tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30500538.post7325753524456784156..comments2008-05-05T23:12:48.836-04:00Patrick Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04471858995477729220noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30500538.post-26283979255620431682008-05-05T23:12:00.000-04:002008-05-05T23:12:00.000-04:00Glad you enjoyed that, Rick, and you're exactly right - most of our training opportunities occur away from partners and teachers - but it seems a lot of times like some folks (thankfully none of my students) never give a thought to this thing we're doing between classes.Patrick Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04471858995477729220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30500538.post-89564414845889086312008-05-05T08:50:00.000-04:002008-05-05T08:50:00.000-04:00MOST of our time is spent away from a teacher and training partners. Figuring out how to get the most our of our own self training seems like a very good idea.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699550034693340637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30500538.post-43923441983854093322008-05-04T17:42:00.000-04:002008-05-04T17:42:00.000-04:00<I>"Evil Conservative" Ha, ha, I love that.</I><BR/><BR/>What can I say? That's what he came up with when he had to pick a Blogger user name.<BR/><BR/>I better make the most of him. He'll be with us 'til he graduates from college in a couple of years. After that, my in-home practice partner will only be eight years old.Dan Padenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14366893048089380061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30500538.post-70589891749773374812008-05-04T13:40:00.000-04:002008-05-04T13:40:00.000-04:00"Evil Conservative"<BR/>Ha, ha, I love that.<BR/><BR/>I have lashed a worn out radial tire to a tree and used it for Bo-ken and it has very good "bouncy" action.<BR/>The Jo is my favorite classic weapon.<BR/>DRDojo Rathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12057645566330892415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30500538.post-33259578111373254362008-05-03T19:57:00.000-04:002008-05-03T19:57:00.000-04:00Your timing couldn't be better. My instructor is just getting us started on the jo. Of course, the jo as used in kobudo is going to be somewhat different from its use in jodo, or aiki-jo, but I rather like your suggestions. <BR/><BR/>Rather than plant yet another post in my backyard, I may see about securing a sandbag or something to one of the tree trunks. <BR/><BR/>I'm grateful that I'll have Evil Conservative to practice on for another couple of years. After that, it may be a long time 'til I have another practice partner at home. Darling Daughter just isn't interested, and Middle Son is only six.<BR/><BR/>Once I've grasped the basics sufficiently to start working on kata, <A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu9xVAppS7k" REL="nofollow">this is very similar to what I'll be doing</A>, if you're interested.Dan Padenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14366893048089380061noreply@blogger.com