Jay

I think that is pretty good I have been searching to find something to compare it to but I have not found anything decent.

I have always wanted to read 1984 sounds very good. At the moment im not reading anything usually its martial arts books for me I dont really read fiction that often I prefer real stuff that I can use. Last book I read was Muscle Revolution-Chad Waterbury very good book but covered a fair bit of what I know already.

Write it down I often find it helpful to take a note book

Bruce Lee-I have yet to have anyone have a bigger impact than him on myself Jackie Chan-He makes martial arts fun, I love his enthusiasm and his general character. Not technically a martial artist but Pat Morita-"Hey can you break a log like that?" "Dont know, never been attacked by tree before"

Thanks for your opinions I am not a very patient person but I am working on it and would much rather have to work for something because in the end it will mean a lot. There are no JKD clubs around im at uni I have the choice of about 6 different clubs but I only liked the look at 2 of them originally JuJitsu and Kung Fu. I prefered the structure of kung fu to the JiuJitsu class so I trained in that. If I dont train in that then I have no other place to go. I may have a look at some of the other clubs but I really want a more free approach to the martial arts rather than tradition. Unfortunatly I cant train in JKD

I current train in Hung Gar Kung Fu and have been training in the martial arts for a total of 8 or so years now. I used to train in Shotokan and acheived up to 1st Kyu. Im just a bit fed up of the ritualistic training that is present that would not benefit you as much in a situation as proper combat training (I like the JKD ideas). I also do not like the way we are graded its a kind McDojo pay me the money I give you a belt kind of thing. (I looked into other classes and felt the way the club trains was better than the other clubs around). No one has failed a grading and I feel like all the work i had to do to get my 1st kyu is irrelevant when I look at the blackbelts and see how much knowledge and skill they have. Im annoyed to say the least. If I could I would really love to just train in a similar way to JKD with things relating purly to combat that would be useful. I would also love to teach martial arts but with no black belt to speak off this seems impossible even some of these black belts that have paid there way could go and open a school. I think my technical knowledge of the arts is very good and my physical skill competant although I would still like to improve on it. Basically there is no way I can teach without a dan grade and I dont want to get one at this school without possibility of failing and then having to work even harder. I would also like to get rid of forms and other things and add some things to my training that I think would benefit me more. Im not really sure I should continue to train but if I didnt there is no way I can train on my own as I dont have the equipment etc. How do you think I can work towards becoming an instructor? Cheers J

Just for interest what is a duplex? We dont have them here

Yeup close combat for one when you are infighting it would be very hard to draw and shoot a gun.

I agree with Bushido Man the reason why I fear it is the impact it will have on the people that I love. I personally think number 1 is corrent and that you just cease to exist. Therefore I will not know when I have passed which is a good thing but I find it hard to imagine not being here if you can understand that. That concept is alien to me.

This question like others of its ilk are a matter of pure opinion. People may have experience but this is only personal and may vary according to schools etc. They are essentially different to each other karate and chinese martial arts. They teach in different ways have different methods. For example after 2 years a karate practitioner may have very good technique, where as the kung fu practitioner may be very well conditioned and have excellent fitness. There is no definitive answer so dont expect to get one because unfortunatly unless we all agree which we will not there is not one. I think with combat in general you can train most people an excellent standard with about 10hrs training a week for a year.

I dont think you should always stay to what comes naturally as there will be certain cicumstances where another combination is better so you must adapt to apply a different combination when it is needed.

Pretty scared im similar with bushido man if it was not built up too much then im sure enough in my own abilities that I would just react. I think a lot of it comes down to being confident in your own ability. If you really belive that you can take down the guy then you probably will.

I train because since I was about 6 I thought it was cool and i still do. I guess I have kind of grown in love with it i dont need to do martial art but life would be odd its just what I do

You dont move?

