KickChick

This occurs when the nerves in the area of the ankle are stretched, causing a temporary numbness, sharp stinging pain, and usually goes away on its own.

Some of these are health related... others not. I got this in my email .... this is a censored version.... if you want the real one I can send! If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. (Hardly seems worth it.) The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet. A cocroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death.(Creepy.) Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour. (Do not try this at home......maybe at work.) The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field. The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds (What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond? Butterflies taste with their feet. (Something I always wanted to know.) The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.(Hmmmmmm........) Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.(OK, so that would be a good thing....) A cat's urine glows under a black light.(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?) An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.(I know some people like that.) Starfish have no brains. (I know some people like that too.) Polar bears are left-handed. (If they switch, they'll live a lot longer.)

Bending the knees during sit-ups helps neutralize the action of the hip flexors and makes the abs work more but they really are only involved in the initial phase of the sit-up, after which the hip flexors take over. In addition, doing sit-ups rapidly and with momentum, knees bent or not, does not really work the abs much. I forgot to add that you should raise raising slowly only part way which works the abs better. Sit-ups also can be hazardous to your lower back, especially when using the straight leg type. This arches your back and may create strain. Twisting (right elbow to left knee and vice versa) at the top of this type of sit-up movement is not only useless, it places tremendous rotational stress on the lower back that can lead to injury. According to Dr Stamford is director of the Health Promotion and Wellness Center and professor of exercise physiology in the School of Education at the University of Louisville, Kentucky Correct way to do a sit up: Lie on your back on a padded surface, bending your knees to about 90° with your feet flat on the floor. Don't anchor your feet, because doing so will bring leg and hip flexor muscles into the action. Choose the position of your hands and arms according to your abdominal strength. The closer your hands are to your head, the more difficult sit-ups become. As a beginner, rest your hands at your sides. When you get strong, you can cross your arms across your chest. Eventually, cross your arms behind your head with each hand on the opposite shoulder if you're able. Don't, however, interlace your fingers behind your head. When you do, you tend to pull on your head, which can stress the neck and cause injury. Pulling on your head also makes the abdominal muscles work less. Start each movement slowly, as if you are in slow motion. Focus on using your abdominal muscles only. Close your eyes and visualize the abdominal muscles tensing and shortening like slow-moving cables through a pulley that draws your shoulders and head off the floor. Exhale while the abdominal muscles contract and pull you upward. This will suck the muscles inward, ensuring involvement of the deeper muscles. Inhaling may cause your abdomen to protrude, leading to overarching and strain of the lower back. Stop about halfway to the upright position--about 6 to 12 inches off the floor--and tense your abdominal muscles. Hold this position briefly, then lower slowly to the floor. As the abdominal muscles begin to tire, you may not be able to rise to midway, but go as high as you can. Upon returning to the starting point, touch the floor lightly with your upper back and head, keeping the abdominal muscles tense, then begin the next movement. If you find that sit-ups are too demanding, try doing only the curl-down phase. Assume a sitting position by pushing yourself upward with your arms. Slowly lower to the floor, keeping your abdominal muscles tensed. Return to the up position and repeat. Don't overdo it. One set of 5 properly executed sit-ups or curl downs is enough at first. Add 1 sit-up each workout until you reach 15, then add more sets. When you can do three sets of 15, change hand positions to add resistance

A balanced breakfast should contain a carb, sugar, protein and fat for sustained energy release throughout the morning. Eggs are packed with high quality protein, only 75 calories each and have 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B12 and folate. American Heart Association (AHA) changed its guidelines last year to say that it's okay to eat an egg a day. The AHA also stated that limiting satu-rated fat is more important than limiting dietary cholesterol in order to reduce the risk of heart disease. Eggs are low in saturated fat. Why so depressed SMILE

Concerning link #1: and #2: I don't think there is any arguemen as far as stretching reducing "bone" injuries (fractures) .... Got Milk??

Welcome to KarateForums ... lots of folks here from Canada. Make yourself at home and tell us more about yourself and your martial art!

Easy does it Eye .... hey, this type of conditioning may work for both you and I but for most people it's just not what they consider strength training. True, it is strength plus endurance training ... but might I add that you still need to add some cardio/aerobic conditioning and some light weightlifting to your workouts.

Yes, Health, Fitness and Training.... this is the right place. Well, exactly when are you performing this particular seated v-stretch. I sure do hope it is when you are thoroughly warmed up! When you are before you attempt to bend at the waist and "go down in front topuching chest to floor" .... you do need to stretch to the left and to the right bringing chest to left thigh and chin to knee and with both hands grab onto to your heel and hold this stretch for minimum 20 sec. and then switch to right. You now proceed to take a deep breath, bend at waist, and exhale going down to the front bringing chest as close to floor as possible while keeping toes upright. The cause of the pain is by spreading (abducting) the thighs without tilting the pelvis forward. Try this and see if it works for you. The pain can be merely lack of proper warmup and stretching of legs before attempting this type of stretch.

