Hot MMA Training Gear for 2012

Guest post by Robbin Grey of The MMA Zone.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training is tough. It has to be. Fighters need to be in great shape to be able to keep moving, thinking and reacting to a fast-paced fight for however long it lasts. MMA requires strength, explosiveness, quickness and most importantly, endurance. Therefore, fighters are always looking for new training equipment that will give them an edge over their opponents. Here are some training items that will provide just that edge.

Training and Fitness Dummy by Title MMA

The Title MMA Training & Fitness Dummy is a next-level training dummy. It is shaped like a typical training dummy, which are great for practicing throws and ground and pound as well as incorporating into workout routines (picking up and carrying the dummy is a standard exercise in MMA gyms). The Title Dummy takes its design to the next level by incorporating a series of grips on the sides and tops of the dummy. This makes it perfect for gripping for uses in other exercises (like deadlifts) and the grips can be used to simulate overhooks and underhooks. Just a great design all-around and a must-have item for MMA gyms and fighters.

MMA Grappling Bag Kit by Bad Boy MMA

The MMA Grappling Bag Kit is standard fare for any MMA fighter. The kit contains a grappling dummy, gloves and a jump rope. The gloves use a closed palm design, which is great for both grappling and striking workouts. They also use moisture absorption technology designed to reduce odor and foam breakdown, which are both problems with subpar MMA gear. The dummy can be used in a variety of ways, from practicing throws and takedowns to building strength and endurance as a part of training circuits. Finally, the jump rope is an absolute must for any fighter.

Training Mask

Athletes of all types have long known that training at altitude builds endurance in ways that no other workout can. Most athletes, however, do not have the opportunity to train at altitude and that is why the Training Mask made the list of hot MMA training equipment for 2012. The Training Mask creates the sensation and benefits of training at high altitudes. It looks like a gas mask and is designed to be worn during training sessions. It limits the amount of oxygen the body can receive throughout the workout and forces the body to adapt and overcome this lack of oxygen by making the lungs use the oxygen more efficiently, which builds the cardio system and endurance.

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About the Author

Robbin Grey is a writer for the MMA Zone.  Robbin loves writing and training in various martial arts like: Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, and Kickboxing.  If you don't find her writing about MMA then you will likely find her down at the local gym working out.

Guest Interview with Danny Da Costa - Founder of Shinjido (video)

This is a guest post by Bob Patterson, of Striking Thoughts fame, a long-time friend of TDA, as well as almost the entire martial arts blogging community, and someone for whom I have much respect. What I like about Bob’s perspective is that he’s one of the most humble and open of any out there. Striking Thoughts is written from the viewpoint of a beginner at all times; Bob shares his observations about his current training, how it fits with his past accomplishments and skills, and isn’t afraid to admit when he gets his butt kicked by a newbie, or as to how he adapts to what he calls middle age. Most sites, like this one, have to choose between being a training diary and specific purpose informational site. Bob has successfully done both. He’s well known for his weekly Martial Arts News, and the scathing commentary on Steven Seagal, criticism of Chuck Norris’ politics, and for sharing why a basic technique is so good, which is refreshing. This is not to minimize his accomplishments, since he’s got what many of us have: experience. His time as a correctional officer (that’s prison/jail guard for us civilians) gave him a chance to face down and de-escalate, as well as physically contain some bad guys that would give the rest of us nightmares. So with all due respect, I’d suggest you check out his site, and learn from him. Anyway, Bob proposed a first for this guest post, which hasn’t been done before on TDA Training. Without further ado, the interview. – Nathan

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The Interview with Danny Da Costa of Shinjido

Three Ways to Fail at Supplemental Conditioning

This is a continuation of a series of guest posts by martial arts (and other) bloggers that I respect and enjoy. Starting with The Things Worth Believing In, Mokuren Dojo, and Low Tech Combat, all on the “21-Foot Rule”. Since then, we’ve had Striking Thoughts post an interview with the founder of Shinjido, Danny Da Costa, and now, the man I hate, Craig Willits of Martial Arts Spectrum with more torture for me valuable information on conditioning. Why did I invite Craig? I’m not really sure. Just kidding! Craig, who runs a commercial program teaching several styles in Virginia has been a standout among new bloggers in this field. He’s got strong opinions, but has the seasoning and communication skills to share why, and his content has been excellent. I recommend you read this post, then head over to Martial Arts Spectrum for more. Please ignore his blatant attempts at flattery. I sent him cash, just like Bob – fail!
- Nathan

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About three weeks ago, during a discussion on TDA Training about supplemental conditioning for martial artists, I said that any conditioning a martial artist does "should be structured to work with [one's] martial arts training and not against it." Nathan seemed dubious, voicing his concerns with characteristic candor: "Great idea, but what training goes against your martial arts training?" I had intended to answer his question in an article I planned to post to Martial Arts Spectrum. But then I got sick. As in can't-do-anything-but-lie-in-bed-for-a-week sick. And the article never got written. Meanwhile, I had committed to write a guest post for TDA Training. I'm just a newbie blogger, so in martial arts blog terms this is like a 12-year-old kid getting a personal invitation from Robert Young to write the cover story for next month's Black Belt. I was excited, but was having trouble coming up with an article. Then I had a flash of inspiration. I needed an article, and I was still on the hook to answer Nathan's question. Why not kill two birds with one stone, and answer my host's question on his own blog? Double win. So that's the back story. Now for the article.

This is Hilarious!

Check out Craig’s lead-up post to his guest post here tomorrow! Must read!

Why I Hate Craig Willits and His Upcoming Guest Post

Craig Willits: What a jerk!
Craig Willits of Martial Arts Spectrum did a short series on core strength in March, and a post that was cryptically named, “Core Training, Part 2: Measuring Strength and Stability.”
What a crock!!! (Yes, that deserved three exclamation points!)

Very interesting Guest Post tomorrow

Bob from Striking Thoughts has graced us with his insight in an interview of someone who’s the founder of his own martial art.

I think you will find it interesting. Can you guess who the interview subject is?

Look for it after 1600 hours on Wednesday, May 11 (US, Eastern time). Don’t miss it.

What Does the 21 Foot Rule for Defending Against a Knife Mean For Non Mil/LE? (Guest post by Low Tech Combat)

This guest post is the third (and last), in the series on the “21-foot rule”, and is authored by Adam of Low Tech Combat. Low Tech is aptly named, and is a great resource for anyone interested in reality-based self-defense, MMA, Filipino martial arts, and combat conditioning. In many ways our subject matter is similar, but LTC has some fascinating posts which are much more in depth on the many subjects. LTC also has some great posts on the very subject we’re speaking of, the lethality of the knife, and what to expect. I will do some posts following this covering those subjects and referencing Low Tech Combat. Enjoy!

Cross-posted here at his site. 

Nathan has asked me to contribute to a series of posts about a video he published on his site which showcases Dan Inosanto. I was only too happy to contribute! It is quite a famous video. In it, Dan shows how a Police officer with a weapon still in its holster, generally requires a surprise knife attacker to be 21 feet away in order to allow enough time and space to recognise what is happening (the person has pulled a knife and is charging), and then make the decision to act, and then draw the weapon and fire at the centre of the attacker. Any less than 21 feet and the officer is generally not able to draw the weapon and fire in time before the knife is inserted into the Police officer's body. I recommend going to watch the 21 foot rule video at Nathan's site before reading on.

