what do you think?

[puunui]

We use tatami omote from Mugen Dachi exclusively. I've tried the beach mats and, while definitely cheaper, they don't provide the same level of feedback.

The beach mats are I believe much softer. I tend to think of the whole rectangular piece that goes into homes as tatami, and just the outside as goza. I guess it depends on how thick you roll it, but how much would one of those bundles of tatami omote used for test cutting run you? I went to the mugen dachi page and read about the test cutting, which was informative, but the pricing pages went to someplace else. Looks expensive, and something that you wouldn't do at every class.

I wrote an article called Comparison Chopping (yeah, bad sense of humor!) for the Iaido Journal at EJMAS a number of years back (2003 or 2004?) comparing the different targets available at the time for tameshigiri.

Is it online?

 

[pgsmith]

Yep, the beach mats are much softer, but the biggest problem I have with beach mats is that they deform easily, so you end up with no real feedback other than you cut it. I think the last shipment of mats we ordered were $4.50 each plus shipping. We only do tameshigiri every 10 to 12 weeks. Some of the Toyama ryu schools cut every week though, and that could get really expensive.

Is it online?

I went and did a search and came up with it on EJMAS Lots of other good information there. Well worth checking out.

Here's the article I mentioned, it was 2003 ... Comparison Chopping

 

[puunui]

Thanks for sharing that article. I learned a lot. I never thought about how different tatami omote would result in different experiences. Make sense. How about cutting bamboo? There are bamboo forests here, and someone like you could really go to town on it. For some reason all the houses that my parents have owned always have bamboo growing on the property, but the place they live at now has very skinny bamboo, which is not really good for test cutting.

 

[karatekid13]

ahh, cutting tatami mats. sounds like so much fun. i haven't learned how to use the sword yet (it's not required tho i'd love to) but i've seen it done and my teacher's done it.

thanks for all the input, guys (and girls... if there are any out there ) i have one more question... not really a concern of mine, just a discussion point. we do a mix of semi-contact point sparring and semi-contact continuous sparring. (with gear, a target area, etc.) however, we also do a bit of grappling (tap out). what are your thoughts on that? we don't do full-contact full-force sparring for safety reasons (at least not yet).

-caitlin

 

[ETinCYQX]

ahh, cutting tatami mats. sounds like so much fun. i haven't learned how to use the sword yet (it's not required tho i'd love to) but i've seen it done and my teacher's done it.

thanks for all the input, guys (and girls... if there are any out there ) i have one more question... not really a concern of mine, just a discussion point. we do a mix of semi-contact point sparring and semi-contact continuous sparring. (with gear, a target area, etc.) however, we also do a bit of grappling (tap out). what are your thoughts on that? we don't do full-contact full-force sparring for safety reasons (at least not yet).

-caitlin

I consider continuous sparring to be very beneficial for self defense. Semi-contact continuous is a perfectly fine application most of the time but there's a lot to be said for full contact. Continuous sparring is preferable to non-continuous for sure IMO as far as SD goes.

Grappling is a good idea for anyone learning submission techniques. Will help you apply your techniques under pressure, so yes absolutely "roll" with your training partners.

If you don't mind me asking, roughly how old are you? Late teens, 20's, 30's?

 

[karatekid13]

I consider continuous sparring to be very beneficial for self defense. Semi-contact continuous is a perfectly fine application most of the time but there's a lot to be said for full contact. Continuous sparring is preferable to non-continuous for sure IMO as far as SD goes.

Grappling is a good idea for anyone learning submission techniques. Will help you apply your techniques under pressure, so yes absolutely "roll" with your training partners.

If you don't mind me asking, roughly how old are you? Late teens, 20's, 30's?

sorry, i'd rather not say an age. i'm just going to say under 25 thanks for the input... thanks pretty much how i feel too. full contact can be very dangerous (to the other person or "bad guy" too, in a SD situation-- thus why we do throws with a mat... we don't want the person being thrown to get hurt). but we do use more contact as we advance in rank.

 

[ETinCYQX]

sorry, i'd rather not say an age. i'm just going to say under 25 thanks for the input... thanks pretty much how i feel too. full contact can be very dangerous (to the other person or "bad guy" too, in a SD situation-- thus why we do throws with a mat... we don't want the person being thrown to get hurt). but we do use more contact as we advance in rank.

Under 25 answers my question fine thanks.

I do throws on a mat too. For big stuff like the fireman's carry or tomoe nage we break out the big crash mat on top of Judo tatami just because of how easy it is to land on your shoulders or neck when you get tossed. I probably would not train falling or throwing at all without a mat.

As far as sparring goes, some full contact experience will be valuable just so you know you don't fold as soon as you get hit.

 

[karatekid13]

Under 25 answers my question fine thanks.

I do throws on a mat too. For big stuff like the fireman's carry or tomoe nage we break out the big crash mat on top of Judo tatami just because of how easy it is to land on your shoulders or neck when you get tossed. I probably would not train falling or throwing at all without a mat.

As far as sparring goes, some full contact experience will be valuable just so you know you don't fold as soon as you get hit.

yup. we train falls without a mat/with a thin mat but hip throws, takedowns, etc. always with a mat. in a SD situation it wouldn't be bad for the attacker to get hurt but not when the "attacker" is a classmate

-catie

 

[pgsmith]

How about cutting bamboo?

