Rich_2k3

It will probably enter into 2012, but the question is definatley not if but when

wear a cup! protect the family jewls!

The first punch is usually the decider because: It takes them by suprise. Its easier to get power and technique right becuase ur not under pressure. Its a great platform for starting a combo and while they are in pain and feeling disorientated, u are able to unloading an arsenal of strikes on them. You've got the advantage, for the rest of the fight. If done right, they will be totally incapacitated and unable to fight. Conclusion: First strike=Victory

Attack with reverse punches to the nose, make sure there hard, confident strikes and that you aim to hit through the target. Always string your attacks in combos, and dont stop until he's on the ground or unable to fight, make sure there is no break in you combo, just keep hitting with a flurry of punches, but make sure its controlled and stay cool. Use both reverse and roundhouse punches, start with the reverse to nose, and follow it straight up with a left and right roundhouse punch. Remember ur elbows and knees are powerful weapons. Dont kick, unless its low and only if ur experienced enough. Fight dirty, kick to groin, punch to groin, jab his eyes (although that can actually blind), punch to neck etc. If he's fat then dont go for torso cuz he probably wont feel it. Dont waste punches, aim for sensitive areas and only when theres and opening. A good tip; fill you clenched fist with lose change, this will significatley improve punching power. keep moving. stay calm and focused. Exrercise regulary and become fitter and stronger. If u think he's gonna start a fight then hit first and get the suprise hit in, aim for nose. When you hit him dont be afraid to shout or growl or whatever, this will improve power and agression, and may make him think twice about hitting back. Remember to put your whole body into a punch, twist ur waist, hips and shoulders. The power comes from the waist. Dont let him grab you, becuase he will have a significant weight advantage and u dont want to get bear hugged or taken to the ground. Never agree to meet him for a fight. Finally, only fight if its ur last option. However, dont look scared of him and dont cower, this is what fuels bullies.

Coco, open up word on your comp and write up a fitness program, and design it so it challenges you and gets you sweating. List push-ups, sit-ups etc. Stick to this daily program everyday, and when it starts to get easy make it harder. Listen to advice on this forum and encorparate it into ur program, make it tough and hard and dont miss a workout. Another thing, join a gym if you can, in my opinion one of the best way to keep fit. Also get a part-time job, it'll keep you active, minimise ur time on comp and of course get u money. One last thing, everytime u eat somthing write what u ate down and at the end of the day look at the list, and if u eat lots of junk ur gonna be pretty shocked when u see it all sitting on the page. This will help u to think about what ur doing.

Karate will be an olympics sport, its fact, it probably wont be full contact though, they've put a bid in for 2008 and are top of list to win. Here is the current figures, you'll notice karate is leading by far: http://www.wkf.net/html/olympic_sport.html

You gotta do it for Y M C A! you gotta do it for.... I train in a newly built local community centre. Kickboxing, boxercise, yogo and playschool classes and a few others are also held there.

Very good point.

I always feel uncomfitable about doing too many sit-ups, because they can damage the lower back in later life if u do them wrong...

Check this link out, its got some gr8 tips and tactics for point sparring: http://tkdtutor.com/12Sparring/Free-Sparring/SparringTactics.htm

I think belts are good, but only when used correctly. They are frequently used by mcdojos as a money making scheme.

Try this site, its gr8 4 sparring tactics, from basic to advanced. http://tkdtutor.com/12Sparring/Free-Sparring/SparringTactics.htm

I simply started to try somthing interesting and pick up a new hobby.

Nearly all boxers who enter K-1 lose. I watched a fight the other night between a boxer and a mauy thai fighter, K-1 rules state that boxers are aloud to wear their boxing shoes as long as they dont throw kicks. The boxer didnt get 1 punch in and just kept taken kicks to the thigh and falling down, until he didnt get back up. Thats what usually happens to boxers, they get nailed by the kicks, especially when they decide to wear boxing shoes and not kick (effectivley removing 50% of their arsenal). This was obviously a freak occurance that u witnessed. Now i'm not having ago at boxing, i'm actually a long term fan, but in the K-1 arena they nearly never make it, its a statistical fact. They are fighting with 50% of their arsenal and having to absorb strikes in places where they are not used to being hit and in a way the are not used to being hit (kicks). The best and in my opinion, the only way a boxer can make it, is if he cross trains in a martial art, but still, he will have limited experience with kicking and that will be his downfall.

non of the poll answers apply to me, zen isnt included in any part of my training, although I do know what it is. What am i gonna choose for that??? Maybe u should add another answer, not everyone does zen, but it doesnt mean they dont know what it is.

