GoldDragon

Cool Thai Kick- sounds like a cool game! I never heard of it but sounds intense. Nice to meet you -welcome to KarateForums.com

Woah- thank you all so much (((((((hugs to all the ladies, and hugh 5's to all the guys))))))) I am glad to be back - been so long but I am now posting as ya'll can prob tell., Thanks all for the "reunion" and to all the new people- nice to meet you all (bows in respects) **hugs 2 KickChick***

Out of my 23 yrs of the Arts I only used it once when I got assulted in Texas. I won by a foot sweep,and then running.....LOL I Hate to fight- but will use it if needed

Most welcome-thought you might like that

Oh yea- cant forget bout TEKKEN or Dead Or Alive 3. Tekken rocks- my favorite guy is Eddie cause he does Capoeira:) I beat DOA3 and now I dont like it anymore.....LOL, JK

go to bed with itchy butt wake up with stinky finger

LOL BRING IT ON BABY BRING IT ON! LOL

COOL GAMES THERE BENEDICBM.- TO BE HONEST I NEVER PLAYED THOSE GAMES BEFORE= BUT HAVE HEARD THEY ARE FUN AND VERY ADDICTIVE.....LOL IS IT LIKE GRAND THEFT AUTO??

HEY JACK, AND KICKCHICK- WHATS UP MY FELLOW FRIENDS ? ( BOWS) GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH AGAIN! ------------------------------------- GOOD IDEAS REGUARDING TO THE PUSHUPS -AND WELL SAID KICKCHICK

DO Vegetarians eat animal crackers?

wait- let me back this up- My ol time favorite and alkways will be is.............. GRAND THEFT AUTO 3 =) That game kicks some serious booty.....LOL!! To those who played it knows what I am talking bout- Next month (-- Oct 28th) Grand Theft Auto 4 :ViceCity WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

If you desire to do 500 kicks per night - make sure you stretch before you entend your leg muscles. Dont over due yourself. 500 kicks w/o stretching can cause some bad leg injuries

Patrick-those madden games are defiently HOT HOT HOT! Leaf- HALO is an awesome gane as well= awesome graphics, and cool gameplay Poison-Spiderman is a web slinging action fun filled game- Very addictive just like the movie...( Spider Sense) LOL Kyle- Soul Calibur is a good game as well- kinda hard and well challenging...... Thanks to all for the input on your games of choices.. To be honest with you Fury- I have no idea what is better- PS2 or XBOX XBOX has some pretty cool kick butt games-but its microsoft- and Microsoft tends to crash,. Ps2 is what I like and recommend to me

ohhhhhh----- head kicks, my favorite I only use head kicks after I confuse my opponent. After he attacks- i counter, and go for a fake sweep, and reverse it and go in for a reverse roundhouse heel kick

roflol- no problem thought u could use some of my words **Gold** Remember- it doenst matter what art you take or what belt you are- its who you are in how you use it

Awesome News- Hope you get it- dont give up

Welcome Aboard to the coolest site on the Web

oh ok , thanks patrick

Well said... " IMO a broad range is good, however, quality is better than quantity."

You might wanna consider and start off with the regular way of pushups- and work your way up to the advance levels of pushups. If you should do pushups that you cant do- it could require strain, and muscle pain in the wrist, hand, arm, and lower section of the back. A safer mode you might wanna try instead is to do wall pushups. Stand up against a wall- feet spread out ( horse stance) and push against the wall . Try that for a few days, and also with the regualr routine of push-ups. Sooner or later that will help you develop more muscle in your wrist to do finger pushups, knuckle push ups, and one hand push ups.

