TaeKwonDo or Karate Low Block

I had a dream. One that re-occurred a couple of times in different situations, but the outcome was the same. I was in a sword fight, a real sword fight. If you have ever studied lucid dreaming, it will benefit you to know I was in and out of sleep that night. For those who have never read into the subject, the more complete REM cycles that you interrupt the more lucid the next dream will be. They become more realistic and more manipulated by your consciousness. Any ways they were vivid to say the least. In all three dreams I was attacked unexpectedly by an assailant with a sword and I also had a sword handy, and would fight someone to the death. 

In these dreams I learned some things; one, sword fights are extremely scary and your adrenalin goes through the roof. Two that sword fights are not very long, someone dies pretty quick, unlike in the movies. And three, I never want to be in a real, fight to the death sword fight, because I did not know how to sword fight. These dreams lead me to join fencing and now I am much more prepared. On a quick tangent, before I turn back to my topic I will say this; if you, or you know someone that is good with a sword, they might actually not know the first thing about sword fighting. I was really good at “sword play” but learned quickly in fencing that I was nothing but novice. 

Anyways, so I guess all the “sword play” I did during that time made my subconscious question my ability in a real sword fight and those thoughts manifested themselves in my dream. Last night I had a similar dream.  This time it was about the low block. I guess the teachings I see don’t convince me. I question what I have been taught on its application. I feel as though it’s an extremely effective move.

This was how I was taught it: Below is a video of me using it in a tournament. It was used to block the round house kick, or diagonal kick, but that was merely a TKD sport application. (I edited this quickly, don’t be too critical) This was only used in taekwondo sparring. 

Outside of the sport it never was, expanded on other than blocking something coming at your mid-section or your groin. 

My problem with this is that I have found many uses for it, and in my dream last night; I was fighting an Asian guy in a basement of a parking garage. We were by the elevator and the stairs, which I was coming around, there he was. Dimly lit by the endless rows of florescent lights that hanged, suspended from the ceiling, his face shined a strange familiarity. He was casually walking from around a car, as though he just parked. The stairwell was adjacent to the elevator and was kept in a glass enclosure with an electronic sliding door. From 40 yards I could see him approaching, but I was not threatened at this point. He then brushed passed me, moving quickly, and quite closely might I add, never minding the open space that surrounded us. 

When people pass me like this red flags go off in my mind, “why” I asked myself, why did he pass so close when it was not necessary?  I turned to look back, expecting him to be at the stairwell by now, but instead he was right there, 3-4 feet from me and ready to attack. He only threw punches, and many kinds, and I only threw low blocks and outer forearm blocks. I have no idea why I thought this was the best form of defense but everything he threw I blocked. Punches to the mid-section I blocked with low mid-section outer forearm blocks and punches to the face and chest I blocked using the exact motion but at a different level. The first block was the most vivid in the dream because I barley blocked the stomach punch. It was fast and caught me off guard.

Then as I realized how easy his punches were to block I started blocking as though I was punching. The impact of my outer forearm slamming against his inner arms was taking their toll on him. Finally we battled back to the stair well where he delivered his last blow…ever. It was a wide right, hook punch, the kind you throw as a knockout punch. The hay-maker was intercepted by a vicious left rising block, chopping into his bicep then using the leverage I had I slammed him into the wall of the stairwell. I used my right outer forearm as a block, blocking his rebounding motion, to catch his neck and slam him against the concrete wall. It was a crushing blow that left him for dead, and also one I hope I never have to throw in real life. 

I killed him with a block? Yeah I guess I did. Although I don’t like having violent dreams, as they are a sign of outward environmental struggles mixed with subconscious internal, pulling thoughts, it sure was helpful in me understanding the low block. 

I have also questioned the sport teachings based on the fact that TKD was assembled during foreign occupations, to some degree, and surrounded by war. If they were at war, then first I would look to what era it was. The 50’s, so yes they had guns. On the battle field they more than likely applied some of these techniques to rifle use.

Again, I dwell on ground fighting and have noticed the outer forearm block is really handy there too. So I would not listen to just one instruction on this move, I would not instruct someone to limit the low block to simply the hand full of scenarios that exist in the forms. Instead you should take the technique from the form, extract it from the application, and apply it to as much as you can. You will find that if you practice the forms as such they become much more reviling as a teaching and training tool.