We never wear head gear.

Yeah a gr8 idea... i also like to beat myself over the head with a baseball bat! If you still want to do it, plz go ahead, but makesure the neighbours dont see, because u'll probably find urself being institutialised!

Milk is an excellant source of calcium, and best drank with cerial. Its a positive as long as u dont drink it to excess (as with alot of things), 2 cups a day is absolutley fine, and is a gr8 complement for ur daily diet, remember semi skimmed is best. p.s Fresh orange juice also good, lots of vitimins, drink that daily aswell.

Maybe u've simply chosen the wrong school, and if u were happy and compitent in ur other school why did u move?

People, i did say physical attribute, so attitude and determination are not included. Please stick to what is on the poll, even if somthing is not listed. The ones chosen are universally known to be the main attributes that make up "fitness". thx.

If you exercising alot then a good amount of protein (fish, meat, eggs) is good, cuz it helps you build muscle and also repair your body, vitamins are cruical also and help provide a healthy lifestyle and protect you from illness and disease. Fibre is also very improtant, you'll get that from pasta, cereals, bread etc. you need lots of that. Make sure you have only small of amounts of sugar, maybe abit of chocolate through the day, stay off the powerade, its full of glucose and caffine, which is good for a quick boost if competeing in a sporting event but is very bad as part of a diet, stay off em'. You need at least 6 servings of fruit and veggies, very important. Milk and cheese will provide you with calcium for supple, healthy bones and teeth. And remember try to only eat non-saturated fats, cuz lots of saturated fat causes high blood pressure. Keep fat and sugar intake to a minimum. One more thing try to eat at least 2 fish meals a week, prefarably oily fish, u may wonder why the japanese live so long, its cuz they have lots of fish in their diet. Red meat is good for iron but dont eat to much, white meat or fish should be ur main protein source and trust me it'll help u live longer. I cant be bothered to write anymore at mo, cuz it'll take all day, but thats the kind of root u need. A good balanced diet, and if ur on the weights, lots of protein and vitamins. p.s stay hydrated with water throughout the day.

I think the point about "Initiative and willingness to take proactive action" is an important one, it basically means if u someones arguing or inticing you and you think that they are going to hit you, then you should attack them first and get the first and ultimatley crucial hit in. Which attributes do you think you have, maybe all of them?

This is an extract from the website https://www.selfdefense.org and is a list of attributes that good fighters often exhibit, so basically what u'll find naturally in top fighters around the world: Ferocity and extreme aggression Explosive mobility and balance Sensitivity to your opponent's energies Focused, analytical thinking Management of fear and stress A good sense of timing and rhythm The ability to relax in spite of fear and stress Excellent creative visualization skills Confidence and determination Power generation skills Strength Flexibility Reaction speed Movement speed Muscular endurance Aerobic conditioning The ability to take bodily damage and keep going Situational awareness The ability to make quick, intuitive decisions An expectation that Murphy's Law will come into play sooner or later An intuitive comprehension of the ranges of combat, and angles of attack, and center-line theory Initiative and willingness to take proactive action Killer instinct and an "I'll do whatever it takes!" attitude

Personally, what is your best physically attribute? ie. what are you best at? Below are the exact definitions, obviously all of these together define fitness, and to be fit u need all of them but which is your most powerful attribute and how do u manipulate it to better urself as a fighter?: Strength- The maximum force you can exert. Speed- The ability to move all or part of the body quickly Agility- The ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions. Power- The ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements. Flexability- The ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded by excess tissue. Endurance- (This includes muscular and cardiovascular), therefore is a muscle's ability to perform a maximum contracture time after time, and also the heart's ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to use it. Balance- the ability to control the body's position, either stationary or while moving. Coordination- The ability to integrate the above listed components so that effective movements are achieved. Also what do u think are the most important attributes for a martial artist?

Athletic or muscular? which one do u reakon is the best build 4 a martial artist? I'd imagine that an athletic build is better for the sporting aspect of martial arts, especially semi contact sparring, but muscular is probably better in a real fight. What do u guys think?