White Warlock

ahh, but what if you 'are' right?

There are also three times more Americans than Japanese/Okinawans, and plenty more interest in the lifetime 'study' of the martial arts in the U.S. than in Japan. But, otherwise i will agree... plenty more people in the U.S. falsely claiming expertise. You make a false claim in Japan/Okinawa, you'll be tested and disgraced. You make a false claim here, and everyone wants to buy your videos.

hehe, silly topic. But, i used to collect and still have a good 300 or so collectables sitting in storage. Thanos is nearly a god, while wolverine is a flesh and admantium bones human. Thanos would merely need to burn away all of wolverine's flesh and organs, using what "Marvel Comics" dubs 'cosmic power'... and leave the admantium bones intact for a souvenir. Oh, and wolverine would not be able to injure Thanos... no matter how hard he tried. Besides having virtually invulnerable skin, he also cannot die (a supposed curse imposed by "Death"). Also, thanos can supposedly lift over 1000 tons and fought Thor (a Norse god) and the Thing (Fantastic Four) simultaneously. He's allegedly as strong, or almost as strong, as the Hulk (watch the movie for an idea on that one). Add to this, he can teleport at will, and can teleport with others. He can also survive indefinitely in space. So, if he wished, he could simply grab wolverine and teleport into space. And then there's this, "Deadliest of all Thanos's attributes, perhaps, was his mind, whose superhuman level of intellect was totally dedicated to the annihilation of life." So... how about those... umm... Marvel movies, eh? (( and no, i didn't have this in my head. I had to look it up. ))

didn't jump in earlier, but i agree with everyone else here about those other gloves. They would be nice for sparring (mma style), if it wasn't for the bar inserted into the palm, but for bag work (which is what they were made for) they are garbage. You don't have a friend, roommate or neighbor that can help? That feeling you are getting is because you are holding your fists too tight during the entire process, overexerting your 'clench' muscles. Relax your fists between impacts. When you are wearing gloves, your hands should be relaxed all the way until just before impact with the bag. This, i find, is also good practice for how you should strike someone for greater focused penetration. Be careful though... a lot of people hurt their wrists for having 'bad' form when striking a bag. I.e., they may tighten the fist too late too often, or fail to also stabilize the wrist prior to impact. And, of course, always use wraps. If you don't know how to properly wrap your hands/fingers/wrist... ask.

lol

i consider this to be an imposed misconception. The traditions do not make the art. It is the study of the art itself, with the techniques, the principles, the presentation of the principles in a philosophical context that make the art. Philosophies are 'not' dependent upon regional traditions, nor are they dependent upon religions, belief systems... but 'imposed' foundations are. I.e., if you base your philosophical outlook on a foundation that is not based on reality, but instead based on a religion, then you are going to be inducted into the hall of delusion. For if a religion states that all things are made of Spam, and you then develop a philosophy based on that foundation... you are essentially running on a false premise. This... is not a philosophy, but a postulation based on a 'belief-based' preconception. That tangent out of the way, the art aspect of a martial art is not about aesthetics. If that were the case, most 'effective' martial studies would not be arts, and only those really fancy, really useless, martial studies would receive guaranteed status as arts. No, the arts aspect of martial refers to the studies that impress so many variables, scientific variables, that the only 'reasonable' means to 'utilize' such sciences... is to allow for subjective analysis, presentation, and implementation. I.e., when you grab a whole mess of sciences and mix them together, you get to a point where you just have to 'guess.' The arts are about 'making the best guess' based on the information one has. That is why it is so subjective. Because the information one obtains through their life presents only a 'sample' of all the variables associated with a confrontation and with the study of war as a whole. Everything else presented... is just gift wrap and ribbons. Things that present the package in a 'prettier light,' but that have no relevance to the actual gift of knowledge that a martial art constitutes.

Every situation, every encounter, is different. Regardless of how much experience one has with street encounters, one will never be prepared or be able to gauge what will work, and what won't. It is based on the circumstances... the moment. Whatever you know can be applied, if given the opportunity. And that's the crux of this entire debate: Opportunity. It is opportunity that presents to us the moment where one or another action will be applicable. If we are to debate this issue, then we need to consider this, and recognize that there are 'less' opportunities for presenting 'high' kicks in street encounters. Far more opportunities present themselves for strikes that have a far shorter distance to travel before making impact. High kicks are not merely about speed, but about the distance traveled. The longer the distance, the more likely that the path could be disrupted; that an obstacle could be interposed between the striking member and the intended target. But, of course, speed is a factor... and a strike that travels a shorter distance is going to be inherently quicker to implement/utilize. In a competition, rules exist that can 'intercede' in the 'normal' process of decreasing the size of windows, the windows of opportunity. Because competitions present rules, restrictions, on what can be done, so too are some opportunities removed, while others accentuated. This accentuation effectively increases the window that an opportunity presents itself therefore, depending on the type of competition, a high kick could very well receive 'more' opportunity to be effectively utilized than what would normally be available. But, as i said before, every street encounter differs... so windows of opportunity differ as well. Assuming the large windows found in competitions will also be found in street encounters is merely presenting far too much dependency on an 'assumption,' rather than treating every encounter with an adaptable mentality and essentially doing 'whatever it takes.'