Peace.

Jhoon Rhee

I was in an old style, inner city, book store this weekend, you know the kind where walking room only allows for waddling down isles, when I came across a Jhoon Rhee collection. I don't think the shop keeper thought it was a collection but i bought them all. He was confused on how I went from searching for Plato books to the martial arts section, but what a good find. I like these kinds of books. They are all we have left of the original teachings, unless you are lucky to grow up in a school that influences them. you can learn a lot from Grand Masters like Jhoon Rhee, if you don't know much about him do look him up.

Terrence Jennings's Olympic Dream

I like Terrence Jennings's style, I also like that it's because of Ninja Turtles that he got into martial arts. I don't know for a fact, but I'd imagine they were a motivating factor for me too. Check out the link below to read the GPB's article on him.


http://www.gpb.org/news/2012/04/24/olympians-arc-from-ninja-turtles-to-london?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GPBNewsFeed+%28GPB+News%29



Best Ninja Turtle fight scene ever, in my opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdtM66SxZeI&feature=related

Funny thing about this fight scene is that I feel it's easy to relate too. Their comes a point, some times, when you surpass someone you, either regarded as better than you or, that trained you. It's a hard feeling to handle if you are the humble type. If you are the spit-fire proud type you may never understand this, but when you beat the ones you hold in high esteem it can actually break your esteem in some ways. It's almost humbling in the end and not at all fulfilling. If you ever come across this emotion remember; humility is the correct feeling to have that that junction.

Leave the ITF for the ICTF

If you are in the ITF lineage of any of the Masters listed below then you and your school should look into leaving the ITF and Joining the ICTF.
-mr.mustache

Stuart Anslow: What do you think of the ITF organizations now?

Grand Master Kong, Yong Il: Since General Choi's health began to deteriorate, many of the senior instructors of Taekwon-Do appeared to be maneuvering for positions of power and favors. Now that the General has passed away, the ITF has split into three different organizations all claiming to be the "true" or "rightful" one.


Stuart Anslow: What do you think of the current ITF situation? What is going on there with 3 organizations claiming to be the ITF?

Grand Master Kong, Yong Il: I think it is obvious that with three organizations all fighting for power, they certainly cannot be focusing on the members needs. The focus of an organization should be in supporting, educating and servicing its membership.


Stuart Anslow: Is that why did you left the ITF organization you were in and formed the ICTF?

Grand Master Kong, Yong Il: I did not leave the ITF to from any organization. I left the ITF along with many other faithful members due to the disappointment in how it was being lead.


Stuart Anslow: Whose idea was it to form the ICTF?

Grand Master Kong, Yong Il: Grand Master CK Choy and Grand Master JC Kim (both from Vancouver, Canada) and Grand Master Nam Tae Hi (presently living in LA, USA) and I all felt that the existing organizations were not "true" to its members. As pioneers of Taekwon-do and all members of the original Taekwon-do Demonstration Team with General Choi, we felt it was time to form an organization for the members to carrying on the General's legacy.

Another good friend of mine from Spain, Master Kim Mu Won, who was my student in the 60s, also came on board along with Grand Master Park Bu Kwan from Texas and Master Kong, Young Bo (from Pennsylvania - who was the first ITF World Champion in 1974). Together we had to tools and experience to ensure a very strong organization which focused on its members and further Taekwon-Do techniques.

We all got together and had a meeting in February 2003 and formed the WITF and then went on to change the name to the International Ch'ang-Hon Taekwon-Do Federation. It was officially established on October 23, 2003.

Does Taekwon Do Suck?

