Targets for the round and Thai kick

The Thai and roundhouse kicks (some styles (JKD) name this the hook kick as well) are probably the most versatile in our arsenals. It can be thrown with such speed, without a windup, and at almost any angle. No doubt, it should be considered one of your primary weapons, whether for self-defense, combative (military close-quarters) applications, MMA, or any other type of competition.

The round kick can also be thrown to nearly any target outside of the centerline. Let's examine some of the general targets:

Head and neck

All head attacks can be unpredictable; a blow to the head could yield an instant knockout, or have no effect. A roundhouse/Thai kick to this location is a relatively low-percentage attack because the head is relatively well-defended, and the the furthest target from the starting point of the technique (the ground). Kicks here should be used as a surprise, not as a staple of your arsenal. The benefits are that the temple, behind the jaw, and the side of the neck will usually yield a mild stun or knockout. Even a light, quick round kick to the head can floor someone.

For self-defense and combative purposes: I actually like the head kick a lot - as a surprise technique. Set this up by leg-kicking a lot. After slamming the leg kick a few times, your opponent will only be focused on defending down low when he sees you telegraph it, and that's when you should unleash the head/neck kick. If you overuse this kick, it will be your downfall, quite literally. I have fallen when using it in a controlled environment, and that could be lethal in a self-defense situation. Terrain (slick or not) and gradient (hilly or flat) play a large factor in whether to use this technique in self-defense. Some would say head kicks should only be done when your opponent is down, but that dogmatic approach doesn't always yield the best results.

Cautions: without control in sparring, this kick could severely hurt your partner. In self defense, a head kick, and uncontrolled fall can look bad to onlookers, especially if the attacker busts his head open on the pavement, leaving you open to criminal and civil liability. Use your best judgment here, folks.


Shoulders and arms

High percentage, but not recommended are kicks to the shoulders and arms, unless you're wearing heavy boots. Keep in mind that my perspective is self-defense oriented, so I always train with shoes now.

For self-defense and combative purposes: I wouldn't do it much. The target is too high, and the payoff is too low. The most you can reasonably hope for is stunning the arms, and the worst-case is that you fall on your butt, or that your leg is caught and you're dumped.

Cautions: there aren't really any dangers in doing this, except hitting an elbow, which, when training barefoot, can dampen your enthusiasm for kicking for a few minutes.


Trunk and hips

This should be a great target area - it's large and hard to defend the entire torso, but I don't recommend it unless it's from the correct angle. If your opponent is perpendicular to you, a great attack is to use the ball or toe and go right into the solar plexus, bladder, or groin. This is a medium percentage attack, and can do a lot of damage. Some of you are quick enough to hit the ribs when an arm is extended, but I only use that when I'm sparring and my opponent is expecting a head kick and extends his arms.

For self-defense and combative purposes: The groin and bladder are always great targets, but be careful of getting your leg caught. If you're wearing heavy boots.

Cautions: Same as shoulder and arms.


Thighs and calves

This is the best target, percentage-wise. A leg is almost always open for attack, and it's the quickest of the round kick targets, being level with the beginning of the technique. It's also great for setting up higher attacks, or even takedowns in sport applications. Aim for the spot between the quadriceps and hamstrings (peroneal nerve) when attacking the outside of the thigh, which can result in spasms in the leg, and mentally stun your opponents. To the inside of the thigh (femoral nerve), a round kick can cause severe pain and motor dysfunction for several seconds. The calves and shins are easily attacked as well, with nearly equal effect.

For self-defense and combative purposes: The legs are your best bet, and there are no downsides. There is little cost to you in terms of overcommitment or loss of balance, and this can be your fastest kick. Highly recommended for the reasons listed above.

Cautions: Again, few cautions here. Only worry is if you don't wear shoes. The advantage of kicking low is that you have more targets, and more predictable effect, with little chance of causing death or severe injury. My only worry would be kicking to the back of the legs can take down your opponent and cause severe injury.


Summary

Keep 'em low, but sneak em up. Hit hard and fast, and keep your feet on the ground most of the time.

UPDATE:
Fightclub.Gaijindo.com has a nice example of the round kick in sparring. An even better one here.

Pic of the day 4/29/2007

Fight the power?

Great Start Safety Dave

Loss prevention specialist and women's self-defense instructor "Safety" Dave has started a blog, and a very nice start it is!

Safety Dave's Safety Ruminations is a self-defense oriented blog with posts and links for those of us who are interested in personal safety for ourselves and those we care about. I hope to see more of his great posts. Check it out!

Pic of the day 4/27/2007

Healthy self-image!

Some great advice for new graduates

Charles C. Goodin has some excellent advice to pass along to graduating students, whether they train in martial arts, or not.

