todome

Kumite is more of a game like kata than the truth like battle. Rules equalize.

Would it be fair to say that its very difficult for you to stand with your feet together (heels AND toes) without letting your butt stick out?

Do you tend to stand and walk out-toed? I'm thinking the problem might be more in the hips than feet. As the foot turns in try deliberately pointing the knee more to the front. This requires additional medial rotation of the hip, restriction of which I'm also thinking might be the root of the problem.

You're less likely to slack off going back. If the school's worth returning to doing so is worth the embarrasment. At least you'd be demonstrating enough character to bite the bullet and do what it takes. Nobody is so important that a few months of substandard technique will drag the whole dojo down. If you compensate for poor execution with extra effort, yourself and the dojo both will be the better off for it.

Kata done properly IS kata done naturally.

should do. after all it IS "the ole one-two". Don't forget to make it a part of your block and counter combinations. I'll mention rising block again. A good rising block creates a huge opening and is as likely as anything to create kyo as they become aware of their momentary vulnerability.

Theory favours the stepping punch when it comes to effective power but either way is valid as well as their shifting and shuffling cousins. The stationary jab reverse punch combination is a training staple because there's so much to learn in doing it although lately I've been prefering to practice rising block reverse punch because of the upper body connectivity it demands. The stepping reverse punch is worth investigating but starting out most schools emphasize the lunge punch, hopefully not just out of habit but because its itself a great teaching tool. The skills it develops are readily transferable to the reverse punch, which in a lot of ways is a more advanced technique, and its less likely to fool the student into thinking he's more powerful than he actually is.

You haven't been nailed by one yet. Same reason the right cross is a boxer's favorite. Maximum mechanical advantage. and except for the stance they're a LOT alike.

I've always worked under the assumption "telegraphing" is the unintentional communication of mental intent ahead of physical effort, a form of kyo. There's just as many advantages to a long stepping technique as there are disadvantages. It's quite possible to initiate a stepping attack and rely on instinct to sense weakness and choose/find the target in due time. Against a properly controlled attacker, the defender commiting too soon to a particular reaction can turn them into dead duck. A full step reverse punch can be brutal and with practice can also be wicked fast. Done properly there's a penatrating power to it that can't just be slapped aside. Except at expert levels, more is generally lost to mushy stances and poor balance than distance. In karate, practical is a long term endevour.

Pretty much, yeah. Going full contact would mean abandoning either the pursuit of lethal force or all respect for human life.

If they did that and stuck to their pursuit of one-strike power it would become a very small community.

Still looking to drop a weight class?

It's only supposed to be for a couple months. What would make it dangerous?

With either reps for hypertrophy (your 6- or reps for max strength (3-5) you'll want to take a longer rest between sets. 3 to 5 minutes so you're starting with loaded guns each time. For hypertrophy you'll look to work each set to failure. For strength you'll shoot for straight sets to target (eg as suggested, 5). Drink milk. Jugs of it. You getting a good 3 or 400 calories in you right after your workout? That's WAY important. Once you DO hit your target weight make a point of capping it off with a round of pure strength work followed by several weeks of plyometrics and other power work. You earn the size you may as well cash in on it.

It could be you're being too fussy about the type of weight you're gaining. It's not at all uncommon for bodybuilders to gain and carry a few extra pounds of fat while they're bulking up. Then they'll switch modes and lose the fat and expect to lose weight at the same time. It's done that way because trying to eat just enough extra calories to gain lean muscle mass only is just too tricky and more or less counterproductive. You doing squats and deadlifts? If not, start. What sort of rep ranges you working in? How much rest between sets?

Power endurance, mostly, which is not bad in itself but more effectively done with greater loads for longer sets than what is best for explosive power training.

Explosive power training is really only effective when the athlete is fresh. Sets should be short, stopping as soon as power diminishes and/or form breaks down. Rests between sets should allow plenty of time (eg. 2-3 minutes) for the athlete to return to full or near full strength. The athlete should only perform as many sets as can achieve maximum power. 2 or 3 sets of 3 or 4 exercises should about cover it. Recovery between sessions is critical so nothing more frequent than every other day so, ie to answer your question, IMO 2 to 3 times a week at the most. More than that and you're not training explosive power. Nothing wrong with that but there's no pointing pushing the string and calling it progress.

Still jiggling the resistance work around. It's supposed to be changing all the time anyways. Turning my attention to the illiopsoas muscle group (prompted by the usual slight soreness in the lower back post-workout that a little careful stretching clears up quite nicely, thank you) these days so I thought I'd toss in some leg raises to maybe see if I can't help things along a little. Cutting back on and moving the medicine ball work to make room for some more karate self training in the mornings since its time to start working the test material more thoroughly. If you saw my kicking combo you'd know what I mean. Feeling confident, though. Workout 1 bench press (3x12-15) deadlift (3x12-15) inverted row (3xF) assisted dips (3x8-15) hanging leg raises (3xF) Workout 2 squats (3x12-15) overhead press (3x12-15) power cleans (3x8-12) assisted pull-ups (3x8-12) inclined crunches (4x12-16) Next Week... Saturday AM VO2Max Test hanging leg raises test (1xF) chin-ups test (1xF) <- last week I was up to 5 solid from almost three! Karate - 1 hr Black Belt Class Karate - 1 1/2 hr Yellow and Up MedBall 200 @ 12 lbs Sunday - Rest Monday AM Workout 1 Tuesday AM Karate - 55 min Kata/Kihon Self Training Tuesday PM Cardio - Stationary Bike - 30 min Intervals from 70% to 90% Maximum Heart Rate Karate - 1 hour Basics Class MedBall 200 @ 12 lbs Wednesday AM Workout 2 Thursday AM Karate - 55 min Kata/Kihon Self Training Thursday PM Cardio - Stationary Bike - 45 min - Constant @ 85% Maximum Heart Rate (151 bpm) MedBall 200 @ 12 lbs Friday AM Workout 1 Saturday VO2Max Test chin-ups test (1xF) Karate - 1 hr Black Belt Class Karate - 1 1/2 hr Yellow and Up MedBall 200 @ 12 lbs

