monkeygirl

Pacificshore had a very good suggestion...I'd quote but I'm lazy since I just woke up <---- inaccurate since I am awake...how come there's no yawn smiley? Kicking high = flexibility, as you know. Try adding a split to the end of your form! Even if the last move doesn't quite flow to a split, you can always add something that does work. Since you'll be on your own, you'll really have to shine. I'm a member of my school's demo team, so I know how this goes Here's some tips--some may be obvious, some not: 1. yell as loud as you can 2. low stances 3. hold your strikes. That means, that on any move that there is a yell, hold it for extra long. 4. hold your kicks for a split second. much flashier 5. look like you're mad. Even if you're not, it's a great effect. And finally, one of the most important: 6. pose. Pause EVERY move for just a split second, as if you're waiting for someone to take a picture of you. You wouldn't believe how much crisper this can make a form look. Hope that helps! good luck!!!

Ok, this is gonna be a long post I call it "Modern American TKD" because it's not pure TKD. It's a blending of many styles, such as karate, TKD, krav maga, kung fu, I add a little wu shu My instructor basically goes to conferences and picks up new techniques that he likes. We have a 10-belt system, which goes: White, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, red, 2nd brown, 1st brown, jr. black (for kids) & black. Forms (katas) are as follows (sorry if my spelling's off): Yellow--Choong-ji (White has the first half of this kata), Orange--Toe-san, Green--Advanced Form 2, Blue--Yol-Guk, Purple--Advanced Form 4, Red--Advanced Form 5, 2nd Brown--Ha-Wang, 1st Brown--Chung-Mu, Black--K-Beck (jr. blacks=same). Every month, usually on the 3rd Wednesday & Thursday (adult & kids, respectively), we have test nights, where everyone tests together. If someone misses, they can reschedule. If someone is testing for their purple or above, they test on a special saturday test. White belts advance to yellow in about a month. After that, each belt (except for black) gets three stripes (made out of electrical tape), one a month. The first stripe is White Stripe, for blocks & kicks. Next is Black Stripe for sparring & self-defense, finally red stripe for katas & one-steps (artistic self-defense based off of one simple attack). The stripes are meant to break down the requirements step-by-step. When you have all 3 stripes you're ready to test. Blackbelts use a star system (little yellow star patches that go on the gi jacket), where they fill an entire card (see below) COMPLETELY. These stars require everything the blackbelt has ever earned, and is like a blackbelt test in itself. It usually takes 4 months to fill a card, and 4 stars until the next degree/dan. We have an attendance card system with varying amounts of lines for each belt. A student pulls their card upon arrival and it is marked with a date at the end of the night. They must have two rows of dates filled to test for each stripe, and completely filled for a belt. I could go on to list every single requirement we have...but we'd be here awhile.

I loved it! You soggy turds... lol I still like Private Benjamin though :pony:

Every good monkey knows that bananas are very magical....duh.... A blackbelt at our school (who received his blackbelt in Korea) often says "pain is your friend"! But then again, he also says "pushups are your friend" and "blood is your friend". I think one of these days he might just say "Eating brains is your friend!" Nah, he's a cool guy Some soreness is good, it lets you know that you've worked hard. However, pain is bad! You're working too hard. Good, long warmups and good long cool-downs are very important, as is proper nutrition, as mentioned before. However, working out, working hard 6 days a week is not good for your body. It needs a day or two to recover and regenerate the tissue damage you've done. Vitamin supplements can be good, talk to a doctor before you take them, though. People tend to overmedicate themselves on vitamins by reading books...they end up gulping, like, a pound of pills each meal. More pills than food, ya know? And of course, good long bubble baths or a massage from your honey (if you don't have one, moms work too) are always nice

The 540° kick is hard at first, but you get used to it. The trick is to swing your back leg further before you kick. So, say you start with your left leg forward in a fighting stance. Swing your right leg through, and imagine you are putting your foot on a step. This step needs to be slightly left of your original stance, so you get more rotation. You won't believe how much it helps. So, from beginning, swing right leg till it's out front and to left of you, jump, and kick with left leg. Bring it all the way around and, ta-da! 540°!!! Currently, that's the most difficult kick I can perform. David Douglas can actually do what seems like a 900°...I could swear wires need to be involved, but no. The man is incredible. Right now I'm trying to do stuff like side-aerials (no-handed cartwheels, stuff like that) but as I have no formal gymnastics training...I get some of Pacificshore's richter scale effect. Um.... fade-away kicks, anyone?