This is what they are saying out there, do you agree? If not then what are you doing about it?

http://freakychinaman.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/why-taekwondo-sucks/

http://strikingthoughts.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/taekwondo-sucks/

It’s a common view in the martial arts that Tae Kwon Do is worthless or useless as a martial art for self-defense. This is because tkd is not properly broken down, analyzed, or even taught in most dojangs, not to say that there are not some exceptions. The sport side has pretty much taken over every aspect of tkd. While it has become a popular sport real self-defense is rarely if ever taught in wtf or itf. So it’s easy to see why people would think that it wouldn’t be useful for self-defense.
If broken down and analyzed correctly tkd can be more than useful for self-defense. It’s not that what is taught that’s wrong but how it’s taught. Take front kick, punch, side block or a parry you could take just those few moves and teach different ways to do them. Then learn how to use them to defend against most other moves, techniques, concepts and principals of attack you almost wouldn’t need to learn anything else. Just think if you did that with every move from white to black belt, you’d have a great arsenal of self-defense moves. Every martial artist knows that black belt is just the beginning, with that in mind one could come to the conclusion that tkd might not be so useless.
Tae Kwon Do just needs to be taught correctly for self-defense, it needs to get back to its origins. After all the word martial in martial arts means: inclined or disposed to war; warlike; of, suitable for, or associated with war or the armed forces; characteristic of or befitting a warrior. So how did tkd go from brutal martial art to sport? It was all politics that made tkd popular and got it to the Olympics. Now that it is so popular more of its origins should be taught. For people that want to keep training in the sport that’s fine but self-defense is much more important in whole as a society to keep ourselves and families safe.

C.Carnage

Beat with the Basics

Beat with the Basics
Images straight out of
FM 21-75, and FM 3-25.150





I am a firm believer that the basics are not just the beginning but they are also the most important thing in the end.
I always hear people say that you never stop using the basics but in true combat I have learned the basics are really all you use. Sure there are always going to be the stories of guys using the jump reverse hook kick but I find that to be rare. I really think the basics are the most advanced techniques in any system.

When you think of Military Taekwon-do you probably don't think of what you were taught. That's just it though, it's the pink elephant in the room, we were all taught it. I find that classes just don't make it the class focus. But all the styles make room for these teachings. Taegeuk Chli Jang, ITF's Choong Moo, and yes even the Military all teach the Knee strike. Or how about the step behind side kick? Are you kidding me! That's right the Military teaches that too.

It's not the moves that are the problem but the applications. If you are only teaching the moves that the forms have in sparing style, then you might not be teaching TKD because of the way you make your students do them. See TKD is wholistic, and if you are only teaching one part of it then that's just it, you are teaching the sport. I have seen many ITF and WTF schools make this mistake. The climate out there, in the Martial Arts world, is cold right now and if we don't stick together for warmth then we might become frozen in the past. Keep your classes focused on spreading the art.

Much love,
mr.mustache

Are WTF and Olympic Style Kicks Useful In Real Life?

Try throwing a fancy kick with that guy coming at you!

First things first wtf and all its flashy kicks are pretty much useless in the street. WTF is a sport and that’s where it belongs. While its origins are from a military art it has done a great job of dialing it down to pretty much something about as useful as baseball on the street. If you enjoy the sport there is nothing wrong with that but you must have an understanding that the moves and fighting style used in the wtf ring should stay there.
One of wtfs biggest flaws the lack of punches or really anything besides kicks, if you watch wtf fighters in tournaments or even in the dojang you hardly ever see them throw a punch. In the street that’s pretty much all you’re going to see and maybe some grabbing, but how are you supposed to fight against something when you never practice it or even how to defend it. How you practice something is how you’re going to perform, if you always practice throwing fancy kicks then that’s probably what you’re going to use in the street. I’ve actually had a wtf fighter tell me that in street he’d use the multiple diagonal kick move I forget what it’s called, it’s when you go from foot to foot alternating kicking leg, you see it in tournaments a lot and while it might be good for scoring points you would most likely get destroyed using it in the street. All it would take is a good punch to the face, a slam to the ground, or even a kick to the groin, which are all illegal moves in the ring.
It is very necessary to distinguish to fighting in the ring and fighting in the street. It is also necessary to train for both if you are a ring fighter, if not your knowledge of fighting elsewhere will be very limited giving you significantly less chance of surviving an altercation. The true way of martial arts is training for survival in a life or death situation, to do whatever it takes to come out on top. Wtf sport training teaches you to score points by a specific set of rules, with pads for protection, and referees to watch over the competitors, all things absent in the street.
So if you’re a wtf fighter, you enjoy what you do, plan on only sticking to your sport training, and not worry about training for the streets; that’s fine more power to you. All sorts of people train in all kinds of sports everyday that they enjoy and even live for, but that does not mean that that training will be of any use in a street fight or a survival situation. Have fun enjoy your training but never forget what your training for and know the difference between street and ring.