Deep in the swamp - TDA Blitz

I have been working so much in the past few days I haven't been able to post. A few thoughts and reflections:

How do you like the new layout? There's a new Google and YouTube video bar at the top of the site. If you mouse over the snapshots, the name and length of the video will appear. By clicking on it, it'll open an embedded player at the top of the blog. I think it's pretty cool. What do you think?

BTW, we are now posting the TDA Training Videos on Google Video for your viewing enjoyment. I only have about four up there now, but I may use it for hosting and sharing the vids. Use the keywords "TDA Training" to find ours. Pretty cryptic, huh? 8-)

Boot has an excellent post with video on covering up in a corner as a defensive strategy. Check it out. I will probably post on it soon, so please study ahead!

What else? You may remember a few weeks ago, I posted on the effectiveness of eye gouges and biting for self-defense. If not, read this. Weekend before last, while attempting to sink in a rear naked choke, Sam attempted to extricate himself with a fingerlock, and my left index finger was either broken or severely sprained. It didn't stop me at the time, but swelled up at the middle joint by 50% or so within a few minutes of the end of the training, and hasn't really healed. I learned a few things from that: 1) I should've immediately release him and tried another technique or angle - I had his back, be patient! 2) The technique didn't work. Sam should've disguised what he was trying to do by feinting to do something else, then gotten it definitely, as that could have caused me to tap. Again, patience. 3) I need to work on my RNC! Bad technique put me at risk of the fingerlock to begin with! Watch GrappleArts' Roadmap for the Rear Naked Choke for help on this. I am!

Moruken Dojo, Dojo Rat, and Striking Thoughts have had some awesome posts lately. Check them out! If you aren't reading them every day, you should be (after TDA Training, of course!).

More in a couple of day!

Kyle Wilson Tribute Held

Photo: Washington Post

The service for fallen firefighter Kyle Wilson was held in Prince William County's Nissan Pavilion yesterday, and was written about in today's Washington Post.

A Final Tribute to Firefighter's Passion for Duty

By Maria Glod and Theresa Vargas

Washington Post Staff WritersSunday, April 22, 2007; C01

Hundreds of firefighters stood in silence and saluted.

They had gathered to honor a rookie Prince William County firefighter who died Monday as he searched a burning house to make sure no one was trapped inside.

The family in that Woodbridge home had escaped, but Kyle R. Wilson, 24, and his
fellow firefighters did not know that. When the blaze, fueled by fierce winds,
suddenly intensified, he was trapped.

Wilson was the first Prince William firefighter to die in the line of duty in the
department's 41-year history.

Family members, friends and colleagues gathered yesterday at Nissan Pavilion to remember Wilson as a dedicated firefighter and a loving son and brother who made everyone smile with silly dancing and jokes.

"I can only hope that I find something to be as passionate about as Kyle was about firefighting," said his sister, Kelli Wilson. "He passed away doing what he loved, and he will always be my hero."

Officials still do not know what sparked the blaze that gutted the home on Marsh Overlook Drive. But in a preliminary review of the incident released this week, officials offered a chilling account of a fire that turned deadly within moments.

According to the report, the firefighters were called to the house at 6:03 a.m. Wilson's crew, No. 512 from the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton (OWL) Station 12, arrived six minutes later.

Flames were making their way up the side and the back of the home.

Vehicles were still in the driveway and the garage, officials said, leading firefighters to believe the family of seven might still be inside.

Wilson and Lt. Jason Reese went to the second floor. At first, there was little smoke, and they could see clearly.

The two were looking in the master bedroom when the door slammed shut, according to the report. They opened it to continue their search on that floor and were met by drastically different conditions. Visibility was zero, and the heat was extraordinarily intense. They tried to get out immediately.

The fire was unrelenting.

The roof and second-floor ceiling collapsed. Reese fell down the stairs, and Wilson was forced to head in a different direction.

It was 6:15 a.m. Wilson pushed his emergency button -- his radio call for help.

Officials said Reese and other firefighters tried to get to him, but they couldn't. Reese suffered second-degree burns on both ears and one finger trying to reach him.

"The initial reports demonstrate that Fire and Rescue crews were following procedure by working in pairs and maintaining physical contact until the catastrophic fire event forcibly separated them," reads the report. "The
severe wind conditions also had an effect on the intensity and rapid spread of
the fire."

Officials said it will take many months to complete the investigation and issue a final report.

Prince William Department of Fire and Rescue Chief Mary Beth Michos told mourners, many of them in their firefighters' uniforms from across the area, "Kyle performed like a seasoned firefighter. He did what he was taught, and he did it bravely."

She said the wind and sudden surge in the fire prevented fellow firefighters from saving Wilson, despite their efforts.

"Despite all the things that you did right, the circumstances were just against us," she said.

