KickChick

I knew that! .... TKD and it's various orientations! ... true AStewart, (the ITF is very stance oriented)... but basically all traditional-style TKD schools are noted for this. The WTF-style places much less emphasis on stances..... mobility is key (for the sport aspect ... sparring for competition) and what I have observed in tourneys is much higher stances. While you may be more mobile in a higher stance, what is lost in stability will often make this added mobility unworthy of the lack in strength/stability. The properly aligned stance is usually a good balance, providing both mobility and stability. I should determine what is best for you as an individual in an ideal situation, as well as what might be best considering the variables involved i.e. sparring and forms. There are accepted variations. But there are some variations that may not be advisable or accepted. I suggest further discussion with your instructor. AStewart --- BTW... Stop on by Introductions and do tell us more about yourself! We do have quite a few ITF TKD -strlists here ... (esp. from "down under"

Your stances in TKD should not be too low, or too high .... they need to be "just right"! The maximum power and mobility are used when the center of balance is as low as "practically" possible. If the center of balance is too high, the body is unstable and leg movement is limited, so power and mobility are reduced. If the center of balance is too low, it is difficult to use the inner thigh muscles for leg movement which limits both power and mobility... using a stance which is too low also inhibits quick movement. Be sure that hips are positioned accurately so that proper weight distribution is maintained. I preferably like the "low" stances in form ... but I tend to keep a mid -stance all other times.

It's the Grand Opening of the Chat Room .... come in ..... we're waiting for you!!!

Politics sure do stand in the way don't they .... even in the martial arts arena ... I have kept abreast of the goings on in the ITF and do hope that Choi's son fulfill's his father's desire. It is the "honorable" thing to do .... (politics aside)... (Off Topic): .... John, yes I am very close to the "day" .... but I usually tend to be the basketcase days before.... not there yet!

Thank you John ... well done! Actually our school's style of tae kwon do is traditional Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do ... ( but for those who aren't aware of the history associated with the kwans it is easier to say ITF-style TKD) We are now associated with the ITU .... which is traditionally based TKD.

I was wondering if Withers M.A.A. had in fact opened up his new school this past August. Maybe since we have had a new influx of members we can ask this question again .... and to see if you all can contribute some new subjects to this newer forum "Instructor Central"

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Welcome to KarateForums! Yes, we are a nice bunch aren't we?

Doug .... y'know size doesn't matter! ... too funny! Hard to be general I'm afraid ... I guess it would be a conglomeration of all good traits (and no bad ones) hence no such thing as perfect. And actually, wouldn't he be a tad boring if he was perfect? And is it true that opposites attract?

Granted omnifinite ... but this is not just happening here in America, this is worldwide I'm afraid. The incident above is happening in Great Britain. People have never been satisfied with bodies as they are. As far as we know we have always fattened up or slimmed down, chopped bits off or stuck things on, stretched necks and lips, and generally pierced, painted, corseted, tattooed, and hobbled to the limits of technological possibility and human endurance. And now with technology we have no obvious limits. We can replace a failing heart or kidneys, have fat taken from thighs to plump up lips. You can now start designing your offspring, and even achieve some kind of immortality by cloning yourself.

No such thing as the "perfect" man or woman ... everyone has their own idea of perfection and some tend to set standards too high. You can be blissfully happy with an imperfect man. You will certainly be perpetually lonely without one. My idea: The perfect man is gentle, never cruel or mean. He has a beautiful smile, and keeps himself clean. The perfect man loves children and will raise them by your side. He will be a good father as well as a good husband to his bride. I think I married him! http://www.mouse.webby.com/images9/prftm5.jpg

