SaiFightsMS

:lol: :lol: Uhm I wear gloves when I get into the redhot. And toss them when finished. _________________ KarateForums Sempai Shotokan Karate, Bojitsu, Saijitsu Karate means a better life [ This Message was edited by: SaiFightsMS on 2002-03-08 19:58 ]

Actually I think what I have learned to do is what everyone will have to learn sooner or later. That is those who want to continue physical activities later in life. Learn to listen to our bodies. They (the medical establishment) used to tell us don't get hot, don't get tired. Some of the things I do on a routine basis would horrify them. But I am really not alone. If you look around in you gym or health club you see older people working out now. Hey 25 years ago most of them - if they came in at all- just sat in the whirlpool. I think everyone can benefit from learning how to listen to what their body tells them regardless of age. Then go on to wether or not the mental wants to do it when the body says it is ok. For many it is the mental that looses when the physical says ok.

Makiwara What is it? Makiwara is a punching board. It is a piece of equipment essential in toughening the hands, strengthening the wrists and giving training in hand techniques. A makiwara consists of a straight board with the top portion fitted for punching. The board itself is made from a seven or eight foot long four-by-four, cut diagnonally so that the very top is about half an inch thick. Traditionally, the striking surface of the makiwara consisted of a bundle of straw with rope tightly wound around it at the top foot of the board. A piece of sponge rubber, two inches thick, four inches wide and one foot long, covered with canvas or leather, is widely used. Anything that cushions the shock of impact can be used. For example, a tightly bundled t-shirt attached with duct tape would work just as well. Regular use of a makiwara will develop strong technique and is an excellent way to get the feel of karate techniques applied to an actual target, rather than into the empty air. It gives practice in focusing, muscular control, breath control and as a by-product, will toughen the skin of the knuckles and other striking points. Because it is difficult to master the technique of focus (concentration of strength at the moment of impact), many karate experts feel that the techniques of those who don't use the makiwara are bound to lack power. How to make and install Dig a hole in the ground three or four feet deep. Place the wide end of the board in it so that the top is at a height near the top of your chest. Pack the bottom of the hole with stones, bricks or concrete. Place 2 two-by-fours as shown in the diagram to brace the makiwara. Fill in the rest of the hole with dirt. The top of the board should move five or six inches without exerting too much pressure. Having a board too flexible is better than not flexible enough. Attach the striking surface near the top of the board so that the center of the striking surface comes to a height even with your solar plexus. How to use The makiwara is used mainly for practicing hand techniques, although foot techniques are sometimes practiced as well. Ideally, a second, more sturdy makiwara would be used for foot techniques. Pay strict attention to good form, including proper balance and hip rotation. In most cases, the point of focus is about two inches on the other side of the board when it is stationary. At the point of impact, sharply let out a short breath, breathing in while withdrawing. This gives good training in breath control. In hand techniques, take care to strike correctly with the knuckles of the fist while keeping the wrist straight. There will be a tendency for the hand to glance off at first, but constant practice will correct this. Beginners should start with 20 to 30 punches per hand and slowly work their way up. Makiwara training may cause injury to certain individuals. Makiwara usage is not recommended for adolescents while their bones are still developing. The bones in a young person are not hard enough to withstand the stress placed upon them by this type of training. Use at your own risk! From the University of Southern Florida web site http://ctr.usf.edu/shotokan . The full article includes diagrams _________________ KarateForums Sempai Shotokan Karate, Bojitsu, Saijitsu Karate means a better life [ This Message was edited by: SaiFightsMS on 2002-03-08 19:48 ]

And too remember the traditonal makiwari is much different from the ones we think of - the ones commercially available be they clapper or canvas pad. They are designed to flex. It is not just an act of hitting a totally rigid object. We have more tools available to use now to develope power in our punches and kicks. And for our physical structure to learn how to accept the punch.

Nearly poked out his eyes did he? :lol: :lol: Like for real?

I have thought long and hard about bringing up this topic. It is about physical training and me. Or more aptly how I may be a bit different after 20 years of multiple sclerosis than say a normal healthy person. I find the big differences are: Heat tolerance Stamina Recovery Time Like most people with ms I am affected much more adversely and much sooner by heat than the average person. Heat makes the nerve transmissions that are allready impaired fire even more slowly. Heat can also trigger exacerbations (the opposite of remission) of the disease. I go into heat exhaustion much more rapidly than most of you. Stamina, well like most with ms I have a much shorter period of time I am able to so extremely physical things than a healthy person. And it takes a longer recovery time. Sometimes taking a break helps sometimes not. Recovery time. Well it takes me a longer physical recovery time than for a healthy person. Which makes consistent training harder. I was thinking about this yesterday as I was sitting in the shower. I had planned on going in to the gym to train. But I was kind of wiped out. I knew I could force myself to go in but that if I did instead of just taking an extra recovery day I would end up having to take an extra 3-4 recovery days of minimal physical exertion. When I get too badly overtired I wake up feeling like I am made out of wood. For what it is worth I throw this out for reponses.

