marie curie

Yeh, seriously, I'm not a dr, so I'm not directing you to do/not do anything, but I'm biomedical engineering student and I work in wound healing, and without continued trauma (like training), the wounds in our animals (not tearing like would be in your cases- we have the less traumatic cutting wounds) healing takes about 2-6 weeks. Given this, if it were me, I'd really rest for 4 weeks and go easy another 4. Just my 2cents worth, though.

check out the tournaments in the area- some may have white belt divisions. This is a good way to get started. Even, if it doesn't it will still probably have a newbie (yellow and white and maybe one more rank) so I suggest you check out the tounaments and what they have to offer.

Besides muscle memory and pounding techniques into one's head, I really become more confident in my technique as I do them over and over and over and over and over.... so I'm more likely to actually do them in competition.

Chuck Norris That beard wins all!

Awesome Martial Arthur!

I think that this is one that I saw- was the one student American?

Also, though, it becomes a problem when competing.

Side kick used to be mine before I had to fight TKD people and they are faster (and most of them have longer legs than me... most of everyone has longer legs than me ) so now, roundhouse.

I like a backfist

Robinson's looks good, if a little pricey for a family. They don't advertise a timeline of belt promotions (as McDojo's have a tendancy to do), they suggest shopping around for a dojo, and don't actually say anything about rank.... I'd ask though about how often one generally promotes (after a while you don't want to be paying to promote every 3-4 mos), and what the cost is to promote, just to make sure. And the Okinawa one doesn't give much info.

http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861683426/ninja.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja You can get a lot of books about the history. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1853141178/qid=1141484930/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/104-0216979-6347936?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0516250892/qid=1141484930/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/104-0216979-6347936?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618381392/qid=1141484930/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/104-0216979-6347936?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Oooh! Nunchucks!! I think I would like them, but I've never tried them.

I watch Scrubs, House, Rebuilt: The Human Body Shop, Medical Incredible, Mystery Diagnosis, Dr. G: Medical Examiner, Miracle Workers, Bones, Numbers, Young and the Restless (guilty pleasure), Family Guy, John Stewart, Colbert Report,

Hey, I lost like 30 lbs (I was 167 and I'm a girl!) by cooking full meals with veggies and everything more (so less eating out) and eating every 3 hours 5 times a day (smaller meals) Liiiiike, for breakfast I'll have some fruit or cereal or, yes, even a pastry plus a carnation instant breakfast. Around 11am I take half of my lunch break (7.5 mins) and have like a cheese and cracker or pb and cracker pack, plus some real fruit gummies and like a pudding or applesause or fruit cup or yogurt. Around 2pm I have a big sandwich like a burger or chicken or ham, plus some little snack (a couple cookies or something so I don't feel like I'm depriving myself of the junk) Around 5pm I have a real dinner entree (maybe smaller) some veggies, and a bread thing or potatoes Around 8pm I have something healthy-ish like cereal and something like ice cream or a chocolate bar. The real thing to watch is keep your portions small.... The thing about this is that you don't have the sugar highs and lows that happen with 3 big meals, so you dont really get that sleepy feeling after you get to the digesting so its easier to stay active all day, like I'm not dragging at work, and I've still got the energy in the evening to train or work out!

A lot of this depends on what you are concidering the word "master" to mean. Check out Wiki's thoughts? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master and Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=master You can consider it reaching the level deeming you "master" You can concider mastery to be having a comprehensive understanding of something You can concider mastery to be having all understanding of something none of these is wrong... it's just using the word differently

Well said, pineapple. I really think that not being there is the best defense, preventing the need for weapons . Also, a flame thrower. A flame thrower is almost always a good idea.

Ok, so there was this big bad warrior class in Japan back in the day- the Samari. They were trained in combat. The lower classes were not permitted (it was against the law) to study or train in fighting. Because of their higher cast, the Samari kinda bossed everyone around, and since they were the only quality fighters around, they kicked anyone's butt if they wanted to. Well the lowest class plus some criminals and other outcasts were like, "this super sucks" and so they started training, using stuff around them like a comma-ish thing was a guarden tool, the bo was a walking staff, they put burining powder in empty eggs to throw at people, etc. They became spies and assasans and were cool. The end.

I think the club/stick is most useful, but I like the coma and tonfa

You're welcome ! Let me know if you find any other good ones

Yeh, do you have any access to a martial arts school?

Hey shotokanbeginner, are you a guy? Just a shot in the dark....I mess with my guy all the time that my conglomeration of styles is better than his (Primarily I started out in Karate, and he started in TKD) Also, I think a lot if not most serious martial artists either practice both striking and grappling or would if they could or are working on it(like you).

I was a pre-teen when I started martial arts, and started with a bunch of teenage boys. My sensei had a whole "what you are to not do" talk about character and responsibility with knowledge with us. We signed an aggreement that we wouldn't use our training in non-self defense (or defense of others) situations. Every class we had to recite our Karate Creed: I come to you with only Karate, my empty hands. I am a law abiding citizen. At no time shall I ever use the techniques taught to me in a manner that will inflict personal injury. Nor will I bodily harm anyone, except in cases of emergency needs whereby my life, country, honor, and the lives and physical safety of other may depend upon my knowledge in application of these techniques. This is my creed. Karate. Also, it seemed to me that the kids mostly into real fighting got frustrated early on by rules and proper technique, and quit.

This is a great thread! I think that great instructors require -Knowledge and Understanding of what they are teaching -Ability to communicate it affectively -Ability to recognize and attend to the martial arts needs of the student -Knowledge that they do not posess all knowledge, and may still learn new things -Willingness to use all this for the benefit of the students and the art

This kick to the floating ribs is quite effective.

care to elaborate? East Coast-wise I only know of schools in Ohio, Pittsburgh, and Augusta (GA)- there are more schools in the west coast areas.