I was just reading about the feud beteen Steven Seagal and his former partner, Jules Nasso. Nasso filed a breach of contract suit against Seagal last March charging the star had reneged on a four-picture deal. On June 4, Nasso was one of 17 men arrested along with Peter Gotti, older brother of the late John Gotti and now acting head of the Gambino crime family. Nasso was charged with "conspiracy to commit extortion" and "extortion of an individual in the film industry." Last week, a writer for Vanity Fair, Ned Zeman, ( who wrote long abusive article, "Seagal Under Siege," runs in the October issue )-... was confronted on his way home by a driver who pulled up alongside his car shining a flashlight. The man pointed a pistol at Zeman, pulled the trigger and said, "Bang . . . Stop what you're doing! The article Zeman wrote in Vanity Fair said (among other things), "Seagal's film career is in a death spiral, thanks in part to his vile, simian behavior toward colleagues, women, employees, and reporters - not to mention his serial dissembling, his dime-store theology, and his all-around vulgarism." This guys story raises questions about Seagal's prowess as a martial artist, and how stuntman Gene LeBell once choked Seagal unconscious during an aikido demonstration, and how Seagal ducked a bout with champion black belt Bob Wall, who promised to rip off his head and defecate down his neck. "With each misstep, from 'The Glimmer Man' (1996) to 'Fire Down Below' (1997), Seagal became a bigger liability, his waistline increasing, his hairline retreating," Zeman reports. "When Warner Bros. put him on a strict diet and supplied him with a trainer, they found cookie crumbs on the fitness equipment." Seagal is now working with Danny Provenzano, great nephew of late Teamsters boss Anthony "Tony Pro" Provenzano. Danny is set to go on trial this month in New Jersey on 44 racketeering counts connected to that other great crime family, the Genoveses.

The latest reality game show will pit contestants against each other to see who can make themselves the most sick. A British show called the lives of three guys who "Sick Day" will follow will try and catch as many ailments as possible, reports a British newspaper, The Sun. Potential sicknesses include nits, lice, flu, venereal diseases and warts (a virus) and a cold. The three contestants will live together in a house jammed with cameras and microphones for two months. It's like "Big Brother," but with an ambulance standing by. It's up to contestants to find ways to catch a disease ... even talking about snorkeling in sewage. Contestants would be paid for their time and a doctor would make sure they did not become too ill.... nothing life-threatening they are assured. This reality game is the latest British reality show to make it on both sides of the Atlantic. .... since "Survivor," "Big Brother" and "Who wants to be a Millionaire." Now I know we have a few threads on Big Brother and Survivor ... but what does everyone actually think of these shows and are they going too far, or now scraping to find something to build a "reality-based" show upon? How about putting several "warriors" from each martial arts style together in an alley and see who comes out the winner? oops, I guess they are thinking about this aren't they? http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1943

I don't see the humor in doing "disrespectful" things within the walls of the dojang. I just don't ... this is not the time nor the place. As a black belt I try to set a good example for the lower ranks (trying to keep laughing and chatting down to a minimum -that's saying alot for me!) I guess I'm not a product of a "relaxed" dojang .... we all get together outside of training to do those "silly" things. We do have the occasional laugh when someone is constantly called to say the student creed --we all call her name out under our breath because never fails she is always called! (even when she's not in class!)

A teenager who had her legs lengthened in a desperate attempt to become a flight attendant is beginning a college course to boost her chances of taking to the skies http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=103354&command=displayContent&sourceNode=103331&contentPK=2504190

I noticed with all this talk of hyperextending of kicks and punches) we failed to neglect the mention of the proper execution of kicks and punches in the practice of forms/kata/hyungs. I am presently working on 3 forms that I need to perform for my 2nd dan grading and working on "controlling" certain kicks within the form. Especially in TKD the kick is not supposed to be thrown like a whip done so fast that it cannot be seen. Within the TKD form only, the kick is to be savored.... kick held out with full extension, perfect balance, foot bladed... it exemplifies the beauty of the TKD "kick". So needless to say it is most important to control the kick in this instance. The ability to freeze the kick for a split second at full extension is what is mean't by "controlling the kick". This "freezing" of the kick exemplifies the beauty of the kick within the form giving the form drama. This control involves concentration and diligent practice. You must first be sure your form is correct before you work on this control .... most important. Then you must consider "power" and how to execute that within your kick being sure not to hyperextend. What is an impressive kick if it has great form, balance, and control, but no power. It would merely look like a dance kick with the form rather than a devestating martial art kick. Just as proper form is prerequisite to control, control is prerequisite to developing this power in your kick and also punches. If you try to develop such power without frst having this control,then permanent injury to your joints may result. Sit the floor and extend your leg as if you were doing a front kick, Slowly extend your leg completely until the knee is locked out and the foot is pointed in the right direction.Then tense every muscle in the leg ... "freeze" it in that position. Then, relax and bend the knee as if you had just finished the kick. Repeat until you see how your muscles should feel at the “freeze” of the kick. Stay mostly relaxed doing this exercise. Tense only at the moment of full extension. Also do this exercise standing up.You can hold on to a chair or wall. You apply this “freeze” technique to regular kicks once you have practised this for awhile and have somewhat "mastered" those muscle. Remember that your leg should only be locked (frozen) at full extension for a just a second and no longer. This takes alot of practice. I am working at trying to getting that power in the kick for my form without overextension and it isn't easy!