Joining a martial arts school is a lot like purchasing a used car: You don't always know what you are getting until it's too late. In the marketplace of martial arts, all schools are not created equal. Martial arts teachers generally do not have to answer to a state regulatory commission or a government agency, and there is no consumer group to act as a watchdog to ensure the quality of instruction. Anyone, in fact, can acquire a business license, purchase a black belt, rent studio space and, to the unwitting public, appear to be the second coming of Bruce Lee. How, then, can the discerning buyer make a knowledgeable choice when it comes to martial arts instruction? By shopping around. Like any other product, there are certain criteria that make some martial arts studios more appealing-and legitimate-than others. Unfortunately, most first-timers-and some veterans-have a difficult time seeing past the price tag or the convenience of location when choosing a martial arts school. Those should not, however, be the only determining factors when deciding on a school. It is vitally important to visit as many schools as possible before committing to one. See what each school has to offer, then make your decision. More often than not, classes are taught, not by a school's master, but by an assistant instructor or adult black belt. Be sure you know before enrolling how available the master instructor will be to help you with your learning. The first thing to do is make a list of the martial arts schools within your acceptable travel distance and your preferred style (if you have one). Then make an appointment to watch both beginning and advanced classes. If the school offers a free introductory class, take it. The following are factors that should all be weighed before you sign on the dotted line. Attitude The attitude of both the instructor and the students can serve as an accurate indicator of school spirit. Instructors who treat their students with little respect, yet demand it themselves, may be on an ego trip. Student respect and discipline can be forced or natural; watch how the students react when the instructor is not within sight. If they step languidly through the motions or chat with one another, their previous show of respect and discipline was a facade. Hopefully, the students diligently continue with their drills in the instructor's absence. Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs Stretching before class is important and necessary to prevent injuries. Check and see if the instructor at your prospective school conducts such warm-up drills before classes. Warming up is essential to a martial arts workout. Stretching is especially important, since there is a good chance you will be performing kicking drills and could injure muscles or ligaments that are not properly conditioned. A short "cool-down" workout after a vigorous training session is also recommended. By visiting a school, you can discover whether these facets are included in the training. Location A school's proximity to your home or work should be taken into consideration prior to signing up. Although an hour commute to class might not seem too bad at first, keep in mind that you will be making that drive two-to-three times a week for the next several years. Find a school that fits your needs, but is also within an acceptable driving distance. Equipment/ Facility Martial arts schools vary in the type of equipment and amenities they offer. Some are large and modern, and pro- vide weight-training equipment, showers and lockers, while others do not. It is up to you to decide what is most important and necessary for your training. All schools should offer basic comforts, adequate equipment and learning essentials. Remember: A pretty school isn't necessarily a highly functional school, and vice versa. Styles Ask instructors about the size and composition of classes before signing up for lessons. Adults may not want to be in the same class with children, some of whom may be able to perform the techniques better than their old counterparts. Most instructors recommend starting with one type of martial art and learning its essentials before trying another style. However, many martial artists like to be exposed to a variety of styles, and compare them to their own, instead of focusing on one art. There are schools that offer both types of training; you must decide which method you prefer.Ask instructors about the size and composition of classes before signing up for lessons. Adults may not want to be in the same class with children, some of whom may be able to perform the techniques better than their old counterparts. Class Sizes and Schedules Many new students prefer to be part of a large training group, rather than a small class. However, the benefits of a smaller class should not be overlooked. In a smaller class, you will likely receive more individual attention from the instructor, and there is less of a chance of becoming "just a number." If you prefer private, one-on-one lessons with the chief instructor, that can usually be arranged. You should also check with the instructor about what time of day classes are offered, as well as their duration. Some schools offer 90-minute classes, but most seem to be an hour long. Decide what length you would be most comfortable with before committing to a school that offers classes that are either too long or too short for your tastes. Quality of Instruction The attitude of both the instructor and the students can tell you a lot about a school. Respect and discipline can be forced or natural. If the school is headed by a well-known martial arts