Meguro

Or, you could get your gf a big dog or how about getting her to move out of her crack-head infested neighborhood. If your gf doesn't like violent confrontations, and play-fighting, or your friends in the dojo, those are her choices and who she is. If her choices are too big an obstacle for you, maybe your problem isn't finding a suitable cqb system. Even if your gf took a few self-defense courses, do you think you'll feel more relaxed even though she's still surrounded by potentially violent bad guys? My point is, hand-to hand is the very last resort. Expecting your gf to be proficient in it, when she obviously lacks the interest or motivation, is a recipe for disaster. It would be better for her and for your peace of mind to practice what all seasoned martial artists know, not being there is the best defense.

How long ago did you have your heart attack? How closely is your Dr. supervising your training? What is your condition now (bmi, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.)? It would be best to ask the advice from a medical professional. If you now have a clean bill of health, there's some interesting stuff out there on conditioning. I like this: http://www.trainforstrength.com/workouts.shtml Good luck.

I'm sure there's a huge rash of mistaken identities when Physics professors are constantly approached by nurses and patients to treat the next emergency case! The only business a Physics Ph.D has in a hospital is as a patient or visitor. What does this achievement in academia have to do with the provision of healthcare anyway? A blackbelt is relevant only to karateka, or TKDists, or whoever in their own setting. If you're visiting another style to give a lesson or demo, then fine. Keep your rank and uniform and teach your stuff. However, if you've joined another organization, swallow your pride, empty your cup, and learn something new. One should be more concerned about learning than status. To illustrate, my buddy is a 4th dan in Judo, and a 3rd dan Kenpo. When he's not teaching those classes he was a brown belt in my karate dojo (the dojo I attend). He just got his shodan after taking the test 3 times. He didn't wave his outside accomplishments in front of anyone to get by. He let his skill on the mat speak, modestly and eloquently for him.

Congratulations on the weight loss. Think of what happens to pregnant women after they deliver. Some of the extra skin resorbs, eventually. However, it may be difficult to achieve the "cut" look without surgically intervention.

Isn't it the same thing as a licensed tree surgeon seeking the same rights and priveleges as brain surgeons to treat people's neurological disorders? Permitting a student to wear a black belt or any other rank obtained in a different style, may make economic sense. Afterall, who wants to drive away business? However, a student who joins a school and expects special treatment because of the rank achieved in another style is full of ego. It's better to put on the white belt like any other newby and start from the end of the line. A rank has relevence within the system it was obtained. While some of the skills may be transferable from system to system, the rank cannot. I'm only talking about switching from completely different systems, for example Judo to Karate, or Karate to TKD. Obviously, switching associations within the same style is a matter of politics and is not pertinent to this thread.

doh.

Getting back to the original question, I recently had the opportunity to watch a Kung Fu class (don't ask which style, I don't know). As the class went through their warm up, basics and on to forms, I noticed they chambered their fists at the hip. It's easy to see why Okinawan styles would chamber the fist in the same location. As fighting styles migrated north through the Japanese archipelago, so too did the chambered fist.

For a young boy, you are quite tall and very slight of build. Before you take up any martial art check with your pediatrician to find out if there are any health conditions that need to be looked at. If you get a clean bill of health, forget martial Arts, you can be an Olympic swimmer with those size 14's!

Not so crazy, some people started doing martial arts because of movies. Back in the day, it might have been "Enter The Dragon", these days almost any movie has some martial arts to inspire you. If it takes someone younger than yourself to motivate you, that's what it takes. Go with it. Start by visiting all the schools in your area. Take free sample classes if they offer it. Talk to the teachers and students and educate yourself. By the time you head off to college, you'll know which ma clubs to seek out on campus. At this time, you can lay the groundwork by doing some light jogging, stretching and toning. It's never to late to train.

Since you've already got the ground work covered by wrestling, I'd go withsomething to augment your stand-up fighting skills like boxing or Muay Thai. If you can end a confrontation quickly standing up, go for it. On the otherhand, perhaps you're not thinking about street applications so much as learning something new just for your own enjoyment. In this case, anything goes.

Perhaps you are trying to accomplish too much at once: getting in shape and acquiring self defense ability. For me, getting in shape is a constant struggle, eventhough I'm in decent shape (low body fat, low resting heart rate, low cholesterol, etc.) After over thirty years in the ma, I cannot be dissuaded from the belief that no matter how good you are, there is always someone better. So for self-defense good judgment and avoidance are better than a good punch or kick. How about getting yourselves a rottweiler? Getting a dog eases you back into shape because of the daily walks that are required of pet ownership. Also, this particular breed should address your self-defense concerns. Golf might be another way to ease into physical fitness and derive some self-defense capability. A nine-iron makes for a persuasive deterrent when waved in front of a would-be attacker. To get the most out of any martial art, particularly it's self-defense aspects, you've really got to apply yourself diligently. This goes for Tai-chi-chuan, aikido, or anything else. There is no way to gently and easily apply an actual self-defense technique. The most practical thing to do is visit as many school close to you. Find one that appeals to you both (esthetically, economically, philosophically, etc.- whatever your criteria are) and join. But join with the understanding that you'll sweat and give it your best effort. The next thing you should do is visit the animal shelter or driving range, in case the martial arts thing doesn't work out.

