Eric_

While this is obviously advantageous, it's not realistic. If I required each new student to see a doc first, I'd never get anyone on the floor. It comes down to a little self regulation. If you have a medical problem, speak to a doctor first, but if you have no reason to suspect a problem, don't worry about it.Of course it's impractical for an instructor to require a checkup, but it's good practice for individuals.

Not a bad idea.

Yes, talk to your doctor, but this applies to everyone wanting to get into (or back into) martial arts before they even get on the floor.

Maybe the 4th at 1st dans are right. It is often hard to judge your own proficiency. It usually takes an "outside-looking-in" perspective. It might very well be that your skills are right on track and you just don't realize it. My advice to you is the same my instructor gives to all of his students: get a video camera. Put yourself on tape, and watch it. Not only will you find weaknesses you never knew about, you will find strengths as well. Also keep in mind that you don't really know exactly where you skills should be, because you have never been here before! Your higher-ranked friends and instructors have. Trust their input, and ask them how they think you should improve (none of us here have ever seen you train, have we?). A friend of mine feel often feels the same way. She is very good for her level, but constantly works herself up because her techniques aren't to perfection. Well, of course they aren't to the same caliber our higher ranking black belts' techniques are . . . SHE'S A GREEN BELT. You might not be where you want to be (who ever is?), but that doesn't mean that you aren't where you should be.

Actually, the second definition (the only one to mention "force") regards an entirely different use of the word "punch." This is used in such cases as "This vodka has a real punch," and implies potency, having nothing to do with an actual strike. The only definition to apply to this situation is the first, in which case making any contact with the pad using a "thrusting blow . . . with the fist" meets all of the requirements of a "punch." On a less technical side, it would be impossible to fairly set a minimum for how hard a punch needs to be, especially when you consider the differences in size and strength from one person to the next. Requiring contact alone is the only way to set an objective standard. While I personally would be more impressed by your stronger punches, it was a contest of speed and not effectiveness, and his punches were faster.

Phone book would be your best bet.

No, they haven't. STRIKE: 1. to deal a blow or stroke to (a person or thing), as with the fist, a weapon, or a hammer; hit. 2. to inflict, deliver, or deal (a blow, stroke, attack, etc.). 3. to drive so as to cause impact: to strike the hands together. A quote (I wish I could remember who said it) is brought to mind. "Your right to swing your fist ends at the tip of my nose." If I raise a fist to you, it is only a crime if I intended the gesture as either a threat, or if I intended to actually hit you. It would come down to me proving that I did not intend threatened or actual harm, and you proving that you believed me to pose a danger. It would be a matter of the specific circumstances, and, as you said, witnesses. Ether way, the charge that would most likely result would be disorderly conduct (for both of us), and I would take a trial by a jury of my peers for disorderly conduct long before I would take my chances fighting someone who has already broken my nose. There are three steps to surviving violent confrontation: 1. Physical 2. Legal 3. Emotional/Mental Worry about the first one first. Without it, the other two are meaningless. It doesn't matter what a court decides if you aren't around for the decision. Of course you won't be given the benefit of the doubt, no one is. If you let him swing first and he breaks your jaw, you won't have to worry about being charged with any crime, but is it worht it? P.S. I have great faith in people's ability to not necessarily always recognize the truth (lies can be very convincing), but to understand that the spirit of the law always takes precedent over the letter. This is why we have juries, not computers.

I read somewhere that some physics majors measured a punch as having it's greatest velocity (therefore, most power) at 70% extension. It is at this point that the hand begins to slow to prevent hyperextension.

Not necessarily. At least in Wisconsin, a preemptive strike is permissible by law. If you can orate the circumstances and show that you believed the other party to pose an imminent threat on your safety, the court will generally find your actions justified. If someone raises their fist toward me in anger, I will hit them. If someone holds a weapon to me, I will definitely hit them. If two menacing individuals corner me, and I believe that they mean to cause me harm, I will hit them as well, and repeatedly, if necessary.

