bushido_man96

I've got a book called The Complete Book of Abs: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Abs-Revised-Expanded/dp/0375751432/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249536876&sr=1-1 It has quite a few exercises in it, but lots are crunch-related. You can also do weighted sit-ups on ab boards and such, or medicine ball catches.

I think the reason for this is because it is easier to get kids to focus on yelling something in particular, as opposed to going into the long, drawn out explanations as to what a Kiai/Kihap entails. The problem with this is that they are never weaned from it, and learn the proper way to do it.

In TKD, I punch from the ground up. There aren't many lead hand punches in the TKD forms, and if there is one, it is usually followed by a rear hand punch, or it is a lead hand punch in a back stance, with a hip twist prior to the punch, and a lift of the front foot. When I work the heavy bag, and when I spar, I try to punch with a pivot on my toes, again driving from the ground up, into the hips, then shoulders, and on out. In reading about the straight lead, and then attempting to punch that way, I have to admit that I don't care for it that much. I'm sure that if I could spend some time working with an instructor that is good at it, I would probably see the value in it. However, the movements of the punch, starting with the hand, etc, are all very ackward to me, so I don't venture to use it that much. If I punch with my lead hand, it is usually a jab. In basics and forms, my punches tend to be more of a penetrating type; there is no snap back. When I work the bag, I always recoil the punch to the hands up position. I try for good snap and speed on return, but also try to focus through the target, making the bag swing.

8-3-09 Session I Mile bike ride with dog. 3 rounds on not-so-heavy bag, working some round kicks and side kicks into the combinations. Session II Warm-up: bike 2 miles, stretch 5 minutes. Bench press: 155x10, 165x8, 175x6, 185x4, 205x2, 225x1 I may try to raise this next week. Crunches: 4x25 1/2 sit-ups: 25 Double crunches: 25 Push-ups: 30, 25, max sets. Sit-ups: 2x25 Dumbell military press: 25x15x3 Dips: 8, 6, max sets Bike for 10 minutes at 90+ rpm.

Welcome to KF, Chuck.

I don't know here. I think that equal parts of both would be best. With one or the other, I think it is tough to call.

Man, I don't envy you here. At times, it gets so frustrating that I would just want to say "Ok, here it comes, try to stop it that way..." Are these kids in there willingly, or otherwise? If they are there because they want to be, I would be inclined to tell them that in TKD, they can do TKD, and with you, they should do Capoeira. I think in time, they will begin to see the differences, and appreciate them.

Good points, Joe. I had not really thought of this before now. Part of my requirment as a 3rd dan is to be teaching in some capacity or another. I don't get compensated with pay, but I do get a lower rate for my monthly dues. So, I catch a bit of a break there. Nothing has ever come up in the past at any of my schools on this.

Toughening those areas is hard to do. There isn't much to build up there. I have been guilty at times for putting an elbow on a round kicking foot. It is especially good medicine for a hard kicker.... Little injuries like these are some of the reasons that sparring without pads should be done more often. After all, you won't get to fight in pads, and you may take a ding like that. Its good training, in the end.

7-31-09 Warm-up: 5 min. on bike, stretch 5 min. Leg press: 275x20x3 Austrailian pull-ups: 18, 16, max sets. Crunches: 3x25 Lat pull-down: 108x15x3 Dead lift: 185x5x3

I agree that taping toes might help prevent some of those injuries. Ouch, I can't imagine what that feels like!

You're welcome. I'm glad it was helpful for you.

I think that the main thing to consider is that if they did begin to study Karate or some other Martial Art, that they could make that size and strength work for them. Its just a matter of working the Karate into the training regime, and putting it all together.

Ditto Well, if that's the case, I do TKD, which came out of Shotokan, which comes from Okinawan Karate as well.....does that count?

Now that I have thought about this, I wouldn't presume that there is a time that one wouldn't need a sensei, but there will come a time when one won't have one available to him.

