bushido_man96

Setbacks happen, and they suck, but know that this to shall pass, Bob. Let your back heal, and then start back in on things lightly. Build up. Once your back is healed, I'd recommend to start doing deadlifts, but that's just me. Get that back strong! But, one day at a time.

I think what is meant by "sensitivity" in Wing Chung is especially referred to in the "sticking hands" exercises, with the connection to the other person. You have to be able to sense the pressure from the other person to know where they are going, and then be able to react and defend or counter.

We use "zones" specifically in Defensive Tactics. The red zone is where you are face to face with an attacker, and both can bring all their weapons to bear. The yellow zone is when you are flanking the opponent, and you can bring your weapons to bear on him, and he has a tougher time, usually with just one side he can employ, but will likely have to move to engage. The red zone is when you get their back, and have all the offense to offer, and they very little defense. This, obviously, is the optimal place to be for us in law enforcement. I'm sure I can branch out on some of the other topics you are speaking of, too, but this is the first that comes to mind for me.

Ah, to have a day job again! That would fix so much!

I think it should be a consideration, for sure. If not for the organization as a whole, but an option for the older practitioners to look into.

5/10/2017 Strength Training Warm-up: 2 min. rowing. Squats: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 135x5, 155x5; work sets: 165x5, 165x5, 165x5. Press: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 65x5; work sets: 85x5, 85x5, 85x5. Stretch 5/12/2017 Strength Training Warm-up: 2 min. rowing. Deadlifts: warm-ups: 135x5x2, 145x5, 155x5, 195x5; work set: 205x5. Press: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 65x5; work sets: 90x5, 90x5, 90x5. Stretch 5/18/2017 Strength Training Squats: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 135x5, 155x5; work sets: 175x5, 175x5, 175x5. Press: warm-ups: 45x5x2, 65x5; work sets: 95x5, 95x5, 95x5. Stretch

I think there are some people who are heavier that are athletic and healthy. Some are just lucky that way, and some have to work at it. My brother is a big person, and he has never had an issue with blood pressure. I've known some smaller people that have. Everyone is different. The fact of the matter is that some people will just tend to carry more weight than others. That doesn't mean they can't be healthy, and I think it becomes easy to tell who looks healthy and who doesn't.

It sounds like you had a great experience, Alex! Thanks for sharing this with us, and best of luck in the future of competition!

I'd say sweats would be good for kicking in. If you are talking about clothing that you can kick in and wear to work on a professional level, that I'm not sure on. There ought to be some slacks out there that you could find that might help and be little less restrictive.

I'm certain that mine are on the decline right now. Family life and work are taking priority, and so classes are taking a back seat right now. I'm starting to stretch out a bit more now, and I plan to start working the bag some more, too. Its just getting things in place and making time to do so.

Often for me, it comes down to balance, especially when spinning and kicking. So I try to slow it down and parse it all out. Slow is smooth, smooth is faster kind of approach.

Honestly, I don't mind that they do it that way. If someone has the skill to perform it, then let them do it. They can improve all other aspects from there. On the flip side of that, if someone really wants to crack down on one form, and make it "their" form, then I'm all for that, too.

I have to agree with Kusotare here. Let's be honest, self defense is a byproduct of what we do.. it's not actually what we train for when we train in traditional martial arts. There are far more effective and quicker ways to learn to defend yourself than learning a kata. I suspect a lot of us enjoy learning the intricacies associated with learning a system in its entirety. It's like working towards a PhD in a style then continuing on with post-doc research versus getting a basic diploma in a lot of subjects. Loyalty to one style or group of styles then comes hand in hand with this. You might choose to cross train and experience other stuff but you always return back to your base style. I agree, these are good points. I think everyone is in a different part of the journey, and that affects what they are doing and why. As we move through life, our needs and wants change, and this can affect what we practice and why at the time. I think we all have that place we call "home" though, and in the long run, we all tend to work our way back there.

500 Kick Workout. Pretty simple, really. Pick a basic kick, like front snap kick. Take a left fighting stance. Do 5 front leg kicks, then 5 back leg kicks. Switch to a right fighting stance, then do 5 more front leg kicks, then 5 back leg kicks. You've just done 20 kicks. Repeat with round kicks, side kicks, inside crescent kicks, outside crescent kicks, hook kicks, axe kicks, twist kicks. Running out of basic kicks, you say? Add jumps. Front leg jump kicks, then back leg jump kicks. Add double/repeat kicks. Enjoy.

Congrats, Alan!

Heidi, your contributions at KF are beyond measure! You are such a great mentor to so many people here. You helped guide me when I was fresh as a moderator, and I looked to your example throughout. Thank you for all the time and years you have given to KF as a staff member, and we look forward to seeing you around still!

Welcome to KF!

Double congratulations are in order! As to your question, I prefer a more laid back testing environment, and not all the pomp and show. But that's just me.

I saw the new trailer for The Defenders, and I'm ready for it, for sure!

Wow, at 8 years old. The WTF must not worry about students doing forms ahead of their rank?

Welcome to KF, Chris! Like stated earlier, training outside the dojo when you can't be there is a great idea. Most instructors would encourage it. Touch base with the instructor whenever you can, and have him make sure you are getting things right, and this can be a great form of training.

Bob makes a good point. We can get closer and ever closer to perfection, but never to it. Excellence isn't necessarily more easy to attain, but doesn't hold the same stigma as perfection does. I think at times when focusing on perfection, it can be to the detriment of other things. I've heard the saying "perfect is the enemy of good" in weight training circles, and I think it can apply elsewhere, and the MAs could be one of those places.

I did Aikido for a short time while I was still doing TKD, and there were spots where I could easily see I could slip in a kick or a strike when executing the throws and holds. Since TKD was my primary style, it was easier to see where it applied. As you get more years in, you'll see where you can slip Aikido into Goju.

No, nothing is new. What changes are focus and application. That's more of how we get the different styles than anything else.

I'd really hate to see all that happen, Bob, but I understand where you are coming from. Hopefully, he will just stay out of it.