Kicks

Best advice... Not the best advice... I started TKD when I was 35. Ask the teenagers and guys in their 20's at our dojang if that had me at a disadvantage against them. NOT.

Shorinryu Sensei: Thanks for the congrats...and God! I wish I could make it to Montana this summer. I'd love to give you the chance to spar another TKD black belt. That's right. I'm calling you out. Shannon says she's ready for you. Shannon. You know, my 12 year old! LOL She's a pepper. She'll fight anyone! Have a great gathering and take plenty of photos. I'll be backpacking in the New Mexico Rocky Mountains with my son and his Boy Scout Troop this summer. That's as close as I'm going to get to Montana. c ya

I have an thought to think about. If you are describing what I know as a cat stance in Korean TKD terms, then your forward heel is raised and your weight is 70% on your rear leg. This would indicate a front leg fighter. Is that typical in your style? I know some people who are front leg fighter, using their front leg for over 75% of their kicks. I find it fairly to defend against them since they are reasonably predictable. To use the rear leg you would have to transfer your weight to your front leg. A well seasoned fighter would catch that movement and either launch an offensive counter or move out of range of the foreseen kick. However, you did say it works well for you. Can you explain how? YOu might have a few tricks up your sleeve I can use!

Excellent. You all look very happy in that photo. It must have been well worth all the training to make rank. Congrats!

Allow me to introduce myself: Livgr Jonew Sia Mustang of Asprin

We have a student who used to do that (wave his hand to the side). I sort of 'convinced' him that it wasn't a good idea. Teach by example

"Way to go, Idaho!", I mean Pineapple.

Don't do a technique that works well for me, do one that works well for you, and you find that out by practicing sparring in class. There may be a technique you want to do but are having trouble mastering it. Don't try it in competition. Do the things you know and are good at. If you're going to fail at executing a technique, then fail in class not in competition. In class training you can fail with safety. You won't have that luxury in competition. Don't try something new the day of the tournament. Go in feeling confident in your skills and abilities. And that comes with constant practice.

STR33T GUY wrote Are your thumbs actually touching your temples? I can't imagine fighting like that with my guard so close to my body, especially my face. When I fight my feet and body position matches your description, but I keep my arms and hands out at about 30% reach. I keep my forward arm between me and my opponent and my rear arm up and protecting my inside (chest and facial area). Sometimes I like to practice blocking with just one arm/hand. I'll turn my body 90 degrees to my opponent and just use my forward arm/hand to block every punch and kick thrown at me. When I first started doing this I was surprised how easier and quicker it was with just one hand as opposed to using both arms/hands.

Congrats!!! Thanks for letting us know how you did. I always enjoy seeing how people who compete in tournaments do. Good luck this year. It's doubtful I'll get to compete this year. I may have to have surgery on my foot.

AngelaG wrote Video link of Jake: http://www.jakestrickland.com/newsite/videos/form5.wmv If this is the video AngelaG is referring to, then it is a very corrupted version of a Chang Hon form called Gae-Baek. It almost looks like it was filmed in a mirror. Jake opens up with stepping back with his left foot instead of his right. His first crescent block is to the left instead of right. He then heads off 90 degrees to the left instead of facing right then moving to the rear. And it gets worst from there. See the traditional form here: http://www.natkd.com/movies/Forms/Ge-Baek.rm

If you spar against different MA styles, which are your favorites to spar and which are your least favorite to spar against? If you are like me and only spar against one style, which individual style within your system do you favor or dislike? For example, I just spar WTF TKD. Some players use finesse, good technique, while others are brawlers. Some are agressive and some are defensive or counter attackers. I like the finesse players because I appreciate the beauty of good technique as well as their effectiveness. I can't stand to fight a brawler because it's like why even bother taking a MA style if all you're going to do is brawl? As far as aggresive or defensive counter attackers, I guess it really doesn't matter. I can play against any of those styles. Maybe I perfer the agressive player so I can surprise him with a defensive stop and a counter. I have the element of surprise in my favor. If I was sparring a person who just laid back and waited for me to attack so he could surprise me with a counter...well that would make for a pretty boring match as I would not be willing to fall into his traps.

Thanks aefibird! This is a fairly popular one. You might have seen it, but it's still pretty cool: http://extra.waag.org/users/aske/moviez/matrixpingpong.wmv

Geez, I don't even get a first box body when I go there.

I'm as STUMPED as a TREE trunk. This story BRANCHES out too much and LEAVES me wondering what the ROOT of the message is.

Check out this awsome video at : http://extra.waag.org/users/aske/moviez/sicaf_sand.wmv Its about 9 minutes long.

That's a matter of debate too. When sparring, you feel that you are not hitting hard, but to the other person it is hard. So he starts to hit back harder. So you take it up a knotch. It just continues to escalate. I see it happen all the time. And no one wants to be the one to say its getting too rough. They feel they would look like a whimp if they did. Thy don't want others talking about them and calling them sissy. The instructor, or assistant instructors, should be watching any contact drills or free sparring and managing it. Our instructor likes to spar, so often he doesn't monitor whats going on and people (especially kids) get hurt or injured.

My TKD instructor once cracked three of my ribs with a side kick. Since then I always wear a hogo (chest protector). I've also gotten better at sparring him and have been able to nail him in the head a few times. But then he gets revenge!

I take bad 'portrait' photos, so I'd rather be in an action shot. So any picture of me kicking someone in the head is always a favorite of mine.

Yes. Both happens. It depends who's been drinking more.

It was actually more a blue tongue.

At last year's regional qualifier a young boy did one of those really long, loud kiyups. He wanted to make sure everybody saw him. And they did. We all saw that he had eaten a blue snowball (snowcone) before competing.

Remember, you won't be the only one nervous. So will your competition. It's how you handle your nerves that will set you apart. I've been competing about 10 years and I still get nervous before a match. The key word there is "before". It seems once the match starts I feel comfortable and relaxed. It's because I'm doing something I'm fimiliar with and enjoy. It's the waiting and anticipation that makes me nervous. So good luck and let us know how you do. Ask questions here afterwards and maybe we can give you some input.

Lots of luck! Let us know how you do.

The old USTU is now called USA Taekwon do. This year at the Junior Olympics there will be 2 divisions- the World Class division and the Elite Open division. The Elite Open division is just that.. an OPEN tournament in which as long as you get the application in by the deadline, you are able to compete. In order to compete in the World Class division, you must qualify at one of the 6 National Qualifier tournaments. The top 4 at each National Qualifier will be eligible to compete in the World Class division of the Junior Olympics. The medalists at the Junior Olympics in the World Class division will be eligible to compete in USA Taekwondo Developmental camps and clinics to be hosted by USAT later in the year. The World Class division offers additional exposure and is intended for those athletes wanting to continue through the Developmental Pipeline to eventually be a world class athlete. The World Class division is for the Junior division (6-17 year olds- green, blue, red, and black belts) and the Senior division (18+- green, blue, red, and black belts). If an athlete wants to participate in the world class division at the Junior Olympics or Senior Nationals, that athlete must qualify at one of the 6 National Qualifiers. If not, they are free to enter into the Elite Open division of the associated tournament and will be accepted if all registration materials are received by the posted deadline. Applications for the Elite Open division at the Junior Olympics will be available the week following the US Open. There will not be ULTRA divisions at the National Qualifiers but there will be an OPEN tournament for Ultras in conjunction with the Senior Nationals in San Jose from October 27-30, 2005