I am familiar with the technique and have used it in the past. For me I find that I need a much longer recovery time when I use training methods of that nature. It is a very effective method.

KickChick sounds similar to my shoulders. Only my problem is to due to repeated rotator cuff tears. The danger in hyper laxity is when things stretch too far and tear.

You know if you are making your own you can leave out the smelly stuff. The heat in the red version comes from the pepper. There is an amazingly hot stuff that comes in a tube made by Cramer. It is called Red Hot. Basically it is 4.95% oleoresin capsicum in a petrolatum base. Pepper essence in vaseline. Just don't get the stuff in your eyes.

USING A MAKIWARA* *(Makiwara means, literally, "rolled straw." Nowadays, the straw is usually replaced with a cotton pad and is normally placed on a flexible post. Sometimes, instead of placing the pad on a post, it is attached to a spring mechanism mounted directly on a wall.) Many traditional karate practitioners realize the value of using a makiwara. Some modern karate practitioners opt for a heavy bag instead. Regardless of what is being hit, having feedback from devices such as these can be of great value. This feedback can help you figure out how powerful your punch really is and what it feels like to make contact with something. Some mistakenly believe that the prime objective of striking a makiwara is to build up the calluses of the punching knuckles. Do you think a violinist does conditioning practice to create the calluses on his/her fingers? A professional violinist develops "pads" on the fingers of the left hand, as a result of constantly pressing against the strings. From repetitious practice, calluses often develop. But these do little to help the practitioner. They are merely a side effect of practice. The idea of using the makiwara to strengthen the fist is not totally wrong. But it is not the knuckles that are being conditioned; it is the wrist and the rest of the arm that are being conditioned to make a more effective technique. When punching a makiwara (or anything else), several things should be considered that you should always consider while punching the air as well. Check your distance from the target and your stance. Check that you are properly channeling the power of your legs (see March 1998 article for more on the subject). Check that the alignment of your arm during the punch is correct, that you are properly using the hips and that you are properly coordinating the tensing of various muscles involved (see February 1998 article for more on this). When punching a makiwara (or heavy bag, for that matter), a few things should be considered that may make the punch slightly different than that of air-punching. First of all, if you try to rotate your wrist at the very last moment into impact, you may be jeopardizing the health of your wrist and/or hand. You may need to change the timing of the rotation slightly (not much though) or leave out the wrist rotation altogether. There is a tendency while punching an object for the practitioner to "push" the punch. If you want to develop pushing power, do push-ups or weight-lifting. Pushing with brute strength is of little use while punching. Pushing is not the same as power. Keep in mind that power is created through a combination of speed and transfer of mass (Force = Mass x Acceleration). As you learn when punching an object such as a makiwara or bag, speed is not in itself sufficient. But neither is just pushing power. You must reach your target quickly and powerfully. Also, one should realize while practicing with a light punching bag that a would-be attacker would most likely be harder to "push" than that bag. This is one reason why the makiwara may be a more realistic training tool; it doesn't move much (but should move enough to absorb some of the shock so as not to ruin the user's joints

10 x 14 are you sure? Many kata will not fit in a space of that size if done with proper stances.

Welcome SteveKing

Wow what a reference Kickchick. Heel spurs do show up in x-rays. Mind showed up real well anyhow. I had success with the iotopheresis treatments to reduce the inflamation and a taping technique. You might also try thermal contrast. Put the heel in a bucket of hot water then ice the area alternating cold and heat. Finish with the heat. Ultimately I wound up wearing shoes in class.

ZakariRu you are right. I began looking at hangetsu right after I had been working with Sanchin. There are some definate simailarities between the two katas. The deeper one looks into the roots of katas which are considered traditional the closer they get. Many katas grew branches like a tree. Only the branches began to be remained. And what was originally a pine tree grew into branches of oak, hickory and walnut. Does that make any sense?

Hey I do ananku too. It is kind of a fun kata. I like the slide steps. I like the change of pace movements too.

Actually after over 20 years of multiple sclerosis; 14 of which were lived in a wheel chair kicking while standing is more of an accomplishment than any medical professional ever thought I would do. My ability to walk period is amazing them. I do work on jumping drills. Getting off the ground a single inch has been a big deal for me. Skipping (not rope skipping - just skipping like kids do) is another new skill. Is it a fair substitute for running. For the time being it is in my book.

Yes Kickchick I agree. And the longer we train the more we should be aware of the risk in what we do. Life period is a risk. Sueing your school because you got hurt doing something you freely consented to do makes little sense to me.

Most certainly not Kickchick. Just sharing some odds and ends of articles brought to my attention elsewhere.

Gollum gollumed and gollumed galloping across the gory gloom.

