# What I'm doing wrong



## wimwag (Apr 25, 2014)

Laugh all you want, but I came to several mini epiphanies while watching a movie about Ip Man tonight.

1.  I waste a lot of energy and lack fluidity in my motions.
2.  My stances can become mechanical.  Narrow and natural is best.

3.  I think too much.  I need to focus on action and reaction.
4.  I need more exercise.  I'm pretty fit but my potential is limited by my lack of exercise.
5.  I don't use the full advantage my height offers.


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## wimwag (Apr 25, 2014)

6.  I tend to put too much focus into striking when I should be grappling and locking.  At 6'3 and 235 lbs I can break almost anybody and should be when appropriate.
7.  Agility kills.  Like Mr. Miyagi says, "you no be there."


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## Transk53 (Apr 27, 2014)

wimwag said:
			
		

> 6. I tend to put too much focus into striking when I should be grappling and locking. At 6'3 and 235 lbs I can break almost anybody and should be when appropriate.



Do you try for the big punch when ever possible and when not feasible?


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## drop bear (Apr 27, 2014)

Grappling takes a bit longer to get right over striking. So if say you were sparring and try to grapple. You will do it wrong,probably fail,get sprawled on and get laughably punched in the face the first few hundred times you try it.

After that though grappling becomes a bit of a winner.


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## wimwag (Apr 27, 2014)

Transk53 said:


> Do you try for the big punch when ever possible and when not feasible?




Rarely.  A high snap kick or roundhouse is my poison, and I've got speed to back it up but I just feel like its not the right thing to do once I've done it.


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## drop bear (Apr 27, 2014)

wimwag said:


> Rarely.  A high snap kick or roundhouse is my poison, and I've got speed to back it up but I just feel like its not the right thing to do once I've done it.




What sort of grappling are you trying for after that?


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## Transk53 (Apr 27, 2014)

wimwag said:


> Rarely.  A high snap kick or roundhouse is my poison, and I've got speed to back it up but I just feel like its not the right thing to do once I've done it.



Probably not on the streets, not for execution, but for the aggressive action. If you have doubts, try something different. At least you will always know what is in you're locker as it were.



			
				drop bear said:
			
		

> After that though grappling becomes a bit of a winner



Best way of locking someone up imo.


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## drop bear (Apr 27, 2014)

Transk53 said:


> Probably not on the streets, not for execution, but for the aggressive action. If you have doubts, try something different. At least you will always know what is in you're locker as it were.
> 
> 
> 
> Best way of locking someone up imo.



Yeah. Look if it is a guy standing there trying to take my head off I tend to just shoot in and take their back or just double leg them. This whole can't grab necks thing is a bit of a suck.


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## wimwag (Apr 27, 2014)

drop bear said:


> What sort of grappling are you trying for after that?






 usually my bowling them over and employing an arm bar does the trick.  I'm big enough to send anyone flying.  I imitated Ronnie Lott like no other in high school lol.  But when I'm seriously grappling, I'm coming from the side and pinning their elbow against my chest and slamming their body against the ground until they submit.  My only other trick is using my lower body strength to drive them to the ground and wear them out before the mount.  Everything else just seems to take too long and my goal is to end it quickly.  Its anyone's goal I think.

And if anyone's curious, a few local bars out here offer amateur MMA nights and I occasionally enter and try to win the pot.  I'm not committing crimes lol.  And yes, fighting for sport is crazy stupid.  If I weren't broke I wouldn't do it.  We're out of our house in a month and have nowhere to go.


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## Transk53 (Apr 27, 2014)

wimwag said:


> usually my bowling them over and employing an arm bar does the trick.  I'm big enough to send anyone flying.  I imitated Ronnie Lott like no other in high school lol.  But when I'm seriously grappling, I'm coming from the side and pinning their elbow against my chest and slamming their body against the ground until they submit.  My only other trick is using my lower body strength to drive them to the ground and wear them out before the mount.  Everything else just seems to take too long and my goal is to end it quickly.  Its anyone's goal I think.
> 
> 
> 
> And if anyone's curious, a few local bars out here offer amateur MMA nights and I occasionally enter and try to win the pot.  I'm not committing crimes lol.  And yes, fighting for sport is crazy stupid.  If I weren't broke I wouldn't do it.  We're out of our house in a month and have nowhere to go.



