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I first started having this pain about 6 years ago. It's a sometimes dull sometimes stabbing pain in my chest. It's right at the joint where the ribs meet the sternum. Sometimes it feels like a pressure and other times it feels like my chest is being ripped apart! I went to the doctor when this first started and was checked for heart disease, etc. They said everything was perfect but most likely my office job sitting in front of a computer all day was causing the problem. Fast forward to now and I have been out of work for over 2 years now due to an on the job injury. I've trained off and on as I was able over this time enduring 3 surgeries now and months of therapy. My hip which was the on the job injury still gives me lots of problems but I have decided to just push it as far as I can. I've started teaching my kids here at home a couple of nights a week and tonight what one of those nights. I am now dealing with the costo again. I have a bad stabbing pressure going on in the chest and it is miserable! I had an EKG and bloodwork done a few months back when I had bronchitis and everything came back fine. I'm positive it's not a heart or lung issue. I was wondering if anyone else has this or has dealt with it in the past. If so what did you do? Were there any remedies other than eating a lot of pain pills? I'd love to find some stretch or exercise that would give me some relief. Any help is appreciated, thank you!

I may be late to the party here but I'll toss my hat in as well. For colored belts, go with the most affordable thing you can find. From my experience most if not all white belts are poorly made, very thin and flimsy. As you move up to other colors the quality is much better. I personally came up wearing century belts and never had an issue with them, they're quite cheap as well. Most of the time colored belts are worn for 6 months to a year max, so there is no need to spend a lot of money here. When the time comes and you're ready to purchase a black belt I would go with Shureido, hands down. Again, as I was coming up we had Century, nothing wrong with these and my 20 year old Century is still hanging in there BUT I splurged a little and bought myself a Shureido and let me tell you, I cannot possibly come up with enough words to describe how amazing this belt is. I've seen an Eosin panther and I will admit, it seems very close to the Shureido BUT I'd still give Shureido a slight edge for this reason, they wear in better. When you get a new Shureido it's like a board, nearly impossible to tie, comes undone easily, doesn't hang at all but over time it gets much better. The panther didn't seem to do that, I know someone with a 3 year old panther and it still doesn't tie properly. You can order a Shureido from discountmas.com with no embroidery or go to okinawadirect.com and you can get one with custom embroidery. You can also buy colored Shureido belts but again, probably not worth the money.

I think you are one HECK of a negotiator! If I had that plan available to me I would take it. In the beginning just be very cautious with your lighting, only use what you need for only as long as you need it. I would change out all bulbs to CFL or LED right off the bat. Try to use as little as possible but sometimes you have to. I would even go as far as flipping off the main breaker when not there to try to save as much as possible! I personally wouldn't be scared of the power bill. I would think you can make enough to cover that easily. I don't know what your rates will be but I would think that no more than 5-6 students should pay the light bill, once the rent kicks in you should be in a good place, just advertise! I'm actually in your same boat right now, I'm torn between opening a location and trying to go into a rec center. On the one hand I think I would have better luck with my own location but I would also have much more risk. It's important to balance that. I may have actually inadvertently gotten myself a slot in my current Shorin-ryu dojo. My instructor wants a location which offers several different things, he already has karate, BJJ, and Kali.. Hopefully I can close that agreement and teach my style there as well, that remains to be seen but it would be wonderful.

My goals are: - loose at least 40 pounds but shoot for 50 - Start my dojo and make it huge - Earn minimum 6th kyu, currently 9th

I'm very interested in this topic. I've been thinking when I get my dojo up and running that I should offer a women's class either on a separate day or independent of the normal MA classes. I agree with your points, I feel that women's SD is very different. I look at it in the light that women (on average) don't have the strength of men so they need to know more in the way of leverage and quick but debilitating attacks. Another fine point that you made is how women are attacked, generally a guy will not come up and want a fistfight with a female. My theory on women's SD would revolve around "fight enders" movements which would stop an attack quickly. I don't feel that they need to know holds, chokes, grabs, etc.. Rather they should know the places to hit that will give them a chance to escape. To my mind the main focus of women's SD is to get away, not to detain or otherwise "beat up" the attacker. Of course, mine is but one of many different ideas on the topic, but personally I plan to concentrate on pressure points, groin attacks, and throat attacks. Strategic areas and HOW to hit them.

