Learning from DVD's

[Kababayan]

I think it depends on three things. The learners background(karate, kali, kung fu), the quality of instruction in the video, and what techniques are being shown. Meaning if the learner has a good Karate background he will have an easier time learning new striking techniques from a video, but will have a harder time learning throws from a video judo without a grappling background. The quality of instruction varies greatly video to video. If they explain the dynamics and application of the techniques, then yes you can learn a lot from videos. Essentially if you have a good foundation you can add many things onto it as long as it's related to what you have experience in.

What Anarax says. Dvds can be a valuable tool, especially for those who have been dojo-trained for a long time.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

It seems chancy to start the stand-up grappling game on one leg - or are you getting that leg down first, somehow?

Of course you want to get that leg down first. 2 legs balance is always better than 1 leg balance.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Toe rip kick is not as useful when everybody is wearing shoes. I am familiar with the kick, it's awesome, but not so much when wearing shoes.

In one sparring against a boxer, I used the toes push kick (with shoes on) to break a boxer's ribs. I have trained all my kicks with shoes on. I wish I can raise my knee as high as GM Han Ching-Tan's kick (my long fist teacher's teacher) before I kick out. GM Han's clip helps me to train toward that direction.

 

[JowGaWolf]

The

- toes push kick is a downward curve. It's used to kick on the chest (or belly) and then add body weight behind.
- knee kick is a straight like.
- groin kick (or chin kick) is an upward curve.

That "toes push kick" can be used to

- close the distance, and
- set up a punch.

If you pull the kicking leg back, you will miss the chance to "step in".

- Every kick can be a step.
- Every step can be a kick.

When your opponent catches your kicking leg, you can

- hammer fist on top of his head.
- head lock on him.
- extend your kicking leg between his legs, control both his shoulders, and start the stand up grappling game.

Thanks. that makes sense to me now that you have explained it. I couldn't tell just by looking at the video.

 

[JowGaWolf]

In one sparring against a boxer, I used the toes push kick (with shoes on) to break a boxer's ribs. I have trained all my kicks with shoes on. I wish I can raise my knee as high as GM Han Ching-Tan's kick (my long fist teacher's teacher) before I kick out. GM Han's clip helps me to train toward that direction.

This is what you are talking about at the beginning of the clip. That day that shot was so wide open I knew without a doubt that I could break his ribs, but it's not a real fight so I gave him a "love tap kick" to the ribs similar to what you are speaking. WARNING THE VIDEO MAY TAKE TIME TO LOAD. http://www.forwebspace.com/tempvideo/increaseintensity.mp4

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

This is what you are talking about at the beginning of the clip. That day that shot was so wide open I knew without a doubt that I could break his ribs, but it's not a real fight so I gave him a "love tap kick" to the ribs similar to what you are speaking. WARNING THE VIDEO MAY TAKE TIME TO LOAD. http://www.forwebspace.com/tempvideo/increaseintensity.mp4

My sparring was not a real fight either. I did not intend to hurt my opponent. I just wanted to stop my opponent's forward movement. My boxer opponent moved in fast, I kicked my leg out, he dropped down in front of me, the sparring was over.

I have always believed that:

A + B > A

 

[JowGaWolf]

My sparring was not a real fight either. I did not intend to hurt my opponent. I just wanted to stop my opponent's forward movement. My boxer opponent moved in fast, I kicked my leg out, he dropped down in front of me, the sparring was over.

I have always believed that:

A + B > A

It's a surprise that it's not a common kick that is often seen in sparring competitions. Most people go with the round house type kicks or the side kicks. I guess you and I are the only ones who like that kick.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Toe rip kick is not as useful when everybody is wearing shoes. I am familiar with the kick, it's awesome, but not so much when wearing shoes.

When I was young, one day I saw my long fist teacher did "western squat" with heel up. I asked him why didn't he do the "full squat" with heel down. He told me it was for developing the "toes push kick" and bend toes back while kicking. Since long fist guys always kick with shoes on. The "western squat" training is needed.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

It's a surprise that it's not a common kick that is often seen in sparring competitions. Most people go with the round house type kicks or the side kicks. I guess you and I are the only ones who like that kick.

The front kick is much harder to be caught than the roundhouse kick. So it's safer. Also when you do your front kick, both of your arms can have the same reach. When you do the side kick, you will always have 1 long arm and 1 short arm.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

It's a surprise that it's not a common kick that is often seen in sparring competitions. Most people go with the round house type kicks or the side kicks. I guess you and I are the only ones who like that kick.

I don't think I could pull off a side kick in sparring, unless I'd already knocked them back hard. I just don't practice it enough for that. I'm much more likely to use a front kick (similar to what you're talking about here) or a roundhouse kick. The difference for me is that the roundhouse doesn't feel as "stuffed" if they close in a few inches, as the front kick does.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I don't think I could pull off a side kick in sparring, unless I'd already knocked them back hard. I just don't practice it enough for that. I'm much more likely to use a front kick (similar to what you're talking about here) or a roundhouse kick. The difference for me is that the roundhouse doesn't feel as "stuffed" if they close in a few inches, as the front kick does.

When in close, the kicks i like are cross over stomps and shoba konate, as well as using the front snap kick, but employing the rechamber against the back of the legs. Hard to see or defend against when up close. I like side kicks, seldom use them as the only realistic follow up is a set up for a spinning back kick. Both linear attacks.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

The front kick is much harder to be caught than the roundhouse kick. So it's safer. Also when you do your front kick, both of your arms can have the same reach. When you do the side kick, you will always have 1 long arm and 1 short arm.

