monkeygirl

*smacks forehead in disgust* Sillies Everyone has an opening, simply because your arms aren't long enough to cover your entire upper body AND head. Just because you back away doesn't mean you're untouchable. If I fake a kick (if you're blocking) and advance in on you (whether or not you've blocked) I can still hit you in your opening. If somebody blocks and counters, I can simply fake next time so that when you block I get in. People aren't as likely to counter when their block didn't pull through. Even if they do, simply side-stepping the counter should work. Yes, this is a hard strategy to use when people are wailing on you....so you don't use it!!! You go with your instincts and fight for your life. I swear, when used correctly, this system has never failed me...and I've sparred a lot of people.

Why on earth WOULD we fight a war we thought we would lose? America needs oil, this is true. When things like 9/11 happen, we need to ensure that we have reserves of oil, especially when countries are threatening to stop selling it to us. You need to get your facts straight before you start posting. Are you really sure you even know what a Nazi is? This thread will probably be closed soon, anyway, since it's quite pointless.

Duh!!! Osama Bin Laden and some Taliban guy I pick at random FEEL MY FURY!!!!!!!! _________________ Short people rock, 1st Degree Brown Belt Assistant Instructor Modern-American Tae Kwon Do [ This Message was edited by: monkeygirl on 2002-05-15 09:58 ]

OMG Ok let me start off. Musical katas can be awesome, and my demo team has been using music to enhance our katas for about a year now. When done correctly (and unfortunately not all of our demo team has what you would call "rhythm"), it's stunning. We do everything from rock, to corny stuff like Kung Fu Fighting (I do that one! lol), and I'm currently working on something for Strauss' Blue Danube Waltz. However, that was the worst example of musical katas I've ever seen. The music was terrible sounding and had no rhyme or reason to it, just random nonsense sounds that happened to fit a boring kata. Folks, don't let this video mislead you! Musical katas can and DO work! ISKA tourneys have musical kata divisions (unfortunately they don't work with the music that well either, it's a fine art), for crying out loud!! Unfortunately, these Kickin' Tracks people have unfairly represented the style... Ok, sorry I got like really emotional there

I spend 99.9% time in gi...I say that because every now and then we have street clothes days where we do all self-defense in normal clothing. We don't do much grappling, my buddies and I wrestle sometimes after class for fun. I know they think they're hugging me because they're all madly in love with me, but it's good practice in fighting. No seriously, I'm training... last summer I was so good people were placing bets on me. I had some of the fastest tap-outs in my class

You may be gripping the chuks too low, or your cord/chain may be too long. When you trap the chuk under your arm, no "biffing" should occur, obviously. When you catch the chuks, you should be trapping the chuk that you aren't holding. If you catch cord instead of foam chuk, you're gripping too low. When doing katas, etc. it's best to grip the chuk as high as possible for better control. Low grips are for combat. You may also be trying to swing the chuk too close to your body. Hold the chuk where it should be. Feel that. Remember where your hand is. It might help, it might not! Also, when catching on TOP, make sure your free hand is across your stomach and underneath your arm, ready to stop the incoming chuk...otherwise you might lose an eye If we were in person it'd be so much easier, but this'll have to do.... Try talking to your instructor or someone else who has experience with the weapon.

ROFL..... that's pretty good especially like the crayon part. don't appreciate #18 Here's another one: You go to a "big" tournament that your school is running and get a grand champion WWF-style belt...much as the competition of 5-year-olds tried, they just couldn't keep up with you.

Yeah, back whips aren't as popular as kip ups, but they should be. Basically, you're lying flat on your back, kick your legs backwards like you're doing a backwards somersault or something. You do a little "kick" motion with your legs to give you some thrust, push with your hands (for a brief moment you're in a handstand) and come back down. | / o ___o _o o o | See? I dunno if that graphic helps or not I find it much easier to pull off than a kip up. However, you can break your neck learning it, so be VERY CAREFUL!!!!! Don't do the thrusting kick until you're almost finished. It's all about momentum and that kick. A prelim to learning this is learning to go from a headstand to a handstand. There's nearly no arms involved at all, just bend your legs, kick them straight and provide a little hand push, and you should be up. Get this down and the whip up will be much easier.

My "signature move" that I do after every demo... What I call the "Wu Shu" (pull right leg straight up in the air while standing) straight into a split, back whip up. I also like to start from a headstand, kick to a handstand and fall backwards into a split. A kip-up is good from here. Easy stuff (since I don't have time to learn much of anything new), but good.

LOL this thread shall never die!! :lol: The mats at our dojo squeak sometimes when a foot rubs them, especially during stretching. There's always 4 or more people who mistake it for a fart, and giggling ensues. I have found that if you fart and act like something happened, or lie when somebody asks you what smells, nobody's the wiser My one friend farted as she bent backwards and tried to explain it off as her back cracking...but I was on to her.

