KickChick

Most schools have a bulletin board set up where the school will post news and info for students or where students can post articles and such (sometimes kids will draw pictures and they are posted). I thought this would be a neat thread. Post a student tip, brief ma news article you have found or anything concerning instruction (give credit to author please!) ... anything you feel would warrant being put up in your school's bulletin board. If we like it we can print out your post and bring it to our own school bulletin boards (or refridgerators!) For example... I brought this in the other day! This is a good one huh girls?? :pony: http://www.budogirls.com/cartoons/funny/comic230.gif

... actually there are more than that! Your mid-section includes the rectus abdominous, serratus, internal and external obliques, psoas, linea alba, linea similunaris, linea transversae, transversalis and intercustals. The largest most visible abdominal muscle group is the rectus abdominous. The rectus abdominous is a huge, flat muscle covering almost the entire front of your "stomach" area between the lower ribcage and your hips. A second main set of muscles which comprise the "abs" are located at the sides of your waist. These muscles are referred to as the external obliques however they really consist of three separate muscle groups, the internal obliques, traverse obliques and the external obliques. A final set of muscles which compose the "abs" are the incostals. The intercostals run diagonally down the sides of the upper end of your midsection right below the ribcage. These are normally the last muscles to appear to the naked eye, only visable in people who have taken the time to develop them properly. Some exercises are better than others but you should experiment with different exercises to see which ones work best for you. The key is concentration. Research has demonstrated that muscle fiber recruitment is dictated most specifically by what area of the abs you are thinking about during ab training. For example, a set of crunches will recruit more upper ab fibers if you think about upper abs while the same set will recruit more lower ab fibers if you concentrate mentally on your lower abs. For the lower abs, i(n increasing order of difficulty): lying leg raises reverse crunches vertical lying leg thrusts hanging knee raises hanging leg raises For the upper abs: ab crunches 1/4 crunches cross-knee crunches pulldown crunches Lowering the legs with heels together (legs turned out) works the lower.... with legs up in air, you are working the upper abs (but most people find this hard on their back) If so, plant your feet against wall and press the small of your back against floor asyou crunch up.

(Hey zak we are going to hold you to that! .... good luck on the business endeavor! ) Sizes and styles are varied among the distributors. (and from what country you purchase from!) I just received a new gi for the "big day" .... (ProForce brand) I like the medium weight .... (heavy is too uncomfortable) it gives a good "snap". Look for material that has a high content of polyester in it ... won't shrink or wrinkle as much! Also we have ours screenprinted with school logo on back so material content has to withstand washings so as logo doesn't wear out or crack. Also look at stitching detail ..... double stitched seams for durability!

True, the term "Master" usually does only apply to an instructor .... (or least should) .... and Bits, do you not believe that you should extend this same respect to your martial art "teacher"? ... are they not deserving of the same level of respect as a school teacher??? I would like to share a brief "story" regarding the mindset of non-martial artists when they come across the title "Master". There is a TKD school within the vicinity of our school that opened up recently. It is a WTF-based TKD school run by "world-reknowned Korean Masters" .... this was the main "advertising catch" of theirs including the "House of Discipline" sign over the front door (which really caught the eye of parents! ) Well, needless to say, some of the parents of our students decided that maybe the quality of instruction was far more superior to that of the current instruction they were presently getting from an American 4th dan family owned and operated school .... and so we lost several students to this highly disciplined school whose instructors were Masters and world reknowned Korean international champions. (however, some have returned ) So being "Korean".... termed "master" and teaching "discipline" were the catch all phrases....this school must be far superior. Many of the students did not realize that our Sah Bum Nihm was in fact a "Master" ... (he always went by "Sir" or Sah Bum Nihm") We have joined a new TKD union and now he "officially" has the title "Master" ....

... unfortunately don't have HBO (way too expensive in our area to get the cable pkg. ... we have "basic" which includes MTV god forbid we don't get that!!) But I have seen it and it is one show I can totally get wrapped up in (being Italian and all! )... My mom is a fan and I believe is getting the video library so that is one way to familiarize yourselves with the show.

Wow.... in less than 2 weeks or have you been doing ab workout all along? Good work Mike!! My problem now is bikini season is over .... when you are not "showing it" seems you don't work as consistently.

