Rich67

You know, in reading my original post, I don't see how you can consider it rude. Maybe I was MISINFORMED about Atkins. I tried to answer the original poster as best as I could, stating my opinion on the subject. I'm not a doctor or weight loss specialist. I'm a guy who ALSO had a weight problem years ago. And I considered it EASY in MY PERSONAL OPINION to lose the weight once I got off my duff and started eating and exercising right. Oh yes..I'm also 37 years young, and my metabolism took a nosedive in the past couple years. Sure, that's a factor in weight loss. But I could have wrote 10 pages on every facet of weight loss from metabolism to thyroid problems to diabetics, etc. etc. I was trying to provide a simple plan and help the original poster out...low carb diets work, but watch the calories. It's not a secret...read any periodical on the subject and it'll say the same thing. NOW who is being rude??? And telling me to keep my mouth shut is IMPOSING your opinion on me! I am not IMPOSING an opinion on ANYONE. If that's how you took it, you have issues. I was STATING MY OPINION. And the last time I checked, that is why I live in America and people are free to STATE AN OPINION. I would have been imposing it if I told him he was a knucklehead and that ANYONE should be able to lose weight easily; he NEEDS to do this or that to correct the problem;wham bam thank you maam. I didn't say that. And it kills me that you are arguing this point despite the fact that I explained myself and admitted my error. Go seek counseling if that upsets you.

I'd go with the moving in tactic. If you see him start the spin, step in and towards opponents planted foot.You can either push him off balance from here, or catch the kick at the thigh/ knee and counter from there. Backing up simply allows him to finish the kick, and be in position to attack or move at you again. The key is to take away his attacking momentum and throw him off balance, while putting you at a tactical advantage. If he's throwing it defensively, as you're moving in, then either move in quicker, or work on not telegraphing your moves so much. A spin kick takes times to execute, more so than a straight kick, so I would guess he's reading your movements and sticking you with it as you move in. Good luck!

LOL... I could just see you lying there with a mud mask and cucumbers on your eyes. Crunchy is right, try massaging it in, and use cold compresses also. Get a ziploc baggie, fill it with rubbing alcohol and water (50/50) then freeze it. The alcohol will prevent it from icing over, and you'll have a nice, cold, pliable bag of ice-cold therapy. You're pretty much into the late stages of bruising now, so there's not much you can do to get rid of the coloration. You have to do this immediately after you receive the potential eye-blackening blow. Once the blood settles in those areas, it's hard to work the bruising out.

http://martial-arts-supplies.reviews123.com/index.php?page=4&Cat=Boxing+-+heavy+bag+s http://www.karatesupply.com/connerman.htm (this last one is probably the cheapest one out there, and is the best put together) I don't know about making a frame out of wood. The reason is, you'd need a lot of wood to make it stable enough to allow the bag to rock around, and it could possibly tip if you don't make it correctly. I'd say save your money and contact Century Martial arts supply and order it directly from them. It'll last you longer, be more stable, and looks nicer.

Watch how you use the word "strengthen" when you talk about tendons. Tendons operate in a different manner than muscles. Tendons operate on the principle of elasticity. The amount of elasticity in the tendon correlates into the "strength" of the tendon (it's ability to rebound and extend). Stretching helps make the tendon more elastic for a period of time. This, in turn, helps it expand and contract with the movement of the body. A good example is the achilles. Runners stretch it out before running to make it more elastic and thereby help with the flexion of their feet as they run. Without stretching it, you make it more prone to injury under stressful conditions. So, technically the tendon is stronger to a certain degree; it is more resilient. But you can't "build it up" or make it stronger. It's like a rubber band. If you let it sit in the sun and don't work it every once in a while, it becomes brittle and will snap if pulled too far. But if you use it regularly and oil it (just an example) it will last a long time and not become brittle.