I don't know where you are from but usually fast food is more expensive than decent good food. So first thing is first you got to sort that out or at least try diet is very very important. Secondly this may sound weird but you are training too much stick to one hour of full body strength training 3 times a week. By training so much your body is using up all the calories you could be using to grow just for it to function. Rest is the most important, rest is the part that gives you more mass not the training itself. Rule of thumb if you want to get big you have to eat big but the right foods. Muscle building starts in the kitchen and ends in the bedroom the working out is just the middle part.

Fight the target I don't see how he can learn if he is not going to be attacked

Well most of our awareness comes from our hearing when we cant see anything. Its a fact that hearing declines with age and as you hearing may not be as good as it was this will affect your awareness from behind. Also as your balance is not as good it is likely it has to do with you ears. With the shaolin monk thing thats because they usually dont live in citys. In order to be alert/aware you should be practicing to become more alert and more aware. Thinking that your less aware and balanced then you used to be cant be helping so tell yourself that you are even if physically you are not. Then just try to drills like walking down the street slowly and letting people overtake you. Be alert to when someone is close using hearing and the little that you can see to the sides.

Im just interested in whether you all think sparring is safe. Ie Full contact I was reading something on muhammed ali and maybe it has got me a little paranoid but what are the chances of you becoming 'punch drunk' ie getting serious head trauma from full contact sparring. Okay we wear protective gear but how much does it really stop long term injury.

Kick Faster Plyometrics are a good idea but it really is repetition. You have to stay relaxed make sure you have stretched properly and then you can just kick without fear of hurting yourself which is actually what stops most people kicking hard.

You can do that kind of like a circuit but you should put in some different exercises as the ones that you have to me are slightly boring and I would get fed up. Things such as small arm circles and yogo posses dont really improve your fitness all that much and as this is what you have stated in your post I figure that you basically want to improve your cv system. In order to do that you should try something like this Song 1-Bag Punching all variations work on combinations Rest 30 secs Song 2-Skipping try different footwork Rest 30secs Song 3-Bag again all kicking, kick combinations Rest 30 Song 4-Skipping etc etc This will improve your fitness no end and of course you can add some other exercises in instead such as running and then sprinting accoring to different parts of the song or whatever. I do really like your song idea though I think I may try it.

Talk to your sensei or even the person that is teaching you there is nothing wrong with bringing up concernes with your senior even if he is ranked higher than you it doesnt mean he is more important just talk to him like you would anyone else obviously in class you should show respect but no more than you would a normal person.

To make money I guess or through boredom if they dont take anything. They dont think ahead about the trouble it wil cause the person. Sorry to hear that. When you make a new accounts try to use different passwords for everything. I use firefox to save all my passwords so i dont have to remember them and just use a master password that covers all the other passwords.

I think for me if you have read some of bruce's notes on JKD to me you find many differences between JKD and MMA. Bruce lee advocated the use of what is the most effective technique at the time and was not limited to a certain set of techniques. He said to use what was most effective at the time and discussed combat at is it in real life. MMA also uses what is useful but it is not like JKD in ways similar yes, but JKD is to be used as a tool of self improvement as it is clearly stated in many of the notes. To me MMA does not advocate this thinking it is simply to beat the other guy to a pulp. Yes the tools of JKD are for that as well but that is their secondary use. The primary is to find you true self by destroying everything inside of you that prevents that. MMA also has rules unlike JKD. JKD is for total combat not just for a competition, it is to protect your life. Im not saying that MMA wont be effective at doing that but that is not its primary purpose as far as I am concerned it was developed to beat the other person in the ring/cage. Therefore it will always be limited and therefore that is the difference to JKD. Jeet Kune DO may actually be argued to be more traditional than MMA due to the philosophical influences. Im even tempted to say that MMA is not an art its just tactical brawling.

Go to youtube and look up magnus samuelson former world strongest man he will teach you how to arm wrestle its more forarm strength then biceps as well

I was also going to suggest TKD tutor not that I do TKD but it has some useful stuff on that site