The K-10 is not a 16oz gi. The Japanese do not provide an "oz" designation for their material. Most believe it's about 12oz, give or take a little. What you cannot see from online pictures is the #10 duck canvas that Shureido and Tokaido use. This material is absolutely amazing! It has a good weight, so it looks and feels substantial but it breathes like a lightweight gi. I promise you, don't obsess over the weight, these do not perform the same way that other heavyweight gi's do. I have the K-10 and several Century models, as well as a Ronin brand gi and I can tell you first hand that the only thing similar about them is that they sort of look the same. I can train in class with my K-10 and almost forget that I am wearing it. On the other hand if I toss on a Century I feel suffocated and can't wait to get it off! The surface of the material is also different, where the Century feels coarse and almost rubs you raw the Shureido feels smooth, almost soft and comfortable. It is really a remarkable difference. Personally, if you can afford it I wouldn't get anything but a Shureido or Tokaido. As the poster said above it depends on how you're built as to which one would work better for you, but I wouldn't even look at other brands, they are not on the same level.

Precisely! That's why I am so thankful for MA, with true martial arts your ego goes out the door. I have nothing to prove to anyone, including myself. If not for training I would not feel that way. I know what I am capable of and loose no sleep over not proving it. I think that the weaker one is the one who cannot take words to us martial artists words mean nothing.

Thank you all for the replies. This is why I love the MA community. Where, in the world of some, their friends would cheer them on and call them names if they did not fight, here we embrace solutions which actually solve problems. To update, I have removed all of my equipment from the practice space and will not return. I won't have to bother with seeing this guy ever again.

Today I found out that someone who I was in a band with is making threats to me and my father behind my back. I knew that there was some animosity with us but I had no idea that he harbored violent intentions toward me as I have never felt that way towards him. I have read the text messages he has sent to other people and he is blatantly saying he would fight me, my dad (long story) and "drag me though the mud while others watched" his words.. I find myself feeling as I am sure most people would a bit upset, I have the urge to go and give him a lesson in respect for others but my MA training just won't let me. In fact that training has urged me to quit the band sooner. I had offered to stay on for 2 more months and play the 2 shows that are already booked, I figured that it was the right thing to do but now these comments and threats are coming from this guy, so I have decided to remove myself from the situation in order to avoid conflict. I am thankful that I have trained in the MA, not because I could destroy this guy but because I am able to walk away and not feel that I have to fight or "get even" and if worse came to worse I do not fear for my safety. I cannot replace this feeling with anything in the world and should I have chosen a different path in life the situation may have become very bad but again, thanks to my years of MA I can be at peace. Once again, glad to be part of the MA family.

My dojo has listed requirements for each rank. You use those as a guide for training, by knowing what each level adds to your training you know what to work on. As for my personal training I usually just go at random. I think my previous training makes me do that however. If I only knew the things I was learning at the new school then I would practice daily based on the requirements of my next rank but already knowing a bit I try to bring in things from the new as well as the old and have a well rounded program.

Congrats to all of the winners! I am speechless that I was even nominated, let alone picked as the winner. Thank you to everyone who voted, it truly means a lot to me that you all read my post and enjoyed it, thank you!

My new dojo put me at white belt. He knew of my previous training but it didn't make the slightest bit of difference. Everyone through those doors comes in with a white belt! There is a lady who takes class as well, she's been there longer than me so she wears an orange belt but she's a 2nd dan in TKD, she also started at white. My instructor also hosts Sauer BJJ there as well and even he, who owns the school and is a 4th dan wears a blue belt in that class. I'm actually glad that I started at white, I had this worry when starting back up that the school would want to place me into an advanced rank and I didn't want to do that. If I was going to learn something new I wanted to start back at zero and that's what I got, so it worked out well. I also have the benefit of no one having to know about my experience unless I tell them, I like that because it allows me to take my time learning the new material without high expectations being placed on me.

Thanks for all of the replies. It turns out that this gi is very good about straightening itself out.. Sounds funny, I know but the problem of wrinkling has not been anywhere near as bad since I started training in it. I go to class 2 times a week and wash the gi once a week, nice cold water cycle with about 15 minutes in the dryer and then hang. The gi looks wrinkled on the hanger but once it's on me it looks great. My sensei isn't too concerned about the appearance, as long as it is clean and white it's ok. I was more concerned about it for myself since I try to always look my best but in the end it wasn't that big of a deal. The school isn't too concerned about it and once the material of the gi worked in a little it almost unwrinkles itself.

I can definately see his points. I think he speaks the truth in most cases, he does venture out there a little but he's pretty well spot on. My current dojo is both of the things he mentions. They teach the old way, short distance power, straightest path to attack, nothing fancy. At the same time they incorporate some new age stuff as well, lots of locks, takedowns, etc that are not part of the traditional system. I feel like it's an OK thing since it does not clutter the practical use of the style.

I'm not in your area so I cannot offer any help in finding another school for you but I would say this. Take the TKD class, if you didn't like shorin-ryu then try TKD, it is very very different.. I wouldn't worry about the flexibility, they shouldn't expect you to come in the door kicking and flipping, you will work up to that over time. At least give it a shot, it could be what you're looking for..

