marie curie

When I was 11 the boy that I had a crush on did karate, so I talked my mom into letting me join by telling her that I should learn to defend myself. (I know that's a dumb reason, but I was young and silly) Anyway, the boy stopped comming soon after, but I couldn't quit- I loved it! Also the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were awesome and I loved them. So, i did 4 years of Seiei Kan Karate (AKJU). In high school I got busy with school and organizations, so I started comming less. Then, my sensei had to stop teaching due to health concerns and my only option was one TKD McDojo in my town. During this time I also attended Hapkido seminars in neiboring states. Upon coming to college, I wanted to begin martial arts agian, and so I started training in Olympic-style Judo. During the summer after my freshman year, I studied abroad in China, where I practiced Tai Chi early in the mornings with probably 150 seniors in a town square. I also studied a form of Kung Fu, but the language barrier between the professor and me was a bit too much to gain an understanding of the origins of the particular style. My sophmore year I continued studying Judo and took a semester of Olympic Tae Kwan Doe to get the experience and see if it was for me... it wasn't. I started studying Kajukenbo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu last year and fell in love with both of them!!! I like to BJJ because it makes my judo better and Kaju is just a really fun and effective striking MA.

The other night I discovered another good reason for washing the obi- blood. It happens, and now my obi must be washed for sure

I think that it depends on how often you train.... If you are training 4 days a week, two hours per session, your gi is obviously going to have twice the wear and tear as someone who trains twice. Also, if your style does takedowns, you may want to spread out the trama you cause it. Some people also have a special gi they like to wear for competition. For Karate when I was younger I had two, but we had pretty sweaty workouts. Now I only have one for Kajukenbo, but its a good one, and all I really need. For Judo/Ju-Jitsu I have two. So I guess it depends.

I was laughing too hard to click the right radio button!!! I voted wrong! It's silly- not for real

I think that it's more like a surgeon is called "Doctor", and when a Ph.D. in Physics walks into a hospital, they are called "Doctor" too. The Ph.D. would inform someone of what his training is in if it comes up, not to mislead anyone to think that he is a medical doctor, but the symbol of accomplishment carries over from the university building to the clinic.

"Woah, watch out, everyone, big bad (me) is gonna beat you up" Note: The situation is compounded when wearing pigtails

Yeh, Kajukenbo is an awesome defense system, but uless you are on the west coast or Ohio, I'm pretty sure it's hard to find schools.

I've been training in martial arts for a while and have dated a few different people, usually who also train (with me or elsewhere). I must admit that some schools have attitudes that I didn't like, and that could be annoying. If your training is a big part of your life, an so is your girlfrieind, you'll probably have to change your school, change your girlfriend, or get the two to mesh somehow. As far as her training goes- women's self-defense classes can be super awesome, but if you really want to enjoy your "play fighting," why not let her try out another school? She may really like it, and you have someone to have fun with at home, you can have "your time" with your MA friends while she has "her time" with hers, plus you will have to worry about her less as she becomes more proficient. You could always discuss ethics and philosophy with her at home. Oh, and speaking as a smaller person (I'm a girl), I think Judo is a good way to learn to move without using reach or strength.

I started my first martial art at 11, and did it until i was 14 or 15. Then, like many people are saying, I was distracted by other sports, organizations, and my boyfriend. I just started back into different styles when I was 19, and I'm sooooo glad that I had that base to work off of. I'd say I picked things up faster when I was younger, but because of that experience, I, now, pick things up faster than other people in my new styles. So, really, I think you are at a great time to start, and even if you don't train as often as you may later in life, as you are at a really busy time, it's a great idea to get in as much as you reasonabley can.

I think Quarry/ Franklin is going to go to Franklin as he has more experience, but that is really all I base that on... Quarry hasn't fought the cream of the middleweight crop yet, but he has done really well in the fights he was given, so he could be able to step up his game when his opponent demands it. Hmmmm... I'm not sure... Matt Hughes will win no question- Joe Riggs doesnt have it to beat him standing (which he'd rely on) and especially not on the ground (where Joe's like "I can ride out his ground work" or something- not the confidance in his grappling skill one would hope for). Matt Hughes is annoying but an awesome and proven and experienced fighter. Other than that, St. Pierre, Horn, and Hoger, but I don't really know about the other fights. I actually dont really know about those three much at all, but thats what my boyfriend says, and he watches a lot more than I do, so I'm going with him. From the beginning, I figured Luke wouldn't have gotten onto the show without a fair amount of skill, plus his quirkiness, I thought would throw any apponent off- at least in the beginning of a match- to give Luke the early advantage. I also thought that since he followed such strict dietary and lifesyle guidlines, I figured that he had developed a real sense of discipline. Also, thinking that you have something extra on your side like a sneaky move, a good luck charm, a religious helper outer, or some health/mind/body strength due to lifestyle helps out in a fight (or anything really) as extra confidance that, "if the other guy is just that good, at least I have....". Then, after he fought I was way impressed.