In the case of most people, i would tend to agree with you. On the other hand, if you have prior experience, or your 'teacher' has less experience, insight, or skill than you do (and this does present itself quite often), then disagreeing is entirely reasonable. The other thing is, though... if you have a question, always ask. Don't just take things at face value, understand the 'why'... not merely the 'how.' And while you may not be ready for the 'why,' at least allow your teacher the opportunity to make that choice by the manner in which he answers your question.

'some' martial arts experience? thanks for visiting here and tossing in your insight. I'm a tad curious what 'some' constitutes? I mean, if the show is going to gauge candidates, 'some' is a rather tenuous measure, at least in the context of what 'some' means to me. Also, a note. When people step forward, they represent themselves, not their arts. They may claim an art, but the performance and efforts people put forward in competitions... is individual. And last, why is it that they are setting an age limit of 30? Isn't this opening themselves up for a suit? I mean, i'm ready to apply just to have them reject me on age.

A thank you usually suffices, but i usually try to compliment in return... assuming there's something to compliment.

Mine used to say, "if you can read this, you're way too close to my butt!"

The instructor has a valid point that your son will gain more insight into the art if you study with him, mainly because while you're at home you will be able to present these insights. My recommends, though, are to not discuss the art with your son (or in front of your son) 'outside' of class unless he brings it up, otherwise he may get burned out or disinterested and feel it's more for you and not for him. As always, the kids want to be the center of attention. Another recommend is to relinquish your parent authority while in the classroom. Allow the instructor to teach, while you learn, and your son learns. Don't try to correct your son if the teacher is there to participate and assist. Allow the teacher to 'teach' the class, although there is absolutely nothing wrong with assisting your child or encouraging him to 'behave.' Frankly, i think it will be good for both of you. Not merely because you'll both have an opportunity to learn an art, but because both of you will be spending quality time together and in the process 'bonding' by sharing the same field of knowledge at comparable levels.

You mean it isn't?!?

No, i have instructed people as old as their 70's... and not tai chi. Granted, it might be harder for you to grasp some things, but you'll find other things much easier to grasp. Considering your career, i gather you'll have a pretty good grasp of how to handle the adrenal surge. This is a 'huge' advantage, as you'll eventually find out. obviously since you're interested in learning, it's not 'merely' for your son's sake. To be blunt, just because he's being referred to you by his students doesn't guarantee he's offering a quality product. After all, they are students... You didn't provide any real information anyone here could work with. You didn't indicate the style, the instructor, the school or location, whether he is presenting contracts or allows for month-to-month, what his rates are, if he charges for belt tests, if so how much, if there are any hidden costs, how many pages any contract may be, if you are going to be in a seperate class or in the same class as your child, what the demographics are of the classes (ages, amount), how many classes a month you can attend (or that he provides), whether the hours are accommodating, how long each session is, if the instructor teaches the classes himself, or has his students teach while he sits in his office and counts his money, whether he has any associations, etc. As you can see, all you presented was the predicament, without any basis in setting. We really have nothing to go by.. and we don't know your friends, his students, so we cannot gauge the value of their referrals.

Because they are not true Shaolin. They are knock-offs...

thank you shogeri, good information

I'm not sure i would state you lost your temper, as i would say you tempered your anger. You released it just enough to get a point across. I had a similar situation happen many years back, and i reacted in much the same way. I hold no regrets now, although i did then. I've had plenty of time to cogitate on what happened, and i didn't lose my temper... i merely did what needed to be done in a manner that could best be understood by the other person. In order for me to do it, i utilized my anger to step outside of the "trust relationship" that i usually maintain. The end result was a very clean set of actions with precise targeting that although made mild contact and caused no damage, in combination with my intensity it sent a very clear message... that i attempted to immediately retract with apologies. Suffice it to say, despite my apologies, the message was received. Btw, the respect factor i am referring to has nothing to do with rank or age, but of all persons within the training hall. You have been trained to show respect to everyone in the training hall, despite their age or rank, right? In other words, i wasn't referring to authority. My final comment is this. We study the martial arts, not dance or calligraphy. It is not about expressing oneself, and therefore it should not be led by emotions. However, emotions are a part of you and they do play a part in analyzing information you are subjected to. We cannot rely solely on logic. Our emotions help us to deal with circumstances that defy logic, such as the incident you experienced. thanks for reading

lol on both counts

Shotokan Karate Magazine - http://www.zee.com/skmn/index.php American Samurai - http://www.americansamurai.com/ Sport Karate Magazine - http://www.nblskil.com/skm/skmagazinemenu.html Karate Bushido (French) - http://www.karatebushido.com/new/index2.php?lien=abonnement Dragon Times (mostly karate) - http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Dtimes/Pages/Dthome.htm Sport Karate International - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006KXXT/104-2705681-4519164 Many other magazines, including Inside Karate, Karate Illustrated and Karate/Kung-Fu Illustrated, have gone the way of the dodo bird. Both the internet and cable/satellite television have done a number to the print industry, but specialty mags/newspapers still find their niches.

