Rich_2k3

Best: Swimming

Worst: Mars bar arm curls.

Firstly join a gym, nothing better 4 fitness, it means u can weight train and do cardio work. Secondly get a punch bag, and spend a minimum time everyday on it, gr8 for a good cardiovasular work, but also good 4 a nice bit of muscular endurance, plus u can get ur technique right. Dont forget 2 shadow box too. Also calisthenics are a good idea, ie. Prushups, squats, sit-ups etc. How bout take up swimming, tennis or badminton, great 4 cardio. U cud also by some dumbells 4 home use, and maybe a skipping rope or some hand strengtheners, anything to give ur body a good workout.

Finally buy this book, DYNAMIC STRENGTH by Harry Wong, the exercises in it are fantastic and can replace weight training if u r young and dont want to stunt growth.

Heres a link, buy it, u wont regret it:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0865680132/qid=1081179486/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-1655470-8600018?v=glance&s=books

Try this one if ur from UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0865680132/qid=1081179552/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/026-2457713-1667610

p.s Read reviews of book, u'll see what I mean...

I agree with aefibird, however at my dojo I dont see this problem everyone seems to be at least average height and many of the ppl at my dojo are very tall. Karate will not stunt growth in any way whatsoever. In fact sports like karate, along with soccer, tennis, swimming etc are good for a growing child. By keeping fit when growing ur child will stay in proportion for their size ie. they wont be a "lanky" build. U see ppl who are very tall and very bony, this is because when they were younger they will have been growing upwards but not putting the exercise in to grow outwards (increaseing overall mass) and staying in proportion.

Basically if ur child does a good amount of exercise (karate is a gr8 choice) and eats a healthy diet they will grow strong and in proportion to their height, no matter how tall they are.

Plz remember that only extensive weight lifting stunts growth and martial arts training does not even come close to the intensity of weight training. If martial arts stunted growth like weight training then u woud be seeing the positive side of weight training which is a huge increase in muscle mass, this cannot be achieved through martial arts training.

I pay per lesson, but have choice to pay monthly. However my instructer's rates are very cheap and he only charges the the minimum amount needed to rent out the hall.

yep

U mean its a inner cressent and then straight away and outer or vice versa?

I need some help performing spinning techniques, be it side, hook, heel, backfist etc. Just some hints or tips that u find helps to get the spin right, its not so much the kick/punch but the initial spin and drawing power from it. I know its a hard technique but i'm sure theres some good hints on shaping it up.

Although a push may not harm u; so defending agaisnt it isn't that important, it takes the smerk of the guys face when u quickly parry it, it may even disuade him.

Working out in the pool sounds like a great idea, but ppl would think I was some sort of weirdo when they some performing spinning hook kicks and katas

I see my post was a real hit

Thx i'll try them.

I love to hear stories like that, makes it all worth while .

I've seen about 6 ppl wearing them at my gym, I had a look and there really light, like a feather and the pivot point is excellent. I'm not really bothered bout price to much, i wont just wear em 4 karate.

Has anyone ever tried those adidas taekwondo shoes, and r they any good?

Heres link again:

http://www.sport-e.com/sport-e/rf.inf.RFServlet?pathinfo=productpages/ProductPage.html&pca=170579742&row=1&col=1&displaybanner=Y&rootcat_id=165513377&version_id=751&Mis_item_id=11&Mis_item_loc_id=5&Parent_version_id=751&Cat1=165513377&Cat2=&Cat3=

Try practicing on concrete or rough stones

Now I know there are loads of stretching threads on this forum but I've had a look and they are all about ur legs.

Now what I really want to know is some good stretches for ur arms and shoulders. After using weights (free or machines) ur arms and upper body are stiff, tight and inflexable, I always find that after 5-10 mins on the arm rower Its hard to touch ur arms behind ur back. The gym fitness instructer says that u must stretch after lifting weights because as ur muscles grow and u dont stretch properly u will lose flexability and range of movement, this is why so many bodybuilders are slow and inflexible.