This is exactly right. The Shureido feels perfect, you almost forget you have it on. It seems like it helps you stay cool and stays completely out of the way. I have been training in it for a couple of months and I threw on one of my old Century ones to train at home and I felt like I was going to DIE with that thing on, it was so hot! It didn't breath, didn't flex, felt like it was hindering my movement, and it's 20 years old so it's well broken in! The shureido, and I'm sure Tokaido as well thought I have not had hands on one of those are of a completely different planet. The no10 duck canvas is a material MADE for martial arts, it wicks, it cools, it feels light yet it's tough.. I just cannot possibly say enough good things about the Shureido gi, and the Ronin in my opinion feels very close to the Shureido. The material is different of course but it still has that same "not in the way" feel. I don't know how it would do on the floor however as I have not trained in it except at the house (my dojo only allows white and my Ronin is black) I would still recommend it over Century any day.

I would say the Century 12oz is just about the same as the Ronin 12oz in terms of thickness and weight but the Ronin is well above it in quality. I would be careful going too heavy on the weight. Most students run 8-10oz gi while instructors and some advanced students wear 12. I personally have not known anyone who wears anything above 12 on a daily basis. If you're grappling then maybe you would want the 14-16, or maybe for kata competitions where you want it to really pop but for everyday training I wouldn't go above the 12 weight. It can get too hot and too cumbersome when covered in sweat. IMO As the poster above said, if you can swing it buy yourself a Shuriedo K-10, it is the finest in the world! I have one and there is simply nothing else close, they run a little over $200 but if you're serious you cannot do better. If you are already looking into the ironman, look into the Shureido, that is a purchase you will not regret. Think of it this way, the Shuredio (and Tokaido) are made in Japan, every other brand out there is copying them! For a little more why not get the real thing? If you want professional then THIS IS IT. You can find them at these places. https://www.okinawadirect.com and https://www.discountmas.com[/url]

My opinion is YES, the ironman is better made, better construction and better material. It's not so much the weight that matters as the quality and the iron man is the best that they offer. If you can return it for a refund I would buy a Ronin brand 12oz gi, even over the iron man. I recently purchased one of those and it is far better than the Century ones that I have, I think it came to $67.99 plus shipping, so great price as well.

So, I just started training again in Shorin-Ryu. In addition to that some of my old senior instructors found out and asked me if I wanted to open a school teaching my old art as well! So, now I am in a situation, I've been down with a hip injury since June of 2014, I have spent the last year and a half sitting around and have packed on about 40 pounds and lost tons of muscle and flexibility. I am finally at the point where I am sort of able to move again, hence the training, I still have tons of pain and restricted movement but I am pushing through it because I am tired of the couch potato lifestyle! I wanted to ask here because I honestly have never eaten properly. I've been able to maintain a reasonable weight due to being very active but since i have not been active it has caught up with me in a big way. I have a problem eating raw fruits and veggies, I do not like the texture of it but I am really trying to make myself eat it. For the last couple of weeks I have been trying to eat salad, I have a muscle milk protein shake for breakfast and bought myself one of the ninja blenders to make smoothies with (had one to day, EXCELLENT!) anyway. I have dieted before with great results but it was a bit of a crash diet and in the long run it didn't work out. I ended up putting back on about 20 of the 40 pounds that I lost and here I find myself at almost the heaviest point of my life. I was hoping for some advice and tips. I was thinking of doing the 5-6 small meals a day thing, but I am not sure how many calories or what kind of food items I should eat for those meals. I don't want to crash diet again because I cannot maintain that over time. I need a life change and I'm not really sure how to go about doing it. I've always been at least a little over weight and have struggled with it. I have had tremendous strength and endurance I've just also had a gut to go with it! Thanks for any tips. I would love to be able to get myself into proper shape.

Ok, awesome. I will look into that program, thank you.

