KickChick

Yes I was! .... and they opened with "StreetFighting Man"

After reading a few of the posts here http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1834&highlight= , some experiences bordered on injurious sexual, physical or psychological abuse. Which brings me to this question: In your opinion do you feel that martial arts should be regulated? .... Despite the mystique that the study of martial arts is spiritual, it is in every respect a business. In schools which operate "for profit," the consumer signs a contract agreeing to pay money for a promised level or period of instruction. Just as the instructor has the right to expect payment, the consumer has the right to expect the instruction will be of good quality and free from injurious sexual, physical or psychological abuse. What regulatory measures have been taken? A number of states, most recently New Jersey and North Carolina, have had bills introduced to regulate martial arts instruction. Basically, these bills establish a state board that issues licenses. The bills also set requirements on instructors such as being an adult, having a certain level of proficiency and having no criminal record. Many foreign countries have regulations regarding gatherings and events. Should government regulation be supported? Not necessarily. If the martial arts business acts internally to regulate itself, government intervention should not be needed. The point is that regulation of some kind is needed, even if it is only protection under the consumer protection laws. Many states require martial arts studios to be licensed as health clubs. However, health club regulations are not enough to protect the large classes of under age students in a "for profit" studio. Internal regulation is preferable, but if it does not come about, the government should undertake the task. How would this be done? By federation accreditation. The federation would take the responsibility to see that instructors are knowledgeable about their discipline and of sufficient moral character to be an instructor. This may even require keeping records and lists of accredited instructors. While this may sound strange, everyone from an automobile mechanic to a high school teacher goes through some type of apprenticeship or accreditation program. Why should martial arts be different? Every martial arts instructor should display this accreditation. http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Ring/9553/index.html

Bretty, those areas are all good "targets" .... but what do you suggest as a "simple move" using an upper body attack? With all this in mind .... what you want is a simple strike done with the hands, is what I'm thinking. Most martial arts are taught to practice boxing style knuckle punches, such as a jab, cross, and hook. Striking with the edge of the hand using a closed fist, called a hammer-fist, is a stronger and more stable striking surface ....the problem is that the harder you hit on the street, the more likely you will break your unprotected hand using a knuckle punch. The best target for hand strikes is on the jaw line close to your attacker's ear. Travel the same angle as a hook punch, which is the main knockout punch in boxing. This target area on your attacker's jaw is sometimes known in boxing as the "sweet spot", because striking it can result in an instant knockout. A well placed, and often unseen, strike to this area can send a shock wave into your attacker's brain stem, which shuts their brain down temporarily. Other targets for the hammer fist strike are the temple, neck, and collarbones. The upward knee to the body (if you're capable of exucuting that particular lower body movement), and elbow strikes to the head are also quite effective simple attacks. The elbow is one of the strongest bones in the body, and can generate a tremendous amount of power when thrown correctly. The upward knee and the elbow strike go well together, because the knee bends your opponent over slightly, exposing their head to the elbow strike. Both these strikes are done in close range, when you are close to your attacker grab on to them, in order to pull them into the strike.

Imagine a large capital letter H on the ground, and then all the possible ways to step on the 6 points of the H. Start with stepping on the two center points of the H,called Mid-H, moving from side to side. Then from the center, step to the two front points of the H. This is called Front-H Footwork. Then step to the two back points. This is called Back-H Footwork. Lastly, step back and forth on one side of the H. The H Footwork can be done as a stepping or dancing motion. Application: This footwork will get you used to stepping around another person's legs in a self defense situation. All punching and kicking moves can be done while doing the H Footwork.

... as far as the calorie content of those slices of pizza .... close to 600 calories if I'm reading this table correctly http://www.3fatchicks.com/fast-food/restaurants/cat_dominos.php and its regular cheese pizza. Yes, ckdstudent is correct.... there is alot of facotrs involved as far as your particular metabolism goes .... how effectively you personally burn up those calories. For calculating your exercise heart rate zone http://www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com/cooltools/What_is_Your_Exercising_Heart_Rate_Zone.htm You seem pretty fit to me 360!

Several different groups of muscles attach to the groin area. The flexor muscles bend the hip, the adductor muscles bring one leg in against the other, and the rotator muscles bring the knee across the opposite leg. To determine which muscle was involved, you must find out which motion brings on the pain. You should rest a groin pull for several days and then begin a gentle stretching program. This should be followed by a gradual return to activity. As always, the best prevention is a good stretching program as LeaF suggested before and after activity. Determine which muscles are injured. If it is the flexor muscles, do a Hip Extension exercise ...if it is the adductor muscles, do a side straddle stretch and the rotator muscles respond well to a Yoga lotus stretch. For more threads this came up here also!! http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=819&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=groin muscle Good Luck ... and hope you heal fast!!!

