieve their goals, leaving that to their adversaries. Amazing! For this reason, I actually think that the tactic employed in training this young woman to "take it" may have been the right one - it achieved it's aims. For self-defense, however, it's piss-poor. A better alternative is the grounded defensive position pictured in this post.

If you find yourself on the ground, whether man or woman, in a self-defense situation, your legs aimed at a standing attackers knees and shins are your best weapon. Don't try to get up without making sure you have room and time. Believe me, this is not an ideal tactic, but it's serviceable, and, in fact, one of the best tactics for a child or smaller person if you have to strike. Train this, no matter what your size or skill level.

In George's post, however, ring competition versus a larger or otherwise superior fighter, covering up is a good way to get beaten down! If you are cornered by a superior fighter, you become target practice. I often tell my students that any fighter, mediocre or not, can slip, parry, duck, or block a punch, and that a decent fighter can stop a two-punch combo without a problem. A three (or more) punch barrage by a superior fighter means that everything past number two is probably going to hit you. Tactically, your best advice is to run - in the ring, that means keep moving laterally and avoid mixing it up. On the street, it may mean running away like your life depends on it, and it probably does! In the ring, you can use that side to side and angled movement, and when the better fighter traps you by cutting off the ring and pinning you in a corner, clinch and hold for dear life; check him and tie him up! On the street, you have no idea if it's a fist or buck knife coming at you. If you cover up versus a punch from an opponent without wearing gloves, you'll get hit (there's not enough coverage by your arms and fists), but against a knife, you will probably die. George also advises us to learn "how to move in the ring. Practice controlling the center. Practice footwork. Practice fighting while moving backward as well as forward. Practice rotating out of corner. Practice those sneaky kicks to the ankle of your foe (you know, the ones that kick the leg out under him). We do a lot of defensive corner drills in Savate training, because a practical fight strategy has to allow for blocking and shifting out of danger until you can control the fight again."

Let's sum this up for posterity...

In civil disobedience:

• Make your point without getting hurt. Covering up should be done as long as you're in view of cameras. If out of camera shot, use the grounded defensive position to hold off an attacker and get to your feet, then away.

In the ring:

• Covering up is suicide (figuratively) against a superior adversary. Don't use it unless you have to.


• Move laterally and at angles away from the strong hand (or foot) to take away the power. Stay at the distance that you can counter when your superior opponent punches himself out, a la "rope a dope," just without the rope!


• Tie up your opponent when he's close enough to unload, by using the clinch, trap, check, bump, and the offensive hug!
  

On the street :

• Your best bet is to keep your distance. Use natural obstacles to keep something between you and an attacker.


• Take whatever opportunity that presents itself to escape, including running, if possible. When entering any area or room, always note possible threats and escape routes.


• Never cover up - if you need to, attack to create openings, turn the tables on the predator and become the hunter in turn. Attack the weapons of your attacker - the arms and legs to "defang the snake" as we say in the Filipino martial arts.


• Or, if you see it, go for the KO, and Joe Lewis and Geoff Thomson agree, the right cross to the jaw will change anyone's attitude in a hurry.
  

Finally, you will see that in all of these cases, proper and consistent training is critical. The non-violent protestor must learn to make a point without being maimed. The sport competitor must develop the skill and conditioning to become the superior fighter, not succumb to one. The rest of us, including law enforcement, security, and the military infantryman must train as if our very lives depend on it, because they do...

One thing I learned today...

.... is that sitting in the back of a small commuter jet near the rest room really (unfortunately, literally) stinks! Count your blessings and enjoy your day!

What's wrong with covering MMA?

The question of why TDA Training doesn't cover MMA, primarily UFC and Pride has come up, and I want to address it so that there is no misunderstanding about that. There are several reasons why we don't feature the mixed martial arts:

1. MMA personalities and competition results don't jibe with the TDA Training focus - our focus is on learning and sharing the best techniques and training methods for effective self-defense, defensive tactics, and combatives applications. Nowhere in those subject areas do you find Wanderlei Silva, Brandon Vera, or Rampage Jackson. In other words, it's not that we don't enjoy watching MMA, it's just not what we do!
2. Other sites do it far better than we ever could. I probably don't know eighty-five percent of all the top MMA fighters. In fact I probably know less than the casual MMA fan. I'd think that would be a prerequisite for covering the sport. Sherdog, MMAFighting, and MMAWeekly do a fantastic job, have insider contacts and information, and have an historical perspective make for great coverage of bouts and personalities.
3. I don't have cable (sob!). Right now, with our house on the market, we've cut our cable to bare-bones basic, and while it's still technically cable, come on! I don't have Spike, VS, or any other channel that shows MMA. The closest I get is hotels, and that's not often enough because many don't have those channels either!

