Ironberg

First off: welcome, Goku! I say go for it. I started at the same age and am not sorry I did. I would be much less of a person today without karate. However, it is important to reflect on your reasons for wanting to learn the martial arts in the first place. True, learning them will change your perspective, but do you want to be able to defend yourself, compete, get in shape, look cool, what? Hmm... Goku. Any relation to a certain DBZ character?

That assumes that you actually make it to the thigh in time and have managed to survive the nasty straight punch that I made right for the bridge of your nose.

Or you could pull out a glock and point it at his face. Yeah, I know, it's cheap and not as fun as getting your knuckles bruised.

Common - I see people starting in their middle ages all the time, and 30 isnt' middle aged. I recently saw a 50 yr. old male successfully test for his black belt despite the fact that his right knee was really botched up.

Congratulations! Getting that first in sparring (Kumite) is all that's really mattered to me these days.

That's a good idea - maybe I should try that!

Sorry, I'm definately not in the best of moods this weekend (seriously, I've felt like going through the roof at times) - so take it with a grain of salt. I apologize and take back my negative comments. Sometimes I have too big a mouth. Fight only when given one!

I'll agree with you that organically grown food rivals most conventional stuff. However, you have to remember that other carrots you find at the store were breed and modified to effeciently grow, be effeciently priced, and resist the heat of pests. My question is - if you were only given access to those carrots would they ultimately be non-benificial to your health?

You should all try the Bill Wallace method of the "kicking stance". Chamber a side-kick to the point where you are almost knee-ing yourself in the face. Then do multiple side, round, or hook kicks while rechambering as best as you can - that keeps you from using the knee-pressing handicap. Yeah, easier said than done - I can only do about three before I have to slow down and regain my momentum . Just thought I'd throw in an interesting idea to challenge balance !

Yes, that's a good idea. What I usually do is preform the front splits on both sides before I go straight into the side splits in that nature. It just kinda loosens things up. Or you could throw a large amount of kicks at the heavy bag and fall into it from there. Just remember that the muscles are best challenged when WARM. I didn't recieve my flexibility without stretching after sweat pouring workouts - that actually helps.

Welcome, Boxing Master. We look forward to your posts. Nice selection of MAs!

If I were in the situation, which I'm fortunate to not be in, I'd approach one of the bad-mouthers and ask him to place his money where his mouth is. After beating him to a pulp on the spot, and possibly getting a week's detention in the process, you just might get all the other freaks off of your back forever. If they're no longer getting on your nerves, well, that's what I call peace.

It still rages to this day. Ever since the Starlink Corn incident, massive media hysteria came and went. We Americans are still blindly eatting our food, while the rest of the world has grown in it's uneasiness about all the modified soybeans, corn, wheat, potatoes, and also roundup ready seeds that have strange origins, and unidentified certification processes. Earlier this month, Angola has rejected large amounts of food shipments from the United States because of it's dissagreement that genetically modified food is good in the long-run. What do you think about the government regulation of modified crops and the farmers who cultivate them? What's your side of the debate? I've been doing a school project on this topic, and was curious about your opinions.

Sounds like Kyokushin tournaments is where all the good contact and competition is! Where's the nearest one to Southern Minnesota? Do they allow competitors from other styles of Karate??

Truckloads of fist-pushups. Strike the heavy-bag bareknuckle. Lift weights properly. Buy grippers (if you want to punch someone so hard they have to change their underpants - work on your grip!!!).

Your kumite partners will probably not be throwing alot of street-oriented techniques unless they've been there, or have a natural aggression in them. You must have sparring partners that challenge you in order to succeed.

You should try to be able to do the full splits - have your toes pointed up, and have your solar-plexes against the floor. There are lots of people who can't do this because not only do you need to be flexible in the groin and thighs, but in the hip joints as well.

Being as mad as I can be at the world sometimes - I'd have thoughts of lashing back come to mind as well. However, be mindful that your odds of survival are very very small. Wisdom will probably tell you to give them what they want and go away. It also depends on whether or not you are surrounded. If the three guys are simple standing in front of you behind the main guy, chances of survival are better. If they have tactically surrounded you - be prepared to take a number of hits. If a fight is inevitable - give it all your might. If it's just one guy, you should be able to stand up without much hesitation. A friend of mine was almost mugged with a knifer last year. He told him: "You can either remain here, or be gone" - the mugger left without a fight.

At home training in kickboxing would work for me as long as I could get into some real matches. I've been in the martial arts for about 2 and a half years and would like to get some ring action. Man I hate this small town!

Good points, Gumbi.

There should still be tournaments where all you have to wear are: cup, grappling gloves, and mouthguard. That's right... no sissy headgear, no useless foot pads, no shin guards, no bulky hand gloves, no extra sissy forearm pads, etc.

Technically, I'm from Ft. Collins, Colorado. However, I've lived my youth in other cities, four different locations in the UK, back to Colorado, and now in this Minnesotan armpit. I've been forced to move so many times that I've lost count.

This whole thread is ironic. I just goes to show you what the three smallest books are on the planet (in no particular order): 1. Everything Men Know About Women 2. Everything Women Know About Men 3. last but not least: Examples of Successful Marriage

Welcome Mart. Where do you study MT?

Greetings! Welcome to the forums. A club with no contact! Isn't that like buying a boat without having a lake around?