I train in the dojo 3 times a week. On my off days (4 days) I do this: DAY 1: Complete body resistance workout. Incline pushups, barbell rows, shoulder press, bicep curls, tricep pushdowns, squats and lunges. 1 set per exercise, 3 cycles of the whole workout. No rest (supersetting) between any exercise, 1 minute rest between cycles. DAY 2: Heavy bag work. Kick and punch, elbow and knee the bag for a total of 40 minutes. Finish with crunches. (200 total...that means 20 reps using 10 different crunch positions: standard, knee up, left and right oblique, leg raises, bicycles, etc) DAY 3: REST DAY 4: REST (depending how I feel or how sore I am) or AEROBIC work. I do a 40 minute aerobic session either on a treadmill running (4-5 miles a clip) or use a Power 90 DVD aerobic workout. That's realistic and it works. As far as what grandmasterchen posted, I agree that this kind of workout CAN be done, but if you can do this more than three times a week, you're a fitness GOD with 2% bodyfat. It sounds more to me like an excerpt from a Jean Claude Van Damme movie. I know they do things differently in Japan, but come on. I don't doubt chen has done this. But you can't overwork your body like that unless you are an olympic contender or have no job and get PAID to work out. We all have jobs, go to school, etc. So just finding the time to supplement your training is difficult. Lastly, 500 pushups isn't impossible. But to do 500 in one session under a strict time limit is. Try it. See how many you can crank out without resting. I can do about 50 in one set with no rest. I can take a minute break, do 30, break, then 28, minute break, then 20. But I'm pretty much wasted by then. What would that be...128 or 130 or so? I can bench 275 for 5 reps, and I weigh 180#'s. I think I'm pretty strong. It'd take me a few hours, but I think I could do the 500 in strict form.

It's excellent for cardio. Look at it this way. You are jumping, using your quads, hams and calves each time you spring. You are moving your arms and shoulders. You are moving continuously. This is an all-out body effort. Of course, if you jump rope and can't do more than 10-20 jumps per session and you are constantly stopping, you're not doing as much for you as a continuous session. Try alternating legs, double jumps, cross arms, etc. Do that for 20-30 minutes straight with only a few second pauses in between. You'll be soaked in sweat. That's good cardio.

Someone posted a similar question some time ago. Technically, you can't strengthen tendons in the muscular sense, they don't build up like muscle cells do. You can make them more resilient by taking supplements like glucosamine. If you engage in resistance exercise, you can build the muscles and bone and that in turn puts less stress on the tendons. Although power is generated by tendons to some extent, the majority of strength comes from ligaments and muscle... and using them properly by throwing your body into the technique and proper follow through. This article explains how tendons help in strength. Basically, stretching them helps their elasticity, which makes them appear stronger for explosive movements. http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/tendons.html EXCERPT: How strength training targets tendons Having established that the muscle tendon unit has two separate components that contribute to force production, the key question for athletes and coaches is how to improve the tendon’s elastic energy release as well as the strength of the muscles. This forces us to consider strength training from a non-traditional perspective in relation to how it targets tendon rather than muscle. But before doing that we need to examine the characteristics of tendons more closely, since different training methods are beneficial for different types of tendons. For the purposes of this article, tendons can be thought of pretty much like elastic bands(1). The energy stored by such bands is proportional to the extent to which they are stretched. Long elastic bands are good at storing energy, and thin bands are ‘compliant’ in that they can be stretched very easily, with little force. Unfortunately, though, this means they produce less force when they recoil. Thick elastic bands, on the other hand, have greater ‘stiffness’ in that they require larger forces to stretch them, but they create large forces during recoil. Tendons may also be stiffer or more compliant and, as such, are best suited to different types of movement. If the range of motion is large and the load is light, a compliant tendon is best because it can be stretched easily under the light load through the large range, and recoil efficiently. The hip flexion movement used during sprinting is a good example: the hip flexor is stretched fully as the hip extends during push-off, and then the hip flexes as the knee comes through in front of the body.

Hmmmmm.... I've notified the tree-hugging politicians and they should be paying you a visit shortly to tax you for those poor trees... you evil man!

At your age, your metabolism is such that you can pretty much eat what you want and not have it literally weigh you down. 6 meals a day is good, but the amount you take in calorie wise depends on your Basal Metabolic Rate. You can figure out your resting BMR by going here: http://caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.html Keep in mind, that's RESTING. You need to add more if you are more active and want to maintain weight, or add a lot more if you want to gain weight. As for working out, you'll get plenty of that at the dojo. No need to supplement it unless you go less that 4 times a week. I'd say weight training is the best, since you hit the cardio at the school. Resistance exercise will help you add power to your techniques, and help develop muscular coordination during your training.

You're right, Crunchy, I do stand corrected on the death of Atkins. I did not research and just heard "rumor" about the cause of his death. I do apologize. And the fact that I said it is easy to lose weight is not an incorrect statement. It is as simple to lose it as it is to gain it. If you take in more calories per day that you burn, you will gain weight. If you take in less, you will lose it. Eat less, exercise more= lose weight. EASY is a relative term. I don't know if you expect that you can simply take a pill and sit around watching TV all day and get shredded. THAT is easy. But that's not what I meant by EASY. EASY, relatively speaking, means that with a little discipline, exercise and good eating habits, the pounds can come off easily. It's difficult for those people who have no understanding of proper diet and exercise habits; things that a good percentage of martial artists should have. If I offended you by that statement, oh well. I may not be as politically correct as you want me to be.

