de_medici99

what do some of you guys do to work your abs/obliques/core? i hear sit-ups are good to do, but you may cause more strain than muscle growth? Side stretches and twists are some other tips for ab/oblique work. any other tips??

man thing, from working in healthcare, i can ASSURE you that the hospital (ER) is obligated to treat the community, whether insurance is available or not. They can not turn you down because you have no insurance (its illegal). I would suggest seeing the doc anyways, because if it was sharp chest pain and persistant, you may have had a heart attack. People can have heart attacks and still live or be alive, it all depends on the severity of the block of blood flow and the area affected its not always like TV. the heart attacks can be so severe though to cause your heart to stop. when that happens blood flow is lost to the heart itself, and causes permanent damage. you should be checked out for your chest pain, even if you dont have it (or not as severe) as it was. Take care.

this may be a more appropriate forum to post this, but what are all of your opinions about home study courses for martial arts/karate.. more specifically Kenpo. I was searching online for karate styles, and came across a home study program that helps train and teach Kenpo, with advancements in belt rank. What is you opinion?

hey all, I was searching online for different styles of karate, and I came across a home study course for Kenpo. Is this study method even valid? what is kenpo, and can it be taught and advanced with belt ranks all from home? Karate/ MA seems to be a "one on one" instruction art, not something that can be learned from home, but I may be wrong..... any opinions??

Im fairly new to the world of martial arts, but as reading your posts, it makes me not want to enter a competition to show and test my skills. If formal competitions dont allow shots to the head, what does that leave as a target? Im sure most people attend these competitions to test the skills they have aquired, but limiting the ability to hit at the head kind of defeats the purpose to me. I think that competitions should allow contact to the head, but require full head gear to take the hit. It just doesnt make any sense to me to limit a skill or competition when you are there to "compete" with what skills you know.