Now I know the 2 basic arm stretches, the across ur body tricep one and the one where u pull ur arm behind ur head (I think its 4 deltoids). Do u know any other good arm and shoulder stretches because I want 2 be able to do some weight training and then be able to stretch well, keeping a good range of movement and flexability. There always seems to be lots of leg stretches but very little arm/shoulder stretches (I only know 2), and at my dojo we never do arm/shoulder stretches, we simply warm them up.

I'm sorry but kata's do not give u as much of a work out as bag work, now i'm not mouthing off kata's because I like them, but they are more suited in improving technique rather than fitness.

Good story.

Karate really came into being with movies like the Karate kid; although a classic film, it did create some myths about karate, like only practicing kata to win a tournement and the old "painting fences" routine, in which u are turned into a karate master, very good daniel san !

Of course Bruce Lee and the huge amount of kung fu movies that were pumped out in the 70's and 80's really brought martial arts into the western world, but unfortunatly it was portrayed wrongly, ppl think karate is all about board breaking and running up walls, and knowbody has a clue which art is which, i hate it when ppl call karate kung fu and vice versa.

So I blame hollywood, its turned martial arts into some sort of super power and made ppl think that all martial artists, jump around screaming breaking boards and chopping the air, u know what I mean little men who take on gangs of thugs and kill them one by one with a single chop, its pathetic. I think back in the 70's and 80's karate had more respect, despite hollywood, nobody knew exactly what it was, but they knew it was somthing awesome and that they wanted 2 do it (Bruce Lee helped to portray what martial arts were about and the movie the karate kid although flawed carried many positive meanings.) Nowadays ppl think karate and martial arts are a joke, except for boxing and kickboxing; for some reason they seem to carry more respect. Maybe its because they are alot more westernised, which is sad, because they are mearly sports and dont have the same depth as true martial arts. Ignorence destroys martial arts but I think its getting better, ppl are starting to understand the true power of martial arts and in a world that is becoming more and more violent, self defence plays a bigger role. The 70's and 80's were the big break for karate and martial arts and I think the true meaning is slowy returning.

Ad,

I totally think you did the right thing and I think if u did attack one of them u wud probably be dead, agaisnt a group of that size nobody cud win, I'd bet you that not one person on this forum would be able to defend agaisnt those odds, no matter what there training, u did the best thing that anyone cud possibly do, U GOT THE HELL OUT OF THERE, and lived with minimal injuires to tell the story. Now I know u are may be afraid of other attacks but think of it like this, u know how it is to be attacked and u have extra knowledge that will help u if it ever happens again, if its one or a few ppl then u cud probably take them, but a large group and sitting down, nobody could. If anyone is attacked by a large group then they should run, and thats what u did, there was no other alternative. Well done, train hard, workout, get over it.

LOL.

sorry didnt see it.

Dont most traditional kung fu styles wear shoes or some type of slipper?

Dijita,

Have a look at the book "SAS Self-defence", its for males and females, but a large portion of the book is solely targeted at females. There is a large section on rape, and it doesnt just tell u how to defend ur self but how to avoid conflict, from a phsycological point of view to basic stratagies & tactics.

The chapters are:

Introduction "The problem"

Fitness

The Law

The Basics of Self Defence

Common Attacks

Defensive Moves

Attacks on Women

Protecting Your Property

Vehicle Safety

Travel

Attacks by Dangerous Animals and Insects

Medical Emergencies

I've read through the book and it really is brilliant, plus its got detailed colour pictures throughout. I cant stress enough how invaluable this book is, it literally tells you everything about self defence and generally looking after ur self, very good book.

Heres a link to buying book, read reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0004723015/qid=1080660617/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-1655470-8600018?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

If u think about it though, if ur ever attacked, say on the street then ur gonna be wearing shoes, so u might as well get used to it.