White Warlock

What's your martial arts background and do you have a pic of the weapon you are referring to?

The coaches should have recognized what he could do, instead of what he shouldn't have been doing. Coaches aren't necessarily supposed to be looking for wrestling talent, as they are supposed to be training people who possess the 'mental' skills necessary to compete. It may be there was something else the coaches saw, that you didn't... such as a disrespect of rules or an unwillingness to listen to authority.

Don't let him bear hug you. As to what you can do if he does succeed in bearhugging you, elbows to the shoulders, neck, and side of the face help a bit. Some tearing techniques across the face also works. Knowing how defend against a bear hug is essential, as the intent is to cause your spine to bend backwards, thus removing your ability to resist a takedown. All in all, the striker who doesn't know how to grapple is at a serious disadvantage against a grappler. Learn how to grapple, and then you'll have a better chance of extricating yourself from their advantage.

Or you need to realize the school/style isn't for you and move on. I've walked into schools where i watched people, instructors as well as students, doing things incorrectly... or in a manner that wouldn't be as effective. My choices were to leave them to continue their mistakes, to correct them, or to leave. In most cases, i chose to talk to the instructors in private and discuss my findings. This, however, didn't always work too well... as egos exist on all sides of the fence. If you find you're not learning, or you find the need to correct everyone, rather than focus on learning, and you can't find the zipper to your lips, then step back, step out, and either sit it out or find another school. As to the humbling part, i agree that you need to find a school, or an instructor, that impresses you... that causes you to respect him outright. Humility doesn't necessarily mean being 'humiliated in public.' It means finding a point at which your skills are lacking, and someone else's skills excel, then to have the humility to request to learn from them. So... basically, it sounds to me like you don't respect this school, the students, or the instructors. Determine why you don't respect them... and then make an 'informed' decision.

That's a silly way of thinking. You asked what can't be used, you didn't ask what could be used.

it's a friggin' label, like geek, jock, or kitchen appliance. It's a means to simplify, by stereotyping. I study the martial arts, but i am not a martial artist. I draw, but i am not a sketch artist. I work on computers, but i am not a computer tech or computer guru. I do a lot of other things, but that does not make me those things... it only makes me capable of performing those things, or showing an interest in them. I... am me. Jackie Chan said it well when he said, "i am not a martial artist. I do stunts." He didn't say he was a stuntman, but that he performed stunts. He didn't claim to be some 'stereotype,' although he admits to studying a variety of martial arts. To me, there are no martial artists, except in the context of simplification for an argument or making a point. However, in the physical realm... they don't exist. If you want simplification, that's fine... but everyone is unique, and it is these unique characteristics that make us worth knowing.

You misinterpreted entirely what i was inferring. Attractive is attractive, and that will obviously have to be something men and women will need to gain a bit of composure over. However, makeup and grooming are additions. They are'intentional' actions, committed primarily to attract people of the opposite sex, mostly to highlight those characteristics of an individual that make them more 'sexually' appealing. There are some very good studies on this subject and much of this i hesitate to discuss here, due to the somewhat graphic representations. Part of the problem is, such activities are universal nowadays, with men and women alike working daily to one-up the other. And with this, people tend to 'accept' and 'forget' why it is they are doing it in the first place. Instead of just doing things... maybe time should be taken to understand 'why.' Society is riddled with commercialization and messages are thrown out every day indicating what is attractive, what is beautiful, and what you need to buy to make yourself more attractive or more beautiful. In the end, we are dealing with the call of nature to procreate. So very few are immune to this, but most everyone ignores such influences in our daily lives. Turn on the TV, watch the alluring eyes of the woman (eyeliner, eyeshadow). She winks at you (colored eyelid to emphasize the commission of a 'come-on,' not to mention a reiteration of femininity since women blink almost twice as often as men), then turns her head slightly and blushes (a little highlighting blush helps to emphasize this). She reachs to her wine glass, her long painted fingernails carefully clasping the neck (long to indicate dependency, painted to emphasize this dependency), while her sultry lips (painted a color similar to that of a certain other orifice) catch the lip of the glass and she drinks, then pulls away, leaving an imprint from her lipstick. And this all, was a wine commercial.

sounds about right.

good post pitbull

One tip would be to focus more on learning, and less on socializing. Your efforts to 'fit in' seem to be working against you, so stop trying so hard. It is always important to remember the ultimate goal of whatever endeavor you enter into. In this case, it's to learn the martial arts, not to gain friends who happen to also study martial arts. If you remain focused on your goals, other things may, or may not, come from it all. And, of course, follow the advice i tossed out earlier in this thread.