Damn, never nice to hear anybody facing being homeless. Hope you get something sorted.


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## Transk53 (Apr 27, 2014)

drop bear said:


> Yeah. Look if it is a guy standing there trying to take my head off I tend to just shoot in and take their back or just double leg them. This whole can't grab necks thing is a bit of a suck.



Sometimes I just used whatever angle that looked like I could take them down. If that did not work, I would let them think that they could retreat or react. Most of the time I would grab the arm and elbow joint and work of that. When I was told I could not go for the neck due to the SIA deeming it overzealous, or some **** like that, they took away a valid hold. Can understand that a broken neck is not something you would want to inflict on someone, but a choke is different. In ten years not once did I see a neck injury or someone completely chocked out.


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## K-man (Apr 27, 2014)

wimwag said:


> Laugh all you want, but I came to several mini epiphanies while watching a movie about Ip Man tonight.
> 
> 1.  I waste a lot of energy and lack fluidity in my motions.
> 2.  My stances can become mechanical.  Narrow and natural is best.
> ...





wimwag said:


> 6.  I tend to put too much focus into striking when I should be grappling and locking.  At 6'3 and 235 lbs I can break almost anybody and should be when appropriate.
> 7.  Agility kills.  Like Mr. Miyagi says, "you no be there."


Can I suggest that at such an early stage of your training that you don't be to concerned at what you can and cannot do. I certainly wouldn't be worrying about any form of grappling except for what you are being taught in your class. 

OK let's look at you issues.

1*. I waste a lot of energy and lack fluidity in my motions.* There's nothing unusual with that in students way beyond you even. Things that sap energy are usually not the obvious. Breathing is critical. A lot of beginners forget to breathe. I even have to remind black belts to breathe when things are a bit intense. Once you start holding your breathe you tire really quickly. Also, when I was at your stage my teacher would keep telling me to keep moving as in bouncing around. That might be fine for a tournament situation but I teach my guys to slide their feet, not bounce. If you want to see an example of good footwork look at some of the Filipino martial artists. Fluidity comes with time and experience. Relax your body and slide the feet. Stepping commits you to moving a certain distance and tends to be stop/start. Sliding your feet gives you all the options of distance and the ability to change direction at any time.

*2. My stances can become mechanical. Narrow and natural is best.*    Unfortunately the way stances are taught in most karate tend to do that too you. Too few instructors understand what the stances actually represent. Your narrow natural stance is in fact what you should be using almost all the time when sparring.

*3. I think too much. I need to focus on action and reaction.*   That isn't an issue in the early stages of training. However as soon as you feel comfortable stop looking at your partner's hands. Doing that gives you reaction and you will be hit time after time. Once you start to read his body language you will start picking up his punches way earlier allowing you to be proactive rather than reactive.

*4. I need more exercise. I'm pretty fit but my potential is limited by my lack of exercise. *Only you know your fitness level. Fitness is important but unless you are fighting in high level competition I wouldn't worry too much. Pick up you fitness when you can.

*5. I don't use the full advantage my height offers*.    Height and more importantly reach gives you natural advantage. I would suggest it will become more of an advantage as you progress.

*6. I tend to put too much focus into striking when I should be grappling and locking. *   I'm not sure I would agree. You have the height advantage and a reach advantage. Why would you want to trade that for a situation that may give your opponent the advantage. Keek your distance, use your reach both with hands and feet until you get more proficient, then add the grappling skills.

* 7. Agility kills. Like Mr. Miyagi says, "you no be there." * There are three things that will help here. Firstly keep light on your feet and glide, don't step. Secondly, keep your body relaxed. If you tense up and set your feet you will be stuck to the spot. Finally watch your partner's body language and you will soon learn to anticipate his movement. You can actually be moving into position as he starts to move. As you said, "you no be there".
:asian:


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## drop bear (Apr 27, 2014)

wimwag said:


> usually my bowling them over and employing an arm bar does the trick.  I'm big enough to send anyone flying.  I imitated Ronnie Lott like no other in high school lol.  But when I'm seriously grappling, I'm coming from the side and pinning their elbow against my chest and slamming their body against the ground until they submit.  My only other trick is using my lower body strength to drive them to the ground and wear them out before the mount.  Everything else just seems to take too long and my goal is to end it quickly.  Its anyone's goal I think.
> 
> And if anyone's curious, a few local bars out here offer amateur MMA nights and I occasionally enter and try to win the pot.  I'm not committing crimes lol.  And yes, fighting for sport is crazy stupid.  If I weren't broke I wouldn't do it.  We're out of our house in a month and have nowhere to go.