Thoughts on Tueller (guest post by Patrick Parker)

This, the second in the series on the “21-foot rule” is written by Patrick Parker, of the venerable Mokuren Dojo blog. Patrick and I have enjoyed several years of banter, debate, and sincere mutual admiration since he started writing online, and I’ve grown to look forward to anytime he expresses an opinion, even if I don’t understand it. Sensei Pat runs a Judo and Aikido school in Mississippi, while, in Clark Kent fashion, appearing to the lay person as a physical therapist and PhD with some kids, living a normal life in the suburbs with a long honey-do list. Several times a week, ,however, in the evenings, the suit comes off, the gi and black belt goes on, and he transforms into a 6th-dan in aikido and 5th-dan in judo, both of which outrank and scare me. To preempt any threats or just looks of intimidation for not allowing him to play, I invited him to share his insights from his own context.

Cross-posted here at his site.

I'm not a law enforcement officer.  I don't even play one on TV.  In fact, I didn't even stay at the Holiday Inn Express last night.  But Nathan at TDA Training did ask me to contribute some ideas to a week-long discussion of the famous Tueller Drill.  Check out the video at Nathan's blog, and while you're at it, check out this gruesome example of the 21-foot rule played out in this police reel.

I enjoyed TGace's post about the flaws within the Tueller experiment and I appreciate his assertion that Tueller's results did not validate any sort of claim about the superiority of any particular weapon (a knife) over any other particular weapon (a gun).  I intended to write this post on the idea that what Tueller does demonstrate most effectively is that a gun is not a magical talisman that automatically assures victory - but Paul at Tactical Arnis beat me to that point.  Kudos to both of y'all for excellent, informative articles.

In my opinion, one of the take-away lessons from Tueller (perhaps unintended by the original author) is that a knife in the hand of a person with the right mindset is the most versatile, effective, gruesome, demoralizing weapon invented in the last several thousand years.  Sure, the handgun is (I suppose) the centerpiece of police force projection, but again, the handgun is not a magic talisman.  This point is effectively demonstrated by Tueller.

Also, Tueller's results were intended for police consumption.  Using it to justify anything in the civilian self-defense context is a stretch - particularly because of the simple fact that most civilians will not have access to a handgun most of the time.  But Tueller does illustrate an important point that is one of the centerpieces of our aikido system.  That is...

You can never afford to underestimate the potential of your opponent.

Or, put another way, you have to treat every single training encounter as if your opponent is the most dangerous bad guy imaginable, armed with the most awful tactical advantage imaginable. Or, in shorter form, "You can never tell who you're standing beside."  To us, that means we try to assume that all opponents are armed with a knife.  You have to design your practices around the assumption that your opponent has the potential to kill you if they have the ability to touch you.  That's pretty stringent, and it leads to practices like stab-twice randori, starting already stabbed, and progressive chaos.

As we have done knife randori like this over the years, we have come up with a few pretty reliable pieces of information. First, all of aikido (and probably most all of self-defense) is based on a couple of techniques that we call shomenate (A.K.A. the palm jab to the chin) and aigamaeate (A.K.A. iriminage, a palm jab to the chin done from outside the opponent's arm). The tactical idea behind both of these techniques is the same:

• get out of the way at least a little bit.
• get at least a little bit of control of the weapon arm
• crash into the opponent's center with your whole bodyweight, spearing into his head violently with a stiff-armed palm, locking his neck, and throwing him away.
• disengage and run away immediately.

All of our randori over the years has verified this basic idea - if you go into a knife encounter with any plan but the above, You're likely to get killed.  But the above plan saves you a remarkable percentage of the time. 

It turns out that all the other stuff in aikido - all the stuff you think of as aikido - the cool wristlocks and the airy breath throws - those are just backup plans.  This basic plan enumerated above makes up easily 80% of aikido, and all the cool stuff fills in around the edges.

And you know what's cool?  Tactical guru, Dave Spaulding agrees with me!

So, in summary of this somewhat rambling, stream of consciousness...

• Tueller is an interesting experiment that has implications primarily for police, but that us civilians can also learn from.
• A gun is not a magic talisman that assures victory - particularly if you allow you opponent within a few paces of you.
• A gun is a powerful and useful weapon, but IMO, a knife is demonstrably more versatile at close range.
• You can never afford to underestimate your opponent's potential. You must take this idea into every single training encounter.
• You need some variety and speed and resistance in your knife defense practice - not just the slow zombie attack over and over again.
• You have to have a fundamental tactical plan that makes up the vast majority of your system that is simple, easy to remember, works under pressure, and involves evasion, automatic control, and immediately-disabling atemiwaza (strikes)

[photo courtesy of Jesse Millan]

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Patrick Parker

www.mokurendojo.com

Of Knives, Guns and 21 feet (guest post by tgace)

Today’s guest post in our series on the “21-foot rule” is by someone in a fitting position to critique the Tueller training technique, TGace of The Things Worth Believing In. I have met (though not trained with) this gentleman twice, so far, and have plans to do more in the future. He is currently serving with a mid-sized municipal police department in Vice and Narcotics, and has training and experience in the tactical (SWAT) realm, and law enforcement training. TGace is also a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy, the top law enforcement executive training academy in the nation, if not the world. His martial arts experience is quite varied and extensive, but my reason for asking him to participate is due to his current, real-world experience as an officer, and his obsession (my words) with guns and gun training. Enjoy. Cross-posted here at his site.

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Martial artist, blogger and personal acquaintance, Nathan Teodoro has posted a video on his blog; TDA Training. The video shows a few minutes of footage from “Surviving Edged Weapons”, which was a film from the late 1980′s that was designed to prepare police officers for dealing with what was thought to have been “the growing threat of ‘knife culture’ in the United States”.

For those of us familiar with this film, Nathan’s video shows the Dan Inosanto training scenarios; the ones where officers get “knifed” by Dan while trying to draw their weapons. The rest is the illustration of the “21 foot rule”, also known as the “Tueller Drill”. Over the years, people (mostly in martial arts circles) have been pointing to this video as the “proof” of the “supremacy of the knife”. I believe that looking at this video, or the “Tueller Drill”, as proof of one weapons superiority over another  is shortsighted and a misunderstanding of Tueller’s original point.

The Tueller Drill

The “Tueller drill” was named after Sgt. Dennis Tueller, Salt Lake City Police. In 1983, he published an article titled “How Close Is Too Close” in SWAT magazine. In this article Tueller discussed the results of a series of tests he had run which showed that most people could, on average, close a distance of 21 feet in about 1.5 seconds. Tueller concluded that a person armed with a knife or club (and I would add ANY object that could be used as a weapon) at this so called “intermediate range” of 21 feet, was a potentially lethal threat. Note Tueller did not say anything about any particular weapon being superior to any other. From a Police perspective he was demonstrating why officers would be justified in displaying and possibly using deadly force against non-firearm threats from distances as great as 21 feet or more. Tueller said in his article:

Having analyzed the problem, the following suggestions come to mind: First, develop and maintain a healthy level of tactical alertness. If you spot the danger signs early enough, you can probably avoid the confrontation altogether. A tactical withdrawal (I hesitate to use the word “retreat”) may be your best bet, unless you’re anxious to get involved in a shooting and the consequent legal hassles which are sure to follow.

