steveb

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I think traditionally you were not supposed to wash your belt. The gi would (hopefully) be washed from time to time and remain white(ish).

There was TKD on MSNBC last night between 11pm and 5am this morning. I set up a tape but haven't watched it yet so not sure what rounds it covered.

That's why God invented VCR's

Starts at 11:00pm ET

I do a lot of cycling w/ some buddies. Also backpacking/hiking all around the great state of Arizona.

Our family currently has 2 dogs, 1 rabbit, 1 anole lizard, and 6 hermit crabs. Not sure exactly why this list keeps getting longer......

Also 1st generation here as well. However my kids are taking classes w/ me so we've got a good start on the 2nd generation.

Ours is in a strip-mall next to a grocery store and a couple restaurants. At least we can get dinner in between classes

That is correct. Our school offers Okinawan kobudo taught by a 5th Dan, TKD taught by a 2nd Dan, Hapkido taught by a 5th Dan, and Judo (not sure what rank the instructor holds). Students may choose to study one or all of the arts offered. I personally study TKD, weapons, and recently started attending the hapkido class. I would take the Judo also but there's only so much time available per week. I respect your experience and have no doubt as to what you have seen. I would only hope that you allow for the possibility and would give a fair shot to all competitors regardless of what their original art is.

My son wanted to try martial arts so I enrolled him first. My daughter and I went and watched the classes while he trained and after about 3 months she asked if she could join also. I figured since they were both going to do it and I had done MA in the past and was interested in starting again we'd all go together. It has been a great activity for the family and something we can all work on together.

I didn't mean to imply that we were doing TKD weapons. We are doing Okinawan kobudo. The weapons classes are separate from the regular curriculum and are not taught by our TKD instructors but rather by an Okinawan Kenpo kobudo instructor. They are optional and are offered for those who want variety and/or just think learning weapons is fun (like me). I guess my main issue was with the idea that someone who practices TKD is automatically crap with weapons. It is possible to study and be proficient in more than one art.

Yesterday here it really was 114! Today only 108 so far. Only good thing is low humidity, only 26%. I love the desert

Just because someone studies TKD does not mean that they can't also learn weapons. At our TKD school we have an Okinawan Kenpo instructor that comes in to teach traditional weapons forms. Shame on you for stomping on someone who wants to broaden their horizons. Why not instead encourage them to seek out proper training from a respected source?

Great post. My main purpose in taking martial arts is to improve myself, not to become the baddest guy on the block (as if it was even a possibility). There is no doubt that the training we do as martial artists improves our capability to do physical harm to others and that if attacked we would fare better than most people, but in todays society it seems a poor return on investment to spend many years training for a fight that most likely will never occur. If I was in fear of being attacked on a daily basis I'd just buy a gun and spend a couple days at a shooting range.

I saw the trailer for Hero on the IFC Chop Socky fest yesterday. Movie looks like it could be pretty fun, love the shot of the thousands of arrows all being launched at Jet Li and he waves his hand to brush them all aside. Very Matrix-like! Wait a minute...Keanu Reeves was The One in the Matrix and Jet Li was in the movie The One...maybe they've fused them together and Jet Li is Neo in China now...LOL.

I haven't reached the level where I learn them yet, but our system also trains in the eku bo (oar) and the nunte bo (bo w/ spear).

Jackie Chan's Shanghai Noon has a short piece at the end where he uses a 3-section staff. Also some fun spear and sword work. Fun movie all around but as for realistic???

I have had similar problems from cycling and it almost always is due to improper position on the bike. If you are doing cycling make sure you have your seat position checked by a knowledgeable bike shop. I have never gotten knee pain from running, I usually get shin splints when I overtrain. Hope this helps some.

Our sai form "Odo Matayoshi" includes a sword trap. The action is a overhead strike from the sword which is caught by an X block with the sai. You then slide the two sai together catching the blade in the prongs and pull them both down and to the side.

Addidas makes a V-neck style uniform. Check out Century martial arts catalog.

Actually it's not Chinese communism you have to worry about, it's Chinese capitalism. The Chinese economy is growing hand over fist since they started implementing free-market reforms in certain sectors. This has moved China to the number 2 consumer of fossil fuels in the world, just behind the USA. With the Chinese thirst for oil and other scarce natural resources growing rapidly and our own consumption certainly not decreasing we are on a collision couse. Anyone remember the reason Japan attacked the US in WW2? We cut off their access to oil and other resources.

I agree that video taping your forms is very useful for both remembering and improving your forms. Many times you see things when watching the tape that you thought you were doing correctly but actually weren't. Also, don't forget to re-tape yourself as you improve so you have the best version of your forms. Also, post the bloopers so we can see

Tough choice. I've been training with the bo now for about 9 mos and love it, but also recently started learning sai forms and am enjoying that as well. Would have to stick w/ the bo I think. You don't dump your first love when something new comes along.

For those of us who might be interested in reading it which translation would you recommend?

Yes, it was great for strength and flexibility and was very meditative. The push-hands exercises were a lot of fun also.