Alan Armstrong

There is also a propreceptive aesthetic aspect to katas, that might well be worth exploring. In other words, practicing a kata as a performance art, as a thing of beauty to see and feel. If a person can feel the beauty of each movement and how they connect harmoniously, then perhaps the common denominator of the kata is better based on feeling the movements rather than forcing them. As martial artists, the beauty of things contained in katas are also practical. If a kata feels right then it is right, on the contrary when something goes wrong, we feel it also. Each kata is interpreted differently by each individual and each time a kata is performed by an individual there will always be something different about it, usually on how the performer is feeling. Another perspective, have a trick that I would play on my self, that I found very helpful. The trick was when doing something in which I'm not good at, practiced at, talented at, I would tackle the situation as an artist. As artists usually pay attention to details and quality, also creative problem solving. Artists usually try to make boring things look interesting. Spice up your kata movements with interesting timing: fast and abrupt, deep and tall, smooth and sharp, anything other than dull! Without overdosing this subject, katas need to look and feel interesting and very important to the person performing them, other wise the viewers will become more bored, than a drawn out church service preaching on the values of being a good listener.

Loyalty does give a sense of belonging. The loyalty traits of dogs are admirable. Loyalty in marriage also implies trust. We are no strangers to loyalty as loyalty cards are available in marketing strategies to reward those that continually support supermarkets and coffee shops. Loyalty is a two way street, once trust has been broken on either side, the sense of belonging falls to the wayside and the dog runs away or on the other side becomes abandoned. There are most definitely some very good martial art schools out there, that invite other styles to exhibit and that purposely expose students to alternative ways of doing martial arts. I'm sure the students of these MA schools appreciate being exposed to the diversity out side of their own style bubble. CI's that have the confidence and the foresight to expand their students awareness to the "World Wide Martial Art Scene" is also helping students to understand that they belong to a much larger picture, this is also building up a special open minded relationship of loyalty and trust with the students; which is admirable. Belonging to such a school will strengthen loyalty and trust between CI's and students. Each student from a marketing point of view, will be sharing their positive experiences with others, openly showing their loyalty and belonging, to a martial art, that is truly worth supporting.

Looking for martial art challenges, that could be performed on a regular daily (trial) basis for five days. Not looking for silly ideas such as breaking 100 bricks while skydiving naked in to a swimming pool filed with gello and whipped cream. Realistic challenges that can improve or enhance a martial artist's training is preferable. Video links accepted! Guinness book of records (MA only) ideas also accepted! Mixing martial art styles and techniques also accepted! Creativity and difficulty challenges accepted! Or share your very own developed exercise move(s) or technique(s) and name them after yourself; accepted!

I really like your last comments; wildbourgman.I could beat up the 16 year old version of myself with one finger, being more than 3 times older.

Recently listening to testimonials by martial artists, that had invested many years and money, in to their chosen style, to come to the eventual realization that they cannot defend themselves in the outside world. MAA has been a wakeup call for many martial artists, that have been conditioned to think that their style has been blessed by a higher power. As progressing in one MA style is a tradition for many, being exposed to other styles from time to time has its benefits, such as expanding one's own martial art awareness. Some martial art styles are derived from other styles or two or three styles have been merged to make a new one, if they survive long enough, they become elevated to the status of traditional. Many people all over this planet, in the 196 countries that devide it, truly belive, that their country is the best in the world and they will fight to defend it with their life; this fallacy keeps the people from defecting, a similar method used to keep martial artists loyal to a style! There are those that have never explored beyond their own borders and when they do, without learning new ways of appreciation, blindfold themselves further in to narrow mindedness and ignorance. Have you explored more than one martial art style?

Now we are talking/grunting! Well done!!!!Not only flipping them, but rolling them, as well, is quite a cardio warm-up and calorie burn. Then, I also drag them behind me for 50-100 yards. More and more I see gyms, especially Cross-Fit gyms, have several tires in varying sizes that their members can use. I'll also hit them with a 20lb sledgehammer 100 times per side. Of course, with my lower back in its present state, I'm not as active with them as I use to be. Creatively is more important than knowledge; Einstein.Creative workouts have there place in the world of fitness. The body responds to irregularity in surfaces and variations of movement as we were not born to exercise in indoor gymnasium environments. While on the cave people workout topic, as they hunted or looked for food, moving heavy objects was a part of their everyday way to survive. I'm sure cavemen wrestled with animals just as much as they did with each other; survival of the fittest, sometimes depended of brute strength alone. Wrestling with a larg tractor tire and then beating it with a sledge hammer, must be similar to wrestling with perhaps a bear or wolf, then having to beat it with a weapon. Something mankind has had to do out of necessity, many millenniums ago, way before rubber tires and metal hammers heads, were made available to us. Nothing wrong with having a caveman workout, then eating heartedly and followed up with a nap. Seems like the natural order of things.

