bushido_man96

Admittedly I struggle after a while. That makes me feel a little better. I did the 300 today at Aikido, and it takes me about an hour to get through it. I've been told at the Hombu, they aim to do it in 15 minutes, as a warm-up. So, I need a lot of work.

I don't like running. Never have. So, I don't really do it much. In the past, I have run stairs, and found that I would rather do that than just run otherwise. I hate running, yet I have a daughter who runs half marathons. She doesn't get it from me...

As suggested, look up hip flexor stretches, and there should be plenty that come up. The "warrior lunge" stretch is a good one. You can also stand and hold your ankle with your hand from behind, and stretch it that way. With that said, the hip flexor was never the issue for me and kicking higher. I did more split stretching than anything else, and that helped get my kicks higher. Look up a book called Stretching Scientifically, by Thomas Kurz. I've heard lots of good things about it, and might be helpful to you.

6/9/2014 (evening) TKD class: 6:00 - 7:30 pm. Taught class, and we had promotions come in, so new belts and certificates were handed out. Did basics, adding a few combinations at the end of it, and then taught new forms and new one-steps.

I have trained while sick in the past. I always found a good sweat really helped cleanse out a cold. But, I've gotten to where I am more likely to skip out of training at the gym, so I don't make others sick.

It was a very brief article. I was looking for the rest of it upon finishing it.... But, I think the author makes some valid points on making the form your own, but not altering it so much that it becomes something else. This is another point of interest in my style of TKD. We do ITF forms, but some of them have different moves swapped out for others. The form stays pretty much the same, but some of them have noticeable differences from the ITF standard, aside from the lack of sine wave. But, I stay true to the way I have been taught.

Congrats!

I've heard of use do the big toe like that, but I have never wanted to try it. I don't want to have an arthritic toe when I get older. Besides, they make steel-toed boots now.

I tend to agree with you. We don't ever hear it, being in a TKD school. I see it at the end of posts all the time, and it kind has the same, overbearing affect.

Congrats to you and your dojo on the good showing!

I think its just the nature of how things evolve and change. With time, perhaps a different crowd will take up the interest, and keep it alive. I think what is unfortunate is that it sounds like the government has been as much to blame for the delcine as anything else.

Is it flawed, or just different? And it doesn't have to be baggage. Its experience, and it should count for something. I would also deter you from trying to "think like a novice." Don't discount what you've learned, and assume it has no place with what you are doing now. Just go to class, learn, practice, and let it come to you.

Never seen it. I may have to see if it is on Netflix, as well.

Sounds like an interesting movie. I will have to look into it.

Very good read. Thanks for sharing this.

I had a bit of a different experience. I was in one style of TKD, and started over in another. I was learning new forms and one-steps, but the techniques were by and large the same, with a few chambering differences. I enjoyed my time going back through the ranks, and feel that it helped me a lot.

I think this depends on who is asking. Those of us with the time and experience in know the latter to be the case more often than the former. But you bring up a very good point here, and the context that people see MA training in.

I agree with this. I think that in time, things will shake out, and everyone will come to an understanding.

I'm in a weird position, because I do ITF forms, but no sine-wave. So I have to find different ways to affect the tempo of the form. I haven't read the article yet, but will take a look at it. I think I will add TKD tutor to my phone...

I like board breaking, and for the reasons that Bob and DWx talk about, that expresses what breaking is about. I don't think breaking has to be done to the extreme, but if it is, it can be fun, too. Board breaking is one of the ultimate definitions of technique. I recommend taking one, and making it yours.

I think we all have biases, based on what we do and what we see. I think we also suffer from the grass being greener on the other side from time to time, too. We see how someone else does something, and we wonder why we aren't doing it that way. Then we switch, and and thing we have found the golden fleece, and then years later, we realize that we had was just fine. As for the ultimate style question, I do think there are some styles out there that are more conducive to some things than to others. In the end, many could argue this till the end of time, and many won't be convinced otherwise, so there really isn't a point to it. What matters is if you enjoy what you study, and if it meets the goals you are looking for.

Thanks Wastelander, it's definitely conflicting opinions I've been getting from folk at work and in class too, i suppose I won't know for sure unless I try for myself. I think the squat jumps and high knees should be good for explosive power as they are fast exercises. I want to get more running or walking in too, so I'll work them all in to some kind of rota. Thanks for your input. M. The "bulk" misconception is a big one. Look at all the Olympic sprinters. They have big legs. When muscles get stronger, they get bigger. Whether its running or lifting, if they get stronger, they get bigger. There has always been that belief in the MA community that big legs slow you down, or make you less flexible. Not stretching makes you less flexible. I always hear recommendations for plyometrics or other explosive types exercises when it comes to this, too. I'm not sure if there is a standard now, but in years past, I had read that it is recommended that an athlete be able to squat 1.5 times their body weight before taking on plyometric exercise routines. When it comes to that hill, hill sprints will probably do you better than just walking up it. Hill sprints and squats a couple times a week will do you wonders, I think.

Kudos to you, man. That's more than I can put out. But I am going to be doing 300s weekly with the Aikido club for this month, so that will be killing me, I'm sure.

5/29/2014 Testing: 5:10 - 6:00 for Little Lions, 6:30 - 8:00 for regular TKD students. 6/2/2014 TKD class: Taught from 6:00 - 7:00. There were only 2 kids in class, so I did form with them. Chon Ji through Hwa Rang, 9 forms in all. For the forms that each of them struggled with, I had them do twice more, once at my count, and then at their count. After forms, I paired them up to do one-steps, and they got through white and lo-orange. Hit some technical aspects that I want them to be focused on when they help lower ranks with one-steps. 6/3/2014 TKD class: 6:00 - 7:20. Warmed up with some spot work on my form, Choong Jang. Class was forms review, doing Chon Ji, Dan Gun, Do San, Won Hyo, Yul Gok, Hwa Rang, and Choong Jang. After that, we did kicking on the target paddles. FL front kicks, FL round kicks, BL round kicks, FL round/switch foot round, BL drop kicks, and some spinning hook kicks. A good stretch afterwards. 6/9/2014 Kids workout: 12:30 - 1:30. Worked with Kendall on Wrestling: double leg takedown and single leg sweep, stand-ups and switches from both sides, Iowa from snaps and sprawls, and then some stance work. After that, I worked on some TKD with Kendall, doing our basic orientation. We did punches from sitting stance, our front stance down block, stepping and punching in front stance, and also down block/face punch in front stance. Finished with knife hand strike in back stance. We'll get it down, I have faith.

Congrats!