Next, if you’re “Early Warning System” tells you that a possible lethal confrontation is imminent, you want to place yourself in the best tactical position available. You should move to cover (if there is any close at hand), draw your weapon, and start to plan your next move.

Why use cover, you may wonder, if your attacker is using only a knife? Because you want to make it hard for him to get to you. Anything between you and your attacker (trash cans, vehicles, furniture, etc.) that slows him down buys you more time to make the appropriate decisions, and, if it becomes necessary, more time to place your shots.

I suggest you draw your weapon as soon as the danger clearly exists. There is no point in waiting until the last possible second to play “Quick-Draw McGraw” if you recognize the threat early on. Also, the sight of your “Equalizer” may be sufficient to terminate the action then and there.

The purpose of the pistol is to stop fights, and whether it does so by dropping a thug in his tracks, or by causing him to turn tail and run, your goal is accomplished, is it not?

At this point it might be advisable to issue a verbal challenge such as, “Stop”‘, “Don’t move”, or “Drop your weapon!” It may work, and even if it doesn’t you’ll be developing your legal case for self-defense by showing that you did everything you could to prevent a shooting. If all goes according to plan, the odds are that by now you will no longer have a problem, your attacker having remembered he had a more pressing engagement elsewhere.

Tueller says nothing about any weapon being inferior/superior, the necessity of being trained in knife disarms, or argues the “inherent deadliness of the blade”; it was all about range awareness, tactical awareness and the use of force. What this discovery tell me is that officers should be tactically analyzing the situation they are approaching at all times, they should be looking for non-verbal threat cues, they should be watching an opponents hands, they should use objects as cover when possible and they should never just walk up to a subject as a matter of habit. Police Officers should always maintain a healthy “reactionary gap” between themselves and others but Police Officers cannot be conducting business from 21′, behind cover with a weapon drawn either. “Yes I will get your cat out of the tree ma’am, but first interlock your fingers on top of your head and spread your feet apart!” Unlike non-sworn personnel, sometimes we can’t walk away from any potential threat, it’s our duty to deal with it. What is ultimately most important is adhering to tactically sound officer safety techniques at all times.

The Worst Case Scenario

Tueller said this in his article too :

Sometime, of course, despite your best efforts, you could find you are suddenly, at close quarters, the intended victim of some lunatic slasher. If you are an expert in one of the many martial arts, you may opt to go at it hand-to-hand, and if you are in this category you do not need advice from me on how to do it. So, we’ll get back to the use of the handgun for solving the problem. What it all comes down to now is your ability to smoothly and quickly draw your pistol and hit your adversary, and do it all reflexively. And the only way to develop these reflexes is through consistent, repetitive practice, practice, practice.

In the clip from Surviving Edged Weapons where Dan Inosanto attacks the cops, the lesson is stated as “you have to use empty hand techniques”. Well if you walk right up to a person acting suspiciously in an empty warehouse instead of issuing commands from range and the guy attacks you with a knife, than yes, I guess you are in deep caca and depending on your gun alone may not be the best idea. However, I think that the ultimate lesson for officers here shouldn’t be “learn martial arts“, as beneficial as that would indeed be, it should be “use better tactics“. But to be fair to the officers in the video, I don’t know exactly how the scenario was presented to them. The narrator says it was framed as “respond to suspicious circumstances in a warehouse at night”. If it was “It’s 1AM, the business is closed, and you find a broken lock…” these Coppers screwed up. If it was “It looks like it may be the business owner”, that’s a different story and they were set-up for the confrontation by the creators. I also wonder if there were any subjects who “won” the scenario that didn’t make the film?

When it comes to the mechanics of close range fighting, I agree that backpedaling and focusing on trying to draw your pistol in the face of a knife attack is not a great idea, but I think that telling officers that they should be focusing on disarming an attacker or staying entirely H2H is a mistake as well. Knife defenses and disarms are a “break glass in the event of emergency” situation even for highly trained martial artists, let alone an Officer who will probably be practicing such techniques far less often. What would be best to learn from this video is to not be “in the hole” in the first place. If the officer has no choice, than this video is a good lesson in the need to combine empty hand techniques with basic tactics like lateral movement and CQB oriented shooting styles, which are essential for “in the hole” confrontations versus “quick draw” style techniques.

A commenter on another post in my blog gives great advice on how to deal with this sort of confrontation if you screw up bad enough or are just plain unlucky enough to be in one :

1. You MUST solve the positional problem BEFORE you try to acquire your firearm and engage the threat. This means you may have to move off the line of threat, or go hands on with the threat until you can improve your position sufficiently to ensure that you have the time and space to draw and deliver deadly force.

2. You must RETAIN your weapon. SouthNarc teaches shooting from a high “two” position, with the pistol tucked in close to the body and the firing thumb indexed along the pectoral muscle. Support side arm in a horizontal or vertical “elbow shield”, utilizing the bone structure to provide sufficient space between you and your threat so you can work the trigger and not get foul the slide or get it forced out of battery.

3. It’s going to be hard, fast, and ugly.

4. If you stand still and try to draw your gun and pull the trigger while a big ape is stacking your sh**, you will not prevail.

5. Movement, strikes, and working to the flank, getting dominant position, and THEN lighting up the bad guy is the goal.

Good stuff.

What It All Means

The Tueller Drill, while a useful tool, seems to have become a set piece exercise with a tendency to be overblown by people who missed Tueller’s point. I believe that the main revelation of the Tueller Drill is the power of initiative and INTENT. In the classic “Knife vs. Gun Tueller Drill” the knifer knows he is going to attack and when. The other person stands there…holstered…and waits. There is no “scenario”, no back-story of why you are in contact with this person in the first place. It never takes into consideration obstacles between opponents, it never considers the officer taking the initiative and drawing, giving commands and or preempting your opponent. The drill is pure physics. A person can cover this distance and strike a person in this given time”.

On the street this boils down to basic OODA . In the classic Tueller Drill the knife wielder is already inside the defenders “OODA loop”, the knifer gets to both DECIDE and ACT before the defender can process the situation. If you allow a little “real world” into this exercise, and the defender in the Tueller drill knows that the knifer is coming for him (which he does = Observe) he should “cheat”. He should run..place an obstacle between him and the BG (Orient) and start issuing commands and/or start shooting before the knifer even thinks to move (Decide/Act). I have always wanted to be asked to participate in a “Tueller Drill” and wait to be told “You stand here. He has a knife and when he moves you react”. I’d ask “he has a knife?” and when told yes draw down, place an obstacle between us and give commands. I know that I would be ignoring the intent of the drill by doing that. The intent being to simply make you aware of the “reaction gap” and the realities of edged weapons, but the Tueller Drill is ultimately an example of math more than it is an example of “combative truth”.

