Dazza

Tick one up for Seishinkan. (Shito-ryu -> Shukokai -> Renbukan -> Seishinkan). I bet no one has even heard of Seishinkan. If you have please give me a yell!

Im not saying its easy, Im fairly certain that I couldnt do it properly on a polished wood surface in socks. But if you are able to transfer your weight properly (good balance) and have a good technique there is no reason that I can see for it to be inferior to simply lifting the leg off the ground and trying to generate all the power in the kick from straghtening the leg alone. With the squats, you are correct. If done properly they are great. But I think its important to emphasise how easy it is to do them wrong or rather, how hard it is to do them right. Thats just my experience from seeing a number of people with bad knees as a result of squats.

No disrespect intended, but me thinks that if you train properly and have good technique then groin shots shouldnt really be a problem. By good technique I mean two things. Firstly your fighting stance (I cant spell damnit! Kumi(?)) should protect your groin if you are doing it right. Secondly, your opponent really should be able to controll their kicks a little better than that, unless ofcourse they are beginners. I guess my point is that if you are comming so close to getting hit in the nads that you are worried about it, then look at the training. Remember, good technique is the basis for good Karate.

Just a word of warning on the squats. If you dont do them properly (some would argue that there IS no safe way to do a squat) you stand a VERY good chance of causing permanant and painful damage to your knees. I asked my Sensi recently how to make my kicks and punches more powerful and what exercises I could do. His reply was two fold. First he said "For Power you first must have good technique" and secondly "What better way to make your kick better than to practice kicking?" Seems simple eh? If you want to practice using the muscles in your leg that are used when kicking, then kick alot and do it right. Dont just throw yourself at the bag, technique and balace are the key. A little secret that my Sensi told me with my front kick (cant spell maigery(?)) is to push off with the back foot, as opposed to simply raising it in the air. Its all about explosive power. /me gets down off the soap box

Actually Neil, the exact opposite happens. Blood flow is restricted to all of the digestive organs. The blood flow is directed to the muscles, the skin, the brain and respiratory organs - where it is most needed. The body has no need to be digesting when it enters the 'fight or flight' mode, which is what occurs when it is suddenly confronted by something that it percieves as a threat. As a point of interest: In extreme situations it is known for the body to completley neglect and lose controll over the digestive system. As an example, back in World War II, it was noticed that in the American soldiers that were assaulting the beaches in the Pacific against the Japanese, it would be very common for the soldiers to deficate and urinate uncontrollably. It was concluded that due to the extreme stress of the situation their bodies shut down everything that was not necessary for their survival on the battlefield. The digestive system and subsequent sphincters were such things.