TGIF November, 4, 2011

Just a few things I thought you’d enjoy. Enjoy your weekend, and TGIF!

1. Striking Thoughts’ post, James T. Kirk: The Master of Whooping Ass! has to be #1. I was gonna do a post on Kirk’s fighting moves, but, you snooze, you lose, right? Enjoy!
2. Sensei Klein has a good post on How to Help Children Overcome the Fear of Their First Martial Arts Class
3. Someone has no sense of humor in France
4. Six teens arrested for 'Knockout Game'
   Six teenagers, five boys and one girl, were arrested Friday afternoon for allegedly attacking a 51-year-old man a week ago. A follow-up to my post The Knockout Game and How We Should Respond

New Feature–The TDA Training Daily

UPDATE: Relaunched as The TDA Training Daily with revised content. Some will be politics, war news, but mostly martial arts and training-related posts by some top people on Twitter. I will be tweaking it as the days go by, so check back from here or just subscribe.

We know. We know. Most of your are just happy that we’re actually making your days more bearable by posting here at TDA Training again. We can understand your tears of happiness, but we want to overwhelm you with the value of, not only our TDA Training Facebook Page, but an entirely new feature:
The TDA Training Daily! It’s a big sidebar link thingie, taking up lots of valuable real estate here. But it’s more than that! If you click on said big thingie, you’ll go to The TDA Training Daily, and there you’ll be overwhelmed with joy at all of the great information and posts on all things martial. Far more than even the great TDA Training can bring you.
Go ahead. Try it! We’ll wait for you.
[Faint sound of fingers tapping on the table]
You back? That means you’ve probably spent an hour reading all of the cool posts, so welcome back!
Anyway, it’s a great compilation of tweets and posts by such luminaries as Mokuren Dojo, Ikigai, and others.
Give it a shot, and you can even subscribe via email to the posts.
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Read Striking Thoughts Martial Arts News

At first I thought, "Ah, another copycat of the world-famous TDA Blitz (after all, who wouldn't want to copy it?), but ol Bob Patterson (a Convocation Partner) really puts together a great (and original) summary of interesting martial arts-related news and links. Read his Martial Arts News posts every week at Striking Thoughts.

 

View my page on The Convocation of Combat Arts

TDA Blitz 2008.12.05

Holiday Rush Edition: I've decided to start naming the Blitz with a theme, just 'cause. This is a bonus 15 bullet Blitz because we weren't able to get one out last Friday.

We're through with Thanksgiving now, the aptly named Black Friday has come and gone, and we're in a rush to complete our Christmas shopping. I'm fortunate to be able to have negotiated the amount of leave that I did, and will be off from mid-month through the New Year's Day holiday.

Without further ado, and after much research and painstaking vetting, here's the TDA Blitz!

1. Well done! Via Military Times.

   Newly confirmed Korea ace receives Silver Star

   Fifty-five years after he flew F-86 Sabres over Korea, retired Lt. Gen. Charles Cleveland will receive a Silver Star for his aerial dog fights on Monday.

   Cleveland qualified for the Silver Star earlier this year when the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records recognized a MiG 15 he shot down in 1952 as an official kill. The board’s decision made him an ace, a pilot with five confirmed kills.

   Cleveland did not record the dog fight as a confirmed shoot down in 1952 because he had not seen the plane crash, flames coming from the plane or the pilot bail out.

   More than 50 years later, a West Point classmate of Cleveland’s, Dolph Overton, found Soviet records of flight operations in Korea that included a shoot-down matching Cleveland’s encounter. Evidence from those records helped convince the records board that Cleveland brought down the MiG-15.

2. One of the best video posts in a while, Striking Thoughts compares how different martial arts handle street fights. Head over and watch!
3. How is Britain's strict gun control, and now "knife control" policy working out? As this, and many other stories reveal, not well. The focus "across the pond" has been on criminalizing any means that honest citizens have from defending themselves, and those who choose not to obey those laws can run rampant. If handguns were legal and available, do you think that the incidence of knife crimes would be as high?

   One teenager killed on Britain's streets every five days

   One teenager has been killed on the streets of Britain every five days this year as the number of fatal stabbings soars, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

   Official figures from each police force in the UK reveal a grim tally of 65 teenagers who have met a violent death since January 1 - almost two-thirds of whom were stabbed to death.

   The record level of teen killings, which has doubled in five years in London alone, has alarmed senior officers and led to being named as the top national priority at a recent meeting of police chiefs.

   The figures show that the problem is acute in the capital, which has six times the rate of teenage murders of any other city.

4. EagleSpeak reveals Mumbai attack parallels failed New York attack plan. Do we still need to remain vigilant? The terrorist murderers in India reveal what a disarmed populace, and under-trained and poorly armed police force can't do: stop a determined band of attackers willing to die. I think we all hope that our civilian law enforcement would do better...

   Stratfor posts an interesting comparison between the Mumbai attack of last week with a failed plan to attack New York City several years ago in From the New York Landmarks Plot to the Mumbai Attack. From the last piece by and :

   A third similarity exists in the geography of the two cities. In both plots, the use of watercraft is a distinctive tactical similarity. Watercraft gave militants access at unconventional locations where security would be more lax. Both Mumbai (a peninsula) and Manhattan (an island) offer plenty of points where militants can mount assaults from watercraft. Such an attack would not have worked in New Delhi or Bangalore; these are landlocked cities where militants would have had to enter by road, a route much more likely to encounter police patrols. Being centers of trade and surrounded by water, both Mumbai and New York have high levels of maritime traffic. This means infiltrating the area from the water would raise minimal suspicions, especially if the craft were registered locally (as was the case in the Mumbai attack). Such out-of-the box tactics take advantage of security services, which often tend to focus on established threats.

