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Hi Laurie, Test!!!! Then work with her as much as you can in the next month to get her to pass. I just had a similar experience with one of my friends he had been out with an injury. I worked with him before and after class and after class. It really paid off he did real well on the test and passed as did I. We all push each other at this point. We have a group of us all due to grade for Shodan together. All for one one for all, we plan on dragging each other kicking and screaming all the way to grading.

Agreed. Excellent point. Every form should be practiced and look as if you are actually trying to break something. Every block has to look like and actually work if someone were to throw an attack while you were doing your form.(this is on of my Senseis favorite pastimes ). Basically is has to look, feel, and actually be capable of doing physical damage for it to really be what kata is IMO. If you are not giving it 100% all the time it becomes nothing more than a pretty dance. You can easily tell when watching their kata performance how tough they would be to fight. If it looks like it's gonna hurt ....It Will!!!

I tend to look at the persons torso with my primary focus on my opponents neck. When a person moves in a foward manner you can pick up a tensing in their neck muscles. With some it is easier to read than others. The lighter and the more relaxed the person the harder to pick this up. By looking at the torso you can see all of your opponents limbs at once without being fixated on one.

He aes, It must be an old guy thing. I broke the 2 middle toes on my good leg and just taped them up. Maybe its because we are always hurting in one way or another. Oh, to be 18 again...... If you can walk on it without too much difficulty you should be able to train. Just don't make contact with that foot and do not spar. There is nothing wrong with not going all out while you are injured. Just work on perfecting your mechanics and technique. It sure beats staying at home.

Hello Knifehand, I am of similar stature, I can feel your pain!!! The way to deal with the situation is to use yor skill and agility. You are more experienced and should be able to to see the telegraphing of a larger slower whitebelt. Let him attack first and just keep countering until he makes a mistake. Do not be concerned about "POINTS". Who cares who gets the points in the dojo? It is not a competition. You are there to learn and to make your partner and yourself better. When you take a point mentality it can sometimes ruin your effectiveness. When I spar, I tend to constantly try new things and work on things I need to improve. I have been known to pick one technique and use it to score the entire sparring session. If I want to work a technique I'll just keep blocking and moving to set up that particular technique. Then I'll work another ect... I rarely try to win while sparring in the dojo after a while the points just start to come more frequently. Its all good fun and I find I get more out of training in this manner.

In todays society this would be an acceptable way of heightening ones understanding of anothers art. Brazen egotistical challenges IMO, are not what MA are about.

Hello Rathe, They keep trying to drag me into it by creating programs that will help them perform these activities. I keep telling them I won't do it and I'm being threatened with my job. If they are doing these illegal activitives, they will ultimately be caught and prosecuted. Therefore you would still be without a job. The biggest problem is I have a baby on the way in 5 weeks and can't afford to be without a job. It would be a terrible thing if you were dragged in to these activitives and had to have the child in prision or at a later time be sent to prision and taken away from your child. Do the right thing. You are obviously not that type of person because you are asking advice out of this situation. Either leave and find other employment opportunities or turn them in to the proper authorities. Do whats best for the health of the child and yourself. Remember you have to live with yourself and the ramifications of your decision. Good luck to you and may you have a happy and healthy child.

Don't worry Sandhoppa, when I started I could barely get through the warm up. Like the others said it's most likely a matter of endurance. The more you train the more your body will become accustomed to the physical activity. Keep well hydrated and don't overdo it. Most of all Have FUN!!!

A true martial artist would not make challenges. Only thugs and criminals who have no respect for the arts in which they trained would.

Yes, Kanazawa Kancho. Aside of his amazing skill and incredible wealth of knowledge, he is one of the nicest persons you could meet. http://www.fightingmaster.com/legends/kanazawa/

If wearing a dress would get rid of my gut I would consider it! I don't think the guys at work would appreciate it. (hairy legs!!!!) I've done sit ups, crunches, leg lifts, diets still the only six pack I will ever obtain will be at the local supermarket. Some people just can't get the washboard ab look. I know I have one somewhere under there you just can't see it........

The soup was filled with vegtables. It was pretty good with chicken. Still is was a rather boring way to eat. Net result after the one week diet: I dropped 5 lbs. I felt fine with what I ate. Wife got really nasty after 2 days and quit diet after 4 days. She lost 4lbs. 2 weeks later she gained back 6. Me, I'm still down 3. The huge siroloin steak followed by a rather large Ice cream sundae.... Priceless!!!!!!!

