Think fast iii

[Ray Pina]

Because my first two attempts seemed to rub people the wrong way I'll put my intention another way:

What do you seek to get out of your training? Is your training leading you towards that goal? If not, why do you continue with it?

[WinterPalm]

I am seeking to further my knowledge of martial arts through realistic practice. I desire both competitive training and also to accumulate a wide variety of techniques that I can add to my own "way" and endeavour to apply.
Martial arts is a great joy of mine. Competition to me is a way to test myself and what I've been doing.

My training is all geared towards that notion. I think once you've got a base in one way or another (and TCMA offers a great way to understand and control the body to a high level that I've found learning other styles relatively easy...application of other styles a whole other story!) then you should branch out and study with as many people as possible all while continuing with the basics and a few good instructors. Everything adds to what one knows and when you confront new problems, you find new solutions, and you get better.:)

[KC Elbows]

Constant improvement and movement toward a full understanding and ability to realistically apply whatever system I am studying at any one time.

I am getting that, after learning the full set of techniques, me and a friend who learned them around the same time as I have spent two years drilling them with progressive amounts of resistance, limited our training to this specific task(cutting out unrelated forms learned earlier, as have most of us who learned under the same teacher, all with his approval).

Most technique drills are done with gloves, considering the stereotypical "application" training(standing at a prearranged distance, throwing a punch, doing the application) as insufficient to achieve proficiency. Instead, if it is a punch defense, the attacker will wear 16oz. gloves, the two will move about for position, the attacker periodically throwing light jabs, the defender trying to apply their technique, this involves positioning into training the application, as well as more pressure than the normal application practice. As moves become integrated, options are introduced; the attacker may jab-jab-cross, or the defender may be trying to apply one of two different techniques, depending on their positioning at the time they try to execute, this sort of thing.

I hit the bag six days a week for from twenty minutes to 45 minutes. Since as of now I go to school full time and hold a full time second shift job, aside from 100-200 push-ups six days a week, 50-100 sit-ups, waist twists, squats, various other calisthenic routines, I have little time for more. I've recently been trying to improve at chinups and pullups, never been able to do them, went from zilch to five decent ones in the last two months, slow and steady, being a big guy, these have always been a sticking point.

Anyway, my ability is improving, because I guide my own training, and work with partners who are goal oriented and open to experimentation. My striking has improved dramatically over the last year and a half, I am hoping to see the same improvement in throwing ability in the next year and a half, and possibly this summer start working on ground fighting again.

To augment my understanding of techniques, I refer to my library of martial arts books: specifically the good ones, not the trash that shows a form and nothing else, but those that really get to the meat of techniques. I do not simply refer to kung fu manuals, but will study the same throw from different stylistic perspectives, trying to note the why for the performance details, this often helps me understand the details within the same type technique in my own system. On my last trip to China, I literally bought every book that was rich in analysis and application, irrespective of style, which has proven quite helpful, especially one particular SC manual.

So, anyway, I'm happy.

[Ray Pina]

Right on. This is a much more positive way to approach the subject.... yo aprender todos dia.

[Mr Punch]

Because my first two attempts seemed to rub people the wrong way I'll put my intention another wayIt's the hypotheticals dude, that's why I said 'No offence' at the beginning of the first one!


What do you seek to get out of your training? Is your training leading you towards that goal? If not, why do you continue with it?1) Fitness: no, but I get the fitness from other activities and I continue with MA for its other benefits.

2) Core strength: partially yes - I do some great core-building MA exercises on solo days.

3) SD: I hope so and I think so. I know enough having been in enough situations to avoid the BS on this and to avoid BSing myself into thinking anything other than the best way is to get away, but now I have a family and as I also know from experience unfortunately sometimes your loved ones don't have the same options for gettign away as you do.

4) Attitude: yes. Continuing from the above I'm very serious generally when practising - one day I may have to sacrifice myself so my loved ones can get away. Melodramatic, yes, but rolling with huge guys with a load more experience who could snap me in half gives me a degree of guts (tho from the street I know there are no guarantees that even if your nerve holds on time its gonna hold the next, although I also know that in most cases mine has) and a better knowledge of my limits.

5) Pushing my limits: yes, physical and mental: see 4.

6) Fun. Yes. I love it, I live it, I breathe it.

7) Competition: No! My wife won't have it. She complains enough when I get injured anyway. I'll sneak some in before I reach 40!

[Ray Pina]

Don't let your wife boss you around. You're still in your 30's man, make the most of it:p

[Mr Punch]

LOL, is that it after that mammoth post!?

It's the one thing she gets her way, and TBH, my principal wouldn't like me teaching the kids with my face all beaten up either... but my first priority is to get my neck back in working order... then maybe I'll think again.

[Ray Pina]

Those seem like clear cut goals. And if they're being met, then awesome.

I just created another post about spouses. I'm curious as to how this works.

[brucereiter]

Because my first two attempts seemed to rub people the wrong way I'll put my intention another way:

What do you seek to get out of your training? Is your training leading you towards that goal? If not, why do you continue with it?

these are a few things i seek:

-health, having a strong body and a strong mind.

-a easy transition from health to death.

-mental comfort and ease of mind knowing i can defend my wife and myself from many types of physical threat i may encounter.