:lol: :lol: :lol: My most embarrasing moment came one night when I had the wrong bra on. A part of my anatomy came out of the harness in the middle of class. Greatly embarrased I had to quickly retreat and make an adjustment. Fortunately with the heavy weight gi top no one realized what had happened.

Welcome jetleigh. There are some of us here. :pony:

One of the things that has held back my progress in kanku dai is the jump kick at the back of the kata. It starts with a center kick and then before landing the foot jump and execute a jodan geri with the other foot. I have not yet gained the ability to do a jumping kick. So my idea to do this kata would be to do the center kick with the left foot. Land the foot and immediately execute the jodan geri with the right foot. Opinions please? Does anyone have any other suggestions?

NSW: Man used karate move to kill wife Copyright 2002 AAP Information Services Pty. Ltd. AAP NEWSFEED February 22, 2002, Friday DATELINE: SYDNEY, Feb 22 Twenty years after his wife was killed, a 57-year-old man was today jailed for a minimum of 10 years for using a karate technique to murder the woman. The body of Christine Rose, 32, was found dumped under a bridge near the NSW city of Armidale in May 1982 - a 3cm bruise on her neck the only sign of foul play. Last November a NSW Supreme Court jury found her estranged husband, Jeffrey Rose, guilty of murdering the mother of three. In sentencing Rose to a maximum 14 years Justice David Kirby said he accepted evidence given by three witnesses that Rose had boasted that he was familiar with karate and knew how to kill somebody. The Crown told the jury that Rose, a brown belt in karate, had killed his wife by applying pressure to the Vagus nerve on the neck which could cause the heart to slow or stop. Two of these witnesses also testified that Rose made threats against his wife. The Crown alleged Rose was unable to accept that his relationship with his wife was over and killed her out of jealousy. The Crown used DNA to link Rose to the the site of where Christine Rose's body was dumped and to other evidence found on her clothing. A preliminary hearing of the case was told that police reopened the murder investigation based on the recollection of the couple's son who was three-years-old at the time of the killing.

KARATE-KICK CLAIM WOMAN 'DOES NOT HAVE EPILEPSY' February 21, 2002, Thursday BYLINE: Cathy Coleman, PA News Press Association A health expert told a court today a 26-year-old woman who claims a karate kick left her with brain damage does not suffer from epilepsy. Dr Jonathan Bird added that if she did have epilepsy it would not be related to the kick Kate Stratton received during a class at Barry Leisure Centre in February 1995. The High Court, sitting in Cardiff, has heard that the 5ft 2ins tall 19-year-old, from Rhoose, south Wales, had been sparring with a male member of the class when she received a kick in the face. Milwyn Jarman QC, representing Miss Stratton, said that after the incident she developed epilepsy and lost her ability to read, write and remember names. He said: "The karate kick she received at the defendant's class at Barry Leisure Centre has left her an invalid for life." Miss Stratton's former karate instructor at the centre, Cliff Brown, is being sued by her parents Vi and John for £1 million. He has agreed to pay 45% of the damages without admitting liability, but his representatives say her compensation should not be more than £2,000. In court today Dr Bird, who has written several books and articles on epilepsy, said: "On seeing Miss Stratton my view is that it is unlikely she has true epilepsy, but if I am wrong and she has epilepsy, it is not due to the kick is must be due to some other factor." He said that Miss Stratton may have needed psychiatric treatment even if she had not been hurt during the martial arts case because of "underlying psychological distress". Dr Bird did agree that Miss Stratton is "seriously ill" and is "not malingering". The case was adjourned until tomorrow.

Rockland man files suit against karate instructor Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine) February 6, 2002 Wednesday, THIRD EDITION BYLINE: LEANNE M. ROBICHEAU, OF THE NEWS STAFF DATELINE: ROCKLAND A local man is suing a Rockland karate instructor for allegedly fracturing his cheekbone during a sparring session at a martial arts class. Eric Allyn of Rockland filed a lawsuit Friday in Knox County Superior Court claiming that his karate instructor, William Whitmire of Camden, intentionally hit him in the face with his fist, fracturing his left orbital bone. The incident occurred May 17 during a class at Kaibutsu-Kan Karate-Do in Rockland, according to the court document. The complaint, which seeks an unspecified amount of damages, lists five claims: assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and punitive damages. In the suit, Allyn claims that he has incurred medical expenses in excess of $11,000 as a result of the assault. Allyn is represented by Auburn attorney William Maselli, who could not be reached Tuesday for comment. Contacted Tuesday, Whitmire indicated that the plaintiff's claim was false. "It's a smear campaign of some sort," Whitmire said, noting that in his 16 years of business in the martial arts, he has never had any problem like this. "We have a wonderful reputation," he said. The instructor said that 30 people have graduated from his course with black belt certification. There are 60 youngsters in the program, he said.