That is exactly what I wanted to say, I just couldn't put it into words...well said!!

Thanks KickChick. Sorry I got a little passionate there I understand that I have limitations, it's just that some people were saying 15-year-olds shouldn't teach at all. I realize I have a lot to learn, but I can't ever learn if I don't practice, ya know? And believe me, I'm not talking about running out and starting my own school...far from it! I started this thread partly because I was upset over a comment that was made, but mainly because I wanted to find out what I could do to overcome it. I didn't mean to offend anyone in my replies, sorry if my tone was misinterpreted (unfortunately, as you all know, tone can be difficult to convey in writing and easily misunderstood). You have all made some very good points, and as I go to teach tonight, (kids' classes) I feel better prepared and have a lot to keep in mind. I've pretty much said all I can say on this subject unless anyone has more questions. Feel free to discuss. Thank you all for helping make me a better instructor--now, and in the future when I'm not just a radical or "extreme" ( ) young 15-year-old!! _________________ A true friend is someone who asks you how you are and actually listens. Short people rock Be like water!! [ This Message was edited by: monkeygirl on 2002-05-09 12:10 ]

My brother and I are testing for our 1st Degree Brown Belts (last belt before Black in our system) on Saturday!!! Belt tests, of course, are always difficult, especially 1st brown tests. This test, however, is going to be particularly large, and there are a lot of adult students testing. Of course, I'm confident in my technique, but when it comes to a 5'2 100lb. girl trying to do a take-down on a 6' 200 lb man.....it's a bit difficult. In a real-life situation I could use any kind of strikes to disable my opponent, but we go for safety in testing and in class. With that said, WISH ME LUCK!!!! I think I'll need all I can get

I run about 78 BPM But I think it has something to do with the fact that I'm small. Not sure. My one friend has a sitting heartrate of 100+ ....pretty crazy.

Bruce Lee was, as you say, great. But can we really say the best ever? He was publicized so we saw his greatness, but what about Shaolin Monks, etc.? Bruce Lee was a pioneer of his day, and an icon. But to say he was the best ever, when we have no idea what was out there way back when, is.... is..... well it's sacrelige. Anyway, I'm being technical and boring again.

ok don't EVEN get me started on you...I'd rather have George W. any day than that stiff board Al Gore...anybody who was ACTUALLY vp for that sleaze of a president Clinton has no business being president himself Sorry I just get really angry when people put down George W. Call me patriotic

I speak from experience, dating in-studio is a BAD IDEA!!! Especially if you teach. While I never actually got around to dating this person, it was more of a mutual agreement that we had feelings. When those feelings ended, things got a little difficult. Fortunately, we were good enough friends and big enough people to move on and remain professional and good friends. I have learned from my mistake: never again will I date a student, or ANYONE from the studio! That includes families of students...if you hurt a friend's brother, you'll lose another friendship. To tessone: that's great that it worked out for them, but we were pretty much on the same level. I guess it's just young love _________________ A true friend is someone who asks you how you are and actually listens. Short people rock Be like water!! [ This Message was edited by: monkeygirl on 2002-05-09 09:28 ]

Way up!!