5. Low Tech Combat has a great post on Helio Gracie - Training into Old Age. Inspiring!
6. BJJ luminary Stephan Kesting has a free e-book for you! Go here at Beginning BJJ to get it. I did, and look at me now. Ok, don't look at me, but imagine that I'm really good at BJJ now. If you had done the same a few minutes ago, you'd be good at it, too. Really.
7. Jiu-Jitsu Sensei Lori O'Connell has an interesting post on Why Small People Have More Trouble When Starting a Martial Art, stating that, "When starting out, bigger people usually have less trouble because what they lack in technique, they make up for using strength. Then, with practice and good instruction, they will make adjustments to eventually do it without relying on their strength (in theory)." I'd actually disagree with that, and say that, perhaps only in grappling arts does strength confer an advantage in the beginning stages of training. In many traditional striking arts, techniques are done in the air, or at best, on a striking posts or bag, where strength doesn't make any difference. When it comes time to applying such striking arts, many of the tactics and techniques were actually designed by smaller instructors for use on someone of the same or larger stature. So, larger size and strength can make it harder sometimes. Where bigness really shines is competitive sport styles like BJJ, Judo, boxing, Sumo, or any other style where weight classes don't make a height distinction, and rampant weight-cutting can lead to great strength disparities. Is she right? Yes, and no.
8. John Zimmer's post Fighting with Self-Defense! addresses his dinner conversation with a "formal" (as opposed to sport) stylist in karate who said that,
   The formal stylist made the following points:

   • you fight the way you train

   • if you put on hand and foot pads, you drastically reduce the possible targets

   • if you spar using self-defense, you will end up maiming or killing your sparring partner

   • if you have to defend yourself, you will end up making mistakes if you are used to fighting for sport

   I made the following points:

   • you fight the way you train

   • high-kicks would work against most attackers as I was already used to them

   • I would not be surprised if I got hit hard (used to contact)

   • I was used to hitting and winning fights (from sparring)

   So you can see how the conversation went and I came away knowing that I was right because I had been in over 100 (my estimate) real fights in the bar while I was bouncing and never had too much of a problem. But he got me thinking and today I now think I agree with allot of his positions.

   It's a very interesting post, and while I agree with Zimmer on many points, the reason he's able to use his "sport karate" style of fighting in self defense was because he modified it for the street. He admits to using some basic techniques, but aimed at "illegal" areas, and had a lot of experience (100+ violent encounters) due to his encounters with unruly patrons as a bouncer. He's clearly a fighter, not just a sport player. The delusion of a lot of no-contact "formal" stylists persists, though, in that some still believe that deadly techniques which they've never practices full-speed/full-power, or who don't make contact or spar, are still going to prevail against some untrained street ruffians. Sigh... More on this in a full post.

9. On the subject of self defense, this encounter makes it clear that you'd better make sure you're opponent is really finished before you let down your  guard!
10. Fascinating post by our friend Patrick at Mokuren: why first degree black belt is called "Shodan," and not, "Ichidan." I learned a lot there, Pat!
11. Cops now using Twitter? Makes sense. Read it!
12. Good advice on generating more striking power at Traditional TKD.
13. Excellent advice on data security to protect your identity and finances.
14. Congratulations to Kyoshi Steve Lavalle on earning 8th dan!
15. Brave New World. A genetics company is offering a $149 test that aims to predict a child’s natural athletic strengths. Christopher Littlefair at Diary of a Martial Artist has a great video post named, appropriately, Hilarious. Click the link or the photo to watch!
    

 

 

Technorati Tags: knife crime,UK,Mumbai,terrorism,homeland security,self-defense,sport karate,Charles Cleveland,Silver Star,Korean War,Air Force,Twitter

TDA Blitz 2008.11.07

What week! We have a new president-elect, the Dow is sinking faster than the Titanic during that scene where everybody was falling sideways down the deck, my Redskins got beaten down by my Steelers, and lots of other things happening. Those are all interesting, but on to the real stories! - Nathan

---

Photo credit: Hell in a Handbasket

1. Hell in a Handbasket reports on efforts to update the best weapon for home defense, the .50 caliber M2:
   Do you know that the very same design is still being used today, 70 years after US troops first hunkered down behind the spade grips to give the enemy hell? It still works, still does the job very well indeed, but a lot of those old warhorses are starting to wear out after decades of use. Some people think that there might just be room for improvement.

   Various attempts have been made over the past ten years to drastically improve Ma Deuce. Efforts tend to concentrate on reducing her weight, since she is a heavy girl that weighs 130 pounds or so. It would be nice if she could slim down to half that.

   As this post over at StrategyPage shows, it looks like she won't be any lighter any time soon. The major setback seems to be that a gun which weighs less cannot fire as fast without shaking apart or burning up.

2. Speaking of home defense, thank God this woman was prepared! Read it all.
   Rape Victim Shoots Rapist in Her Home
   The 57-year-old woman shot Ronnie W. Preyer, 47, a registered sex offender, in the chest with a shotgun when he broke through her locked basement door.

   The woman told police he was the same man who raped her several days earlier. Officials do not intend to seek charges against her.

3. Via Fight Geek, Speed bag work. Enjoy!
   
   Speed bag work
4. Via Military Times, Combatives champ to turn pro, leave Army
   He’s a combat veteran who has turned down invitations to fight in the nation’s top mixed martial arts circuits so he could deploy with his fellow Green Berets.

   Staff Sgt. Tim Kennedy has won the light heavyweight division at the all-Army combatives tournaments three years in a row and professes a deep love for his job in the Army.

   But his bosses at Special Operations Command won’t let Kennedy fight in professional, civilian MMA tournaments, and this fall, he plans to go on terminal leave and eventually leave the Army to pursue a career in hand-to-hand fighting.

