KickChick

Very interesting Topic description -- spelled wrong but did catch my attention. Come to find out it is yet another "child black belt thread" one of many, many here posted on KF. According to this thread http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4238&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 .... the "black belt" means many thngs to many pratitioners and outsiders. It is and never will be the coveted "ideal" it once was. We need to get over it and move on. Black belt now means IMO ... a measure of tenure solely. (... and hence with that tenure of say x amount of years and classes, you would assume the black belt has some measure of skill whether they be a child (measure of skill for their age) or an over 50 *measure of skill for their age. Yes, the "ideal" is much more "attainable" than in the past. Is it because of Mcdojos or the popularity of the martial arts in general.>>?? I would like to see jr. black belt dans given but many styles do not use this ranking. I sat on the "board of black belts" this past Saturday on test day at our school and was given the test sheet for a 9 year old going for 1st dan black? Did I pass her? Did she get her black belt?

what's this? Bon is actually going to wear a "belt"??? Well we wouldn't want those pants to fall down with all those karate gurlz standing around in horsestance now would we? Hey whatever it takes ... we all have our reasons, Bon, good luck in "karate"

ad .... what you need to do is figure out how many calories you need daily to maintain the desired weight you want to be.... and to make sure you are eating the "right" calories (fat, protein, carbs, all have to figure in) I imagine you are also martial arts training on top of the running so in fact you may be burning more than 300 calories.

An awesome combo combining speed and power.... Lead leg front kick followed by a powerful back roundhouse ....performed in a continuous motion. Yes, I agree with Ti-Kwon-Leap on the efficiency of that lead leg front kick ... I posted a question in GM regarding "speed breaks" and whether you derive more speed from the lead or the back leg when excuting a speed break. Ti-Kwon-Leap explained my thoughts exactly "Yes it is true that you can get a lot of momentum from a rear leg roundkick but it has to travel twice as far!" thus by the time that kick reaches its target (in this case a board) it has lost its speed.

yeah ... I saw those too ...."Brians martial arts Page"

Kwok Wu Chuen is the combination of many martial arts, mainly Tae Kwon Do and Shao Lin. Even the "link queen" was stumped on this one ... couldn't find a thing!

So I guess I wasn't very eloquent. So see two can play that game... my plan worked!!! First thing: choice of terminology in question was "High percentage of carpet munching" ...I mean come on ....I realize you're just 16 LeaF I believe I was referring to men such a "diamond dick" .... not ALL men or boys. This isn't the first time a joke was misconstrued!... I'm sure it won't be the last.We do have a joke forum for jokes!! Let's keep it civil ... I made some good points I thought.... sorry if I offended you

I especially love ma interactive sites! Good one! However it really didn't go into detail about how it related to sparring. The centerline is important because many vital pressure points lie along it ( both front and back), such as the brain, throat, heart, solar plexus, bladder, groin, and spine. By shifting your centerline with respect to your opponent, you make it less accessible and vulnerable to attack. Your guard and blocks should always protect your centerline.The opponent's centerline serves as the convergence point of your strikes. Attacks should be directed toward this centerline. Do not aim your attacks and blocks past your's or your opponent's centerline or you will expose your side and rear to attack. If you can figure out how to control your opponents centerline, this lessons his ability to move and strike effectively. So understanding this centerline theory and being able to apply it while sparring can greatly enhance your ability to strike and defend. You must learn how to both attack and defend the centerline through blocking, kicking and punching. Stance and body shifting may be used to protect the centerline. Another way to protect the centerline is to move your body off the line of attack and distance yourself from the attacker.

