KarateGeorge

Excellent, have fun!

Welcome!

Well done, congrats!

There are some doctors around that have set up clinics for free or discounted exams for those without insurance or who can't otherwise afford medical services. If you're not sure where to look, you might just go to a local Red Cross, or even a Salvation Army, to inquire about any that might be in your area. I'm not sure what your situation is, and I'm sure they'll have established criteria for who is and is not eligible, but it might be an option to check out.

I wouldn't jump straight into assuming Parkinson's just yet. As was suggested, if its something that persists, you should see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis. Those of us on the internet would not be capable of providing a qualified diagnosis. Muscle twitching is not unheard of after strenuous exercise. So you could be experiencing something as simple as that, or yes, it could be the early signs of something else. Having a qualified professional check it out, is the best way to figure out what's causing the issue.

Welcome!

Welcome!

Welcome!

Awesome! Great picture! Thanks for sharing it! Its always great to meet our virtual friends and put a face to the people we interact with online.

1/13: 9 mile run in 60 minutes.

Welcome!

Actually breaking it, because it kind of hurts if you don't. OK, in all seriousness, I think of it as serving a couple of purposes. First, is that it helps to improve technique and accuracy, as you have to make sure you're at the proper distance and using correct technique to most easily succeed. Secondly, I think for many, its provides the psychological boost of additional confidence that what they're learning can actually do damage. In all reality, a board's not terribly difficult to break, but doing it successfully can overcome mental hurdles for many. That's just my 2 cents, I'm sure other's have their own reasons for why they think board breaking is important though.

Happy birthday!!!

Congrats Nevinyrral!

I didn't start martial arts until my 20's. I remember having wanted to learn a martial art since I was a child. I was a small kid, occasionally picked on, and wanted to learn something to be able to defend myself against the bigger kids. However, my parents couldn't afford them at the time. When I was in my 20's a new school opened up just down the street from one of my friends and we decided to stop in and try it out. Even though I was no longer that pint-sized little kid, I still wanted to learn a martial art for the self defense. Over the years of training, many other doors were opened and I learned there was much more to it than just the defense, but that's what started it all for me.

Couldn't agree more. Even with having the upper hand of greater experience, that doesn't mean an instructor always has all the answers. But being honest about it and then finding out the answer is the best way to handle it. If the circumstances allow I also think its great when the instructor is able to involve the student in finding that answer.

"Building block" techniques are fine, in so far as its understood that's the purpose. That's the application. I'd agree there needs to be a level of trust between a student and their sensei, and some things may be learned over a period of many years, such as digging into the applications of a kata. But in regards to a specific technique, if I were to approach my sensei and ask them about it, I would expect more of an answer than "Because I said so." Martial arts is an age-old tradition, and even the more modern styles have their roots from the older styles, and the techniques of any given style were chosen/developed for a reason. If an instructor is going to be teaching a technique, they should know why they are teaching it.

My forearms were often bruised up when I first started training karate as well. I don't recall how long it took before I stopped getting them all the time, but it eventually happened. I suppose from a combination of learning to do my blocking techniques properly as well as my body getting accustomed to the impacts. Though after my black belt test, my forearms were again covered in bruises, out of sheer punishment. Never had any long-term effects from them personally, but who knows, I'm not a medical expert.

Haha. My instructor had us try that once just for us to see exactly how poorly we knew the kata. I thought it was funny that I, the lowest ranking in the class, was the best at it-- probably because the others have gotten so used to the kata they don't think about them much while I still need to think about each move. It is very hard. And for the more advanced (my instructor wouldn't even let me try this)-- try doing the kata backwards. Another great way to learn just how well you know your kata is to mentally get rid of the four walls of the room, and just face a random direction. It can throw you off at first, but it gets rid of the reliance of the walls and allows you to perform the kata no matter how you're oriented. As for practicing at home, I find the best place for me to do katas is in my living room. Its nice and roomy there. All I have to do is slide my coffee table out of the middle of the room and I have plenty of space.

Agreed, and if necessary, ask him to walk through the kata with you, at least up to the move in question. You can then see exactly what he is expecting.

I would agree wholeheartedly with this, and would add to it that the technique needs to have a clear applicatoin. Even if one can perform the technique efficiently, but you're not really sure when or how you'd make use of it, then its no longer effective.

Welcome to the forums!

Happy New Year!

Great article! I quite enjoyed it.

At my school, the test is viewed as the formality of something the Sensei and other instructors have already decided upon prior to the test. Prior to testing, a student will go through a "pre-test" in which they are graded on all the material they are supposed to know at their rank. The Sensei will tell them when they are eligible to take the pre-test. If they fail, they are given a report of all the areas they need to work on, and once they think they've learned the areas they failed then they can approach the Sensei and request to be pre-tested again, but they're only offered one chance a month. Once the pre-test has been passed, a test date is scheduled. For us, the test itself is primarily looked at a measure of how you can perform under pressure. If someone fails a test at our school, it's not because of lack of knowledge in the material because the pre-test ensures they know it, but because they gave up during the test.