IMO, who decides to attack, who is first aware of the threat and who has a weapon in hand is more important than which weapon is “superior” in this sort of scenario. If you have an enemy who is within 21′ with ANY WEAPON and he gets to make the first move, while you wait to respond…you are in big trouble, be that a knife, a gun, a bottle or a roadside rock.

Stay Alert, Stay Aware, Stay Alive.

If you enjoyed this post, please check out The Things Worth Believing In site, and connect with the author at his Facebook page and on Twitter. And if you’re a criminal in his area, steer clear (sorry TGace, couldn’t help it!).

Stay tuned for the rest of the series, including posts by Pat from Mokuren Dojo, and Adam from Low Tech Combat, later this week!

Distance and Awareness-Blade and Gun (Video)

Watch the video in full – does it change your awareness of anything?

This begins a guest post series with three of the best writers on martial subject matter in the business: TGace of The Things Worth Believing In, Patrick Parker of Mokuren Dojo, and Adam of Low Tech Combat. Over the next few days they will share their views on the drill and what it means to them in training, or what it can teach the rest of us.

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del.icio.us Tags: Knife,gun,Inosanto,Kali,Arnis,Escrima,Police,Tueller,Self defense

Threat Indicators and Personal Safety

This is a guest post by Thomas Gerace, someone for whom I have a lot of respect. Thomas is author of The Things Worth Believing In blog, a newer site with an early and continuing emphasis on the concept of "warriorship." By his own definition, he is a "husband, father, police lieutenant, FBINA graduate, fitness buff, martial artist, hunter, reader, gun nut, conservative, internet surfer." Check out his blog after this taste.

Have you ever been in a situation where a person gave you the impression that they could be a threat? Did they gave off some sort of "vibe" that they were ready to start some trouble; something you just couldn't place your finger on? Chances are that there were obvious physical clues that person was giving you that you were only aware of sub-consciously.

A common topic in law enforcement training circles is the detection of something called "pre-assaultive threat indicators". In any police contact, officers are trained to look for physical cues that serve as "early warning signals" that a person may flee or become combative. These same cues can be useful in the civilian world as well. Being able to identify body language that indicates an imminent attack can give you the opportunity to, at best, "beat feet". Or at worst, allow you to preempt the attack with a defensive measure.

Avoiding Eye Contact: When a person acts like you are not there and wont look at you it can mean a few different things, or a cluster of them. The person is avoiding engaging because he is mentally processing the situation in an agitated state and cannot multitask. He is trying to decide what to do and when, he could be looking for an escape route or psyching himself up to act. He could also be attempting to distract you for a sucker punch.

The Chest Puff: "Making the body bigger says 'I am powerful' and is a typical male action. This warns other men not to attack and may indicate that the person is thinking of attacking. It can thus be a response to a threat. If one man expands, then others have the choice of retreating or expanding also ('If you attack, I'll fight back!'). Expansion can thus indicate anger."

Rocking Motion: When people are going into "fight or flight" mode their bodies are pumping oxygen and adrenaline into their systems and if they are trying to contain that urge to fight or flee (for the moment) they will do some odd things. Pacing, bouncing up and down, rocking back and forth, helps "burn off" some of that extra O2. it is also indicative of a subconscious "warming up" for action.

Averting the Face: People on the verge of initiating an action often attempt to hide their anxiety by averting or hiding their faces. This will also be seen in facial wipes, slicking back the hair, looking up into the air, etc.

Boxers Stance: This is a solid indicator that the "fight" half or "fight or flight" is being chosen. Look for a flexing of the knees and a "nose over toes" lean that indicates a preparation to launch.

Clenching of Fists: Another indicator that "fight" is the choice. Its also another "warming up" gesture.

Thousand Yard Stare: The subject is looking "through you" instead of at you. He has that "faraway look" on his face. He is putting himself in his "angry place". He is dehumanizing you and hovering over the launch button. Gain distance.

Target Glance: The opposite of the Thousand Yard Stare. the subject is zeroing in on a target. If he's staring at your chin be ready for the sucker punch. If its your weapon, a gun grab attempt.

Facial Wipe: see Averting the Face

Now, don't go nuts just because some guy wipes his face. The secret to decoding these cues is to take the entire situation into account and look for clusters of behavior. If you are in a profession where you have to deal with people in these situations; when you see these indicators it is time to act! Put some distance between yourselves and start issuing commands for compliance. I would be getting my OC or taser limbered up and/or tightening the laces on my running shoes. If you are a civilian and you see these cues...leave...if possible. If leaving is not an option, get ready.

The attached video is a clip from a project put together by a close friend who is a martial arts instructor, a local film artist and myself. It's a project in progress. Don't be too critical of the realism of the defensive response at the end. The threat indicators were the focus of the piece and we were not willing to roll around on the hot summer pavement for a more realistic "fight".

For more articles like these, please visit my blog: The Things Worth Believing In.

Repost: Faith and Rank

[Nathan- This was originally posted in August, 2007, by guest blogger, Black Belt Mama, and had some great comments , so I'm including them in the body of the post.]

Faith and Rank

When Nathan asked me to guest post, I thought I was agreeing to a solitary post. Instead, he chose to give his guest bloggers three days each to post. Since I sustained a neck injury a couple weeks ago, I've had a hard time coming up with post ideas. Writing about class isn't an option when you can't attend, so I took this down time to read some books that I felt might further my knowledge of the martial arts. One book in particular gave me lots of blog fodder, so I figured I'd share the wealth and put my second post on "Karate Do My Way of Life" by Gichin Funakoshi right here, on this illustrious blog. If you'd like to read the first post inspired by Funakoshi, you can do so here. Be sure to check back as the days go by because Funakoshi is nothing if not full of useful quotes. Now, without further delay, I bring to you the controversial side of Black Belt Mama. . .

Is faith and religion about the church you attend, or is it about the individual and their own journey? It's an interesting question.

While I don't attend church on a regular basis, I do consider myself someone who has faith. Many people would say that true faith is going to church each week and worshipping with a community of people who feel the same way you do. To me, the church is a building. The relationship with a higher authority comes from within the individual. It doesn't matter if that relationship takes place on church grounds or if it's in your bed each night as you say prayers. Of course this is coming from a person who is practically a "Chreaster" (regular Christmas and Easter church-goer) so I may be a bit biased; but biased or not, I think I'm right about this one.

Because the martial arts are often associated with spirituality and development of the person, I started to think about the same concept in terms of the martial arts. Is the martial arts about the dojo you attend, or is it about the individual and their own journey? Does it matter if you study on your own, or within an organization that has rules, standards and kyu ranks?

I used to think that the martial arts was about the color wrapped around your waist. But with each successive promotion I realized that the color and stripes really can't reflect true knowledge, or the inner workings of a martial artist. Should rank be wholly about kata and memorization? Or should it be based on something more substantial? The original martial artists didn't have colored belts to signify their importance, so why do martial artists now place so much emphasis on them?

In "Karate Do My Way of Life", Gichin Funakoshi writes the following:

"Some youthful enthusiasts of karate believe that it can be learned only from instructors in a dojo, but such men are mere technicians, not true karateka. There is a Buddhist saying that 'anyplace can be a dojo,' and that is a saying that anyone who wants to follow the way of karate must never forget. Karate-do is not only the acquisition of certain defensive skills but also the mastering of the art of being a good and honest member of society."

