CTpizzaboy

Nice post ZR. There many reasons why I decided to take martial arts: some in part was to meet new people, I had just move to a new city. But then I found out, karate was the thing that I was good in and that I can excel. So I bought books, tons of them, subsribed to Black Belt magazine, just to better my ability and beat the next guy at tournaments. Now my priorities have changed, girls mostly, and I don't have that much money to spend on MA practice. I don't take karate anymore. I have join a gym, and been working out. I do go back to the dojo just to visit Sensei.

This scenario is very unlikely. First off, criminals are opportunist. They wouldn't just stand around a corner and rob anyone that comes around. Second, is this in a bad neighborhood? If so, be more alert or don't get yourself in this situation in the first place. I can go on and on, but I dont have time.

Good post guy who fights. Heres something else; there are three lines of defense: foot movement, bobing and weaving, and blocking. Practice.

I saw the picture of the kick. I dont see how that would actually work in real life street situation. Its very unlikely that anyone will just punch you with only a jab. In a fight, everything is happening so fast that I dont see how that kick will work.

No one mention on-step sparring(mainly for beginners), which incorparates the newly learned punches and kicks, blocking and distance.

First, you need to do the technique right, speed and accuracy comes later. To improve, you need a heavy bag, patience, and alot of hard work.

It seems you know more than you're letting out. Low reps(6-, high intensity.

um... good luck

I had read about his death in Inside Kungfu. Alex Gong was maybe the greatest mauythai kickboxer around. Its a shame to hear him die over something that is so insignificant. He got shot when he tried to reach in the culprits car to turn-off the ignition. If I was in his place, I would have gotten his license plate and ran to the nearest phone to call the police. And my car, I'll just get my insurance company to pay for it.

If you are a beginner, I wouldn't suggest doing a side kick slowly because thats really tough to do and for a beginner that can be discouraging. However, do it in steps like Champ suggested. A good side is in your chamber and hip twist on contact.

You can train alone at some degree. While hitting and kicking a heavy bag will make you faster and stonger, you will never get to the next level by hitting a heavy bag alone. You need a partner to practice on your fighting skills and learn how to take a hit.

You should not start on weights, especially dumbells since you can hurt yourself by doing the technique wrong, until you have gotten a fews months going basic crunches and pushups. Pushups will help your upper back, and their are alot of post on that subject. For the lower back, do chin-ups, or punch a heavy bag everyday for 30 mins.

Its a powerfull punch but you have to set it up.

You must train your mind first, before you can ever train your body. In other words, you must comprehend what you're about to do before you can do it effectively. And in the martial arts, effectiveness is everything. ---You chose who you are.

Stretch or die. When doing anything repetitive (lifting weights, running, punching, kicking) you must stretch. Its just common sense; which can help, especially if you ever decide to live to 70.

HAHA!!! Sorry. Just had to get that out. I suggest for you to ask your girlfriend to massage that area. Massages always help.

Fast reflexes comes from the coorelation of both your eyes and hand. First you have to recognized what is being thrown at you(i.e. punch, roundhouse to the head, sidekick to the ribs...)before you can react. The only way to decrease the time between recognizing and reacting is through practice. Buy a speed bag or timing bag, which will help your hand reflexes. For faster legs try sprinting. Run on grass.

Anything that reminds me how pissed off I am. Rap, Dr. Dre, Tupac, DMX. alternative, Nirvana, Blink182, Metallica

Hyperextending your arm or leg is not a good feeling. Try hitting something solid like a heavy bag or an opponent and you'll figure out quick why not to competely straighten out the limbs.

Relax. Everyone has experienced someone better than them. This experience lets you know you have to train harder. This is good. Here's a something to keep in mind: Your offense should always be dictated by your opponents defense. Always be thinking, "If I do this, what will my opponent do?" Will he block, or side-step out of the way, or counter. You can not attack blindly and see what happens next. You must train hard and find what works for you, not what works for your opponent, or even what works for your sensei.

That was scarier than accidently seeing my grandmother naked. And I can't get the big, bulging eyes out off my head.

Pamela Anderson. She stars in a TV show in the states called VIP.

"In the video game called Grand Theft Auto III, players enter a virtual world called Liberty City and assume the role of an escaped criminal who hijacks cars, guns down pedestrians, has sex with a prostitute and then earns extra points by killing her so he can take back his money." This quote is misleading because its implying that the role of the game, as a escaped criminal is to hijack cars, gun down pedestrians, and have sex with prostitutes. A bunch of bullcrap because I have played this game and thats not the games objective. The objective of the game is to help this mobster. You and him were in the same patty-wagon being transported to another jail, and his goons hijacked the wagon to free him, therefore you also. But here's where the problem lies. The game is a free enviroment, where gameplay is not restircted to what the plot deals out, there are no levels or bosses. You don't have to be a criminal. You can be a vigilante by hijacking a police car and turning on the sirens. You hijack cars for transportation, or you can just walk to your goal. You can gun down pedestrians with a machine gun, or just use it to complete the objective. However there are consequences, to what you do in the game. If you hijack a car in front of a police officer, they will go after you. If you gun down pedestrians the police will go after you. And depending on the degree of destruction, cop cars, a cop helicopter with a sniper, a army tank, and the FBIs in black tinted cars will chase after you. Its great entertainment to create as much chaos you can, then trying to see how long you can run away from the authorities. I love the game and I hate siting down for along time to do anything, but this is worth the time.

I'm not good with names...I've heard of it before mentioned. Does he teach Yoshukai in his basement for free and have only 6 to 7 students?

This is a sign of a good school, because you are learning to kick and hit with full force. My moto in sparring, "No holding back." But I keep it under control or there's no learning involved. You can be blocking wrong. Don't be reaching for a block. With the downward block meeting a frontkick, some new students hammer down on the shins of their partner, hurting the partner's shin and their forearms. With a front kick, don't meet the shin but the side of the leg where there is meat not bone. With a roundhouse kick, don't reach for it but wait until it comes near and tense your blocking arm. With a side kick, never get hit with a side kick. It hurts alot, and can even break your ribs. Bring your elbows down to meet a side kick, and bounce backward to lessen the blow, if you can't avoid one. Blocking is the building block of any style, because its the first thing they teach you. Learn to block right and it won't hurt you, but lessen the hit so you can counter.