Clinch and Knee Techniques

I was watching some old school Shidokan Karate fights yesterday and I noticed that the clinch and knee was an key element in the winner's success. Grabbing the Gi and head and knees to the legs, body, and head are very effective in breaking an opponent down. He is a clip of me using the knees to get the job done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd9E6Q067LI&feature=related

Giorgio Petrosyan

The top middleweight kickboxer in the lighter category is Giorgio Petrosyan. Check out this highlight of the 2x K-1 Max champ. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVHUMJiaN-k&feature=related

Do Aikido and Hapkido Locks Work?

I see a lot of demos from aikido and hapkido experts where grown men grab their wrists and get thrown/taken down. Wrist locks do work a after you stun an opponent and they are better applied when you have someone down. Having learned hapkido locks before studying judo, I will tell you that they don't work like most instructors teach 'em. If you have ever been grabbed by a decent judo player, you will know that you won't be twisting his hand off into a lock. If you have somebody throw a half way decent punch at you (like a boxer), you won't be sidestepping and grabbing his wrist. Before doing any of the above it is best to stun the opponent with a strike or throw.

Boxing James Kirkland

There is a new star in boxing named James Kirkland. I want you to watch this highlight clip and notice the angles of his punches. See how he places his shots and watch how he watches his punches go to the target.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb0y0mkganU&feature=related

Shindokai Demonstration

Shindokai is an offshoot of Shidokan Karate, emphasizing the 3 concepts of Karate, Kickboxing, and Grappling. Here's a clip from a 2009 demo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFrWA_quAs4&feature=related

Always Remain Humble

This past weekend I competed in the Annual Wakamusha Judo Tournament in Atlanta. I finished 4th in the Senior Men's division. I lost my first match and would have to win all of my other matches to fight for 2nd place. I lost right before getting to that point. So, I won 3 and lost 2. At first I wanted to kick myself for losing because I HATE LOSING. Hey, I was a kickboxing and Shidokan World Champion. But, this is neither of the two. A lot of former champions in my age group and younger don't do any kind of competition now, let alone workout hard. I pat myself on the back for leaving my ego and champion pride outside and enter my judo competitions humbly. Prior to last year, I hadn't competed in a judo event since 2001. I'm 45 years old and I get out there with the young guys (now for the bigger tournaments I will do the masters). It's OK that I'm not as awesome a judo player as I was a kickboxer. But, I'm working on becoming the best that I can be. So, remember that you can always learn and challenge yourself. Don't rest on accolades of yesterday. Do something today and prepare for tomorrow.

Old School Shidokan Highlight

Came across this highlight video of Shidokan fights from the 90s. Really cool clips here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJccFuPxOf4