CDraper

I just started taking Muay Thai and have a TKD/Karate back ground. I think you will be ok, just through more combos combing hands and feet. I've not seen long strings of kicking combos (yet).

It depends. I was always taught to never hit a woman. When i started taking martial arts I also found this can be unfair to women. I'd never try to hit and hurt one of my fellow students be them male or female but I will now hit a women in context of class (sparring, self defense practice stuff). They are there to learn like the rest of us and am happy to treat them appropriately. Matter of fact when doing self defense I encourage them to really apply what they learn, I'd rather have a few extra bruises in class and have a classmate better prepared to defend themselves if the need arises. My 0.02.

If you get a chance to go to one of Sensei Advincula's seminars, he typically goes over chinkuchi and gamaku concepts.

Check out Kult of Athena. they have a pretty wide range of stuff. http://www.kultofathena.com/

Wow that is horrible! There is really nothing I can say here other then I hope for the best for you and your brother/sisters in your organization as they deal with this. Hopefully undetermined time becomes a solid date in the future. best regards

We start learning bunkai as soon as we have our first kata. The bunkai start off basic and evolves as more experience is gathered though.

I have a wavemaster at the house and have been pretty happy with it. We also have them in the dojo.

When I was a kid and my brother was in the army and one of his buddies told me he could take a pistol away from me before I pulled the trigger. So he set it up with an unloaded pistol and holy cow that dude was fast. I held it on him and bam he had it before I had the trigger pulled. That being said I'm pretty sure there are not many people that can do that, pretty sure I can not. Overall I think a firearm is critical to self defense. Particularly if you are disabled. There is absolutely no way my parents could repel an assault on them if someone broke into their house. Their health is not good enough and having a firearm would be their only chance.

It's all good MAfreak. A little language barrier will not stop two people from communicating if both are honest and willing to hear what is meant. Please take my post for what it is meant as educational only and not something against you. ChuckD

My screen name? It is the first letter of my name followed by last name. Chuck Draper

Of the 12000 to 13000 firearms murders a year in the US, aproximately 300 to 320 are by rifles. I'll give you that when they are used and make the headlines the incident is usually bad.

We rode down the beach and they were watching KungFu Panda in the car and some of the quotes are awesome! "My fist hungers for Justice!" LOL There were some others that were funny but cannot remember them exactly at the moment.

I don't know who Mr. Lovingood is but I would tend to agree. Even if you are not a high level "operator" you at least have options if you are armed appropriately.

Awesome, from a student perspective a slow go of the kata with verbal comments and notes about what is going on would be good. Good luck!

I've had the regular P2 boots for about a year now with no issues. Seem to be decent so far. I cannot comment as to how they would hold up against the standard "student" gear. The tournaments I've been to mandated foamed dipped gear so my options were kind of limited. Good luck!

I've got to buckle down and lose tonnage :/

Most of tournaments I've been to allowed all ranks to participate. They do make sure competitors are similar rank, age, and gender.

Congrats

I hate to say it my friend but most of this will be remedied with time and practice. Some food for thought though. I move faster when I'm not flat footed. Try staying on the balls of your feet some. Blocks will get better with practice but remember you don't sometimes need to block hard. Parries can work too and they are softer techniques. Overall stick with it and get comfortable with the basics and try to relax. Win or lose in the Dojo you will learn and get better. And have a good time!!!

Sensei8... That is called being a post ninja

Are fellow students in your dojo into competition as well? We usually get together and car pool to competitions when we go. Maybe organizing a carpool will work. Our last competition I bowed out so I could watch my children compete, I still wanted to compete though :/

For what it is worth I found my guard got better when I extended my arms out some from my body. When I run a tight guard I struggle to block incoming techniques but with my arms slightly extended out it gives me a bit more time to react since they are already part way in position. Hope the description is ok. Good luck Chuck

So far just from our style.

Sensei8, I see it more as a buffet then a plate lol. There are things on the buffet that you need but wouldn't necessarily eat, but the Sensei takes that plate and makes sure you are learning all aspects of your chosen art. Overall in my opinion the stress from MA is not bad. It's mental exercise to go with the physical. It is half the fun working to meet those expectations. I don't think I've not satisfied my Sensei in general. I'm sure there are times when he wished I got something right quicker or remembered something but I've never seen any indication he is unsatisfied. As long as your out there on the mat trying your best your good to go. That being said I come down on myself harder for my mistakes then my Sensei does, at least it feels that way. Hope this helps. Ramble off Chuck Thank youm CDraper, for your post; very solid!! As a student, do you feel that your MA plate is way too full, and does that add to the stress levels of trying to reach and meet expectations all of the time?? Do you feel that you never satisfy your instructor?? We tell students if they ever feel overwhelmed don't quit, just come to less classes, until they're ready to do more.

Speaking as a student I think it is why students stop training at various points. Once they reach their limit they stop and those times vary by student. Each person has their threshold. That being said that is one reason why we come to martial arts is to learn where those thresholds are and to see if we can over come them. My humble opinion. ChuckD