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[Toptomcat]

For a number of years I've been involved in karate- two different flavors of Korean karate and some rather mediocre American-kickboxing influenced stuff. I've known for almost that long that if I ever found a convenient knockdown school I'd be on it like a shot, and that opportunity finally seems to have arrived, and I took my first knockdown class at an Enshin dojo today. The class did not disappoint: technically, and physically, it was a good experience.
As for the sparring...I was expecting leg toughness to be a problem, but not at the rather low intensity level I ended up working with, and not in the way it ended up happening. I checked some kicks without problems with my shins, took some kicks on the outer and inner thighs without really slowing down- but two relatively light knee-on-knee clashes and I was out. I knew that I could keep going even after the second one, but also that it would probably be pretty stupid to do so. (Now that I'm at home and am HI-RICEing it up, I know I was right.) The worst thing about it is that I don't really see what to do to toughen it up: hizas on the heavy bag?

Anyway, I'm definitely going back, but having that happen was a disappointing reality check. If anyone has some technical tips for reducing knee clashes or toughening the knee against impact, I would definitely appreciate them.

[jcarmello]

Congrats on your first Enshin class!!! As for the "clash of knees" it happens but changes as you train and doesnt seem to hurt......as bad!! LOL!!

[MilkManX]

Awesome.

Which dojo is this at?

If you continue you will learn Sune Uke and that will help you avoid that knee on knee action.

Also the Sabaki positioning will help to avoid that too.

Good training to you!

[Last_Empire]

Enshin is cool you are lucky to have it close!

It's all in the timing and positioning.

It will come.

Which dojo have you joined?

Gary

[Dent]

Osu!

For those of us with a semantic bugbear, what is Korean Karate?

Osu!

[Noahh]

Osu!

Presume from the fact that you have some kick boxing experience, that you are already leg checking (using Sune Uke). Increasing the height you lift your knee to when completing the Sune Uke will see you get kicked in the knees less.

Can't really condition the knees much. As your sparring partners get used to your timing, your nerves calm and you are more fluid you will get hit less in the knees. I know from my sparring low grades or rusty fighters are the ones I tend to hurt and hurt myself on. Their timing is odd they have a broken rythm, as a result I occasionally misjudge, hit them too hard or in the wrong place like a knee.

If it is a problem that is going to put you out, you can get knee pads to go above your shin pads.

Osu!

[hokuto12]

Originally Posted by Dent

Osu!

For those of us with a semantic bugbear, what is Korean Karate?

Osu!

Hope this is helps. It is the martial arts that Chuck Norris learnt and competed in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Soo_Do

[Toptomcat]

Originally Posted by Dent

Osu!

For those of us with a semantic bugbear, what is Korean Karate?

Osu!

Osu! By this term I mean all the various striking styles from the Korean peninsula with origins in Shotokan karate, not only including Tang Soo Do but also Tae Kwon Do, Soo Bahk Do, Kong Soo Do, Tae Soo Do, etc. I habitually use it in the interest of historical correctness, because there is a great deal of irritating nonsense propagated by the various TKD orgs and the Korean government itself about the styles really having come from some 10th-century Korean warrior class that's been spun from whole cloth and kung fu and taekkyon and everything, anything but Japanese karate.

Originally Posted by Noahh

Osu!

Presume from the fact that you have some kick boxing experience, that you are already leg checking (using Sune Uke). Increasing the height you lift your knee to when completing the Sune Uke will see you get kicked in the knees less.

Can't really condition the knees much. As your sparring partners get used to your timing, your nerves calm and you are more fluid you will get hit less in the knees. I know from my sparring low grades or rusty fighters are the ones I tend to hurt and hurt myself on. Their timing is odd they have a broken rythm, as a result I occasionally misjudge, hit them too hard or in the wrong place like a knee.

If it is a problem that is going to put you out, you can get knee pads to go above your shin pads.

Osu!

Osu!
Yes, I routinely employ leg checking, though I've never heard the Japanese term before now. The problem was not so much that I was eating unresisted gedan kicks as that I was initiating kicks at exactly the same time as my partner, causing us both to knock knees. Having read the replies here it looks like this is probably the result of my timing being thrown off by the closer distance of knockdown, which means that there's no cure for it but time and kumite.

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by hokuto12

Hope this is helps. It is the martial arts that Chuck Norris learnt and competed in.

Originally Posted by Toptomcat

I mean all the various striking styles from the Korean peninsula with origins in Shotokan karate, not only including Tang Soo Do but also Tae Kwon Do, Soo Bahk Do, Kong Soo Do, Tae Soo Do, etc. I habitually use it in the interest of historical correctness, because there is a great deal of irritating nonsense propagated by the various TKD orgs and the Korean government itself

Thanks for being genuine, Hokuto12. I know what some consider to be Korean Karate, but the term irritated me until reading Toptomcat's reasons for doing so.

Toptomcat, that may be the best reason I've heard yet for calling it Karate. Locally it is done as a means to trade on Japanese/ Okinawan Karate, avoiding the stigma associated with TKD/ McDojoisms, and I find it irritating to the extreme.

Osu!

[ashiharakaicho]

Osu,

Perhaps you can in the meanwhile wear knee pads - the soft foam ones more or less like the shin instep pads. That works. Whilst filming the Ashihara video tapes, Ninomiya Kancho wore those as well as some other pads. The actual training for shooting was rough and having some pads on helped many of those appearing on it.

[Toptomcat]

Originally Posted by Dent

Locally it is done as a means to trade on Japanese/ Okinawan Karate, avoiding the stigma associated with TKD/ McDojoisms, and I find it irritating to the extreme.

Hah! I suppose that means my policy should be to insist on 'Korean karate' with KMA people and 'Taekwondo' with karate people and the general public, which is appealingly perverse.

Originally Posted by ashiharakaicho

Osu,

Perhaps you can in the meanwhile wear knee pads - the soft foam ones more or less like the shin instep pads. That works. Whilst filming the Ashihara video tapes, Ninomiya Kancho wore those as well as some other pads. The actual training for shooting was rough and having some pads on helped many of those appearing on it.

Osu!
That's looking like the best solution, yes. Thanks for the suggestion.

[ashiharakaicho]

Originally Posted by Toptomcat

Osu! That's looking like the best solution, yes. Thanks for the suggestion.

You welcome ...

[wullie]

I use knee pads for Dojo sparring these days (me and my knees aren't getting any younger) and happy to report no loss of mobility or flexibility while wearing them.

[powerof0ne]

I used to wear knee pads for sparring and if my knees ever started bugging me I would have no hesitation wearing them again! For grappling I wear knee supports to offer a little bit of "padding", though. If you have an existing injury or are more proned to get banged up wear knee pads, elbow pads, shin pads, etc. for normal sparring.
Osu!

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by Toptomcat

Hah! I suppose that means my policy should be to insist on 'Korean karate' with KMA people and 'Taekwondo' with karate people and the general public, which is appealingly perverse.

After due consideration, I agree. Being willfully perverse with both groups does appeal!

Originally Posted by powerof0ne

I used to wear knee pads for sparring and if my knees ever started bugging me I would have no hesitation wearing them again! For grappling I wear knee supports to offer a little bit of "padding", though.

I think that the neoprene ones with front padding are ideal for grappling, while the upper level volleyball pads (With side protection) are best for Kyokushin.

Osu!