Wilson, who lived in Manassas with his brother, Chris, was born in Olney and grew up in Prince William County. He graduated from C.D. Hylton High School in 2000 and received a degree in athletic training from George Mason University.

Yesterday, Battalion Chief Timmy Keen recalled the first time he met Wilson. "At that recruit's breakfast, he greeted me with this smile that was unbelievable," Keen said. "Going to recruit school, he fell in love with the job." He had been a member of the department since January 2006.

One way firefighters cope with their stress, Keen said, is through humor, and Wilson quickly learned to banter. He recalled the recruit teasing another man about his passion for NASCAR. "He'd say, 'You're in love with Dale Earnhardt Jr.,' " Keen said. "He could dish it out with the best of them."

An online guest book, set up on the county's Web site, held more than 60 pages of messages just a few days after Wilson died. From across the nation, firefighters offered condolences. Then there were the local messages. A co-worker of his mother recalled how happy she was when her son got the county job.

One message simply read: "What do we say to a young man who sacrifices his life attempting to save others? Words are not adequate."

A fund in Wilson's name has been set up for his family. Officials said checks made out to the Kyle Wilson Fund can be sent to the Prince William Professional Fire Fighters, 5521 Mapledale Plaza, Dale City, Va. 22193.

MCMAP MAI Training - video

Cool video of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program's (MCMAP) Martial Arts Instructor (MAI) training from YouTube. This looks like a blast! Sorry I missed it... :-(

Next on my reading list...

My lovely wife kindly picked up "In the Dojo," by Dave Lowry for me, which is "A Guide to the Rituals and Etiquette of the Japanese Martial Arts." I've always enjoyed Mr. Lowry's column in Black Belt (since the 80's, I think), and I'm sure it's going to be good.

ValeTudo.com posted a brief review of "A Fighter's Heart," by Sam Sheridan. We were at Border's last night, which has the best Martial Arts section of any bookstore I've seen, had a couple of copies, and I'm itching to read it.

I'm mostly trying to catch up on personal email, though, which I've been neglecting (I'm a jerk about it).

Uchi-Mata for MMA - Karo Parisyan

Watch UFC veteran Karo Parisyan demonstrate Uchi-Mata, a traditional Judo throw. As Parisyan demonstrates, it can be done well with no gi, meaning that it's very applicable to self-defense or combatives applications. More Parisyan at GroundFighter.com.

I've posted before (see below) about how well Judo can work in self-defense, and how you rarely see it in the current crop of MMA fighters. This is an excellent representation of how you can make it work in MMA, or on the street.

See also:

Uchi-Mata on JudoInfo.com
Dose of Reality - Judo in MMA
What is the relationship of sport judo to unarmed combat?
Jon Bluming, Europe’s first Mixed Martial Artist
The Martial Art vs Sport Debate
Why Are Martial Sports Superior?

Better than Lara Croft? - video

Nice video for a Saturday afternoon. I love this old instructional video of Ju-Jitsu techniques. I think she's pretty awesome! Fix the makeup after slapping the guy around - cool!



Very valid techniques, and great explanation. If she's still around, I want to hire her!

The Three Cs of Sparring: Offense and Defense - repost

This is a repost of what I believe is a very good post on the basic tactics of sparring. Enjoy!

Read this post from February about, what I call, the Three Cs of Offense and Defense. I will elaborate here a little.

3 Cs of Defense:

1. Circle the opponent - You will find that, defensively, that the best habit (trained) to have it circling. What you do is step and slide to your left or right in a circle around your opponent while maintaining your facing (with respect to your partner) so that your can defend or fire. Remember that you want to circle away from the opponent's power hand or foot, which is usually in the back. That mean that if your partner's got his right in the back, circle counter-clockwise, or to your right about 75% of the time. The effect of this is to keep your enemy from "getting set," or ready to fire. He can't target you because the target keeps moving. Try it. NEVER move straight back because you'll get run down, and can't run backwards faster than your opponent can run forward.
2. Cover/Guard hand up - it should go without saying, but keep your guard up. I like to aim my lead at my opponent, and use the rear hand as my guard, along with my lead shoulder. NEVER give your opponent a free shot by leaving a straight path to your face.
3. Counter when able - get in the habit of firing back immediately after you block an attack, evade, or even when you get hit. If you wait, you opponent will attack again, and you'll never get the initiative.