I'm feeling generous, so I'm gonna let you in on a little secret when it comes to sparring. If you're not competing, there's a very useful way of figuring out your opponent--I recommend it to anyone: 1. Look for what's open. If their head is open, go for the head! (simple) 2. See how they react. When you go for that open head, do they block or just lean? What does this leave open? 3. React. If they block their head when you attack, it probably leaves their chest or stomach open. Go for it! 4. Check again. Try it several more times to check that it wan't a fluke. Now you can start adding fakes so that they don't eventually adapt. If it was just a fluke, repeat steps 1-4 until you've got them. 5. Start having fun!! By this point, you have them figured out...don't be afraid to toy with them, it frustrates the heck out of your opponent. I love using this system. It takes some getting used to in order to pull it off efficiently (unless your school does hour-long sparring matches, speed is very important). After awhile though, you can figure out pretty much anyone. More advanced fighters are more complicated, but EVERYBODY, and I mean EVERYBODY has an opening. Just not everybody can get to it. If you have anything to add to this, or comments, feel free to add them! I just hope this helps some people who may be struggling with fighting, like I was. Us short people need all the help we can get

I forgot a few things I wanted to address. Ok, first things first. Isn't being taught by an 80-year-old man who can't keep his head up, much less speak to the whole class, a bit extreme? He's probably 7th+ dan, and an excellent martial artists when he was in his prime, but now it's just a bit ridiculous. What's so extreme if the person is qualified? Isn't it extreme for a 13-year-old to go to college? But she's smart enough, and it's happened, and it works! Not to freak out the non-religiuos people, but wasn't Jesus a bit extreme? A poor carpenter claiming to be the son of God Himself! Not just that, but actually promising people salvation!! How extreme. Second, you don't come to a university for a professor, not specifically (unless you're really anal). You come for a good education. So, if the upper classmen is very talented at teaching, and you're getting a wonderful education (possibly even better than the stuffy old professor), do you really care? "Oh yeah, I'm learning tons, I just wish it were a real professor." "TRUE" Instructors at our school ARE 1st dan. But Leadership Team is a different thing. I usually get the run-down from a "TRUE" Instructor as to what s/he wants me to do in class. Usually then, I don't run the whole class. We split responsibilities, as everyone specializes in something, or needs to work on something else in their teaching. It's a team effort, and we do the best that we can. This is the way our Leadership Team has been since I first started taking classes, and I know it had been going for years before that. True, I am 15, and I teach. But do you know what else is true? People are satisfied, and students aren't leaving in great masses, or lining up to exit the dojo because I'm teaching. They're learning and enjoying themselves! I have watched students start from White Belt, and are now testing for Purple Belt, our first advanced belt. I feel an immense amount of pride knowing that I, in at least some small way, was a part of that journey. I don't teach for the glory of it, I don't teach because it puts a patch on my uniform. I teach for the love of the art, and "art" knows no boundaries. Heck, if elephants can paint, why can't I teach karate?

Wow! I seem to have hit a nerve here...we've actually gone into 'pages' now..heh. You've all made some good points about younger instructors. However, don't you think that the idea of 'anyone under 18 teaching is a bit extreme' is a bit....old-fashioned? My instructor teaches our adult advanced classes, which I take...I have no hand in those classes unless he needs me to help, say, a purple belt with their kata. I'm no stranger to doing this, I am known school-wide as kata technician (open hand, weapons are a bit different). If there's ever a dispute, they usually settle it with me. No, I don't help adults higher than me unless they need to work on lower techniques. Kids advanced classes are different, though. I have often helped junior blackbelts with requirements below and at their belt level. I can understand that people "signed up for the instructor that started the school". But is that really their decision? Nowhere in our contract does it state "the Chief Instructor will teach every class, not those uppity Leadership Team Members". Our Chief Instructor has a family to support, and works another job. He has trained and put in place a Leadership Team that he can trust to get the job done and do it right. For another thing, most students coming in get their introductory class as well as most classes from that point forward taughty by the Leadership Team. The Chief Instructor coming in is considered a special treat, but not because we're inferior. He has trained us, and we are training students...our teaching is doing no harm...but, the Chief Instructor has a way with teaching that none of us have achieved yet. That's because he's been doing it for 15+ years! We have to be given a chance to learn. We all make mistakes, that's not the point. It's how you deal with those mistakes, learn from them, and carry on that's important. I mean no disrespect, but some of you need to just....lighten up!!!