Here are my answers, please give your opinion if I am wrong, this is my first time venturing into something like this so I literally need all the help I can get! - Insurance (does you organisation not help to provide this) I do, after the above posts from other members plan to get and carry insurance for my training, regardless of the facility or association insurance, I will have my own. - First aid training. I will absolutely be doing this along with CPR certification, I will start calling tomorrow to find out where to go. - Relevant safety and criminal checks on you. Same as above, once places are open tomorrow I will make sure I have this. - Venue, what they charge and subsequently what you need to charge to cover your overheads. I want to be reasonable, most schools around here are outrageous and that has been the primary reason that I have not been able to train for a number of years. I am thinking something along these lines. Pay by class $5, per month $89, or per year $ 900. That may be adjusted depending on the rate that I have to pay to use my space but I will not know that until I secure one. I'm not planning to make a living at this right now, long term that would be wonderful but now I want to do it because I love it and it is a life long dream. As long as it doesn't cost me money and I can supplement my normal income I am happy. I hope that in the short term it will bring enough to go from full time employment to part time in order to devote more to it and to train myself. - Are you targeting kids, or adults, families? I see it this way, I would love to do a family plan where either A. pay for 2 students and the rest are free, or B pay full price for one and 50% off for everyone else. I definitely want families to participate but I see that kids are where most of your student base will be, with this in mind I plan to have programs and awards which will inspire and motivate the kids, for my adult students I plan to have a more serious training program (not that the juniors won't be serious) but I am thinking not so many awards ( academic achiever, swat team, leadership team, etc) I was fortunate enough to start as a junior at 5 YO and then continue on into adulthood so I have seen it from both sides and as such I have tons of ideas which I think* will appeal to a broad range. So, to answer your question I plan to appeal to everyone but plan to have mostly children as that seems to be the norm in my area. I also though that I could add a few more belts to the curriculum to keep the kids interested and give them more to shoot for( while they move up the ranks normally, they would just have more belts to earn in between the normal ones) Those are my ideas, I think I will have some trial and error on them and of course I have decades of experience at my disposal through my organizations senior instructors as well. I think you also need to have funds saved up as a good proportion of schools actually lose mobey in the first 6 to 12 months before breaking even. Again, here is my theory which may be wrong. At the moment I do not need to profit from it, thankfully I am at a place where I am not hurting to make a living. I have a full time job and another business venture that I am doing from home, so things are OK for me at this time. I HOPE that by starting out in rec centers and the like I will have very low overhead, if this is the case hopefully I can start to get ahead more quickly with the ultimate goal being to have a large enough student base to open a free standing location, or strip mall, or whatever. Right now I am wanting to take baby steps, I didn't want to open a place and then loose it and all of my money. So, I believe that by starting at places where I can hopefully just pay a percentage then I can come out good in the end.. That's the plan anyway.

Thank you for the input. I am thinking rec centers may be the better option. I have several churches close to me which hold some gatherings that are not church related, of course I would plan to offer them at least some of the profit. I can think of 3 rec centers which I could speak with and will speak with. The elementary schools I'm not sure of, I don't believe they offer any programs there, I know they do at the middle school as my daughter is enrolled in it but not at the elementary school, so that could be an opportunity there though I would like to attract adult students as well, so I would need a second facility going. As far as your questions, Yes I will be testing the students, as it is now I can promote up to 2nd red belt which is 2 from black, most of the time the 1st red and black belt testing happens in front of the big board anyway, so it isn't that big of a deal. I'm not sure how it is going to work with my pay, I honestly don't plan to make a living with this for a while yet, just something i love doing. I guess the answer would be, it depends on the place, if they charge 30% then I will take 70% and so forth.. Really just depends on how it works out. For the time being I will not have help in class. My organization's chief said that when he can he will stop by, he also said that the other senior instructors would do the same when they can. I can say this, my old CI and the current head of the organization was notified yesterday of my intent to do this and has already contacted me and asked me to call him tomorrow so that he can give me some pointers and help getting going. In addition to all of this I will be able to attend black belt and instructor only meetings and trainings in which I can continue my education and rank advancement while learning higher level things which pertain to training of students.. I think it will be a win/win all around. I just need to find my place and get my certifications and licenses which I will do immediately. I don't think the back ground check will be too tough as I have passed them for many other things and have a blank criminal record. I'll get started on things tomorrow and will update how things go, please keep the advice coming. I appreciate every bit of it!

I am in the US. Coming from a background in the insurance industry I completely agree with you! Insurance is always about risk/reward so if they have to spend money they WILL get it back if someone can be blamed, simple as that. I greatly appreciate your input and will definitely pursue the certifications.

Thank you for your response. I will start looking into insurance as I am looking into facilities.

Hey guys, some of you may remember a while back that I made a post asking about opening a school. I had concerns that my rank may not be sufficient to do so and a few other things. After a bit of time and sort of dropping the idea a chance fell into my lap today and it ended with speaking with the lead instructor and founder of my organization and getting his full blessing to proceed with teaching! He told me the rank was not an issue as I would have the full support of himself and every other instructor in the organization to help me!! I'm so excited, it's a lifetime dream coming true! Now the WORK begins. I must find a local place or two which will allow me to teach there. The leg work will start on Monday! I have a couple of quick questions if anyone has time to answer. Firstly, when training at places other than your own school, do you find that churches, rec centers, etc are the place to be? Or is there another option which may be better? Do you carry your own insurance with you or do the facilities generally provide it? and finally, are you trained in things like CPR and first aid? I'm sure it would be a good idea and do plan to pursue it but is it something generally required? Thanks for any help as always.