akedm

Back extensions? - That's like the reverse situp, as I call it, right? Requires equipment as you're torso is hanging vertical before rotating it (lifting it) to horizontal, right?

This is good to hear. But at the same time it must get lonely at the top - everyone gets frustrated. In those cases I'd imagine that students can help a teacher overcome that slump by focusing on the teaching dynamic and rediscovering what they're already experienced (ala. Tallgeese). What about the new stuff you learn like Justice pointed out? I mean that's some really cool stuff you're talking about there - music - I never would have guessed - very cool. Do you share what you learn with students? Or who? I'm thinking it must be difficult to find a peer you can bounce things off of. And last when did you see "the top" coming and decide 'yeah, I can do that' as far as realizing it'd require a different mindset than being a student-teacher? In other words when did you decide that you wanted to be "it" as far as the one everyone's looking to (in your vicinity) for their teaching? I just find the whole concept of wanting to be a teacher admirable and sort of a calling - well not calling but like that of wanting to be a parent. I grew up around teachers as my mom worked for the school district (talk about talking the whole neighborhood to raise a child, that was my upbringing), and I've always enjoyed teaching (not professionally) and lessons and such. So I always look at instructors with a curiosity for their story. Hope you dont mind all the questions. Thanks.

Looking around the web quickly I've not picked up a lot of information except that there's a general agreement that the weight should be kept low and that you should in one way or another practice jumping. By that I mean exercises that involve the jumping motion. Like I said I didnt find a lot out there in this short amount of time, but Deep Knee Bends, Deep Knee Bend Jumps, Jumping Rope, and Situps. I also noticed the sites generally went with a lot of reps even if you cant do them at first, work up to it.

Hi, I'd just like to ask for clarification on a simple little thing. When you (anyone reading) says we do ’80 pushups’ for such a test do that mean 80 pushups without rest? Or is it 80 pushups in say under 5 minutes. I’m wondering cause the physical demands seem to be too great for some people. For example there's a thread going around about a 100 pushups program people use - and mostly people are counting being able to do 80, 85, 90 pushups by adding the total of each rep together 25+20+23+16 = 84 for example. And with set rest intervals this roughly equates to 84 pushups in under 5 minutes. Is that how it’s counted in testing or is it all at once – no rest – where you are? Same thing with situp numbers (100) and punching, blocking, and kick numbers (500 each) – all in one rep? I’m just wondering if I need to step up my gym program, cause some of these numbers for pushups and situps sound outlandish for the average gym rat, ma practicioner, or other hobby-level athlete. I know some are able to put in the time to build up their body, but most adults practicing do not have that time available to them to exercise except for the class time, so these numbers make me say ‘wow’ unless rest is allowed within a certain set time. Thanks

A white belt learns from and is pushed to attain higher rank by the higher ranked students, and so on – that’s the way it works. As the higher ranks thin out some of you may have found that there’s no one around to learn, practice, etc. the requirements for the next rank. Some of you may even have your own schools and may have been asked by a student, ‘Well I know where I get my instruction from, but what about you?’ So what do you do to keep pushing your own skills when you’re “at the top” in your vicinity; how do you prepare yourself for the next rank if that’s your goal?

I'll try not to taint it for those who havent seen it. But to see this larger-than-life figure, which is really how I knew him was from all the media, show such a different side of himself during the interview and reflect on his fears, his insecurities, and how focused he has to remain to avoid falling backward; it's really an introspective interview. He has a maturity I never thought he would. He has a expressive mind too. And watching him you can kinda see things going on behind his eyes while he's talking. He's still dangerous. And he knows it. It's interesting how he addresses it now that he's older.

Thanks for the clarification, Justice. I'll pass along the forum website to her, but she's been so busy this April I haven't had a chance to talk to her much. I just remembered this question she told me about some months ago.