-something to occupy my time.

my training is in my opinion leading to my goal.

[iron_leg_dave]

these are a few things i seek:

-health, having a strong body and a strong mind.

-a easy transition from health to death.

-mental comfort and ease of mind knowing i can defend my wife and myself from many types of physical threat i may encounter.

-something to occupy my time.

my training is in my opinion leading to my goal.

Is this you ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JuMkgpKJwE&feature=user

[iron_leg_dave]

I do gong fu because I love the feeling, the culture and the look of it.

I like knowing something with depth, and being able to really see something new in it all the time.

I love art, I paint, write, play guitar etc. and really love this way of physically expressing art with the body, since dancing is even more culturally unacceptable for males than martial arts, plus it doesn't require music or an audience.

I like having a way to refine my self, and I prefer my own mind now that I control it.

I prefer the way my body feels this way then before. I like the range of motion, the strength, the agility, the flexibility, the firmness, the lightness etc.

I like fighting, and wrestling/gloved boxing is a more constructive outlet I think.

[brucereiter]

Is this you ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JuMkgpKJwE&feature=user

yes, i have several practice videos on that youtube channel.

[Ray Pina]

yes, i have several practice videos on that youtube channel.

I like your energy when you are going forward. When you go forward, change direction in the air abruptly... not sure about it. I'd have to watch it in slow motion to see if you keep steady force downwards, while making that change.

But overall, that's one of the better Hsing-I videos I've seen. Who did/do you train with?

[brucereiter]

I like your energy when you are going forward. When you go forward, change direction in the air abruptly... not sure about it. I'd have to watch it in slow motion to see if you keep steady force downwards, while making that change.


thanks for the observations ... my intention with the "turn/jump" is to cover enough distance to have a person who is charging me end up so i am on their side or back ... its a work in progress. i am sure i do it a little better/different now as that clip is a year or more old ... i will look at where my force is going though ...



But overall, that's one of the better Hsing-I videos I've seen. Who did/do you train with?

thanks for the kind words ... this is funny since almost everyone thinks the system i studied is fake **** lol !!! i learned this from "shaolin do" i was a student at the chinese shaolin center in atlanta for about 11 years.

i am now learning gao bagua (i started after that clip) but still practice some of my sd material that i value.

[Water Dragon]

What do you seek to get out of your training? Is your training leading you towards that goal? If not, why do you continue with it?

I like this question. OK, I train Judo for a bunch of reasons.

1. I'm a very competetive individual, and I can compete in Judo well into my fifties. I love the sport.

2. Now that my kids are old enough (7 and 12), Judo has become a Father-Son activity. My oldest is now in the adult class, and choking the sh!t outta each other has become a bonding activity.

3. I love working with the lil ones. I have discovered I have both a talent and a passion for working with the lil ones. Enough to have me considering giving up Finance and going into Education.

4. I love throwing! I was a Shuai Chiao guy before this, and I still enjoy throws more than anything else. I enjoy the art of Judo.

5. I do NOT train for streetfights, bar fights, self defense, "Real" violence, etc. I just train.

[Ray Pina]

1. I'm a very competetive individual, and I can compete in Judo well into my fifties. I love the sport.

This is why I love BJJ and plan on doing it until I am physically incapable, which should be in my 70s or 80s with the way medicine and me are advancing.



5. I do NOT train for streetfights, bar fights, self defense, "Real" violence, etc. I just train.

Awesome. I've always been that way too. No real reason, just something I've always done. Though right now I am focused like a laser to win an MMA match.

[MightyB]

Right now I'm kind've going back to my roots. I've stopped looking externally for that next best thing and I've started to analyze why I wasn't getting the results I wanted when I knew the potential was there. I do crosstrain Mantis and Judo - but the only reason I got into Judo was to make my kung fu better. Right now I'm pushing hard to get my Shodan, and then I'll probably minimize my involvement in the Judo world. My Sifu likes it when I crosstrain 'cuz he thinks it's funny that he can still kick my butt and he does so every chance he gets.

My main focus right now in kung fu is on old school force and power training. I've been analyzing what it was that I wasn't doing right and a lot of it has to deal with relaxing my hips and building leg strength and flexibility. What I've learned is that relaxation is the key for any martial art. With Judo- I need to relax more and work on my grip work and grip and go throws. My newaza's just fine.

I do things that seem kinda counter productive to members on this board. I do a lot of force training with dynamic tension, weighted punching, weighted horse stance training, and lot's of pistols (one legged squats) with kicks.

I've always enjoyed sparring and randori.

[Ray Pina]

Right now I'm kind've going back to my roots.

My biggest regret right now is losing the kicking ability I had in my karate days and youth. I'm willing to retain what I got from Kung Fu and give my new boxing coaches an opportunity to give me a new style. I have complete faith in my BJJ coach. He's awesome and breaks me down before we even begin technical training. But I am taking full responsibility for my legs. I used to have super crisp roundhouses.... low to high without putting the foot down... and then right to back cresent kick. Yes. It was point sparring. But I want the ability back. And I want a sidekick to move ANYONE back. And a spinning kick that cracks ribs.

This is my personal goal right now. The others will take care of themselves.

[SimonM]

My kicks generally look like crap... IMO... but I have been told that I hit like a ton of bricks so I'm cool with that.