three60roundhouse

BJJ is awesome for you abdominal muscles...all the getting up and laying down, and moving lower body....my core is very strong now... As for TKD...it's great for stamina anfd flexibility, endurance....and legs! Hehe!

Guys...I'm a girl...hehe....so if I seem small to you... I'm not all that small.... Ok...just so you get an idea of what I do with my training time...here is what I;'ve done so far this week... Monday I took one 45 minute BJJ class and one 45 minute TKD sparring class (it's sparring week) Tuesday night I sparred again Wed. night I took a 45 minute BJJ class, a 45 min. sparring class, and a 30 minute rolling session w/my instructor Today I sparred with my brothers in their class (kids class) for 45 mninutes I do crunches, pushups, leg lifts, jumping jacks, stretches, ya know, indivisual calisthenic type things a few nights a week, and usually train in 3 jiu jitsu classes and 3-4 TKD classes (whcih are mostly cardio) a week. I used to run a lot, but lately I've gotten a bit lazy. Since it's summer, I have Tuesdays and Thursdays free, as well as most weekends, but I don't have access to a gym. I would be willing to spend up to a few hundred dollars on weights or whatever. And...sorry I didn't mention this before, but I was very sick with anorexia this winter....I was about 120-125 before and in the mid-high 90s at my lowest...I;'ve gained, as you can see, most of it back, but the muscles in my upper body are lacking, and I can feel the weakness even in my punches. Since I;'ve been rolling (sparring BJJ-style) a lot my abdomen is quite strong, and from the tkd I have strong calves. Thanks...

I'm agreeing with Sai - my instructor will let you wear your belt if the styles are VERY similar, if somewhat similar, he will decide which colored belt you should wear (usually one or two ranks below what you have), and if it is in a very dissimiolar style, you will start as a white belt. Everyone starts BJJ as a white belt. NO exceptions.

Hey! I'm 15 (soon to be 16) and I've been training in martial arts for a pretty long time...but now that I am getting more into grappling and BJJ competition I find that when I do submission wrestling (no gi) I get outmuscled by all the guys in my divisions. So I NEED your help! I want to start lifting weights very lightly, because I'm not a strong or particularly muscular person...and at 5'6 and 118, I'm not very large either. What equipment do I need? And what basic excercises can i start out with to build strenth and perhaps a little visible muscle ( though aesthetics are never my first goal...I just wanna grapple a lil better). Thank you SO MUCH for ANY insight you can give!

Muay Thai fighter...I have been training since March 1999 (about 4 and a half years), and I figure it will take me aboiut three more months before I test for my black belt. My instructor's rank (5th dan) is technically in ITF TKD, but he is not affiliated with any governing body because many of them are corrupt, money hungry, and MCDOJO-ish in general. No one under 16 usually gets a black belt, though one boy who had been training since early childhood got his at 14. BJJ is a totally different story...out of everyone who trains, about 1% maybe are black belts....it's not like say TKD, where about 20% has a black belt. Those who say they can get the BB in their art in 2 years....often it takes longer than two years just to get your first promotion from white belt! I am about halfway to blue perhaps, and I;ve been training over a year...usually it takes around 10 years for the BB.

I've been getting more into grappling competition, which is great and is SOOO rewarding even though I;ve yet to win a single match! However, I have a really hard time finding karate/tae kwon do/open style competition.....even though my school's main focus is self defense, not forms or point sparring, occasionally we work on these things and I think I'd like to try my hand at karate tournaments. Do you know any helpful search engines/techniques?

Favorite position: open guard Favorite submission: arm triangle

I started my apprenticeship as a junior instructor in eigth grade....some of the higher rank kids have grown up with me; I'm going to be sixteen in a month and test for my BB in perhaps 4 or 5, and I'm teaching quite a bit now.

Lol karatekid - I stopped counting "kyus" a long time ago...I lost track between all our stipes and such. Anyway... I'm a high brown belt in tae kwon do, about to test for my black belt. I am only fifteen now, but will be sixteen by the time of my test, and if I pass I will be the youngest female blackbelt ever at my school In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I am a white belt with two stripes - and this is after a year of training. Jiu-jitsu is unlike many arts in that a lot of times there aren't tests, and if there are, they are few and far between. My stripes were given to me by Royler Gracie himself.

Thanks everyone - for all the junior students who don't think they are "qualified" to teach 0 whenever you think you have the experience - go for it! It's so rewarding! And I also think it's great that some of you guys help your classmates out....I have recieved so much help in the past from the senior students I looked up to...This thread is smiley

I have never actually worn a Machado gi, but I have rolled with other people who wear them and they are very nice and high quality. I think the Atama pants are a tad less form fitting, in my opinion, and that works muych better for me. Machado pants have reinforcemet from thigh to ankle, which I find unnessecary and excessive (it weighs me down even more and provides even stiffer movement), while Atama pants have knee reinforcement. The collars are comparably thick, and the tops are styled in the same manner. The Atama is more affordable, at least ordering from the company sites, which was a major plus for me. Customer service helped me pick a size because I was in between and had a hard time making my decision - my gi (Atama gold) is sturdy, reliable, and fits very well. I have also heard that Luciana Machado is very personable and helpful. Overall, this is a hard decision, but I chose Atama, which has worked for me.

I'm fifteen, and female Do you think there is a "right" or "appropriate" age to start Muay Thai? My parents think it is preposterous.