.... and unfortunately I am going to close this particular thread as it seems the poster has posted this same "subject" several times in other forums.

Your body type (you say your "small") could dictate your overall workout (kickboxing & weight training. There are essentially three different body types - ectomorphs, mesomorphs and endomorphs. You seem to be a ectomorph: typically a smaller person with a faster metabolism, slow to gain muscle and exercising may cause weight loss. It is possible to rise up against your genetics and add muscle to a skinny/small frame you just have to understand the best type of training for your particular body type. Ectomorphs find it hard to put on weight because they burn calories very easily. With this in mind ectomorphs shouldn't train too hard or long when it comes to cardio workouts. You should lift weights but keep the volume low ... again too much activity will burn too many calories.So... EAT! Make sure you eat well rounded meals 6-8 meals a day. Any extra protein and/or amino acids in your diet will help also. Make sure you are taking your sets to complete muscle failure (hence you will have some soreness) Again, keep your training sessions short (45-60 minutes. Try to hit two or three body parts per session.Train each body part every 4/5 days for 2/3 sets.

Good point! In real life self defense situations, many of the traditional techniques we learn in TKD may not be useful. This is due to the variables mentioned such as space limitations, attire, weather, number of attackers, etc. To overcome these, you must use a common sense approach to prepare yourself for possible attack. Many styles teach different versions self defense. Some teach techniques that only work against a cooperative opponent, such as some release moves. Some teach outmoded techniques. Some teach techniques that, even if used in self defense, would be against the law, such as multiple strikes after the attacker is down. Some teach techniques with elaborate movements that would be tantamount to suicide if used in an actual self defense situation. There are alot of self defense techniques but the one thing they all have in common is the intended purpose of preventing or minimizing harm caused by a physical attack. As far as skill goes, you should always keep your physical limitations in mind ... there are some techniques in all styles that are too unreliable to use. I know in our school we are taught a few sd techniques and practice them consistently from all directions and under all types of circumstances. Should we ever find ourselves in a self defense situation we are able to react quicker and more effectively since we don't have to think about which technique to use.

When you ask are your TKD skills as effective on the in a real fight, you need to be aware that there is no best style for that. It is up to the student and what they learn. It is not what style you learn that will turn you into a an effective fighter. ... take the techniques that will work on the street and adapt them to the situation you are in. Not everyone practices TKD to defend themselves against a street attack, for some it could be simply fitness or the desire to train and excel in a martial "art" or "sport". As far as clothing and accessories ... you can compensate for them, you just need to know "how" ... high heels ---> great weapon chunky shoes ---> added weight for a powerful blow (as karatekid suggested) to the abdomen or south! It has always been my opinion that the "trained" martial artist has the advantage over the "common" attacker .... no matter what style they have been trained in .... self defense is self defense, the human will to survive kicks in! (whether it be high or low )

I had this discussion in one of my psychology classes in college. (BTW I'm 43).... It was truly interesting as to what type of incidences people recollected. More often than not, it was either pain or extreme happiness. Come to find out for me... it was when I was 18 mths, I can remember an awful sunburn laying in my crib. I also have many memories of "special" times spent with my dad ... who past away at age 36 from a massive heart attack when I was 3.

http://www.eonline.com/On/Holly/more.html Couple of "specials" on this week on "E".... look at scedule-- Carradine, Billy Jack, Van Damme, Seagal .... even Mr.T!!!

http://www.tigernt.com/dict.shtml

"[Edited by KickChick: Please do not post the same message in two different forums. Thank you.]"

Ultimate Album List for the most time-tested and true rock and roll gems ever released ..... check em' out http://classicrock.about.com/library/misc/bltopalbums_1.htm ....