So can you encounter "true karateka" in a dojo setting? Not all dojo's are run by "mere technicians" but the point is definitely a valid one. Anyone in the martial arts has heard the term "McDojo" and stories about dojo's charging a ridiculous amount of money to learn their chosen art. Unfortunately, there are also stories about karate instructors who have less than noble intentions. We've all heard stories about domineering instructors and even students, who use their skills to intentionally hurt others to prove how "good" they really are at their "art."
Funakoshi makes it very clear that it takes a certain kind of person to be a true karateka.

"He who thinks about himself alone and is inconsiderate of others is not qualified to learn Karate-do. Serious students of the art, I have discovered, are always highly considerate of one another. They also demonstrate the great steadfastness of purpose that is essential if one is to continue studying karate over the long period of time that is required."

It is often heard that once you attain black belt, you're always a black belt. However, any rank up to black belt means nothing if you quit and go back years later. You have to start from scratch. Starting from scratch of course, assumes that you think your accomplishments can only be verified by the color wrapped around your waist. The knowledge that any martial artist takes away from the dojo is theirs to keep and no one can strip that from them, even if the belt and its perceived meaning is taken away.

What is happening on the inside is always more relevant and important than what is happening on the outside. People attending church each week, who leave the building and don't practice courtesy towards others are not going to get an easy pass to heaven just because they are sitting in the pew each week. And karate-ka's who are only concerned with how hard they kick and punch are missing an important element of the martial arts, one that great masters knew was inherently important.

Posted by Blackbeltmama at 8/13/2007 05:58:00 PM

Categories: Guest Posts

4 comments:

John Vesia said...

I remember the stories my father would tell me about the mafia guys from his neighborhood that would show up for church every Sunday. Like that really helped. I should talk, I haven't been to church in years.
Your point about colored belts reminds me of a scene from The Karate Kid. Mr. Miyagi says, "Karate here (points to his heart) and here (points to his head); never here (points to his waist)." I never read that famous work by Funakoshi, but I know that the development of character was central to his way of karate. It's all about the inner journey. Good post, BBM.

August 14, 2007 12:02 AM

Steve said...

Two things came to mind when reading this post. First, it reminded me of an article I read once on what the author believed to be common Martial Arts training myths. While many are debatable, I found the article thought provoking in that it distinguished for me the respect and personal growth inherent to effective training and the airs of authority and mysticism that are found in some modern schools. I personally agree with the author that, while courtesy and respect are important, many of the trappings of martial arts are unnecessary to training and, at least for me, are more of a distraction than anything else.
Second thing you brought to mind is an article I read on Dojo Rat's blog where he wrote an article called When Does a Class become a Cult.
I guess the way I see it is that for a spiritual person, every activity will carry with it some degree of spirituality, whether it's golf, martial arts, cooking or whatever. Also, spirituality, while a perfectly valid reason to pursue anything, should be secondary to gaining some degree of martial skill if the activity is a martial art. In other words, regardless of spiritual gains, a martial art must first and foremost teach martial skill. I hope that makes sense!
As always, very interesting read, BBM.

August 14, 2007 1:06 PM

Black Belt Mama said...

John: I've heard those stories too. That's exactly what I'm talking about. And why didn't I quote Mr. Miyagi? I should have-I loved that part in the movie.
Steve: Yeah, I'm not interested in all the mysticism and hoky cult-like rituals. But (to go back to Karate Kid for a brief moment here) Cobra Kai like schools and attitudes in the martial arts absolutely do exist. My point is that a good martial artist should know the appropriate time to use his/her skills, and that as you learn skills in the martial arts, you should also learn the proper restraint and respect for the arts.
Funakoshi also said that "karate begins and ends with courtesy"-something like that anyway, and I think that should absolutely be the case.
If you read Funakoshi's book, what's striking is how different society was then from the way it is now. There was much more courtesy shown towards other human beings, less jealousy, and an overall sense of responsibility to be a good and honorable person. That's what I was talking about, not the crazy candlelight knife ceremonies as DR discussed. ;-)
Thanks for your comments!

August 14, 2007 8:09 PM

Scott said...

The school and belt importance reminds me of my first taekwondo instructor. I knew him for 5 years. At the start, he was fresh out of the Air Force and had integrity and was a good guy.
But at the end of the 5 years he had mutated into a real slimeball. The culprit? Money! He turned into a liar, abused his assistant instructors, stopped teaching classes himself so he could sit in his office and count stacks of money, and was basically running a belt mill.
(Belt Mill = show up with a progressively larger check every 3 months, take your test, and you get a new belt!)

August 15, 2007 1:51 AM

Guest post: An aikidoka on the boxing jab

[Nathan- Today's guest post is by the estimable Patrick Parker of Mokuren Dojo, and is a response to our post, How does Aikido deal with the jab? Mr. Parker is a long-time judo & aikido teacher, and exercise physiologist based out of Mississippi]

So, how do you deal with the boxer’s jab in aikido? I think you first have to think about what boxing and aikido are. Boxing is a sport in which the competitors are both trying to win, either by throwing more punches or by throwing better punches (for KO or TKO). Aikido is, among other things, a self-defense art in which the goal is to disengage from the fight as safely and efficiently as possible while remaining relatively uninjured. Boxing is about dominating the other competitor, aikido is about not engaging in a fight with him.

.

Much of the boxer’s arsenal would be negated without the ring and the rules that prevent disengaging and fleeing (two great aikido strategies). Many of the aikidoka’s tools would be rendered useless if he were required to stand and fight toe-to-toe. You beat the boxer the same way you beat the aikidoka – by making them play your game by your rules and not playing their game by their rules.

With that said, here are some more specific ideas about beating the jab. None are foolproof but each one, with some practice, can give the aikidoka some hope…

• Don’t let the boxer stand toe-to-toe with you. If you do, he will always get a snappy jab in, which will stun you and set you for a more powerful cross or hook. Anytime he steps to within touching distance, evade back outside touching distance. Don't ever stop moving long enough to try to get a technnique - he will always beat you to the punch (as it were) with a jab.
• Keep your hands up between your face and his. Anytime you get stuck inside touching distance, clinch (or at least cover his hands) until you can disengage and get back out safely.
• If you get stuck inside, throw your own straight lead jab (i.e. shomenate – palm to the chin/face). Instead of using the face jab to set up a rear cross or hook, the aikidoka uses it to disorient and distract the opponent long enough to get back outside touching distance. (It also might stun them long enough for a technique.)
• All the cool-looking techniques in aikido are pretty much what-ifs that solve particular problems that you can get into when you are trying to stay outside touching distance but fail. The techniques of aikido don’t work especially well against a smart boxer unless the aikidoka is at least trying to disengage back outside touching distance.

Because of the way the two systems work, the jab is generally a more useful tool for boxers against boxers than for boxers against aikidoka. In the boxing contest, the opponent has to stay engaged in order to have a chance to get their own hit in. The aikidoka doesn’t care about getting his own technique in – just about getting his own butt to safety, so he can disengage and avoid the jab. The difference in the objectives and assumptions and strategies between the two styles gives the aikido some hope for beating the snappy jab.

