Ryokeen

I'm not confident enough in myself to say I'ma martial artist. I've been at it 4-5 years. I'm a yellow belt. I'm going to start training A LOT with a redbelt and my sensei Mono y Mono. I was persuaded to join the arts origionally because well frankly I watched the Power Rangers a lot. I also watched Walker Texas Ranger and all the MA tournements on T.V that I could. Eventually I started looking up Biographies on many famous martial artists and Christmas 2001, my 9th dan Sensei gave me a free uniform and invited me to study with him and a few other students. Apparently, I have great potential, but I'm the laziest kid soemtimes and it bugs me to death. Anyways! Staying on topic... I'd say Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and those Power Rangers got me into this.

I am the kind of guy where when I do something I'll do it to the extreme.. for a while... and then kind of let myself go. There will be days when I do such an amazing routine that I feel soo good about myself and then there are other days when i just listen to music all day... and MAYBE work in the garden. Does anyone have any tips on keeping to your meal plans and training plans? I've let myself go and I've lost about 6lbs of muscle... and gained some chub. I'm still skinny, but skinny with fat AND muscle. I know what to do very well. I've done my research very clearly and I knwo exactly what'll be best for my size and body type, I just need to stay motivated. Thank you! Aaron

Thank you all for the tips and suggestions. This will be very useful. I'll keep you all updated in my profile. Thanks for your time and information. -Aaron

Personaly 1 and a half years seems to quick for me. I would much rather have a good understanding of all I was doing before I got my blackbelt. I'd assume that starting at a reasonable age 2-4 years would be good. Then again some learn quicker it all depends. Unless you're rather good 1 and a half years a promised black belt sounds fishy.

We're a competition team, in real competition if you try to not hurt someone to an extent they'll notice and try to make you second guess yourself. Trust me I got hit in the face A LOT until my 2 friend started training with me and I got more comfortable with hitting people. I've done a spinning roundhouse kick to my friends open head. It was open, I'm not going to go easy on him because he's a smaller kid (13 maybe 5 feet if he's lucky 5'2). He needs to toughen up and he needs to get hit as a reminder that in competiton if it's open, it's going to get hit... In essence you're helping them, while helping yourself. It works out prety well. Hit them hard enough they feel it but not where they get any severe bruises. If they're in martial arts expecting to not get bruised up then they need to rethink the situation. I have this close friend, since the 1st grade, and we don't ease up on eachother. I try to keep it toned down so I don't really hurt him, but we do hit eachother like we would if we were in a real fight or sparring in competition. He won't hold back and niether will I. He's knocked me sensless a few times, and I've knocked the wind out of him on several occasions. Don't worry as I said you're helping eachother. Best of luck! -Aaron

There are some exersizes that will make you stronger, but only to a certain degree and then you'll be stuck where you are now. Pushups, Crunches ect will only get you so far. But they can get you pretty dang far if you are strict about it. (Btw what school do you go to for your MA classes; and do you compete a lot? I'm from Mansfield, was woundering if you were going to any tournements coming up soon.) Anyways, you could essentially do 100's of pushups sit ups and work kicking and punching routines and stretch to gain your muscle. I am HIGHLY discouraged by my instructor to use weights. When he was at the top of his game he looked like he lifted weights daily, but intruth has never lifted a single weight. It is possible, but you have to be insane to do it and you have to be on very strict measures. From the time he got off work, 'till 9:00 (aprox 2-3 hours) He would have done 900 pushups. Daily he'd train in his Dojo and work his legs and techniques inadvertively. A lot of people will tell you you HAVE to, without any doubt, lift but in truth, you'll naturaly get stonger by doing more and more gradually. If you truely want to use weights then orion82698 and Aodhan know what they're talking about. Best of luck either way. Do your forms repeatedly and do your best to copy how an upperank or blackbelt would do the forms. Low to the ground, and make everytechnique count. Continually work on it and you'll get a bit stronger. However, you're going to have to start being more focused on your training. I wake up at 5:30 do a light workout until 6:00 hop in the shower clean up, do my daily routine, talk online (lol) and then I head off to school. Just go to bed sooner. Again best of luck, Aaron

I see, So that means any and all muscle I do get will have to be the normal, long, and seemingly harder way. Because of my age, I can't exactly lift heavy, as I am still going through growth and developement. And I can't find a "local" gymnastics place. The closest (I could find) would be rather far away, and would mean my parents would have to go out of there way 5 days/week. It would be perfect as they have a class just for my needs but again, it's rather far away and I don't want to force my ride to take me there as well as my martial arts class 5 days a week. Oh, Fishsticks. Oh well, I could always learn that the hardway too. -Aaron (( P.S. I live in Mansfield, Ohio. ))

See my signature. Ahh, good luck with that. I need to put on about 15 lbs of muscle. That won't be to easy either. I've got to really change everything around. it's harder than i thought it would be. Good luck with everything, Keep us up to date. -Aaron

I'm looking to gain 15 lbs of muscle, not mass, but muscle. I know I'll gain some mass that's only natural, but I'd like 15lbs fo solid muscle growth. Right now I'm 120lbs at around 7% bodyfat. Bassically a skinny kid having the most muscle in my legs. I need to set some goals, any ideas? Also is there a certain way I should go about this so I don't get much mass but the muscle? Obviously I won't be lifting heavy or anythign like that. Acrobatics are in my plans for the future as well. So keep that in mind. I'd like to be about 135 lbs 6-8% body fat. Thanks in advanced, Aaron

I looked, for a few days now, sorry. No such luck in finding it. But i'll keep looking and if I do I will tell you. I didn't forget about it, just haven't seen it.

-I trick myself into thinking my house is haunted until I know it as fact, even though it isn't. - I'm afraid of aliens I always make sure there's not one behind me. ( My girlfriend is the same way. She once mistaked a big green christmas light for a spaceship anf was freaking out.. but I must say I've done it before too.) -Mirrors too scare me... lol That's about it.

Thanks a lot, Turns out we have plenty of Chicken? Working on it we have 2-3 pakages. Roast beef, would that be clean? I'm assuming it is. Just curious though... Again, Thanks you guys are very helpful. Aaron

Also, watch the website. It's an 18+ atleast website. Language and refernce to sexual themes.

Against all odds is a woudnerful book. I suggest if you have any intrest in inspirational, somewhat religeously eye opening books, or just any old intrest in Chuck to read it. He's done some truely amazing things to go from Carlos the poor kid, to Chuck Norris the superstar ish guy he is.

Okay sounds good! I'll expiriment and get back to you guys. I'll probably start the new diet with the new routine if not this Monday, next. I have to stock up on meats. And ofcourse cook them. No worries, I know how to cook, but if I don't post back in a week... Well let's just hope I don't burn my home down. Well thanks for everything guys. I'll keep you updated on my progress! -Aaron