Bretty101

All good exercises! Another few i like to do: 1/2 and 1/4 speed kicking drills, Leg raises. Lay on left side, right leg straight and raise and lower your right leg from horizontal to vertical, up and down. Repeat on other side. Lay on back with both legs straight straight up towards the ceiling. keeping feet parrallel open and close legs. Or 'doggy style' exercises. on all-fours, straighten one leg at a time to the rear, or raise knee out to side. Though in my opinion results come much faster with resistance training (ankle weights, which are not expensive) Enjoy! Bretty

This whole injury argue ment was why i posted the question a few weeks ago about hip flexor stretches. Why do you need to stretch your hip flexor? I don't think you do and find it just loosens my hips. Bretty

Some of the best fighters i know are "vertically challenged". When your small your 2 main advantages must be amazing speed and being able to fight at really close range. I hate fighting short people, i want them to stand over there so i can kick 'em, but they move too fast Oh some advice...erm...Thai boxing i find is a great close range style. When it comes to grappling do you think small people have an advantage or disadvantage? Bretty

So if I come in saying "I fear for my life and need to learn unarmed defenses", and what you teach me will not work... So who is qualified to teach unarmed self defence? What exactly does work? I appreciate what you are saying but at the end of the day martial arts is not something you can regulate. and who has the authority to regulate it anyway? Politics Bretty

I think it's "fear the friend of exceptional people" or something like that or it might be "the fence" I read them a while ago. His motto is "Know Fear" He's writes some interesting stuff on adrenaline (check out his web site) and real fighting. Though his story writing seems a little fictional. Bretty

Stretching fatigues the muscle being stretched and reduces the muscles response to being overstretched. hence the muscle is more prone to injury through sudden overextension. however it will use the muscle being stretched so hence warm (increase blood flow in) that muscle. So the effect of stretching can be argued either way. I think you are more prone to injury when doing dangerous stretches which strain joints. Stretching ligaments and loosening the joint making it more prone to twisting and tearing. (tendons hold muscle to bone, ligaments hold bone to bone) Don't ever stretch ligaments, ie hyper extend a joint or apply any force in a direction a joint is not meant to bend in. as for Hard evidence?- doctors and professors always contradict one another and say very different things. The only evidence or proof they ever give is 'the result of a survey or study' who says their survey is accurate? It is usually twisted to fit their report. How would you go about proving one way or another? Bretty

A student turns up and pays his money. If he walks away happy and comes back the next week. Then why does it matter what he is being taught? Politics who cares, each to their own. Bretty

The fight psycology. Theres a guy called geoff Thompson who has written a whole book on this. It's all about lowering your opponents adrenaline so they feel the pain, rather then them being so 'high' on adrenaline you can't do anything with them. I agree take out the loudest or biggest guy first with the most violent attack you know. The rest won't want to play. Bretty

High or on drugs... the year before last me and a few friend were involved in a fight outside a pizza house. It was about midnight and we were all a bit drunk from being in the pub. We were just stood there talking, about 10 of us. when this guy appeared from nowhere and started head butting people. He head-butted 4 of my friends and 3 of his own friends as they tried to restrain him. Nutcase!! There were about 8 of us sat on him and he will still going nuts. To be honest it scared the life out of me and made me realise the effects of adrenaline (I froze as my heart rate went from 0 to 60 in a second) and how effective my martial arts training really is. To be honest i wouldn't want to go anywhere near someone on drugs, i wouldn't even consider choking. this guy was just grabbing people and literally picking them up and headbutting them. Bretty

My advice would be to use ankle weights and do SLOW MOTION kicks at 1/2 or 1/4 speed. This will work the muscles you want as you want them. Do 20 slow kicks and you will feel it working. DON'T: do full speed kicks with ankle weights and DON'T: ever snap out your kicks with of without ankle weights on. I'm aware that snapping out kicks is typical of traditional Karate (I understand it's to quickly retract the kick so it isn't grabbed). This is the worst thing you will ever do for your knees!!! and the reason i expect why people have a lot of knee trouble. I am a Taekwondo-er I kick quite a bit typically 8 hrs a week for the last 10 years. My knees feel the pain which i must admit has been releaved by doing squats. LOOK AFTER YOUR KNEES, YOU'LL MISS THEM WHEN THEY'RE GONE!!! avoid twisting stretching of the knee joint (sorry for all the capital letters, but i always hear people say 'don't use ankle weights'. in my opinion they are the only way to develope super human kcking ability and totally safe if used correctly) Bretty