.... and you never laughed at this? My instructor/owner of school.... calls himself Master, because in our system of TKD and within our TKD union... he is recognized as such. To just call yourself a "Master" with nothing to back it up ..., well, then

I believe there is more than one thread on this discussion of high/head kicks so I am going to close this one out and you all could go continue this here.... http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4573&highlight= or http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2009&highlight=high+kicks You would have to be a TKD stylist to appreciate and execute these head high kicks with expertise within a given situation. (I'll tell you one thing --- it is the least likely a strike that an attacker expects to be landed upside his head!

Sensei - literally means "one who has gone before" is the term used for all instructors or teachers in any art or discipline. It is a term that is not used in connection to rank and anyone in the position of "instructor" may be referred to as "Sensei". Normally though, it is a title used to denote black belts of instructor level grade. Renshi - First of three instructor grades. ... minimum rank of 5th Degree Black Belt. Normally would include 5th and 6th Degree Black Belt ranks Kyoshi - Second of three instructor grades..minimum rank of seventh Degree Black Belt or seven years after awarding of Renshi title. Hanshi - Third of three instructor grades. Shihan - Special Title indicating a "Head Instructor" or an "Instructor of Instructors". Minimum rank of Seventh Degree A title is something that one earns, and in the arts the tradition of using the "title" is thousands of years old. I can see by some of the responses here that respect is not something that one gives up easily to another ... (we see this with black belts), but if you are affiliated with a certain martial art organization, you are required to be addressed by your martial arts title and to similarly address others by that certain title.We must be very careful when comparing titles and importance. Many individuals have a misunderstanding about the rank of different members in one system to another. In one system, it may take 6 years to acquire the Black-belt status, while in another only 18 months. Therefore, you should be concerned (if that's what you want) more with skill and active time, rather than only the rank. But, you must still respect the individuals for their accomplishments within their systems. There is alot of confusion with the use of titles within the martial arts community. Each martial art and organization uses titles in a different manner, and usually a committee/union has establishes a policy for the use of titles within their organization to provide for their consistent use. The policy is consistent with the use within the traditional international martial arts community, but many of these unions and organizations/federations take it upon themselves to modify and include other titles where appropriate.... so this is where the confusion arises. In the martial arts, we call a teacher Sah Bum Nihm/Sensei/Sir (whatever their titel may be), whether or not we are actually studying under that person, unless you want to be deliberately insulting. That title is attached to the teacher's name at all times ... not just in the dojo. I hear this all the time here in the forum that the study of the martial arts is a way of life .... well ? .... the same respect that is shown in the dojo should be practiced in your everyday life outside the dojo..... shouldn't it? -- then don't be hypocritical ...if you are able to turn it on and off then that is your perogative. As a final note, rank is only rank within the individual martial art styles and should not be compared between systems. Within different martial arts and also conventional business organizations, titles are used to show respect, whether or not they are used the same. Sometimes the controversy over rank and titles is built upon envy and jealousy. If the individuals finding fault were put in the same position, there would most likely be a 180 degree turnaround in their rationalization.

There is a reason weight training is also known as "resistance" training. You should maintain a sense of continuous tension throughout the entire movement of the rep regardless of how quickly you perform the rep or what rep scheme you are using. Think of how a tight rubberband might look being stretched back and forth between your thumb and forefinger. Try to mimic that continuous tightness with your reps. What about the "pause at the top?" The only variance to the tension is at the point of maximum contraction right before you return the weight to its starting position. When you reach the tightest point of flexion, pause to squeeze as hard as you can for at least a second. As blood floods the area, this becomes noticeably uncomfortable due to the accompanying down to the bone tightness. You should feel maximum tension mainly in the targeted muscle group. If you are doing a compound, multi-joint movement (like squatting) other body parts come into play and you will feel them working. Assisting body parts should never overtake the work of the intended muscle group. A prime example of this would be when you see a person using too much weight on cable chest flys. You will see them pulling the cables in from their shoulder sockets, often to the point of hunching their shoulders and traps down and forward. Should that tension happen on a chest movement? Even high rep sets should feel like work. Your muscles are working against resisting forces of evil. You should be feeling like you are laboring at least to some degree even if you do not push every set to the point of failure. WORK the muscle BOTH directions. Don't use momentum to swing it up and only work it on the way to the starting position. Don't struggle to lift it only to pause and relax at the top before simply letting the weight drop back down. If you are sweating, feeling a pump, tight burning, and a challenging sense of fatigue, you are on the right path. If you never sweat except for a little toward the end of your workout, you are taking too long of rests between sets, not keeping continual tension, going too light, or talking too much. Special Note on Soreness: The next day, the targeted muscle group area may feel sore. This is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and is a completely normal reaction attributable to the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscle. It should go away within a few days. If the wrong parts of you seem sore, be sure the next time you train that body part that you are mindful of feeling that particular muscle being the one being trained. Lifting weights is an opportunity for challenging yourself and getting in better shape. As with any athletic sport, resistance training has important safety guidelines that need to be followed. If you don't know how to perform an exercise or use a particular piece of equipment, ask a trainer or staff member at your gym who can get you some help.

