bushido_man96

12/4/2012 Elliptical: 10 minutes, 1 mile. Rower: 5 minutes. Jump rope: did a 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 where I did 10 both feet, 10 right, 10 left, then go down to 9, and so on. I got hung up a few times (a lot of times), but stayed with it. Then did some regular skipping to finish out. Stretch

Weight training will not slow you down. There is no study that can verify that, my knowledge. Look at NFL athletes. They've all done some weight training. The key is to make sure to work on your flexibility and do some training for speed, as has been mentioned. There are some good weight training programs out there to check out. Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, and Wendler's 5/3/1 are all good programs to check out. As you get stronger, you have to modify the programming so your body can still respond, but any of these programs would benefit you as a beginner. Like anything, you have to do your homework when it comes to strength training. Squats, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Dead Lifts, and/or Power Cleans should make up the bulk of your lifting regimine. Lift 3 days a week, 3 lifts per day, 3x5 or 5x5, using linear progression, adding 5 or 10 lbs per lift each session, until you can't anymore. Keep up your Karate training, and you'll see some great results.

It will be interesting to see how all that transpires.

I don't think the use of safety equipment should send up red flags. Many schools have insurance coverage, and along with that may come certain requirements for sparring protection. The first thing you should look at is the quality of the students from low to high rank, see if there are improvements, and things like this. It can be tough for a beginner, but if you do a bit more research (and not just on how the Japanese do things), you'll find the answers you are looking for.

I think that ideally, we don't know we have gained respect until someone tells us that they respect us. And ideally, if we do things the right way, through our actions and by living as an example, we are more likely to hear about it through a third person source, if we do things right. I don't disagree with you. But, nor do I think it is wrong to discount those who are talented and make things look easy, even hard work. Some people with talent will coast. But there are those with talent and a hard work ethic, and they are just as deserving as well. I'm not claiming that you would deny this at all. But I also understand what you are saying in regards to "rooting for the underdogs," those who have to work harder than the rest to achieve their level of success, and I agree with you there, as well.

I've always been skeptical about the idea of a form being "internal" or "external." Power development comes from the muscles, and how they interact around the skeletal system. I think the idea of ki or chi is more related to the ability to use the hips and the core to create good power through sound technique and breathing technique. I have been practicing Naifanchi Shodan, but don't really know of any internal benefits from it.

Don't you just love all the black belt requirements? Makes it great, and hey, if you aren't tired after a testing, then there isn't enough material, right? There's a guy at my school that always comments on my ability to come back to class, and look like I haven't missed a beat. He doesn't realize how much practice it takes outside of class to retain it all.

I agree, Bob.Displaced egos anywhere cause the same elsewhere. We Martial Artists aren't the only ones who deal with them, that is for sure. But, such is life, and it goes on.

Have a good time, and make sure to give us a rundown of how it went, and what all you got to do!

Thanks. It went really well. We have three instructors there for the grading and one of them is from another dojo who just comes for these. He mentioned to me how impressed he was with the improvement he saw in me since the last one. Apparently he's a tough person to get a compliment from.... so, pretty happy with that Well done and congrats!

Yes. I listened to ESPN radio for a while yesterday, and listened to the reactions and feelings of some of the guys on the team. It had to be tough for them. Jamaal Charles was one of the worst felt about it, because I guess he introduced Belcher's girlfriend to him, as it sounded like she was a cousin to his wife. I feel for everyone there.

After the tragedy involving Javon Belcher this week, the Chiefs went ahead and played their scheduled game with the Panthers, and they pulled out a pretty nice victory. Brady Quinn played solid football all around, and the last weeks of the season here need to tell KC if he can finally be the starter he was projected as coming out of college, or if KC needs to search in other areas for a starting QB.

Hoping it works out for you, Patrick.

And thank you all for the kind words!

I agree that little kids MAs are a great program for helping to supplement a school's income, and for getting kids ready for Martial Arts classes, should they choose to enter those in the future. They may not be learning the same things adults are, but they are still getting Martial Arts based training, and having fun while doing it.

12/3/2012 One-steps: all 30 Do-Kangs: 1-4 Forms Colored Belt Chon Ji, Dan Gun, Bo Chuung, Do San, Won Hyo, Yul Gok, Joong Gun, Toi Gye, Hwa Rang, Choong Moo Black Belt Kwang Gae, Poe Eun, Gae Baek, Se Jong, Yoo Sin Stretch

The weight of the gi you get shouldn't have any bearing on rank. If you want to try a heavy weight gi, then do so. Its more about personal preference than rank.

Yes, but for some reason, the Koreans didn't tend to keep their records....

Well put, MasterPain. And I loved the D&D analogies, as well.

Sounds like things are going well for you. Keep it up!

Missed both goals. But, with work, family life being busy, and an arm injury late in the year, it slowed things down. But, enough excuses. I am now gearing up for my testing, and I think I will try to test in March of 2013. I am practicing all of my required material now, and am going to work in some days for just conditioning type stuff. As for the weights, I was getting closer, but the arm injury ended all that. So, the testing first, and we'll take things one at a time after that falls in.

Cool experience there. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I'll second Talhoffer's work. Lots of good stuff there, and very revealing as to what the Western Arts had to offer.

I think we all have ego, to an extent. Otherwise, we wouldn't add the adjective "big" to describe those with "big egos," or what we would refer to as an "ego problem." We all have a view of ourselves, and we strive to make ourselves better as we go along in life. Those with the big egos like to show others how they have bettered themselves, put it on display, and show how they are better than us by doing this. Good call here, Patrick. You post was spot on, overall.

Congrats!