Patrick

It is a shame that a thread like this has to take a turn in this nature. But, I am going to have to close this for the moment. Thank you.

Welcome.

Welcome.

Yes. Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mothers that visit this site.

Welcome.

In celebration of our second birthday, the KarateForums.com Articles section will be launching in some form in May 21. I have not decided on how often we will publish an article, but one article every few weeks is a certainty.

Hello, Firstly, I want to thank everyone who participated in Survivor, contributed challenges to Survivor and supported the game. Our winner has been decided. In the final challenge, we had two entries. Entry One was done by kchenault. Entry Two by monkeygirl. It was extremely close. It came down to the very last vote. Entry One won. 6 votes to 5. Congratulations to kchenault. Your prize is any one item from the KarateForums.com Merchandise Store costing up to $15.50 (not including tax or shipping). Please take a moment to look at http://www.cafepress.com/karateforums and PM me with your selection as well as a mailing address. You will also have a special user title for a week or two. Thanks again everyone!

Well, times up. Going to tally them!

Yes. A little over an hour left! Get those last minute votes in.

Hey, We have received several votes, but I just wanted to make a post to make anyone else that hasn't voted... aware of the vote and the deadline. Thanks!

Welcome.

Thanks for all of the votes so far. Those that haven't voted, please do!

Welcome.

Welcome.

Oh yeah, as far as a deadline for this... Lets go with May 6th at 10 PM US Central. Want to allow plenty of time.

KarateForums.com Users, As you may know, we are conducting the Final Challenge of KarateForums.com Survivor 2. That final challenge was Create A Martial Art. The entries are now in. We want you to vote on which one you feel is best. This will decide who wins Survivor. I will not be revealing who created what until after the voting is over. This vote is open to EVERYONE except for Tammy, Ken and myself. If the vote is a tie (please, no), I will decide what happens or make the deciding vote. Entry One: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=7463 Entry Two: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=7464 Please vote by sending a private message by clicking the URL below: http://www.karateforums.com/privmsg.php?mode=post&u=745 Please take your time before making your vote. Thank you for your participation.

