IcemanSK

I boxed for a number of years in the middle of my TKD training. I value my hands too much to do anything else but wrap & glove my hands. I also usually wear shoes when kicking a bag. I've known too many pro fighters who damage their hands WITH gloves to roll the dice and not wear them. I'm not a pro fighter. I use my hands daily at a regular job. If I break a knuckle or hurt my foot by kicking a bag without shoes on, I'm the one who suffers. Maybe I'm getting old, but I'm interested in proving how tough I am compared to a heavy bag.

The OP is 4 years old, folks. Perhaps the reported problems are now fixed.

Yes, I'd recommend them to anyone in any Art.

I've also had occasion to take students leaving personally. A few years ago I had a large family of 7 children as students. They were like sponges soaking up everything I would teach them. They loved my classes, & they seemed to enjoy having me as their instructor. Then one day they stopped coming to class & mom & dad wouldn't not return my phone calls. Surely I did something wrong! Two years later, I run into the mom & oldest child while running errands in town. Mom appologizes for not calling & assures me that it wasn't anything that I did, but that their lives had suddenly changed & that my class wasn't not an option for them. No, I didn't get a detailed reasoning as to why they didn't come back. Many years ago,I trained at a kickboxing gym that trained many world class fighters. The trainer's thought process was, "if you're not here, I don't care. If you don't train here, it didn't happen." He never worried about if someone didn't show up. It was their loss. People stop training for all sorts of reasons. It might be something we as instructors do, or it might not have anything at all to do with us. At the end of the day, I can only teach the student in front of me.

I agree with isshinryu5. There are many benefits of martial arts. Unfortunately, there really are no pads that can sufficiently protect your son in the way he needs. I'd recommend having him not spar, as well.

I had a pair of Chuck Norris jeans in the 80's. There were very tight. There were too uncomfortable, no matter how cool they were

I learned how to fold a dobok from my instructor years ago. I agree that it beats just shoving it in your bag after class. This one shows the way that I was taught to fold a dobok from my instructor. I'm by no means suggesting a right or a wrong way to do it. Just showing another option.

I was bullied in junior high. So, I figured I'd start training in high school to change that. Funny thing was, the kids changed in high school & it wasn't an issue anymore. But I was hooked on MA almost from day one. More than 28 years later, I still love it. I've never needed to use my training in self defense. I enjoy the workout, perfecting techniques (a never-ending pursuit) & the life-lomg friends I've met during my training.

Thank you, ma'am!

My goal was to test for 4th Dan this year. I did it on March 17th. Since I acheived my goal so early in the year, I have to set a new goal for the year. To be a better instructor today than I was yesterday is the best goal I can think of for the year. THAT alone will keep me busy.

I trained with a friend who was at the time, the number two man in his system. He is a genuinely nice guy who would, on occasion, put his belt on lower rank insecure/shy students to give them a boost. Outside the dojo, he's never made much money nor fame (nor inside the dojo, for that matter). But he is rich! He loves teaching folks & build them up. We would often talk about how sad it was that some folks who didn't make much in life outside the dojo, would lord their rank over folks inside the dojo. It is really sad when that happens. It happens way too often.

I certainly care more about the uniforms I buy more than the clothes I wear outside of class. Not sure if this has been mentioned but, when you are on vacation (or ina new town for a visit) you look at the yellow pages ads for MA schools to see what's going on in that town. I'm soo guilty of that one.

You might look at Titlemma.com They might have something like what you're looking for.

Boy, that is certainly an issue in MA isn't it? We get the idea that somehow we are talking to our school principal when we're talking to our MA seniors, sometimes. Sometimes that is their doing, & sometimes it's merely our own doing. Surely, respect & fear are not the same thing. However, many adults don't know the difference. So, a senior who doesn't know the difference instills fear &/or a junior who doesn't know the difference demonstrates fear & groveling at the "feet" of the senior. I've had seniors who wanted to instill fear & others who were my friends & my equals of the mat. I recently reconnected with my first instructor after 23 years. I've remained training & have opened a dojang. He has moved on to other things in life. Although he no longer teaches, he still trains daily. I was 19 when we last saw each other. I didn't fear him, but I could not have respected him more. While I began the first phone conversation in 23 years much the way I had left our last one (in the 80's) he was quite impressed that I never stopped training. He put me at ease & made me feel as if I were having an adult conversation with him for the first time in my life. My students call me "Mr." not "master." I'm the guy in the front of the room. I already have their attention. I don't need to have them tell me how great I am.My job is to show them how great they can become. That's the definition of a teacher, IMO.

You have more uniforms in your closet than "real clothes."

That was a big thing in the 80's when chest protectors were re-introduced. Now, turning the belt around is frowned upon.

I noticed that a lot of higher ranked Koreans in TKD tend toward wearing shorter belts. As in thi video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrNGqhzUfBc

Try this Elizabeth: http://store.titleboxing.com/womens-chest-protectors.html

Thanks Adamo! With an injury came the weight gain. It's fun to have a belt that fits again. As a teen, I came home from class with a black eye. Everyone at school the next day figured it was sparring. It was because the corner of my belt found my eye during axe kick practice

I tend to like my belts longer (mid thigh or a bit longer). For me, it's a bit of a mental thing. When I was younger, I was thin & wore a long belt. Then (wearing the same belt) I gained 40 lbs & it started to look very short . I felt like I looked like the stereo typical "fat guy" wearing a tie that's to short for him. Now, I've lost the weight, a long belt feels normal/good.[/code]

The one thing about the spider cup itself is that it's all rubber & flexible. It makes it very comfortable, yetstrong enough to withstand a shot. The flexibilty makes it very comfortable.

My spider cup/compression shorts combo is great! The cup is so light & it actually is comfortable, it's like I'm not wearing one (a first with any I've worn in my 28 year MA career). Wastelander, I know what you mean about that "right fit". I've found this one to be a good one for me. At $35 a pop, I don't know if you want to test it. But if it isn't a "good fit" for you, you could use the shorts without the cup & wear your jock over it.

I tried to see if there was a phonetic spelling on their website. There wasn't. Give them a call or email them. I'm sure you're not the first one with that question.

I agree that they an invaluable tool for training. I used to have my dojang in a space with mirrors & I loved it. Then I had to move into a space where there were no mirrors & I could not add them. A year ago I began training for my next belt test doing forms that I couldn't see. Two weeks ago, I found a space in which to train that had plenty of mirrors. It was like a breath of fresh air. I could FINALLY see how I was doing & what I needed to correct in my forms, stances & kicks. I don't know how I got along without them.

I'm curious as to what your favorite brands & models of Kukki-TKD (v-neck) doboks are: I've been a big fan of Adidas Grandmaster for a long time. In the past few years, I've liked Mooto's Extera. I just got a Moosoolsa "Premium Dahn" dobok yesterday. It might be my most favorite to date. I miss Tekno & their "plain" dobok. Too bad the company went bust. Which dobok do you folks like?