monkeygirl

As a short martial artist, I have opted for a smaller weapon. I have been using the kamas for about a year now, and have increased the difficulty by adding a cord to each handle. However, I have heard some things saying that when a cord is added, it's called a kusarigama. Is there any difference? Can they really be considered two different weapons, or are they just two words for the same thing? Are the weapons used differently, besides being swung? Any help would be appreciated.

Sure! Nunchaku are nunchaku. However, the materials you used sound somewhat heavy for a keychain. I would be very careful at first so that the nunchaku do not seperate (this is the largest danger of nunchaku, besides hitting yourself in the head) and fly off. After that, though, you should be good to go!

I was born in the year of the Rabbit, and so were you, Eye of the Tiger! However, I'm an Aries tee-hee

Welcome to the forums!! I understand how you feel about grading and feeling unconfident, and you made a good decision. Always listen to your heart

Well, I'm back from the tournament! I've been back for a week, but I had 6 teeth pulled on the 8th, so I was kind of out of it My division consisted of me and a girl who did Kung Fu. I got 1st in Weapons and Sparring, and 2nd in Open-Hand. Unfortunately, during my open-hand form, I got kind of lost in one of my spinning moves at the very end, and couldn't find the judges! I kept looking around for them! I was soooooo mad at myself. But I learned my lesson: Always find a point of reference!!! Wish you all were there!!

lol i think my gi is 14 oz....the Century heavyweight. In my school, students wear a black gi (gasp! we use Ikon for those....). If they get promoted to Blackbelt Club, they wear blue (Ikon also), and still have the option of black. That's good for when you can't get the laundry done. We didn't start using Ikon gis until last summer, so some of us old fogies who have been around awhile wear century blue ones. Only problem is that Ikon and Century gis aren't the same weight, so we use Ikon's middleweight and century's heavyweight. Ikon's are 2 oz. lighter. Blackbelts get to wear whatever they want to. One of our blackbelts was named Tony, we called him the tiger. He was going to get a Tiger striped gi from Century...but then he got a job and had to quit. Demo Team members wear the Red & Black splice sleeved team uniforms from Century. We were gonna go sleeveless, but as I have no muscle mass, and some of us didn't want to see hairy armpits, we shouted that one down In our school it's kind of a tradition that when a student gets their blackbelt, they pick what uniform combination they're going to wear. I still haven't decided what I'm going to wear if I pass this test in September... Ok, this is getting to be a very long post, so I'll end it here!

Actually, using a real fighting stance in a street fight may not be the best idea. In my school, we teach that if you get in a confrontation, you should keep your hands open and near your face, and be on the defensive. Otherwise, to the onlooker, YOU look like the agressor. Any strikes that need to be done can be done with an open hand. Palm strikes, for instance, are actually better in some cases than punches. This method is supposed to allow you to defend yourself and avoid a lawsuit later It sounds kind of complicated, but it's a nice thought.

At my school it generally takes about 3 years for a healthy, in-shape person. Due to injuries and arthritis, though, it sometimes takes longer for old people When I test for my blackbelt in September, I will have been training for about 2 3/4 years... (getting really precise now hehe) But that's just 'cos I'm special

In my school's demonstrations, I do a kata to "Kung Fu Fighting". No special outfits, though. My instructor wants me to do a kata in a Red White & Blue gi to some kind of patriotic song, like "God Bless America" or something like that.

My karate dojo is thinking about changing its system of awarding blackbelts this coming test. After the test, all of the participants will go to a banquet and be awarded their blackbelts if they get it. The idea is that nobody knows whether or not they've passed until the awarding. This is completely new to us, and we know that other dojos do it. If your dojo does this, how do you pull it off? I.E. locations, whether or not they should know if they've passed beforehand...Any specifics would be nice. What other types of ceremonies do you perform?? I'm in a hurry to type this so I may have left out some info. In that case, feel free to post or PM me asking more questions. Our next is September 21st (incidentally, MY blackbelt test), by the way.

Thanks for your tips and support Thanks for the tip, but I can't drive anyway

I just found out last night that I'm testing for my blackbelt on September 21st. I'm confident but freaked out...ya know? Here, I thought I had at least 6 months...and now I have 3!!! My biggest problem is that I have to run 3 miles...that's a mile a month, I guess. That and the fact that I haven't sparred for a month due to an eye injury. Anyway, getting to the point; does anyone have some testing tips? My school doesn't do breaking, by the way. My instructor keeps talking about having us run up a mountain and having hidden attackers on the way...I'm not sure whether or not he's serious... My Mom is probably more freaked out than I am, because she can't watch the test. Ok, I'll admit, I mostly wanted to vent my anxiety when I wrote this

Ahhh I remember my first class like it was yesterday...I started with my Dad and brother and his best friend. The class had about 15 people in it, and the instructor was great. They taught us how to make fists and fighting stances. We did line drills and learned kicks, and were constantly surrounded with positive reinforcement. After class the instructor came up to me and told my father "I want to order about 20 of those! Talent like that only comes along once every 10 years." pointing at me. From that moment, I was hooked. Now, 2 1/2 years later, I look towards my blackbelt test. It's strange to think how far I've come. In all of the classes I've attended, I think that first one took the cake.

