aefibird

I can wait until school starts... as it means I'll have to go back to work. *sigh* I'm enjoying my 6 week summer holiday away from my class of 8 year olds too much to want to go back! lol State schools in the UK usually start around 5th September, I think colleges and universities here start a little later.

I think that sometimes non-martial artists visit this site to learn about MA, usually because they want to start a martial art.

Try using a training journal to record down what you've done in class. Take it to class and fill it in straight away if you think that you'll have forgotten by the time you get home. Get a higher grade or your instructor to check it over once in a while too - make sure that what you're writing down is correct! You could always ask them to write or draw out the form for you in your journal, that way you'd have a list or images to help you practise at home. Finally, if the pace of class is too fast for you then make sure you see your instructor about it! We've all been beginners at one point, it's just that sometimes people who have been training for a long time forget how bewildering MA can be for the newbie. If class is going too fast for you then if your instructor knows then he can do something about it. He may assign a higher grade to work with you for a while or may work personally with you for a bit to make sure that you're keeping up. There's no shame in saying that the class is too quick for you - people learn at different paces and if the instructor knows that you sometimes have trouble keeping up he can do something about it.

I've found kazaa to be useful for martial arts video clips in the past.

Plus, time is no real measure of dedication. Many of the old karate masters earned their dan grades in time lengths that would (these days) have people howling "McDojo"! e.g. Nishyama: started training in 1943. Shodan in 1946, age 23 director of the JKA. Nidan in 1948. Sandan in 1950 Ozawa: started in 1942. Shodan in 1944. Nidan at university after WWII, Sandan & Yondan in 1955 Enoeda: started in 1952, was a Sandan in 1956 Abe: started in 1954, was a yondan in 1964 Ohtsuka: started in July 1922, received Shodan 12th April 1924 Now, I'm sure that no-one is going to claim that any of these masters were handed their grades (far from it) but if I came on these boards and claimed that I'd recieved Yondan only 10 years after starting training (like Sensei Abe did) then I'm sure that a lot of people would be questioning my grades and my training. Training length is relative. It's dedication and hard work that counts. Personally, I'd rather spend years as a beginner grade and really say that I know my stuff than reach blackbelt in record-time and be ashamed to wear it as I knew so little.

:lol: Kicks, you've found out my secret!! Yes, I really am blue and orange... Anway, the TKD is going great. It's WTF, which is different to the ITF I have trained in before, but it's still good. I'm loving the training, although my brain now has another language to contend with (Korean) and get muddled with the Chinese and Japanese I already have... Yes, I did do rather well on my first belt test, actually. Jumped from 10th kup to 7th kup, so I'm now a yellow belt with green tag. Thanks for asking Kicks!

I pay per lesson for training at each of the schools I attend. The cheapest is £3 per lesson and the most expensive is £7 per lesson. I no longer pay at karate as I teach as well as train, so my teaching 'pays' for my training times.

http://www.thearma.org/ That's their website in case anyone wants more info.

very funny!!

They're great! I've seen those before, as well as the one's about comments made by airline crew, but they're soooo funny. Make me howl with laughter every time I read them!

I couldn't do it first time, but kept practising and I could manage it on the 3rd attempt. Interesting!

I'd say that they styles would be different enough for you not not get them confused. Give it a go - even if you don't stick with it you've improved your MA experience, which is always a good thing IMO.

In South Yorkshire (the UK county I live in) there's plety of TKD and karate schools, a smattering of kung fu & JKD places and a handful of 'other', which includes a BJJ school, an Iaido place and Ninjitsu. The most popular (as well as the ever-prevalent McDojang TKD) is kickboxing and boxing. Boxing is the traditional sport of this area - most towns, even the small places have at least 1 boxing gym and many of those offer kickboxing classes as well.

It'll certainly help your current MA training. Go for it!

Cricket...ah now there's a top quality sport!! I love cricket and used to play wicket keeper (similar to catcher in baseball). I used to play hockey too (grass, not ice). I'd love to start playing both hockey & cricket again, but I just can't fit anything else in. Certainly, not without giving up some MA training which I don't want to do. These days my sports are just swimming and horseriding with the occasional game of squash and badminton. I don't get time for much else.

I bought it the very minute it came out (queued up at the store on Friday midnight), took it home and stayed up until I'd finished it. Was sooo tired on saturday when I'd done... Anyway, I loved it. Her best yet IMO. I just wish that we didn't have to wait yonks for the next one to appear. As for the theories, I'm with the "Snape killed Dumbledore on D's orders" theory.

For home use, about 2-3 hours a day (not all at once, though). It depends on how much I use computers at work, depending on what I'm doing I can be on for a few hours a day or not at all.

WB! Good look for your testing and the tourney.

What's "Wicked"? (apart from a musical...)

I used to own a dog, but sadly he had to be put down (old age). I'd like to get another someday, but have too much going on right now. I feel a bit 'lost' without a dog, though. My family have always owned dogs (of all breeds, shapes and sizes) so it's just normal to me that they're a part of the house. I don't mind what size dog I own, so I voted "medium" as it was the middle option.

I thought that. I also thought that he gave a very good performance. I liked the old film and I like this one two, although it's not really fair to do a straight comparison on them, especaially as the 2nd movie is a Tim Burton pic after all!

I don't drink milk on it's own, although I have it in coffee (but not in tea). I also have a little milk when I eat cereal. I take multi-vitamins & minerals to ensure I get enough calcuim as I don't really eat that much dairy anymore.

I play piano, keyboard, clarinet, flute, bass and guitar. I used to play bass guitar in a band, but I ended up replacing the singer and we got a new bassist (for reasons too long and complicated to explain). We're called Son, but no "shameless plug" website unfortunately. Oh and I learned the recorder when I was in Junior school but haven't played it since I was about 11, so I dunno if that counts. Still, I learned one 'useful' thing - if you play the recorder underwater (just the instrument, not your head as well!) it sounds like The Clangers. That's an old kids TV program for those not 'in the know'.

If you don't like it then remove it. Go to a salon if you're gonna get waxed, though. They're likely to do a better job of it that you (seen as you've never waxed before...). If you try Nair/Veet/other hair removal cream then go for the sensitive skin sort. It'll be more kind to your skin on your first attempt. I'd say go with electrolysis, waxing, sugaring or hair removal cream, rather than shaving. They all last longer than shaving, for a start. Plus the hair isn't as stubbly or thick afterwards. Personally, I prefer hairless guys to those that look like a gorilla when they take off their shirts. But that's just one womans opinion. If you hate the hair then remove it. If it doesn't bother you then leave it. It's your body - don't get rid of the fuzz just because you think others might prefer it.

That's great! Some good advice there too.