3 Cs of Offense:

1. Close the gap safely - use a proper lead technique to close the gap. The first mistake my kickboxing coach had to clean up when I started training at a boxing gym was to make me lead before getting close to my opponent, not get close, then lead. Nothing will ruin your attack more than moving in without something to get you there safely. Read this post about it.
2. Cover by keeping the guard hand up - one hand should always be proving cover or protection while the other is in use. It should also be aligned to where it will guard against the most likely attack. When I am at kicking range, I keep my hands out in front and away because I don't have to worry about anything from the side. When I get in punching (outfighting) range, my rear hand is in front of me while my lead hand is aimed and firing. At infighting/clinching range, I cover to the side.
3. Clear the engagement safely – always have an "exit strategy" BEFORE you engage. I call that clearing (a Joe Lewis term). I like to check the arm and then clear to that side, bump my opponent and then clear at an angle, or make him miss, then just turn around to face him again because he's done the clear for me.

These basics should help any fighter in their stand-up/kickboxing game. The more you stick to them, the more successful you'll be. Get back to work!

Today's TDA Tip: Don't reach out - video

This is a repost from June 2006. I realized that I'd removed the video a long time ago accidentally. I think it's a very good illustration of the point about not "reaching" when sparring. Watch.

____________________________________

I mean a couple of things by this:

1. When striking, don't reach out (overreach) to hit your opponent. Close the gap safely, then strike from the proper range. Read this post to learn how to lead properly. The consequence of reaching are that, as you overextend, missing means you are off balance, and very vulnerable to counters. Most counter-punches are set up by forcing someone to reach.


2. Don't reach out to grab. Sometimes you want to tie someone up or clinch for a takedown. The problem with reaching out is that it's easy for your opponent to get away from the grab, and you are momentarily defenseless while your arms are out for the grab. Watch the video below for an example of this.

Does that help? Good!

New category - TDA Training Video

As you may have noticed, I've added the TDA Training Video category. It's a way to get to all the video content that we've generated here. If you see a YouTube or other embedded video that's not in this category, it's because it's not from TDA. Make sense?

Also, I am trying to finish up the categorizing of all of our posts - a formidable task. I still probably have about a hundred to do, so if you're seeing all the posts coming up on the feed, that's what it is.

Next up is the forum, so stay tuned. I've got a lot of great MA blogging friends on board, and we'll be working together on it.

Thanks for reading TDA Training!

Its a good day when we all get to go home...

I received this from a friend who's a firefighter in my area:

Firefighters say its a good day when we all get to go home...
Monday was a bad day at the firehouse.

He drove into the same parking lot I do. He walked through the same door. He went into the same bay that I do. He probably washed his hands in the same sink, ate breakfast from the same table and he checked out the same airpacks that I do. He was only 24.... the same age as me.

Kyle Wilson was a Prince William County Firefighter for only 9 months. On Monday, I was told, he was detailed to the Truck. He was on duty at 0600 and at 0602 a call for a structure fire was put out. Heavy winds were in the area which only made the fire roar more. Kyle would never know that this was his last day to live...

He went in doing his job. He was searching for occupants that were supossedly in the house. Little did anyone know they had safely gotten to a neighbor's house. Despite the daily hazards of firefighting, Kyle was just doing his job... the same job I do.

The fire ate at everything... the floor collapsed... Kyle got separated from his crew. He called his own "May Day" that I was told was clearer and more perfect then a training drill. Despite the horrific conditions, crews went in after him. A decision had to be made minutes later: do we risk all for one? At this point, the fire conditions were unbearable.

I was told that everything else went perfect that day. Crews later did the recovery of Technician Kyle Wilson. He was just 24. He did everything he was supossed to... jsut like he was taught. On Saturday, we will lie to rest one of our own. Brother Kyle Wilson sacrificed his life for saving others.

We are fortunate that we had never had a line of duty death in Prince William County. We are unfortunate it happened. The funeral services are scheduled for Saturday at Nissan Pavilion. Even if you didn't know Kyle, just please say a prayer for his family... both of his families. As Monday, April 16th we lost a Brother.

We don't know how fortunate we are having those in our midst who would willingly sacrifice themselves, put their lives in harms way for our protection, for our safety. Let's give thanks.

Please read about Kyle Wilson, and if you can contribute to his memorial fund, information is here.

Cross Armbar from the Mount - Video

UPDATE: I didn't explain this well when I made the video, but what made this opening happen was that Sam posted on Mike's face. When he did that, Mike tried to push him away, giving up an arm, which Sam took. That's what you should take from this, I think. W got that tip from Mark Hatmaker's excellent book, "No Holds Barred Fighting: The Ultimate Guide To Submission Wrestling." I'd recommend it.

Virginia Tech Massacre

A savage and evil attack at Virginia Tech today. Via Reuters.

At least 32 dead in Virginia shooting rampage
Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:43PM EDT
By Brendan Bush

BLACKSBURG, Virginia (Reuters) - At least 32 people were killed and more than two dozen wounded at Virginia Tech university on Monday in the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history, media said.

Fox News, CNN and the student-run university newspaper gave the death toll as 32. Officials earlier said at least 22 people were killed.

