SaiFightsMS

Now that was funny.

Actually that is a good point. Many times the higher yudansha ranks are awarded not for physical ability but for what an individual has done to advance the style.

Every stance works the muscles in the legs just a bit differently.

Welcome to the forum.

We did a few improvisations. I did my earlies kicking drills sitting in my chair. From that I went to hanging onto the back of the chair. When I did moving drills I did them either next to the wall so I could put a hand out for balance or used my canes; both canes at first then one. As far as stances go the first stances you move around in are deep stance and hanzenkutsu. Deep stance is really great because it helps your legs to get stronger and helps with stretching. The people who lined up next to me got used to me flailing my arms around to keep my balance in the beginning. As they got used to me occasionally knocking my glasses across the room doing head blocks at first. (Sports goggles solved that problem as did more practice.) It is also extremely unlikely that you will be asked to do a deep horse stance early in your training.

Try to explain that to someone working at a fast food place because they didn't have enough fighting spirit to stay in college.

Person who sits with man who farts in church shares pew.

That says a lot about the class discipline.

Interestingly enough Theodore Roosevelt had some judo training. I have no idea how much or for how long. Tidbit of information courtesy of a history channel show.

Now keeping in mind that this is not a serious topic; what do you think would be a good name for the male counterpart to the dojo bunny? You know guys who go to class to pick up girls. What is a good name for them - shark, jackrabbit ??????

Don't think diet. Improve your eating habits.

And be careful with the ibuprofen, and any other NSAID, they can be very hard on the stomach. Never take them on an empty stomach.

Practice. Control comes with a lot of practice. It is a learning process that will take place over time.

Fighting spirit entails much more than just a physical fight against and opponent. Everyone has different kinds of battles they wage in daily life that have nothing to do with kicking and punching; but still requre persitence to overcome.

I found that the system structure of having to meet certain goals extremely helpful. In order to prepare for the next rank you have to meet certain goals. In the process you learn or relearn how to set goals and how to periodically set down and evaluate your progress in meeting those goals. I realize there are many other activities that reqire the same thing. It is just more apparent in karate. And in a class with multiple ranks there is nothing like having to concentrate on your kata; while the people in front and in back of you are doing a different form to improve attention spans.

What is your definiton of fighting spirit?

1st or ichii kyu is the highest kyu grade that comes before the dan or black belt grades. Kyu grades start with higher numbers and count down. Dan grades start low and count up. The ho, shodan-ho, ranks are usually junior black belts.

"Carnivorous dojo bunnies"? I like the expression. So what are the guys who go to martial art classes to pick up girls called?

This is a topic that comes up from time to time in here. Here are links to some of the other threads that pertain. http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=880&highlight=kids+blackbelts http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3873&highlight=kids+blackbelts http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=608&highlight=kids+blackbelts http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3016&highlight=kids+blackbelts

If anyone is interested last years april fool joke was everyone was turned into a white belt for the day.

Welcome to the forum.

If the grip and forearms are weak it is difficult to make and maintain a proper fist. It will also be difficult to do twisting techniqes like those involved in basic punching drills not to mention shuto's, nukites and ridge hand strikes.

The first time I tore a rotator cuff I didn't take the time off. Big mistake; it got to the point where I could not raise my arm at all. What could have been a few weeks of time off turned into a process that took like 5-6 months to get over.

Actually ninjanurse I am one of the ADD-Combined Types. And because in the 60's when I was in grade school they were not diagnosing ADD problems yet my problem was not discovered until much later. When the specialist went back through my old grade school records many of the written teacher comments could have come straight out of a textbook. And would you believe before someone happened to think check ADD they were wanting to label me bi-polar? Knowing what the problem is makes a huge difference in coping with some of the things you do that make others just scratch their head and walk away.

You sure got that right.