Stick to technique. All the physical prowess in the world won't help you if your stances suck.

I wonder about any school that lets their white belts get picked on.

I dunno man. I don't do the weight clalss thing or anything so I'm not really qualified to comment but 10 pounds in a month is pretty extreme. Even if you have a full six weeks that's (ignoring the whole dehydrating thing) 35000/6/7=834 calories a day. That's like cutting a full meal a day. with dessert. If I tried that I'd be sucking back so many Advils to keep the migraines at bay I'd have to count the calories they came with. Again, I'm no expert but you KNOW that's going to cost you muscle mass so don't be thinking you'll be fighting with the same strength and power in the lighter weight class. and if you DO have 10 pounds in fat and extra water to drop maybe its time you stopped goofing off. ... Did my first session with squats and deadlifts in the same workout. TOTALLY forgot I'd never done it before. Couldn't figure out why I burned out on the deadlifts so quickly. Think I'll keep it to 2 sets of deads on Friday. The third one was a killer. Is it a good or bad sign when my grip's the first thing to go with those? At least I didn't blow a gasket.

IMO risking a skin tear and some additional edema should be, in an ideal world, my choice. If it's about bleeding on the floor I gotta tell you I figure bleeding noses are far more likely. I also understand what you're saying from an EMT perspective but yet again would have to say that if I had the option I'd still take the risk. Hell's bells I've got some of the toughest people in the city taking practice shots at my noggin on a weekly basis. The way I see it, letting something drop onto my foot its my own damn fault. Nevertheless very informative post, though. Thanks. Please don't be offended that I'm only taking it under advisement. Not that it matters, really. I'm wearing some Chucks. They're really not a ll that bad but I'd still rather be barefoot. Mr. O.: good point about liability. hadn't though about that but now that you mention it, that DOES provide some leverage for my next project around there... encouraging them to replace the squat rack with a power rack.

Kinda crazy the last couple of weeks. Decided I didn't need the pressure of a published schedule to keep me in line. Stayed busy. My test is getting closer so I'll be finishing my spell in the weight room in a couple of weeks until May. This gives me just enough time to try a 3 day a week two routine rotation I'm thinking of using once the test is done. Right now its still low weight high rep but from May through August 5 rep sets will become the order of the day. I"d rather do that 3 on 4 off and see if I can't make progress that way. Four days a week is fun and stuff but even at low weights it's riding pretty close to overtraining territory. Wanna back off the lat work and look at tossing dips into the mix. Here's what the basic weight regime is going to look like for the next six months or so. Yes, sans reps it's mostly Rippetoe. Workout 1 squats (3x12-15) bench press (3x12-15) deadlift (3x12-15) dips (2x12-15) inclined crunches (4x12-16) Workout 2 squats (3x12-15) overhead press (3x12-15) power cleans (3x12-15) pull-ups (3x12-15) inclined crunches (4x12-16) I'll probably be losing the crunches once I go low rep because I'll need the time for rest between sets on the other four exercises. Next Week... Saturday AM VO2Max Test Dips (?x12-15) Karate - teaching Medball 400 @ 12 lbs Sunday - Rest Monday AM Workout 1 Tuesday AM Karate - 30 min Kata/Kihon Self Training MedBall 400 @ 12lbs Tuesday PM Cardio - Stationary Bike - 30 min Intervals from 70% to 90% Maximum Heart Rate Karate - teaching Wednesday AM Workout 2 Thursday AM Karate - 30 min Kata/Kihon Self Training MedBall 400 @ 12lbs Thursday PM Cardio - Stationary Bike - 45 min - Constant @ 83% Maximum Heart Rate(ie 77.5% Heart Rate Reserve) Friday AM Workout 1 Saturday VO2Max Test Karate - 1 hr Black Belt Class Karate - 1 1/2 hr Yellow and Up MedBall 200 @ 12 lbs

I did, Kuma. They'll do but it's just not the same. I can accept that hygiene is a concern even though I do think its overstated but I don't think anyone can convince wearing sneakers makes me any more safe in the weight room. If a serious enough weight lands on my foot the only thing a sneaker is going to slow down is the emergency medical team.

oh absolutely. I just think the whole twisting it in on impact thing is incidental to the basic biomechanical advantages it affords. I agree about the boxing thing. I'm a firm believer that the most significant difference between a classic right cross and a shotokan reverse punch is the rules they're delivered under. Boxers need to be more fleet of foot, have no worries about kicks and need be less committed to it being the final punch of the match. Other than that the same basics are all there. Boxers are just more upright. roughly speaking.