Why do you block?

I just read a great post by Charles Goodin on Why do you Block?
He starts with some commentary on multiple choice questions and then zeros in on his point, there are many ways of blocking depending on what you are trying to do (block and counter vs being purely defensive etc etc). It's a long and good post, I won't try to summarize or paraphrase.

At our dojo, our drills fit into his point that you should being thinking about why you are doing what you're doing. We start with a simple partner punch and block and then we build up to more complex and realistic drills. He points out that if your purpose is just to block the punch, you'll probably just get clobbered by the next one. You should have a purpose that directs your block and provides you a plan for the next few steps.

I really like the way that Charles Goodin talks about blocking and makes em think about it. Having read it, I'll block with more purpose (when I get back on the floor)

I would like to share some info online kids learning, . From them, I learned about reading comprehension, and math help, for home school.

kata for soccer & basketball - The Great Debate

I've trained in the martial arts for four years. I've spent alot of time learning and enjoying my kata. I've recently become interested in the greater issues and trends in the martial arts and I've become aware of the "Great Kata Debate". Simply, are kata useful as a training tool to learn to fight or are they only useful for demonstration, sports, training etc?

It occurred to me today that there are no soccer kata. All the soccer players in the world practice soccer in a variety of methods and drills. But, to my knowledge, none of them spend time memorizing and perfecting a stylized set of moves with the ball and body meant as a prelude to playing soccer. When we juggle and kick, we aim for control but never exact repetition.

Basketball too. There are no basketball kata in which you start at the foul line, spin around dribbling with one hand, spin back dribbling with the other, do a fade-away jump shot which comes off the front left of the basket which you catch and then dunk. Followed by a left handed layup etc etc.

My point is this. In these sports, you prepare to play by practicing repetitively but always with a degree of spontenity. You dribble and you shoot (in either sport) with precision but never in the type of repetitive preciseness called for by martial arts kata. Its more like shadow boxing, bag work, or light sparring.

Whats your conclusion?

Found a thought - and blog - that I like

I was looking today for more blogs that I like and I found this:

Karate was not originally a method for self development/improvement - it was purely for combat. But that doesn't mean karate cannot be such a system. The art has had things added to it over the last 100 years or so - ex gi, coloured belts,.... Any activity can become a personal discipline...The activity is really a vehicle for inner training by focusing the mind and taming the ego. Paraphrased from Personal Discipline

This was the first time I've heard this thought articulated. But it's a thought that I've had in the back of my mind for a long time. I'm going to think about this. And keep reading his blog.