BatDad

My issues with Sine Wave explained...as best I can in writing

The over exaggeration of the sine wave is immature and needs to be developed. If you are a black belt and are still teaching, or only understand, the over exaggeration then you should not be a black belt. No offense. So where is the power coming from. Over exaggeration would teach it one of two ways. One; the power is originally generated at the strike. Ex, the fist is what you want to hit with so the power originates at the fist, for instance when the move is pulled back. Two; the power originates at the ground and everything else would be added power to the delivered strike. I think both are right but still don’t give justification to the over exaggeration of the movement. The true power comes not from the momentum itself but from the very most, last split second of the move (the delivery), located inches away from target added to the momentum. Look at the one inch punch, Bruce Lee was illustrating this concept; it is still the “Sine Wave”.

One version of the wave looks as though a dragon’s tail is swooping, power is a wave like motion that crashes in the end, but a mature sine wave is more like this. Power is already in motion, regardless of how, rather it be from sine wave or just straight force, but the force is already behind the move. The sine wave technique would not come in until right before the delivery. This can be seen clearly on an upset punch but is really in play on all moves. In writing I would describe it as the twist of the punch or the snap of the kick.

One major problem that I see when teaching the sine wave is that most of the moves in the patterns are focusing on move to move technique not consecutive motions. My point can be made as early as Do- San, moves one and two, high side block with outer forearm followed by a reverse punch. I don’t really care what anyone tells me, regardless of rather or not they are a Master instructor. Teaching the sine wave on both techniques is impractical.

I go to the ITF website for this;

“4. The exercise should be performed in a rhythmic movement with an absence of stiffness.”
No what in this video is rhythmic?



I am not bashing the creator of the this video as if I don’t think he can or can’t beat me, that is not where I am coming from, but as a protector of my art I will try and point out what I see as a weakness.

Think of a water balloon.



To the balloon the face is the object that obstructs its way, but to the water the object of obstruction is the balloon itself. So when looking at a block that leads into a strike, for all practical purposes, they must imitate this motion. The only chance, with an immature view of the sine wave, for the sine wave’s origination of power would be at the beginning of the block. For instance someone throws a punch at you like Chuck Liddell’s signature knock out punch, you move to block it with your outer forearm, and let’s just say you do block it then what?

“Then what” is that you better have generated enough power to follow straight into your counter punch, because you don’t have enough time to freak’en Sine Wave up!

The only way you could realistically sine wave on the second move would be to apply it at the end of your move not the beginning. Learning how to apply the sine wave technique within inches of your target is the only way you can be advanced in sine wave theories. Practice the 1” punch because it’s the only way you are going to learn this.

Sine wave

Sine wave
What is a sine wave? For this answer I, being of a pragmatic nature, must turn you

to Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sine_wave

I have read over the years so many descriptions of the “sine wave” and how you’re not doing TKD unless you are using it. I really find this topic boring and unintelligent based on the mere fact that so much time is wasted in the conversation. It’s pretty basic and easy to understand. Power is generated from somewhere, amplified, then delivered…wow what a concept. I don’t even see how this can be attributed to TKD when it was a topic in Chinese Boxing centuries before. It does not compute to have your students discussing it outside of class as if it’s some spiritually intellectual conversation piece, when they could be using that time to research the rise of obesity and its direct correlation with the rise in use of artificial sweeteners. Or how Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium are seeping into all our drinks, meanwhile the lobby behind such products are moving to schedule sugar as a drug.

Those are topics that matter. However sine wave does not matter. It’s not hard to teach and I guess my real frustration is how so many TKD (ITF) instructors make it out to be something magical. There is nothing magical here, it’s a basic concept of where power originates. You practice it not discuss it. It’s not a philosophy it’s a law of physics. So read the Wikipedia article and apply the same concept to your kicks and punches, knees and elbows.

FIN