Aodhan

Our school uses them to distinguish different groups of students. All students wear the white gi. Black belt club may wear black pants. Leadership/instructor trainee may wear red pants. That way we can pick out helpers from the class if need be. Aodhan

There are styles of TKD that use and teach weapons. ATA TKD has the following weapons in their curriculum: single and double ssang jeol bangh (Nunchaku) single and double bangh mangh ee (escrima) ssangh nat (kama) jong bangh (bo staff) je pangh ee (cane) gum do (sword) 3 sectional staff (Forget the korean name at the moment) Aodhan

I would go see a doctor. It could be any number of things, none of them very good. With a loud "Crack" and continuing pain while doing splits, I might tend to suspect an avulsion fracture. This is where the muscle tightens (Such as if you lost balance or something similar and tensed up), and a piece of bone is actually torn away where the tendon is anchored. None of the possibilites with a loud sound and continuing pain are very attractive, so get thee to a doctor! Aodhan

Who's arm, sir? Your arm's length, or theirs? Aodhan

Huh. I like that. I think I'll steal it and use it in my school when parents ask me about accelerated training. Aodhan

Bally's has martial arts? Or is it a school that someone is running inside Bally's? (Here in Arizona, Bally's is a fitness center) Just curious, Aodhan

Demos and signups at the local mall. Self defense seminars. Put the "Two weeks free" signup boxes around at local merchants. Set up some kind of a referral program with your current students, where if you bring a friend and they sign up, you get x amount to spend in your pro shop, or x amount off one months tuition, etc. Aodhan

How about the code of conduct, and the oaths of the various arts? Our Kids program has the oath "Each day I will live by honoring my parents and instructors, practicing to the best of my ability, and having courtesy and respect for everyone I meet". The adult version is similarly toned. I think you are missing out on a vital portion of martial arts study. And, most Master designations are also as much about what you have returned to the art as what you have taken from it. Aodhan

Pros: Increased self confidence, the opportunity to test yourself, the chance to make new friends, the environment. Cons: The occasional injury, cost, travel time. I love tournaments. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd do nothing but teach and travel around to tournaments. Aodhan

Unfortunately, this style of performance (XMA) is what is rewarded on the open circuit. However, there is a "traditional forms" division as well. The XMA is the flash and the hype, and gets judged as such, separately from the tradtitional katas/poomse. It's in how the schools present it, and how perceptions are changed/disabused that gives XMA vs. martial arts a good or bad name. Aodhan

I agree that they aren't the best links in the world on the subject. I'll try to find some more. I am interested to read the information you found for your thesis, however, as I had not previously heard of the problems associated with overdeveloped musculature. So it seems like the original poster's growth should not be hindered if he lifts with a moderate routine and diet under proper supervision, but that he should probably avoid anabolic steriods and more intense bodybuilding bulking diets. Yeah, I'd pretty much agree with that. Unfortunately, all my school stuff is packed in boxes at my parent's house in Colorado. I probably won't be up there for at least 6 months. The information may have changed or been revised since. I did my thesis work in 1989 Aodhan

Ha? One more year to get your second degree and your are currently working towards your third. What kind of operation are you working out at? So are you at the start of your fourth as well? Heh. No, 1 more year AFTER I had earned my first degree to get my second. It's then 2 years after THAT to get to third degree (At a minimum). Then 3 years minimum to 4th, and then 4 years more to fifth plus other obligations. I tested for 2nd degree decided in September of 2004, and I should test for third in September 2006. Aodhan So from the time you earn your black belt, it only takes 3 years until your a 3rd dan??? Doesnt seem quite right. You mentioned if you started from scratch it would have taken you 29 months, thats 2.5 years. So just say I started young, say 8 years old. By the time i'm 11 i'd be shodan, 12y/o - 2nd dan, 14 - 3rd dan, 17 - 4th dan, then by the age of 21 I could be testing for 5th dan?? Hmm... If you started at age 8, you would not be eligible for 5th dan until you are 23. (At a minimum). Minimum age for 4th degree in our system is 18 (Some agree with this, some don't. I mostly don't agree with it, but there are exceptions). However, in our system, once you get to 4th, you have to earn enough points per year to be eligible, and a lot of it counts on how active you are in the region and nationally, if you own a school, etc. Things that the average 18 y/o probably won't have the time to do. So, the system itself will limit the number eligible to test, and then you have to test at Worlds in front of the Masters council as well, which is also a limiting factor. Aodhan