While I think an instructor showing humbleness may help prevent a hothead, there are some people who will always start off that way, until someone gives them a reason (that is, a good solid "reason" in the head if you get my meaning) to believe otherwise. Usually, if I'm teaching or taking a class and we have a hothead who thinks he's just SO great, I try to beat that out of him If I can't, I know one of the others can. Which is the point. There's always someone bigger and better than you, and it's dangerous to think otherwise. If you do beat the ****iness out of someone and they're down in the dumps afterwards, try to use some positive reinforcement. Confidence brings your ability level so far up, and can be good to a point, but past that point it's straight-out carelessness, which is dangerous. Every now and then, however, you have to lay the smack-down. For instance, this one 18-year-old guy (Let's call him J) came to my Demo Team's first demonstration. Afterwards he called the dojo and asked to spar our advanced class. He also said that if that was the caliber of our blackbelts, he was not impressed. Now, J was somewhere in the market of 6 feet tall, but he was scrawny. He came into our dojo with a kung fu uniform, no belt/sash, but acting like he owned the place. He told us he had been training for years. So, expecting a good fight with some "Fresh meat", we cautiously approached, assessing the fighter. J had never had a day of formal training in his life. When it was my turn to fight him, he just stood there and wouldn't fight me, presumably because I'm small (at the time I was still under 5 feet tall). Finally, I beckoned him to fight and he began throwing some moves. I threw a few series of kicks to his head and flurried him a bit otherwise. Afterwards he admitted to underestimating me because of my size. This is the worst case of ****iness I've ever come across...

I think you're using the term "everyone" rather loosely. While TKD is considered a sport by a lot of Eastern styles, I think it's pretty good for self-defense. Again, the McDojo thing comes into play here. Also, don't confuse caution for lack of self-confidence. I feel that if it came right down to it, I could defend myself pretty well (except for knife or gun defenses, I'm not too familiar with those yet, we just started learning that) However, if I could avoid the situation, I would. If someone wants my purse, they can have it! Self-defense is a last resort, because you never know if they've got a knife hidden somewhere. Anyway that's my view

I think MA training is an awesome idea. For flight attendants, pilots, engineers...remember, it'd still be important for those who service the plane before it takes off. Think about how many movies you've seen where somebody knocks out the mechanic and takes their clothing to get on board, etc. If a terrorist should try to place a bomb on the airplane while a mechanic is servicing it, there may be a struggle... sounds imaginative, but it could happen! While training would be good, they have to know when to not use it. For example, if terrorists are only using the plane as a means of transportation and do not intend to crash it or use for any other violent means, basically if there are no violent intentions, then using martial arts could turn the situation hot. However, in situations such as 9/11's PA crash, that is a good time to use them.

Welcome to the forums! Hey, if you turn your head to the left he's happy but to the right he's sad WHYYYY is he so saaaaaad?? Sorry, I've had a terrible attack of the sillies See what I mean?

Welcome, Mr. Man!!! ...who picks on TKD? Well, whoever it is, the reinforcements are appreciated!!

*groan*

not explicit? There are some uncomfortable references to sex and such. Some of the questions don't really work for us modest virgins 56% gay.... right in the middle, a "happy and well-adjusted hetero babe". I think part of it is what they would consider to make me "butch". Also the best friend q doesn't work because my best friend is a somewhat hot guy lol. _________________ Short people rock, 1st Degree Brown Belt Assistant Instructor Modern-American Tae Kwon Do [ This Message was edited by: monkeygirl on 2002-06-11 13:05 ]

I am most definitely a Mini. British Racing Green! I love those things, but mostly because I'm so small...

Good luck when you do test!

um... thanks

In our dojo we do some knuckle pushups, but it's usually only adult blackbelts. It's not a good idea for kids to do them because their wrists aren't strong enough. I would suggest doing maybe half of your pushups on your knuckles as a nice compromise to save your typing, if you want to do both. Anyway, I don't see where they do anything other than hurt your thumbs. What does anyone think of doing pushups on two fingers? If any of us can

um......where can we see the martial arts that they came up with?