bushido_man96

Yes, but you have skill to go with your will. If you didn't have any skill, then it changes the arguement a bit.

Very nice, Bob. That is a great thing to offer to the kids. To by a kid again, indeed.

Absolutely good advice, Bob. Always be prepared.

Interesting. It doesn't sound as pleasing as chocolate milk, though.

Where you able to get a gi on Boomer fairly easily? 8-7-09 Morning Bike: 1 mile w/dog. 1/4 was a sprint, 1/4 was a steady pace, and the rest was a nice cool down (dog ran himself out). Evening Warm-up: 1/4 mile on elliptical, 5 minutes stretch. Crunches: 4x25 Assisted pull-ups: 10, 9, max sets. Lat pull-down: 108x15x3 Weighted crunches: 60x10x2 Dumbell rows: 25x10, 30x10x2 Dumbell curls: 20x10x3 Bar curls: 60x10x3 Bike: 8 minutes 8-10-09 Bench press: 165x10, 175x8, 185x6, 195x4, 215x2, 235x1 Went up this week. Crunches: 4x25 These are coming easier. 1/2 sit-ups: 25 Double crunches: 25 Push-ups: 30, 25, max sets. Having trouble getting over the hump here. Gripper: 30x15x3 Sit-ups: 35, 15 Dumbell military press: 25x15x3 Dips: 8x2, max sets. Bike: 10 minutes at 90+ rpms.

You might consider a different focus each week. Week 1, focus on the upper body basics. Week 2, do the kicks. Week 3, do katas. Or, base it off what you do in class that week. If the focus is kata, maybe do basics with your own time, etc.

And the funny thing is that it appears more and more that people want to blame the Americans for these kinds of things, when it appears to have started with the very Easterners that brought it to us! As far as time in grade goes, it will vary from art to art, and school to school. Anywhere from 3 to 5 years appears to be a norm. I think I might have gotten my first dan in TKD in around 2 years, but there weren't any "forms applications" to pick out. Now, if you look at BJJ, it can take an average of 10 years to make it to 1st dan. It all just depends. Holding high ranks from testing for a fear of losing students, isn't a very good policy. But, some students do sign up with a goal of earning a black belt, and then feel that there isn't anymore to do. Here is when the instructor needs to show that there is more to it after obtain this rank.

My DT partner has worked with this one as well. We have noticed that turning the punch way over like that offers great protection of the face by the shoulder.

I think that the center is probably fairly accurately stated as 3" below the navel, even though men and women are built differently. However, I think that there may be some play in there, too, but generally, I think it is close. It is usually stated that women tend to have a lower center than men do for the most part. Also, taller, lankier people will likely have a higher center than a shorter, stockier person. I do think that movement coming from this center is a fundamental idea behind efficient movement, both in sport and in regular activity. Learning how to move the center about makes many actions easier.

8-6-09 Leg press: 275x20x3 Dead lift: 200x5x3 Calf raises: 3x15 Lunges: 3x10 Bike: 10 minutes, 5 minute stretch, legs only.

I like the dessert idea! Thanks for that one, too.

I'm all for preventing permanent injuries, as well. Getting an ankle bumped by an elbow, however, will rarely cause permanent injury; only temporary discomfort. Pain is not for everyone. However, MAs, for the most part, are a contact activity, and developing a level of toughness is just one of many attributes that partner training, including sparring, help to build. Also, sparring without pads creates a different kind of sparring. With too much protection on, like a chest protector in TKD, fighters begin to drop their hands and forget about protecting/deflecting from strikes. Take those protectors off, and the guys who are more used to sparring without protectors, but with some contact levels, are suddenly able to make those who aren't very uncomfortable.

Well, there is a lot of coulda, woulda, shoulda that you hear about every day in the world. Restraints come in a lot of forms, physical inability, time constraints, etc. In the end, though, it adds up to not being there for everybody.

ShoriKid, I don't think that either of those are wrong reasons to go to the class. Seeing what is being marketed out there is kind of a way to windowshop the Martial Arts. Not a bad call. After all is said and done, you may find something you like. As for getting to tee off on someone, I can't blame you there, either. At one of the DT sessions that I attended, someone geared up in a Redman suit. I got excited about the idea of really teeing off on the guy in the suit, too. Not many of us ever really get a chance to really unload, and see what it feels like. Getting a chance to do that should be taken.

I like to have books for sources on just about anything. The thing I like the most about books, especially with good photos, is being able to get a technique in a stop-in-time kind of format. I think it helps me to see it in chunks, and then get to putting it all together. I would take books for both stand-up and ground, but what is important is the presentation of the photos and the descriptions. I've found that the Gracie book series on BJJ are very well photographed, and explained. With that said, after reading review, seeing a video of how it all flows together is most helpful in completing everything.

8-4-09 Warm-up: bike 2 miles, 5 minute stretch Leg press: 315x10, 10, 325x10 Assisted pull-ups: 9, 7, 6, max sets Lunges: 25x10x3 Dumbell curls 25, 15, 10 superset: 10, 15, 20; 10, 12, 15x2 Calf raises: 3x15 Elliptical: 1.5 miles 8-5-09 Warm-up: mile bike ride with dog, 5 minutes stretching. Bench press: 200x5x5 Crunches: 25x4 1/2 sit-ups: 25 Push-ups: 30, 21, max sets. Double crunches: 25 Dumbell military press: 25x15x3 Sit-ups: 30, 20 Dips: 9, 8, max sets. Elliptical: 10 minutes, brief stretch Aikido Tenkan: 3x10 each side. Irimi: 10 each side. Forward roll: 2x10 each side, alternating Backward roll: 3 each side Kneeling backward roll: 3 each side x 2

Very good point, Joe.

White should have taken the high road here. I agree that if he wants Fedor that bad, then he'll work with Fedor to get him there. I really don't think Fedor cares about having to "prove" he is the best by bending to the will of the UFC. I think this is one situation that White is not going to win, and his words at the end of that article won't help in bringing Fedor back any time soon...unless White agrees to fight Fedor...that might bring him on boad...

I think that the main role of the senior student is to be a role model and example for the rest of the students in the class. If a student needs some help, then the senior should be able to offer it. The senior should know all of the requirements up to his own. I think that is the main role.

I do think that it is important to work with AI's on the how's of teaching. Not everyone can teach, but everyone can learn something positive from the experience, and perhaps get good enough to teach one day.

The establishment as a whole, and therefore, the owner, could end being sued for negligence, if nothing else.

I have heard of the chocolate milk claims, and I don't need much coaxing to get another serving of chocolate into my life. So, if it is even recommended, then I'm right on board there...

Loren Christensen has some nice drills for the forearms in his book Solo Training 2. He does one drill where he takes two plates, 5 or 10 pounds, and holds them together between his fingers, and swings his arms gently. You can do it for time, or reps. Another was with a softball with a hole drilled in it, string through it, and at the end of the string you tied a weight. Another exercise is to take a length of dowel that you can hold in 2 hands, put a length of string on it, attach a weight, and then roll up and unroll the weight. Antoher that I have found fun is to hold an escrima stick in one hand, at the top of the stick. From there, you "walk" the stick up using your fingers, and when you get to the bottom of the stick, you let it flip back down, and do it again.

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.