karatekid1975

I'm not a blackbelt, but I do TKD, and I just witnessed my dojangs BB test ...... eeekkkkkk. Talking about rough! I don't know about schools in UK, but to get your black belt in my dojang, you have to be physically fit. There's a "power camp" which is the physical part of the test. A one and a half mile run is REQUIRED for the test. And you have to do it in 13 minutes or fail. You have to do various other physical activities (sit-ups, push-ups, leg raises, stationary and jumping kicks .... the list goes on). That doesn't include the tech part of the test (which is sparring, breaking, forms, step sparring, self defense and free self defense). Most people at my school prepare months ahead of time, like run a mile and a half or more for a year before the test. So if someone was overweight, they wouldn't be for long.

Jack wrote: "Favourite colour is black for the same reason as karatekid. :D" You rock, dude

LOL. My TSD dojang roof DID leak ..... for real. It wan't a "puddle" from a kid. One night it rained really hard, and the roof was leaking. We all tried to avoid the puddle, but someone (not mentioning names, but it wasn't me) slipped on it and fell flat on their backside. He didn't get hurt and we got a good laugh out of it. My master begged the landlord of the building to fix it before a serious injury happened. It was fixed

I'm still lowsy with the spinning hook kick, but the regular hook kick I'm getting pretty good at. I used it in sparring for the first time the other day. I got someone in the head twice It rocked! It's becoming one of my fav's also.

It sounds good to me. They teach Hapkido as well as TKD. This quote would make me check it out "* Note: The Martial Art of Tae Kwon Do, not the sport, is instructed here." Sounds like my dojang. The sport end of it is offered but not taught as if it was. If I were you, I'd give it a try. Take advantage of any free lessons to see if you like it.

Thanks Pacific and G95. G95, yes I do think this was a "test" and I passed. I hope that I can continue to improve to show fellow students that "it's not so bad" to conquere your worst fear. Just go at it, and you will win. Put your mind to it, and anything is possible. That word "can't" is no longer in my martial arts language I do hope to teach someday, and be a good teacher. I want to learn from my mistakes and things I over-came to teach my student the "good" of martial arts. P.S. Excuse the spelling. it's late and I'm off to bed. Thanks again all

Oh ok. Thanks Patrick

Thank you, Hiya

Patrick, I tried to click on the "article" link to submit an article ( I have one written and one in the works) and it didn't work. Is it down?

I love Korean food. I tried it just because I did a Korean martial art, and I LOVED it. I do like all kinds of Korean food but Bul Go Gi and Kimchi are my favorite. I am an Italian food buff as well. Pasta ..... mmmmmmmmmmm. I also like Chinese and Japanese food ...... Ok, so I like anything. I'm a human garbage disposal LOL. My fav colors are black (it's a metal head thing) and purple (I'm enjoying my KF purple belt ).

I can't help ya. I do WTF Just kidding. I do have a few TKD websites that might be of interest. Here's the ITF site: http://www.itf-information.com/main.htm Here's a site that has ITF forms on it. I go to Master Mac's site a lot, but not for ITF forms (I downloaded all the TSD which he does himself, and WTF forms). I never saw them, but it's worth a look: http://users.ev1.net/~D.McHenry/Forms/ This site has a lot of MPEG's of TKD and Hapkido as well as cool links: http://hoshinsulonline.tripod.ca/ I did have another site that had a few good MPEG's, but the site seems to be down ..... bummer. I'll check back, and let ya know

I totally agree with you both here (Sai and Red). It was such a learning experience for me that I wrote an article on it today (Patrick can chime in here ) Yes, Sai, I had to be pushed into it kicking and screaming LOL. But you know, it was a great experience for me The only thing is, I hope to the good Lord that I don't get an ego out of it. If so, I hope someone comes along with that "deflating ego" pin PUL-EEEEEEEZE!!!! I hate egos.

Thanks everyone I taught in my other dojang before, but this was different. I donno what happened. I think Blue and Kickchick nailed it, though. Training for two years (TSD included) was hard work, and I always wanted to teach, to help people with something I never had (before MA), which is self confidence and self esteem. I found myself saying something to the effect of "I don't wanna hear the word 'can't. I wanna hear you say try" (one of the green belts said "this is hard. I can't do it right .... or something to that effect). And the word "can't" was something that I said a lot, also. Now, since I told her that, I want to stop saying the word "can't". I also faced a fear of "public speaking" and I just got up there and did it. Now, I don't mind it. I was also told that if I actually tried to spar (I do spar, but hate it) I could really kick butt. But I don't have enough confidence in myself, I think. Maybe since I went through this learning experience, I will be able to.