Bamboo is actually easier to cut than tatami omote if you have proper hasuji (alignment between the angle of blade and angle of swing, for those not involved in JSA) and tip speed. If you are off a little though, it is very easy to chip your blade, or break it completely, as bamboo does not give much.

 

[puunui]

Bamboo is actually easier to cut than tatami omote if you have proper hasuji (alignment between the angle of blade and angle of swing, for those not involved in JSA) and tip speed. If you are off a little though, it is very easy to chip your blade, or break it completely, as bamboo does not give much.

Sounds easier and more risky at the same time. I read an article from that place you buy your tatami omote from, and I was surprised to learned that the used tatami could actually scratch the sword's blade because of the dirt. It made me appreciate the level of detail required to study these types of arts. For that reasons, I think what you do is harder than what I do, which has a bit more flexibility to it. You don't need such an eye for detail in mine.

 

[pgsmith]

You don't need such an eye for detail in mine.

Sure you do, just the details are different since a minor mistake won't leave body parts lying on the floor.
It's not harder, just different.

 

[Cyriacus]

sorry, i'd rather not say an age. i'm just going to say under 25 thanks for the input... thanks pretty much how i feel too. full contact can be very dangerous (to the other person or "bad guy" too, in a SD situation-- thus why we do throws with a mat... we don't want the person being thrown to get hurt). but we do use more contact as we advance in rank.

Eh... Youd rather not say an age? Thats the weirdest thing Ive heard in a while. Anyway

ahh, cutting tatami mats. sounds like so much fun. i haven't learned how to use the sword yet (it's not required tho i'd love to) but i've seen it done and my teacher's done it.

thanks for all the input, guys (and girls... if there are any out there ) i have one more question... not really a concern of mine, just a discussion point. we do a mix of semi-contact point sparring and semi-contact continuous sparring. (with gear, a target area, etc.) however, we also do a bit of grappling (tap out). what are your thoughts on that? we don't do full-contact full-force sparring for safety reasons (at least not yet).

-caitlin

Safety reasons? Hehe. Right.

Thats no excuse - It isnt so bad at all to do Semi Contact Sparring. Just so long as the reasons arent sugarcoated.

 

[Zenjael]

I have been doing martial arts for a little over a year now. the style i do is a karate-based mixed style with a big emphasis on self-defense. (after blue belt, no more forms, just wristlocks, headlocks, throws, sparring, etc.) i'm a purple belt rite now. the minimum training time is one hour per week (all ranks) but I do more like 2+ hours per week training and a couple more hours of helping with younger kid's classes. i have learned alot and feel like the teacher really knows what he's doing and cares about the students (and is willing to work with them... e.g. even if someone did not perform 100% on a test, if that student has shown in class that they "know their stuff" then they may still be allowed to pass.) He (the teacher) isn't just "in it for the money" and really cares about learning. belts are EARNED not GIVEN as he always reminds us. does this sound like a good school?

-catie

I sometimes wonder if I'm not strict enough. But I swear, everytime a kid I teach tells me that they've fallen in love with martial arts, it makes me think I might be doing the right thing.

A good school is one which works well for you. I've been to schools I thought terrible, but produced a phenomenal student here and there. I left because I didn't want to waste my time there- but that's the important thing, it's subjective.

Some people are kickers, some aren't, and many are other things. A lot of people are restricted by area in what they can learn, and honestly, I've seen this lead to a lot of people leaving MA forever, because one style, one mode of thought and way, didn't jive with theirs.

For me, I cannot for the life of me perform Oh Do Kwan as it is meant to in the ring, but I know a couple people who wrecked face with it. It's all in what works for you.

 

[Kenlee25]

my input to the OP

I think that Katas or Forms have their place. If you are looking at forms purely from a self defense outlook, you are looking at it wrong. The forms are internal training. They teach you how to focus power, how to assume the correct stance, and they even teach you new techniques that you may have never learned. But the most important thing about the forms is that you HAVE to take them out of context. You aren't going to fight like your forms true, but that's because the forms are a controlled version of the power you can actually unleash.

When you spar, you don't fight like in your katas. But take a second and resume your sparring stance. Now with all your best skill and power throw a reverse punch as if you are fighting someone. Now tell me you didn't assume some modified version of a front stance to transfer that power! That's what the forms do. Sure you modify the moves and speed them up, but they are still the same techniques. A side kick in a form is how you will perform a side kick in real life...just modified. Doing blocks in forms conditions your body to naturally react to blows coming from that angle. Now I don't believe you have to practice forms for the ENTIRETY of your martial arts training, but they are worth practicing at least 2 years into black belt I say.

Also, just so you know, MMA is not really self defense. It's fighting. You watch them throw those wild haymakers, slow kicks, and wrestling on the ground for minutes at a time when they could have just been punching the guy or stood up, and you realize this. They are trained to fight for many rounds. TMAs think solely about how to end the conflict as quickly as possible.

I wouldn't want to screw with an MMA fighter on the street mind you, but you don't really practice MMA strictly for self defense.