I see some similar posts, but I want to make sure I am getting my understanding clear about the styles "standing" and "ground". Karate and other “standing” martial arts are most effective at the beginning of a real fight. What I mean is most people agree the longer the fight the likelier it is to end up on the ground, and once on the ground it's going to end there too. And that’s where ju-jitsu (spelling?) and other “ground” arts are most effective. Now of course the idea is to gather a range of styles to address both sides of the fight, cause unless you (who are in Karate) get attacked by someone also in Karate or a similar style where you both want to stay on your feet, the fight’s going to the ground soon. But I'm not asking what styles make for a good all-around arsenal. My thinking is Karate or other standing arts often emphasize a kick-and-run-away strategy of self defense or the surprise-one-devastating-hit for the fact that they want the confrontation to end in a few seconds; that they’re not equipped for the ground-work in a longer fight. Any smart attacker knows that if you get a Karateka a TKD practitioner on the ground they’re going to be a lot less effective than they were cause most of their trained arsenal is gone. The ground arts: Are they also designed for quick attack and run away, or are they designed to stay and see the fight through, so to speak? It seems to me the latter is their design, which is a contrast to the standing arts, and probably for that very reason. I ask because I’ve heard from a friend that the instructors at her Karate class do not “really teach” ground work – to what extent “really teach” means I don’t know – though they do say a real fight could very well end up on the ground. She asked then what do I do? It seems to me then there’s an urgency to standing art training to end a fight quickly, whereas the ground arts don’t emphasize the same level of urgency. I’d like your take. Are my assumptions and characterizations accurate? I know a lot of people here may be saying “No way!” and I’m ignorant here, so I’m asking, cause I’ve never seen ground work in TKD or Karate.

Yep, I understand what you mean. Thank you.

Thanks Killer for starting this thread. You already addressed most of what I found interesting from your quote in the other thread. "a factual discusion of the pros and cons of Youths vs. Adults in Karate training" - Killer A topic I would like discussed addresses your issue with adults. When should adults just be quiet and learn: While you're talking (of course), but maybe for a few classes, maybe when learning a new move, etc?? In other words when do you think adults should just chill out and breathe and let their bodies do the learning first? And when do you think they should ask questions: after some time - minutes, hours, a few classes; or after some time when learning new stuff; or 'only on Wednesdays!' = questions day ?? Obviously you're open to questions. I'm wondering what your (and other instructors) preference would be on this, and what do you to to encourage it. Thanks.

"I'm actually unfamiliar with the term press-up, are these push ups or something similar? " Same here.

