delta1

'Lo, Goku. Good tohave you here.

* on this forum usually means you got caught by the profanity filter. Asterix is a comic, about a small village of Gauls who are the laast holdout against the Romans. Asterix is the main character, a cunning little warrior. His best friend is Obelix, a menhir deliveryman. Their Druid is Gettafix, and he brews their magic potion. The bard is named Cacafonix, the Chief is Vitalstatix, and ... You can probably figure out by now why I asked. If you get the chance, read some of the comix. They're funnier than *

Greetings to you too, Boxing Master, and welcome!

Again, Beka, I'm not going to subject the forum to a political debate. I will suggest that your portrayal of American fighting men and women as wanting to party and kill innocents, or as propogandized fools, was inapropriate here. Some of us choose to honor a fallen warior, others are free to use the occasion to politicise and sling mud. But one thing is undeniable: it is the sacrifices made by thousands of men like this who gave you the opportunity to vent your spleen openly here. You have a good life.

You've peaked my curiosity. What does a billing company know about running a martial arts class? What, specifically, did they help you with here? I'm guessing some general instructor training, but that doesn't seem like the kind of thing billing companies would do. On the other hand, ...?

Beka, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about here. I'd say it is you who have fallen prey to the propoganda that saturates Berkeley. People do not go into the military just to kill someone, or to harm those who don't deserve it. And you don't understand the martial arts, either. The military, like martial arts training, is there in case we are attacked. Neither is there in the hopes we are attacked, but with the sure knowlege that without some protection we will be attacked. And, when we are attacked, either as individuals or as a nation, we are justified in responding with violence. 9/11 happened, and proved the appeasers and pacifiers to be wrong. This man and others chose to do something positive about it. To dishonor those who fight and give their lives to keep you free is neither courageous nor honorabe. It is the worst kind of cowardice and treason. I'd urge you to look and think for yourself rather than regurgitating the filth that is fed you in Berkeley. Respond as you like to this, I'm not going to get into a political argument here, other than to possibly encourage you to take a more sane and honorable view.

Dijita, I'm 51. I just sound younger because I never developed any common sense! I was told to take care of myself when I was younger too. Things like "Never get involved in sports that require you to wear armoured underwear." But, like all young people, I thought I was invinceable. Believe me, all the injuries you get now, you will feel later on in life. But you can generally learn to deal with it. Problem is, some things really hang with you and limmit what you can do. Other things, if not given proper care, can result in other injuries secondary to the original. I once ripped my hamstring form butt to knee doing a hard reverse roundhouse kick to my opponents solar plex. The physical therapist told me it was probably due to an old leg injury that was not properly cared for. But, I look around and see the condition a lot of people my age are in, and I don't have it that bad. And I ain't done yet! So, I'd say stay with it, train hard, but use a little (un)common sense.

Thanx, Sai. It's in my favorites list, and I'll look through it a little later.

Good to meet you, Ktonix. You wouldn't happen to be an Asterix fan, would you?

Whenever a public figure makes this kind of sacrifice, it brings home the sacrifice of all who serve so that we are safer. I think it a fitting honor to a man of Pat Tillmans' character to take this time to honor all who have made this supreme sacrifice over the years, and all who endure the dangers and hardships still, including their families. My sympathies to Mr. Tillmans' family, and the families of all who've lost their lives in the service of their country. My thanks to all those who still serve. Let's not forget that the enemies who orchestrated 9/11 are still there, and still promise worse. They have not been able to make good their threats! The progress in Afghanistan and Iraq is nothing short of phenominal, thanks to the efforts of people like Pat Tillman. The sacrifices of our service men and women are not in vain, and I very much appreciate what they do. Honor and respect, sir, and may you rest in peace.

There are a lot of ways to meditate. A good one for you here is to relax, clear your mind of the garbage we all carry around, and focus on relaxing more. Inventory your body for tension several times. Start with an inventory of large muscle groups. Next, inventory smaller groups. Keep working down to the smallest groups of muscles you can identify. Whenever you find tension, stop and allow the muscles to relax. This is important, don't try to force it. Concentrate also on your breathing, keeping it deep, slow and even. Inventory yourself internally, feel what your organs are doing, how you feel spiritually and emotionally. Don't worry if your mind wanders, just bring it gently back on track. You may even have a tendency to nodd of to sleep. That's ok, just sort of bring yourself gently back up on line. Get used to the state of total relaxation and deep breathing. Now, before you fight, tell yourself to breath deeply, and allow yourself to enter this relaxed state. When the fight is about to start, bring yourself up to a level of guarded relaxation. Your mind will be calm, focused. You are not tense, but your relaxed state is not flacid either- your muscles are ready to go into motion with lightning speed and power, but harnessed/ controled for the tournament fight. "Still water, stone mountain" was good advice.

Thanks, aefi. I do still get to train, and I did a light workout today even, though I can't push it too much yet. The doc said my overall fitness and flexability are important plusses in the healing process, though I'm loosing both rapidly. It's frustrating. But then, on the other hand, it's my own dang fault for getting carried away and not having the sense to stop when I recognized the danger signs. Sometimes I get carried away with the attitude in my byline and don't consider that, from time to time, you have to pull in early for some repairs and preventive maintenance! Life's not a race to the junk heap either!

