lordtariel

That's really what it comes down to. Somebody that trains 8 hours a day, 7 days a week is going to progress much faster than someone who does 1 hour, twice a week. But like everyone else says, you shouldn't worry about it. All a blackbelt says is that you know the basics and are ready to begin learning in a martial arts system.

Welcome

I'm going to start taking up iaido this year and am really excited about it. I'm trying to decide on a sword. For those of you that practice regularly, do you think it's better to go with a steel iaito or an alloy/aluminum blade? I know there's a major difference in weight, but I'm wondering if a heavier sword is going to help or hinder my initial training.

looks really good... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1084019/ looks like it was released in Japan in October, so don't expect a release for a while.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1098327/ It's coming...

For gear I have my gi, gloves, cup, and requirements book. Also drag my laptop along since I come to class right after work.

Yeah, you'll get a lot of people who won't machine dry their gi. Doesn't wear out as fast. Only problem is that means you have to time when you wash your gi to give time to dry when not a class. A heavyweight gi WILL NOT hang dry in a day in the winter time, so don't wash it the day before a tournament.

Or how about Mr ______, what are your thoughts on cross training. I find _____ really interesting and was thinking about trying it out on the side. Do you think it's compatible with your system....

Mirror image is really tough. All of these are really great ideas. Blindfolded is another good one.

I've been doing contract work on the side of my regular job. Suppose that counts. Gonna stop once this job's done though, it's just too much.

Good point about the gi. That's probably my biggest pet peeve. People wear the gis around town? I've seen people wearing them in the grocery store... sometimes I've even been guilty of running into the store in my gi pants and a t-shirt after class. As for the clothing, I'd say it's not a big deal as long as the shirt isn't a show-off, look at how tough I am type of thing. Personal preference really.

Happy Holidays all, after an extended hiatus where dealt lots of extra contract work, got married, and enjoyed a winter honeymoon in the Virgin Islands, I'm hoping to get back into the forums.

Healthy options are always preferred by me, but you also have to remember that those sorts of products are more expensive. I'd slowly integrate healthy options and see how they sell.

If you suspect, I recommend you gather proof. Install a hidden camera over the till, discretely check his books, keep track of your expenses. You'll have a better case of it if you can document things.

So here's a question. Did you mean video game RPG or a "pen and paper" RPG?

That's sort of how it is with me. Hard to get up the motivation too work out when the weather's 104, especially with a heavyweight gi.

I guess it really depends on the formality of the school. Some places I've been have been so informal that you just use the sensei's first name to address him. Personally, I feel that the dojo's not the place for that sort of thing, but I suppose it's up to the sensei.

I've seen those sorts of displays as well. You have to shake your head at the arrogance of some people. So next time they have an event where they're doing a demo, see if you can get your dojo to do a demo before or after this other group.

The first one is kinda tough, but after that you just get used to it. Just try not to think about it. It's good practice for getting ready for tournaments and stuff.

I applaud you staying home while sick. I'm also going through a bout with a cold right now and suffering severe Karate withdrawal symptoms. My only option is to practice at home so I don't backslide. Hope you get better soon.

I would say the choice would stem from what you want to get out of it. A good Tai Chi class is going to improve your ballance, co-ordination and strength, but it's not going to give you the aerobic exercise you might be after. A good Tai Chi instructor can show you the martial aspects of the art as well. Tai Chi and Aikido should augment each other fairly well as they're both internal soft styles. If you're after self-defense and body conditioning right out of the box, I'd probably go for Muay Thai. If you're looking for something that's not too hard on your body, I'd recommend Tai Chi.

Preparing you for life as a Sensei..... or a parent

That's a tricky slope to be on. Goading somebody to attack you makes you an equal participant in the event. Then it's not defense, it's two people going at it. If you're going to do that, you better be dang sure you know the laws pertaining to your state and you have the witnesses to back you up. That being said, letting someone hit you so you can sue seems pretty low to me.

A message to all Robotech fans out there. They're going to be making a live-action Robotech movie. I hope this can live up to the franchise. It's apparently going to be starring Toby Maguire. http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?id=43915

I agree. It might not be the most effective weapon you could carry, but a weapon's still a weapon as long as you train to use it.