mindsedgeblade

I didn't care so much for Splinter Cell, but my younger (14 yo) brother seems to like it. I have Red October, Sum of All Fears, Red Rabbit, The Cardinal and the Kremlin, and many, many more.

Definitely. Mine teaches a great mix of TKD, boxing, grappling, and ground fighting. The master has tons of real world experience, and tournament fighting. He constantly shows us all how to improve, and encourages us to adapt techniques to individual body types. Not as formal as some on this forum, but professional and understanding. Workouts are varied, and I always look forward to them. The only complaint I have is that other things get in the way of karate.

"Fighting on Heart." I agree with that. In my school, Black belts from around the country return for each new black belt's test. No one else is allowed to go. I only hope that I have time to make black belt here.

With other students I've taken a few hard hits, but never really been injured. With my teacher and other black belts I've been the dummy plenty of times, but also never been injured. Any time we practice a lock or break, we can always tap out. It can be difficult to learn a technique from that perspective, so they are usually repeated with a few dummies.

I don't know about eight hours a day. That is a full time job. I train as much as I can- about three hours every day, and it can be difficult with classes and exams and everything else.

We always use cheriot, kyenyea or rook, cho. All our kata are called in korean, but I would like to learn the korean for various punches/ kicks.

Don't forget your "sticky hands" when holding a bo. One of the advanced students in my weapons class just loves to test our grip. This sometimes *cough*too often*cough* ends with a bo flying accross the floor and making a lot (repeat LOT) of noise.

Hmm- on nights I have exams in other classes it's usually "Does that clock say six or seven?" After eight three minute bag rounds and a few rolls (forward and backward and sideways) and crab walk and bear crawl, and wind sprints... things get a little crooked. /-}

God/Goddess type: God of Destruction Worshippers: Superheroes They show devotion by: Blowing up followers of other faiths Using my full name. I can go with that. =:-} It's definitely better than the one from my s/n. KKK is not cool.

Hmmm...big snowstorm here, so what about ice/ snowballs/ windshield scrapers. And of course =:-} a snowshovel and salt.

What is a VTS? I'm 6'2", and sparring someone of equal or lower rank (I'm a blue belt), my height and reach are a great advantage. But sparring a shorter person of higher rank is certainly difficult. They tend to make up the distance with speed, and usually close to where it may even be difficult for me to use my hands. It's very difficult to hit a 5' person when they're hammering you with hooks and uppercuts

=:-} my teacher's is a "shuus"- very distinctive, especially when a side kick is coming your way

In my school, the basic commands are in korean (face instructor, bow, fighting stance...) and a few blackbelts will count in korean, but most others in english.

jab, cross, lo-hi front leg roundhouse front snap kick, front hook punch, front side kick

I just started the bo, and I've found that hitting bone (ankles, elbows, knees) with it hurts a bit. I hate to think of hitting anything with metal, or sai point. What exactly is a kama? From what I've found, it looks like a small scythe.

For the car- something I'm never without; tools/ rags. Imagine a crescent wrench or hammer in anyone's hands- and then if they know what they're doing.... Also; flares, emergency triangles/reflectors.... Car doors/ hoods/ trunk lids would make good slamming weapons; fingers, feet, neck, knees... And a question, since I've just started here, What are the belt ranks on the side?

About the Rattan... The Weapons class I recently joined uses almost eclusively rattan bos- sorry, not sure how they're treated, but they hold up pretty well. Longer Staffs and Spears are wax- or boxwood. They feel about the same weight, but rattan are larger diameter (and more even end-to-end).

Do you have a picture of a three-section staff? I can't quite picture it, unless it looks something like a pair of nunchuka linked.

From my expericence with the higher belts in my club, a good combination is jab, cross, front leg side kick and spin back side kick both to the solar plexus. I agree though, that if one is rusty, one places oneself at a disadvantage.

Brand new here. I've been learning karate/TKD for nearly two years now, and just began working with the staff. Does anyone know of korean styles that incorporate the sai? They seem a very interesting weapon that would fit very well into an open hand style.