5. Watch out! Spy Cam In Wal-Mart Set To Beam Credit Card Numbers To Thieves
   A mysterious box with an antenna found hidden inside a Wal-Mart was a planted spy camera set up to beam customer credit card numbers to thieves in the parking lot, police said.
6. I must have this! Chain Mail Shirt 
7. Another good review of Meditations on violence at Formosa Neijia. I think I'll need to pick it up.
   Short review: If I could recommend ONE book that every martial artist on earth should read, this would be it. How’s that for a review?
8. Blogs Better at Pushing Product?
   New research finds that bloggers' links are gaining heft as trusted guides for finding useful content and product purchases.

What do you think has more potential to influence buying decisions online: links in blog posts or a burgeoning social network?

If you chose social network, you would probably be using common sense. If you chose bloggers, you're on to something that Jupiter Research and Web metrics firm BuzzLogic have uncovered in recent research.

For avid blog readers, the links found within posts are the preferred method for retrieving related content from other blogs, Jupiter found. The results of its survey offer some hints for e-commerce and advertising opportunities.

Web analytics and advertising firm BuzzLogic commissioned the study. It found that blogs serve a key role in retrieving information on the Web, including product reviews and recommendations.

9. Is this the Zohan's dad?
   Refugio "Fugi" Escobedo from Atlanta, Georgia is 71 and is leading what seems to be an interesting kind of double life. What else would you be saying about of a combination of bounty hunter and ... are you ready for this ... hair stylist!
   The man - who certainly is quite a character with long and flowing black hair - is described as a self-defense expert by ajc.com. As far as the quite risky bounty hunting business goes, he says he often works alone.
10. Finally, read A side to fighters that many never see… linked at the great RossTraining.com. Just be prepared to cry like a little girl. Unless you are a little girl, then you should be ready.

Have a great weekend, and be ready!

TDA Blitz 2008.10.24

Back from the brink, TDA Training is back. We're looking to set a new traffic record here, thanks to you, our voracious readers. Thanks are due, and the check's in the mail! Just kidding about the check. I have, as you can probably tell, rediscovered my love of writing for you, and so begins this weeks TDA Blitz!

1. 
   My newest MA blog discovery Ikigai|Blogging the Martial Way! What does that mean? Not sure (actually, see here), but it's one of the best-written blogs that I've read in a long time. Matthew Apsokardu, the author, is a long-time contributor to the Convocation of Combat Arts, and a 3rd Dan in Kenpo and Kenpo Kobudo. It has been a pleasure discovering his site, and I hope you check it out. Incidentally, I have added him to our blogroll and so on.
2. Mr. Charles James has linked to a great book recommendation (I'll take his word for it): Choosing Civility: The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct by P. M. Forni. Thanks Charles! See, it's working already...
3. Jiu-jitsu Sensei Lori O'Connell has a good post on 15 Personal Safety Tips for Runners. Some of my favorites:
   7. Run against the traffic so that you can observe approaching vehicles.
   9. Avoid wearing headphones; You need to be aware of your surroundings.
   13. Rely on your intuition concerning suspicious persons or areas. Respond to your intuition and avoid any person or area that feels unsafe to you.
4. Nice wrist lock video

How to Perform the Flowing Wrist Lock
5. Dojo Rat post the First 100 Things To Leave The Shelves on what you need to prepare for an emergency. It's a great list, and a good idea for everyone. Pat posted something like that a while ago, but I can't find it. If you can let me know in comments, I'll update here.
6. Congratulations to Pat at Mokuren Dojo for reaching 1000 posts! As you probably know, Mokuren is must reading for me, and has been a favorite for a long time now. Pat reached the millennial milestone on September 22, and briefly mentioned it in a chat we had a little while later. Mokuren Dojo has been remarkably consistent since 2006, and has posted about 40 times a month in the last couple of years. My routine has been all over the place, from a high of 98 to a low of 7 during the same period, so I know how hard that is. What's more, the post quality is always high, and there's something interesting for everyone, whether you're in Aikido, Judo, or just like bad martial arts movie dialogue. Head over and congratulate him in his comments.
7. Improving the Ultimate Fighter From the Eyes of a Fight Fan at Bloody Elbow seems like good advice to me. I've stopped watching the show because of the shenanigans, and I think a lot of others have too. Haven't their ratings taken a dive in the past couple of seasons? H/T: Steve
8. Watch this Amazing film of a hug from a lion for you big cat lovers. The whole article is great. Click the picture to Watch!
9. The MH-53 Pave Low helicopters have flown their last combat mission. Via Blackfive.
   
10. Finally, Low Tech Combat has his own Google Gadget! What a geek. [Yo, uh, Adam, now how do I get me one of those?]

Have a great weekend, and enjoy your training!

Technorati Tags: Kenpo,Safety,Self defense,emergency preparedness,The Ultimate Fighter,lion hug,MH-53 Pave Low,Google Gadgets

Gone camping

No TDA Blitz this weekend. Talk at ya on Monday.

TDA Blitz 2008.10.10

Happy Friday! Crazy week. We've seen the Dow plummet, Kimbo get exposed, and TDA Training come back from the grave! Here's the goings on I thought you'd like to hear about!

1. 
   New to the blogroll at TDA, Low Tech Combat. Description: "Ramblings and experiences about Self Protection, RBSD, Combat Sports such as MMA and Conditioning" Thanks to MarksTraining.com for putting it on his blogroll first! The author has assured me that he thinks that TDA Training is the best martial arts site ever, too, assuring himself the #1 spot in this week's Blitz. Just kidding about that last thing.
2. Watch this video of dogs greeting an airman coming home after a 14-month deployment via Rachel Lucas. Warms the soul!
   