To get back on track here.... The point many instructors seem to miss is what patterns are actually intended for. Some schools breeze through patterns practice by simply just going through the motions with regards to learning the movements but not learning the meaning and applications.Forms/katas are sometimes taught to get moves down correctly (to advance to the next belt rank) rather than to understand its purpose. When I do Chon-ji (white belt beginner form) I do it with much more intensity now (at my 2nd dan level) than I ever did as a white belt because I understand how important basics and repetition is to make a move effective, and I also know the purpose behind the form. What is missing from most TKD training, is that of pattern application which I believed is stressed more in Shotokan. Forms should be practiced alone, broken down as fundamental exercises and practiced in pairs or groups that allow the applications of each move to be felt and used against a real opponent. Ah, there's the "point"! How many people have reached black belt in TKD or won trophies for forms competitions but do not know the nerve strike contained in the Toi-Gye form, or the release techniques from Chung-Gun or Po-Eun or even the pressure points in Chon-Ji... and countless other applications. Traditional teaching of martial arts is quite far removed from what many instructors teach today.... and maybe that is why it seems "pointless" to some. If you apply form applications as they should be taught you will have a formidable arsenal of strikes, kicks, locks, breaks and release techniques. To know the various application of movements makes forms practice not only more enjoyable and less "pointless", but more realistic and utilized as a method of unarmed self-defense training.

I just finished reading an article entitled: "Magic as Martial Art" http://www.leirpoll.com/martialart.htm ...which compared the many similarities that exist between martial arts (Aikido) and magic. I posted this here as the article spotlights Aikido and the fact that the key point of Aikido is to redirect your opponent's energy and that in order for it to be an effective method of self-defense, it is totally dependent on a strong attack. The question the author poses is "Could the same be true for Magic"... Good magicians use Aikido principles and good martial arts performers use misdirection! It's pretty interesting!

I think we are all viewing "different" .... differently. When I say martial artists are a different breed of people it is that I personally feel certain folks do not have what "it" takes to do what we do... it's that "it" that sets us apart from the general populus.I've seen it with people starting martial arts and then dropping out for whatever reason. They just didn't have what "it" takes or had their own vision as to what the martial arts would do for them. Now whether or not it makes us better people ... I would have to disagree. This is an excellant article that I would like to share with you all that deals with this topic. MARTIAL ARTS ARE NOT ENNOBLING Copyright H. Kurland 2000 September 2000 American Ju-Jitsu Association Newsletter pp 5-6 Got your attention? I know this is controversial. Some of you may have a knee jerk reaction, of, "Of course martial art training makes one a better person." But does it? There are claims that martial art training makes one a better, noble, spiritual, or ethical person. I would like to see the evidence for claims that are made. If you know of any research that demonstrates that idea I would like to see it, please send it to me. My premise is that the arts themselves are not ennobling. How they are taught is another story. A doctor, professor, painter, martial artist, poet, love storywriter, actor, accountant, dentist, etc., can be a virtuous, good and honest person or they can be an evil, unethical, or just a bad person, or like most of us walking the line in between trying to live a good life. Practicing an art, studying anything really, is an amoral activity. T'ai chi is an exercise. It may make you feel better, be less stressed and think more clearly, but it does not substitute for moral or ethical training or conscience. I know several very high-level t'ai chi ch'uan, karate, and kung-fu masters who I do not want to associate with, because they have an evil side to them, i.e. "bad vibes". I prefer not to be around their "Energy". If they, the epitome of the art, are not virtuous then how can the art make one virtuous? Football was once said to develop character, but how many pro ball players are in jail right now? Is the idea that "the sport makes you a better person", just an old saying that has no basis in fact? If it does not hold true for Western sports, then why should it be true for Asian martial arts where the idea is to learn to fight and in the old days, kill? Recently a woman who trained as a boxer stated that she wished that she never went down that path. That the reflexes she developed increased her use of force in situations in which force should not have been used. It made her a more violent person and unleashed a dark side of her in inappropriate situations. I once read an article that extolled Miyamoto Musashi as a spiritual man. The author told of people praying at his Musashi's shrine. Musashi was the ultimate tactician and swordsman of his culture. But the reality was that he was a sword fighter, a gunslinger of his time. He killed people for the reasons of ego or revenge. Is that noble, ethical or spiritual? Not from my viewpoint. I believe, until proven otherwise, that there is no relationship between doing an art form, being excellent artist, scholar or athlete and character. I believe there is no relationship between being a martial artist and being a virtuous person. Training in how to fight, learning to hurt others on one hand, or to defend oneself on the other, does not necessarily instill moral lessons. Only moral training does. Many of the martial arts at one time had (or claimed to have) some kind of supplementary ethical/moral study or emphasis, but that was secondary to the physical training. They read religious texts, philosophical works, meditated, prayed and had spiritual counseling. There was also an expectation of correct moral behavior. There was a societal expectation for their behavior. One must strive to be a good and honest person, to be one. Action is more important than intent. If you do good deeds, for whatever reason, you are doing "good". If you do bad deeds but are thinking about or talking about being good, you are still doing evil. Your Actions are important and determine who and what you are. If you lie about what you teach to fool students, try to mystify students, or just act in an unethical way, are you being an ennobling person? I have heard of masters who sexually harassed, abused or intimidate their students and others. I have heard of masters who took advantage of their students sexually, emotionally and financially. I have seen black belt competitors threaten Judges at tournaments because they did not like their call, and none of the officials did anything about it. Does that show the self-discipline we are told the arts produce? Teachers have told me gleefully about their black belts who go out looking for fights to beat people up. They like to try out their well-rehearsed techniques on the unsuspecting public. Is that ethical? There are teachers who use their students or people they know they can beat, as punching bags (and the students pay for the honor?) While there is a place for this in martial training process, as it may be appropriate in some cases, usually it is not. If they want to get into a real fight they should fight someone close to their skill, maybe someone they do not know they can beat easily? What in the old days was called a fair fight. They are the Black belts and "masters", if they do not act ethically, after all the years of training, then how can anyone claim that the arts magically cause students to be better people? "Put your evil doings away from my sight. Cease to do evil; learn to do good. Devote yourselves to justice." Isaiah 1:16-17. End

