taskpaul

Hi! Sounds quite frightening. However, if it only happened on one punch the likelihood of it being a heart problem is small (very small). Extending your arm like that stretches the muscles in your chest wall and also the ligaments on the inside of your rib cage, so you may have squashed a nerve momentarily or even over-worked a muscle group so that it gave you a warning "ouch!" To be on the safe side, and for your own peace of mind, you could visit a doctor and have a stress test done (ECG etc) so that you can be sure there is nothing sinister going on there. Personally, I don't think there is--but then I'm not a doctor! Take care, and I hope you are OK! Paul

Religion, broadly, is any attempt by man to understand and/or reach out to God. This often leads to "traditions" and "rituals" that people say help them focus on their "god". Of course, Christianity is a "religion" in the borad sense of the word, but has a deeper aspect. Where other religions (faiths) have abstract images of gods and goddesses and must appease them by offering some ritual or dedication or gift, Christianity has God reaching out to man. In this it is unique. An example (obviously) is God sending His Son, Jesus to die for man rather than man sacrificing for God. Where does this leave Christianity? Better terms for this is a relationship with God, rather than religion. Man can reach out to God, but this does not necessarily lead to a faith that converts; when God reaches out to man, He offers Himself freely and in response to this love man reaches back and accepts this relationship with God. Of course, if you are not a Christian you will see things differently, that's why I broadly defined all faiths as religion. There are excellent tenets and teachings in all religions, but remember that philosophically no two opposing views can be correct at the same time. Either they are both wrong or only one of them is right. With thousands of religions in the world today it's hard to digest which is right and which wrong, and this explains the eclectic mix we see in the New Age Movement. However, the philosophical argument still stands and only one can be right. Science can be broadly defined as religion too, because some conclusions of sciencerequire man's acceptance of what he can never be sure of. This is called faith in any vocabulary. This isn't true of all science of course. Hope that helps a little? Paul

I went to the doctors yesterday, and he told me that I have some tendonitis in my knee. I have to rest it for two weeks. If it isn't better after that time, I have to go back. He said it felt "grainy" when he moved the tendon, indicating some inflamation. Thanks for the advice. I'll do what the doctor said whilst working on blocks etc to keep myself "in" the game. Perhaps some mild stretching would also help? This is a really helpful place to be!! Thanks again, Paul

Hi. Thanks to all those who welcomed me earlier in the week! I have a knee that is suffering from a sprain on the tendon connecting lower leg bone to patella; training helps as long as I don't do a shotokan special low stance right now Stretching helps and I'm resting the leg/knee frequently, elevating and icing too (which really helps). The pain has subsided somewhat over the last two days, but is it OK to carry on training do you think until the kneww is better or should I stop altogether and wait? I've only just come back to martial arts after a long holiday, and don't want to end at the start! Any advice welcome. Thanks! Paul

Hi all. I am 32 and male and started Karate this year after some years "away" (I got married and started a family), and just passed my 10th Kyu (no big deal I know- but it meant loads to me). My 6 year old daughter has started too and also passed her blue belt! Very proud! I study under a great Sensei in the Traditional Shotokan style, under the T.A.S.K association (John Van Weenan Senior Sensei, 7th Dan). Apart from a very sore knee(!) I am finding it great and am enjoying the exercise, discipline, and kata (though they could be synonymous). I'm looking forward to learning from you all on this excellent forum, and hope I can make some friends as well as contribute. Paul