   Dogs greet their master - licking and bawling ensues!
3. Mental Floss on 5 Ways Doctor Who Made a Difference. If, like me, you watched Dr. Who on Channel 20 most Saturday afternoons and were just engrossed in the weirdness and corniness of it, you may appreciate this.
4. Steve links to Guerrilla Jiu Jitsu: Armlocks with David Camarillo:
   
   Armlocks
5. Man finds rifle his dad used in Korea
   
   As gifts go, Jim Richardson's choice for his father's 79th birthday was a long shot.

   Virgil Richardson fondly remembered the .30-caliber M1 Garand rifle he carried during his time as a soldier during the Korean War. He even still had the weapon's serial number. Using that number, Jim Richardson went online and found the firearm at a Kentucky gun broker.

   "I couldn't even talk when he gave it to me," Virgil Richardson told The Flint Journal. "It didn't even have to be the same gun to be important to me."

   Read it!

6. Phoenix officer hurt in charity boxing match dies
7. Somaserious (Tales of a Mommy Karateka) has started Wing Chun lessons. Read about it!
8. Stephen Irwin on 80s Martial Arts Movies. He features a couple of clips from Ninja movies. I'll admit I saw a lot of movies of that genre (that's the TDA vocabulary word of the day!), but never got into the whole ninja thing. How 'bout you?
9. For some reason, there have been several martial arts bloggers posting about Sarah Palin. I'm not sure I understand the fascination. I mean, sure, she's good looking, wears skirts, has the "naughty librarian/teacher" look I love, and is a crack shot with everything from a shotguns to an M4, but come on! For academic reasons, I have read everything there is to read and about her. Uh, if my wife is reading this, I only like her 'cause of the gun thing!
   Black Belt Mama
   Martial Development
   Dojo Rat
   Among others...
10. Finally, Fight Geek posts a video on how to Prep for an Escrima Fight.

Have a great weekend, and train hard!

Technorati Tags: Kimbo Slice,dogs,Doctor Who,Sarah Palin,M1,Boxing,Ninja,Escrima

TDA Blitz 2008.10.03

OK, welcome back to the TDA Training Blitz, where we post links and snippets of things we find, like, really interesting and stuff. Enjoy. Comments are welcomed.

1. Jiu-Jitsu Sensei has a great review and video of the unbreakable umbrella.
2. Just added Modern Kung fu to the blogroll. The author doesn't seem to discriminate by limiting his material to Kung Fu and other Asian words, but links and posts on everything from MMA, to self-defense, to combatives training. Check it out!
3. Fightclub.Team.Pro has finally fixed his RSS feed, so I am now subscribing. If you want to watch hours of great martial arts competition video, head over and check it out.
4. I've been reading a blog devoted to maritime matters, with a current focus on piracy. Check out EagleSpeak. From the author's bio: "Attorney (including stints as an oil company lawyer). Retired Navy Reserve Captain (Surface Warfare). Opinions expressed herein are my own. Sometimes I have the experience to back them up. Your opinions may vary. Don't panic. Nothing contained herein should be confused as me giving legal advice to anyone. If you are confused, welcome to the club. Spelling errors and typos are the result of gremlins in my keyboard."
5. Why, Pat Parker must have a lot of courage to do a MA blogger throwdown with me! His post, Nathan vs. Pat - who'd win? My reply to this insolent challenge? THIS!
6. Which city has the most TDA Training readers? Let's see:
   
   I think that each of these cities who read TDA should begin today to collect enough funds to fund a trip for two (me and the missus!) to your cities to meet you all - when I'm done sightseeing. Let's get on that, eh? And George, where are all the Los Angeles readers? Send some over. One final question: how does Sydney get to be two cities?
7. Looking to supercharge your training? Head over to the Fight Geek and check out his Training Ideas category. In it, you'll find things like Neck Bridges, Holding Your Breath Underwater (what??), bodyweight exercises, Round the World Pull-ups, and more.
8. Dojo Rat has another video (those rats are on a roll), this time on a Bagua Pass move. Well worth watching.
9. Study finds no link between gun shows and gun deaths
10. Charlie found this cool shirt - A tee-shirt that lights up when you get close to a wireless hot-spot! Look!
    

TDA Blitz 2008.06.27

Where to start? While I've been away, a lot has been going on!

1. The number one item has to be the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the right to bear arms, it's an "individual right," as most are, not a group right, or reserved to militias. This is a ruling that will no doubt protect the God-given right to protect one's person and domicile from assault by home invasion burglary. Many of us extrapolate our presumed safety in the suburbs (a "safe" neighborhood) to the rest of the country, but many live in fear every day in communities where the outlaws rule. I will write more on this in the future, or may just link with commentary. Much good work being done out there. Check out Of Arms & the Law, for example.
2. The inspiring story of a Marine who led the way. Read it with some tissues handy. Semper Fi! “...he designed a T-shirt that he sometimes sold, sometimes gave away. On the front it read: "Got 3% chance of survival, what ya gonna do?" The back read, "A) Fight Through, b) Stay Strong, c) Overcome Because I Am a Warrior, d) All Of The Above." D is circled.”
3. The Fight Geek is in Thailand doing the Muay Thai thing! Head over and check out his posts.
4. Scott at Weakness With a Twist saw "The Foot Fist Way," and, uh, appreciated it. I think I have to see it. I will probably wait for the video to come out unless I get to it next week. Read his review here.
5. Jiu-jitsu Sensei posted a great video of Judo throws and some reasons to include them in your MMA. I agree, and would add that, for self-defense, throws are a show-stopper (for the attacker, that is). Include them in your arsenal. That's an order!
6. Bob at Striking Thoughts is hot on his search for his next style. While I normally frown on style hopping, I don't that that's what he's doing, and he's got good reasons for moving from TKD to an art that's easier on his body.
7. Check out this video footage of the powered exoskeleton that may allow the lame to walk and move like the Bionic Man, make Bobcats obsolete for construction workers, and our soldiers on the battlefield able to carry two wounded buddies at the same time or jack up a Humvee and shoot with the other hand. Check it out!
8. The 5 Most Badass Presidents of All-Time! Guess who they are before you go there. And several of them are among my favorites. Who knew?
9. Chris at Martial Development on "So You Think You Can Dance" and it's applicability to martial arts practice. "Dancing is not a martial art, but they have much in common. Proficiency in either demands a body that can speak clearly—whether to convey profound truths, or exquisite lies—because indistinct muttering is no basis for artistic expression. In both arts, it pays to keep a close eye on your partner’s movements."
   Steve blogged about it, too. Funny that both of them have been checking it out. This is the first season that my wife and I have been watching. Coincidence? Perhaps...
10. Military Motivator has a poster on the new Navy LC2 Star Destroyer. Click the picture to get there. It's actually scary!

