sensei8

Happy Birthday to you...and many more!!

OUCH!! 2 weeks ago, I must've slept wrong. I don't know how one can sleep wrong, but I did something to my lower back. At first, I couldn't get up out of bed or up from the couch without shooting sharp pains that would literally drop me. Getting out of bed is still the worse. The sharp pain is from the center of my lower back and then radiates to my right side. So sharp, that it throws me literally back onto the bed. To get out of bed, I have to roll out and onto the floor onto my knees. That alone is debilitating, and I'm very slow to get up fully. At times, the pains so much so that I've wet myself because I just couldn't make it to the restroom on time. EMBARASSING to say the least. I'm 56 years old and I wet myself! Aaarrrggghhhh!! Teaching is to a practical dead crawl. Being intimate with my wife was a mistake. Afterward, I felt like I was back on square one in getting better. Now, my doctor prescribed to me Ibuprofen 800mg to take for pain, but no more than 4 per 24 hour period. Also, I do the heat/ice STILL every 2 hours. R.I.C.E., Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate, as much as I can. I'm staying home for the next 2 days!! I still don't know how I can elevate my lower back. I tried inversion treatments but man, that wasn't fun at all. I've thought about visiting a Chiropractor, but I just don't know. Any thoughts?? I'm miserable!!

Solid post!!

As your son matures, both physically and MA, he'll be solid across the board. He'll be much more tone in movements as he matures; crispness and effectiveness will begin to replace some of the "kid" stuff he still possesses, and that's not a bad thing because he's still maturing across the board.

I'm not of WTF or the like, but... I'm not surprised on the amount of kicks, seeing that the said style is a kicking MA. The second one had more hand techniques, and not as many kicks as the first one. Both were solid across the board!!

Solid post!!

Every style of the MA has its flaws/weaknesses, but how one can be honest with themselves while overcoming said flaw/weaknesses will go along way. In that, I'm with Brian on the lack of a solid ground aspect. So, if the ground aspect lacks, do everything that you can to not end up on the ground.

I hope you find the video's because I really enjoy watching Kendall's progression, and he's just got that eye of a tiger. If it means anything, I'm very proud of him!!

Hhhhmmmmmm, Tai Chi, per this demo, has just, imho, loss some of its validity with me. If these two gentlemen tried what they've demonstrated in a true SD situation, they'd be at a desperate disadvantage. Drop down in a long and low stance while punching towards someone's side, as demonstrated, is going to be drove upon mercilessly. Why not just transition by slipping said attack and then, by staying close and more upright, drive said punch with the hips?! I'm not a proponent of Tai Chi, although I've cross trained in it from time to time. I do see value in the slowness of the movements, and some, and I mean some of the given techniques speed up practically can be effective in a SD situation. Shindokan is flawed, as is any MA, imho!! But we close the gap, stay in said gap, and jam the gap, and what this demonstration spoke in volumes to me was..."DON'T". Don't try what they've demonstrated against a style that lives within the space of contact when one can't manage space. Flowing and fluid, as anything in the MA, imho, has its purpose, but knowing when the time is the right time is a valuable key to defending oneself. Fancy techniques, imho, are just lucky movements against a MAist that's not easily drawn against said movements. Imho!!

Bob = Set in his ways; traditional prisoner, I suppose!! However, I do consider myself quite eclectic through and through. How so? Shindokan is a solid style of the MA, but it has its flaws. So, I've searched, and still search for that element that can add to the value of my MA betterment, no matter from which style of the MA that it may originate.

I don't visit many blogs and the like, and that's mainly because my schedule is quite limited. In that, there's maybe 1 or 2 sites that I will regularly visit. I just "surf" and if it peaks my interest, I'll look at it, but I don't always finish the article. The first paragraph must interest me; that paragraph tells the tone a lot.

The instructor who challenges his/her students day in and day out...that's the instructor I like!!

Ditto!!

As it should've been!!

If I was your Sensei, I'd advice you to not do anything that will cause your healing process to be unnecessarily delayed. Testing cycle's will always be there, and as a MAist, you must learn that if the next cycle isn't a possibility for you, then when the time is right, that cycle will be there. I'd even pull your name off the up and coming testing cycle until your doctor gave you a note saying that you're ankle is ready for MA activities. That's just me. Please, don't cause unnecessary activities until your ankle is strong enough to support your MA activities. Imho!!

Solid post as well as solid advice. This should be not a problem with your sensei. However, the sparring portion shouldn't take you into the next testing cycle. If it does, I'd hold off on your next testing cycle until the one after that. Btw, how's your ankle doing today?

Yes, please pass on my congrats to him...WELL DONE!!

Favorite: Rokudan Less favorite: Kudan

First of all...Welcome to KF!! Secondly...Solid post; thank you for it!!

You limit you!! I limit myself!! Having said that, please visit your doctor asap and get professional help. Then, follow his/her advice to the letter!! Classes can be made up!! But your health is paramount over any MA, imho. Hang in there!!

In your opinion... What drives the high tuition costs? Overhead or inflation or greed? Please, choose the one answer that defines the question.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!!

Solid post!! My MA journey is mine, not those who came before me. Glad to know my lineage, but what I produce as a MAist on the floor, well, I can't expect, nor can I wait, for those before me to validate my totality as a MAist.

Solid post and DITTO!! My parents aside, Karate has opened doors that had I not found karate and Dai-Soke, many doors would've been shut for good.

Was just watching some ISKA on ESPN and I've just got to say...sport karate isn't karate. Having said that, the "trick" divisions are what's the rage of the page, and have been so for such along time now. When I watched it today, I asked myself, what does that have to do with anything karate? Then I answered myself, for what they do, I can't. It's a division of its own, and I have to be more tolerant with the modern way sport karate has evolved. Now, I did get my fix when I saw the "Traditional" divisions. SOLID!! I'm still wondering what all of the very loud and long kiai's are all about, but, showmanship in the "trick" divisions was front and center. Your thoughts?!