"LeaF.... "The Man who would be King" .... Go for it! Have you read "Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai" http://www.hagakureweb.com/hagakure.htm I was trying to find the right thread in order to include this link to an animation based on "The Art of War"... Many of the lines in this "cartoon" are taken from the Hagakure, the book of the samurai, and Sun Tzu's "The Art of War". "Sun Tzu was way ahead of his time, he was writing thousands of years ago and was already advising that the best war leaves a country intact and kills no one." Interesting animations... http://www.matazone.co.uk/samuri1.html http://www.matazone.co.uk/samuri_2.html

Just a note.... When you click on the "photo album" icon you are immediately directed to the "Action/Tournament Pic" page.... you may want to scroll down on the selection bar to see if your pic should go elsewhere. There are other selections ... Celeb pics and historical may be better suited in the "Misc. Martial Arts Photos" Keep em'coming ... good job guys!

...since Day 1 of my training it has been explained over and over again ... the "correct" way to execute "the kick" in order to avoid hyperextension of the joints. ... tensing of the antagonist muscles to protect against hyperextension. What I find most difficult when I went back to TKD after a couple months hiatus while teaching fitness kickboxing solely .... is that I found I didn't contract those muscles as much in TKD class kicks because I exeuted kicks routinely to a wavemaster in my classes ... never doing "air" kicks. When I started doing kicks up and down the floor in TKD class I noticed since I was used to the resistance of the bag to "stop" my kick I was neglecting to use the contraction of the antagonist muscles http://starnet.esc20.net/anatomy/muscles.htm and at times did feel a pang of pain on occasion. You need to push the kick but you also need to know when to pull it back ...

My long term goal also! I have been saying, when the mind says "yes" and the body says "no" ... that is when I will stop. (right now the mind sometimes says "no" and the body says "yes" ) My aim currently is to get my 2nd dan and to instruct...

It goes without saying that your balance will surely improve with the examples of leg training exercises posted above. The ability to balance on one leg is one thing but being able to balance yourself on that one leg and fire out several powerful kicks in succession is quite another! And ramymensa ... your English is wonderful. Do stop by Introductions and tell us more about practicing martial arts (shotokan) in Romania.

As a mom of 3, martial arts has help in that area ....my kids listen to me alot better! (yeah right I wish! ... I don;t use that black belt just to keep my pants up! J/k!!) I am more aware of my physical (and mental) capabilities and my limitations... TKD will prove that to you! So basically it has made me a much more "stronger" person both physically and mentally. I don't give up quite as easily as I used to .... "if at first I don't succeed I try and try again until I do!" ... an awesome trait I believe for anyone to possess!

Hey if you guys don't have a scanner... may I suggest that when you have your film developed have pics put on photo cd or even some developing companies in U.S. (such as Photoworks http://www.photoworks.com ) will archive your photos for free on their server and then you can download to your own computer.

Happy Birthday BlueDragon... 21 that's one of the best birth days!!~~~congrats to you! (and grandma & gramps too!) I know .... it should be "Laborer's Day .... or it sounds like the day to have "labor pains" Imagine what Labor day is like in the maternity ward?? Well anyway, hope all you laborers had a good one.... Now its off to work I go

Something that actually isn't mean't to be "humorous" but is! The reviews are humorous also .... Quote "They really seem to like the special effects it offers (the sound effects and vibrating). My oldest daughter (17) really likes it too! I reccomend this for all children."