TDA Blitz 2008.05.09

It's a muggy morning here at the super-secret training compound. It's been decided by the boss that I CAN attend the Karate College, so I hope to see some of you there. Several other exciting happenings - I met one of the Convocation Partners last week, Gordon of Blue Wave Taekwondo (I'll be posting about it tonight), we're going to have a Martial Arts Blogger roundtable, and BBM is going to try to put together a meet n greet for us. Very cool! Anyway, here's your Blitz!

1. Fist of the Red Rebel has a nice post on one of the most colorful figures in boxing history, heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey! Many may not know about Dempsey, but should. His ferocious ring style is legend, and his personal history is an amazing story of American grit. Read Jack Dempsey, Boxing Legend, Hero... Martial Arts Instructor? for a twist on what you may think you know.
2. Good news on Web security, Yahoo using McAfee to clean up search results (USA Today):
   "SAN FRANCISCO — Yahoo and McAfee are joining to offer alerts about potentially dangerous websites alongside search results generated at Yahoo.com.

With the new security feature — slated to take effect Tuesday — people who search the Internet using Yahoo will see a red exclamation point and a warning next to links McAfee has identified as serving dangerous downloads or using visitors' e-mail addresses to send out spam."

3. For those of you who have some confidence in our government's competence, uh...
   Air marshals' names tagged on 'no-fly' list: "Some federal air marshals have been denied entry to flights they are assigned to protect when their names matched those on the terrorist no-fly list, and the agency says it's now taking steps to make sure their agents are allowed to board in the future." Oh good. And why is it that I say you have to rely on yourself for your own protection? Supposedly this has now been corrected.
4. Dojo Rat has a very good post on a book that I read in the '80's, and probably still have somewhere, "The Warrior Athlete; Body, Mind & Spirit" by Dan Millman, of "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" fame. I remember reading "The Way" then searching for this book frantically for more information. Try to find it - DR think's it's out of print.
5. John Zimmer has a great post on an "unbreakable umbrella that can be used as a weapon." Check it out. It's amazing! The post on legal weapons highlights a basic requirement of self-defense weaponry - it should be legal. If you carry a knife and it looks like a Rambo knife, then it's going to be near impossible to justify in court, but an umbrella? No prob!
6. Black Belt Mama shared a good story of trusting your instincts. I've posted before on why realtors are at risk, but the same goes for those trying to sell their homes. From Psycho Detection Skills Required:
   "... He then said, "So I should probably move my car up to the visitor parking area before you show me your house." He stared at me waiting for a response. After painting for 12 hours this weekend (more to come on this tomorrow), I was completely exhausted and probably lacking any form of poker face. All I could think of as I stood there looking at this middle-aged single man who was by himself was, "It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again." I quickly told him he should call his realtor or call the number on our sign and speak with our realtor so that he can make an appointment. " Good move, BBM!
7. Watch the Kung Fu Bear via Fight Geek. I mean it. It'll be worth it!
   
   Watch this bear's technique!
8. John Vesia's post, Getting Better, highlights some very good steps to take to improve, including videotape, a training log, and slooooowing down. I recommend all three.
9. Straight to the Bar links up to a good post on "girlie pushups." I guess I'll try the manly kind now. I am shamed.
10. Finally, I love this kind of story! Prospective juror in marijuana case is caught smoking pot

TDA Blitz 2008.05.02

Ready? Here goes!

1. True Karate works! "If the smallest adult in your dojo cannot use a technique (despite diligent, longterm practice), then something is wrong. Some of the greatest Karate masters were barely 5 feet tall and only 120 pounds. They had something other than sheer strength. Their Karate was not size dependent." - Sensei Charles Goodin
2. Via RossTraining, an inspiring video. If he can do it, so can you!
3. Thanks to Marks for the compliments. This man KNOWS what he's talking about! Heh. He is right about Mokuren Dojo, though - it should be on you "must read" list.
4. A couple of our fellow MA bloggers have posted about the upcoming Iron Man flick. I've mentioned before how exciting it is that the comics that I loved as a kid have now come to life. The special effects have caught up to our imaginations now, and, as long as Hollywood keeps the writing and acting standards high for these comic book adaptations, they'll have hits for years to come. I also can't wait for the Will Smith anti-hero, Hancock. It looks really funny.
5. Reuters has a story on Kassim "The Dream" Ouma, a former child soldier from Uganda. It's a good read.
6. Charles Goodin on Nice vs Tough, "When I get new students, I am always very happy to find nice ones. Sometimes I find tough ones. I always say that it is easier to make a nice student tough than it is to make a tough student nice. When a nice student learns Karate, you can be pretty sure that he or she will only use it for self-defense. With a tough student, you have to constantly emphasize restraint."
7. Fight Geek has created some Free Round Timers for your iPod. A great idea! I remember years ago, I was among the few who actually had a round time (in the early 80s), and my sparring partner used a stopwatch and tape recorder (remember those?) to create rounds - he put two or three minutes of music, followed by 60-seconds of silence. It worked. Now you can do the same with Fight Geek's cool download. Try it!
8. Patrick Parker, "I've heard it said that there are no advanced techniques or concepts in aikido - just skilled students practicing the fundamentals in a very advanced way."
9. John Lott on "Gun Free Zones." Via Of Arms and the Law.
10. 4 Reasons Boxers Need Blogs - should apply to all of us though, eh?

