Hawkeye

Another thing to keep in mind is to stay hydrated. Bring a couple of bottles of water or 'sports drink' with you and sip while you wait for your turn. I don't have a great deal of experience with tournaments, but every one I have competed in involved quite a bit of waiting. A light snack doesn't hurt either.

The last tournament I competed in was an all-styles one, so quite a few different dojos had competitors signed up. One of the things that became evident during the various kata competitions was that a lot of senseis teach their students that a proper kiai consists of screaming at the top of their lungs for at least a five-count every single time. This is not the way the students in the dojo I go to are taught. We have been taught to make our kiais powerful, but not to go on and on and on. More like a short(er), sharp yell. What is the standard in your dojos? And do judges really care how long the kiais last when performing kata in competition?

Hey, 1Kick - the little voice may have been off-target about the whole feet chopping thing, but if it says that you should start writing Hawkeye big monthly cheques, then hey... just go with it. Krzychicano, about that moleskin. Does it hold up under the rigors of a class? I would have thought that all the pivoting and spinning would have worn it off pretty quickly.

Sorry, but I couldn't resist the bad pun in the subject line. I've been doing karate for almost a year now and one of the recurring problems I get is blistered feet. It seems like they never fully heal and toughen. I cover the blisters with band-aids and first aid tape to give them some protection but I had thought that with time, the soles of my feet would toughen up and not hurt to the point of being a distraction. Martial arts shoes are sadly not an option as they are not allowed to be worn during sparring and it seems that that is when I blister the most. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Another vote for the dojo. The barn and barnyard aren't bad either but the dojo wins for the reasons listed in previous posts.

Here's an exercise that might help. Get a bath towel and hang it over the top of an open door. Now use that to pull yourself up. (I read about that one in a health magazine.) As for shrugs, find a couple of things around the house that have some weight to them (buckets of water or sand, large jugs, bags with books in them ... you get the idea) and shrug away. You can pretty much do a full body workout with improvised dumbbells, a sturdy chair or some cushions and your imagination. Also, don't forget about isometrics and doing your kata with serious dynamic tension. Good luck with your training.

Way to go, Kev. Nice to see your positive comments. It looks good on you that you stuck with your training even when you felt down on things. Work through the hardships (i.e. discouragement, injury, etc.) and the rewards are even sweeter. Good luck with your training!

I competed in my first tournament last weekend and had a great time. Aside from competing myself, the highlights were watching the higher belts square off with people of equal skill and giving it their all. We are fortunate to have several members of the national team in our family of dojos, and their matches were especially exciting. Their matches were veritable clinics in sparring. Most of the lower belts were watching these fights with their eyes wide and their mouths open - I certainly was! The best part about it all is I'm more motivated than ever to train. If solid training leads to that kind of skill, then I'm in. So, if you practice a martial art and get a chance to go to a tournament...GO. It's worth the price of admission. (P.S. - I actually did win a couple of medals. A silver in kata and a bronze in sparring. I can't wait for the next one.)

Hi, aevans410. Welcome to the forum. Glad you decided to sign on and I look forward to reading your posts.

Hi, Rabbit. Welcome to the forum.

Oh, my. I guess that this kind of story just serves to reinforce the importance of learning about the place you are going if it is different than where you are. A little homework (and humility) might have saved a lot of grief.

Thank-you, everyone, for contributing. I appreciate seeing various methodologies and their explanations. It helps those of us who are still fairly early on in their training form a better understanding of the importance of various martial arts techniques, especially when done in a respectful, good intentioned forum - a forum that includes the ability to have a respectful debate between forum peers. Once again, my thanks for all of your efforts to make me a better karateka.

What constitutes good breathing technique?

What do you think is the most important aspect(s) of performing a kata? Along the same vein, have you ever seen someone perform a kata and the way they did it made you say 'W W" ? What was the 'WOW' factor?

If crowds are an issue, look around and see if there are any newer dojos in your area. A newer one may not have as many students. As for motivation, if you find you like learning a martial art, you would be surprised how it gets inside your head. There are many things about a martial art that can hook you - improved physical conditioning, improved concentration and focus, an introduction to the spirituality behind the art, learning its history, etc. Some of it may not do much for you, but some of it might. Give it a chance and you might surprise yourself on any number of levels.

Hi there, TexasGuy. I'm still fairly new to martial arts as well but I am very glad I started learning one. Not only has it been very good at improving me on a physical level (weight loss, increased strength, flexibility and balance) but it is a great overall stress reliever as well. As I also like to compete, the fact that my dojo will enter tournaments is a plus as well. Whatever MA('s) you decide upon, good luck in your training.

I like the "exercise hard" way of beating stress. Either a big weights workout or a big cardio workout does it for me. I've recently discovered that doing my all my kata with (BIG) dynamic tension does a good job of wringing the stress out of me as well. When I'm done, I'm wrung out but smiling.

Our thoughts and best wishes to you and your Shihan. We trust he will return safe and sound.

Happy New Year !! I hope 2004 was a good one and 2005 will be even better!

It sounds like a trip to the doctor wouldn't be a bad idea. A lump that wasn't there previously, was caused by trauma and isn't going away warrants a look at by someone who can identify what the lump is made of. Good luck.

To improve my conditioning (especially flexibility!) and to improve my spinning kicks. Also, as I am by nature a "hands" fighter, to start using more kicks when I spar and when I am in a match.

My nerves still flare up before a grading. Nothing crazy, just anxious to get going. I try to channel that adrenaline into my performance, using it to make my moves stronger and more defined.

I like juggling and hacky-sack.

I'd say the one you prefer to do. There's a better chance you will keep doing the one you like to do. Doing both wouldn't hurt, though.

Hi, ncole_91. I have a hip that gives me grief as well. It has recently improved somewhat when a doctor noticed I had a bit of a dip in my stride. One of my legs is a bit longer than the other. A properly sized orthotic in my shoe has relieved some of the pain and a fair amount of attention to stretching and hip exercises has helped with my form and range of motion. Good luck.