Now we are talking/grunting! Well done!!!!

I really don't want to try and sound like a know it all. I'm just a life time martial art student. So whoever reads my suggestions, knows that I'm not a doctor or therapist, just having a very keen interest in martial arts, that likes to share and help others. Back on track with hip turnouts and kicking. There are significant differences with kicking styles, from: karate, gung fu, TKD and so on... what they all have in common is the hips need to be conditioned and engaged in kicks. Ballet is not based on natural movement and conditioning for this type of dance demands an unnatural turnout of the hips. At a young age, girls in particular are subjected to exercises that change hips to turnout permanently. Exercises for ballet dancers is also reshaping hips for a lifetime. Just as foot binding (small feet) was considered beautiful (In China) so is hip turnout, that adds exceptional beauty (In France) to dancers movements. As high heel shoes slenders out legs and creates a hip movement (In the USA) that looks and feels seductive. Men being built differently in many ways than women, including the hips, due to child birth and carrying a baby for 9 months as men, do not need this type of hip design. Also men are at another disadvantage than women because hips are not generally associated to male sports or movements. Men are usually limited to martial arts movements to improve flexibility, that are ususlly muscle stretching movements, whereas women have reached closer to the bone with stretching ligaments at an early age. My guess is, that men that are flexible as adults have had female influences (at a young age) such as sisters or relatives that were stretching for ballet or cheerleaders, especially today with Pilates and Yoga not forgetting, pole dancing. Male influences for flexibility reasons today, could come from gymnastics, break dancing and hip hop movements that are socially acceptable. The big question for male and female martial artists, is it possible to reshape hips to do a reasonable turnout in the later stages of life? My answer is, depending on the person or individual as we are all different. I believe if a person has the determination and conviction that it is possible, to developed a reasonable improvement in their turnout to improve their kicking abilities, then the answer is yes. Improving hip turnout for martial art porpoises alone, should also consider improving one's quality of life also. As maintaining or improving flexibility is an intelligent move in make, while heading towards senior years. If a person has no previous hip problem issues, then turning them out should not be a problem. Consulting with a doctor if there has been hip issues in the past is advisable. The good news is, there is no need for setting a specific time to practice as any time is a good time. Doesn't cost any money just your time. Gradually building up your range of motion in the hips will increase your martial art confidence. Improved flexibility will enhance your kicks and forms. Balance, strength and coordination will improve due to focusing on the hip fulcrums. There are no negative side effects to improving hip turnouts, only that the knees need to be kept from twisting and turning during conditioning the hips. A personal favorite of mine is straddling on gymnasts parallel bars, with my legs dangling over each bar and holding on with my hands, rocking gently forwards and backwards, feeling the strech in the gluts and groin area. Listen to everyone's advice on achieving hip turnouts with exercises and then pick and choose which ones suits you best. Improving hip turnout isn't going to happen over night, yet over time it will, combined with martial art body mechanics, kicks will start to become easier and more responsive, that might feel astonishing to you at the beginning. There are food supplements supposedly designed for improving joints and ligaments, I personally take them, but know that they are not scientifically proven to work. What ever you want in life and it is a reasonable request, chances are you will succeed in getting it! Never give up trying, this is the secret to successful results.

Which aspect of martial arts have you neglected? Are you willing to fight to get back what you have lost? Are your martial art skills going up or down, or perhaps on a Plato?