Welcome to KarateForums ...! Venezuela!!!

A first-degree black belt in TKD signifies that the holder of such rank is accomplished enough in the basics to begin serious training. Even second- and third-degree black belts signify only levels of skill in advanced training, not mastery. In South Korea, you must possess a fourth-degree black belt to be considered an instructor, and you must have a fifth-degree black belt to be considered a master instructor in most American schools its 4th degree to be considered Master .... all it means is the instructor has mastered the style. Declared master status represents no elevation to demigod status. It does not mean learning stops. Masters are qualified to represent the style, teach it without limit, speak for it, and guide their own personal training in directions they wish to go. The use of the title "Master" is for formal occasions..."Sir" Ma,am" or "Sah Bum Nihm" is used for ordinary interaction. (that is in TKD .... most styles classify ranks differently)

I found this on a site that had various statues depicting Jesus instructing children in various sports gymnastics, skiing, golf, ballet, biking, inline skating and yes, ..... martial arts too Did you know Jesus was a master of the martial arts .... http://www.catholicsupply.com/christmas/_borders/34403.JPG

Here's what I did Xtreme Fury .... I put in "Furey" in our Search (you'll find up above) and narrowed it down to the Health & Fitness Forum and these are the previous threads in which we discuss Matt, his book, exercises, his site...et, etc. I love the man! http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3147&highlight=furey http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4393&highlight=furey http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3738&highlight=furey http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3676&highlight=furey http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3677&highlight=furey http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3677&highlight=furey I will close this thread now ... and hope you find the Search tool helpful for future questions!

In our TKD classes when you reach the gold belt level you begin to spar ... and usually paired with an advanced belt to "talk you through" .... executing light strikes on your open targets just so you are aware you are not blocking correctly or not keeping your "hands up" (How often have we all heard that as beginners!! ) Once our beginners get the hang of sparring and have managed to get those kicks up and execute "control" it's usually time to take off those kid gloves --so-to-speak! I mean after all.... we are geared up to the hilt ---helmut/hogu chest protector/foot,/hand/arm/shin/mouth protectors ... I mean excessive and extreme strikes are uncalled for ... you are not there to purposely injure your opponent, but you do need strike your opponent with a certain amount of controlled execution and that does take practice and comes with sparring experience. When the blackbelts spar one another it does tend to get very exciting because it is usually no holes barred Sometimes the instructor will have us spar without contact ... trying to get that kick executed with just enough power to land just inches away from the target (your opponent). That I find extremely more difiicult than actually connecting with my opponent.

Welcome to KarateForums! (thanks sis! ) Just curious as to why you "quit" TKD only after a few weeks What were the reasons? What are your goals in practicing martial arts? ... Hey we're here to lend an ear! Good luck to you!

... yeah but there are "other groups" also on the site (not just "karate") ... maybe nothing in NY area

Welcome to KarateForums .... what style of martial arts do you practice??

Check http://www.karatetournaments.com/ and http://www.blacknbluevideo.com

... or order online here! http://www.cfw2.com/page.asp?content_id=518

Came across this article in the Washington Post. A good read.... something for us older martial artists to aspire to. Read about his diet.... his daily workout (1000 pushups a day and several hundred sit ups!) "At 70, Master Jhoon Rhee Is Still Getting in His Kicks Taekwondo Instructor Says He's Got a New Mission: Happiness" http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A54398-2002Aug7

Put your birthdate in the window when you click on this link and see what happens.... http://www.frontiernet.net/~cdm/age1.html Its pretty cool! ... my youngest gauge was: not yet 1 year old when Hawaii was admitted as 50th of the United States .. (makes me sound real old!)