The rampage by what police believed was a lone gunman took place in two separate areas, first at a dormitory as students had begun criss-crossing the sprawling campus for morning classes, and then about two hours later at an engineering and science hall a half-mile away.

As usual, the mass murderer killed himself after committing his crimes. We don't have all the information yet, but I'm willing to bet that the gunman was alone in possessing a firearm, and knew that a school campus was one of the last placed he'd find those will or able to shoot back.

Join us in prayer for the families of the victims. And that something is done to better protect our kids.

***UPDATE: There's more commentary and information at Defend University's blog.

TDA's One-Year Anniversary

I know we started this blog back in 2004, but it really went live as a public martial arts blog just about one year ago. It was April 7 of 2006, and I decided that the beatings I was absorbing from my friends shouldn't fade into obscurity, but that we should share the love. And thus, I started publicly promoting this blog as Teodoro Defensive Arts, now TDA Training.

The idea in 2004 was to keep an online diary of what was going on in our training. Then it progressed to me discovering that it was helpful to link to good sources of information for my students, and from there it was a short jump to posting my own tips, tricks, and techniques. And in 2006, I decided to do my part at adding to classical and non-classical "mess" of knowledge by writing for anyone who wanted to read our stuff.

Well my friends, you've responded with overwhelming support. Our readership started out small - our first week we had just 94 visitors and 160 page views. It grew and grew, and now we are averaging over 1000 visits per week, with over 2000 page views (our recent record week was 2046, and 3008, but who's counting).

Anyway, we want to thank all of our loyal readers and friends who've told their friends, family members, or have linked to us. Just for that, you're all invited to my place!

TDA Blitz - April 15 2007

Martial Development has a nice little post called Black Belt Envy - "Let me tell you a dirty little secret about black belts.  They have no particular meaning at all." We've posted before on this subject, but it's got a slightly different take. Read it.

I know this is old, but this CNN story by Ashley Fantz, "Teen 'sport killings' of homeless on the rise" really strikes a cord on how kids are being raised without value for the lives of others.

ValeTudo.com points us to an online exercise and fitness journal, something we could probably all use, and even better, links to the 300 Workout, so that we can look like the guys in the graphic novel, I mean film. Check them both out!

Patrick at Moruken Dojo blog gives his thoughts on Positional vs. submission wrestling - "...which is better for a fight - positional or submission wrestling techniques. You might be surprised by my opinion."

The Dojo Rat crawls through the theory that Aikido was "...influenced by the circular Chinese arts such as Bagua or elements within the Tai Chi Chuan forms." Read both Is Aikido Of Chinese Origin?, and More On Aikido And Chinese Internal Arts for some possible answers. He's also got some new feature called "Cute Hippie Chick Of The Month," but I wouldn't know what that was. [*Wife could be reading this post!]

Hock Hochheim is having his, "Big 5 Seminar" in June.
Tackett on JKD.
Hock on hand, stick, knife and gun theme-connected tactics,
McCann on street survival, reality ground fighting.
Halleck on Panantukan Silat and Filipino Martial Arts.
Hughes on Military Combatives
More here.

and...

Boot to the Head had me laughing out loud with this post, "Bruce Lee Better than Da Vinci, Newton and Julius Caesar." And many more too!


Too many good things to read out there. I haven't even had time to read all of our own posts at TDA Training, so check them out and let me know what you think!

Don't miss a thing! Subscribe today!

If you haven't already done so, and millions (OK, that's a little exaggeration!) have, then subscribe today to the amazing TDA Training. It means you won't miss the latest great articles, cool pics, excellent tips, amazing videos, and all my opinions on things which matter - to those of us who like to kick, punch, choke, and otherwise abuse our friends.

See the links on the sidebar, or enter your email address to subscribe, so you can be a part of the "in" crowd!

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If you have no idea what this means, just use the Email subscriptions, or read this and decide which way to go.

It's easy, fun, and free, and a lot better than those little cards that always fall out of magazines when you're reading them at the newsstand!

MACP Guard Pass video

This is from the Modern Army Combatives Program. I always regarded it as the "give them a triangle" pass, but I'm going to try it. Any opinions on it?

Escaping the Top Mount with Strikes video

This is an illustration of reversing then escaping someone who gets into the mount, then attempts to pummel you. Important to escape quickly, and not absorb much punishment. Sport mode would be to stay in there, but I want to get away!



This is a new idea for us at TDA, instructional video with step-by-step breakdown. How do you like it? Should we do more? Feedback via comments or email is appreciated!

Pic of the day 4/15/2007

More natural selection? You may remember this from a couple of years ago. Periodically people do things that may make sense to them, but to the rest of us... I liken this fellow to someone who walks through the wrong part of town looking at a map, $800 Nikon hanging from his neck. Hmmm, can you say "prey," or perhaps pray?