OMG I LOVE MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL!!!!! I love the fight between King Arthur and the Black Knight "The Black Knight always triumphs!!!" and bring out your dead... "I feel happyyyyyy" and of course, castle Anthrax. But the best part are "The Knights who sayyy....nee!!!" Whihc of course become later "We are no longer the Knights who say nee, we are now known as the Knights who say eke-eke-eke-eke-paTANGZOOPboing wassaaaa" My brother and I spent half an hour memorizing that

poo... LOL Ok, here we go: 2 pair wooden competition nunchaku 1 pair foam w/cord nunchaku 1 pair foam w/chain nunchaku 1 pair kama w/cord (a.k.a kusarigama) 3 bo staffs and the best... SPARRING GEAR!!!! heehee My school used to do the sai, but we don't anymore...thus the words "used to"

<----Humble monkey!! HAHAHAHA I live in America and you don't!! I also have proper english, whereas you don't. Whether you learn 2+2 in Egypt, America or Korea, it doesn't matter; it will still equal 4.

I've heard that a gym place local to me also has that...but I can't drive so I have to convince my parents to take me there. I'm still trying to get a handstand too I can do other stuff though. I can do this thing called a Tiger Dive...you go from a handstand, bend your arms and land on your stomach. Really easy but looks awesome. After much practice, I can also do a back whip up, and a kip up. These are ways to get up off the floor (<----master of the obvious)...... yeah I'm working on a no-handed cartwheel. Well, was...certain things (*cough* brushes with death *cough*) have made me stop until I can go to that gym open night....

The iFroggy network people must have a good taxidermist... At the green bar on the top, I swear if you move around it looks like the frog's eyes follow you.... Anyone else notice this? Is there any other weird stuff I should know about? _________________ Short people rock, 1st Degree Brown Belt Assistant Instructor Modern-American Tae Kwon Do [ This Message was edited by: monkeygirl on 2002-05-13 07:54 ]

You mean betting pools? Australian terminology can kinda throw a person off...

Since you're new, they'll probably let this slide Just so you know, questions like these go under "General Martial Arts". When they say "Questions, Comments..." they mean relating to the site and message board system itself. Getting to your question. Traditional Karate is a good style that uses mostly hands and nearly no kicks. However, keep an open mind to kicking. Unless you have a medical reason for not wanting to use your legs, having a well-balanced body can be very useful. I study what I like to call "Modern-American Tae Kwon Do". We call ourselves a karate studio, but karate is a generic term. We use mostly TKD with blending of krav maga, judo, kung fu, etc. I love this style. Most people on here (including myself!) will tell you that their style is the best. Just make sure you keep in mind what you want to achieve from martial arts, listen to their descriptions, and see if the two match. Good luck!

Welcome to the forums!!! I'll go check that out right away

I have been taught to never, EVER look at an opponent's eyes! When they are seasoned enough fighters, they have no expression when they attack. I usually watch the center of their body, midsection-upper body. This usually moves no matter what they do. Eyes, though... It may work for some people, but with the people I have to fight...I don't want to risk trying!!

Well, I just came back from testing... drumroll please..... WE PAAAAASSSEEEDDDD!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YAYAY AY I'm happy can you tell? :grin: Even though I puked during sparring I was the only one who did...and I know I'll never heard the end of it!!! I'm about half dead, Another bonus... In our dojo, that is the last rank before instructor...I'm so happy!! Thanks everyone for all your support!!!

If you're talking about making a kata of your own, variety is the spice of life!!! A 3rd dan blackbelt and I designed a kata for me, and let me tell you, they're hard to make up! Decide what moves you like, what is your specialty, etc. For instance, I'm a kicker, so I focus a lot on kicks, but also have good hand techniques. A lot of it is flashy, but a lot very practical too (the two splits in the kata would fall under the flashy, not the technical ) If we're talking about an existing kata, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable with it. Make sure you know exactly what each move is, and exactly what its purpose is. This will help you have a better understanding of the kata, and you can perform it with feeling. Try videotaping your kata. Play it back to yourself and think about how it looks. If you're unhappy with it, try to think about why, then try to improve. Keep improving until you think you can go no further. Then get your instructor to see, if possible. Keep videotaping, it's a wonderful tool!

Hrm..... are you sure your name isn't..... Aaron Lumpkin? DUM DA DUM!!!!!!!! Lol I'm just kidding....sounds neat

Cool! I'll tell all my friends Thanks for the info!

Also...I've never seen anyone DIE at a tournament. Unless you count the 70-year-old man that had a heart attack 2 years ago at our local tourney....but he survived

I just finished reading Harry Potter #4... I know I know Don't really have what you'd call a "book" right now, unless you count History and Algebra 2.