TKD has more kicks than you are probably used to, so you will need to work on leg flexibility and hip flexibility. Also, the stances in TKD are wider than most kung fu styles, so you will need to work on the strength in your legs as well. Aodhan

Technically they aren't full contact, as you might think of MMA or muay thai being full contact, but they are much more full contact than an organization like mine (ATA) that does point sparring. They wear hogus (Chest protectors), helmets, hand/instep pads. To score a point you must show superior force, which usually means knocking them back physically. This can be very hard to do with a punch, which is one reason you see WTF fighters often fighting with their hands down. Aodhan

Well, he is one of the seniors in my style. In more ways than one. What's that sir? MORE pushups? You haven't done enough, sir. I'm not tired yet. The man is a machine... Aodhan

I teach TKD, and I don't really see the fuss, personally. I think everyone should crosstrain and get exposure to as many MA as possible. If they happen to like another instructor or school better, then shame on me and I need to improve! Aodhan

Do you have any studies for this, dok? The last studies I read for my thesis showed that overdeveloped musculature at a young age could cause premature closure of the epiphyseal plates. If that's been disproven, I've got some kids I train that I could start on a more advanced weight program. Drop me a PM if you have a lot of links for the studies. Thanks! Aodhan This article from 2002 in the American College of sports medicine claims no risk of growth stunting. http:// http://www.acsm.org/health%2Bfitness/pdf/currentcomments/stretrai122602.pdf As does this from the American Academy of Pediatrics (2001). http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;107/6/1470 I'll check some of the journals I get through my university library to see if there's anything more recent. If newer information suggests otherwise, I will retract my statement. Ah, ok. (Although the references are a bit skimpy, the issue gets one sentence in each study.) The references you give do say that properly supervised weight training hasn't been shown to have any impact, but they don't address overdevelopment. My readings were on the OVERdevelopment of young musculature, such as you get in elite gymnasts. If I can find a copy of my thesis, I'll post the studies that read. I agree properly supervised, it shouldn't pose a problem, it's the overdeveloped musculature that can cause problems. Thanks for the links! Aodhan

If the increase in size is solely due to more fluid being in the muscle, then no, there is no increase in strength. Also, there is no real increase in strength when you are "pumped" after a workout. Most of the time you are correct though, there usually is a corresponding gain in strength when the muscle increases in size through direct stress (i.e. weightlifting.) Aodhan

Creatine doesn't really increase strength, it increases available energy. Adenosine Tri Phosphate (ATP) is what produces energy in the muscle. The phosphate bond breaks, which produces energy and turns ATP into ADP (Di phosphate, Di meaning two, Tri meaning three). Creatine monophosphate (Mono meaning one) donates its phosphate to the ADP molecule creating another ATP available for use. So, the more creatine you have, the more you can sustain energy production, so you can work out longer, which will increase muscle size. Also, creatine attracts fluid into the muscles, so you get sort of a "bloat/pump" effect as well. Aodhan

Hook kick with an immediate round kick (Don't put the foot down) has been a staple in my repertoire for years. Aodhan

No, we have age limits, although they just changed and not sure what they are currently. Aodhan

Heh. Not a problem here, I live in Phoenix, Az. Just stack 'em outside in the summer for a week, and poof! dried boards! Aodhan

It's a good stretch, just be careful coming out of it. It's easy to overdo. You can also get into that position, and start doing crunches towards the wall. Very intense! Aodhan

I've heard the term, but we generally use "round kick". I would guess that it comes from the term "round house" that is used in railroads, since it is delivered in an arc. Boxing uses it, as does baseball (A roundhouse curve). Aodhan

Are you a standalone school, or do you run out of a health club type environment? If you are leasing space from another business, check and see if their insurance extends to you. If not, talk to a business insurance agent about liability insurance, and see what they say. Aodhan