Grab releases critical versus multiple opponents - video

In considering why you will be successful, or not, versus multiple opponents, it's critical to not get grabbed. Instead, you want to be able to check, trap, and control an opponent so that you can determine whom you will engage, and not get flanked. For more, read the whole Multiple Attackers category. The last place you want to find yourself versus multiples is on the ground, where you're likely to get stomped, knee-dropped, or kicked until you're dead or ineffective. Prevent all of that by knowing how to use grab releases.

In stand-up grappling, there are the following responses to grabs:

1. Releases
2. Reversals
3. Controls
4. Submissions
5. Throws and takedowns

Most important is to be able to get a release or reversal. Versus multiple attackers, if you try to go for more than that, you are engaged to the point where you are forced to stop moving laterally and can be taken down or overwhelmed. Don't do it. At most, use control techniques to move someone, but nothing more. Anyway, you're probably already watching the videos now, so I'll just end the lesson here.





I do have some multiple opponent video that I haven't posted. I'll try to dig it up and get it on here with analysis for you.

Slow... Motion... Training...

One of the staples of many instructors' teaching style for learning proper technique of strikes or kicks, or when teaching kata (poomse), is to have a student learn in slow motion. As an instructor, it's important to examine why we do things, and not just teach the way we were taught, so let's examine the purported benefits of training in slow motion.

One of the supposed benefits of training in slow motion has been to increase speed. That's bunk, and most of us realize it now. All you have to do is watch the best speed athletes in the world train, and you realize that they don't get fast by going slow! One of my all-time favorite Washington Redskins players is Darrell Green. A seven-time all-pro, Green won the NFL's Fastest Man competition four times, and, per his bio, was the "ifrst Redskin to run 40 yards in 4.2 seconds at the age of 40," and, a tribute to his training methods (and genetics), was the "First and oldest player in NFL history to play CB [cornerback] at age 41." One thing I can tell you is that I never saw Darrell Green training to be fast by walking. Point? Slow motion won't increase your speed!

Three things that slow-mo training will do for you are to help you learn techniques more quickly, learn proper body mechanics, and build proper muscle memory.

Common mistakes when teaching techniques are to teach them at regular speed, and to let a student drill or spar with the new technique too soon. Instead, teach the movements slowly but smoothly, and gradually increase speed and power, never to the detriment of technique. By sparring or drilling with a new technique too soon, the student will abandon the proper technique as to "win" the drill or sparring. Build the speed after you teach the technique, thereby preserving good form.

Body mechanics (the application of proper motion) for strikes, punches, and kicks can be learned best in slow motion because you feel the weight shift, the changes in balance and pressure, and which muscle groups to emphasize; whether to pull or push, and when. When I had students miss board breaks, I would go walk them through a technique, and they'd invariably make it after the slow motion rehearsal. Think of a golfer going through the motions of a putt before actually addressing the ball - body mechanics.

To summarize, while you won't increase speed by training in slow motion, but you can shorten the time to learn a new skill and build muscle memory.

Ok, now read this again - but more slooooowly this time!

Check out the new AIKIA site

I plan to attend the Karate College at Radford University in June, and noticed the nice redesign that the AIKIA site has undergone. Check it out! There are a lot of good articles and interviews on the site as well.

Also, if you get a chance to come out to the KK, look for me - I'd love to meet any of our readers. I'll be the bulky(!) white guy with a beard, devastatingly handsome, with the huge calves.

Pic of the day 4/9/2007

My super-secret, highly inaccessible, unbelievable training compound. You are welcome to join me here. Just getting here is the first test. Few have survived the training, but those that do are now a part of my plan to take over the world using martial arts alone - no weapons, only hand-to-hand. Moooohoooohaaahahaaaaaa!

Kesting on Training Dangerous Submissions

As a follow up to his excellent post, "The Dangerous Locks," Stephan Kesting has now posted help on how to train those dangerous submissions. We posted on this recently, and recommend this to everyone who grapples.

Are you still on TDA Training? Why? Get over to GrappleArts now! Move it!

Still reading? OK, you can have some of my Easter candy! Now go!

Thanks for the praise

Thanks to Sensei Patrick Parker at the Moruken Dojo blog for his compliments!

Parker says:

I highly recommend the TDA Training as an excellent read for anyone intersted in martial arts as well as an example of good blogging practices for other martial arts bloggers interested in improving their own sites. It is easy to see why Nathan's site is the top-ranked martial arts blog, getting well-over twice the traffic of the next highest-ranked blogs.

This old thing! Aw shucks! Thanks, Patrick. Nice to get kudos from those you respect. Check out his site - it's on our Links in the sidebar. My favorite sites and blogs are listed there, so check them out!

