Taikudo-ka

I would like to take something like Ju-Jitsu to complement my current Karate training. Kicker, what makes you want to return to Karate? I thought Muay Thai was the ultimate, lethal, beat anyone anywhere style that can be mastered in a year or so... But seriously, would like to know your thoughts/experiences there. KickChick, if you took up boxing, wouldn't you just be left with plain ol' "Chick"?

Yes well, the workout I was talking about should be aerobic in nature, not weight-training! The idea is to get the oxygen flowing...I KNOW it's hard when your lungs are full of mucus, but the point is to clear them out... OK, I can understand why you mightn't want to do it in public (ie karate class)... To be honest, I've only ever done this a few times, because I've only ever had a handful of bad colds that actually interfered with me doing anything. Made me feel better though! I've never taken antibiotics and never got a "medical certificate" or "prescription" from a doctor. In fact, the last time I was forced to seek medical help (other than a few checkups) was in 1989, when I broke my finger playing touch football... Before that, 1981 or so when I got a tetanus vaccination...

"however if you do this long enought it will take more and more befor the knuckles skin will break this is the poing of the makiwara." No... this is a common misconception. A proper makiwara should (as some have noted) be somewhat flexible. The idea is to be able to hit it hard enough that the wood snaps back. If your punch is weak, the board will just sit there. If you deliver a good blow, the board should flex back from the force, then snap up again. Don't know about these wall mount boards... It is probably a good idea to tape up your knuckles if worried about damage. However, I think using gloves can be counter productive. You should be training to hit as hard as possible with your bare fist, without hurting yourself. (At least for Karate) If you do all your punching with a big bulky glove, when it comes to a real fight you'll probably end up breaking your own hand (just like Mike Tyson), because you don't hold it right or strike with the correct points.

If you have some sort of cold, flu or congestion I've found that exercise often helps if you can actually make yourself do it. An ancient cold remedy passed on to me went something like this. First, eat plenty of chillies - watch this clear up your sinuses like nothing else. You'll use a lot of tissues, but it works. Plus all peppers are high in vitamin C. Then, do a strenuous workout. A martial arts class should do fine Finally some meditation and deep breathing excercises. At the end of this you will feel a lot better and your breathing will feel much clearer and easier than if you'd sat in bed popping various drugs.

I heard a story where a boxer defeats a jodoka by dropping low, with his legs out, every time the judoka attempted a throw. Basically, adoping some sort of "horse stance"... The net result was that his centre of gravity was lowered and the judoka could not throw him. But he can still swing...

"People are turning into pussies" When I was young I used to practise Kitten Style Kung-Fu... The basic move consists of curling up into a tight ball and howling until the nasty people go away... Later I learned that this was not the most superior Kung-Fu style... Eventually, with my own rigourous training I was able to defeat even the largest and strongest opponents who still practised the old kitten style kung-fu. I eventually became master of my own style. The basic form for this style consists of leaping 6 feet in the air and across the room, latching onto your oppoent with your legs, preferably immobalizing his arms in the process, then clawing out both his eyes, ripping out his throat, and then using your body weight and momentum to topple him to the ground. This I call Cat Kung-Fu...

On the other hand, I remember when I was at school there was a bully, who I think fancied himself as a bit of a martial artist, or "ninja" or somesuch, who started throwing punches, not serious but in that mocking way bullies do to kids smaller than them. I started blocking and none got thru. He backed off a bit and asked "hey, do you do martial arts?" I reluctantly told him I didn't, but he backed off a bit after that, not sure what other tricks I might have if he annoyed me too much... What I didn't confess was that I was just doing "wax on, wax off" from the Karate Kid (Hey, this was the 80s and I was young, right) Of course, now I have learned to block properly, and don't hurt my own arm doing so

http://www.frankdoc.in2home.co.uk/English%20Martial%20Arts.htm Interesting... I always thought it was Britian's naval power that made them a super-power... Wouldn't history indicate that earlier England's hand-to-hand martial arts were no better than France, or the Vikings, or the Scottish for that matter... I think the US taught them a lot about ground war around 1776... i.e. camouflage can be useful, wearing a bright red coat is not a good idea when you're in a forest and your enemy is dressed in earthy colors and carrying a gun! Just like today, the US Air Force and Navy is unmatched in terms of technology and firepower. But when it comes to dirty, on the ground struggle in jungle, mountains and other variable terrain against skilled guerillas, things have sometimes turned the other way... Perhaps their is a lesson for martial artists there about the need to cope with change and prepare for the unexpected. How many of YOUR techniques would work in a different environment - narrow lane, sand, sloping hilly ground, long grass, water, a staircase?

Here the government likes to decide what you should think, do, say, etc. Unfortunately, also everyone expects "the government" to fix just about every problem from the weather down... Catch-22 for the few who admire US style personal freedom and rights... Here is a list of prohibited weapons (excluding firearms) banned in my state. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/wpa1998231/sch1.html As an example of how retro and longing for the good ol' 1950's our politicians are, section 2.6 has a hilarious "Dennis the Menace" clause, allowing a child to bear a home-made slingshot... Here is a list of reasons you can get a permit to own one of these prohibited weapons. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/wpa1998231/s11.html So if you want to train in one of these weapons, say nun-chucks, first your club must have a registered permit as a business that teaches weapons (for a particular sporting purpose, of course...), then each student must register and get a permit as a member of a "recreational or sporting club" that uses that weapon as part of the sport... you're liable for spot inspections and must notify authorities if you move, pass wind, or have a bad hair day... I think this puts a bit of a damper on lots of weapons training...

So how do you tell if a dojo caters for the individual? How can a beginner seperate cookie cutter from just being shown the right technique, way to stay balanced, striking points, etc? The dojo I train at seems to me to give good attention to everyone. They have two consecutive classes, a beginner and advanced, so the program can be tailored to different needs. In the beginners class the newer students (such as myself) are being trained in basic moves while yellow and more experienced white belts do more advanced moves, spar, etc. We are shown reasons behind moves, and individual attention is given to everyone's stance, effectiveness, accuracy of striking and overall technique. With a few simple adjustments the sensei transformed my front stance from something he could easily push over to being as solid as a mountain. I think this sort of thing is cool and part of the reason I'm studying martial arts, rather than just bashing a heavy bag...

"NY is da best place in the world and despite common gossip, we don't kill each other here on a daily basis." No... for that you'd have to go to Sydney, Australia. Check this article: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/03/27/1017206118915.html Scary. What is more ironic is that virtually all weapons over here are banned. Forget right to bear firearms, in the state of New South Wales you have to be over 16 just to buy a safety razor or a stanley knife. Pretty much every "martial arts" weapon is specifically banned, along with carrying knives, etc. Doesn't seem to stop this sort of $#!+ going down though...