Additional training

**lawdog** · Posted On: 6/24/2005 7:07pm

Originally Posted by Utah

For the record, the American Bar Association (not individual schools) mandates that full time law students cannot work more than 20 hours a week. I'm sure you were dying to know that.

With that, I wouldn't recommend working during 1L (especially the first semester). When you're a 2L, you can probably find a job at a smaller local firm (I don't know anything about the legal market in Texas) during the week if you really want it.

If you must work during 1L, be a bartender or something. The work is relatively mindless and law school will make you very good friends with Dr. Jack Daniels...

Excellent advice. By the way, nobody enforces that stupid rule.

**Lane** · Posted On: 6/24/2005 11:19pm

Originally Posted by Repulsive Monkey

Question: Why didn't you take them? Nothing drives me crazy like sparring with someone who's whole attitude is "Could'a got you there . . . Could'a got you there . . ." Either get me or don't get me! But if it's too dangerous to practice in a live manner, then how do you know if (or at least what percentage of the time) will you be able to get those in?

I'm not saying that you were that guy. You seem pretty reasonable to me. All I'm doing is suggesting that there's a big difference between seeing the openings for potential techniques and actually being able to apply them against a non-cooperative opponent.

Because we were working a specific drill and not going live. It would be really mean to my partner to throw him when he's expecting me to work on a block and counter. :)

During live sparring I did try many of my techniques. Oni kudaki got me out of two headlocks (one resulted in a submission for me), and another time a guy and I went at it hard for about 5 mintues, with neither one of us being able to get a submission. Of course, during this second session, we weren't allowed to strike on the ground, but eventually we both had to quit because we were out of breath.

Really, the techniques I know aren't as important as... well, here is how Hatsumi-sensei puts it... the feeling. In other words, when I say "technique" I'm not thinking a specific drill but a way of moving and a place I want to end up. Like "oni kudaki" isn't a static set of movements from A to C, but really a feeling and a position I want to end up in where I have my opponent's shoulder locked and torquing it to cause pain. In this case, though it's usually demonstrated standing up, I did it from side mount (I can't remember what that's called exactly right now) and got the submission. If I were locked in to being rigid and thinking about the technique in terms of how it was taught to me, I'd have been lost for what to do when I found myself in this position. But since it's more about feeling and positioning than a specific set of moves, I was able to adapt that to a totally different position.

**Maestro Nobones** · Posted On: 6/25/2005 1:37am

Glad things are workin out for ya dude.

**Lane** · Posted On: 6/25/2005 2:28am

Originally Posted by Maestro Nobones

Glad things are workin out for ya dude.

Yep. Now I just gotta convince the new job to let me work the morning shifts instead of the evening ones so I can spend as much time training as possible.

**Bang!** · Posted On: 6/25/2005 4:46am

Originally Posted by Arahoushi

Because we were working a specific drill and not going live. It would be really mean to my partner to throw him when he's expecting me to work on a block and counter. :)

During live sparring I did try many of my techniques. Oni kudaki got me out of two headlocks (one resulted in a submission for me), and another time a guy and I went at it hard for about 5 mintues, with neither one of us being able to get a submission. Of course, during this second session, we weren't allowed to strike on the ground, but eventually we both had to quit because we were out of breath.

Really, the techniques I know aren't as important as... well, here is how Hatsumi-sensei puts it... the feeling. In other words, when I say "technique" I'm not thinking a specific drill but a way of moving and a place I want to end up. Like "oni kudaki" isn't a static set of movements from A to C, but really a feeling and a position I want to end up in where I have my opponent's shoulder locked and torquing it to cause pain. In this case, though it's usually demonstrated standing up, I did it from side mount (I can't remember what that's called exactly right now) and got the submission. If I were locked in to being rigid and thinking about the technique in terms of how it was taught to me, I'd have been lost for what to do when I found myself in this position. But since it's more about feeling and positioning than a specific set of moves, I was able to adapt that to a totally different position.

Good for you. That's all I really wanted to know.

If it's working, keep doing what you're doing. If it's not working, then fix it through improvement or change. Anyone who tells you that you can't make your style work can kiss your ass -- ideally to prevent from being choked unconscious by your buttocks.

**VikingPower** · Posted On: 6/25/2005 8:51pm

Originally Posted by Arahoushi

Really, the techniques I know aren't as important as... well, here is how Hatsumi-sensei puts it... the feeling. In other words, when I say "technique" I'm not thinking a specific drill but a way of moving and a place I want to end up. Like "oni kudaki" isn't a static set of movements from A to C, but really a feeling and a position I want to end up in where I have my opponent's shoulder locked and torquing it to cause pain. In this case, though it's usually demonstrated standing up, I did it from side mount (I can't remember what that's called exactly right now) and got the submission. If I were locked in to being rigid and thinking about the technique in terms of how it was taught to me, I'd have been lost for what to do when I found myself in this position. But since it's more about feeling and positioning than a specific set of moves, I was able to adapt that to a totally different position.

I know exactly what you mean. Once you start understanding the principles behind the technique, you realize there's literally hundreds of different ways of doing it. One of the many things I love about taijutsu :glasses1:

**Lane** · Posted On: 6/26/2005 2:25am

Originally Posted by Koto_Ryu

I know exactly what you mean. Once you start understanding the principles behind the technique, you realize there's literally hundreds of different ways of doing it. One of the many things I love about taijutsu :glasses1:

We had a good training session on something like this the other day. It was quite honestly one of the most painful things I've ever done. We were working on long weapons training, and to cap the day off, sensei had us do a strange drill. One person got in the center of a ring of people armed with bokkens, and was told to fight their way out. We weren't allowed to hit at full speed, but only about half speed. Still, we all learned the hard way a good lesson -- keep moving. When you stand still, you're meat. Any time someone would try to "plant" their feet to fight with the rest of, they'd get the **** knocked out of them.

I put that to good use in vale tudo. I found that when I got submitted or knocked upside the head was when I planted my feet and tried to punch or get a good lock to submit someone. Invariably, when I did that, it became a contest of strength and speed between me and the other guy. Sometimes I won; most times I didn't. Then I remembered getting knocked upside the forearm with a bokken. It happened because I planted my feet and attempted a cut at a guy. Another one hit me in the arm. When I kept moving, and worried less about fighting back, I found that things came a lot more naturally. I'd end up with position when we were on the ground because I let the other guy be the one to plant his feet and make the attack.

Of course some of the senior students delighted in showing me all they knew about escaping from holds and such, but I'll get them soon enough.