TDA Blitz 2008.04.25

As you may be able to tell, I'm trying to get caught up and stay on a more regular posting schedule. I'm going to try to get this Blitz post of interesting and informative links to you every Friday. Also, Rick has agreed to collaborate on this, giving you plenty of links to catch up on over the weekend.

Let the Blitz commence!

1. Turns out that Jason Couch of Martial History Magazine is a daddy! He snuck it into this post, but can't hide from our crack researchers. Or is that researchers on crack? Never mind! Go over and congratulate him.
2. I've added the My Self-Defense Blog to our links. Focused on self-defense with a good amount of success stories and tips, it's worth a good look.
3. Marks Chat has morphed into MarksTraining.com. Update your feed and links!
4. Charles James post, Those Yellow Footprints takes the USMC Drill Instructor Pledge and, appropriately applies it to the humble and lofty Sensei. "Drill Instructor Pledge--"These recruits are entrusted to my care. I will train them to the best of my ability. I will develop them into smartly disciplined, physically fit, basically trained Marines, thoroughly indoctrinated in love of Corps and country. I will demand of them, and demonstrate by my own example, the highest standards of personal conduct, morality, and professional skill."" Read it all - it's beautiful and profound.
5. John at Black Belt at 50 is a real martial artist - he actually enjoys training! "Many people seem to respect the fact that I've earned a black belt. But the fact is, I know the truth. The running, the sparing, the intense four-classes-per-week run-up to earning the belt, and all those pushups.....was fun."
6. Ronin posts on why you should "Always use enough gun!" So true!
7. Home Invasion Lady Stuck in Closet with Robber at Self Defense Instructor, a new addition to our Blogroll.
8. Charles Goodin imparts "A Karate Student Should Not..."
   -try harder in the dojo than he does at work or school.
   -show more respect to his Sensei than he does to his parents.
   -clean the dojo but neglect his own home.
   -travel the world for training but not take his wife anywhere.
   -forget all the people who helped him to attain skill in Karate.
   -forget that Karate is practiced in daily life.
   And more... Read the whole post.
9. Men's Health features a fast weekend workout you can do anywhere. Hmmm. I'll give it a try...
10. Stephan Kesting of GrappleArts.com has a new DVD, High Percentage Leglocks. From what I can see, anything he produces is probably worthwhile, so check out the previews on this page.

That's it! Get on with your weekend.

TDA Saturday Blitz, April 4, 2008

It's Saturday, and I'm waiting for the results from my daughter's second Irish dancing competition. Here are a few worthy TDA Blitz items for you. - Nathan

Another reason to change karate school policies and for parents to watch out for their kids. Another karate instructor molesting his students. "The karate Long Island instructor made sexual photos and videos of himself and children using hidden cameras in his home and karate school, according to police. The respected figure in the martial arts community was arrested October 11 2007. A 13-year-old student had reportedly told his mother and then police that he'd had sexual contact with his instructor in his apartment in Ronkonkoma." Via Martial Arts Sources (a great source of MA news)

Why we should secure the borders! Via Hot Air

Another great post by Chiron, Lineage and Tradition. "First things first- not everyone studies martial arts for the same reasons. I have no problem with people exercising or learning a culture or testing themselves in the arena. It is what it is. I have a little problem with people who think that all of those things- fitness, culture, sport- are the same. Worse when they delude themselves into thinking that those skills equate to either combat or self-defense (and those two are not the same, either). I don't have a big problem until people start teaching that they are all the same. Even there, though, it is not a huge problem- delusional people teaching other delusional people things that they will never test is like any other religion: a big problem, but not my big problem. Anybody offended yet?"

Steve reminds us of why we should wear headgear when grappling, and nice pointers on the standing guillotine, too!

Black Belt Mama's Admired Martial Artists Month has been completed, and is magnificent. Please go here to read the posts by her esteemed guests.

Big Rick Fryer's MMA Weekly Wrap-Up feature here at TDA Training has been a great addition, and has attracted a lot of the MMA fans that we may have neglected. Check them out: MMA Weekly Wrap-Up category

Fight Geek is one of our newest links. Check it out for "News & Training from the 404 of Smack."

It looks like the Dojo Rat has started videos again (I love how he uses that concept to the fullest) on Small-Circle JJ finger locks. Also, check out his YouTube channel here.

Technorati Tags: Sexual abuse,karate,pedophiles,border security,homeland security,MMA,BJJ,grappling,headgear,jiujitsu,small circle

TDA New Years Blitz

More shameless self-promotion: Rick from Kicks Boxes has joined forces at TDA Training! Don't worry, the Kicks Boxes blog will still be around, but he'll be hanging out with us here. Also, I have added the Martial Arts TopList "Rate this Blog" widget to the sidebar. Check it out (Hint, hint). Seriously, if you have feedback for improvements, please let us know via email.

Mokuren Dojo is now hosting Carnival of Martial Arts #5! TDA had the honor in December, and the torch has now passed with only a few burns. Patrick Parker is again showing his commitment to the martial arts blogging community and readers by sharing his precious blog real estate with you. Partake of his gift. If you are an MA blogger, submit a post by January 19 for inclusion. It's easy, free, and gets you exposed! I mean gets you exposure! I mean, it gives your blog some publicity!

