Sabumnim

Okinawa

I'd do what I must...

I'll echo what other people have already said; Karate will probably serve you better in the long run

taekwondomom and younwhagirl are both correct. But Sam, Aodhan and myself were just saying that no martial art training can help turn you into some type of supreme fighter.

A guy I train with is a security guard, it does seem a lot of security personel train in the martial arts.

I can't remember why I started, but I was 5. Probably because my grandad's friend showed me some Bujinkan taijutsu. But now that I can actuallly learn Bujinkan, I have no time because of TKD, Karate, football and basketball... It's a good thing I'm young.

I reckon the movie was great!!! A lot darker and more gritty. One fact though is that the martial art Christian Bale trained in was not Ninjutsu, but an English-Spanish hybrid. It was on one of the behind the scenes shows that MTV does.

Congrats to Fish. I'm 16 and have trained in both child and adult classes from 13, that is for both TKD and Karate. I also have England squad training for TKD. Training in an adult class greatly helps the development of young martial artists and could help with some adult practitioners humility.

We didn't even have a blue belt, we did have three brown belt grades though.

Congratulations Solo. I imagine it is a similar feeling for everyone when they recieve their first black belt, it is quite hard to describe. Continue to train with honour and the obvious enthusiasm you have.

If executed properly I don't find head kicks especially risky, it depends upon the fighter. I have a ridiculous amount of natural flexibility and fast legs. The only fight I had during school finished with a head kick, but I would be stupid to think that it would work every time. But I do agree with Martial_Artist and goshinman, it is too great a weapon not to have.

I did a few lessons a while ago but cause of other training I couldn't keep going. I liked it and found it very practical, you should check the place out for yourself though. Anyways good luck with it!!

Congratulations younwhagrl, And having to spar your daughter in a grading must have been weird. In my gradings, if we aren't trying to rip each other apart then we get a grilling. In that situation our Master O' aint a happy chappy.

Amen to that brother.

Congrats Hogosha.

GTUK

I just use my keys in between my fingers, I reckon people get to concerned with carrying weapons. I am a weapon.

Sounds disgraceful to me. It isn't to old fashioned too want to compete in a respectable tournament, I have the same questions as Sam. What was their quality of technique?

Well Sam my ITF friend, you haven't seen me fight. I admit the fights I have seen last a lot longer than three seconds. I forgot to put could My bad

Congratulations amigo

Being told by my Instructor that under no circumstance was I to miss the England sparring trials. Also winning four British sparring championships and one forms championship in the four years I have been in TKD. In Karate was my 3rd dan grading, the grading was almost seven hours and I came out with bruised ribs. That is what you get in a free-for-all, but I loved it. I was smiling for a week even when my g/f decided to poke me in the ribs.

It shows focus and the ability to transfer power. I have seen Grandmaster Rhee break bricks with his fingers, that was amazing. It would be naive to consider it situation training, braking is just for conditioning and focus cos I have never been attacked by a house or tree.

Yes I have had plenty of practice in the area that I live. I agree with some of what Y2_sub said, but I still think you are complicating the issue. Most fights on the street could last three seconds because of the options available, in a fight of this nature you either win or recieve a beating that could result in death. Anyway we have come away from the original question and gone into a subject that we can't resolve. So arriva derchi.

I'm agreeing with PBI. There is no point predicting an outcome of this nature since it will only draw your attention away from what has to be done.

I haven't failed (touch wood). But a mate of mine failed the braking section in his grading (TKD) and had to do the whole thing again at another dojang the next week to attain his black tag. Not as bad as having to regrade the next day at 6am but still, at least he passed on his retry.