OK. High kick you probably want to go low. As you have Just got them to bring their arms up. You would need to be a snappy kicker though.

We have a hundred kg plus fighter with us at the moment. Intimidating buggers.


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## drop bear (Apr 27, 2014)

Transk53 said:


> Sometimes I just used whatever angle that looked like I could take them down. If that did not work, I would let them think that they could retreat or react. Most of the time I would grab the arm and elbow joint and work of that. When I was told I could not go for the neck due to the SIA deeming it overzealous, or some **** like that, they took away a valid hold. Can understand that a broken neck is not something you would want to inflict on someone, but a choke is different. In ten years not once did I see a neck injury or someone completely chocked out.




Well you are controlling their head which is technically safer.

In my last course I was told I could kick out a persons knees so they land on their knees. I haven't tried it. With two people hanging off arm bars on a hard floor I assume I will cripple someone.


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## wimwag (Apr 28, 2014)

drop bear said:


> Well you are controlling their head which is technically safer.
> 
> In my last course I was told I could kick out a persons knees so they land on their knees. I haven't tried it. With two people hanging off arm bars on a hard floor I assume I will cripple someone.






Yeah that seems excessive.  Unless they try it then by all means lay your cards on the table.  Still though its not worth causing a knee injury.


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## wimwag (Apr 28, 2014)

Transk53 said:


> Damn, never nice to hear anybody facing being homeless. Hope you get something sorted.






Well, we are approved for a USDA home loan (no $ down, $200k limit) but its so restrictive that there's nothing that would pass the restrictions within 30 miles and this winter has been so long and cold that this 140 year old house has bled us dry on the gas bill alone.  We can afford to rent a 2 bedroom apartment but it defeats the purpose because it costs the same per month as our mortgage would plus we would be stuck on a lease and have to pay a deposit...seriously losing patience with the weather.


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## Transk53 (Apr 28, 2014)

wimwag said:


> Well, we are approved for a USDA home loan (no $ down, $200k limit) but its so restrictive that there's nothing that would pass the restrictions within 30 miles and this winter has been so long and cold that this 140 year old house has bled us dry on the gas bill alone.  We can afford to rent a 2 bedroom apartment but it defeats the purpose because it costs the same per month as our mortgage would plus we would be stuck on a lease and have to pay a deposit...seriously losing patience with the weather.



We have a saying over here _"when it rains, it pours"_ Do you have the buy to let type scheme over there. I ask because that is one of the schemes over here that help first time buyers and buyers that don't have gold bars in the cupboard.


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## wingchun100 (Apr 28, 2014)

Thinking too much is always a problem in the beginning of anything. This is how I started to think of it: when I first started learning guitar and I wanted to change chords, I had to be very conscious of where my fingers went. It took forever to change chords at first, but after a while I didn't have to think about it. So now that I am starting to get back into chi sao, I try to think of it that way. Except instead of a guitar, I am using my wing chun tools. Of course missing a chord doesn't hurt as much as missing a block! But I think the analogy still stands.


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## donald1 (Apr 28, 2014)

QUOTE=wimwag;1633020]Rarely.  A high snap kick or roundhouse is my poison, and I've got speed to back it up but I just feel like its not the right thing to do once I've done it.[/QUOTE]

You and me both,  roundhouse kick just isn't my specialty kick but with practice it can be better.  You don't have to practice consecutive hours to be good though.  You could start with ten GOOD kicks the morning then 15 later that day.  Then progress and practice more

I could be wrong but it seems like what would really help would be motivation,  without motivation than learning is limited 

I also have times where I think too much,  let your form happen natural.  Don't force a technique 

Best of luck


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## wimwag (Apr 28, 2014)

Transk53 said:


> We have a saying over here _"when it rains, it pours"_ Do you have the buy to let type scheme over there. I ask because that is one of the schemes over here that help first time buyers and buyers that don't have gold bars in the cupboard.





Yeah but the interest rates are obscene.  I'd rather pay a 6% markup vs 15%.


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## Grenadier (Apr 28, 2014)

Since you've posted in the Karate forum, I'll answer this from a Karate practitioner's point of view.  



wimwag said:


> 1.  I waste a lot of energy and lack fluidity in my motions.