If you are morbidly obese, a low/no carb diet can certainly help whittle away the pounds. However, for the people who just want to lose 5-10 pounds and maintain muscle mass, low carb diets aren't great. You need carbs and fats for energy. Eat a diet that's carb heavy in the morning, then carb free/low in the evening. Try to exercise on an empty stomach (immediately upon waking or before dinner). If you deprive your body of carbs too much, you will eventually feel run down, and can have physical problems (Just ask Atkins...ooppss...he's dead). It's easy to lose weight... just control your calories. Eat 6 small portions of meals a day, avoid sweets, eat veggies, fruit (moderately) and lean meat, as well as non-fat dairy. You'll lose weight, be healthier, and still have energy to go to work during the day.

Ouch man, that's kind of harsh. Also, don't fall victim to the same thing you're critiquing them of doing. For instance: GRAMMER???? The proper spelling is GRAMMAR PREPAIRED???? The proper spelling is PREPARED. Your I's are not capitalized when referring to yourself. You have a comma after LESSONS. There should be a period there. Same thing after DISCIPLINE. Should I go on? Ohh... and just my two cents... the original poster is 15, on probation, has acquaintances who use drugs, and lives in Aurora (no offense to the literate Aurorians). That pretty much sums up his lack of ability to form complete sentences and inability to write. People like that need to get their act together first before engaging in the martial arts. It's more than just an avenue to learn to kick butts. Get your act together first, then learn. Sheeesh!

I thought Royce and Shamrock had a second match that ended in a draw (new rules UFC). Shamrock talks a lot of smack about that match, but all he was trying to was tie up Royce so he couldn't do anything. Shamrock wasn't really trying anything, and that basically put them in a stalemate. I'd take Royce any day over Shamrock in old NHB....no time limit and no rounds.

You're right, pizzaboy. Another thing, I think a lot has to do with how you carry yourself and the "air" of confidence you project. Most criminals look for weaker people to pick on (elderly, women, thin and weak looking people, etc). Most martial artists exude confidence when they walk, and criminals tend to "size up" their victims before moving in on them. Don't walk with your head hung low, don't be afraid to look into people's eyes, and stand up straight.

Ever heard the addage: Don't bring a knife to a gunfight? Well, it applies to hands in a gunfight also. Heh heh... seriously tho: I have a concealed weapons permit, and carry my gun around wherever I go. So I fight fire with fire if need be. Hypothetically, if I was confronted with a guy with a gun, and I was unarmed, I'd assume he was going to kill me. Plain and simple. If someone points a gun at you, you better assume he will shoot you. Better to die trying to disarm him than die standing there with your thumb up your sphincter. You have to be in close, and you have to surprise bad guy. Get him talking or catch him in mid-distraction of some sort. Don't look at the gun, look in his eyes. The second he is arguing with you or looks away, jump him and fight for your life. Blade your body sideways,grab the gun and get a death grip on it. Then, your tactics may differ. The element of surprise is in your favor. He isn't expecting a fight, but you are. He thinks you'll just quiver and cower. But always remember, if it isn't worth your life, don't fight. If all he wants is your car, give him the keys. If he wants your money, give it to him. But if it comes down to the safety of a loved one or family member, kill him. But you only have one shot, so make it a violent one. Gouge out his eyeballs, kick him in the gonads multiple times, and crush his windpipe. You can use deadly force in defense of your life in that case. But if you lose, no telling what may happen to you.

Next time, get it on video and send it to America's Funniest Home Videos. You may end up $10,000 richer... I doubt either of you would care too much then... the "man getting hit in groin with (fill in blank)" skit works wonders on that show!

That is correct. The plexus is essentially a protrusion of cartilage that contains a large amount of nerves. There is no way to build it up. That's why it is a prime striking target, it can really hurt you and knock you down to your knees. Building the rectus abdominus is the only way to help a major blow there. Either that or gain 100 pounds and the layer of fat will protect it! But...I assume that's not an option....