Nope. Just the facts. Google and see for yourself.

Whatever your instructor and style call for is correct from an esthetic perspective. We chamber our fist at the ribs when doing kata and basics. When we spar both hands are up and in front, similar to a boxer's peek-a-boo guard.

What you found was founded by a former Kyokushin rising star, Tadashi Nakamura. Nakamura's Seido Karate is not knock-down. It focuses on the touchy feely aspects of karate. They're into kata, meditation, community service and point-fighting. Google Nakamura or Seido Karate to get the whole story. Seido Karate should not be confused with Seidokaikan, the guys who brought you K-1. Seidokaikan is a tough Knockdown style. If you can't find Kyokushin in your area, Seidokaikan, Enshin, World Oyama Karate are good substitutes

Well, if you're comparing Aikido and Kyudo, or Muay Thai with Judo your analogy works. These arts are so dissimilar as to make an meaningful comparison fruitless. If you normalize a task and ask what is the best tool for slicing cheese, for example, then comparisons become useful. Now ask the question, "if one were unarmed, which of the striking arts would best knock-out a larger more powerful assailant not trained in martial arts?" The problem I see is coming up with enough volunteer assailants to conduct the test. It would be possible to determine which martial art teaches the most powerful punch or kick by attaching accelerometers to heavy bags and taking samples. There are enough differences in stances and mechanics and training styles to make for an interesting comparison. Regardless of what any of these test results might be, people will gravitate to the art which best suits their personality. Effectiveness on the street is a factor unlikely to be tested by most martial artists. Big heated debates about which is best are like Benz and BMW owners arguing over their cars respective top speeds when in reality the drivers rarely exceed the speed limit by 10 mph. MA is just a hobby unless you make a living teaching it. Professionals will of course want to have their art proclaimed best.

If you bend your knees you'll decrease the pressure on your lower back. I also find that if I keep my back rounded, as opposed to flopping down and touching shoulder blades to the ground, my lower back doesn't hurt as much. Alternative exercises might include hanging from a chin-up bar or holding yourself up on a dip-stand doing knee raises, wearing ankle weights and doing knee strikes into a heavy bag or air shield and finally leg raises from a seated V position.

I don't have any science or sources to back this up, going by my gut you understand, but I think it depends on your condition. If you're really out of shape, a Dr. might advise slow so that you don't have a heart attack or something. This is where a heart rate monitor might come in handy. Otherwise, if you're not sweating profusely and are able to sustain a conversation while exercising, you're doing it too slow/easy and won't see much benefit. Besides figuring out how to run, also consider what and how much you've been eating. A few pounds over the holidays is normal. Soon you'll be back to your regular diet and hopefully you're regular physique. I'm kinda lazy. I try and get the work out over with as quickly as possible, so it's super intense (intervals). After about 15 minutes I'm about to fall over and heave. I'm eating more since I started training this way (2 mos) but haven't noticed any exrta flab.

OK. We're on the same page. "Hook" is boxing terminology which can confuse a MA discussion. I wasn't advocating the looping my use of the term "hook" may have indicated. Still, you make a good point.

Thai kick pads work best for the overhand. Air shileds can also be used. I don't like te heavy bag for this purpose because the angle is wrong. Landing an overhand can end the fight pretty quickly. One of our bb's is out for a while because of a broken collar bone. He was the unlucky recipient of an overhand during team training.

Patient: Dr. it hurts when I do this. Dr.: Don't do that anymore.

I can imagine the director's conversation with Pat Morita during the first rehearsal," That was a great for a first run Pat. Now could you sound a little more Japanesey for the next take? Do that thing you did on Happy Days, it was perfect." Of course I wasn't there and it could very well have gone another way.

definitely. though I avoid using hooks in fights. In Kajukenbo(mostly kenpo): we mix the 2 to fit the situation better. Why no hooks to the body? Up close, if you hook to the ribs, you'll get them to drop their guard (or beak their ribs) to set-up something to the head. If you're close enough to hook to the head, you might as well throw an elbow-strike, unless this is a friendly fight.

Try yoga, surfing, skateboarding, skiing, or roller-blading/ice skating to improve your balance. You could do the one-footed dress-up thing, but where's the fun in that?

Pat Morita was a Japanese-American who spoke fluent English, not that one would ever know by watching his portrayal of Arnold (of Happy Days)and later Miyagi. For the record, I've studied with many Japanese and Korean teachers who spoke perfect English. On top of that they weren't cute & fuzzy. They were calloused hard guys, from a fighter's perspective and excellent teachers too. I also studied Judo with an American and German sensei. Both were talented Judoka, but my German sensei's pronunciation of English would makes Arnold Schwarzneggar blush. It seems that Asians are cast for comic relief. Maybe it's because the only type of work for people with Asian features are roles for cute fuzzy, emasculated men with bad pronunciation. Of course there's also work out there for evil ninja.

Vertical for straights and hooks to the body.