BritNoob

I don't think it affects it as at the very least several instructors do it to my knowledge where I train. If it was bad for you then surely they wouldn't do it?

I've quickly realised that my general all-round fitness needs to be heavily improved in order to keep up with the other students I train with. I was considering buying something like an Orbitrek (it has sort of peddles and 2 handlebars and incorporates skiing, cycling etc), do you think they're worth the money? Because I have young children it isn't easy for me to find time to go out exercising so this would be ideal as I wouldn't have to leave my front room. They cost a fair bit so I don't want to waste money. I don't expect it to tone my muscles I just want to improve my stamina so I don't get worn out so quickly into training. Anyone else have anything like this at home or do you just rely on the equipment at the gym?

Yeah it makes me hungrier too...I find I snack most straight after training.

Anything by Robert Ludlum (most famously the author of The Bourne Identity which p*sses on the film version from a great height).

We worked on pressure points during training this week and I now have 2 massive purple and yellow bruises on the underside of my bicep (where your partner had to pinch/squeeze). It hurt a lot at the time obviously since it's a pressure point, but the pain soon went once the pressure was stopped. I never expected to get these huge bruises though - are they common? I've got bruises from punches, kicks etc etc but because this was pinching (and we had to hold for 3 seconds without flinching) it seems to have burst blood vessels or something because it's a pretty foul looking bruise. Anyway, thought I'd just ask Apart from that it was a great lesson.

Yeah tell me about it. That's the best I can normally hope for too. It still hurts like when i have to bend it or sue it to do anything other than stand on but I guess I just have to wait.

Well this is pretty much what I get with my left knee but i don't do any running. It comes and goes and tends to be alright after a lengthy warm up and stretch routine.

Very helpful thank you. I noticed that otehr students were using more momentum than me, as it was only my second chance to practice rolls I was doing them from a kneeling position. I think I was better than the first time so there is a sign of improvement. I was at least going in a straight line this time

Anyone have any good advice for a beginner on forward rolls? I'm finding that I'm landing too much on my shoulder (the one I have to tuck under) as I feel a bit sore there after doing a few. Some tips on technique would be very handy.

Same age as me...I wish I'd started 5 years ago and not 2 months....

I started 8 weeks ago, aged 25

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you and how long have you been training to get to Shodan?

What belt are you aefibird?

Yeah great post. I thought it was all going pear shaped when you mentioned you broke your finger though :/ So can you still attend class with it broken or will you have to rest for a while? I've never broken a finger.

Well I only got mine 2 lessons ago and I'm still struggling to get used to it. The trousers seems to come loose too easily when working out. I'm forever tying them again to make sure they don't slip down to my ankles as they're so big at the waist despite being a small size.

I didn't see the introductions forum there Oops

Hehe Mr Bump. I guess what I wanted to hear was "give it more time it'll clear up in the end" so that's good enough for me. I've done loads and loads of kicking without it hurting at all so I'm okay. I'm so new to kicking I'm still learning which parts of the foot to use to hit with. It's fun learning new stuff.

Well I guess it was a little swollen, but mainly black and yellow because of a big bruise. The thing is it's been several weeks now, not a few days

i feel like a right sicknote since i took Karate up, I always seem to have several things to complain about Anyway, a few weeks ago I was mucking around with my son (who's nearly 2) kicking the football around the house when i think I kicked the floor and kind of bent the big toe backwards. It hurt alot but I went to karate anyway. In fact I haven't missed any training because of it. However a few days later it was all black and blue, the worst bruise I've had since i was a kid. I thought it had healed but I discovered that it's still very weak and painful when used a certain way. we recently did a warm up exercise where you roll your toes over and I couldn't do it because it hurt too much! It's the big toe on my right foot and it only hurts when completely bent. it is better when i'm warmed up or after a hot bath but not much. Should I just wait longer for the toe to heal? Maybe I bruised the bone? I can't have broken it or fractured it as I can walk fine and bend it freely but when it's bent as far as it will go it hurts a fair bit. i can smell another trip to the doctors...

I didn't go back to the doctors as I still have a few of these tablets left so i'll give it a bit more time. This'll be the 3rd time i would have gone to see the doc just about my elbow! Looks like it'll need a jab to calm it down. I can't keep having it jabbed though everytime it flares up as it'll ruin my arm. I just assumed Flax seed would be in tablet form - I'll have to see if I can find a nicer tasting brand then. I'm not sure if DMSO is available in the UK, I'll have to have a look around. Thanks again

Well it happened a week ago today and i went for my first class tonight since and it was fine. We concentrated on kicking and lucily didn't do anything that required too much use of the shoulders, neck or back. Is that right about stress playing a part, shoto? That could explain it. Hot baths usually work wonders on any aches and pains I have but at it's peak this spasm was agony and the bath didn't touch it at all. I'm so glad it's healed now. i just don't want to do it again. My instructors are always understanding if you have an injury so that's good to know.

Yeah I know, I don't mind it really. It'd be nice not to be the newest student though, I mostly train with greens and blacks.

Thanks for the advice, aefibird

Thanks, guys. My doctor is getting sick of seeing me I think, I'm always down there moaning it seems I've stopped doing the activity that brought it on so i don't see why it won't go, I'm taking tablets as well. I hope karate isn't causing a problem. I'll give Flax seed oil a go, what's DMSO btw?

Thank you for your reply. I guess no-one else has had a muscle spasm before then? A week later and it still hurts a fair bit, but I am hoping to attnd karate for teh first time tonight since it happened. I'll just have to take it easy.