Kaminari

I remember I was nervous for my green belt test, and was really jittery, but once I started, things slowed down, I wasn't hyper (still was nervous, but I used the nervous energy to aid me in the test), and did very well. I'm sure you'll do great!

Hmmm....Well, what about euthanasia, the value of human life vs. animal life, or war/violence? Any of these spark your interest? Of course, these are only a few of many, many philosophical questions which I've pondered about but discussed with few.

Great job!

I am fairly surprised no one has mentioned Iron Monkey 2. Kicking cement pillars into dust, kicking 20 foot logs 50 feet, flying, heads exploding from a pistol shot, a bird cage as a weapon.....the list of horrible stuff goes on and on.

Music: rock, and celtic. Acting, hanging out with friends, reading, watching movies, making movies, art, and deep philosophical discussions (this one's not very often, however, because there are few I know who will discuss philosophy. Anyone else interested in these kinds of discussions?)

Congrats!

Welcome, Jeff.

Congrats! What style do you study?

It sounds too good to be true!

Actually, black would not work, as black is a "non-light;" it is an absence of light (it absorbs it, does not reflect it), therefore, it could not be used as a lightsaber color. Sorry dude.

I don't want to sound repetitive, but....Welcome!

Interesting game..... I got 76.

Shito-Ryu

Myst-- same here. When I get a call from Sensei, I'm usually up and pacing, nervously. Don't know why that is, though.

Nunchaku.

Congratulations!

Nice! I also have been playing drums for a while, and drumming for extended periods of time can be tiring. I played hockey when I was younger, helping with coordination and balance. That's really the only sport that I did before starting my MA training.

He sounds like an awesome instructor. Great article!

The neck pain means that you're lifting yourself up with partial help from your neck. Supporting your head with your hands is a good way to avoid this, like Mr. Pockets suggested.

Welcome to the forum. Shito-ryu, eh? Who is (or was) your instructor, if I may ask?

Well, as long as crunches are done properly, it should be just as good. While working out/training, keep your stomach really tight. After a while, you'll get used to tightening your stomach when you do this kind of thing. Another good thing to do is to lie down on the floor while a partner drops weights on to your tightened stomach. Start with smaller weights and a shorter distance from your body, but gradually increase the weight/distance dropped as you get used to the exercise and as your stomach strengthens. Be careful about this, however; I've seen people drop the weight in the wrong spot (just above belt level, in the middle of the abs), drop too much, or too high, etc. Hope this helps, and good luck in future tournaments!

I am currently studying Shito-ryu karate, but have learned many techniques from Tae Kwon Do, as well as a little Pankration. As for weapons, I've worked with nunchaku and have done limited escrima, but hope to start learning bo or sai sometime in the near future.

In Shito-ryu, there are around 60-65 kata, with a possibility of up to around 80. However, those extra 15-20 are not practiced by many.

Great article, and absolutely true. It's amazing how inconsiderate people choose to be these days. Again, great job!