When Arts Become Sports

I love this Striking Thoughts post, "Chung Do Kwan vs. Shotokan" because it brings up something that's been on my mind often, the "watering down" of martial arts when they become sports. The post author is actually discussing what he sees as the striking (intended) similarities between Shotokan and the original techniques and forms of his style of Tae Kwon Do (TKD), Chung Do Kwan.

"Last night I’m perusing Half Price Books and come a across Chung
Do Kwan: The Power of Taekwondo by Simpkins. The taekwondo that this book
presents IS traditional Chung Do Kwan as practiced in the late 40s and 50s.
After perusing the book and the internet it appears that there as still schools
out there that teach taekwondo like this. Comparing it to the style that I am
learning was very interesting. The first thing I noticed is a greater emphasis
on hand techiques. The second thing was the fact that there are far fewer kicks
and they are not as complex; same for the footowork. I’m pretty sure that the
forms (aka katas) presented in the book are slight variations on Shotokan
katas."

I'm probably going to get in trouble for this with my TKD brethren (I hold a 3rd Dan in ITF, and a 2nd in WTF-style), but oh well! Many TKD practitioners may not know that:

• The original Kwans (schools or styles) of Korean arts were heavily influenced by Japanese and Okinawan Karate. Korea was occupied for more than a generation (1910-1945) by Japan, and many (most?) of the Kwan founders were students of, or heavily influenced by the Japanese arts. In fact, early on, they used the same forms!


• As the post acknowledged, the TKD stances, punches, and even kicks were performed more or less the same as their Japanese/Okinawan counterparts.


• Obviously, the color-belt system is Japanese in origin (Judo), but has been adopted by almost everyone.

The point of all of this is not to denigrate the Korean arts, but to make another point:

At some point, everything changed. Why? Why did the stances get higher? Why did the emphasis on kicks change? Why was there an introduction of full-power contact sparring, as opposed to the no-contact type still emphasized in some styles?

The answer is that TKD (at least the Olympic/WTF variant), became a sport. Gone was the emphasis on the deep stances and punching, which didn't distinguish TKD from Karate, and in comes the "trembling shock" scoring and spectacular high kicks of TKD competition that eventually helped make it an Olympic sport.

What happens is that when a "martial" art becomes a sport, it loses something. TKD (WTF) is no longer the well-rounded, practical art that it once was. To see that, look to ITF or Tang Soo Do, which refused to jump on the TKD bandwagon. There you will still see the complex forms, deep stances, powerful punches, and low kicks.

Something similar took place with Judo many years ago. At one point, Judo was considered lethal self-defense, and included many aspects that are only preserved in their kata today - striking, knife defense, and self-defense. After it became a sport, it lost much of its effectiveness because the practitioners (now tellingly called "players") specialized in what could help them win in competition, and only within those rules. Take a look at old articles or video of Judo, and you'll see something that looks similar to traditional Japanese Ju-Jitsu.

A final point is that all martial sports can be effective for self-defense, it just takes the determination of the practitioner to concentrate on that aspect.

See also:

The Martial Art vs Sport Debate
Why Are Martial Sports Superior?
Boxing for Self-Defense and MMA
What is the relationship of sport judo to unarmed combat?
Fighting in the Clinch
American Wrestling vs. Jujitsu
Training for Sport vs Training for Combat
If it's against the rules, then it must work!

Comments welcomed, threats discouraged!

Happy Easter from TDA Training!

May you and your family have a safe and blessed day!

New Link: MMA Training Blog

As you probably know, our focus here isn't on any particular style, it on what works, and how to get it to work. Consequently, we have posts featuring styles like Tae Kwon-Do, Karate, Judo, and Ju-Jitsu, as well as sports and general categories like MMA and Combatives. That's why I don't really feature many sport-oriented links on my Blogroll, though I enjoy watching all martial sports (like boxing, MMA, and American football). With regard to MMA, my opinion is that there aren't enough good sites on the training and techniques (as opposed to the fighters and event results). MMA has much to offer for "traditional" and eclectic martial artists alike, and is ever-changing.That's why I like the MMA Training Blog, "Your Online Resource for MMA Training." It features technique and training articles that are well-written, as well as links to more information on this dynamic sport.

It features a blog, plus articles and videos on the components of MMA (grappling, boxing, and Muay Thai)

Check it out!

Pic of the day 4/7/2007

More natural selection - the family line has ended...

Avoid carjacking

As a follow-up to our previous post, Carjacking defense technique, check out Crime Doctor's Carjacking Facts page. Remember, the purpose of the carjacking is to jack your car - steal it with the keys inside it. If someone attempts to push you into your own car at gun or knifepoint and remove you from the scene, it's an abduction or kidnapping, and should be handled differently.

A few important points:

1. Your life, or that of your children is more important than your car - that's what car insurance is for! If you have a choice, get out of the car, and give it up. It's not worth getting killed over.