---To get my TKD blackbelt. Testing in the fall. ---To train jiu-jitsu in Rio de Janeiro. ---To compete in the Pan Ams one day in jiu-jitsu. ---To successfully start a martial arts class for the mentally handicapped. ---To be happy in whatever I do. ---To NEVER get my butt kicked by my brothers

How so do you mean?

Next year I decided to take what I have learned in the martial arts community and give back. After I recieve my black belt (hopefully testing in fall) I am starting a martial arts program for mentally handicapped kids at my school. I have been teaching for over 2 years, and I feel that this is taking my training another step. I will only charge the cost of keeping the program from collapsing . What have you done to give back to the community?

Well, my instructor first has us stretch out, then we do jiu-jitsu warmups (eggbeaters, triangles, flexibility excercises, getting up in base). Then we practice our rolls...forwards and backwards. We practice our "shrimping" or "elbow escape" movement down the mat. Then we train techniques, usually one submission and a few position variations or escapes. Then we drill from the position we worked on - lately it's been the half guard. Then we pair up and "roll" - or free spar until submission.

A LOT of Bjj guys cross train...perhaps a guy in your academy will work out with you? No doubt if you train with blues, purples, and browns one of them will have an extensive striking background! Most of the time BJJ isn't one's first art anyway. Good luck!

I would use the following techniques in order: 1. The "negotiator". This one avoids fights at all cost, 2. The "sprint". This is when the track runner in me shines. 3. The "keep away!" Use long distance strikes such as push kicks and tae kwon do kicks to keep opponent away. 4. The "why won't you just give up and go away". Employ the muay thai strikes I know. Low roundhouses, knees, elbows. Close combat fighting. 5. The, "wow. this guy really is stronger". Use takedowns/judo throws in which I'm not the one who ends up on her butt.

It all depends on what school you attend. In a lot of schools, striking won't be taught until a higher level. Often even throws aren't taught until one is capable of falling, escaping, and submiting a grounded opponent. Some schools do not even teach striking. It's all based on what the instructor is in to - some are judo men who also grapple, some are pure grapplers, and some crosstrain. My instructor is a 5th dan in TKD, a purple in BJJ, and has a decent amount of experience in muay thai. But in my jiu-jitsu class, no striking (I am a white belt, 2 stripes). Other instructors I have met teach it every class. If you look ared enough you will find what you seek. Good luck!

If you have lost your period, I advise you to see your doctor. I lost mine last year because of anorexia and compulsive overexcercising and you may need to be placed on the pill to balance out your hormones....I have gained back almost all my lost weight and still do not get mine

No way monkeygirl! Before I left, right after I earned my high brown rank, I was definitely experiencing a total burnout as one of the only teenagers in the adult class (and the highest ranked). Most of the people are between 25-35, and the adult class is much harder! I had to work my butt off every day just to stay alive, and often I was the highewst rank in class, trying to prove myself against a group of men at their physical peaks! It was tough stuff! I'm gonna get back into that within a few weeks, but for now the kids classes are actually a little slower paced (the kids are not as tough, nor do they learn anything that fast), and all the kids are around my rank. It works out ok, I'm either the youngest in the adult class by three or four years (at least!!) or the oldest in the kids class by maybe a year or two tops. I have to ease myself back into it.

One thing I love about grappling is meeting martial artists/athletes from other schools and disciplines and comparing their skills. It's so amazing to me that I'm only a white belt in jiu-jitsu, but can hold my own against grapplers from other styles, while my brother who does freestyle wrestling can kick my butt from here to Japan! What grappling disciplines do you study "formally" (as in a rank )? What other grappling sports do you play? Do you crosstrain in any other arts? I am a white belt (two stripes) in BJJ. I recieved my stripes from Royler Gracie. I also enjoy "no-gi" (submission wrestling) although I haven't had as much expwerience with that. My brothers are on a wrestling team, so I like to pick up stuff from them, and I cross-train in tae kwon do. I have also taken muay thai classes, and when I get older (and can DRIVE) I would love to take that up as well, along with maybe boxing! I'm interested in many different aspects of fighting, as you can see!

Yesterday was my first class back....since I'm fifteen and there are a couple of teens in the kids class, I decided to "take it slow" and take that class bad idea...those kids do calisthenics like maniacs! This is the longest I've been out of athletics since I was four, and today I'm sore in places I didn't even know I had! And I went back to work as an instructor today....you guys have no idea how much I missed my job!

I have a blue gold weave atama...its top is very nice, sturdy, lightweight, comfortable, and it fits my top well, even though I am a girl. The pants are a tad uncomfortable for me though, and I don't believe in using really sturdy pants (as long as your lapel is like steel you're ok IMHO) so I have a really worn in pair of Krugans that I use, that work great. Another good gi I have seen (and want eventually) is the Gameness gold weave - beautiful kimono

After a long, long, long absence I need some advice from all my Karateforums buddies! I've been out of training for three months now, due to eating disorders/anxiety. I lost around thirty pounds in this time period, and now that I'm in recovery, I need tips on what to do when i go back! I'm slated to begin training again this week, but I don't know how my body will re-adjust! I'm gaining weight steadily, but I'm still about 20 pounds lighter than I used to be, and I'm weak and fragile, and out of shape all at the same time! Those of you who don't know me, my name is Krystyn, and I'm 15! I'm a high brown belt (would have tested for black this summer, but not anymore) in tae kwon do (ITF) and a white belt with two stripes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I also instruct at my school, and need, for my sanity, to get back in the game! Thanks for the tips!