From a Wing Chun perspective and I'm not commenting on behalf of the other two million practioners.There is what is called "Touch, Sensitivity, Neutrality and Speed" The touch part is Intel and Info usually intercepting, deflecting, controlling and or trapping, travelling at a faster rate of speed than the opponent to take the advantage of surprise and positioning. The speed part is also connected with the touch aspect, deciphering all the information intuitively and acting instinctively; wedging oneself directly in to the opponent while simultaneously striking first, with as many follow-up strikes as possible. There is also a bridge factor, that connects sensitivity, this is when two opponents make physical contact, no matter how brief this is, information is exchanged, the Wing Chun practitioner, through proper training should be able to use this information and act accordingly, depending on pressure and energy directions from the opponent. Nutrality makes the Wing Chun fighter aware of the benefits of not over reacting or under reacting as they are equally ineffective and inefficient just as being too slow or too fast. Being slow implies missing opportunities as being too fast implies lack of accuracy and control. Bruce Lee's take on this was "Don't give up power for speed" Yes, in the classroom environment slow is necessary to make corrections and comprehension easier as practicing too fast isn't helpful for beginners. Yes, in a real fight situation, it is all action and reaction, without any other considerations, other than, being responsive and in the moment, just isn't the time or place to be contemplative on the subject of speed and timing; to be or not to be, fast or slow is (Out of) the question!

I am in big agreement with you sensei8.Hips in the big picture of martial arts is all important and encompassing. For those that want to kick effectively or beautifully need to focus primarily on their hip turnout; of course other factors need serious consideration such as stacking the hips, stretching, balance, strength, flexibility, coordination and posture... good body mechanics

Sometimes the style can dictate the speed.Had a good habit in one style that was considered bad in another; example. While sparring in JKD/Wing Chun mentality, against/in TKD classes, the CI was constantly complaining that I didn't move away quick enough when attacked. The reason I didn't move quick enough for the CI was that I wasn't falling for or reacting to feint's. Also there were those that attacked at such a long distance, that their techniques wasn't worth reacting to, due to not being of any threat. Ironically by my piers, I was described as the guy that moves very fast. Speed, being faster than the opponent is an advantage, combining it with efficient techniques and expert timing is something worth pursuing.

There are always alternatives, it is being aware of the different ways of doing things (in my eyes) that keeps the body and mind flexible. By now most of us are aware of Yoga and the benefits associated with practicing it. Is there an alternative to doing Yoga; perhaps better put, is there an alternative to doing Yoga as we are all different, with different capabilities and needs? As we are all different then I would say, yes! Then one alternative to consider is "Intuitive Stretching" As the "intuitive' implies, how a person feels. As 'stretching' implies lengthening and reaching. I believe we all stretch intuitively, without the need to become an "Indian Yogi Master" With the idea that we all stretch intuitively, is a good place to start to appreciate that this is something we were all born with. As babies we were all stretching intuitively, a Yoga pose called "Happy Baby" is what we did naturally, without an instructor. As we grow older we need a teacher to teach us what we had already known! Chances are, that you are already doing intuitive stretching, when not in a class room setting or working out without an instructor. Limbering up is intuitive stretching and many will discover how good it feels. The reason for this is that there is no set pattern to lumbering up, doing what feels right is right. As you are limbering up, you are most likely listening to your body; connecting mind with body. Add the breath to the mind and body, then you have reached the "Union" Yoga. Without the Yoga label from the East there is an alternative which is called "Pandiculation" this is described as: A body yawn. Resetting muscle length usually after sleeping. Limbering up muscle groups for a specific action. Bodybuilders can benefit from intuitive stretching due to focusing on areas that need attention due to muscle fatigue and tension. Martial artists can use intuitive stretching also, on areas that are in need of immediate attention. Foam rollers are becoming popular in Gym settings but for those that workout outdoors, wooden posts, hand rails are handy substitutes. Creative intuitive stretching, if it feels good, do it! Personally I like to incorporate ankle and wrists weights using gravity creatively. What type of stretching do you do intuitively?