You need to take a few steps back Thai_kick and take a few deep breaths my man.... we are all entitled to our opinions here, -- not one person more than another. If you don't train in an art that doesn't have a belt ranking system then you are just basing your knowledge on generalizations from which you formalize your own opinions. Let's get back to the subject of "Age and the Martial Arts" .... not whether or not you should have to compete to get a black belt or how many of your teeth show up on the floor next to you after a fight!

Well the sure give away is that you feel it in your back. Lead with your chin, do not tuck it under... and contract the abs so your back doesn't come into play. Start with your back flat (important!)... on the floor, legs up as if you were sitting in a chair that fell backward. Cross your feet at your ankles and cross both arms in front of you on your chest and look straight up at the ceiling. Pick a focal point on the ceiling and focus on it. This exercise should be performed in short motions pointing your chin up at that spot on the ceiling. Your head should not move, or should move very little. Do not bring your chin into your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the floor. The abdominal sit-up is performed with tight small movement. You can vary the sit-up by using the same technique and crunching from side to side. For this exercise, you should place the hand of the side you are working behind your head, elbow flat to the floor. With proper form, use your abs and the right side of your ab muscle to pull your body up, bringing your right elbow to your left knee. Do the same for the left side. Depending on how close your feet are to one another the more you will work the hip flexors ... and if you spread the feet apart a bit more than shoulder width then you isolate the abs more. Try it. Oh and shotochem ... I have done those in my cardio firness class. They are killers and these also work the hip flexors. I call them Rollies.... Sitting up, feet on floor (and to be kept there), hands together in front. Roll back to your right "cheek" leaning right and lower back without touching the floor, holding abs tight (don't let your back arch); cross over to your left "cheek" and roll up to sitting. This is like going in a giant circle. Beginners can roll on the floor, and/or push up with their elbows. I add some punches: From the sitting position on the rollie, lean back, feet on floor, punch to center pressing through the knees After the 8 punches, feet still on the floor, leaning back further (holding abs tight to protect the lower back ...if back bother you then you should sit more forward), twist side to side touching the elbows to the floor.

Here are a few: http://www.kickboxing.com http://www.martialarts.com/martial-arts-styles/styles.htm http://www.martialartsinfo.com http://www.martialinfo.com/MartialMainFrame.htm The second link has a few sites listed with quicktime video clips as far as "watching" styles. You may want to rent some videos or go to your library to get some for viewing otherwise the sites I have listed have some pretty thorough information compiled on them.

I guess you may have seen the comic I posted here ramymensa http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4607

Who are you to say they didn't deserve their black belts? I like LeaF am not in martial arts to compete. I am not involved in "sport" TKD for that very reason. Some martial art styles aren't even involved in any tournies/comps. All martial artists should "personally" train hard for whatever the requirements may be to earn black belt, and most importantly be humble, Thai_Kick. Black belts are just ordinary people who try hard and don't give up. A black belt can be "earned" in spite of any weaknesses you may have. What about men and women who begin training very late in life (like I did), people who are disabled (ask SaiFightsMS) or blind, and people who were very afraid of physical activity when they first started martial arts. Overcoming difficulties and physical challenges and never giving up and giving it all that you have is what determines your character, which is I believe an important trait of a black belt.... aside from a physical trait. To be overconfident, to show off your skill, to look down on others because you "beat" them, shows a lack of respect is a charateristic of someone who is not worthy of a black belt.

oK .... guess I "heard" the question wrong so TigerKorea is curious as to "wat" is our use for the martial arts. ...geez, ok ... Yeah I'm old LeaF but I do think I still remember ... I think the reason was so that my kids would listen to me when I spoke to them otherwise ...nah, that wasn't it! True story .... owner of the school I go to was at neighborhood bus stop with his kids and I was there with mine and we got to talking. Next thing I know I am taking my son, watch a few of his classes and decided to try it when the owner's wife was returning to train after years of being away (having 4 kids) and asked me to go with her. That was 10 years ago and we both tested recently together. No real apparent reason ... the martial arts "found" me in a sense and I'm glad it did!

How can you be curious about it when you happen to be a TKD student I mean it does say that in your profile ... and also I might add it mentions "girls" too .... maybe you too thought as did ZR440! Maybe you think over there in Korea you have a different "use" for your martial art than we do here ....

If performed properly sit ups are fine and more of a "compound" ab exercise than a crunch (more musclle groups involved) but unfortunately most people cannot perform a proper sit up and so may feel it more in their lower back. The hip flexors function as primary movers in a sit up as long as the weaker abdominals can hold the isometric contraction. You will feel a burn due to the isometric contraction of the weaker abdominals trying to hold the spine stable while the stronger hip flexors perform the movement. This improper form could be the reason so many people had back pain, due to the pulling on the spine by the hip flexor muscles. Your martial arts instructor may believe that in doing the sit ups instead of crunches, you will be working the psoas/hip flexors more rather than the abs. Crunches tend to isolate the abdominals far more than do sit ups. If anyone in your class experiences any lower back pain due to performing these sit ups than they are doing them improperly. Sometimes a rolled up towel tucked into the small of the back alleviates some of the strain.

Well, if you are properly warming up, and stretching (including ankle rotations etc.) and you have no history of any predisposed ankle tears or sprains then it is wise for you to consult a "foot" doctor!