master, many prospective students mistakenly believe they will receive their instruction from this individual. Such is rarely the case, however. More often than not, classes will be taught by an assistant or high-ranking students at the school. That's not to say these individuals are not fully qualified to teach, but a prospective student should ascertain ahead of time who will be doing the instruction, and how available the master instructor will be to help you during the course of your learning. Class Age Groups Check to see if classes are separated by age and/or belt level. Adult students may not appreciate training with second-graders, some of whom may be able to execute the techniques better than they can. You may find yourself as the only adult in a class full of much younger students, and the different maturity levels could prove distracting to both you and them. Ranking Your chances of receiving one-on-one insruction from the teacher are increased when you attend a small martial arts school. Some martial arts instructors are in business simply to get your money and could care less about your progress in the art they teach. To discover if this is the case, ask the instructor about his belt ranking system. If he says you need to be proficient in a certain number of basic movements, forms, sparring and self-defense techniques before he will promote you to a higher belt level, you are likely dealing with an honest teacher. If, on the other hand, the instructor tells you that you will receive a new belt every two months, be wary. You should never move up in rank until you are ready and qualified to do so. A good instructor does not push students to move up in rank merely to receive a belt-testing fee. Size of School Martial Arts schools come in all sizes. Some are part of a large chain, others are small operations run by a single in- structor. The quality of instruction you will receive at a school is not necessarily related to its size. You can receive both poor or excellent instruction at a small school, and the same goes for large schools. Although large schools may have better equipment and a nicer facility, smaller schools offer students more personal attention from the instructor(s). Check out both types during your research. Price of Instruction Rarely do martial arts schools advertise their price of instruction in the phone book. Prices could be determined on a monthly basis, over several months, or by how often you train each week. In some cases, the price is negotiable depending on how many people will be taking classes with you (family package deals, for example). There are instructors who charge as little as $50 dollars a month for instruction, and there are those who garner $50 or more for a single one-hour session. It is up to you to determine what you feel is a fair and manageable price for instruction. After some research, you will know who is asking too much. Just because a school is small and training is conducted in a spartan environment doesn't mean the instruction is not top quality. Good martial arts schools come in all shapes and sizes. There are countless other minor details to consider when choosing a school. Is the school clean? A clean school is a sign of pride and respect. Is the instructor receptive to your questions? If you are treated like an annoyance when trying to find out about the school, you will probably be treated like an annoyance while you're taking classes. Conversely, if the instructor seems too eager to sign you up and answers with rehearsed responses, a warning light should go off in your head. Does the school have air-conditioning and/or heating? Seems like a silly question until it's sizzling or freezing out- side. All of this may sound like a lot of work simply to find a place to take martial arts lessons. But if you are planning to invest hundreds of dollars and hundreds of hours in martial arts classes over the next few years, don't you want to be sure of what you are getting in return? If you make a list of the things you feel are important, and check off those items as you visit prospective schools, you will find that your choices are quickly narrowed. Before long, you will be performing martial arts drills at a school that is right for you. **GoldDragon**

We all are Game Freaks and I am one of them so why be ashamed to admit it- lol I decided to start this topic to see whats your favorite game? It can be from Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Arcade, Sega, Playstation, PS2, or whatevery system you have and game you love to play. For starters= my favorite game(s) are the "Silent Hill" and "Resident Evil "games. What bout you?

leg stretches open-wide horse stances try and not to over do your stretching-stretch as far as the limit but dont pull to hard.-start off slow-

Ok all- check this out and tell me what you think.- As some of you know ( for a while) I am a Martial Artist. To those who dont know- well know you do....LOL Arts I have Studied: Nothern/Southern Shaolin Kung Fu Korean TKD ShotokanRyu Karate Muay Thai ( Tay Son Nhan ) Kickboxing ...and now studing Capoeira ( from my cousin). When I go to spar in my Dojo I use all my Arts in one style. I start off in a basic fighting stance, then jump in with a TKD kick, and land doing a Praying Mantis stance while doing some Capoeira "dancing" Confussing huh?--(LOL) Well I get the same responses when I spar. LOL- Use what you learned and dont be ashamed to go the distance:)

OK- so i havent been here in a long time and i see some major changes......LOL How in the world do you add a pic near your name? Thanks- and hello to my Sensi Patrick