Terrierpike

Yeah, I like to get in shape, but then something like this might happen, and you might want to be ready: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/ufc-mixed-martial-artist-turns-tables-robber-beat-shot-leg-gun-report-article-1.987367

Hey all, I passed my blue-belt exam last weekend. It was much smoother than my yellow exam, I was much less nervous even though the techniques were much more difficult.

I made one with thick twine ($2) and a left over broken pine board 12x6x1 (started out 12x12x1 til i broke it, haha) from a grading. I just took the twine and wrapped it around the board until there was about 1/4" of tightly wound twine covering about 8" of striking area. I then took 2 deck screws (free in the garage) and drove them into an exposed stud in my garage. For $2 and 10 minutes of effort it works great to harden my hands, however, I still think that for true power feedback and muscle conditioning, a heavy bag is better.

Folks at my dojo fail at each testing. We usually have a test every 6 weeks or so and I've never been to a testing where someone didn't fail. Granted, the majority pass, but there are always folks who came unprepared and they aren't allowed to move up just because they showed up.

Haha, I have two reasons for going so much each week. 1) I'm a CPA, which means I'm inherently cheap. At the dojo, we pay a monthly fee, so by going more, I get more for my dollar. If I only went twice a week, it would be twice as expensive per class. AND 2) I'm absolutely hooked, it's a blast, and a great workout.

Thanks for the kind words and all the valuable information. I'll keep you posted on progress

Hello all, this is my first post. I've been coming to this forum for a few months for motivation and by using the search function I've found answers to most all of my questions. I used to box at a golden gloves gym years ago when i was a teenager and after sitting in a cubicle for the last few years and watching my gut get bigger i decided to learn a new martial art. I used the forum to research what i wanted to learn and decided to look around at various schools close to my home and eventually settled on a dojo that really met my needs. Sooooo I started kempo/kashinryu a few months ago and have loved every minute of it. I've been going about 4-5 times/week and practicing at home whenever I have free time. I never really thought I would test for belts as my motivation was to improve physically and i never saw the color of the belt as having anything to do with improvement. I always felt like you know inherently when your skill is improving. For example, at my old boxing gym, you just KNEW who was skilled by their technique and work ethic. Whereas now, the color of the belt does determine rank. However, when we spar, I can actually compete pretty well with some of the higher ranks due to the stiking and hands that my former boxing experience had trained, but I still get kicked in the face, hahaha, because i'm not really used to watching for feet/knees. I love the soft-fist aspects of kempo and the controlling joint locks and throws. I like the way you can control the person without really hurting them, or yourself, in the process. Anyway, I had my first belt test this weekend as my sensei pulled me aside about a month ago and told me that I needed to test. I didn't really want to as my goal isn't a belt, my goal is expertise, however, I respect my sensei's wishes and obliged. It all went by really fast, I performeed the katas, formal/informal techniques, broke a couple boards, and sparred with my partner. Everything went great, so now, I'm rocking a yellow belt, haha. I'm not gonna lie, it was a pretty cool feeling to have my sensei tie the new belt on. I just wanted to thank all of you for your articles and thoughts as they provide a nice background and forum for people who want to learn about martial arts. Oh, and I've lost 10 pounds since starting, which is a nice side-effect of training!!!! I'll keep you guys posted on progress.