My honest opinion is the guy deserved it. There are plenty more of the Koreans in the room, and his actions were basically that of a bully, exploiting your trust (read this article) and then laughing in your face, all the while knowing that his 30 or so friends in the dojang would have run to his defense and you would have been attacked... or expelled. You have nothing to be ashamed of, regardless of how you think you should behave in such a situation. My take on this is that some training studios browbeat you into thinking you should show an outrageous degree of respect. I say outrageous because there's a point where when respect is not reciprocated, and your safety is on the line, you stop. You simply stop. Either you stop presenting respect or stop participating, but the undertone of some studios is to give you the impression when someone intentionally injures you during training, you're the one that's supposed to be apologetic. That's outright doublethink from Jules Verne's 1984, and that is why you are confused. The martial arts studio is many things, but one thing it is not, is a place where bullies can exploit you. I recommend discussing these issues with the instructor of the class, and with your instructor back home. Whatever you do though, don't grovel for forgiveness, when you were clearly not in the wrong for showing the guy there are repercussions for 'exploiting your trust.'

MasterH, one example does not make for a reasonable survey. But, of course, you know that.

All anyone can do is provide their opinions, based on preferences. The better route would be for you to examine schools on your own. Find out what schools are available in your area, what they charge, any additional costs (belt tests, etc), any contract terms (preferably month-to-month), availability of classes, size of classes, styles instructed, sparring/competition/training terms, and whether their instructors are qualified or not (collect names, ranks, credentials, associations). If you collect this information and present it here, we may be able to assist you in making a reasoned choice. But most of all, you need to find out if you 'like' the instructors and students at each particular school. If you feel uncomfortable, don't find yourself respecting them, or feel as if you're free will is being sucked right out of you, put a big red X on that school and move onto the next one. On the other hand, if you find a school or instructor that intrigues you, by all means present your thoughts on this to us as well. You're shopping, so don't be afraid or intimidated out of shopping. What you purchase is not a car, nor a leather jacket, it is a service that will have a lifelong impact on what you do, and who you become. It's not even remotely a small investment, as it is not merely money, but time and 'self' and you should absolutely NOT let some instructor blow smoke in your face, or try to do a sales pitch on you. Will chat more later when you collect some info.

Hmm, i'll toss in a few things. You determine someone underestimating you only on the physical aptitude, how about the mental aptitude? Do you think they gauge your intelligence/insight correctly? Frankly, who cares if someone underestimates your physicals? It only means they won't be as inclined to 'use' you or 'test' you. But, if they underestimate your intelligence/insight, it could disfavor you when it comes to gaining credibility as you present your arguments or thoughts. So someone underestimating your intelligence/insight is not a good thing, while them underestimating your physical aptitude 'is' a good thing. Moving on... Your girlfriend has reasons for not wanting you to talk about her issues. As she is an adult, I think it is entirely up to her what she wants you to not share about her life and her problems. If you know of things that are happening in her life, and she asks you to keep it quiet, it would be respectful of you to do so. I'm sure having been kicked out of college is a great shame for her, so flaunting it or talking about it to friends/ex-friends is simply disrespecting her wishes and hurting her as a whole. As to the specifics, people don't get 'expelled' from college on a whim, or even a baseless lie. They get 'expelled' for legitimate reasons, and rarely are they 'small' reasons. A college can get sued harsh, and even be subject to Federal charges, for denying someone an education... which is essentially what they are doing by expelling her. Therefore, they don't 'expel' arbitrarily. If she is unwilling to resolve the problem, it is probably because she cannot. One cannot change the past, one can only present the facts. And if the facts don't clear her name, then she has to live with whatever 'consequences' are associated with whatever she did. If, on the other hand, the persons you are referring to had committed a crime, such as rape or harrassment (sexual or otherwise)... then you 'do' need to intervene, and with extreme prejudice. My first route would be to talk to her, and attempt to convince her to go to the (campus?) police... file 'formal' charges. As to whatever allegations were made that caused her to be expelled, if they included allegations of your participation, and you were not a participant, then you can participate now... by presenting to the college evidence that you were not at the scenes, nor at the times, of the allegations. I.e., present alibi. And while you're doing that, go ahead and see if you can tie her to a few alibis too. My last comment is this: It seems you are not full aware of the severity of the issue your girlfriend is dealing with. Being expelled from a college can be a truly disheartening incident. It can cause someone to think rather extreme thoughts, such as suicide. I'm not saying this is the case here, but you need to understand the severity of the incident. By your posts, i don't gather you have considered such... in fact your posts seem rather self-absorbed, focusing more on how she or others may perceive you in your efforts to act than they are in what's going on with your gf and how you can help her. When you help someone, it should be 'without' expectation and should be done with as much selflessness as possible. Remove your ego from this entire thing. These events are about her, not you. My opinion

SatyagrahaKF mentioned it, last sentence of his post.