This the "ballet turnout" of the hips of any use to martial artists? I believe the answer to this question is a big yes. Body mechanics is reliant on the turnout of the hips for side on kicking techniques such as the round kick, side kick and hook kick. The axe kick and front kick can also benefit from the ballet turnout of the hips. Could rightly be asking, what has ballet have to do with martial art kicking. There are many reasons to bring up this topic, so to start things off in no particular order. Have you noticed that ballet dancers walk differently than martial artists? Ballet dancers are easy to pick out when walking about in public due to walking similar to a duck. This observation is not in any way, shape or form intended to be an insult to ballet dancers, as this to them is common knowledge. The reason ballet dancers walk similar to a duck is due to years of ballet conditioning to turn the hips outwards. This turnout of the hips for ballet dancers is due to performing on a stage. As the audience is viewing them perform in a parallel position. There is also a body mechanic reason, that not only adds to the aesthetic (gracefulness) but also functionality (balance) Without the proper turnout of the hips a ballet dancer will not be able to perform at the high standard that this art demands. Martial artists don't train like ballet dancers do, neither should they. But there is an important ingredient that martial artists should contemplate on adopting for practical reasons. The reason is, that adopting the turnout hip method when conditioning for kicking, will save on martial artists damaging their knees and also will help deliver more powerful kicks. Martial artists, many there of, don't turnout the hips while kicking, so to compensate for this, the knee of the supporting leg twists. Yes we are taught to keep the knees over the toes while practicing katas (while in a stance) but when kicking? Not near as often! There is alot that can be said on this topic and I am hoping that many of you will participate in it. Turnout conditioning isn't none existing for martial artists, just under emphasized. Doing hip turnout training at the bar as ballet dancers do isn't the answer, for martial artists, due to maybe the feet are twisting out properly but the hips are not moving whatsoever, therefore the knees are twisting in a damaging manner. This is why knees are visible when training, so corrections can be easily spotted and corrected. Floor exercises that start from the knee up to the hips is preferable. While laying on one's back while the soles of the feet touch each other, in a butterfly position and a stretching partner puts a downwards pressure just above the knees. Also while laying on one's front in the frog position and once again a stretching partner puts steady downward pressure on the gluts. These are just a few ways of adding to turnout flexibility, go slow, be warmed up first, don't rush your stretch and do it often.

I was wondering if the training injuries incurred, with all the comments so far are all from male participants, or are there females that have sustained injuries, such as broken noses and cracked ribs also?

Are you cheating on your flexibility training? Martial artists are recommend to stretch three times a day. But really, if a person is cheating on their flexibility routines, then it doesn't matter how many times they stretch, because in all likelihood, it isn't doing them any good and soon after, they will quit, due to poor results. Then how does a martial artist know if the stretching routine they are doing is correct or not? Many martial artists turn to Yoga to find the answer or ballet and gymnastics. To turn to other measures other than martial art for flexibility help, isn't fixing the problem, if in reality the problem is due to cheating on flexibility training methods. To use a metaphor like cleaning the house. If a person cuts corners and doesn't clean properly then, it isn't smelling as good as it should be. Then over time continuing the pattern of not cleaning thoroughly mold and bacteria take over. Till its too late and the house needs fumigation. Now imagine you are the house, you own it so it is your responsibility to take care of it. What do people want to do to a house, once they own it, renovations of course! Now the next question is, how much time and effort does a person want to spend on it? If the house is for a quick resale then as little time and money as possible is the answer. But what if that person wants to live out the rest of their life in this house till the day they die? Then renovating the house properly "Without cutting corners" is sensible and advisable, because if not renovated properly, problems will eventually catch up with the sub standard workmanship. Throwing money at fixing problems doesn't usually help, but understanding the problem with time and patience is a step in the right direction. So back on topic to renovate or improve flexibility for the rest of your life is an investment. I like to look at it this way, flexibility is a work in progress project. It is not possible to buy it and it is not possible to hire someone to do it for you. Flexibility is your responsibility and yours alone. People that are flexible have maintained it or have regained it due to regular practice methods. Muscles need maintaining otherwise they stop working. The same idea applies to ligaments, joints and bones, they need attention also. Back to the renovation of the house idea. Bones are the structure including the foundation, without it we will all fall down. But unlike a house we have moving parts, yes and a Wind Mill also has moving parts, equivalent to joints and ligaments. To renovate the Wind Mill house, including all of its moving parts need to be maintained otherwise it will cease to work properly and instead of being a functional viable structure, it will fall victim to neglect and decay. Renovations no matter the project need plans and diagrams, time, money and materials, also a labor force. Flexibility requires a deep understanding of human structural anatomy such as bones, joints, ligaments and muscles. Also how these change throughout the human life cycle. The reason for this, is that there are different changes to be aware of to prevent injuries when stretching depending on age. As people become older pain becomes an issue therefore exercises become more difficult or impossible. Older people feel more pain than younger people do, therefore to avoid the pain, their range of motion will suffer also. The old man and wind mill both seized up due to lack of due care and attention of proper maintenance skills. This is where "Proper maintenance skills" are required to maintain and improve flexibility throughout a person's life. Could call it "Flexibility insurance" Would you buy a cheap house insurance policy for your home? Luckily enough; Flexibility insurance costs only minutes a day. Think of it as (with another stretch of the imagination) a "Flexibility Savings Account" Every minute you stretch in the present you will get back in the future. But with one exception "No cheating on your flexibility training" How is this done? By activating or engaging all of your joints and ligaments first and muscles join in softly, relaxed, calm without unnecessary tension. Never rush this aspect, communication and understanding of oneself is the key "Yoga" means unity. The spine should be allowed to join in with this unity with the one major condition of having proper posture at all times. Where the head goes the body follows and the spine bends. Shoulders and chest, should also be a part of the flexibility mix; exaggerating dry swimming movements, reaching, twisting, contracting and expanding; all the while inhaling deeply and gently expulsing the breath into relaxed postures. The hips need to become popular again as in the "Hippy Generation" Make love not war; hips have become neglected, as once upon a time they were an asset. Where hips are still traditionally very important is in Ballet "Turnout" As the foundation for Ballet is the hip turnout, something serious martial artists need to investigate and explore the possibilities there of. For example "The Scorpion Kick" isn't very challenging for a Ballet dancer, yet for most martial artists, it is beyond their range of motion. Flexibility without cheating becomes an art. Any questions?