I think you have the right idea. My only argument with it is this: If you're trying to build strength, don't concentrate on too many "assist" exercises. Like the hammer curls, concentrations. Also don't overwork the legs with redundant exercises like the leg press or leg curl. The best strength building programs are the simple, compound movement exercises you can lift HEAVY weight with. This is what I do for my bulking phases: Chest: Flat bench and incline bench. (this hits the shoulders and tri's as well as the chest) I also do flyes (decline and incline). Shoulders: since I hit those hard with the bench, I simply do lateral raises or presses with dumbbells. Triceps: since I hit these also with the benches, I do cable pressdowns or dumbbell kickbacks. Legs: 2 exercises work the whole legs (xcept calves): Squats and deadlifts with straight legs. I don't do any of the other ones; I just go all out on those two. For calves do toe raises with weights. Back: Pullups (weighted or un) mixed with chinups. (adds width to back) Bent over rows (adds thickness). Lat pulldowns are not good enough. Too easy to cheat with your back, and not enough body involvement. Biceps: Already wasted em pretty good with the pulls and chins. Do EZ curls or preacher curls. Abs: Usually done enough during training. You only need to hit them 3 times a week. Hanging leg raises are the best. So as you see, you can seriously cut down on the quantity of exercises you have to do. QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY! Trust me, if you go heavy, you'll be sore for a couple days after any of these combos. If you do too many exercises at once, you set yourself up for overuse injuries, and that can put a damper on your training.

Is the skin on your hands calloused?

I use mine primarily to develop power behind my techniques. I use it also to help my focus. I've put duct tape on it in strike areas to represent face, solar plexus, groin, etc. and try to hit the areas as the bag moves. I try to plow into the bag as hard as I can and rock it and move it as much as I can. It's a tough workout. I go all out on it for 5 minutes, take a break, 5 minutes again, take a 3 minute calisthenic break(pushups, dips, pullups), then hit it for 3 more minutes.

I mounted mine in the garage without any brackets. Try this: 1) find one of the braces in your ceiling, and if you have access to it, go into the attic and "boost" up the wood brace. Do this by getting a 2x4 and cutting it so it makes a "Y" shaped joist and attaches to the nearby braces. SCREW the new joists into the other wood braces (nails aren't as strong). 2) Use a large eye hook and screw it in to the brace DEAD CENTER. The screw should be very large... and it should easily accomodate the hardware that came with the bag (which should be 4 chains with hooks at one end, and a swivel attachment). 3) The screw should easily support the weight of the bag, and should be in the wood securely enough so that it won't move a millimeter when you hang the bag up. The additional joist you put up should add security to the original brace in your house, this way when the bag swings, the brace won't flex. The hardest part is to make sure the new joists you make fit tightly against the beam and the adjoining joists. I wish I had some pics for you, but this is as good as I can do. Mine has been up for years, and it's taken a lot of punishment without any indication of weakening. But you don't need any brackets.

That is scary. TWO FELONIES?? Geez. Trust me, that's not the standard... at least not here in Florida or in Los Angeles. Funny thing is, you wonder why crime is so rampant in DC... don't they have the most stringent gun control laws in the nation? Like NYC?? I wonder why the percapita crime rate in those areas is so high with those wonderful laws...(said with sarcasm) Miami PD had the same lousy hiring practices back in the 80's. By the time the 90's rolled by, the department had some of the worst corruption in the U.S. Things are better now, but look for a trend similar to that in DC and Baltimore if that continues.

I know this is an old post, but just my two cents: First off, ANYONE (even those without martial arts training), CAN KILL WITH ONE PUNCH. Street fighters can. Boxers can. Big people can. A fight is a fight is a fight. You receive the same legal ramifications with or without martial arts training. It's all about who was the aggressor, who was defending themselves, etc. It makes no difference to the cop handling the incident whether you are a martial artist. Oh,and as for the original post, the security guard at your school is a liar. I seriously DOUBT he was ever a real cop; he is giving you a load of crud when he tells you those stories. Why is he a security officer? Hmmmm... probably because if he ever WAS a cop he lost his job 'cause he's a knucklehead. Chances are, he WANTED to be one, but failed the entrance requirements, so he wants to sound like a tough guy to all the kids. Second, I am a cop. I can tell you thereare good and bad people in any job. The same goes for cops. But a lot of citizens are misguided by what the see or hear in the media about officer involved shootings. Until you have actually DONE THE JOB, you have no idea what it is like to make a split second decision about your life or someone else's life. You have no idea (unless you live a very active life) what it's like to be shot at, dragged by a car, watched someone kill themselves,get almost hit by a car, attacked by people who want to kill you because they don't want to go to jail, spit on, you name it. All those things have happened to me. All cops have a tough job, and it's a thankless one at that. Everyone hates cops until they need one. So before you criticize a cop for the job he does, remember that without policemen the world would be a real unruly, ugly place. You have them to thank when you sleep soundly at night and they are awake and patrolling or investigating while you are sleeping. I'm off my soap box now.

Are you talking a speedbag or a heavy bag?