The Crime: Information and Prevention blog is now Crime Information. For some of the best crime prevention and self-defense tips, check out this site. The author, Ronin, has also given me good advice in the past on blogging, pagerank, and so forth, which has come in handy. Seems like a lot of MA bloggers are moving over to WordPress. Hmmmm.

Head over to Steve's BJJ Log and watch the trailer "Walking to the Cage," on an upcoming feature-length documentary on MMA. It may change your perceptions of MMA fighters in general, but of their motivations in particular. I can't wait to check it out.

Striking Thoughts has an excellent post on the nature of ki, Dim Mak, and the supernatural in the martial arts. Head over and read it.

This has all the components of a freaky Hollywood drama. It combines MMA (the hottest new sport), a love triangle, domestic violence, perversion, nudity, and cleanliness. Read at your own risk.

Great new link: Jiu-Jitsu Technique Videos, "Jiu-Jitsu Technique is the ultimate resource for fighting the best jiu-jitsu technique videos on the net" is a decent description of this new site. It's a compendium of free video and instruction on BJJ. Check it out!

Joel had some good comments, to which we responded, on our post, Best body-punch knockouts! We dealt there with the effects of, and targets for, body punches.

Head over to MilitaryTimes.com and watch the bouts at the All-Army Combatives Tournament. There is embedded video of the finals of every weight division. I like the way they've given us the entire bracket and results. You may have read my criticisms of the Army combatives, and suggestions for improving the tournament, but it sure is good fun. Watch!
H/T: Hock Hochheim

Pat Parker deserves major accolades for consistent improvement in his blog, Mokuren Dojo. If you are a regular reader (and you should be!), you'll note that he's constantly improving his site design (cleaner, stronger, faster... just betterer!), posts, and, not coincidentally given TDA Training his Promote Three award again in November! In fact, of all the MA blogs I read (and there are many), I think Mokuren has improved the most in 2007 to become the best. Check it out and let me know if you agree. I think you will.

That's it for now. Have a great week and Happy New Year!

Friday Blitz

More like a blizzard today. I've been on travel, and my wife says it's been snowing since Sunday. Welcome to Western  PA, huh! Anyway, here's a roundup of items I think you may appreciate.

Five survivors keep history alive at Pearl Harbor (USA Today)
PEARL HARBOR — They are the ironmen of their generation, living through Dec. 7, 1941, and the World War that followed, and defying the pitfalls of age and health into their 80s and 90s.
TDA-We all owe a great debt of gratitude to our service men and women, and these guys just remind us. Thank a veteran or service-member any time you can.

Tremendous Judo throw at Mokuren. Watch it!

Black Belt Mama's review of "On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society" by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman is an insightful analysis of a book I should've read a long time ago. My brother read it years ago, recommended it to me, and I've remembered his thoughts on how soldiers and kids (through media and video games) are desensitized to all types of violence against others. There's a healthy thread over at CoCA on it, too, so check both of them out.

Chris at Martial Development's post "The End of Mixed Martial Arts?" is well-worth a read. I think he misses the basic point of the success of MMA, but makes a very good argument. As a surface analysis, I think MMA is here to stay for the same reason that other major sports are - kids today idolize their favorite MMA stars and their fighting style in the same way that we used to root for boxers, action heroes, and sports figures. MMA is exciting, and the UFC's marketing has displaced something in the public consciousness, including those other sports. Certainly, it's fans are also fans of other sports, but it has, to no small degree, changed perceptions of what fighting and martial arts are (accurately, or not). Read the whole post at Martial Development.

Along with many others, I've really enjoyed Dojo Rat's "Old School" series of videos on a myriad of martial arts. Head over and check them out!

TDA Tuesday Blitz

Nadshots via Argos for a painful look at groin shots in the comics.

High school teacher wants to take her 9-mm pistol to work via The Obscure Store and Reading Room
"It's her ex-husband -- not students -- that she's worried about. She has a license to carry a concealed weapon and a restraining order against the guy. School policy says only cops can pack heat in the building." Link: (Christian Science Monitor)
TDA: A constitutional question? Why should she be helpless in a "gun-free zone" when anyone who chooses to ignore the law could just walk in and start shooting. I know that'd never happen, but just a thought...

Good advice on Breaking Up Fights by Karate Thoughts Blog:
"But I want to clarify something. I have not said that you should go around trying to break up fights. You should avoid fighting. But if two people are fighting, you might get injured if you try to break them up. In fact, bystanders are often injured or even killed. Being a Karate student or teacher does not make you a police officer or school teacher. It is not your job to stop other people from fighting.
Who knows, if you try to stop two people from fighting they might turn on you instead. You could get hit by a wild punch, smashed by a rock, slashed by a knife, or their friends might attack you. In the end, you might even be the one accused of fighting.
Some of the old timers here say "don't stick your nose in other people's business.""
TDA: Read the rest.

Paramedic shoots, then saves robbery suspect via Obscure Store:
The paramedic is an expert marksman who has served as a sniper in the military, says the sheriff. "He shot the guy and then had the presence of mind to go get his bag and save the guy's life."
TDA: If you read the rest, you'll see that they guy should've been shot long before. He's unbelievably lucky that this deputy (and paramedic) was the one who took him out.

BBM Gloating! And rightfully so.
TDA: Our own Black Belt Mama has been featured in major online media publications! Congratulate her. Well deserved!