That is, essentially, the argument posed in some of the info i've been exposed to over the years. Like i said, it follows closely the lineage of choy li fut. Here's one write up, which claims only up to 2000 years (so maybe i'm exaggerating a little... sheesh) - http://www.kungfusansoo.com/history.htm Nice to see enthusiasm, but i wouldn't go that far.

Yes. There are the ah soo lessons (commonly known as the Basic 45), the futga lessons, basic 8 foot and basic 8 hand techniques, plus a myriad of other lessons, including the elitist numpi lessons. Full forms are presented during and after learning part or all of a set. It really depends on the instructor's preference and their 'modifications' to the training regimen.

Hmm, from what i learned, much of tkd was actually derived from the Hwarang dismounting techniques used against mounted samurai.

Hehe, just saw your comment. Thanks Lucky.

Ugh!

hehe... Umm, i don't know. Not sure if this was rhetorical or not.

It would be far easier to answer with the similarities. They both originated from China. That's it... nothing else. However, i'll 'try' to point out the differences: First off, the name 'san soo' was posed by grandmaster Jimmy Woo around 1970 as a means to pacify the Americans that wanted something easier to say and market than 'tsoi li ho fut hung ga,' the original name of the art that is argued to be over 4000 years old. San soo focus - death, dismemberment San Soo approach - strategy, psychology/mindset, stances, circular motions, strikes, very low kicks, knees, elbows, headbutts, grabs, grapples, locks, throws, pressure points, unrelenting series of attacks, limb breaks, eye gouges, tears, organ collections. Here's a few links from previous discussions on san soo in these forums: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=9106 http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=12371 http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=11282 San shou, on the other hand, is far younger and is a 'byproduct' of relatively recent Chinese/Thailand competitions. San Shou focus - sport San Shou approach - linear strikes, variety of kicks, some throws. Here's a link on san shou (a biased report btw): http://crane.50megs.com/index6d.htm

Hehe, cute that he pointed himself out that way. Guess he was feeling a tad uncomfortable being 'invisible' in the masses. I don't blame him. Did you buy the book and get his autograph?

pfft

My fear is not in death itself, but in the denial of the opportunity for my continued existence, the experiences i may never have, and in the pain and suffering my death would impose on those i love and who love or depend upon me.

pfft, i prefered my misunderstanding.

Assuming normal wear and tear, flaws, or improper installation. I don't think it covers accidental collision with the skull or rump.

boxing body motions are some of the best out there. Striking techniques are simple, but heavily drilled, so a boxer's small repertoire becomes ingrained, making them deadly in close quarters. It is this intense focus on muscle memory that has most to do with boxing's overall effectiveness. Unfortunately, those who attempt to 'incorporate' some boxing techniques into their regimen, do not gain the advantages they would have been able to obtain if they had simply focused for a time with boxing alone. As always, it is good to learn new systems, but not necessarily all at the same time. Focus heavily on one, then another, then another. Learn a system well before attempting to incorporate it with another that you've learned well. Piecemeal at halfmast is just not the way to learn. edit - Ooo! Post 1000. All right you bunch of wimps, i'm a forums black belt now, so don't be messin' with me or i'll spam you to death.

Different schools i've studied at had different requirements. However, the standard judo gi has been argued as the best clothing to wear for practice, because it is less likely you will entangle fingers or thumbs in it and it is not likely that it will tear and cause an unexpected fall or result in an awkward, potentially deadly performance of a technique. All in all, t-shirts tear easily, stretch and trap fingers, and really... kinda looks good when a woman sweats in them (slaps self, so the women here don't have to).