If the coach is pushing, tell the coach how you feel about the competitions, and if you want to set some out, then do it. He can't force you to go to them.

I saw this story on SportsCenter this morning: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=4371874 Leroy Sutton's left leg is amputate below the knee, and his right below the hip. Dartanyon Crockett was born with Leber's disease, which causes acute visual loss. He is extremely nearsighted. These two both Wrestled at Lincoln-West High in Cleveland. The whole story of these two is really pretty touching.

One of the things that I always looked at as a positive of JKD was that it seems that one could take the techniques that he already knew, and then use them to apply the principles of JKD to. I'm sure that there is some new technique added in, like the straight lead, but for the most part, it appears to me that many of the techniques you have already learned can serve you well in JKD. Am I wrong here, Joe?

If I were you, I'd visit the area schools, and see what is offered. Watch a class or two of each, and ask for a schedule to look at. From there, you should be able to allocate your time to get a class or 2 in per week. When you view the classes, watch the content, and what they tend to focus on. You should be able to tell if they are working towards goals that may equal what you want. You may not find the perfect match, but you should get something that gives you most of what you want. Like tallgeese mentioned, working on techniques on your own, without instruction, could lead to bad habits forming. You can break these, but it can take time, and you end up re-training instead of training. Like he said, work things you are pretty sure you know for now. Along with that, doing some basic physical fitness exercises would benefit your solo training time fairly significantly. Welcome to KF.

No doubt there. It definitely takes some guidance to get there.

7-30-09 Warm-up: Bike ride/jog with the puppy dog today - stretch. Combat Hapkido: 8:45 - 9:30. We worked on our trapping applications today, and also worked on strining together techniques from these applications. The work we have been doing on combo string really helped out here. Bench press: 195x5x5 sets Crunches: 25x4 1/2 sit-ups: 25 Push-ups: 28, 20..max sets Double crunches: 25 Dumbell military press: 20x15x3 Sit-ups: 15, 15 Dips: 7, 6...max sets Tonight TKD testing: 6:00 - 7:00. Testing was small tonight, with 3 white belts, 3 low orange belts, and 1 high orange belt, and 1 recommended black belt testing for 1st dan. No demo tonight, either, which I was kind of glad for.

I've done that several times, to each of my ankles, and it is not a good time at all. I've had x-rays each time, because I heard the popping noises each time. You should do the same. I didn't have any broken bones any of the times, but on one occasion I did have to wear a boot to lock my foot into place, and keep weight off of it. Not a fun time, but at least it wasn't broken.

Actually, I power lifting does tend to build muscle mass, just not as toned up as a body builder would be. Also, I don't think there is actual proof that building a massive body is building a slow body. I think that there is a common misconception that big people are slow people, and this just isn't the case. Even if someone is big and strong, like a body builder, they can still train to be fast. Also, keep in mind that one's ability be fast is due in large part to the amount of fast-twitch muscle fibers one is genetically endowed with. Football players are a good example of how big, strong, muscular people can be strong and fast. Many NFL caliber offensive lineman, weighing in the neighborhood of 300 lbs, can still run a 40 yard dash in around 5 seconds. Then, they bench press 225 lbs between 20 and 30 times. You can also watch some of the drills that linemen do with their hands, because they have to use their hands so much in their blocking techniques. Sumo wrestlers are another example to look at. Even though they don't look like they are strong, and look unhealthy due to their size, most of them are extremely flexible, and their hands are fast, too. So, as you can see from these examples, there is more proof that weight training in various capacities is actually a boon MA training, as opposed to a drawback.

These are great ways to look at the lead leg round kick. Thanks for the pointers. I should have clarified what I was thinking earlier, because the kick I was thinking of was one of just picking the front leg up, without any step with the back leg, or other set-up for the kick. But, these are good ideas that you mention here.

...isn't finished yet. ...isn't a big secretive thing. ...isn't a religion.