I'd like to jump in here for a moment. Working the deltoids for women is a bit different than for men .... at least I believe we want different end results then our male counterparts. Males like to concentrate on building the "shoulders" to get that v-shape broad look. (which also makes the waist look smaller too... that bb-look) Since I've been fitness kickboxing and hitting the bag with 16 oz. gloves, I've been overdeveloping my trapezius muscles more than I really wanted to ... although my posterier and anterier and medial are looking good (hitting the bag - resistance training will develop those deltoids also!) ! Also resistance tubing exercises if you don't have dumbbells.... The trapezius (triangular)) runs along the neck (top of shoulders) to the middle of the shoulder blades. Overdevelopment makes you look rather top heavy (and not in the way most females like it) I was getting some severe shoulder muscles and I felt it wasn't feminine looking so I have changed gloves to 8 oz and concentrating more on the posterior deltoids and bicep region which gives you that nice "line of defintion" in the arms plus strengthens those punches. So I am just warning you (360) and other females who don't want those bulky shoulders to avoid over training the traps.

I agree. I was once "one of those karate judges" at an open tournament a few years back. We did have a few Kung Fu katas to judge and I will tell you what impressed me most. The incredible balance and height on tension kicks, the intensity of concentration shown in the faces of the competitors, crispness of the "moves" followed by fluidity and graceful movements. When any "effects" get over used or are just haphazardly worked into the performance of the form .... judges can usually tell . I personally don't like it. If you yell (yell loud), if you knee slap or elbow slap within the form, make it heard and show power! I look primarily at faces alot during comps because if a "mistake" is made and I may have missed it.... you will see it in their expression. (A sure giveaway so be careful!) ... These were some of the "common" tips you should be aware of that are used for judging competitors at tournament: Judges should understand the meaning of each movement and the realize that each pattern and its required movements have various levels of power and speed. Judges should be able to differentiate between unnecessary, meaningless movements and valid movements. Competitor should express proper mental concentration (spirit), decorum, and character. Competitor should demonstrate proper application to achieve maximum performance (slow/fast; expand/contract) and proper range and contrast of movement, with full inner and outer body control. Competitor should demonstrate proper footwork and distribution of body weight, such proper weight distribution in a back stance or a fixed stance. Competitor should not use meaningless stamping of the feet for sound effect or add any extra movements, such as telegraphing movements or after-movements. Competitor should demonstrate proper breathing: do not use upper body to breath, do not raise shoulders, and do not make loud unnecessary noises. Know when breathing should be audible and when it should not. Competitor should understanding the application of a stable stance: hip level down, shoulders down, elbows in and armpits closed, and proper foot position with proper weight distribution on the feet. Power and control is demonstrated with the ability to transfer body weight smoothly and evenly. Rising up or settling after foot placement is a gross error and diminishes greatly the level of difficulty. Each judge is different therefore each has their own personal..... whether they be "karate" or not.

Stretching Scientifically : a Guide to Flexibility Training, by Tom Kurz (an excellent book that goes into detail on just about everything you want to know about stretching, more devoted to increasing flexibility...some of the discussion gets very technical though!) stadion.com Sport Stretch, by Michael J. Alter (about how stretching works and what different stretching methods to use ... easy to understand) Mobility Training for the Martial Arts, by Tony Gummerson (pretty good and comprehensive enough, but not as good (IMO) as Sport Stretch or Stretching Scientifically. Beyond Kicking: A Complete Guide to Stretching and Kicking by Jean Frenette Stretching: 20th Anniversary (Stretching, 20th Ed) by Bob Anderson (this happens to be the #1 bestseller currently in stores, but that doesn't mean anything to me really) As far as ordering from monabooks.com ... This is the only book on stretching I found on there and basically it contains just PNF stretching and self-stretching techniques that you can use to maintain your gains in range of motion but not to increase) Facilitated Stretching: PNF Stretching Made Easy, by Robert E. McAtee (explain the history and principles of PNF without getting too technical, and shows how to perform PNF techniques ) Better source for you..... http://www.amazon.co.uk Search for books on "stretching" and "flexibility"