That's called common sense, but you'll probably get over it! Seriousely, everyone is nervouse from time to time. Just look at the senior students and remember, they all had to start somewhere. Many of them wee probably worse than you (you have a little idea what's going on at least, from watching your son), and they all remember what it was like. That's one of the great things about the martial arts, you mess up, you get help instead of condemnation.

It's a choice, people. It's hard to love someone else when you are the center of your own universe. More you give, the more you get. And, it only gets better with time. But you'll never really understand love, for your wife or anyone else, until the first time you hold your newborn baby in your arms. That's when you really start to understand it. Then again, you get a much better grasp on what love means when that baby becomes a petulant, snarly, emotional, obstreperouse, hormone crazed teen ager. If they survive those years in tact, you, the parent, truly know what it means to love!

Yes and no to the muscular tension. You have to relax and settle into your base, useing only those muscles necessary to support you. Requires practicing and conditioning, and conscious relaxation until it becomes second nature. This is the Taiji viewpoint, or method, and is very similar to what tommarker is talking about.

Now there's a sign for you! I went to Mamma and typed in 'Bob McMahan', and I got a bunch of obituaries! Just great! Ah, well... long as I can laugh about it, I'm still alive, right?

Thanks, Sai. I'll do a search. I'm a little too disgusted to do much else right now any how. (Snivel, boo-hoo. I'll get over it sooner or later).

Red Triangle student and Jiyn, welcome to the forums here!

Question:"Do you believe in True Love?" Answer: "Yes!" Every doggone time!

I'm glad he likes it and is doing well. Congrats to the both of you. Sounds like they have a good childrens program there. You thought about checking out the adult program yet? Warning: kids are the best recruitment tool most martial artsschools have. A lot of parents are brought in from letting them watch the kids class!

Mart, good to have you here!

Not so simple. If you face multiple opponents, weapons are evident, he's bigger,stronger, or a better fighter, and you know within reason he's going to get violent (and there are reliable signs to make this judgement), I'd say you had better strike first and hardest. Even if you don't know any of these things, but violent conflict is apparently imminent, you are justified in hitting first. The difference in thuggery and self defense is that the thug is the one initiating the conflict. He preys on those he thinks are weaker, and he gives you no choice. The person useing a pre-emptive strike in self defense would not have hit anyone had he not thought his safety was in question. The thug is the recipient of the upward elbow- an excellent opening gambit in the actual assault phase of the confrontation, in my opinion. The only real mistake here was going over to the thugs instead of removing himself from the conflict when he had the chance. Legally, that put him at fault. Morally, which has nothing to do with our current system of justice, he was entirely in the right. Defense of honor, if that is the course you choose, is not wrong. Pride, maybe argueably an immoral act, you'll have to ask the Christians. Common sense, it is generally not a good idea to walk up to three belligerant people when you can walk away. But if anyone finds it dishonorable, I'd question their judgement more than his.

That's a good observation. I know I get that way at times, now that you mention it.

Adjusting to your opponent is one form of reworking techniques. Another is to look at the attack in the ideal phase and alter it a little, see what adjustments might have to be made. Also, what other attacks might this work against? For example, Delayed Sword can be used against the grab, but also against a straight punch, or even his guard if he leaves it out a little. You could replace the kick with a foot maneuver and go straight to the handsword, or if he's a little closer you could delete the kick all together, then possibly put up a left positional check as you strike with the handsword and flow into Five Swords from the handsword to the mastoid. But, with each modification, you have to think about what you've done with relative positioning, his actions and the forces inherent in the attack. For example, the cat prepatory to the front snap kick takes you back a little out of range of his left, which the grab may have been setting you up for. Moving in quick and striking brings you more in his range, but it also jams his attack. The handsword could also be changed to a block (its delivery path is a check any how) and you could still cat back and kick, which brings you back into the base technique. Also, just hammering his guard, you don't have the angular momentum of his roundhouse punch to use against him if you choose to flow into Five Swords, which increases the likelyhood you'll have to deal with his left. Stoping that momentum momentarily disrupts his ballance, and without that disruption his counter can be quicker. Having to deal with that can add a little spontaniety to your practice. Just some examples. I'd talk to your instructor before getting too much into this, though. Since I work out with a small group instead of a regular class, I've had a lot more leeway in doing this kind of thing. There are a lot of Kenpoists that think you should not start doing this too early in your training. And there are some who say you should be able to use the techniques as written, allowing for technique flow when things don't go as planned, with no modifications. Maybe they can do this, but until I can I'll disagree with the second group. Besides, playing around with the techniques is just playtime for me anyhow. By the way, I like the term 'receive' as opposed to blocking also. As you advance, you'll do more of that. But you've already done quite a bit, even at yellow. Whenever you yield or react under force (Alternating Maces), pin a grab (Mace of Agression), use the momentum of his strike to evade (Checking the Storm), or especially use a block to reposition him where you want him (Deflecting Hammer), you've 'received', as opposed to just block and counter. Right about now, the rest of the forum is saying "What the heck is he talking about?" That's ok, though. It's how I am when they start talking Japanese.

Can if you want! I don't mean to imply that I'm at some elevated level with firearms, or any aspect of the martial arts. But, even if we never reach that level, isn't this what we all should be training towards? I just have a real problem with the notion a lot of people have, fueled by the news and entertainment industries, that firearms automatically make you bad, or safe, or unsafe, or anything else. And there's the corralary idea that they make the martial arts obsolete. Far from it. What I'm saying here is that firearms use is a martial art at every level, from the novice to the all knowing guru and every level in between.