Hiya all. I need your opinion on something. Here goes: I'll start the story from when I got my green belt .... Of course I was excited. Then I got to high green belt (blue stripe). The responsibility of being class senior comes with it ...... eeekkkkkk. I was so scared to be class senior. I told my instructor that I wanted to go to day class (which is all ranks), because I hated night class for several reasons, but not the real reason. The real reason was that I didn't want to be class senior. Being class senior, you have to lead the class in the student oath, and I get "stage fright" (I learned that when I used to play live in a band). But I went against my "demons" and went through with it. My voice cracked and I fumbled my words, but I did it. My instructor KNEW I didn't want to do it somehow, but he said I did well. The strange thing was, that night I was a totally different person in class (and classes there after). It's hard to explain. I was more sharp. I had to set an example for the lower ranks, so I was actually "trying" to improve stuff. Not that I didn't before, but this time was different. I guess my instructor noticed also, because he asked me to assist him in teaching forms (he broke the class up by rank and I got the green belts). I was so shocked. This is the first time he ever asked me. I was honored. So I tried really hard to be a good teacher. This makes me feel really bad about being so "close-minded" (I'm admitting it now LOL) when I first joined this school. I could kick myself for it LOL. Is this a sign of me maturing as a martial artist? Am I being more open-minded? Opinions?

Aes, It depends. In TKD, we are allowed to use it. But it being such a powerful technique, I choose not to use it, so I don't hurt fellow students. I heard of people in my dojang alone getting hurt from it, so I don't use it in class.

I thought since we have new members, I'd bring this one up again ...... and plus I did an "oops" yesterday and today. I went to night class yesterday (beginners class, white to green belts). I was the class senior for the first time. I had to lead the class in the student oath (I always dreaded doing this). I know the student oath by heart. But I "fumbled" my words and my voice cracked. It was sooooooo embarrassing. But I got through it. It will be a lot easier next time Today, I was doing a spinning hook kick (one of my .... well not so good kicks). I did it fairly well the first two times. But the third time I attemped it, I landed on my @$$. It was funny to about 7 people who saw me go down! LOL I turned red hehehehe

I started because I wanted to learn self defense. Now I do it for me. The mental side of the arts interests me the most. It helped me build better character. I'm more confident, I have more self esteem, more respect, more self control, and the workout is great too. It keeps me fit. Because if it wasn't for MA, I would be a fat, lazy, beer drinkin' couch potato LOL. Like hobbitbob said, MA is more of a way of life for me.

I was taught (in TSD) to turn the hip over and point my heal, and point my toes toward the floor slightly. Very effective and powerful kick when done like this. But if I kick higher than waist level, I do lean back to get height on my kick. For sparring, I use a side snap kick, usually off my lead leg.

Aw bummer I'll check out the site though. Thanks for the info, Pacific

Besides in the dojang? I would have to say it's when I get the "urge". I don't have a set time. I have a B.O.B. in my living room, and my honey and I just decide to have at him when ever. Or (like today), I needed work on forms, so I moved the coffee table and went at them for about 20 minutes (I'm testing in a month and need lotta work LOL).

I have one in the works, Patrick. It was going to be on TSD, but I changed my mind ...... no hints yet Don't worry. It'll be good

Hiya all. I went to our school's BB test (to support 3 good friends of mine) and at the end, my master was giving away old magazines he collected over the years. One was called the Dojang, All Korean Martial Arts Magazine (April 1996). It was pretty impressive. Lotta great articles in it. I couldn't put this thing down till I read it from cover to cover. I was wondering if anyone knows if it's still in print (or exists) now a days? Me being a Korean MA geek, I'd love to have (or a subscription of) this mag. Thanks in advance for any info.

ZR440 wrote: "The people who bash TKD are the ones who also don't realize that people who don't practice martial arts can still be effective fighters. Just because a person has a black belt doesn't mean they have an iron jaw." I agree with you on this

Wow! That was ...... I don't have the words. Good article.

Yea, I guess it is. I'm only a green belt, so I won't learn the Kung fu for another year or so. I like the Korean arts, and my honey always liked Kung Fu, so we have the best of both worlds We do learn Chin Na for self defense (at every rank) also. I do like that. It's sort of Hapkido-ish (which I learned with TSD), so I enjoy that alot. Thanks anyways X.