Are you having problems with bad form while practicing your katas? If so, what seems to be the problem?

MBD maximum bone density, through nutrition and conditioning, can go a long way "preventative medicine" in helping to cut down on injuries. As martial artists, I believe we can do more to help our bodies endure physical punishment with adequate nutrition and exercise. As well as understanding and practicing some of the different types of physiotherapys can be helpful to regain mobility and heal injuries faster. There is a huge amount of information available on specific ailments worth investigating. Learning about how the human body functions on many levels will undoubtedly make a martial artist more aware of how to maintain and improve performance in any chosen style. Fighting Shaolin Monks, were also doctors in their day, as they knew how to reset bones treat bruises and helped heal the sick through nutrition.

This is a virtual Dojo Forum; as good a place as any to learn, make mistakes and grow from the experiences just like a real Dojo.Being different isn't wrong; in a Bruce Lee academy you would get top marks for expressing yourself honestly. Well done Luther unleashed!

Or perhaps make some enemies!

Excellent explanations sensei8

Electronic fitness, is it the way of the future or is it a gimmick? Do you or anyone you know condone this method of fitness or is it a hazard to a person's health? I personally looked in to trying it out but was declined because due to having stents. A traditional gym owner told me in a conversation about the subject of electronic fitness is the lazy way to train. Obviously his opinion was biased and not based on reality. Another person, a friend told me that a relative of his, that was an elite military soldier used the electronic fitness method. That the person using this method needs to be in top shape first and not the route to take starting off out of shape first. Bruce Lee in the 1970's used electronic muscle stimulation techniques in his training; I have heard it said that Lee was pound for pound the strongest man in the world. Perhaps Bruce Lee was on to something (with electronic fitness) that most martial artists have overlooked.

