Things you've decided to "ditch"

[Tireces]

I remember a while back someone mentioned that they'd decided to drop the pendulum footwork entirely because he found it was too open to grapplers. Has anyone else decided to drop other things from the core system, and if so, why (this would be the more important part of the question, so make sure youve got the answer!)? One thing I'm curious about is "snapping" strikes, I dont see a lot of emphasis on that anywhere, but I find it to be quite useful myself.

NOTE: Before someone starts going off "blah blah there is no core system", please, just be quiet. If you dont have anything to add, dont add it, and let all us idiots who dont think JKD is just something in a book discuss what we do.

[SteveJKDUK]

I remember someone also saying the problem with the pendulum was that you were very vulnerable to a round kick to the legs when they were together.

There are also problems with blocking that "lower, left gate" when in a right lead because it leads you prone to an attack on the high line. It might be easier to cover rather than block??

[LS]

Hey steve, I hope i know what you meant by cover versus "blocking" are you talking about four corners and downward parrying?

I haven't really removed anything y et.. i'm still trying to fine tune my sidekick and hook kick ..there are some attacks i favor because they are done with the lead side.. the thai round kick which was taught to me doesn't sit all that well with me. . it's a great kick no less.. but it's something that can be seen from a mile away (at least the way i do it)

[Tireces]

Well, I've never seen that roundhouse taught as anything but capping off a series of attacks. I dont think anyone tries to use that on its own to start things off. But it can be incredibly hard hitting. There used to be a guy at my school who could do them into the kicking shield, and it still felt like someone was kicking you, completely regardless of the pad being there. Having to hold for him was a leg workout in and of itself, because I had to push so damned hard just to keep from stumbling off to the side.

[SteveJKDUK]

Yeah. The lower corners do seem a bit dodgy at times because it leaves you open to a high line attack. It is sometimes easier to cover with your elbow.

The only problem with this, and I haven't actually thought that much about it, is that is a real life street confontation, would you block that corner or cover? Covering could hurt your arm? :D

To be honest, I haven't really rejected anything...I just have more preferred techniques!

[Matt_Bernius]

Ironically, I can't think of anything that I've ever ditched. Granted there's been a bunch of stuff I've choosen not to learn. But even in those cases it was just one arts approach to a particular class of techniques that was alreay present in my art.

But at the same time I can think of a lot of things that I've adopted into my personal style.

And yeah, getting hit by the Thai round house sucks. Especially if they are blasting you on the outer nerve line of the thigh. That hit falls into that magical category of "I'd rather be hit in the groin than get hit by X." But it totally is a finishing technique. What's beautiful about it is when thrown in motion, as part of a combination, it's almost impossible to run away from (or rather back away from).

- Matt

[Loci]

Originally posted by Tireces
Well, I've never seen that roundhouse taught as anything but capping off a series of attacks. I dont think anyone tries to use that on its own to start things off.

i sometimes use a roundhouse as an opener or a singular attack.
due to the size difference of me and my opponents/sparring partners, i need all the power i can get into my shots. when i can pull it off it is a nice effective kick, yet its a matter of being able to pull it off.

i haven't thrown out any techniques, of which i have been taught just yet, as i feel in myself that i have not been there long enough to give each technique justice, but i do try to personalise them. i tend to try and stay in kicking range to maximize my kicking flexibility, and stay away from the grappling as i dont have a weight advantage against anyone of my partners.

you could say im an aggressive kicker but a defensive grappler with shades of necessity in between.