So, while I love watching MMA, I don't really care that much about the stories and personalities. I love the sport - it's as close to real fighting as you'll see on the small screen, but don't really care about the hype that's required to want to cover it. What techniques work, and why, but not who does them, with only a couple of exceptions.

Pic of the Day 5/11/2007

Kid's gonna hate Tolkien...

Rear Choke Defense

This is one of many options you have when someone is foolish enough to attack you.

As Sam watches, I am accosted by a scary-looking, bald dude with a mustache. He grabs me around the neck, attempting to choke me. Thanks, Sam for just watching...

To defend, simply counter by grasping the forearm, keeping your airway clear, dropping your hips below your opponent's, then straighten your knees to apply a gentle shoulder throw. Enjoy!

What My Broken Finger Has Taught Me

At the end of every training session, after our fine motor skills have been worn down by fatigue, we do something that we call a "burnout," where we round-robin sparring, groundfighting, or grappling until we are so gassed that we can't go anymore. On April 14, we decided to do some submission grappling, starting from a dominant position as our burnout, and in one particular round, I started out in top position in side control on Sam, then, as the round progressed, I got his back, and decided to darken his day with a little rear naked choke action. What's a little RNC between friends, eh? Anyway, Sam managed to get to an exposed finger (my left index), and bent it in a way that it shouldn't bend. I just took the brace off a couple of days ago, but I think it's never going to be the same.

Here's what I learned:

1. I need to work on my rear naked choke! I should never have put my digits in an exposed position to get grabbed, then bent back like a wishbone! I need to watch I need to work on my RNC! Bad technique put me at risk of the fingerlock to begin with! Watch Stepahn Kesting's superb Roadmap for the Rear Naked Choke. Don't make the same mistake I did! And stay in school...


2. Small joint manipulation won't end a fight. Don't count on it, anyway. I was so determined to squeeze Sam's neck, that the fingerlock didn't phase me, nor did I tap. Keep this in mind for your self-defense training and tactics, in the same way you think of eye gouges and biting. Part of your tactics, but not something to base your whole self-defense philosophy.


3. I have had to modify my training by wearing boxing gloves for a while, even as my training partners and students wear MMA gloves or nothing. We tend to drill grappling as part of self-defense, and include striking, kick, and eye jabs. In other words, groundfighting is a part of our training, but not all of it. Having the boxing gloves on has forced me to concentrate on postion relative to my opponent (standing) to avoid being taken down, and on reversals when I do go to the ground, but most of all, I've improved my striking when fighting someone who can grapple. Usually, have more of a focus on getting the dominant grip so I can beat someone at his own game when on the ground. Now, I am more conscious of getting back to my feet, as well as using stomps, knees, knee drops, and grounded kicking when I go down. I am also using my reversal improvements to get mounted and pound! Isn't it amazing what losing one ability can do to another?


4. I should have tapped. It was stupid to be so stubborn. As a former kickboxer and boxer, I am used to fighting on after getting nailed hard. Grappling is different. Though it didn't hurt that much, I should have utilized the tap and then walked through how I got into the predicament. Pride!

I hope you've learned from my experience, 'cause I know I did. Have a great day!

Sometimes basic is best

Charles Goodin speaks with his usual wisdom and insight (Karate Thoughts Blog: Countering Intricate Techniques):

If someone applies a joint lock to you, there probably is a counter. But if you do not know the counter or if it is too late to apply it, sometimes a crude, rough technique works the best.

Many martial artists do not know how to handle being slammed to the ground or into an object.

So true. So true. Read his whole post, then think about it, and drill. I was showing Mike a few days ago how I do what I call "keeping the initiative," keeping my opponent back on his heels and driving through him with strikes, shoulder bumps, pushes, checks, and forearms. I didn't tell him I was going to do it, I just did, then it opened his eyes - he stopped the round and asked me about it, then proceeded to do the same to me for the next two exchanges. To me, as an instructor, it means he got it. It's basic, crude, but effective, like Mike, himself!

We can apply countless examples of this. Remember basic beats complex, in many cases. Can you think of some examples?

How to Roll

I love this! These guys teach the correct technique to forward roll (mae ukemi) with a sense of humor. I learned a lot, and I think you may too. Watch!



From the Team Ukemi site:
Team Ukemi™ was founded by Richard Maier, Fredrik Christiansson and Erik Dalin. It was originally created to be a small group of Bujinkan practitioners who had a deep desire to excel in the art of taihenjutsu. Since then Team Ukemi™ has grown and widened.
The main focus of the training is breakfalls, acrobatics, martial art trickz and parkour. The goal is to master the motion of your own body in every direction.

Chuck Norris on the Greatest Martial Arts Champion

Chuck Norris gives an opinion on this subject which may surprise you. Some may not have know that he now writes a blog, and his perspective, spanning decades in the martial arts, is always interesting reading. Check it out.