I hear what you're saying, I'm not sure if you're saying that this is something that I am into because it definitely isn't, like I said I trained in martial arts that don't offer any rank so not really the issue for me. I think the black belt is just a good stopping point if you were going to have one that's all. I don't see belts as carrying the same weight as a lot of people do because I trained in many styles I've seen such a huge variation in the standard so it means less to me personally. Also training in styles that have no belt system whatsoever I recognize the high level of skill and understanding one can have without a single belt . You are definitely right though, I have seen instructors who are very knowledgeable on the surface meeting with the traditions and patterns and so on and so forth but really lacking any in-depth understanding, me on the other hand I feel I have a much more in-depth understanding than the average person who six out martial arts and learns in this manner. Belts can be used as a nice symbol but in the end they are just a marker and everybody holds a different Idea of how to use them. Edit: just to give you an example when I trained in Tong Che Bahk Do, I armed the black belt alongside other students. Because of my background and being much closer to the chief instructor I was on a very different level and was teaching black belts Texas before I was even one myself. In general I think it works is a good defining marker but that's only in general and sometimes it just isn't going to give you a true concept of the abilities of the person wearing it. I taught this art, an held a higher standard then many teachers I saw teaching it WRONG. It wasn't the way it was taught to them. They went on to earn 2nd Dan and I didn't have the ability for reasons that are too long to explain but him closing was one of them. If rank is all that matters I suppose some will choose to go learn from the 2nd or 3rd Dan, rather then the first but I assure you that doesn't always add up the way they assume it does. My point is that I'm not Belt chasing, simply finding a good point to try new, and add to my skills in a different way. Belt chasing isn't a very good career option, style curiosity is more plausible.Changing curriculum is something I have experience in and yes it is fun and motivating to start a new journey. It also carries with it a new set of problems as not belonging to any particular style (completely) can put a person in a lone Wolf situation. Learning many styles is rewarding but by default can make a person knowledgeable, that ironically isn't always a popular position to be in. As having different styles (experience) under one's belt gives that person more options to draw from. In today's world, it is more possible than ever to be a white belt in one style and to be able to defeat the Black belt instructor, due to holding multiple belts in other styles, of course possessing valuable knowledge and experience. A little off topic but... Must admit that I have learned more from my defeats and the bullies that picked on me, as they showed me my weakness. Not all martial artist appreciate their defeats as I do. Sure, being beaten up buy thugs, or tuff guys isn't what many people want to remember. Yet thugs and tuff guys all come from different styles and or backgrounds. The variety of my defeats defies definition. Learning many types of combat can be addictive, for some. So if I had a choice to be a Tenth degree black belt or hold Ten black belts in ten different styles, my answer would be; neither. Expressing myself, with techniques that works for me and not abiding to others that worked for them, make sense. I will and can learn something from everyone, with or without style or belts, of course experienced advice saves alot of time and pain in the long run. My advice is to be "NOT" like me. Rather: Pick one style and stick with it. Be the best you can be at that style. Stick with your CI through thick and thin. Promote and teach this style and pass it on. Put your family first, work second and MA last. I suppose the thing that stands out most in this is the lone wolf thing. I disagree. It's probably different in different parts of the country or even in different countries but the acceptance of blending of arts and things like that is it an all-time high. I don't think that makes you a lone wolf. When my instructor mixed things up and taught Kung Fu, he had Moo Duk Kwan Tang soo Do instructors at the testing table. At times he probably did not even know what he was looking at what the support was there because authenticity is not always mean sticking to one style, at least it doesn't mean it anymore. Chuck Norris was in a video I saw ones talking about how learning more styles is better and it struck me because I realized how American it is that we just love to combine things. Not all Americans of course it's just a broad generalization that I think fits more people than not these days. Of course this was back in the 80s, but still. As for sticking with your instructor I'm a firm believer or of never committing to a person in that manner. Not for your path. I have done it, and although I'm thankful for what I learned in my particular brand of TSD, when thins changed and he eventually packed it up and left, I had no other options. in this way you will only be safe if you picked an extremely popular lineage in your area or in Arts like taekwondo but in reality you could move and all of that could change as far as what is popular in the area and reasonable for you to continue training. I moved as a kid A LOT, and sticking to one thing wasn't so easy, it also wasn't something I cared much about, because it wasn't even about seeking out different styles as much as it was finding a place I was interested in. Whether it was the same or whether was different was not the biggest importance to me growing up, it was that I liked the instructor and the place and that's all. This is how I found Tong Che Bahk Do. It is a highbred martial art that many would look down upon because it is blended but as I said these days it's going that way more. I do not care what Skyler was, I watched through the window and saw the presence of the master instructor and the way he talked and I knew right away I was joining. He could have said it any Marshall her name and I would not have cared the least. In the end when I'm trying to say it's not that I chase different styles but more so that because of my circumstances have a learn to enjoy switching. I'm not saying everybody should switch or that everybody should not but I'm just pointing out that there are many positives that I see in switching because I have lived a life of doing it. it sounds wrong the way I have sad because in reality I'm just saying that I have grown to appreciate different. Over the last few years me moving on with circumstantial because I own a black belt and ran with it to a new place. But I am simply finding the positives in it and realizing there are ways it can be better. Having a positive attitude is important, negative thinking usually doesn't produce positive results; yet to accept that one cannot exist without the other, making the best of the situation is always advisable.Lone Wolf or not, Black belt or not, style or not, speaking from experience when one door closes another miraculously opens. All of us are products of past martial artists, as their hard work and dedication have shaped and developed what we know and do up till this point in time. Appreciate and be thankful to our martial art for fathers/mothers as they are the real ones that have helped us with our aspirations and accomplishments. Be humble with this aspect and let past put real substance in to your martial art journey.

Perfection vs Excellence as a goal, which one do you relate to best? Perhaps neither one and something else more original or interesting? Having the right mindset can help a person achieve their goals and on the contrary having the wrong mindset could take a person on a rocky road heading straight for disaster.

JR 137, good advice, great observation and an excellent point of view!!!