KickChick

I personally believe that the martial arts that work well together are those which supplement your own primary style and fill in the deficiencies or limitations of that style ... that is if your style is not a "complete art" I mean ny martial art can teach you fighting skills & principles but there is no one style that offers everything you need to know.....

Step sparring is basically an introduction to sparring basics which I believe is covered in most disciplines that free spar. In one steps at our school, beginners are instructed in the use of the basic strikes against a partner. The basic punches and kicks are covered with emphasis on accuracy and balance. They must learn to deliver effective techniques while advancing toward their opponent. 3. Defense is usually comes next.This involves learning how to step back and block the various incoming techniques. Emphasis is on maintaining proper balance and form so that the defender is in a position to counter attack. In two-step sparring you begin to learnt combinations. A two-technique combination is combined with moving into the opponent. You try to create an opening on the opponent while not creating openings on yourself. Next is 3-step....combos of 3 techniques that create openings in the opponent's defense. The defenders develop their defensive skills by blocking the incoming attacks. All movement up to this point in these step spaiing drills is linear. Next comes instruction in lateral movement. How to move left, right, and how to circle and angle.... both offensively and defensive. Next ....free sparring!

http://www.lolfun.com/funpages/smilykiss/index.cfm How are you going to celebrate the day? My husband just called me to tell me he just got my gift. I ordered a dozen "love" balloons and had them sent over to his office ... and he was in the middle of a meeting!!! Today should be no different than any other day to show your love.... http://216.40.249.192/mysmilies/otn/love/sweety.gif KickChick

The subject of this thread is not "teaching" but opening up your own dojo/school. Quite a different scenario. Teaching is one thing ... but opening your own school based primarily on your own qualifications is another. I am not alone in the way of thinking that 5th - 10th dan dojo owner qualifications to be impressive. Does that mean they are more "qualified" and better teachers? Possibly. Better business/school owners? Possibly. There are a number of variables. The general public (IMO) seems to gravitate to way of thinking that a TKD school "owned" by an 8th dan Korean master is far more superior to that of a school owned by non-Korean black belt..... go figure .... are they right? There are a number of threads here in this Instructor forum re: opening your own dojo and at what rank etc. etc. .... http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3617 In this thread I pointed out an article that is :up: http://winstonstableford.com/YourOwnDojo.html

.... stop being such a devil Ken!!! I dunno .... beats me! http://mindscraps.com/s/otn/confused/aeh.gif .... maybe you can tell me! True niel .. at bb level we do a number of breaks tossing board up in air while executing a punch or kick. Harder still having someone other than yourself tossing up the board! http://www.rocketsky.net/~mysmilies/otn/angels/littleangel.gif

we just offer constructive criticism. Just count yourself lucky that I am not one of those parents monkeygirl. How about a black belt parent criticising the way you teach .... not that I ever do that to any of my son or daughters instructors... (well, only because they are higher dan ranks than I )

I'm sure that we all have .... (but some more than others). We all forget the proper ways to stretch and then we all suffer the consequences.... some more painful than others

.... you needn't be! Simply put .... YES , but ok so I forgot to add.... GRADUALLY (warm up is very important especially if sore prior to doing dynamic stretching) IMO ... I too am not a "physicist" I am assuming that Looneyas is experiencing "muscle soreness" and NOT a muscle "pull" or "spasm" in which case circumstances would be diff.

I vaguely remember this same point being brought up in the last Survivor Game (1) ... ... although I rarely if ever post in the Games Forum ..., you'll notice I have been "playing" ... so more play less seriousness too maybe???

Wishing you luck and continued perseverence!!! ... hurry back and tell us how you did!

.... big kid at 32, I like that! Anyway, thanks for getting back to us and keeping us "posted"... good luck to you in the future. (I'm heading over to your other post now~~~~~ ..... )

Get your own Kung Fu name! http://daredevil_30.tripod.com/kungfunames.html 'Invincible Crane Foot' KickChick

Thanks for sharing that pic ... good going!!! (.... well, actually it's between a cooler and a chair ) See? Doesn't have to be 2 chairs .... for beginners you can even try two phone books and gradually work up to War & Peace ) Hey .... lets post more split pics!!!!

I heard you!!! I didn't hear "stretching after I warm up though!!! ..... Begin with a simple exercise that will gradually get the heart pumping and increase blood flow to your muscles. You need to raise the body's temperature by about 2º F, loosening and warming muscles and joints. You can tell when you are sufficiently warmed up when you begin to break a slight sweat.  Muscles are able to stretch more easily and to contract more rapidly when warm. The faster muscle contracts, the stronger it becomes.  The higher the temperature of muscle cells, the faster they are able to metabolize the oxygen and fuel they need.  As muscles warm, the response to nerve impulses quickens, causing a faster contraction, which leads to quicker reflexes.  Warming joints lubricates them, allowing them to move more freely with less energy expended. This protects the joints from excessive wear and tear. Whenever a muscle is stretched, the stretch reflex action automatically contracts the stretch muscle, in order to protect it from being over stretched. If you have overstretched and "pulled" some muscles while stretching then if these fibers are not gradually re-lengthened, the muscle will pull again upon use because it will have healed in a shortened state. If you stretch the healing muscle gently and gradually, you'll decrease your chances of re-injury. Stretching facilitates recovery by regulating muscle tension, relieving muscle spasms and improving blood flow into your muscles. Stretching beyond your limits can lead to injury and loss of any gains you will have made. You should always alternate your stretches from one muscle group to another, ensuring that they are progressive. (now that's a post! ... also a small excerpt of an article I had written

Have see this "piece" many , many times before... (... like the idea of adding it to a poll. I'm pretty low on the scale, I wear inappropriate pants and shoes and a one piece gi ... but some of the other things are pretty close enough. More of a way of life than an addiction (oh and no you cannot edit your "poll part" .... just go back and make another post reply with no post but a poll vote..... )

no its quite a diff sound that the "processing info" sound.... but then again my cable modem was up and down all day (fine time for that to happen during Survivor!!) .... so after shutting down and recycling all my components ... seems things just may be ok.

