ninjanurse

In my old school, you are required to make up your own kata for 2nd degree and your own weapons kata for 3rd degree. They are both musical forms and must incorporate both traditional and modern techniques. Flow was the key in both.

Pro2006, looks like we're in the same boat now! It appears that some schools teach they do, and some teach they don't. If you measure out each stance so they are all uniformly done..you end up behind the start line, so this leads to the next question. Some texts state that a forward (front) stance is 1.5 times the length of a walking stance, some say it is 2 times. Could the difference be in the ratios between the two stances? What do most practitioners think? Still confused

As a follower of Yeshua and a martial artist, I find no incompatabilities between the two simply because I put God first in my "do". "Do" is simply a word that means "way" and my "do" and your "do" are different and personal. The "do" of martial arts has an underlying philosophy that strives to help one know oneself and be able to overcome the selfish and self centered tendancies that we all have. Is this not one of the same messages that Yeshua taught-to put yourself aside and focus on others needs rather than your own? I agree with Hobbitbob that certain "sects" of Christianity have reduced everything to a Good and Bad dualism and that they sometimes get so caught up in the traditions and ideals of their own demoninations that they forget what it is really all about. Religion, like martial arts, is a personal journey and if you are well grounded in your faith you can be assured that God will be pleased with how you live and grow while you are traveling.

Hey Sparky! Sounds like an excellent opportunity for you. Let me ask you this: Do you already help out in classes with the lower belts, i.e, helping with techniques, kata, etc.? Most schools require this of lower belt levels for just this reason. It is to prepare you to become an instructor-to be able to pass on the art as it was taught to you. You can use this as a base for developing your own teaching style. It is a good idea to find a role model at first, mimic their style, and then build on it. Lastly, it' not the belt color that makes the instructor, it's the person wearing it. They would not ask you to step up if they did not think you were capable of the task. Good luck!!!

I don't see anyone disrespecting others here, I just see someone who doesn't understand a very simple statement/quote and has taken offense and become defensive about it. Age has nothing to do with it. This forum is about discussion and people should understand that if we all agreed on everything there would be nothing to discuss.

We get a 2 minute break halfway through class to re-hydrate.

I have recently changed TKD schools and am having to learn Taeguk patterns (my previous school did Palgwes). From my experience with kata -both palgwe and Heian (from my shotokan days)- most of these forms begin and end in the same spot. My question revolves around the starting and ending point of the first 3 taeguks. When I do them I end up one step behind the start line. So does another student who learned his forms at a different TKD school. The chief instructor does not when he performs them ad lib, however when we break them down stance by stance he does. We have watched each others stances, analyzed the turns, and looked them up in books... we can not figure it out. My question then is this: Do the first three taeguk patterns start and end in the same spot or do they end behind the start line?

Mind, What I am "implying" is that with proper nutrition and exercise some diabetics can decrease their blood glucose levels enough to be able to reduce their insulin or oral hypoglygemic needs. Diet is a BIG factor in diabetes and exercise helps your metabolism better utilize the nutrients you give it. NO ONE should ever change their medication regimines without consulting their doctor however you can always have control over what goes in your mouth. Assuming you check your blood sugars frequently and use a sliding scale of insulin coverage, you will be able to see a change in your blood sugar trends as you change your diet and increase your physical conditioning. This information will help you and your doctor make appropriate decisions about your health care. A registered dietitian can teach you about appropriate carbohydrates (NOT SNICKERS BARS!) and proteins to acheive muscle building and maintain "normal" blood glucose levels. There are many professional athetletes out there with diabetes that can be an example for you. By the way, a lot of them are vegetarians. Hope this clarifies my previous post a bit...Good luck !

Welcome !

Hello!!

Welcome!!

Welcome!

First of all SNICKERS are a NO NO !!!! Shame on you !!!! Secondly, good nutrition will do more for your blood sugar levels than you may realize. You may even be able to reduce your insulin dose as you get more fit. The human body is amazing and when fed the proper nutrients it will start to heal itself and balance out it's chemisty. You should be able to build muscle with proper protien intake and balanced COMLEX carbohydrates. I suggest you do some research on the subject or contact a nutritionist. Personal anecdote: A very good friend of mine who was insulin dependant with peripheral neuropathy in her feet started MA just because her son did. After a few months her insulin requirments decreased and last I heard-she was off!! Of course, she was very deligent about her diet and I never saw her eat a snickers! Do crunches (not situps) until the muscles are fatigued and begin to fail..it will vary depending on the condition of the muscles and you will be doing more and more as you get in shape. You should be able to feel new definition in your abs in a few weeks but will need to get rid of all the subq fat in order for you to see them.

I started martial arts out of sheer desperation to get over my shyness and sheer lack of people skills . I didn't play well with others so I went for something I could do and conquer alone. I will always be grateful to my first teacher (Thank you Herb Nye!), who believed in me and inspired me to continue on this journey. The lessons I have learned along the way have enriched my life and allowed me to take on the challenges I never thought would be possible. For some, martial arts is just a system of self defense and a way to fight, for me it was a lifesaver and has truely become my way to live.

It will also help to have a target (preferably a free standing bag) so that you have instant feedback as to your technique,i.e., over spin, under spin, etc.

I don't know about you, but I worked by butt off and learned a ton of new curriculum for each of my dan gradings-not to line the schools pockets, but to make myself a better martial artist. There are those of us out here that acheive higher rankings because of the hard work we put in and the desire we have to constantly improve ourselves. It is not the Dan that makes you better it is your efforts that make you better. People should be judged by the fruits of their labors not their belt and schools should not be looked down upon because of the number of dan gradings they have. Judge no one until you know them. OK...I'm done!

I am a firm believer that when there is a standard to be met, the best will meet it-regardless of their sex.

Exactly! (No disrespect intended but it makes the point.)

Tai Ji has many animal stances.

Shogun, I liked your story

I'm with CrazyRocker on this one. I wanna be really, really "old" and still be kicking some butt !!!

All righty then!!!!

A few come directly to mind: What do I get for my money? How many classes week? Are there additional testing fees? What are the requirements for attendance, testing, etc.? What happens if I am injured and can't train for a while? What about if I move away? Are there hidden costs, i.e., additional uniforms, seminar fees, etc.? Who will be instructing my classes? How aften is the school closed? Can I change my training schedule if needed? There are many other questions, as I am sure our forum members will bring up. A piece of advice...don't sign any contract or make any committment until you have observed and taken a few classes, talked with students, and met all the instructors. Contracts are hard to get out of once you sign on the dotted line.

I have done rooted stances before but I am used to them being much wider. I agree with being rooted during kicking, etc. , concepts learned early in karate. Thanks for the added insights!