koreantiger81

Remember it's also about technique..Put your weight into your punch..Have your chin down and your guard up..as you do a front jab, shift your weight from your back leg forward, right into your target..To do a back punch, make sure you get hip rotation or torque...It doesn't take only the biceps to throw a strong punch..It requires the hips, shoulders, legs, etc.

Due to my present lifestyle, I'm on the move from one city to another... Not all cities have my particular martial art.... What martial art is the most popular system in Canada? U.S.A?or in other parts of the world?

General Choi, the founder of the I.T.F, recently passed away. Who will govern the I.T.F? How will the organization be affected? Will W.T.F be affected??? What's the scope about General Choi's fight with his son?? Does anyone know?

Thanks for all your comments! I still don't see the purpose of punching from the waist...Punching from the waist may have power, but remember you should use your hips to generate this power. I can't think of any situation where punching from the waist may be practical in a self-defense situation. Your punch has to travel a further distance to get to your target, then if your punch came from in front of you....Why practice something the wrong way??? although you may learn punching from the waist in forms, some don't generally apply this in sparring... I believe it's important to keep in mind, that martial arts is evolving just like anything else. It appears to me that punching from the waist was created to look pleasing to the eye. Try doing your form/pattern from punching from a guarding position....Punching from the waist looks more attractice, clean, and sharp..That's all it does.

I was a fat kid. My parents wanted me to slim down, so I was forced to take Kuk Sool Won. I hated martial arts, but now it's become an obsession...I"m currently practicing tae kwon do

When doing a reverse back-kick, what prevents you from over-rotating? You need a counter-balance to prevent you from over-rotating... There are two ways to execute this counter-balance. #1 you let your back arm swing out as you execute a reverse back-kick. #2 you keep both of your hands out and let your back elbow jab out. I believe #2 is better for sparring, since your hands are near you...I've seen a lot of martial artists do it using #1. What's so good about #1?

The common rule behind a side-kick is: 1)Point your heel towards the target so that your body is aligned and for greater flexibility and reach. My question is, do you lean back for a side-kick? I've seen Bruce Lee lean back... In my view if you lean back, it's harder to have your momentum go forward by following up with other kicks or following up with the hands. Try doing a side-kick leaning back, and then following up with the hands..This would feel slow, since you have to travel a greater distance than if your body was upright....Leaning back is not good for sparring.. HOwever, I believe leaning back generates power..Leaning back also serves as a counter-balance....Your leg is going forward. A backward force must serve as a counter-balance...Therefore if you lean your body back, this counter-balance is achieved, thust having a strong side-kick.. This is only my theory...What do you guys think?

high kicks? Are they necessary for a fight??? no..Are they efficient in a fight? No...Will it tire you out in a fight? YES... although u could use a high kick in a fight, I rather not use them...It's not necessary..Stick to the basic..I rather conserve my energy..Besides it takes longer and more effort to execute aerial kicks.Why do it? I see no point...Do it if you want to show off..

In my school, the time period varies for each belt level...As you advance in rank, it takes longer to advance to the next belt...To advance from white belt to yellow belt, it takes 1 month...(If it took over 4 months, this would discourage students. Their excitement for the martial arts could prematurally die.) anyway, how long does a student have to stay in each belt; in order, to advance?

i believe the best sensei is one that gives alll of his/her students personal attention and advice every class...I'm strongly opposed to the traditional masters that just physically work and drill their students, without offering encouragement..By giving each student attention, kids especially will work hard to please their instructor...I make sure each of my students go home with one advice about their technique-that why they know they have learned something.

I see these threads about hard physical 1st dan black belt tests and threads about kids getting their 1st dan black-belts. It seems to me that the general public has overemphasized the value of a black-belt........Black-belts are not invincible!!! They are still human...There are just so many myths out there about blackbelt. To keep it simple, achieving a 1st dan black-belt is just covering the curriculum. Black-belt is also not the end of the journey of one martial arts learning...It's really the beginning... Anyway what are some other myths you've heard about black-belts??? What does a black belt mean to you?

oh..When teaching adults, don't try to baby them by being strict..You don't need to discipline adults...It would be a huge insult for them..Offer them encouragement and advice on their techniques, in favor they will respect you..

