Merciless

Welcome!

Rateh, I know saying that it must be horrible probably doesn't even describe half of it but I'll say it anyways: that must be horrible. Medications can become quite expensive. I'm on several meds and in therapies, however, I still live with my parents (18 yrs old), so they have an amazing drug plan that covers almost all of it. I'm unsure about getting a job because, in the past, I've never been able to successfully hold it. Shotokan-kez, that is good you're no longer drinking, or at least not as much. The side-effects of meds can sometimes be downright awful, as well as the withdrawl symptoms. Anti-anxiety medications tend to have significant withdrawl effects and can be addicting. NewEnglands_KyoSa, is it only for sugar packets? One of my friends has OCD, although his isn't severe, it's enough to sometimes make him irritating. We're both at university, and so when he drives there (I take buses and trains or he drives me also because my driving tends to always get me speeding tickets), he'll check, re-check and keep on doing that about 7 times to his car before he'll leave to go to class. Such as, he'll constantly reognazine everything in the car to re-checking the tire pressure. As a result, he has to be on campus quite early or else he may miss lectures, as he has done in the past. But yes, I do think everyone has their own problems.

As the title suggests, do you have any? Myself, I have undifferentiated schizophrenia (considering it to be DID, although that's been stopped as an idea). I also have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Happily, I'm in therapy and have various medications, although the medication for schizophrenia doesn't seem to be working without giving terrible side-effects. Anyways, so who else has any? Know anyone who does?

I do some wrestling with dogs (mine and my cousins but they never go completely crazy). In self-defence, we do some knife fighting with fake knives, and one of the strategies to use is, if worst comes to worst, let the attacker hit your forearm (knife is in the other hand). The similar concept can be applied to dogs. Except to get cut up a bit, but if you're wearing a long sleeve shirt, preferably baggy of any material, try to let them get at that and quickly move back with the arm. If done properly, they may latch onto the clothing, although most of the time it'll be on the arm. Regardless, once they clamp down on such an area, as painful as it may be, they have no more weapons to use, whereas you have 2 arms + 2 legs to use. So, quickly apply some choke. For myself, I rarely do this, instead, it's all play-fighting. I tend to try and grab around their shoulders to body area, nothing on the genitals, nothing on the neck area and nothing on their joints. The idea behind every move is to ensure that their main weapon (mouth) cannot bite and if it does, it's to a place that you can still continue to move, even if you're bit. Arms tend to be the best for this. I never hit any of the dogs, never throw anything, etc..., so it's simply play fighting. Running is not a good idea as it becomes a game and you're the prey, they're the predator. As I said, for me, it's always play-fighting (i.e. we both go butt up, hands down because that's a play position, and nobody goes to being crazy). Best idea, is if for whatever reason you have food on you, use that as a distraction. If you're not armed with food, if you need to, let an arm get bit. Not the hands nor fingers. Their secondary weapon are claws but they cant do much damage at all, at most a scratch. Always protect the neck area, ears, face, fingers, etc... . For us men, also the meat and 2 veg.

Usually I do finger push-ups or jar training. Jar training, not sure if it's the proper term but it's what I call it, doesn't have to be done with a jar :lol . Usually, I use some container, fill it with various things, such as pebbles to different amounts, tightly fasten the lid shut then try to hold the jar there using only my fingers (i.e. palm doesn't touch the jar). I also try to keep my arm as horizontal as possible so they can also get exercize, as well as wrists. Also, on a punching bag, you can hit it with your fingers, starting with only a bit of force then moving up with more force.

I do some things on most days if I can but for the most part, I tend to make up certain things. Such as, if I'm struggling at one thing, I'll train more for that than usual. Also, time is a large constricter, so sometimes I just don't have enough time to do a large, elaborate work-out and have to make it shorter.

Hmm, let's see... 6 broken fingers 4 broken toes (not including the same one twice) sprained wrist/ankles unsure how many times several bruised ribs from different occasions dislocated shoulders (both) hyperextension of both elbows and right knee (not yet to left, give it time :lol ) broken shin dislocated thumbs torn muscles on inner thighs/groin area countless bruises 3 concussions (at one other gym area, I was flipped and my head missed the mat and hit the floor) some weird back injury that's healed countless hits on lips, eyes, etc... currently, some weird shoulder injury

Sounds about normal. You're wearing a mouthpiece, right?

As said already, I don't try to block with full-on force, unless I have absolutely no other choice. I have various methods of blocking, each varying on the cirumstances. If it's a kick, depending on the circumstances, I'll block with my legs or what I prefer, grab their legs and bring them straight to the ground. For my legs, I'm less concerned about having them bashed up than I am for my forearms. Alternatively, if possible, I try to grab their punch and apply a self-defence move then possibly taking them down.

Well, I passed my test for goju-ryu karate for 4th kyu and will later do my tests for self-defence and judo for 2nd kyus. I'm quite nervous for both of them

For us, there's the basic tecnhiques, katas, fitness tests and sparring. We spar either someone with a belt higher, or if there is none, someone of the same belt. We have assistants (1-2dans) but they don't spar anyone for the tests. For self-defence, we are told to do various techniques on someone at the sensei's command. As the higher the belt is, the more techniques. Then there's also a fitness test and sparring, both goju-ryu style, and for the higher belts, more sparring with some contact including to the legs, shins, and can use knees but no elbows to the face. The sparring lasts longer as the belt is higher.

It depends on how many people but for us, 1-2 hours usually. I haven't done any black belt tests (yet), but I'd guess they'd be a lot longer.

For us, it's 3-4+ months, depending on attendance. The sensei and assistants watch everyone during practice, then they'll select whoever they feel is ready and we do a pre-test. Depending on that, we do the actual test. The sensei tells us what area(s) we may have messed up on during the pre-test. We then practice longer until we can go for another pre-test.

Greetings all! I do goju-ryu karate, 4th kyu. I do judo and self-defence, where I'm going for 2nd kyu. Happy chatting!