I like the way you describe that "look" Ti-Kwon-Leap! Yes I do believe I've got it

I'm gonna try to put this as eloquently and as "ladylike" as I can .... first of all I don't like your choice of terminology (I will leave that up to Patrick) What are you talking about? Seems the mere presence of women in sport (regardless of sexuality) threatens your male domination and rule. You are totally misinformed! You can't be for real? OK so you also must believe (besides female athletes are lesbians) that football players are dumb, African-Americans have rhythm, Jews are wealthy but frugal, and the white man can't jump! Making a statement that imparts a specific characteristic to a group as a whole is false. Stereotypes are the product of ignorance and discriminatory bias. Your labeling of female athletes as lesbian helps you (some men) to "justify" the athletic talents of men. Men have associated lesbians with having mannish qualities. In fact, early 20thcentury sexologists believed that lesbians were merely men trapped in women's bodies. Thus, men could save face in the fact that the women who were doing what men did by saying that they weren't "real" women at all. So while gay male athletes couldn't possibly be athletic.... female athletes must certainly be lesbian. The lesbian sport myth may have actually generated some truth though. It's quite possible that the existence of the myth increased the number of lesbians in sport (primarily team sports) because heterosexual girls either dropped out of the sport, or were prohibited by their parents from joining sport because of the myth. Either way, women's team sports, in years gone past, have been associated with high numbers of lesbians. With the passage Title IX (which mandated equal educational funding for men's and women's sport 26 years ago), however, sport began to be redefined (by women) as something socially acceptable within the feminine role. Still, old myth's die-hard and the stereotype of female athletes being lesbians persist and women are still oppressed in sport. Men desire to maintain their male privilege and if women can be competitive and tough (masculine traits) then what will happen to the meanings of masculinity and femininity? And what rite of passage will men use to secure their privileged place?

All this talk of craving and addictions from all you guys !! Y'know you boys sure are lucky that you don't suffer from PMS every month .... which increases our appetite, and craving for sugar, chocolate, and salty and fatty foods! Nothing like a good appetite suppressent for times like these!

Would you ever consider cosmetic surgery in the future or have you ever had any done? Reason I am asking is I heard that you can have a 6pack ab implanted!

saw the Sam & Dave Show last night in Hartford CT .... (this is an old review from June of same tour I saw) http://www.tprs.com/reviews/hagarroth2002.htm ..... Sammy Hagar opened ....Must say Sammy was awesome !! I'm booking my next trip to the Caba Wabo in Mexico! David Lee Roth ... man did he get old! He even forgot the words to "You really Got Me"! I was embarrassed for him ... I expected so much more. He did have a nice set of abs goin' for him tho' )however on a radio show this morning they mentioned he may have had a 6-pack inplant! Wow, can they do that? (Next topic for H&F forum!!) They say it was because his belly button was so flat! Anyway, Sheryl Crow is next, then the Stones and summer will be over!

Ack!! ... aw man .... monkeygirl, I have a feeling you're gonna grow up to be one of those parents that shows everyone pics of their kids with their bare bottoms showing! ...wow that post is over a year old now! You killed two Senseis with one post so-to-speak there!! Yes, nice idea!

Some of us already knew that Patrick was "cool" ... but thanks for bringing Patricks "bio" up for the new members! Hopefully you'll get to meet the rest of the staff (view our bios) in the coming months!

Well since we all have a computer ...(duh!).... I thought I would begin this thread for those members that may have come across a really good utility or software (mainly shareware) ... Or to to ask a computer-based question or to share any good tips you come across. I HATE those annoying pop-ups and I just love this new utility (popup Ad Filter).... Works GREAT! http://technoerotica.net/mylog/optouts.html

LOL ... so they have ninja McDojos too! How did I miss this one! Check it out! LOL

Yes exactly Jack .... (and you're very welcome hun! ) Do you think perhaps you're involvement here at KF has widened your horizons a bit? ... made you a bit more knowledgeable in the field of martial arts. I've noticed that I have changed my "views" on many aspects of the martial arts since I've been here ... some for the good I might add, and yet I have learned to question the rationale of many other things i.e. .... ranking, martial art as sport, the importance of kata/forms,young black belts, young instructors etc. etc.

I make it a point to abstain from discussion involving both religion and politics especially when combined with the added fuel of martial arts. In the United States alone... between 50 and 70 percent of all martial artists .. ( and roughly 20 percent of all instructors )... consider themselves Christians. "The martial arts are a topic of much confusion and misunderstanding today, especially within the christian community. Views range from those who claim the Asian martial arts are wholly incompatible with Christianity to those who say the two naturally blend." Read this article http://www.pastornet.net.au/response/articles/a00003.htm It is a matter of faith. If a person's faith is strong there should be no problem.