Yeh, some seriously awesome fights. I picked Luke day one, though I knew going into this match that Joe would probably win. I was pleased that Luke didnt give up his arms nearly as much as in early matches (I figured he'd give up the armbar and that's how he'd loose). Of course I kinda would have rather seen Luke/Jason fight since they are both unorthadox in different ways and full of heart. I wasn't a big fan of Rashad very early on, but I got to like him as I saw him fight.

Thanks! I talked to my instructors about this yesterday and he said that he would put me in the intermediate division.

Maybe you could advertise in the paper that you are looking for some people to train in martial arts with and a teacher- then maybe you could get together a class yourself (but i'd be sure to check out anyone who wants to teachs' credentials).

Ok, so I'm going to a tournament December 4, and I dont know what to fight as... I did Ko Sutemi Seiei Kan for four years when I was younger (age 11 through 14) and earned the rank of san kyu (first degree brown belt of three). I have a good deal of knowledge and skill from that system, but as it has been a while my reflexes arent what they used to be and I'm rusty on a good number of the techniques. I recently started another striking art, Kajukenbo, which is very very different, using a lot less traditional methods and a lot more practical self-defence. By the time the tournament comes along I will still be a white belt, and will have been training for about 6 months in this art. Because of this, I'm re-developing my fighting skills and reflexes. Also, in the past couple of years, I did a semester of Olympic Style Tae Kwon Doe at school and a semester of Kung Fu while I was studying abroad in China, as well as about a year and a half of Judo and a some of Brazillian Jiu Jitsu starting this term. Obviously, my fighting will be comming along a bit more quickly than that of other white belts since I have done it before in class weekly as well as in tournaments. The Problem: Kajukenbo doesn't have it's own tournaments, but there is an open karate tournament at my school in December that some people are going to. I can't very well just make up a middle rank to fight at (intermediate division). It seems wrong to enter a karate tournament as a white belt when I have fought in karate tournaments as a brown belt, especially since everyone else in my division will have payed and trained to fight other people with similar experience. Similarly, for advanced people, they wont be getting the fight they paid for. The divisions are: Novice (less than one year of experience division) Intermediate (1-2 years of experience) Advanced (people with >2yrs experience) Masters (for masters) Any advice would be much appreciated.

I've switched martial arts a couple times, and I'll admit after years with one it can be difficult (and i'm sometimes reluctant) to use a slightly different stance, distance or something, but in all I'm really glad to have gotten the new perspective and I feel even more confidant now in my knowledge of techniques and applications. Why not try it out, and if it doesnt work for you after a few months, try something else?

Totally- Shaolin Soccar is awesome!!! I reccommend it to anyone- but not dubbed- must be subtitled or translated by someone in the room

oooh awesome!

Yeh, Goo Gone is awesome- if you can't find it or it doesnt work you may want to try soaking it in hot water with a high concentration of some detergent (a lot of detergent in a little water), then try rubbing it off.

Oh, good. I wasn't sure that those would be ok for grabbing. Thank you very much

Thanks!!! I do Kajukenbo which is primarily a striking art, but almost every sequence of techniques we learn involves (or we add on) a take-down. The first ones look more protective, and the second ones more condusive with the gripping component. Do you think the thinner gloves would be ok to use in sparring? If not, those mostly open-handed thicker gloves look like they may be ok for take-downs.

I'm looking for some handpads that will be appropriate for striking, but allow gripping the other person's body and gi for takedowns. Anyone have ideas?

I am a student about 16 months away from a degree in biomedical engineering, so I've studied all about biomechanics and joint stress. I've also studied a lot of cases for joint replacement and therapy, which we use to design replacement parts and prosthetics, and let me just say that yes, the body of a serious practioner of martial arts will, in general, break down the body (particularly the skeletal system) at a faster rate than that of a non-martial artist. That being said, the benefits that good workouts give against cardiovascular disease alone is significant. The fitness from training prevents diabeties and chemical imbalances, as well as many other health issues. On top of that there are the personal benifits of discipline and self-esteem, so it really seems to be a trade off just like everything else in life.

I lied- I just got down and tried what I typed, and really my knees are in the armpits, not out

I find that getting into side control from most takedowns is easier than the mount. It also (at least for me) is way stronger, so I usually get to side control and get my bearings on the opponenet's body. I am a female and usually fight guys my weight and heavier, so they are usually strong enough to get out of my mount if I stay there too long. After securing side control, I often get into the mount while going for a collar choke. Most people defend pretty well against that choke, but while they are occupied with all that choke defending, I like to begin a strait arm bar or americana. Also, when I do this, my mount isnt the low, posture back mount that is safer- I stay high on thier chest with my knees out for stability and my feet in their sides to prevent them from creating space and shrimping. Since, when they bridge, their hips are what travels the farthest from the ground (and thus, the closer I am to their hips the farthest I get from the ground), the bridging/bumping motion isnt as useful to them. Another advantage is that I have to reach over a much shorter distance to apply my armbars/chokes and so the oponent doesnt see them comming as early. Anyway, it only works for me if I keep them busy and work quickly. Oh, and beware them blocking one leg and flipping you (this position's biggest weakness)