Ok. I got, and yes it's while I was eating - go figure. Here's an idea. It wont solve all your problems and it's geared for the 4 - 6 crowd, but perhaps some of the 3s will pickup on it too. It's an activity I thought of that may just keep these kids occupied for a while and teach them discipline (a bit) and the moves too. i hope you like to be told what to do, cause they're going to have fun with that : Now I still got in mind that someone else take the group aside like I posted before. Then they will teach them moves like the front stance and kicks and blocks and whatever. Ok.... Each move looks like something else. You're walking down the street, one foot steps in glue and you take another step and weeeoww!! Hey look at that - the front stance - and my other foot's all the way back there stuck in glue. So I'm walking down the street, step in glue - front stance - and I pull my leg hard and it comes free and weeeow!! Look at that - front kick. So I'm walking down the street, get stuck (stance), get free (kick) but I wasnt looking when I kicked and almost hit a bunch of tree branches right here (run your hand across your forehead) - upper block or two or however many you want while walking forward upper blocking. Whew almost knocked myself out - glad I was so fast. So I'm walking down the street, step in the glue, get free, avoid the tree, and keep making it up. Look at the moves and imagine what else they can be used for and then repeat. Put it in space or being grabbed by an octopus or whatever. Have the kids follow along with each move. Dont correct them - that comes later. You just want them moving as a group right now. Now that they got the hang of it, have them reform and stand as they should and now it's their turn to tell you the story while you alone do the moves. You start 'I just climbed to the top of a mountain and I see something coming at me, what is it - Cindy?' Cindy respondes 'a bird' = upper block. 'Then what, i avoided the bird....I'm walking along and...Danny.' 'you step into mud' Act it out, and make it crazy, who care what the story is...you climb to the top of a beanstalk and pick corn while space monkeys are attacking you and .... have fun with it. They're wanting to see you do the cool moves. At this point they know the move and what they're asking for. Now you get to teach them how to do the cool moves correctly. Mess up sometimes after they've seen you do it right...mess up on the front stance...or better yet you forgot how. It's Megan's turn and she says something requiring you to do a front stance. You reply after some "thought"...'How do I do the front stance Megan - show me. I forgot.' She'll demonstrate and now's your chance to say 'that's pretty close' and correct her. Make it quick - kids are waiting their turn. Dont worry about every detail right - just general stuff. And if you see a few eager beavers bouncing 'oooh ooh I know how' then have the whole group do it and make maybe one general correction to the group and not as individuals. Keep it moving. 'Good! You're learning!' Sometimes ask if you "forget"... 'can everyone show me?....Oh yes! Now I remember the front kick.' And go on with the story. You take turns too - and when it's your turn they do the move with you...'My turn - watch out here comes a plane!" = upper block. 'Very good everyone - but make it quicker lets try one more time'...upper block!! 'Better' I think it'll be something that'll be done for maybe 10 minutes at most. Maybe a break then again. And ask the kids to make up their own stories with these moves and you'll give them another move next week. Maybe a continuing story, maybe a bunch of short ones. Tell them to draw the stories and how they move - you know, a picture in crayon or marker. It'll give them something to do to remember for next time so class can progress. Tell them to act it out when they show you the drawing next time just one on one (dont make it a competition in front of everyone else), not like show and tell, but like as they come in or maybe after the group thing is over during class...to keep them engaged and most importantly so they know you appreciate their extra efforts. 'And are you ready for the next move? Yeah!' It sprinkles a bit of fun, lessons, learning, homework, and motivation for discipline I think. Anyway there you go. Good luck.

I think that the new styles capture the attention mostly of the people who want to push the envelope - like any new thing does. I'd equate a truely new style to Monet, Piscasso, Van Halen, Metallica, Chuck Berry, Bach, Doom (the PC game), Atari, iPod, DaVinci, Stephen Hawking, Darwin. It does happen and quite often, it's inevitable in everything, and transformations begat new fields of study. Paint was still used but Monet gave it a new direction. Sometimes it's in the person, and sometimes it's how they use the tools. The trick is how many of us know a Monet when we see it, or is it just another McDojo knockoff?

I dont have any either, but I'll chew on it like I do (maybe something will come to me over breakfast tomorrow) - but I know quite often the littlest ones are enrolled for two reasons : 1) a parent is also attending, and so it's a way for them to do an activity with their child while keeping an eye on them, and/or 2) the parents just want to wear the kids out and this is better than just tearing up the house or the McDonald's Playland. There is no 3 in my opinion because although they're in a ma discipline, the parents are not (I think) hoping you'll be able to teach them discipline in general. I think 2 is the most common reason. So I'm thinking of something that keeps the little ones busy and engaged....maybe a secondary instructor to you for the children....maybe someone who will pull them into a smaller group not facing the rest of the class and who can focus just on the kiddies...sort of like a parallel class but kid oriented (same time, same room, same kicks or whatever you're doing that day, etc...) someone who's not squeamish to get down onto their level (height-wise speaking) and get them engaged with enthusiasm, who uses their arms and is expressive like a Crocodile-Hunter type of guy you know he was always talking with his hands and his voice you couldnt help but listen to the guy....anyway someone who holds their attention....that's all I got now. Good luck.

Hi, Just a quick note. There's an interview played on the Charlie Rose show about Mike in a new movie about his life. The movie looks neat and all that cause it's a lot of him talking about his life. But what's neat is this interview. I'd like your take on it. I'm not a boxing fan, nor a Mike Tyson fan but sometimes someone's engaging in a way that you wouldnt expect. Heres the link to the Charlie Rose show, and I imagine the interview will be up there promptly if not already : http://www.charlierose.com/ Look on he right side column under April 20.