2. If you feel you're going to be abducted, fight like hell, and get away, even if you may be wounded or killed. One of the first questions I am asked at women's self-defense seminars is, "What if they have a gun?" And my answer is that if you run, you will probably survive, but if you leave the scene with a kidnapper, you may never be seen alive again. The goal of an abductor is to get you somewhere that he can rape, mutilate, and kill you in privacy. If you run, you will force him to make a choice: do I want to shoot and risk get caught, or get out of here and probably get away? Easy call.


3. Most carjackings seems to happen when doors are unlocked, windows are down, or someone gets out and isn't paying attention, so don't do those things. Lock your doors, roll the windows up (use the AC), and remove your keys from the ignition when out of the vehicle, and never leave it running.


4. Before you do anything else, make sure you're safe, then make a mental picture of the thief and direction of travel. Call 9-1-1, and try to calmly tell them what happened, your location, vehicle description and tag number, and the carjackers descriptors. Very important: make sure you note if the bad guy(s) have weapons, and let the call taker know.
   

Why elbow protection is a must!

My normal safety equipment load is:

Head gear (foam dipped is fine)
Goggles (clear plastic)
Mouthpiece
Elbow pads
Groin cup
Knee pads

Here's what can happen when you ground fight on a hard floor without the elbow pads:



Note to self: Check gear before leaving in the AM!

Carjacking defense technique - video

A nice video from ExpertVillage on How to Get Away from a Carjacker. Common-sense and practical. Watch:

Karate not for self-defense and the moral component of MMA

An excellent post by Charles T. Goodin on his father's blog, Karate Thoughts, explores whether Karate should be learned for self-defense. He writes, "In my eyes, 95% of all Karate students have no chance of protecting themselves against a real attacker if they use their Karate." I'd probably have to agree with him, but would add that that's probably the case for Tae Kwon-Do, Kung Fu, Aikido, Judo, and esoteric such as Western fencing. Why? Read on:

Many new students feel that studying Karate will help them defend themselves against attackers. Sadly, Karate is not a very effective means of protection unless you are very skilled at it. How long does this take? It could be months, it could be years, or it could even a lifetime. This all depends on the student, the sensei, and the style of Karate. What good is knowing how to do 18 kata if you can only defend yourself against predetermined attacks. In order to protect yourself using Karate, your movements must become instinctive. Using Karate must become second nature in order for anyone to use Karate effectively.

The last sentence gets to the gist of the matter: a style "must become second nature" to be effective in self-defense. This will probably come as a shock to almost everyone who has walked in a dojo, dojang, or kwoon to learn to kick butt, but the butt that's probably going to be kicked it yours. For a while... Goodin goes on to explain that, "Eventually, students will learn how to protect themselves, but when they reach this point, they should also know that using Karate to defend yourself can be too dangerous. If someone is trying to rob you, is it ok for you to kill them? If someone is calling you stupid, is it ok for you to beat them up? The answer to both of these questions are obviously no. This is what every student should learn from taking Karate."

One of my fears regarding the UFC/MMA trend is that it's a sport, and only a sport. It's marketing is a blend of pro basketball, and pro wrestling in some ways. MMA participants share the in-your-face, sensationalist type of hype that pro wrestlers use, and with the exception of the IFL, the individual is stressed in all the hype, not a team (similar to what the NBA did when Jordan came along). What missing from all of this is the moral component in using your fists, feet, and armbars to pummel another human being.

You may disagree with me on this, saying, "What the heck are you saying, Teodoro? Have you ever watched a Van Damme, Seagal, or Bruce Lee movie??? There's gore and violence aplenty, and much of it is gratuitous!" Agreed, but the place where impressionable youngsters went to learn the skills they saw their heroes perform on the big screen was usually a martial arts school that either continued, or descended from a tradition that stressed things like:

• Respect for others, especially elders and senior students or instructors
  
• Courteous behavior to all
  
• Humility
  
• Perserverance
  
• Cleanliness in uniform, training hall, and language

... and that their skills are only to be used in self-defense. What we're seeing now is competition, no doubt, but it's also something that kids can learn from YouTube without the lessons in self-control that used to go along with it. That worries me. Read Goodin's whole post. It's excellent.

Hat tip to the Sendo to Kenpo blog - read his post on the same article.

Reunion and retirement

Last night, I went to a retirement dinner for a lieutenant I'd worked with. He was closing a chapter on 33 years in law enforcment. The amazing stories, twists and turns, and other interesting jobs he's held were all new to me. I left that night wishing I'd spent more time with him.

I was great to see the retired officers and former co-workers there. We can grow so close when spending 8-12 hours a day with our fellow employees - more time than we get with our families, usually. I really enjoyed seeing all my old friends.