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Want to read a great interview on this same subject? Check out this interview with Karl Geis.

[Nathan - You may respond to Pat here via comment, or contact him at Mokuren Dojo]

Soliciting feature writers to TDA Training

[Bumped - I will keep this at the top of the blog until we fill the openings. Scroll down for more posts]

We would like to expand our feature writing to include more weekly features (similar to Rick's MMA Weekly Wrapup). If you are a martial arts writer and have an idea, please contact me: tdatraining at gmail dot com for details and to discuss. We are looking for three or four

In particular, if you're an active or reservist armed forces member who's also a martial artist, or current/former law enforcement officer with a heavy DT-instructor and/or civilian martial arts background get in touch! Any other ideas (grappler column, MA humor, etc.) are welcomed.

TDA Training is one of the most widely read blogs in the martial arts milieu. Our posts are on anything useful for defensive tactics, combatives, and civilian self-defense, or to improve traditional martial arts training and conditioning!

Technorati Tags: martial arts blogging

The Dark Side of Goals

This month's guest post is by the Fight Geek, a Muay Thai practitioner and fight fan from Down Under who's been one of my favorite reads recently. He's got some strange and exotic training ideas (like Caveman training??). Anyway, read the post in an Aussie accent (as intended), and then check out his site for some great ideas, posts, and fight videos. - Nathan

Introduction
Let me start off by stating the obvious: goals are good—M'kay. I set goals, I develop strategies to reach them, and I feel outstanding when I've accomplished them. But mis-handling goals can get you into serious trouble—particularly when it involves fitness, health or sport: the bread and butter of martial arts. Here's three examples of what I mean . . .

Unrealistic Goals + Impatience =

Johnny was going through a mid-life crisis. He longed for the slender, toned and limber physique of his youth. Not being one to do things by halves, he went out and purchased a complete series of advanced yoga DVDs. Later on that day, his best mate found Johnny dead—lying in front of the TV, with his legs thrust over his head in a contorted plough pose. The only clue to the cause of his death was what he was watching on TV: A scantily-clad blond nymph bending over and touching her toes. Johnny's mate wasn't the smartest of dudes, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to work out what Johnny was up to just before he died . . .

So what does this cautionary tale teach us? Only dogs are anatomically designed to have their heads so close to their balls? Sure, there's that. But more importantly—unrealistic goals combined with an impatient attitude makes a potent cocktail—shunned by the wise and skulled by fools. Women want to be supermodels, men want to be superstars and athletes want to be superheroes. And they want it to happen NOW! Unfortunately genetics and 'the effort required' will prevent 95% of them from ever accomplishing such lofty goals. And many will be lucky to survive their half-arsed attempts at doing so.

The fact is, adopting unrealistic goals and giving in to impatient compulsion will almost certainly lead to failure—a nasty, soul-destroying, "I don't ever want to try again" type of failure. To set realistic goals we must be brutally honest about our own abilities and set our goals accordingly. And we must also recognize that any goal worth achieving will take time. By all means, dream big dreams. But big dreams are best accomplished by setting progressive, realistic goals, that are gradually achieved, over a long period of time.

Confusing Tools and Goals

Luke just joined his local gym. After watching some of the other dudes pushing some serious iron, Luke realized he was a serious wimp. But he had a plan. In the latest copy of Beefcake Development™ magazine he found a solution to his wimpiness in a six-page glossy 'review' of The MEGA-Workout 9000. Its the latest muscle-building equipment accompanied by ten instructional DVDs and a twelve month supply of the ultra-effective, patent-pending MEGA-Workout 9000 supplement—all for the low price of $3999.

It will be his—oh yes—The MEGA-Workout 9000 will be his.

Luke starts saving. He takes on extra hours at work and cuts back on expenses. He cancels his expensive gym membership and starts doing some bodyweight exercises at home—he'll get into the serious training once his Mega-Workout 9000 arrives. After a while he stops working-out completely—he hasn't got the time anymore. And he's too tired after the long hours at work anyway! He's also too busy to prepare his own meals, so he starts to eat out more. Eight months down the track, he wakes up one morning and realizes he's thirty pounds heavier, stressed out of his brain, and feels like s*** (the 'it's-been-waiting-to-come-out-for-a-week' type of s***). He decides to take the money he's saved up and go on a well-deserved holiday . . .

If I had a buck for every person who's done something like this! (I'd probably squander it on redundant training gear—doh!). In today's world it's so easy to confuse the goal of bettering yourself with obsessive purchasing of must-have gear. What's holding you back from achieving the body of your dreams? What's stopping you from winning your next competition or tournament? It's obvious! You haven't got the latest training gear, workout DVD, weight-loss pill or muscle-potion. Money can solve all of your health and fitness problems—if only you had more of it!

No matter how impressive any piece of kit is, it's still only a tool. And the problem with most people isn't a lack of tools, but a lack of motivation to use the tools. Filling up your garage with training equipment isn't a useful goal—it's an avoidance strategy. One that's been promoted by a mass-market culture and uncritically swallowed-whole by most of us. Be harsh when determining what tools you actually need to achieve your goal. And never fall for the old chestnut: "I can't achieve my goals because I haven't got [insert cool product here]." Nine times out of ten there's a way of achieving your goals (or at least getting closer to them) without using the latest and greatest products.

Ignoring the Side-effects of Process

John's finally got the biggest guns at his gym. It's taken him three years, some serious cash, and a s***-load of illegal substances. Sure he's lost his 'unsupportive' girlfriend and his non-gym mates, his arms now have more tracks than a train station, and his ever-growing man-tits are starting turn-on the creepier dudes at the gym. But he's achieved his goal . . .

When a goal becomes so important that you're willing to do ANYTHING to achieve it—you really have got a serious problem on your hands. This kind of mentality has lead many a hard training athlete into a lifestyle of self-abuse, self-deception and ultimately self-hatred: steroid use, dangerous dieting practices, anorexia, bulimia, medication abuse, over-training, faddish training, exercise addiction—they're all collateral damage to those who fall victim to the 'goals at any cost' mentality. When it comes to health, fitness and sport, HOW you achieve your goals is just as important as WHAT goals you achieve.

Conclusion

Poorly chosen goals can often be more destructive than having no goals at all! Some goals are unachievable, some aren't worth achieving, and some can change your life forever (for better or worse). So be careful when setting your goals. Otherwise you could end up a drooling corpse in a compromising position with nothing but your friends deductive-skills to determine how you died. I for one don't want to be remembered as the dude who died trying to orally pleasure himself. How about you?

:)

 

Technorati Tags: Goals,goal setting,training fads,bodybuilding

Guest post: The Importance of Training Logs

Ed. This month's guest post is by one of my favorite bloggers, and a Convocation member, Steve of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Steve's BJJ Log. His blog is a great diary of his training and study of BJJ, a breakdown of techniques in that art, and more. Check it out, and then subscribe to his feed for more!
_________________________________________________________________________________

I want to thank Nathan for giving me the opportunity to post as a guest on TDA Training. My name is Steve and I've been training in martial arts for about 4 years, and in BJJ since November of 2006 and keep track of this training over on my blog.