Yes, it may just be a case of weak ankles or you may have tight ligaments, It's a condition called supinating or Morton's foot. The foot tends to land on the outside and predisposes the ankle to turn out over the foot. This could lead to the possibility of an ankle sprains or tear. You can strengthen your ankles by doing toe raises and heel drops, alternating them until your ankle is fatigued. Each exercises should be done to the point of total muscle fatigue, so that you can't do even one more.Balancing is important in strengthening ankles to sense where the foot is in relation to the ground. Practice by balancing on one foot with your arms stretched out to the sides until you lose balance or become fatigued ...then do this exercise with your eyes closed.

Please add replys to this thread: http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4887&highlight= "[Edited by Moderator: Please do not post the same message in two different forums. Thank you.]"

Strength can be somewhat defined as the ability to apply musculo-skeletal force, but you must remember that there are various types of "strength". 1. Limit Strength The amount of musculoskeletal force you can generate for one all-out effort. Limit strength is your athletic "foundation." Limit strength can only be demonstrated or tested in the weight room during the performance of a maximal lift. While only powerlifters need to maximize and demonstrate this type of strength, martial artists need to develop high levels of limit strength in every muscle group. 2. Absolute Strength Absolute strength is the same as limit strength with one important distinction. Limit strength is achieved while "under the influence" of some work producing aid (supplements, hypnosis, therapeutic techniques, etc.), while absolute strength is achieved through training alone. 3.Relative Strength Whereas absolute strength refers to strength irrespective of bodyweight, relative strength is a term used to denote strength per unit of bodyweight. It can be used as a modifier for other categories of strength, such as speed strength or strength endurance. So if two athletes of different bodyweights can squat 275 pounds, they have equal absolute strength for that lift, but the lighter athlete has greater relative strength. Strength can be developed by applying stress to the muscle cells themselves, or by targeting the nervous system. The ffirst method is accomplished through weightlifting (reps between 6 and 12), and results in strength gains through an increase in muscle cross-section. The second is through higher intensity training (repetitions between 1 and 4), and increases in strength are the result of the body's improved ability to recruit more of its existing motor unit pool. For athletes who need absolute strength (track & field, football linemen, etc.), both methods are used alot. First, bodybuilding methods are used, followed by nervous system training. The result is an increase in bodyweight and absolute strength. As the athlete becomes larger, however, relative strength decreases. For martial artists and other athletes who depend upon relative strength, bodybuilding methods should be used sparingly, unless a higher weight class is desired. Most strength training is characterized by high intensity, low repetition sets, which improve strength through neural adaptations rather than increases in muscle cross section. Many martial artists tend to try and improve their absolute (or max) strength, without realizing that absolute strength is not the most sport specific type of strength for them. In the martial arts the problem is that the amount of time to develop maximum muscular force is extremely limited, usually only a fraction of a second. While high levels of absolute strength are important for speed, too much time in the weight room lifting heavy weights at slow speeds, without making the conversion to speed strength later in the training cycle, results in slow atletic ability. This is all taken from Charles Staley's "Special Topics in Martial Arts Conditioning"

Yes, I have noticed that also since as long as I have been a member here. I tried to "enlighten" those people, but now choose to let it go into one ear and out the other. As long as I know I can defend myself there is no need to defend my style. What's that saying? "Popularity breeds contempt?"

Sounds to me like she has come a long way since being a white belt. I believe she has hasn't "learned" more but has become more self-aware. Thanks for posting that John ...

Music used in this clip is the style I use for my cardio kickbox classes and also works well for demo routines. Most trance selections have graduated bpm with slowed down to full "dead air" which works well for display of tension kicks and holding that kick up until music resumes to full tempo. http://www.budogirls.com/video/otherclips/viva.mpeg Check out this TKD female demo ... music by Paul Oakenfield (progressive trance) ... takes a while to load! Music is releatively fast ....curious to hear your .... Comments???

... any other "uncommon martial art styles" that you may have ifo on??

kickboxchick ... Stop into Introductions and tell us a bit about the 1001 member! ...like your name btw ...I get that feeling here once in a while too monkeygirl -- I believe your advice is much appreciated and some very good advice I might add. Your advice not only pertains to KB but might also be applied to other arts as well if solo training. Your first movement ...at the very beginning ....should be at full speed. From there, you should be relaxed, and accelerate from there. This will help your speed and power tremendously if you practice and most importantly apply it. Most of us are unaware that when we start to move, we move (either consciously or unconsciously) at a slower speed, so that we can in turn build up to max speed at full extension of a kick or punch. In doing this, your power reaches an apex at full extension. This causes telegraphing of movement ... many opponents can spot this and can sense this build up!He perceives this build-up, and makes it miss. Most people start their kicks or punches at full speed, and then tend to peter out from there and then their technique lacks power. Once your kick/punch starts off at full speed, it must accelerate from there for power. Acceleration is a major key to power (and some forms of leverage), putting your body mass into the application. More tips here in Health/Training/Fitness forum ... http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=549&highlight=agility+balance ...actually put speed, balance, agility and awareness in our Search and choose Health forum and it turns up alot of informative threads (besides this one!) Again another long post!