Of course, those UFC "guys" can punch as quickly and powerfully as any black belt. Why don't they break skulls? The answer lies in the nature and "style" of their punches. When they throw their fist the movement ends with a follow-through. This gives the punch maximum momentum (golf and tennis players follow through for the same reason), and it can help knock an opponent down. But the impact itself is diffused. It is mean't to wallop their opponents head, not crack his skull. But when doing a "break" with a punch you reach maximum velocity when the arm is about 80 percent extended, focusing your punch in your mind mentally so that it follows through rather than just on the surface. To achieve the maximum "impact power" , you want to make contact before your punch slows down.

well, I disagree .... but that's ok It's the power of physics. Break a board with your bare hand, without ma training and you may break a finger. Punch it with the proper force, momentum, and positioning, and you'll break the board. In the late 1970s, Ronald McNair, (who later died tragically while working as a scientist-astronaut aboard Space Shuttle Challenger.) did a study to see just how fast is a karate punch? A strobe light was set up that flashed either 60 or 120 times per second. Then various kicks and punches were photographed as they were being done. The speed of a punch was calculated by counting how many times the strobe flashed until the fist hit its target. He found that beginning students can throw a karate punch at about 20 feet per second...just enough to break a one-inch board. But a black belt could break it at 46 feet per second. At that speed, a 1 1/2-pound hand can deliver up to 2,800 newtons (one newton is roughly equal to the force exerted by the weight of an apple). Splitting a typical concrete slab 1 1/2 inches thick takes on average only 1,900 newtons. Bone can withstand 40 times more force than concrete, and a cylinder of bone less than an inch in diameter and 2 1/3 inches long can withstand a force of more than 25,000 newtons. Hands and feet can withstand even more than that, because their skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage absorb a great deal of impact. As a result, a well-kicked foot can absorb about 2,000 times as much force as concrete before breaking. When you broke that single board ... you obviously didn't align it with the grain running parallel to the strike, so that it cleaves easily. A punching bag is "suitable" for conditioning ... but where is the follow through??

Ah .... yes .... eat like an emperor and have the body of a gladiator Well, according to this diet ..... a warrior is always ready for action, with energy available whenever he or she needs it!. Big meals or lots of different foods can make you sluggish, and cause energy and blood to be directed to to our abdomen (liver, stomach, intestines) to digest and assimilate our food. For more.... http://www.warriordiet.com/ I say....Beware of ALL diets!!! This diet consists of small meals or snacks eaten every two to three hours throughout the day ... which is a good thing but you limit your big meal for the evening! (among other "rules" )

Never have "trained" on those mats ... only wooden floors and as Doug posted, I prefer carpeted dojang floors. Yes I do have calloused feet (but that's a good thing! ) We have the added padding for shock absorbtion ... very good for stretching... no friction, ease in spreading legs apart. Absorbs sweat better too!!! eh, those Century mats remind me of those ABC mats my kids used to have in their nursery as toddlers!

HELP!!!! .... don't know whether this is happening cos' I'm burning up the keyboard here posting a little more than usual...(LET'S GO SEOUL SURVIVORS!!!!!!!!) (and I don't want to go back rereading all the prior posts here) ... Hey this thread is pretty popular... cool !!! QUESTION: Why is my hard drive (tower) ,making grinding sounds every once in a while??? Can't be good.... doesn't sound good. What should I do??? HELP!!!

I wouldn't say it's the best ... it only covers WTF TKD ... must have been an old post ... (I've been here forever!.....) My pick for best TKD site is????? http://www.taekwon.net/english/body.asp http://tkdtutor.com http://www.barrel.net/

The importance of "conditioning" .... hands & feet! In order to break boards you must be taught proper hand positioning, and proper alignment of the skeletal structure. You then learn to fully utilize hip rotation to augment the power curve of all kicks and strikes. If the break is done properly you should have minimal if any injury. Did I mention I'm pretty good with a pencil at my age?

... why breathe??? Ever try stopping??? ... then that is why you train . You young kids involved in martial arts haven't a clue what it is like to literally climb out of bed some mornings, sore, bruised and battered ... and look at yourself in the mirror and as "Why?". But you will! During training, while doing jump spin kicks, 540's, 360's .... upon landing these kicks our first thought is "whew I did it! (through the grunts and sweat... and "Man am I gonna hurt tomorrow!" Just look at (for ex.) old TKD masters ... years and years of training!!! I would most likely feel worse (would you believe???) if I didn't train. We are not talking just "physical" here too guys.... let's talk about the mental attributes of training too. We all have a different mindset than the "general public" ... that is why they cannot understand why we do and continue to do what we do .... train in the martial arts!

Welcome to KarateForums! .... you may want to stop by the Karate Forum to get yourself acquainted with your new discipline!