Zenshin Chi Antei Zenshin Chi Antei (ZCA) loosely translates into "Body, Spirit, Equilibrium". The name is composed of a mixture of Japanese and Chinese terms. This is symbolic of ZCA's mixture of techniques from styles around the world. The philosophy behind ZCA is to be a Mixed Martial Art that offers balance between traditional and modern martial arts. It is based largely off of Tae Kwon Do, and supported by Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Aikido. In other words, it is basically Tae Kwon Do that has been modified and improved to cover things like ground fighting. ZCA is designed to provide an effective means of self-defense and physical fitness training, but not to the exclusion of mental and artistic exercises--such as kata, and difficult "for-show-only" techniques like TKD-style jump kicks. Zenshin Chi Antei provides balance between three aspects of martial arts: physical, mental and artistic. Physical: Zenshin Chi Antei practitioners are given intense fitness training, with the intent of building high levels of endurance. ZCA is also meant to be a highly effective martial art for self-defense training. This is done by training students in grappling/ground fighting, self-defense throws, joint locks, pressure points, defense from grabs, strikes (such as Muay Thai leg-kicks, knee and elbow strikes), redirection of the opponent's movement, and so forth. Mental: To be prepared to defend themselves, students must also be mentally prepared. By giving students sparring experience, making them defend themselves against unexpected attacks, and other such exercises, ZCA teaches them how to control their adrenaline stress. This is a vital skill to have when being confronted by an aggressor. ZCA also encourages its practitioners to be responsible, disciplined and respectful people. Artistic: ZCA also covers the artistic things like kata (both open-hand and weapons), jump kicks, and less "realistic" technique. Why? For several reasons: kata improve memory, high kicks increase speed and balance, and jump kicks are good for leg strength. Besides the practical reasons, kata can also be taken to tournaments and competitions. Also, these techniques can be just plain fun! Some things are simply for enjoyment. The artistic aspects of Zenshin Chi Antei balance the physical, "fighting" aspects, and keeps ZCA from being a pure fighting system. It also allows for martial artists to be well-rounded in fighting and artistic performance. Ranking System ZCA utilizes a 10 kyu system for students over the age of 12. Each kyu rank receives four stripes on the right side of the belt. Using this system, the average student would take about 3.5 to 4 years to advance to the rank of 1st dan. There is a 15 kyu system for students under the age of 12, using the same 4 stripes again. Using this system, the average student would take about 5 to 5.5 years to advance to the rank of 1st dan. The reason for this is to extend the amount of time it takes for the child to reach 1st dan, thus allowing them to age a little more, yet still receive promotions. Training curriculum: Zenshin Chi Antei uses a variety of kicks and hand strikes. The kicks are taken mainly from TKD and include the basic side, front, round, thrust, and hook kicks. These kicks are thrown anywhere from the waist to the head during sparring. For self-defense training, however, these kicks are thrown below the waist, targeting mostly the knees, shins, and groin area. For the artistic purposes mentioned above, ZCA also includes the aerial kicks of TKD. Hand strikes include jabs and hooks from boxing, as well as backfists from kickboxing, ridgehands, chops and spears. Sparring There are two kinds of sparring in ZCA: stand-up and ground fighting. Both are equally practiced, and are sometimes combined. All kicks are thrown above the waist, head contact is allowed, but no face contact. Competition ZCA tournaments consist of four main competitions: Open-Hand Forms, Weapon Forms, Breaking, and Sparring. Forms are judged on a 10-point scale. Judges look for things like difficulty, speed, power, intensity, flexibility, and so forth. For weapon forms, judges would look for the previous points, as well as proficiency with and control of the weapon. Breaking is done in two ways, with hand/elbow techniques only: Speed - breaking as many separate 3 inch thick boards as possible within a 30-second time limit. Power - breaking as many cement blocks as possible with a single strike. Tournament sparring for ZCA is fairly unique. It begins as stand-up point sparring. All strikes must be above the opponent's belt, and excessive contact is not allowed. Controlled head contact is allowed, but face contact isn't. The first person to reach 5 points wins; kicks are worth 2 points, punches are worth 1 point. There is a 5-minute fighting time limit. This means that the clock is stopped during judging. Takedowns are allowed; from there the match can continue into a ground fighting match. The only way to score when the match is on the ground is by using a legal submission technique (choke/joint lock). Submissions are worth 3 points. However, ground fighting time is limited to 30 seconds at a time, to keep the matches balanced between stand-up and grappling. The entire concept behind this style of point sparring is for it to be fun and entertaining, using technique and knowledge rather than brute force and strength. ---------------------------------------- Obviously, Zenshin Chi Antei is not for the "No Holds Barred" martial artist who wants nothing to do with kata. ZCA is ideal for the martial artist who is looking for more than a hard-core fighting system. It's meant to be an effective fighting system that is balanced by the artistic aspects of martial arts. In other words, ZCA offers the best of both worlds--realistic and artistic.