Update: Bob at Striking Thoughts has posted his interesting perspective on this, including an interesting segue into the subject of "Christian Karate" organizations. Once again, Bob strikes a chord (intended!):

I do know that the dojang is one of the FEW places where I can forget all my problems and focus on one thing: Martial arts. In fact, we even have a tradition of leaving our shoes outside of our studio’s door. Part to signify that we are leaving all our troubles “out there” while we focus on one thing in the studio. If you want to bring Jesus, Zeus, Allah, or any other deity in you can but you need to keep it on the inside.

While a private studio or church certainly has the right to Christianize the martial arts and even exclude non-Christians that’s not what bothers me. When certain schools take it to the extreme they stifle learning, tolerance, and growth.

Pretty Serious Karate

Excellent demonstration video of the Japan Self-Defense Force Karate system. Watch!

Pic of the Day 5/5/2007

Ballistic!

Thumb Wrestling Keys to Success

I was just catching up on my reading and came upon this hilarious post by Boot to the Head on the esoteric martial art of... thumb wrestling, The Way of the Thumb (would that be Thumb-Do?). Since my 10 year-old son and I engage in this form of combat (we practice the Thumb-Jutsu variant of this ancient art) every time we wait in line at a fine dining establishment, or while his mom or sister are shopping (very often), I found this very edifying, and busted a gut laughing as well. George, how do you do it?

Excellent TKD training material

If you are a Taekwondo practitioner, or just play one on TV, you'll appreciate the Blue Wave Taekwondo School site. It's a blog for the students and instructors of the school, but they have taken the time and energy (and I know how much that takes) to detail techniques and drills on video, then share them with us. Most instructors would charge a pretty penny for information like this, but instructor Gordon White allows you to view it for free. For Olympic-style (WTF) TKD, I don't know of a better site. Also, the school's environment seems top-notch, from the outside looking in.

Kudos to Blue Wave! Check it out!

Laptop Theft Scam at Airports

Watch this.

Update: Sorry, just noticed I had put "Scan" and it should've been "Scam". Corrected.

Is Boxing Viable for Self-Defense?

In this day of grappling's rise to prominence, some may question whether boxing is a viable tactic or style for self protection. I think that's why Boxing for Self-Defense and MMA has been one of our most popular posts. If you have any doubt as to whether boxing can be used in self-defense, watch this fascinating video.

You'll notice that the man defending himself against the mob in this footage is following the principles of defending against multiple opponents. He's constantly moves, never lets anyone get behind him, keeps his weight forward on the balls of his feet, and actually attacks the mob rather than waiting for them to come to him. What can happen in the case of mob attack is a swarm, where someone is overwhelmed by the clutching mass of his attackers, taken down, and usually stomped or beaten into unconsciousness, if not death. Using footwork and straight punches the defender prevents them from grabbing him, much less taking him down. See the hesitation in the body language of the attackers as the "defender" sticks and moves, taking the fight to them. I especially like how he drops one guy with a stiff jab, and floors someone who attempts a lame kick! Watch it!

See the Multiple Attackers category, and our recent, Grab releases critical versus multiple opponents post with video examples of preventing someone from grabbing you.

Hat tip to AirSoft Canada forum.

____

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All rights reserved. Permission must be obtained before use. Copyright 2007

Pic of the Day 5/2/07

Flight of A-10s

Mayweather - De La Hoya Boxing's Last Gasp?

Boot to the Head has had some great coverage of the decline of boxing versus the rise of MMA/NHB competition, especially Pride and UFC brands. Boot just posted Can Oscar and Floyd Save Boxing, and it's right on track. Boxing has been on the ropes for several years, since the decline of Iron Mike Tyson, formerly the "baddest man on the planet," and now just another thug. Boot's take:

Fighting sports will have its biggest night of this year this Saturday as Oscar de la Hoya takes on Floyd Mayweather, Jr. This much anticipated fight features two of the best (and most popular) pound-for-pound fighters finally facing each other after years of protracted contract wrangling. But with the surging popularity of mixed martial arts events, will De La Hoya-Mayweather be enough to change perceptions that boxing is done?

Boxing has long lost the luster of what was considered the "manly art of self defense," and is now just a sideshow of champions no one has heard of, and bouts no one watches. For those who've loved boxing, as I still do, you can only lament the lack of organization, standardized rules, and unified belts.

Can Mayweather and De La Hoya save boxing? Sadly, I think it may be too late...

TDA Training Videos up on Google Video

Make sure you check out the videos from the "Featured Videos" near the top of the site. Or you can go to Google Video and just use the keywords "TDA Training Video" if you like. Also, anyone who'd like, is welcome to post or embed the video if you like.

Update: We are just starting to do the videos, so most are just clips of training, not staged/rehearsed. As we go along, expect the quality to improve. Thanks.- Nathan