baronbvp

To use a different analogy, I learn a lot more about playing golf by playing golf than I do by swinging my clubs and imagining playing golf. Kata aren't even the driving range and putting green - that's heavy bag and pad work. I think the reason MMA styles don't use kata is because they don't improve fighting effectiveness or efficiency.

I like it for many reasons. The practicality. The mysticism. The warrior ethos. The peace. The effect on my body. The effect on my opponent. One of the main reasons - and this may sound funny - is because I am not nearly as good at it as other things in my life. It keeps me humble. I love getting a compliment as much as anyone, but I know inside that I really have so much to learn. I want to get good.

Sohan, I wonder if there was something else going on here of which you or your sensei are unaware. This seems too weird. I would think they would have thrown down an ultimatum of some kind before they left, if not being tested was their reason. "A different direction" is what teams take who fire coaches.

Nicely done! Anytime you can win a trophy that is bigger than your opponent, you're doing okay.

The rec center where I take Muay Thai offers classes through Fairfax County Parks here in the DC area. This county park system offers a HUGE variety of martial arts. Lots of TKD with all the Koreans that work in the Dulles tech corridor. I found the JKD school I just started at in a Google ad at the top of the KF page. It's only a couple of miles away and very reasonable. The head instructor didn't even know he was advertising and still has no idea how his ad is got on KF.

I have been researching MMA and JKD schools in Berlin, GER. Next year I hope to go there for a month of immersion language training. If I get to, I will definitely find a place to train while I'm there. I will also look around in hopes of finding a place I can train once I move there with my family. Hopefully, I can find an MMA type place that also has a gym and locker room.

I'll second that. I'd be curious to know what the present day Indian military practices.

The old recipe is still valid. If you want to lose that gut, you need to burn more calories than you take in. Reduce your caloric input and increase your cardiovascular exercise (=cardio). If age could be a factor, you'll have to work that much harder to increase your metabolic rate - the rate at which you metabolize food. There are also supplements called thermogenics that will help you burn calories faster. You can get them at a GNC or other nutrition/fitness store. Talk to a store rep.

Today I worked out for the first time since surgery. Tomorrow night I will try to go to class after I get the stitches removed. Even if I have to stand and not participate much, I want to go. Today I hurt my right delt somehow when I was mounting my heavy bag, but it's pretty minor. All part of the game!

Yep, concur. When I got my driver's license, I was 5'9" and weighed 120 lbs. When I graduated from college, I was 6' and 155 lbs. Now I weigh 175. It's life!

Careful not to try to move so fast that you end up telegraphing your backfist. Better to snap a quick but reasonable one they don't see coming.

Most guidance says to never lock your knees for stretching (or anything, for that matter). An inch or so of bend will keep you from ruining the muscles behind your knees and the tendons that connect them.

I've had quite a bit of first aid training, from Boy Scouts to the military. I think it should be required for everyone. But in MA it certainly helps when someone goes down with a dislocated shoulder, compound fracture, finger in the eye, sprained ankle, or whatever. If you're circulating a petition, I'll sign it.

You're growing up.

I struggle with this also. I like to lift weights, and I am not very flexible, so I stretch a lot. The big thing I notice about the routine you listed is the quickness. That routine won't take very long to do or fatigue any muscles. Two sets of 8 reps is a toning routine. He would have had more trouble staying flexible if he was doing four sets with lower reps and heavier weight. I think Bruce Lee's fighting training kept him flexible for fighting.

Thanks for the shout out on the avatar, ShotokanKid. It's also tattooed on my upper right arm. Akaratechick and Bushido Man are right about your knee. Don't mess around with it. Ice that baby down. If you only hyperextended it some as he fell back on it, you may be okay. But there could be some ligament damage, so be careful. For a week or two, I recommend wearing a brace you can buy at any drugstore just to be safe. Don't twist on it. Did you see Joe Paterno (Penn St. Nittany Lions football coach) get his knee hit on the sideline by one of his players this season? Same deal, but the impact was probably worse on his knee than opn yours. He's 80 and suffered a broken leg and ligament damage. Only a doctor can tell you for sure. The fact that it doesn't hurt is a good sign, though.

Losing weight is always a good idea if you're heavy. It eases the workload on your joints, heart, lungs, everything. Don't forget to include some strength training as you tone. All this will help you move easier. Stretch to increase your flexibility, and use those motor skills to improve your coordination. It's a synergistic effect = all good.

The small bones in the feet make them a much worse impact weapon than the shin bone. If I were you, I would change immediately to a pure Thai round kick with the lower shin bone as the weapon. It's a much harder kick - that's why your heavy bag goes flying. It also hurts your opponent way more and won't damage your foot bones. If you hit someone's head with your instep, you may very well break your foot. Also, get some MA shoes with padding on the instep or wear shin/instep guards.

I was a Navy fighter pilot, so my ego isn't hurting for "me time." But MA, for me, are humbling. That's one of the reasons I like it. No matter what we do professionally, the dojo is the great equalizer. I have to work hard to get better.

I never regret going once I'm there, so I just suck it up and do it if I don't feel like it. I look forward to it. Also, when I'm stretching or working out at home, I can feel my body toning due to my MA classes. Like Marie Curie's signature says, I suck. So, I train harder.

Today was a light day, first day back at it after facial surgery. Warmup: 5 min on elliptical, lvls 13/15/17/13, 60 cal Stretching Superset bench and decline situps: Bench: 80x100, 100x8, 120x6, 80x12. Decline situps: 50; 25 w/25 lb DB on chest; 20 w/10 lb DB punches Floor ab work with 5 lb ankle weights, 10 minutes: Crunches, bicycles, push-throughs, hip lifts w/ legs vertical, leg lifts. I finally hung up my 50 lb heavy bag, then practiced MT round and teep kicks and my spinning back kick. Great to have a target at home finally! Then: Lat pulldowns: 80x10, 100x10, 120x3. Small pop in my right delt, damn! Leg/glute kickbacks: 30x20, 40x15 ea side Ab crunchdowns: 50x15, 40x50 Standing DB straight curls: 30x10, 25x10 ea side Triceps pushdowns: 50x8, 40x12 Seated calf press: 80x35 Last, I hung up a mirror in my gym. Now I can watch myself suck at trying to roll my hips over for my round kick.

Nice! Why the white belt? Looks like you've been doing that awhile.

If you have a low cable pull, Bushido Man, you can just unhook the metal bar and replace it temporarily with an ankle cuff. They are available at fitness/gym stores for less than $10 or so. I use the low attachment point that is also for sitting rows, curls, and cable crossovers. The glute kickback It's the only exercise I've found that works the glute and hip that way. It's also a great tool for hip abductor and adductor work. break Yesterday I hiked three miles with the wife through the forest. Spring has sprung and it is gorgeous. Last night we had rain that I hope washed away the majority of the salt and dirt from the previous snows.

Last week I was lightly sparring a guy at my JKD school, on my first night. It was a kicks-only drill. He's a big stocky 20 year old and we were having fun. All of a sudden he gets me in the clinch, which I am happy to do. We both clinch and start kneeing and yanking each other around somewhat playfully as the instructor is reminding us it's kicks only. It's hard to stop!

Thanks, Bushido Man. I've confused a few younger guys who aren't sure why something works. They get puzzled when I ask why or ask, "is it because...?" Then they go, "I don't know. It just works." Then they have to go figure out or ask why. One of the things I love most about the martial arts is the two-way learning that often occurs. I have found even the most knowledgeable teachers eager to learn something knew, or excite when a student unfolds another aspect of the art. I contrast this with football coaching or other sports that tend to be a one-way conversation.