I agree .... unfortunately some school's cannot "afford" to kick students out --- schools that are in ma strictly for business. But I like the analogy of the class being a garden, those that "mess around" are the weeds. It's the instructor's "job" to weed out the garden so as the weeds don't choke the roots of the "flowers" trying to grow.

Well, one of the "rules" of our school is if you instruct at the school you are required to also train there as well. It was getting to the point where instrctors were "counting" their time spent instructing as training time when in fact it is not. Which brings up another question: "Should instructors also be training as consistently as they teach?" Is it necessary? I say so!! So it is in the best interests of both school and the instructors to have the school offer discounted or free tuition depending on the amount of time spent teaching.

Personally (in a sparring situation) I keep my hands in a guarding position always when executing kicks. Hands/arms shift simultaneously fron a guarding pos. left to right as you move in with your kick. True, extending the right hand with the kick ensures more balance but I find you require that leverage when performing the kick in a slower fashion. Extending the arms past a certain point I find (for me) decreases the "power" of my kick but may aid in the "speed" of executing the kick. (I use my arms to spin when delivering my back leg roundhouse to do speed breaks) Keeping elbows tucked into the rib cage as you shift from left to right protects your middle and aids in faster delivery of any hand technique to the opponent.

.... absolutely not pointless, it gives me the opportunity to offer you congrats Tobias. And since I have no knowledge of weapons or Matayoshi Okinawan Kobudo for that matter, I have no ideas I'm sorry to say. But I am sure you will get some opinions ....

When I tested for my first black belt it was far more brutal (not to say this was a piece of cake or anything).... we sparred every black belt seated at the testiing table. I only had to spar my best friend who was also going for 2nd .... and we both teach cardio so .... a 5 minute spar was a "piece of cake" ... and we concentrated on technique rather than beating the snot out of each other. This test was entirely different for me and I personally found it physically easier. (I have been a bb for 3 years now so I felt far more confident) however, as I had mentioned I had to learn 2 new forms/katas in a matter of 5 weeks (keeping with the requirements of a new union our school joined....) so 2nd dans need to know a total of 3 forms/katas. Testing for bb you need to do up to your belt level which is nine ... and by then you should have them all pretty much "nailed down". Thanks Bon .... the breaks were what I was most concerned about. I'm a power breaker (more experience doing)... not a speed breaker, but I did them first shot. (credit my hubbie for the shots!)

OK .... back to the pics, "BRACE" yourself... I have some pics of my "big day"... Reminder: This is by no means a "beauty" contest. Hopefully, we can have some true sweat and grit pics of what it takes to do what we all do here. I mean if you look pretty doing it this, then you got it going! ... but really, (how about some body brace pics I have a few of those ) I posted some pics in the album just now from last week, unfortunately my speed breaks were just too fast for the camera (ahem) but have this one--#1 is the roundhouse speed (check out the :pony: ), #2 is floor drills corners and walls tension kicks, #3 sparring and #4 (portrait section) after test posing in "new instructor" dobok (me & my best friend who also tested for 2nd dan). I'm sure there will be more on my school's web site shortly (probably the out takes so I'll let you know when they get posted there. Too bad we don't have more room for captions/descriptions, but maybe we can do it here as we post!

The Rolling Stones tomorrow Oct. 5th (see my post above) Happy Birthday to my husband today ...(2 tix for his gift!) I'll let ya know if I got any .... "Satisfaction"