solar_kid

I hate to say it, but I can't get into the olympics. I don't really feel a personal stake in it enough to get excited about it. It seems like the athletes are so into their sport, and train so hard... i dunno... it's so far above what I can relate to that it might as well be on another planet. And it's too bad. I want to like that pursuit of excellence. I want to admire the athletes. I want to be moved by the spirit of the event. But I'm not. And it means that I have to watch my West Wing reruns at a funny time!

This is a tough one, but I think I agree with Sai. As an adult, I probably wouldn't worry too much about wearing a gi and even my regular color belt at an adult-oriented gym. I know how putting on the uniform can get you psyched up, so that's cool. But teenagers can be so cruel! Unless I'm mistaken, and you're actually talking about a college or university, I'd say just wear regular athletic apparel at school or find a more private place althogether.

I agree. Plus, the neck/throat area is a quite a lot softer target than the chin, so your hand is far less likely to be injured.

Same here. The "meditation" that we do at the beginning of class is, I'm told, to help us prepare for the session by clearing our mind, and to think about what we want to remember to during the session. At the end of class, we think about how we did, what we could do better, etc. It's not really about achieving any kind of altered mental state.

I tend to agree with the posts so far. The "adults" class at my dojo is for 14 and up, so there are a few younger people there, but they're old enough to take the class seriously, so I've never felt too embarrassed to train with them. In fact, there are a couple of 16 (or so) year olds that I think are very enjoyable as sparring partners. They're more enthusiastic and willing to try new things than some of the adults.

Yeah, I never have had a problem with my belt color coming off on my gi, but I always wash the belt before wearing it. It may help take off any excess dye, but I also find that the belt stays tied better too. The new belts tend to be too stiff.

Congratulations! Your promotion is doubly well-earned given the circumstances.

hey steve, denver here too. welcome! i am probably not the sparring partner you're looking for, though, since i'm just getting started. nonetheless, good to see someone in the area on here!

Although I do agree to some extent that the timeframe for becoming a black belt is a very personal thing, I think that it's great to have a goal, as long as you feel committed to it. You'll probably learn a lot about yourself as you work toward your goal, and about what motivates you.

Hi all, I've been practicing one-step sparring and I seem to be confused on effective ways to block a backfist strike to the temple during ippon kumite. My first thought was to use rising block, but that drew unfavorable comments from sensei. But, he didn't tell me what block would be effective. After that, I used an outside forearm block, but I think I kept doing it on the wrong side. Thoughts?

Been there before. It always goes away for me after just a short while. A little gatorade might help if it ever becomes a problem.

I think there have been so many diet fads... who knows what to think about the relative value of fat, carbs, and protein. I think if you just eat a good variety of normal foods... avoid fried foods and heavy gravies and sauces, sweets, and just make a point to eat a little more conservatively you'll do well. I've heard that fats help you feel full, and some people who try to curb fat too severely actually eat more to get that feeling of being full. Just lends credence to the idea of eating moderately. Just keep up the exercise!

All the doctor ever tells me is, "well, it might be broken or it might not. There's really nothing we can do but let it heal." I stopped going to the doctor.

That's a great achievement! Have you decided what schools that you'll use those scores to get into? That score also shows that you do well on standardized tests - that'll serve you well if you want to go on to medical, law, business, or other graduate-level school!

Honestly, I don't think I'd fight unless I (or those with me) was in danger of very serious injury or death. Whenever you decide to fight, you escalate the situation. You may be experienced in fighting, but what if your opponent has a weapon (kife or gun) and is willing to use it? Add in the legal ramifications (which have been discussed elsewhere, no expert here!), and just seems like you lose even if you win.

Our monthly fees are just under $70, and most kyu tests are $35. But I agree with granmasterchen, it all about the value to you.

Thanks guys. I made a point to take my shoes off a little earlier, and that does indeed help.

Funny, we were practicing kata just tonight, and when I got to heian nidan, I did the first motion, and then sensei said, "stop. go back." it was then that I knew it was going to be a long night! I know that there probably isn't a perfect performance of a kata, especially for beginners like me, but I thought I at least had the basic movements down. Turns out, practically every move/technique I was doing was wrong in some way. Stance too narrow, too long, foot position incorrect. I had it all. What's worse, I am having a hard time fixing it. I'm gonna go practice it some more tonight... but for now, definitely put me down for heian nidan!

When I first started, I had real trouble with my the bottom of my toes! I'd have a big blister on my big toe one day. After another day of training, the skin covering the blister would tear off during training, leaving the bottoms of my toes with just a little exposed (and very sensitive) skin. I've started to develop some good calluses to protect my toes, but one of my toes is back down to almost no skin again. Is there some tape that can be used on the big toe to protect it that will actually stay on through a training session? Are there other remedies that have worked for you?

About $70 per month here. There are five evening classes and four day classes (all hour long) each week. I could attend all of them for my fee, I guess, but only attend the evening sessions.

I agree that hard training is good, but let me be the first to admit that the workout you mentioned would leave me quite dead. I wonder if new members could adapt to that kind of workout. It seems that you would need a ramp-up period. If a beginner tried that kind of workout, he/she would probably be injured. Over time, though, I think it is reasonable to expect beginners to develop so that more advanced students can endure some of the training that you describe. When I was in basic training at one of the US service academies some years ago, we did some pretty grueling physical training. Some kind of training was going on from 5:30 in the morning until 10:30 at night for two and a half months, and a lot of it was physical. On a typical day, we did hundreds of pushups, lots of running, situps, and so forth. Most of the guys and ladies that I was there with were very athletic (more so than me, surely), but I think even they would have balked at that kind of training. I do have to say though -- that training pushed me to my limit, and I'm a better person for it.

I generally train about 4 classes (hour each) in the dojo each week, and I also do a couple hours of self training. I find that reviewing the things (especially kata) that I learned in class really helps to cement them into my memory.

Name: Dusty Rank: 3 kyu Style: Shotokan

I think it sounds like a good idea. Maybe my gi is not quite the right size, but I think a T-shirt would be nice not only because it would be cooler, but also because it wouldn't ride up and require constant adjustment! I can't imagine this happening at my dojo though. Even first-day beginners are generally offered a gi, even though it is considered ok to train in sweats and a t-shirt for the first few days. So far, everyone has decided to wear the gi. I guess I do feel a little bit of pride though, that comes with putting the gi on, so maybe I would miss it.

For kyu tests, $35 for us, which includes the new belt if changing belts.