I came into blogging in a sort of backwards way, and lack the many years of experience that many of my online friends have put into perfecting their respective arts. What I do have, however, is a lifetime of experience doing things the hard way before discovering the "easy way." Until I launched my blog, I had never kept a log, diary or anything of the sort.

And that brings me to the point of this post, which is about training logs, blogs and the online Martial Arts community. There are many great reasons to keep a training log in some form or another. There are also many terrific reasons to blog and participate in the online community. They can help you document your training, remember the details and organize your thoughts. They can also help you meet other Martial Artists and gain insight into diverse training methods and styles.

My training log began online really only as a matter of convenience. Shortly after I began training at Foster BJJ, Coach Foster encouraged everyone to keep a training log so that we could track our progress and help reinforce the techniques covered in class. If I gained nothing else, this alone would be reason enough for me. Anyone who reads my blog regularly knows that the vast majority of my content is related to my training. What is working for me and what isn't. Which techniques we learned on a given day. How well I was able to apply these techniques in sparring.

I am also now beginning to benefit from my early technical descriptions as I begin to go back and re-read them. I'm not overly introspective, but I am fascinated to read my early descriptions, remembering the classes and gaining insight not only into the techniques themselves, but also into what I noticed that first time around as opposed to what I can see and understand now. The first time I went back and read an early post on my training blog, I remember wondering why Coach Foster didn't show us many details. It was a few weeks later when I realized that he did, I just didn't see them. Very much like Homer Simpson, my brain was full.

Even if you never go back and read your training log again, simply the act of organizing your thoughts and mentally reviewing the lesson so that you can write it down will help you retain key details that you would otherwise forget.

Being asked to guest blog also got me thinking about our online community of martial artists... and bloggers. I was talking to a friend, a guy who began training in BJJ at the same time as I. He lives and trains in England, and I would never have met him had he not kept an online training log. One thing about the BJJ community is that it is still relatively small. The online community is much, much smaller. So, in the sense of reaching out to the global community of training partners, blogging is a fantastic habit to get into. Through my blog, I've had the pleasure of getting to know fellow jiu-jitsu students from literally all over the globe.

It's also a pleasure to be able to communicate with martial artists from every conceivable discipline, and to begin to understand how they train and why. From blogs like Martialviews, where John writes in broad terms about issues that affect all martial arts and artists, to Black Belt Mama's blog about her own personal trials and tribulations in life and martial arts. Mine is more of a technical blog, and fits my own personality. Yours will be something different and unique to you.

So, keep a training log. Whether it's online or on paper, your training will benefit. Start small and don't worry about whether or not you're doing something interesting to anyone else. Your log is for you, and if you enjoy it, you'll keep it up. One of the assistant instructors at my school said about BJJ specifically, but I think applicable to all disciplines, "When you start training you can't help but get better. You suck so bad that if you just show up, you'll improve. After a while, though, your improvement is up to you, and you have to start thinking about your training to get better." And if we accept this as true, then keeping a training log is a terrific way to organize our thoughts.

Technorati Tags: BJJ,training log

Inviting Marks Chat to guest blog

Rick and I agreed to try to invite a guest-blogger every month to TDA Training. Markos of Marks Chat has been selected for a number of reasons:

1. Useful information: Articles on training technique, fighting technique, and self-defense
2. Well-written posts: Many blogs and articles are written in a manner that prevents the average reader from understanding the point or details. Marks Chat is easy to read, and detailed enough without jargon.
3. Frequent posts: Marks Chat has been posting almost every day for a while, and always has something informative or interesting.
4. He's a Convocation of Combat Arts member, and a valuable contributor to discussions there.

Markos should be posting sometime this weekend at TDA, but meanwhile, check out some of my favorite recent posts there:

On Striking and Breathing, "Some say that when striking, you should force all your breath out fully on impact, which will create extra strength in your stomach muscles allowing for a more powerful and accurate strike. Although this creates a strong strike, if you force all your breath out on impact, surly if you are doing combination striking, after 2 maybe 3 strikes, you shall be out of breath and shall have to breathe again while striking, and this is extremely difficult. But then there is the argument that if you breathe in and exhale on impact, fast..."

Fighting Against the Cage on the lesson that MMA can teach us, and how to drill for fighting when your movement is obstructed. "... practice ground fighting and stand up fighting being in this awkward position. When sparring, before you begin, start in an awkward position (against the wall on your back, and maybe with your opponent in the mount, or clinched standing, with your opponent having a double under hook grip.) Keep the sparring contact light at first and with relevant experience add the amount of force in the strikes gradually over time."

A Great Takedown for all Martial Artists "When people see throws and takedowns, the majority of them tend to be double leg pickups, hip throws of some sort, wrestler type suplexes or reaping techniques (O soto gari etc) One of the most underused takedowns which is very quick and requires little energy is the back of the knee press."

There are many more. Check his site out here!

 

Technorati Tags: Karate,striking,breathing,MMA,takedown,martial arts,wrestling,judo

Going over to the Mokuren Dojo

I've been honored with an invitation to guest-post at Mokuren Dojo, a blog by Patrick Parker. I never miss a reading his posts there, and neither should you. How could I refuse someone who calls me one of his "blogging heroes?" I mean, flattery will get you everywhere. At least a post or two...

I probably won't get something posted this weekend at both blogs, so check over at Mokuren to see what I post on...

My teaser post there: TDA Training in da Dojo!

Posted at Mokuren: Hook punch, vertical or horizontal? Check it out!

A mixed welcome back!

The title of this posts expresses more than just my feelings on my first post since my self-imposed exile at the end of July. It's also a comment on my personal situation.

Starting first with what's happened at TDA Training since I left, I have to say that I'm amazed, blessed, shocked, and impressed! The experiment of having guest posts by my blogging pals at the Convocation of Combat Arts was a great success. Site traffic didn't drop a bit. In fact, it ticked upward a bit, as I'd been slacking off on the posts for a few weeks anyway as my impending move was hindering my availability to post. A summary:

Rick Fryer of the new, but excellent, KICKS BOXES blog kicked us off (yes, I meant to do that!) with "NOW, THAT’S INTENSITY!," featuring some awesome training drill footage from RossTraining.com, in keeping with the "training" theme of TDA. Rick then posted "WHAT WOULD YOU REALLY DO?," a wonderful anecdote on the moral costs of learning and using self-defense skills. Rick finished up with "THE POWER OF BLOGS:"

Imagine if legends like Gichin Funakoshi or Bruce Lee had been able to keep a blog. Think about all of the information, theories, and ideas that have been generated by Funakoshi’s books and Lee’s Journals.

Now just imagine how much better it all would have been if others could have shared their thoughts and opinions with these masters online. Sure, there would have been some controversy (there was anyway!) but there would have also been a lot of confusion cleared up as well.

With a blog, questions could have been answered, suggestions added, theories examined and extended. Who knows how much their ground-breaking ideas could have been refined and improved if they had been able to share their thoughts across the internet?

We can only guess how much our arts will develop and grow with this mighty new tool for communication at our disposal.