Classes that are too long will bore a student...I don't agree on 2 hour classes....45 minute classes seem to be just perfect...I can fit in more classes too in one day... How long do you think a class, so efficiency is not compromised?

At my school, we divide classes up into 3 different classes..For one class we focus on sparring, forms, joint-locks, kicking, or drills...(doing all these in one class would be too much on the student in my view) Anyway, we first warm up for 10 minutes..Then we focus on the topic of that class for 25 minutes..After that, all students are sat down and evaluated...Every student gets attention from the instructors...Once that's done, we do a cool-down period... what are your classes like?

Grrrr..Teaching kids is a pain in the butt, cause you have to be their instructor and their babysitter!! Well, I say be loud and assertive...Speak clear, loud, and with confidence...If they don't listen to you and start talking during class, give them push-ups or take away their belts..(remember speak loud!) .Usually it's only a few kids that disrupt the class...Make sure you split them up, so they don't team up on you...Good luck!

The most hardest thing about being an instructor for me is grading my students....I'm not the head master of my school, so I'm not responsible for belt-promotion tests. Our schools follows a 5 stripe system. I'm responsible for in class stripe tests...We do this every class..I dread making desisions on whether I should pass or fail a student for their stripe...I always do justify why he/she may have passed or failed and always offer encouragement...I'm known for failing everyone for their stripe tests...I have the reputation of being the "strict one" out of all the instructors in my school.Am I just unreasonabally picky?

With some schools, the head master tells you when you're ready for your belt...With my school, we have 5 stripes per belt. Each stripe represents either a form stripe, kicking stripe,joint-lock stripe, sparring stripe, etc. We do in class stripe tests at the end of class which only takes 10 minutes...Once they have reached 5 stripes on their belt, they are eligible for a belt promotion test...I think it's a good system..That's how my school does it.. Anyway, hOw does your school grade students?

you're back??! welcome back....

If i had to use my legs, i would knee him....MOst fights happen at close range. I would first use my hands to either block or punch.. Once I can adjust my range, i would use a low side kick to his hips....

I got two black eyes in two days...

oh one more thing! Make sure you try to maintain equal level eye-contact, when you talk to a kid...

I was told that if you reach a certain dan in the W.T.F or the I.T.F, you are not allowed to compete..Is this true? I don't like it!

It's all part of the game! if you are advanced, it usually happens only if you walk into your opponent's punch! Ouch!

youngsters? how young!? 4 year olds??? I think teaching the really young ones is the most challenging for me...I have to be their baby-sitter, parent, and martial arts instructor at the same time! Anyway, yes classes should be fun for the young ones...You should be strict and assertive to maintain control over the class, but never scare them away..Make sure you smile!.(If they misbehave, give them warnings and then take away their belt..This teaches them that their actions have consequences.) Also make sure you don't teach them too many techniques in one class, or kids will get bored and lose focus...Remember to keep it simple! For exercises, I find that kids love competitions that involve speed, height, or distance...For speed exercises, I hold relays...They run to the other side of the dojo and do 10 pushups, and then run back and tag their partner...(then they run down to do situps, jumping jacks, punches, kicks, etc) For exercises that involve height, make them do the jumping front kick and see who can go the highest! For exercises that involve distance, make them do the flying sidekick..anyway, i hope this helped!! Anybody else have more suggestions?

Why are black-belt tests becoming fitness tests??? Black-belts are not invincible! Besides do all black belts have nice bodies??? Being fit will be an advantage; however, i've seen awesome martial art masters with beer bellies! Some of them even smoke! Yeah, that's true leaf..I agree; however, I think they have already demonstrated hard-work and COMMITMENT for making it to their black belt test! It takes patience, hardwork, commitment and perserverance for a beginner to stick with a martial art for 4-10 years.. My point is testing their "mental control" and "physical level" is good for a black-belt test, but don't forget testing their other abilities! For a black belt test, I rather be tested for my martial arts skills and application...Perhaps creating a form/kata/pattern, developing sparring techniques or creating self-defense techniques for a black belt test, would better test my abilities and demonstrate to my instructor what I have learned from white belt all the way up to my black-belt test..... This way, I will have contributed to my martial art and mature more in my martial arts learning....