Martial Arts for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at BlackFive
Another thing that you can do is find a martial arts group that is composed of combat veterans like yourself.  Here again, you will find a situation where you can train yourself in a discipline that will build just the qualities you need to deal with the world.  Look for a group that teaches real fighting techniques, not sport techniques; and one that is filled with fighting men, not sportsmen.  They will understand you.
TDA: Just part of BlackFive's recommendations in On PTSD, or more properly, on Coming Home. This is where our traditional martial disciplines can heal. I am now going to offer free training to veterans. Anyone out there want to help? This will satisfy my need to start a new group in PA now, and provide a service to returning veterans (among others).

More later...

Friday blitz

As I told Bob in the comments on the last one, I'm still catching up. Here are some more things I have noticed, and, I think, deserve your notice:

Matched Fighting vs. Real Fighting - "Matched fighting and real fighting are completely different animals."

Wild West UFC - Dojo Rat posts a video of a fight on Deadwood, and blogs about it.

A great post at How to Box, What Everybody Ought to Know About Boxing Gloves:

You're about to learn more about boxing gloves than you really need to know.

Boxing gloves protect you and your opponent.  The earliest form of boxing glove originated in Greece (cestus) and consisted of something meant to inflict pain and suffering rather than reduce it.  It was basically leather straps that may or may not have things such as studs embedded in them.  In short, they made boxing fights good and bloody.

Lucky for those of us practicing boxing today, boxing decided to become more civilized.  Boxing gloves, while they haven't changed a whole lot, have benefitted from better materials and an understanding of science in the boxing glove development process. Read on...

Simple Self Defense - Adam with good advice on home alarms.

On removing a toe in Kenjutsu training (at Yachigusa Ryu blog):

This incident, along with what I’ve learned in kenjutsu thus far, has shown me very clearly how fragile life can be. We deal with weapons that can pierce flesh so well, the victim is sometimes not aware he is being cut until it’s too late. We’re learning to go for the femoral artery when attacking the leg, or how to slash at the throat when attacking high. How easy it is for life to be lost! Life is all we have. If it is lost, nothing else matters. To see how something so important can be so fragile speaks volumes on how precious it really is.

Defend University answers, "Can I shoot a home invader?"

Physical Strategies posts links to great video on Couture taking Sylvia to school, in case you missed it. Complete domination. One for the old guys!

How to improve your ukemi - excellent advice from an excellent blogger, Pat Parker at Mokuren Dojo. Check this one out if you want to fall better.

TTFN!

Thursday Blitz

Just some snippets of interest:

Ross Training has a good video of a young Tyson training, and the work ethic that made him the youngest heavyweight champ ever. Equally as impressive is how quick he fell when the work ethic changed. Training lesson there?

Scott Phillips had a great post I want to make sure you don't miss: Rough and Tumble. Great information on consensual fighting in colonial-era America. Read it, and realize how lucky you are to have MMA/NHB now, as opposed to "wrasslin" then! Good stuff!

Bob Patterson has a very good Striking Thoughts post on the Wing Chun similarities to push hands.

Semper Fi! Charles James posts about the debt that Isshinryu practitioners owe to the U.S. Marines who contributed to the incubation this great art:

"If not for the Marine Corps and if not for the dedicated students, all Marines, there would never have been Isshinryu. Even if it were created it would have possibly died on the vine with out that participation from the Marines who joined his class. Those Marines who helped to start it all fostered a relationship between Soke and the Marine Corps. They got him the contract to teach Marines, they helped to build the dojo where they practiced, and they brought it to other Marines through out the world and especially in the United States."

Via Military Motivator

Justice served! Read.

Last, Boot to the Head's old feed died, and if you, like I, were wondering why you saw no updates, that's the reason. For those of you who are patiently awaiting that boot to your head, re-subscribe here: http://feeds.feedburner.com/boot

Buh bye, for now...

Thursday Stream

... of consciousness

1. Should this should be the new Convocation of Combat Arts initiation? Comments welcomed!


2. Balance is the greatest attribute for a fighter, even on the ground, all other things being equal between combatants.


3. I've observed that there are some general types of martial arts blogging approaches: instructional, philosophical, style-centric, eclectic, and entertaining. Can you think of any good examples of each? Are my categories accurate?


4. There are several threads on CoCA about things like steroids (Royce Gracie, Benoit), traditional martial art versus martial sport ethics. The general gist is that sports are now usually devoid of the character-building that they once espoused, including boxing, MMA, and even Olympic Taekwondo (more by the political organizations than the athletes). I think this is cause by several things: the looser mores that are tolerated, or even encouraged now in society (think Paris Hilton) which actually celebrate lawbreaking or rude behavior, the weakening of the idea of shame, among other factors. For martial sports like Judo, MMA, wrestling, BJJ, TKD, and boxing, when winning becomes the most important thing, it loses the ability to mold behavior in a positive manner. Sad, but true to all sports.


5. Further on the thought above: those martial sports which have stayed closest to their traditions, like TKD, Judo, Kendo, BJJ have the least problems with degenerative behavior outside of competition.


6. In self-defense situations, you should assume that: 1) there's a weapon, even if unseen now, 2) there may be superior numbers against you, again it may not be obvious at first, 3) your adversaries believe they can win because of their own assumptions. As always, no fight should be fair, so make sure it's you that has the advantage. Train with these assumptions in mind.


7. There's a bid difference between sparring on carpeted concrete and in a ring. The ring slows down your footwork and saps some explosiveness because it's padded; you can't push off or get the same drive from the floor. It shocked me how different it was. Try it, if you haven't had the pleasure.


8. IMO, the current war against militant Islamists has proved one thing to be true: war hasn't really changed over the centuries, it's still depends on men fighting others at close range, where superior technology doesn't make as much of a difference. Winning depends on:
   A) the courage to take action
   B) the training to react properly
   C) proper leadership on the ground using effective tactics and strategy
   D) reliable equipment and weapons

There! Now I feel better. Have a great Thursday. Stay safe.