Title: Sum Ting Dum http://www.karateforums.com/img/survivor2/i2-223a.jpg http://www.karateforums.com/img/survivor2/Neo_Smith.jpg How would you like to pull off some of the martial art moves in the movie, The Matrix? Sound impossible? It’s not. Let me tell you about a secret I just got hold of myself. Are you listening? It’s called Sum Ting Dum, and it’s for REAL. Movies like “The Matrix”, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and many others would have you believe they pull off those outlandish martial arts stunts with special effects and wirework. Well I am here to tell you, they don’t. They simply know a few of the secrets of a new Martial Arts System developed by Grandmaster Smith, a leading martial arts “expert”. Grandmaster Smith is seven-time World champion in full contact martial arts. He holds black belts in Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, and Brazilian Jui Jitsu. He has three advanced degrees in Kinesiology, Physics, and Temporal Mechanics, making him more than just a teacher, but something of a guru. But enough about the innovator who created this incredible system, let’s move on to the art itself. Sum Ting Dum Sum Ting Dum, literally translated, means “The way of knowing nothing about anything”. This art is as much a mental discipline as physical. It includes many hand and foot techniques and exercises to get you in peak physical condition. These techniques, when used in conjunction with an array of mental techniques, exclusive to Sum Ting Dum, complete a lethal, but beautiful art form that is very practical for self-defense. Want to learn more about this most comprehensive of art forms? Well, keep reading. The Origins Of Sum Ting Dum Sum Ting Dum started out as an idea in the mind of Grandmaster Smith, to combine his knowledge of martial arts and science. Using special techniques developed from Temporal Mechanics, Kinesiology, and Physics, Grandmaster Smith has created a mental breakthrough in the martial sciences. What’s it all about? Let’s start with meditation technique #1 as an example. Referred to as, Sum Ting Tu Do, it encompasses letting your mind wander aimlessly through the cosmos until you find what you are looking for. This, combined with several other mental techniques, helps you achieve special awareness about yourself and those around you. When using these techniques you will start to be able to anticipate your opponents every move. Block that punch before it is ever thrown! Disable your attacker, before he even realizes he wants to attack you! We call this cosmic awareness. As you progress in your training, you will learn techniques like, Mah Fin Ga Huts, an effective way to disable attackers with just your index finger. Or, Ow Mah Fut Huts, a devastating kicking technique to the head, which has been clocked in excess of 150 mph! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? Neither could I, until I tried it. NO Way! Now, I know what you’re thinking, “This is too good to be true”, and, “How much does it cost?” I was skeptical as first too, but then I said, “What the heck!” and spent the money and I couldn’t have been happier with the results. Let’s move on. Sum Ting Dum also gives you that practical martial arts knowledge you crave. It is a comprehensive style, comprised of three separate martial arts. TKD, Hapkido, and BJJ. These three art forms will give you the physical techniques you need to perform to be at your absolute best. Take what works for you. That is the beauty of this system. Like the kicks of TKD? Use them. Like the multiple joint locks of Hapkido? Use them. Do you like twisting your attacker six ways to Sunday? Use the BJJ! It all works. Now, Grandmaster Smith didn’t want this to be known, but what the heck! Any system of martial arts can be used in conjunction with Sum Ting Dum. That’s right! Any system! Now what would you expect to pay for a comprehensive system like this? $800? $1000? Well, while he has charged the stars, such as Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie Ann Moss, and others, as much as $1000 an hour to learn this system, Grandmaster Smith is willing to part with it for just 10 payments of $39.95! That’s right, $39.95! That’s ten tapes or DVDs for 10 payments of $39.95! But if you act within the next 30 minutes of reading this ad, he’ll make the first payment for you! What a deal! Let’s see what others have to say about Grandmaster Smith's system…. “Trixie – Exotic Dancer” “Well, being in the business that I am, I can run into some pretty freaky people. I used to be afraid to walk to my car at night after work. But not anymore, after about six months of using Sum Ting Dum, three guys jumped me in the parking lot after work. Using the lessons that Grandmaster Smith taught me on his tapes, I killed all three of them. No, no. I mean I really killed all three of them. They buried them in Happy Rest Cemetery last month.” “Mrs. Amelia – Widow” “Well, I’ve been studying Sum Ting Dum for about ten years now, since my husband died and I am starting to learn some of the advanced techniques. See, there was this squirrel that kept getting into my bird feeder. Well one day I had had enough! I simply used “Da Ev Il Hai” and let’s just say that frickin’squirrel won’t be eating my bird seed anymore!” “Timmy – College aged Mamas boy” “Well, I started using Sum Ting Dum because I was constantly getting my butt kicked at the student union. I mean, I’m not a very big guy. But with the system, I haven’t had any problems from anybody. This big jock decided he was going to pick on me, like he did almost everyday, and my mom, her name is Amelia, layed the smack down on him! It was incredible! That’s when I knew I needed Sum Ting Dum to help protect myself! So, now that you know about Sum Ting Dum, and what it has done for others, pick up the phone and call 1-888-URS-ODUM. Or email us at URSODUM@dingbat.com , and we’ll take your order. Remember, Sum Ting Dum isn’t some flash in the pan craze, it’s been around for a little while now and IT WORKS! Disclaimer: This work of fiction has not intentionally tried to insult or upset anyone who reads it. It is strictly for laughs. All photos courtesy of Warner Brothers Studios.

I am going to close this thread. Voting thread will be opened shortly. Thanks.

Cool. I'll probably have them all posted online tonight late (central US). Thanks and good luck!

Lots of facetious comments flying around. Lets keep these discussions civil.

I received it. Thanks.

Welcome.

Pictures... sure, why not.

Yeah, the most important thing to remember that you are speaking to a large group of people - the KarateForums.com Users. I will not be the judge of this. How the users vote is who will win Survivor. Good luck.