Sibylla

I disagree..by open favoritism, even if it's directed towards all, you encourage opportunism, competition, social manipulation, and behavior that is centered around pleasing someone else. Imo training from your own motivation is what should be encouraged and appreciated. Every student should feel valued and respected but that is different from being favorite..

I was in the same situation a few years ago..imo you either rank up, or put up with it, or leave. I did a whole lot of instructing and ref work in that dojo, but whenever something was "official", a kiddy bb would be chosen. Rank trumps knowledge, effort and hours spent. That's just the way it is. Now I'm at the bottom of the hierarchy in a new art an dojo, and if I'm ever asked to instruct etc below my rank, I'll say no thanks. Because imo in the big picture, it's just a way for lazy instructors to not do their job. It doesn't count positively for the practitioner, you just become the sucker who does the work. Sorry if that sounds negative but I've seen lots of adult kyu in that role.

Thanks again for being helpful, yodmuaythai!

Tried out my mouthpieces some more..very little air gets in if my mouth is actually closed wearing the single. I think I will try to use the double now until I get to the dentist.

I have a pair of Fairtex BGV1 on the way..(little worried they may be fakes though, bought on ebay..). I thought BGV8 was for competition only so they wouldn't be for me. Thank you for the advice!

My opinion is that whether you do a "round" spin or do it the Liddell way, if you're that close you will not miss..and don't need to look.

Tiger1962: Yes, I just don't get why people make such comments, imo it's their problem if they don't like my expression. I sparred with someone else last session, an older experienced guy and it was great. Quite a bit of contact but nothing "wild". I've noticed that women seem to only pair up with women though.. Yesterday the dojo was open for bag work, and I managed to sprain my calf. So I guess I will be out for a while.

Thank you very much! I tend to get lost for words in such situations, so it's good for me to have recipe that will be the response.

Thanks!

Wireframe: The other person was throwing the kicks. I'm serious when I spar because I'm focused, my comes from the process, working on various stuff... Joesteph: You're probably right about the alpha, psych out thing. I'm relatively new to the dojo, and also I haven't trained with her or that instructor before. I think I'm a bit hopeless when it comes to standing up for myself...any good phrases I can memorize and propel at them at the right moment?

Thanks, that was what I was hoping for!

I've been told to get 12 oz boxing gloves for kickboxing. I got a pair from the MA shop. But I think they are too big, not only roomy but long, as in the velcro wrist support being way up on the arm. I've heard that gloves made in Thailand, like Twins have smaller hand compartment. Any comments or advice?

I'm fairly new to kickboxing, but have sparred in other arts such as karate, and jj. The other night I was sparring with someone who made some comments in the middle of sparring about my expression being "too serious" and then later launched some uncontrolled kicks, one basically in the face/eye area and another across the back. We use no headgear. No harm done, but I have a little "that was not quite good.." feeling about it. My guess is that I should go way slower, work on defense and just pick a little here and there. My guess is also that it will draw some negative comments. But should I care? What do you think?

From what I understand you're 31. Instructors in their 60's may very well be sexually interested in women your age. But whatever what motivates it, my advice would be not to encourage it. Jealousy from other students is one thing. Another thing is that you, as a favorite, either get a lot of free passes, or as sometimes happens, gets criticized to pieces. "Easy life" for long term in a dojo, especially where instructors are kind of unprofessional (as they sound in your case) is to fly under the radar. Because being on the radar of such guys, may very well backfire at one point, and it is you, as a student that is most likely to pay the price. Imho the best places to train, is where training is about training. The quality will be better when no mental energy goes into who favors who, and why is that, etc...

The double one is especially for ladies, not sure it´s a brain pad, but supposed to protect better against concussions by keeping the jaw in a certain position.. I didn´t know that the ones that the dentists make are singles, I´ll ask my dentist to make me one next time I see him. Thanks for the advice!

Got a double mouthguard, made for women, that is supposed to be safer for concussion etc. But it´s more difficult to breath with...is it worth it when it comes to safety? (kickboxing, no other headgear)

There are fake Tokaido around. I got a fake gi from US once. They have nothing to do with Tokaido and can´t be compared...I say this because I also have japanese gi, bought from someone with contacts in Japan, and shipped directly from Japan. Not sure whether that company is still around. My (legit) Tokaido hasn´t shrunk much, washed cold and hang to dry.

I´m not going to say press ups etc is bad, but if you start in a club/dojo, you will go through an adjusting process both physically and mentally. Basically unless your already exceptionally fit, you wont get a running start. Imho my best advice would be to find a club, start and keep going regularly, then take stock of your training after a few months. There is such a thing as too high expectations, "too much too soon", which imho leads beginners to quit MA before they have started to get results in form of fitness and skills.

Best thing for fitness is probably aerobic training coupled with weight training, but if you want to do some kind of MA for fitness, I think you need to train (hard) at least three times a week. But two is also good for someone just starting out. If you do this, I think you will see results within a couple of months. From what you describe, boxing sounds like your best option.

Yes I definitively feel it "around" the shoulders. I think I need to ask the chiro for some more stretches. It went better today, not so bad. My partner was also better holding the pads, offering some resistance. The instructor mentioned what you say, staying loose until impact, which means that you actually have to hit something...so maybe I was also overextending a bit the other night.

Thanks for that. I have kb tonight, I'll see how it pans out. I´m also going to visit the chiropractor next week.

I´ve been doing kickboxing for a few weeks. Last time the trainer upped the reps on the pads and my arms, shoulders and back started really protesting, almost felt like they cramped up. So I had to take some breaks during the drills. Especially hook punches seems to get the best of me. My shoulders, upper back and neck is quite sore now. Have anyone experienced this? I really hate stopping in the midst of drills...

Thanks for the encouragement!

Thank you for the advice!! Maybe it is possible to do karate or CMA plus kickboxing, I´ll also look into that. I kind of feel like a fool for starting over (and over) at my age, but oh well..

Hi! After spending many years in a bad JSA dojo, I´m going back to the weaponless arts. Besides weapon arts, I have experience in shotokan, ju jitsu/grappling. I´m older but injury free and fit. My options are: 1) CMA. I did start training in a kung fu dojo, which I liked. the training was varied. But then the head instructor with all the great knowledge and teaching skills left. There is another credible CMA dojo here, but the introduction program is taught by a student. And I think there is no sparring. 2) Karate. There are a number of dojos and styles around. One interesting one is a place I used to train (JKA) which has now changed instructors and do a mix of shotokan and goju. I´m not sure how credible such a mix is, but they have high ranked instructors and a visiting very known American sensei that hold seminars and gradings. 3) Kick boxing. I´ve tried it and it is fun. Little empasis on rank and I think it is possible to train just as an "amateur". But in the long run as I get older maybe it is not for me. I´m not sure what to do. I think the number 2 is the most interesting but I´m a little afraid of how they state how traditional they are. My experience with the Japanese sword arts was that there is a lot of politics involved and that the most japanophile people and I don´t get along. I want it to be training focused, "adult" without too much samurai fantasies going on. I have also considered kobudo. But there are little organized training to be found, mostly seminars. And it seems to be very stuck in a rank curriculum. I want training that mixes it up a little according to what you can do and not so much by the color of the belt. What do you think?