My instructor felt the same way, so he used our form (we basically have one really long one learned in segments) to create mini partner katas using the techniques in each segment. To test, we have to perform them within a specified time limit.

My instructor typically calls if he sees an unusual period of absence. I have to say that i would do the same.

My instructor was having a halloween party at his school, and told the "little dragons" (under 7) that it was at 2:00. He finished with the typical "any questions?" The response he got was "What's 2:00?"

Absolutely! It would really help to clarify what is exactly going on in your form. Plus, it would be cool.

IKCA (https://www.karateconnection.com). I can distinguish some near-identical techniques in your form, but the over all style of the form is very different (hand positioning, etc.). I suppose if I knew the applications of all of the techniques in your form, it would be a different strory.

It's amazing the differences between our two styles of Kenpo. Both (I am assuming yours is as well) of our systems being only once removed from Ed Parker, the separation between their evolutionary paths is stunning. I will have to get myself performing the IKCA Master Form on video (well, uploaded, anyway) for you to see and compare. Though, I'm just a brrown belt, so you'd have to excuse the overall quality!

Being younger hepls, but it sounds like you are still pretty young youself! I know people who didn't start until their mid 40's who do just fine.

My recomendation for finding such an instructor? PHONE BOOK! If there's someone teaching this sort of gymnastics in your area, it shouldn't be too hard to find them. Searching internet yellow pages will make the process even faster. Just call around, and you can probably come up with something to your liking.

Ed Parker and Bruce Lee

The most significant "fight" in which I have been involved happened over three years ago, and was not so much a fight as a beating. It was the last day of my sophomore year in high school. I was (and still am!) a short, skinny, geeky guy, and had to put up with some kind of crap almost every day until the day I graduated. The incident in question involved a long-time bully, for the sake of this entry, I'll call him, say, "Anthony Weisner," who was your typical moronic brute. For no reason other than for his own amusement, he brought a knotted piece of rope with him, the sole purpose of which was whipping me. Which he did. Eventually I was thrown out a classroom door (the teacher was not around, and this door lead outside due to renovation), the door was locked, and Tony and another individual (I'll call him "Ben Charles") began silently advancing on me with pieces of scrap angle iron from a dumpster. I literally thought they were going to kill me. I turned to run and just then the "teacher" walked out the door, and I was punished for trying to leave school, and was continually whipped for the rest of the school day (I had welts for a week). The end result? I attend at least four classes every week at my local martial arts school, I took 2nd place in my last full contact tournament, I am preparing for my black belt exam, and if I ever see him again, to he11 with the both the tenets of martial arts and the law . . . that dude is going DOWN!

Yeah. It's always funny when stupid people get hurt!

I hear you, man.

I consider it a science. Considerable study, research and analysis was the basis of the creation of my style (see: anything by Ed Parker). There is nothing particularly pretty or "expressive" about kenpo; it is a very practical, scientific aproach to martial art (or martial study, if you prefer). How so?

Well, it seems radical to most of us, but I'd be willing to bet that he produces top quality fighters. If that's the case, then these dudes are probably getting their money's worth for their training. You wouldn't catch MY wimpy Western butt in there, though!

Is the home study course you found the one offered by the IKCA? If so, then I've met people who have used it to great effect, including my instructor. If there's a kenpo school in your area (probably not) then definitely take that over the video course, but the video correspondance makes it a very effective learning method. Also, if you have a friend who is interested, try training with them, because it will be difficult to learn what you are doing without a human to practice with.

I prefer a vertical punch. Not only does it provide better skeletal alignement, it provides better and faster cover for your ribs. Punching horizontally naturaly causes your elbow to rise, giving excess exposure to your body. As for the pressure issue, you should hit with those same knuckles in either method, and I personally find that alligning the first two knuckles with my target feels more natural punching vetrically. The twist on your punch (if you use one) doesn't automatically cause your fist to hit horizontally, it depends on the position of your fist when it begins the turn, and how far you turn it. If your fist is palm up, and you rotate it ninety degrees, then your fist would be horizontal.