MMouse

Hmmmmm lets see here Creatine does nothing but fill your muscles with water. Creatine makes your muscles grow, no matter what. Creatine is like steroids ( Yes i have heard this one ) Building muscle will automatically make you less flexible. Getting stronger doesn't help you hit harder. Working out everyday is ok. just a few for now.

Don't you train at a club or school? Don't they take part in any competitions? I hope you aren't a self trained warrior looking for a fight.

Read all of a post before you reply. Saves time.

Being "cut" is about bodyfat%......period, end of discussion. However, what your muscles look like underneath that fat can is affected by different exercises just as Thuggish said. For basic tone though, you need to reduce your bodyfat %, or no matter what your muscles look like, they will be hidden beneath a layer of fat.

It is absolutely true that alot of boxers train only one side. It is also true that alot of them do not do very much training against an opponent who is in the left handed stance. This is because right handers abundantly out number left handers. Boxing is a sport of very very high skill. Fighters react in split seconds to openings, punches, movements etc. Because of this it is benficial to train alot of their movements into reactions. When they face a southpaw, reacting as they have trained to could mean moving right into a power shot. Of course this isn't the best way to train for self defence. There are boxers, such as myself and my entire boxing club, who train both sides. With that said, I would like to say that there is a difference between sides once again. People have stronger and faster hands on certain sides. Perhaps rather than thinking about southpaws, we should be addressing strengths. After all, the reason southpaws are what they are is because their strengths are different than most.

Alcohol will dehydrate you, and depending on the drinks, may have carbs and other things you may not want to be ingesting. I myself don't drink for other reasons. If you are looking to perform at a high level, stay away from the booze, there are more effects than what I have listed, but I am not going to look them up right now.

Also, for those unaware, the bicep actually resists the triceps motion to a certain degree. As the tricep is shortened, the bicep is lenghtened. A lack of flexibility is going to limit the elasticity in lengthening the bicep, which will slow you down greatly.

True, but there is more than striking. You may be grappling, on the ground or standing with your opponent. EVERY muscle needs to be trained for optimal performance.

You have to work both. It's true though that the biceps are a more aesthetic muscle,

Your trainer makes you tie your thumb to your hand with your handwraps????

Your saying that you wouldreact in certain way on the street, and then admit to not fighting there. How do you know then???????

When things get going in the street, your not going to think " hey, if i just alter my normal technique like this, then I can do this etc. etc." You are going to do whatever your instinct is. If you have trained over and over and over to punhc, you will punch. On the street, instincts and reactions keep you from being beat down. Boxing is excellent for that, because boxing sparring creates a situation similar to that, not exactly the same, but similar. I've said it before, all styles should incorporate some of the methods of training boxers use. I box, and would face most martial arts stylists anyday, BUT if they trained the same way boxers do, I wouldn't want anything to do with them.

I might have to agree. Admitting that an opponent fighting from an opposite side creates some changes is not admitting a weakness in yourself.

I'll agree, training both sides should be done equally, but your missing the point. Which hand is his fastest? His strongest? Does he throw punches from each side exactly the same? What about his defence? Is it the same? Is yours? You may train both sides, but you will inherently have a preferred side, no matter how hard you train. The differences may be subtle, but in a highly skilled match, each difference can make a mountain.

If you don't take note of the change and make use of the advantages disadvantages brought on by any situation, then your training is flawed. each is different, like it or not. Power side forward or back, left or right. They are subtle changes. Should it be life and death? Absolutely not, but like it or not, the situation changes, different opportunites present themselves and if you aren't ready to make use of it, your done.

The better question to ask is, will a punch work for self defense? Or a kick? Or an elbow? Or a knee? Of course they will. All systems have the tools and potential to be used effectively for self defense, IF they are trained properly. Because isn't that basically what karate is? Punching and kicking, just like kickboxing? I know some are going to fight that statement, but oh well. When it comes down to it, a punch is a punch and a kick is a kick. There are no "magical" secrets.

I find it funny how alot of traditional martial artists get irritated when someone attacks their art, yet some are quick to attack another. Boxing is what it is. It is far from a complete system, but boxing is a highly skilled art. Boxers use intricate footwork, head movements, slipping, bobbing and weaving, blocks, feints etc. Typically all of these area's are trained extensively because if they aren't, your gonna get punched, bottom line. Boxers train to box, full contact, and if you are lacking in an area, you will get hit. Any art can take this approach, but I don't think that many approach it in the same manner. I am not dissing any art, nor method of training, simply trying to explain what makes boxing what it is. If you can use your hands and have all the tools I mentioned above to help utilise your hands, then you are going to do great. Any art can apply these ideas and increase it's effectiveness. In Bruce Lee's books he talked a great deal about these above skills. He was an example of what any art, or artist could achieve with the right accesories to use the tools with.

Just curious if anyone here in canada has trained with or has experience with this school... http://www.madyskarate.com/

In order to lose weight, you must take in less calories than you burn. In order to do this, you can diet to cut your intake, as well as exercise to increase your output. One method of exercise to try is HIIT ( high intensity interval training ) This method is excellent for burning fat. If you are not familiar with it, you train in intervals. So if you are jogging, you would jog at a comfortable pace for say 2-3 minutes, then go all out for 30-60 sec, then repeat for 10-20 minutes. Don't train endurance wise for more than 30 minutes. Your body will turn on the muscles for energy after that point, and fat loss will be minimal. Also try to add some weight training. More muscle helps your body to use more calories.

I think you have already answered your own question. A large part of the problem with southpaws comes from the fact that most fighters train and spar against orthodox stance fighters. They fall into certain grooves or responses to certain movements. When you toss a southpaw into the mix, it changes this all up. Imagine learning a kata entirely in one stance, and then someone asking you to switch sides. You might have a few problems.

Maybe I will add a twist to this now. What style would you choose, or which style would you rather not face on the street if the individual was EXTREMELY strong. A bench press of 300 lbs and able to squat 400ish.

I used to own a pair of Aries Thai Pads. Seemed to be alright. They took a vicious beating while I had them. I moved away though and forgot them in a buddy's basement

One of the guys admitted they had never been in a streetfight. As far as the sport side goes, it showed what it was, and what it took to win. That was ALL it did though.

My thoughts exactly. I am disappointed by this show so far.

Boxing is called the sweet science for a reason. There are so many factors that go into boxing, expecially boxing successfully. The "charge inadn smash style" you explain really isn't boxing, it's slugging. Here's a few of my thoughts. 1) Work your jab. Over and over and over until it is good. Then keep going. The jab is the staple of boxing. It is a great offensive tool, as well as an excellent defensive tool. Work it while standing still, moving forward, moving backward, to the side etc. 2) Practice slipping punches. In your post I didn't read anything about trying to slip punches. If you are going to be an inside fighter, you better learn to slip punches. If you think you are just going to charge in, you are going to have many many short fights. Learn to slip your opponents punches while moving forward, back etc. If you can slip, you will be able to get inside. 3) Is your instructer not passing any of t his along to you? I sparred with my coach when I boxed, and he was a former pro. Needless to say he whipped me, HOWEVER, he would tell me why he was able to do so, and how to avoid the mistakes I had made. If your coach will not teach you in a manner which makes you better with each fight, find a new coach, end of discussion.