Blogs are now a huge part of the future for the new Information Age. I’d like to finish my time here by taking time to thank people like Nathan Teodoro for making the martial arts a part of that future.

Well said Rick, and thanks for coming over! I did notice that the moving boxes in TDA had been kicked over, though (sorry, couldn't help it!)...

Next, blogger Bob Patterson graced us with his Striking Thoughts on Jerry's Beasley's notable work, "Mastering Karate" in his post "American Martial Arts" and muses on how, despite their Asian origins, our country has put its own stamp on the martial arts world. Further, "I've trained in "Americanized" versions of Wing Chun and now Taekwondo so Beasely book really resonates with me. I think the first time I thought about this conundrum was when I tried to spar against my sabum using boxing strikes and wing chun kicks and blocks. Sabum's superior kicking and footwork shut me down. After that he would often say "If you can kick high you can kick low". Broadening his message to sum up this very long post I'd have to say this to all the martial artists who read this: It's good to keep an open mind because each martial art has value." Amen to that one, Bob. Thanks for helping out, and I appreciate you reorganizing the TDA Training bookshelf while you were over!

Aikido and Judo instructor Patrick Parker of Mokuren Dojo weighs in with his essay "Drawing your sword," on the escalation of force with which a martial artist must concern himself, starting with this quote from St. Bernard, of all people (now you see why I invited Pat over!):

…a warrior especially needs these three things--he must guard his person with strength, shrewdness and care; he must be free in his movements, and he must be quick to draw his sword. In Praise of the New Knighthood (Liber ad milites Templi: De laude novae militae) St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Pat then raised some hackles and drew a plethora of comments with "Why not Christian martial arts?" Why not, indeed. Some things we're supposed to avoid discussing are religion and politics, right? But what's more important than those things, in the big scheme of things? Patrick doesn't shy away from asking the tough questions - on MY BLOG! Good stuff, actually, and I intend to comment on this, and the other posts as soon as possible, and may weigh in with my own posts on these subjects if I can add anything valuable to the debate.

Then Pat finished up with a good post on "Ground randori," to build our skills on the mat. I love ideas like this, and if you do too, head over to Mokuren Dojo for more. Thanks for waxing the floors while you were down there. The TDA Training surface hasn't gleamed like that in years!

Gordon White of The Blue Wave Taekwondo School blog explains "Why Taekwondo differs from Karate." It's a well-written essay on something that many don't know, and he's honest about his bias (WTF) and qualifications for writing on the subject. It's refreshing to see such a disclaimer on a blog post, especially mine, where I often bloviate on subjects with which I have little to no formal training, just perspective. Anyway, if you have any interest in the history and formation of one of the world's most popular martial arts and sports, this is a must-read. I appreciate you coming over Gordon, but I did notice some footprints on my ceilings. Perhaps you should work on your low kicks when you come over??? Great contribution!

With the Black Belt Mama, you never know what you're going to get, so I invited her over with some trepidation (OK, just plain fear!), and was relieved to see her first post,"BBM in the HOUSE!," a lighthearted poke at the martial arts - blooper videos! Not too dangerous, right? Then BBM really took a step out of the box with "Faith and Rank," using the analogy of church attendance to contrast with the concept of rank in the martial arts. She speaks:

It is often heard that once you attain black belt, you're always a black belt. However, any rank up to black belt means nothing if you quit and go back years later. You have to start from scratch. Starting from scratch of course, assumes that you think your accomplishments can only be verified by the color wrapped around your waist. The knowledge that any martial artist takes away from the dojo is theirs to keep and no one can strip that from them, even if the belt and its perceived meaning is taken away.

What is happening on the inside is always more relevant and important than what is happening on the outside. People attending church each week, who leave the building and don't practice courtesy towards others are not going to get an easy pass to heaven just because they are sitting in the pew each week. And karate-ka's who are only concerned with how hard they kick and punch are missing an important element of the martial arts, one that great masters knew was inherently important.

I think she's outdone herself, honestly. I will definitely be commenting on this concept, probably in a separate post, so look for that. I did notice some silver missing, but have been alternatively assured that she'll bring it back (she probably shined it when bored), and that it was some sort of secret agreement for guest posting! As if!

Finally, the Dojo Rat decides to show his face, and then claims that I abused him (see Guest Blogging At TDA Is Brutal !)! I mean really! Anyone with eyes can see that the guy holding the beer IV isn't a doctor, and considering that I wasn't even in the TDA compound at the time that those photos were taken, it's clear that there's a frame-up in the works! Actually, DR kind of steps out of the box a little with that one, too. I was actually close to ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing) from that one!

The Rat finishes with two posts (Aikido And The Dynamic Sphere and Dislocating, Tearing, and Dim Mak) about some excellent grappling tomes, which, with his endorsement, will probably hit the best-seller lists again.

Anyway, coming back to TDA Training world headquarters and seeing all the damage (plus a few improvements), gives me even more reason to feel that I made the right decision in making the location nearly inaccessible.

Thanks to my friends for the help while I was away, and thanks for reading TDA Training!

More:
CoCA thread on Guest Blogging at TDA Training

Dislocating, Tearing, and Dim Mak

Taiji Chin Na


Practical Chin Na

Dojo Rat here again, ending my tour of duty at TDA Training; Nathan! Please take away the keys! BBM promises to return the silverware!
Yesterday's post was on the genteel art of Aikido, where the founder Uyeshiba passed down a sense of martial morality to not damage the opponent too severely. Not so with the Chinese systems, and the sub-arts of Chin Na. While Jujitsu and Aikido are recognized as arts in themselves, Chin Na (to seize, catch or hold) is a sub-category within Chinese arts. The techniques are divided into five groups: 1. dividing (tearing) the muscle/tendon, 2. misplacing (dislocating) the bone, 3. sealing (cutting off) the breath, 4. sealing (pressing) the vein/artery, and 5. pressing or striking Qi meridian channels and "cavity press".
The first book, "Taiji Chin Na" is by the prolific author Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. This is the book that will convince people that Taiji is indeed a fighting art. Yang takes all the traditional postures of the Yang Chen-fu form and demonstrates the five categories of Chin Na listed above for each posture. "Taiji China Na" provides clear pictures and explanations of techniques, with graphics of the directional circles overlaid onto the photographs. I highly reccomend this book for people who want to understand what the hell they are doing in some of the obscure postures in the Tai Chi Chuan forms, and how to transfer those skills to combat.
The second book, which I am working my way through now is "Practical Chin Na", by Zhao Da Yuan with translation by Tim Cartmell. I had the pleasure of attending a Bagua seminar with Cartmell, so I saw a taste of these techniques in action. Zhao is a fourth-generation Bagua master, and is currently chief martial arts instructor at China's Police Officers Academy. This book does not focus on the movements within forms, instead it offers physics, angles, and anatomical principles that make Chin Na work. Rather than photos, the book has well-drawn pictures that are easy to understand. This book also goes into details of Dim Mak, with illustrated anatomical charts of meridian striking points and the effects of these techniques on the human body.
If you are into the grappling arts at all, both these books will give you ideas of techniques that you can integrate into your system. And if you practice Tai Chi Chuan or Bagua, you absolutely must have these books for reference. New and used copies are available at Amazon.com