I use this link only because it's very "user friendly" ... each topic gives you a rundown of words and you click to find more info (I happen to order my supplements here too) http://maxlabs.com/hn/hnmenu.cfm and another fav http://my.webmd.com/nutrition

After reading through these posts here.... http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=177&start=45 .... I started thinking about all the younger members here and how some of you are saying that you are short and wish you were taller etc. etc. So I started to research to see if there is any way (maybe through stretching, supplements, diet...) that one could grow taller. Human short stature could eventually be treated by popping a pill which stimulates bones to grow. US scientists say they have identified a chemical compound which could promote new bone growth. "Let me have some eye drops, aspirin, and a bottle of growth pills!" In a few more years, people will visit their local drugstore and purchase these miracle growth pills over the counter. But before then there are some things you can do now to stimulate growth. The anterior pituitary gland is responsible for secreting a substance called somatotropic hormone, more commonly known as "growth hormone," into your bloodstream.Without that tiny gland, it wouldn't matter how many reps of stretching exercises you perform. Without it, building your physique would become an exercise in futility. Why? ... it dictates how your body will adapt itself from all your height increasing efforts. Acting as your body's foreman, growth hormone instructs your skeletal bone to grow larger and stronger while it speeds the conversion of excess fats into energy. In other words... get enough growth hormone floating around in your system and your body has no choice but to grow taller. Cheat yourself from acquiring your fair share and your body can only do so much, no matter how much you do. Although the amount of growth hormone your body regularly produces is entirely up to your brain, there are a few things you can do to trick this gland. I found this all to be very interesting .... hope you all do too! 1) Adequate Sleep!. Not getting enough sleep regularly can lower the amount of growth hormone your body produces daily.... is that why my teens sleep so late!!! Even though excess sleep won't necessarily increase the amount of growth hormone your body secretes, constantly burning your midnight oil could be suppressing how efficiently your body distributes growth hormone during the course of the day. Keeping normal sleeping habits may let you tap into a certain percentage of growth hormone that your bones never get a chance to utilize when sleep-deprived. 2) Nutritious Diet . Focus on eating six or seven smaller meals during your day instead of three or four larger ones. Consuming large meals with a high glycemic index forces the body to release a high amount of insulin into the system to aid with digestion. This reaction not only forces your body to store fat, it may also inhibit the flow of the growth hormone being released throughout your bloodstream. Instead, make a point of consuming other low-sugar foods that will prevent the release of insulin. Training right, eating right, sleeping right and keeping your stress to a minimum will not only keep you healthier, they will foster the type of environment that encourages the anterior pituitary gland to do its job. Deficits in any of these areas will only slow down how well your body functions as a whole, which in turn slow down the amount of growth hormone that is being continually pumped into your system. 3) Pre/Postworkout eating: Food Researchers have discovered that consuming a protein-carbohydrate meal (small chicken salad sandwich) two hours prior to working out and another meal immediately afterward elicited a significant increase in both growth hormone an testosterone within the bloodstream. Even if you're not hungry a few hours before you exercise, you may want to consider having a snack to prevent being hungry within the two-hour window before you work out. Researchers at UCLA found that subjects who exercised with partially digested food in their stomachs experienced up to a 54 percent decrease in the production of growth hormone. Subjects who were fed strictly carbohydrates prior to a workout still experienced a lower production of growth hormone by up to 24 percent. 4) Train Efficiently: What you put your body through during your stretching exercise routine has a direct effect on what your pituitary gland puts out to build height. A recent study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that the frequency and amount of growth hormone the body secretes is relative to the intensity of your workout. Subjects who exercised at a higher intensity experienced greater and more frequent releases of growth hormone after their workouts. Keeping your workouts focused on short-burst, high intensity anaerobic stretching exercises and maintaining a pace that lasts at least 20-30 minutes is a fair standard to follow. This intense aerobic exercise can also cause an increase in growth hormone release. However, what keeps marathoners from looking like basketball athletes is that their bodies react differently to the substance because of the activity they participate in. It is like having someone who never lifts weights using a muscle-building supplement. They have the building blocks within their system, but unless the endurance athlete is performing a significant amount of resistance stretching exercises, the body never recognizes a demand to use these tools effectively to help restructure. There are certain stretching exercises that may help squeeze out a little extra growth hormone. By utilizing stretches that include several muscle groups to work collectively, the intensity of the workout subsequently increases as well, forcing the anterior pituitary gland to issue more growth hormone to compensate for the extra effort. 5) Supplements: Taking the amino acid glycine immediately before you work out can mildly stimulate the release of growth hormone, but only when taken as a supplement. Trying to achieve the same effect by consuming glycine-rich foods such as poultry or milk prior to exercise only inhibits growth hormone by causing you to exercise on a full stomach, plus the glycine doesn't get absorbed in the same way. Being introduced into the body in the presence of additional amino acids forces the glycine to compete for transport across the blood-brain barrier, diminishing its effect on the growth hormone levels. The only way glycine can cause a reaction is when taken in isolated supplement form, preferably on an empty stomach to speed up absorption and prevent outside interference from other amino acids. 6) Don't eat before Sleep: Never eat a large meal within two hours of going to sleep. The reasoning ties into avoiding the same insulin surges you're trying to prevent during the day, but this more important before bedtime. The body releases the greatest amount of growth hormone during the first two hours of sleep. Having excess insulin within the system after a large meal suppresses this higher output of growth hormone, preventing your body from taking advantages of it as you rest. Nighttime also seems to be the best time to take additional supplements to increase the flow of growth hormone. UCLA researchers have found that taking the amino acid arginine and orthinine together on an empty stomach right before bedtime can boost growth hormone levels significantly. However, the amounts required to see a difference were between 40 and 60 grams, dosages too large to take in any version besides injectable form. There are safer, more accessible supplements you can try, such as 5-hydroxy tryptophan, a safer derivative of tryptophan. This sleep aid used to encourage drowsiness also helps the brain release growth hormone. Beware of HGH supplements... http://www.atozfitness.com/cgi-bin/links/jump.cgi?ID=714