I agree with Delta. Don't overdo it, don't rush back get the proper treatment. I have been fortunate to have that same advice given to me. When I "twinged" my hammy my sensei immediately stopped me from training and had me in the corner with an ice pack. He would not let me go any more than 30% then 50% power after a week on "ANY" kicking techniques. Then after 2 weeks he let me open it up a little till I gradually returned to normal. Ice packs after training followed by a rub down with Tiger Balm before bedtime then wrapping it in an ace bandage overnight. I was back to 100% in a little over 3 weeks. I was lucky to not really miss much training time thanks to my sensei's knowledge and experience with injuries. He stressed that while I was training with the injury to work on my technique and not power. The funny thing is that little injury really helped me tighten up my form and mechanics of my basics. Hang in there X-man, it's not a total loss unless you let it get you down.

If you train with good enough control to strike your partner lightly it makes it that much easier to hit with full force. Its about timing and distancing. As long as you supplement this type of training with regular work on the heavy bag and or target shields it should be a great benifit. Without actually hitting something with a good amount of force periodically you could lose a bit of power and technique. Where I train we point spar. We have about 50% power on bodycontact or a little more for the upper ranks. Adults brown and up are allowed light face contact. The adults communicate with each other before we start on the level of contact (He bill, I'm a little sore and I have to work tommorrow take it easy on the ribs please ....ect.) Upper ranks also use sweeps, throws, takedowns and locks to a finishing technique. The goal is to work with your partner to make each other better not to win or lose. If I have a weakness I want my partner to point it out to me and vice versa. Sparring is not fighting it is a valuble tool and learning process and we need to use it as such.

I started training after my son talked me into it. Been training ever since. There is nothing like the feeling of training and doing a kata with your kid, thats what it's all about. I wish he would join back up again since he quit I don't have anyone to play with at home.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt, "Citizen in a Republic", April 23, 1910 Enjoy your two weeks, she may not move far away and if she does you'll always remember those two weeks.

It's not the age it's the milage that matters!!!! You can teach an old dog new tricks.

Hey everyone, Heres a little bit of history. http://www.sos.mtu.edu/husky/tkdhist.htm

I have to admit those painkillers they prescribed were addicting-ly good!!! Couldn't even function on the stuff....

In most cases the edge goes to the boxer. However, consider that boxers are not used to seeing kicks and fighting a little longer range. They are also not used to fighting bare handed and tend to be susceptible to breaking their hands when not taped and gloved. Conditioning-wise a boxer will almost always outlast your average karateka and is used to taking a beating for 12-15 rounds. The only chance for the karateka aside of a lucky well placed shot is to grab, sweep, joint lock, throw or take down and finish him off. Toe to toe is in most cases is suicide against a boxer.

I had both of my lower wisdom teeth impacted and very infected. I waited too long (very bad dental plan )and it spread to an ear infection in both ears and a sore throat. I had the buggers growing in at a 90 degree angle. Oh the pain!!!! It sounded like pulling a rusty nail out of a board when I had them pulled. 1 Week later I was able to eat solid food again......

It's much better with a woman you LOVE. keep it kleen the kids are watching...

Monkey Style Kung Fu?????? I've seen it before though I tend to doubt the legitimacy of giving a blackbelt to a typical simean. Then again I've seen a few BB that....... Let's not go there again. Please!!!!

You don't need to spend alot on a heavy bag. Use your imagination. Pick up a canvas bag (even an old laundry bag) at the army navy store, stuff it with old rags and hang it. You'll need to keep packing in more rags until it settles from the pounding. You can also buy a bag and fill it yourself its a lot cheaper and takes a little work but it very do-able. Years ago we didn't have all this expensive and fancy equipment they do now.

Hi Guys, My wife is trying this crazy "Cabbage Soup Diet". I told her I would do it with her since its only for a week. I was wondering if anyone around here tried it? Will it effect my training in regards to loss of energy. It don't look too bad, however I thing an addition of a couple of bonless chicken breast would round it out a bit. What do you think? http://members.fortunecity.com/gillonj/thecabbagesoupdiet/ I figure if I lost 5 lbs it won't kill me. I'm trying to be supportive as my wife nedds to lose a bit of weight. I'm just concerned about any possible negative effects. Thanks,