Crossing your legs for the kick is a great way for power and distance, but horrible for speed. If you really want speed, don't step at all. Keep your feet close together in your fighting stance, and your back leg slightly bent. This will allow you to use that back leg to spring off and kick with your front kick. It has almost no telegraphs (unless you add them yourself ). That step-in sidekick does have uses for sparring. Besides distance and power, it's a good way to set up a fake. Because it's so easy to see, it works very well. Throw the sidekick a couple of times and see your opponents' reaction. They may steadily move their guard to where you're kicking, especially if you're aiming for an area where their guard is lacking. This is a great strategy for setting up the fake and still getting hits in. After a while, their guard will move there, and you can start switching up. Step behind, but this time throw a hook or round kick, or front kick like you mentioned (although I don't recommend rockette-style front kicks in sparring...lose your balance for not a lot of effect). You could even do the step just as normal, but completely step around and throw a back kick. So, say, you start with your left leg forward, step with your right leg until it's forward, and immediately throw the back kick. Very sneaky technique

Thank you all for your posts! You have made some good points and nevertheless made me feel better Unfortunately, Iron Arahat is right. I'll always have the age problem, since I'm 5'2", 100lbs. If I keep a babyface into my 30s, I don't stand a chance...my grandmother never reached 5'!!! So I have to work pretty hard to earn respect, as well as my belts! KickChick, you asked what rank I am. Well, I'll be testing for my 1st degree Brown Belt on Saturday (last belt before black in my dojo), but I've been teaching since I was a blue belt (5th belt of a 10 belt system). We have the same system at our school with children assisting with children's classes, but I'm in the adult classes so I get to do both. I'm on an upper level of our Leadership Team, but not even quite an Assistant Instructor yet. On adult nights, our school usually tries to have a full Instructor at least supervising classes. This is difficult however, since all 3 of our instructors work part-time jobs and we have classes 5 nights a week. (We live in a small town, there just aren't enough students to be able to pay our instructors) It doesn't always work out. On kid's night's though, people of my rank (it usually helps if an Assistant Instructor is there, too) can handle it. However, we have limitations. Classes cannot spar unless an Assistant or Full Instructor of age 18+ is there. Our dojo's policy is that anyone who is in charge of class at the moment, regardless of rank, is just that: IN CHARGE. Whether they be a yellow belt (which we don't accept onto our Leadership Team, it's hypothetical) with a 4th Dan Blackbelt in class. That 4th Dan must show the yellow belt his full attention and "respect". NOT a word we throw around lightly, as there have been some serious issues in the past that involved several people leaving the school, getting thrown out, or losing their blackbelt over their serious disrespect to the Chief Instructor and dojo. When our Chief Instructor can't be there teach class, he feels confident that his Leadership Team (which includes Asst. and full Instructors) is doing the job well. He has taught us as students and evaluated us as teachers, and knows that we are perfectly capable of passing on martial arts knowledge. You don't make it onto the team if you don't know your stuff. People think you get a completely different workout from us, somehow inferior, to our Chief Instructors. And while it is an honor to work with him, and he may do some more new and interesting things, a kick you learn with us isn't going to be any worse than one you learn with him, unless your attitude gets in the way of your foot. _________________ A true friend is someone who asks you how you are and actually listens. Be like water!! [ This Message was edited by: monkeygirl on 2002-05-08 07:45 ]

