bushido_man96

I agree that anyone at any age can do Judo, but the older you are, the tougher it might be on your body. Getting thrown down a lot and getting up can be rough on an older body. But, don't let that stop you from at least giving it a try.

I think the "weight class" fighters tend to a deceptive example. Those guys usually walk around at least 10 lbs heavier than they fight at (if not more). So yeah, a guy like McGregor is strong for his size, but we are deceived by his size because he walks around at a heavier weight than he fights at.

But not carrot cake. That is as wrong as pineapple on pizza. No, both are awesome! I think I got burned out on carrot cake in my teen years. Mom made it a lot because it was a "healthier" option. Now it makes me want to hurl. I am not against vegetables in cake, just suspicious. I like zucchini chocolate cake. I am a good cook, so I probably could design a better carrot cake (to my taste anyway) easily, I am just not motivated to do so. I hear you on the food burnout. That happened to me with bologna sandwiches as a kid.

When I was in the ATA, I tied my belt with your second method. In the TTA, we use the first method. I don't mind the cross-over in the back. Just for fun, here's a few more ways to skin that cat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3cIdbSU9Pk

I'm a book guy. I like to the format in general. I do enjoy seeing things on video, but for me, books tend to be my go-to. I enjoy going to the shelf to pull out some reference material. I have a book authored by Royce Gracie, and I've had him autograph it for me. Can't get his signature on a youtube video...

Stances are supposed to be transitional in nature, and not static the way we often train them, or at least how we look at them. If you're looking at executing a trip or a standing sweep, then you might extend your back leg straight back and pivot to pull them over it; like stepping into a front stance. There are other examples out there, but this one makes the point, I think. Take throwing a reverse punch as another example. If you throw it in class from a front stance, you are working on getting the hips to drive the punch. You may not go into a full front stance in self-defense, but if you snap your hips forwards when delivering the punch, then training that stance has served its purpose.

Sure it counts! Shoveling snow is no picnic! 4/9/2018 Strength Training Press: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 55x5, 75x5; work sets: 115x5, 115x5, 115x5. Taught TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:15 pm. Basics, forms, one-steps, and some sparring. Been trying to hit some different sparring drills before ending class, to give the students some things to try the next time they spar. 4/11/2018 Strength Training Press: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 65x5, 85x5; work sets: 120x5, 120x5, 120x5. Lat Pull-downs: 135x10, 135x10, 135x10. TKD Class: 6:00 - 7:15 pm. Basics, stretch, forms (Choong Jang), one-steps, sparring. 4/13/2018 Strength Training Press: warm-up sets: 45x5x2, 65x5, 95x5; work sets: 122.5x5, 122.5x5, 122.5x5. Lat Pull-downs: 135x10, 135x10, 135x10.

A few things could be at work here. He could be doing a side snap kick, which is a totally different kick. The backwards lean of many side kicks is related to the height of the kick and the person's body style. One should not lean back in order to kick high, but when one does try to kick high, the body will end up leaning back. It is ok if your body leans back on its own when high kicking, but it is not ok to lean back in order to try to kick higher. Hopefully, that all makes sense. The kick in that picture is not subpar. From what I can tell, his kicking foot heel, knee, hip, and shoulder are all lined up, which makes for a strong kick with good body structure behind it. Another mistake I often see when people try to kick higher than they can (or just don't understand how to do the kick yet) is that they tend to bend inwards at the waist, not towards the kick, but towards the direction the front of the body is facing. This is not good, as it breaks the structure of the kick, and you end up with very little reinforcement behind it.

I agree, start with low kicks, and work your way up. Your snapshots show a way of doing the round kick, but its not the way I teach it or do it. I have the chamber more parallel to the ground, and bring it around, which I think adds more power, but can be a bit slower.

Perhaps it can, but I think the spiritual side is the side you can take with you more easily and train outside of the school. Use moments in everyday life to help hone those skills. If those skills are only used in the school, then it isn't being done right.

On a secondary note, consider taking steps to strengthen your lower back. If you don't make it stronger, then it will continue to go out of place when you want to do something, whether its rolling, or trying to walk the dog.

In my experience, these things tend to cycle. In fact, the focal point of many MAist's careers tends to cycle as well. I think we've all met practitioners who at one point focus on competition, and at another point shift their focus to self-defense, and then again to more intrinsic concepts.

Well, at least that way you should only end up burning one....

But not carrot cake. That is as wrong as pineapple on pizza. No, both are awesome!

They split away in 1983. Pre-sine wave, post-knee spring. But they still don't even do knee spring. If the instructors they had early on were from the early days of TKD before General Choi tinkered with the "Karate" he was actually teaching, then the probably just used more of the hip rotation than knee spring. That's just me spit balling, but that could be part of the influence.

I don't like seeing point values that high. What that signals to me is that they are trying to encourage audience interest with high scoring numbers. I'd rather see a point for a body punch, 2 points for body kick, 3 points for head kick, and add a point to each for a jumping kick. I would consider point differentials for spinning as well, but I'd leave them out for now.

I think the chamber is looking ok. It could maybe be a bit higher, but I think its ok. I like to have my knee up high enough that my upper leg is parallel with the floor when I start to execute the kick. As far as rating the first picture, that's kind of hard to do without seeing the kick in its entirety, from start to finish. Anyone can get a good picture of a pose. I'm not saying that you are posing in that still, but it remains that I can't see the rest of the kick. The side kicks is all about the proper body alignment when you get your leg into chamber position. This is the hardest part for new students, and their tendency is to cheat it into kind of a half round kick instead of a full, straight side kick. If you could post some videos of you doing side kicks, we could give more input.

Boy, I'm slow in updating here. Kenneth' state run ended on day one, going 0-2 against some very good wrestlers. But, he enjoyed the experience (after getting over the losses), and is now continuing with some Freestyle/Greco-Roman practices. He wanted to do those without any prompting from me, so that's great. It means he still enjoying it.

Are we having cake!? To ones heart contents, as one desires!! I love cake....

I have bad knees. They hurt constantly. As a result, I don't jump as much as I used to, and when I kick, I usually take a little off of them so the lockouts don't aggravate my knees quite so much. I also had a right shoulder impingement some years ago, and because of that I can't really do push-ups or bench presses, so I do different upper body lifts in the gym. Some days I squat, and some days I don't. One of these years, I'll have to get my knees cleaned out, but I think I'll wait until after I test for 5th dan to do that. For now, when I train, I just listen to my body and do what I can, when I can. If the knees feel good, then I might kick with more power that day. If not, I make sure to take it a bit easier in basics so they don't hurt. Also, steady, regular doses of vitamin NS doesn't hurt.

Welcome to KF!

Welcome to KF, Washo!

Welcome aboard, Hoshin!

Congrats! Well deserved!

Remember, black belt is just the beginning!