Hi, Just wandering where we would stand on posting pictures? (thats assuming we can include pictures in the articles) I've written a 3 part artical for my club web site but to make it I 'borrowed' some pictures off other web sites. If you want I'll email you an address so you can have a read and see what i mean. Would all pictures have to be taken buy the auther? I don't suppose you could just have a foot note saying "erm sorry for borrowing the pictures?" Bretty

I'm sure there are a lot of drills but the guy i know with the bext reaction and reflexes has aquired these skills by sparring, sparring and more sparring. I call it his timing it's not as if he is particularly quick, flexible or strong but his timing is unreal. It's as if he knows where an opening is GOING TO appear and times his technique to score. Awesome i suppose it's instinct and reading your opponent which will just come with time. Bretty

I hate cardio work too and I really hate running!! tho i do enjoy playing soccer (football ), Though playing soccer is basically running around it is fun and a great way to exercise. Now thats fun cardio! Arrange to play foot ball with your mates a couple of evenngs a week. You'll soon get fit and it's fun too. Bretty

D'oh, double post...

Watch me in a real fight (or read my previous post) and you will not be able to tell what martial art i do. i keep it nice simple and effective coz it works, real self defence should need very little drilling or formal training it should come instinctively. Thats self defence and as requested simple effective finish moves. i've done over 10 years TKD and still love it, I've done grappling, boxing and lots of other bits and pieces at the end of the day there is only so much you can do in a 5 second self defence situation. Keep it real! Bretty

So what are the requirements for 3rd dan? (i'm intersested in ITF tho would be interested in WTF!) I've been told I can learn 4 patterns if i want to but officially need to know 3 as one of the patterns was taken out of the 3rd dan syllabus for being too difficult and was put back in for later gradings (5th/6th dan?). I should really do my homework and find out which one. Cheers Bretty

Grab attackers arms and back of head, put your chin on your chest and give them the good news with an almighty headbut. Works like a dream every time. If i'm playing the game i've got a great axekick it just comes outta nowhere! and if they are playing the game (with sweeps) I'd probably go for the roundhouse to the thigh. Bretty

Sound like your either reading or want to read 'The Tao of Jeet Kune Do' by Mr B Lee (a good read) Bretty

I think for Self defence to be most effective it MUST be simple and effective. When someone attacks you the adrenaline you'll feel will be nothing like you have ever felt before, people respond to adrenaline in very odd and different ways (fight, flight or freeze). Thats why I keep it simple Eyes and Groin if an attacker can defend both they haven't got hold of you and you can leg it. If you wanna make it a little more complicated my arsenal (in order of preference) Headbut- Grab attackers arms/back of head and drive top of my head into their nose. Groin kick- Big football style kick into attackers joy department (also strike/grab with hands) Elbow- Across or upwards into face. Stomp kick- to knee (awesome) Knee- possibey to thigh, groin or head Feeling lucky- Punch to solar plexus or Chin Taekwondo- Out the window (with all other 'formal' training) Real street fighting isn't nice. Hows that? Better? Bretty

Good stuff! So what's the requirements for 3rd dan? Bretty

If it's simple moves you want, it doesn't get more simple or effective then Groin, Eyes or Throat. (who was it who said that? GET) Bretty

What do you want strong hands and fingers for? open handed strikes? or gripping? I don't know much about hand conditioning, do you want to be able to do mental finger tip strikes? I used to use these grippy things to strengthen my grip, don't really know what they are called like a spring with 2 handles that you squeeze in your hands. The best people to ask would be a rock climber!!! http://www.bodyresults.com/S2preseason3.asp Bretty

It's got to be a play off between mobility and stability. You can move one foot at a time leaving at least on foot planted on the floor at any one time. To move both feet at the same time you must bounce. I bounce sometimes as it relaxes my opponent. If i stand my ground solidly this can intimidate my opponent. The result is they tighten their guard and hit back a lot harder. best to keep moving so your opponent has to keep moving too. Bretty

Lau Gar or Muay Thai!! Your spoilt for choice, both seem to produce the best stand up fighters i've ever seen (here in the UK anyway). I'd do both! Muay Thai full contact and sporty, Lau Gar (that i've seen) semi contact and sport or traditional depending where you train. Do 'em both! Bretty

Do you mean Taekwondo SKILLS or TECHNIQUES? The skills definately apply but maybe not the techniques. Bretty