I'm a member of my dojo's Leadership Team, which is like Instructors in Training, pretty much. I'm on one of the higher levels of this team, and the next step would be Assistant Instructor. I've been on the Leadership Team for over a year now, longer than most other members ever survive I love teaching very much, especially children's classes, but adult's too. Teaching has enriched my life in many ways. However, there are some bad points. I'm 15 years old. This didn't used to be a big problem, but lately, as I've been gaining more authority, there's been some griping. Adults and older teenagers complain that they "cannot respect an instructor who is younger than they are". Getting to my point, how would you deal with this? Has anyone else encountered this? I have had many obstacles on my road to Black Belt (a road i'm still on) as well as instructor. I would like to know if there are any other young instructors out there, and I would also like to hear your opinion (good or bad, I can take it) of young instructors. Should we be allowed? I'm patiently earning the respect of the students, as I believe that is the only way to gain respect. My Chief Instructor tells me these obstacles will make me a better instructor someday, and while I believe him, it's very discouraging....

It'd be great if you could check out whether or not somebody was a certified martial arts instructor, but there is no such thing. (or so I've been informed) It's not like having a license to practice medicine or cut hair...you can't go and pay $200 for your license, because one doesn't exist!!! At least not in pennsylvania. It's very important what the state of the school is. Stick around, watch all the classes if you can, talk to some upper belt students who have been there for awhile. Also, talk to some parents if you can. Parents (and I speak from my own teaching experience) are the quickest to point out mistakes!! Make sure you hear about the bad as well as the good The price sounds very reasonable...close to what we pay at my studio. Make sure you read over their liability stuff...insurance, etc. It should be in the contract or whatever you sign. The history of the school is important too. How long have they been around? Does the instructor have a second job, or does this pay all his bills (this is important because it lets you know his student count is high enough to support him. This can be good and bad. Good because you have him there all the time and you know he must be a good instructor to keep all those students. Bad because in a large school you're probably not going to get as much one-on-one instruction or attention) Anyway, that's my HUGE blabbing about that. One more thing: see if they offer weapons. These add depth to your training so there's always more to learn! [ This Message was edited by: monkeygirl on 2002-05-07 11:02 ]

I'm 15, 5', weigh 97 lbs (just gained a pound today yipee!!) and i used to leg press 45lbs at physical therapy but that was because they wanted me to take it "easy"...I could do way better than that, just no idea how much exactly. I've never bench pressed. _________________ My superiority complex is better than yours! [ This Message was edited by: monkeygirl on 2002-04-30 11:29 ]

I actually started this account a while ago, but that was right before they switched over to iFroggy or whatever, so I couldn't come on for awhile. :pony: I'm from Pennsylvania, I'm 15 years old, and a female martial artist. My style is Tae Kwon Do, I'm a 2nd degree Brown Belt (going for 1st degree brown on the 11th of May), and I teach classes 6 days a week. My favorite weapons are the kamas, both with cord and without (with cord may be known as a kusarigama to some of you) This is getting boring so lemme pick it up a bit I thoroughly enjoy kicking butt!!! I love competing in tournaments, and so far I am undefeated in all areas in my division. YEAHHH!!!!! Also, I'm going to compete in the BATTLE OF HARRISBURG on July 6th...If you're nearby, come and compete!!! I think it's like $30 to register. I don't remember the rest of the information but you might be able to search for it. I have no idea whether or not I'll survive this tournament since this is my first state-level tournament. I'm excited!!! I love a good challenge Anyway, you should all come down!

My favorite weapons are the kamas (some of you may know them as kusarigamas since they have the cord on the handles) and the bo. I love the kamas so much that I actually fell asleep with mine. I was clutching them like a teddy bear. No, I didn't mean to, it just kinda happened. One thing just lead to another...

Thank you for your help! I'm a little short on cash right now, but hopefully I'll get to it sooner or later.

I'm interested in buying a Kung Fu Fan (like the kind geishas use), but I don't want to buy it unless I can find some katas or basic moves for it. I've searched online but come up with nearly nothing. The only time I've found anything, it was referred to as a "Pressure Point Fan". Does anybody know what this is? Also, it was always mentioned as "Pressure Point Fan and Double Edged Sword". What is the connection between the two? I'd appreciate any input, since I'm coming up empty.