Since I started a thread on this exact topic a while ago under "MA Goofs & Blunders" here: http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2043 I will close this thread ... and you can add on to that one. Thanks!

Just in the same way you have been honest with yourself, convey this same honesty with your instructor and those in your dojang. I mean you needn't add the "negative" details involving the whys of leaving ... just that you are interested in trying something "new". You may in fact "stop by" on ocassion if (like many of here I'm sure) have developed friendships within the dojang walls. Jack, you are indeed doing the "right" thing .... not that you need anyone to tell you that. It's when you get to advanced levels in training (even months before black belt) where it comes devastating to oneself to find they have lost the "interest" in their art. It almost happened to me .... I pulled myself back in .... and I am still there. I just had to redirect my mindset regarding my training ... to be honest with myself. Is any other martial art really going to give me what I want? .... what I need? Good questions to ask .... even better when you walk away with the answers! I may be given the term "link Queen" soon! .... but here are some links I believe you'll find helpful ... (look into Taijiquan!!) http://www.taichiunion.com http://www.gateway-taijiquan.co.uk/ http://www.taijiquan.plus.com/links.htm

Yeah I did happen to lose one along the way .... did anyone here happen to find the "missing" link??? Although arm wrestling injuries are not common, several have been reported in medical literature. These have included fractures of the humeral shaft, fracture-separation of the medial humeral epicondyle in teenagers (a growth plate I'm assuming), and a rupture of the subscapularis tendon .... all of these due to the intense muscle contraction involving arm wrestling.... but none (not saying it couldn;t happen) involving the rotator cuff as there really isn't a full rom in this area during this "exercise". Some olecranon (this attaches the tricep muscle to the elbow)fractures are also not uncommon secondary to indirect loading of the joint (or hyper extending the arm bending at the elbow "joint".... this can happen when driving the arm downward to win.... one may feel a pop and then immediate elbow pain.

I thought I would move this thread to this "new" forum of ours in order to help those who are thinking of "getting started" to find "where to get started". Actually best place is your big version of yellow pages telephone directory for your area. Looking forward to that new directory Patrick .... but in meantime here are 2 others I have bookmarked..... http://www.martialartscity.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi http://www.traininghalls.com/