Only if it's quickly rechambered, which few people do.

I love catching front kicks because people tend to throw them to the groin, and they throw from the back leg, which is a telegraph move, and they lug it out there and hold it, expecting it to sink into soft tissue, and they tend to use the top of the foot as the striking surface. All wrong.

It only takes a slight body shift once they've committed to the kick and it goes by you, nice and slow. Easy to catch if you want to, but not necessary. Attack standing leg instead. Or continue kicking leg up, strike exposed groin. Or leave elbow where your own groin used to be, let the kick hit that. Or whatever.

Now, a nice lead leg fast snap kick? Different story. Not as strong but much harder to avoid.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

When in close, the kicks i like are cross over stomps and shoba konate, as well as using the front snap kick, but employing the rechamber against the back of the legs. Hard to see or defend against when up close. I like side kicks, seldom use them as the only realistic follow up is a set up for a spinning back kick. Both linear attacks.

Once I get close, my kicks go away. I want to get to clinch range where my favorite grappling tools live.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I love catching front kicks because people tend to throw them to the groin, and they throw from the back leg, ...
Now, a nice lead leg fast snap kick? Different story. Not as strong but much harder to avoid.

Agree! IMO, to throw a back leg kick can be as dangerous as to

- throw a back arm punch, or
- step in back leg in front of the front leg.

When you do that, you will

- telegraph yourself, and
- switch sides and expose your center.

It's a trade off for

- short distance, fast, and safer vs.
- long distance, powerful and risky.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I don't think I could pull off a side kick in sparring, unless I'd already knocked them back hard. I just don't practice it enough for that. I'm much more likely to use a front kick (similar to what you're talking about here) or a roundhouse kick. The difference for me is that the roundhouse doesn't feel as "stuffed" if they close in a few inches, as the front kick does.

The front kick is often trained to attack the torso but you can use it to attack a wider range from the heart to the knees. A an average person's flexibility can reach within those ranges for a front kick. So instead of thinking front kick only to the torso think front kick to the meat of the thighs, joints, hips, and if you have decent flexibility then kick the heart or face (depending on how tall your opponent is)

I classify the side kick as either Korean / Japanese methods and CMA methods. For me the Korean / Japanese methods are hard on my hip. The CMA is easier for me and my restricted flexibility. In traditional CMA we turn our hip over which takes a lot of stress off the hip, especially in the joint. The easiest to describe is foot horizontal vs foot pointed downward.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

The front kick is often trained to attack the torso but you can use it to attack a wider range from the heart to the knees. A an average person's flexibility can reach within those ranges for a front kick. So instead of thinking front kick only to the torso think front kick to the meat of the thighs, joints, hips, and if you have decent flexibility then kick the heart or face (depending on how tall your opponent is)

I classify the side kick as either Korean / Japanese methods and CMA methods. For me the Korean / Japanese methods are hard on my hip. The CMA is easier for me and my restricted flexibility. In traditional CMA we turn our hip over which takes a lot of stress off the hip, especially in the joint. The easiest to describe is foot horizontal vs foot pointed downward.

Hmm...sounds like I should learn a little about the CMA method. I know nearly nothing about it, but my hips are very tight (can't sit cross-legged).

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Once I get close, my kicks go away. I want to get to clinch range where my favorite grappling tools live.

kicks are sweeps, sweeps are throws. Lots of ways to knock a person down. The hands assist, the hips provide the fulcrum, and away we go.

 

[punisher73]

As with all things, "it depends..."

Does a dvd replace a qualified instructor? NO

Can a person who has good visual skills and a kinesthetic learning style be able to self-teach to some degree and be proficient? YES

Now, here is where the grey areas come into play. You can have a great instructor and a not so great student, and the student will only see what he wants to see and never make the corrections that the instructor gives. You can also have an average instructor with a very gifted student that can learn and make the necessary adjustments through feedback with their partners and be very good.

For example, former UFC Champion Evan Tanner (rip) learned his submission grappling skills from a video set and some training partners. Lots of hands on and trial and error. Which brings to the next point, the journey is MUCH faster with a good instructor to help point out "pitfalls" in your training so you don't lose time.

With a "live" instructor or a dvd, you HAVE TO HAVE a training partner to get feedback. The training partner, no matter what route you take is one of the most important parts (the MOST important part if you are learning by dvd) to actually attack properly and realistically to learn how to make your technique work.

The reason I have this view is, once upon a time ALL martial arts were self-taught and then refined. So, if you are just talking about "fighting skills" then that is one thing. BUT, if you are trying to pass down a traditional system and to teach it the way it is supposed to be taught then you have to learn from an instructor in that style. Even styles that are "close" in mechanics you will have the external shell of the forms and basics but may not have the internal "tweaks" that the style uses that sets it apart.

 

[Buka]

On front kicks - in my opinion, they are the kick most natural to the way the human body ambulates. We had a saying in my dojos, "When in doubt - throw a front kick"

As for high level kicking, the key is kicking in close. I had some nice long range kicks, but I made my money kicking in the kitchen. Had good teachers that drilled that into me. And, man, did they drill it.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

On front kicks - in my opinion, they are the kick most natural to the way the human body ambulates. We had a saying in my dojos, "When in doubt - throw a front kick"

As for high level kicking, the key is kicking in close. I had some nice long range kicks, but I made my money kicking in the kitchen. Had good teachers that drilled that into me. And, man, did they drill it.

Kicking in close is a weak point for me. It's not something my primary art does, and I never got to it in any others if they taught it. So I've never really practiced it.