Keep practicing your fundamental techniques repeatedly, and under the watchful eye of your sensei.  If he has a good understanding of bodily mechanics, he can help you refine those fundamental techniques to the point where you'll be performing them using the correct mechanics.  In this case, the lower body will greatly aid the upper body in almost all of your techniques, and can certainly speed things up.  

Also, the more polished your techniques become, the more easily you can chain them together.  This is true regardless of which system you study.  



> 2.  My stances can become mechanical.  Narrow and natural is best.



A lot of Karate systems that train their practitioners to use deep and rooted stances, do so mostly for conditioning, and to force your lower body to assume more of the load of training.  During actual jiyu kumite, you'll be fighting in more of a natural stance, since being flat-footed will slow you down too much.  

Again, by practicing the basic techniques, that's when your lower body will generate the correct muscle memory.  



> 3.  I think too much.  I need to focus on action and reaction.



This is true, that thinking too much will create unwanted delays.  This can be remedied by constant practice of the technique, focusing on the quality of the technique, and repeated to the point where you don't have to think about it.  



> 4.  I need more exercise.  I'm pretty fit but my potential is limited by my lack of exercise.



Keep training, and you'll develop good aerobic and anaerobic conditioning.  



> 5.  I don't use the full advantage my height offers.



Having a good reach is a wonderful thing, indeed, but you shouldn't depend on it.  Keep strengthening your core, and you'll see more of an advantage over simply trying to formulate strategies based on reach advantages.  There's always someone bigger, after all.


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## Marnetmar (Apr 28, 2014)

To clarify the stances issue (with what I've been taught, mind you), lower stances aren't necessarily bad, they just have to be used correctly. The thing is, you're not supposed to use them _in front_ of someone and you're not supposed to stay stationary in those stances when in an actual sparring/fighting scenario.

Remember that Wing Chun and Karate are two different theories of self defense, neither of which is right or wrong.


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## drop bear (Apr 29, 2014)

Marnetmar said:


> To clarify the stances issue (with what I've been taught, mind you), lower stances aren't necessarily bad, they just have to be used correctly. The thing is, you're not supposed to use them _in front_ of someone and you're not supposed to stay stationary in those stances when in an actual sparring/fighting scenario.
> 
> Remember that Wing Chun and Karate are two different theories of self defense, neither of which is right or wrong.



Guy in Australia. Tyler uses a pretty low stance for mma. Doesn't stop him kicking.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vJuA-3Ilzb0


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## Transk53 (Apr 29, 2014)

donald1 said:


> QUOTE=wimwag;1633020]Rarely.  A high snap kick or roundhouse is my poison, and I've got speed to back it up but I just feel like its not the right thing to do once I've done it.





			
				donald1 said:
			
		

> You and me both,  roundhouse kick just isn't my specialty kick but with practice it can be better.  You don't have to practice consecutive hours to be good though.  You could start with ten GOOD kicks the morning then 15 later that day.  Then progress and practice more
> 
> I could be wrong but it seems like what would really help would be motivation,  without motivation than learning is limited
> 
> ...



Do you guy's practice kicks with resistance, or just spot a point in the air. If the latter, just wondering how you control and maintain consistency of action.


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## donald1 (Apr 29, 2014)

Transk53 said:


> Do you guy's practice kicks with resistance, or just spot a point in the air. If the latter, just wondering how you control and maintain consistency of action.



I'm not sure what you mean by resistance,  do you mean like a block?


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## Transk53 (Apr 29, 2014)

donald1 said:


> I'm not sure what you mean by resistance,  do you mean like a block?



No no, I mean the use of pads or a training body bag type thing.


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## wimwag (Apr 29, 2014)

I have a wooden post with muy Thai pads tied to it.  A body bag is not possible because I have nowhere to hang it.  I did have a futon pad wrapped around a tree but its been raining lately.  It's a poor mans gym lolz


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## drop bear (Apr 29, 2014)

Transk53 said:


> Do you guy's practice kicks with resistance, or just spot a point in the air. If the latter, just wondering how you control and maintain consistency of action.



It is a different sort of kick.

Bring the knee up high throw the hip and then snap the kick. The kick goes forward rather than around and you can bring it back if you don't hit anything.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ8sUBUJswc


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