bushido_man96

1-14-08 Black Belt Class: Tonight, we did all 5 of our Do Kangs, which are "black belt basics." They are kind of like forms, I guess, but get progressively tougher. After these, I did 10 push-ups, which was tough, because my arms were worn out from the hand techniques. Then, we moved on to forms, and we did all 10 colored belt forms. I did a short stretch afterwards, and then did 10 more push-ups. It was a good workout, but I need to improve my ability to keep pushing through and keep my power up for my forms.

That's an original idea. I had not heard that one before.

My buddy that I work on Defensive Tactics with has quite the bag: usually a portable DVD player, his knee brace, lots of DVDS, some manuals, some soft air pistols and some rubber band guns...with ammo. I have my own rubber band gun that I take with me now, too.

This is just speculation, but from what I know of TSD, I think they are similar to TKD type sparring rules; kicks to the head and body, punches to the body, and maybe no punches to the head (not for sure, though). I also think that it is light to medium contact, calling breaks for points. Just a guess, though. It may depend on the organization as well.

One way to vary your round kick is to chamber the kick like a front kick initially, and then turn your leg and hip over when you turn into the kick. It will not have the same amount of power as a full chamber, but with practice, it can get the job done. Use the pivot and hip turnover to generate power.

It sounds like you have a bit of bad and good going there. At least being able to get back to TKD is something to look forward to.

It has to do with becoming a better person through the training. Many focus on the 5 tenents, which include integrity, self-control, indomitable spirit, perserverance, and loyalty. It has to do with the idea that as you gain rank and power in your techniques, you also gain responsibility, and have to conduct yourself so as not to abuse what you know.

They sure do change a lot, that is for sure. I would like to see one of those clinics, DWx.

This 15 volume set of encyclopedia covers just about everything technical for ITF TKD (at, least the way it was when they debuted). Hardbound, with a ribbon book mark in each volume, these books are pretty nice, and the English translation is pretty good. Each volume covers something a bit different. Volume 1 covers basic history of TKD. It also covers the ideals, philosophies, and methodologies of Gen. Choi. Some notes I made from v. 1: *importance of student development over commercialism *importance of developing students outside of the dojang as well as inside *students should be encouraged to study in other dojangs *instructors should answer questions honestly and admit when they do not know the answer *instructors should not expect favors from students; cleaning school, etc. Volume 1 also includes layouts for testing cycles, testing requirements, and training schedules. Volume 2 covers: *Power: Reaction force, Concentration, Equilibrium, Breath Control, Mass, Speed, Reflex. *Attacking and Blocking tools, Vital spots. *Complete charts relating attacking tools to blocking tools. *Stances *Belt System-color significance *Instructions for making/training on a makiwara, along with training for heavy bag, focus pad, shield, a very interesting blocking apparatus, stretching pulleys, wooden horses, jars, stance moulds, and speed bags. *Stretches Volume 3 covers Hand Techniques for attacking and blocking, along with some applications and dodging footwork. Volume 4 covers Kicking, including flying kicks, defensive kicks and checking kicks. Also covered is stepping with the sine wave. Volume 5: Sparring *What level of sparring for each rank *Pre-arranged sparring (1, 2, 3-step sparring), including footwork *Semi-free and free sparring; also points out limitations of free sparring *Foot sparring, which he says is derived from the old Taek Yon *Hoo Sin Sul: here, you can begin to see some forms applications *Throws and falling *Some weapons defenses, which are kind of questionable Volumes 6 and 7 cover fundamental and basic movements, including stances, walking, and turning. Volume 7 is a bit more advanced, including flying kicks, flying multiple kicks, and dodging/jumping hand strikes. Most of the techniques are shown from a beginning stance and position, and are then executed like a floor drill style. Volumes 8 through 15 cover all of the forms of the ITF system. Included are lots of photos; a large photo of the technique, and on the facing page, smaller photo sequences beginning with the previous position, showing the transition, and then the finished technique position, along with an appliaction picture. Footwork diagrams are also provided to show direction of travel. Each section begins with the new moves/basics/stances for the form being shown. *v8: 4 direction punch, 4 direction block, Chon-Ji, Dan-Gun, Do-San *v9: Won-Hyo, Yul-Gok, Joong-Gun *v10: Toi-Gye, Hwa-Rang, Choong-Moo *v11: Kwang-Gae, Po-Eun, Ge-Baek *v12: Eui-Am, Choong-Jang, Juche *v13: Sam-Il, Yoo-Sin, Choi-Yong *v14: Yon-Gae, Ul-Ji, Moon-Moo *v15: So-San, Se-Jong, Tong-Il Overall, if you are an ITF practitioner, or a practitioner of the Chang 'On forms, then this volume of encyclopedia can be very helpful to you. They are well written, and fairly easy to understand. Even if the style of forms you do is varied in some way, these books will still help to point you in the right direction. If anything, it is nice to see the way Gen. Choi laid things out.

One thing that I forgot to mention that seems to be an ongoing theme in these early chapters is the direwolves' penchant for protecting the Starks. Summer, Bran's wolf, killed the assassin. Nymeria attacks Jofferey, and even Lady is protective of Sansa when she is startled by Sandor Clegane and Ser Ilyn Payne. Ghost attacks Tyrion as well in protection of Jon.

One other thing you can do is tie it, and then untie it, and tie it again, and repeat,...a lot. Like, for an hour straight, for a few days...

Kicking the head of BOB is a different experience than the regular bag. I especially like to focus instep round kicks to the neck of BOB. Some of my classmates think I am disturbed...

What kind of changes specifically? for exemple, in heian godan or bassai-dai when we raised the knee before de gedan-barai in kiba-dachi, in this book, we do the move without the knee, directly in kiba dachi. It's just a minor changes, not really important, you know, if you want to sell a new book, on the same subject, you need to something new...... In every book that I read on the ITF forms for TKD, I see all kinds of minor changes to the forms as well. Of all the book that I have read on this forms system, I have learned that A) none are the same, and B) none of them exactly match how my association does the forms, either.

I hear ya, ps1. I don't know that I would care to step into a ring and fight MMA, but I would sure give the training a try.

Depending on what you are doing I think the music might actually help you. Think about it, if you can't concentrate with music on, how are you going to concentrate during a real fight. During an actual conflict there could be countless distractions. That is true, but at the same time, you might zone everything else out in a real fight. My brother played football throughout middle school, high school, and at a small college, and I asked him once if he ever heard or saw the crowd when he played. He said the only things he ever saw was Dad walking the sidelines; everything else was blurred out and fuzzy, and he could hear Mom yelling in the crowd. Otherwise, that was it. That is just one person's experience, though. Everyone is different.

1-11-08 Biceps/triceps/shoulders Dumbell bicep curls: 3x10x20 lbs. Dumbell triceps kick-backs: 3x10x20 lbs. Overhead dumbell shoulder press: 3x10x20 lbs. Cross-body dumbell hammer curls: 3x10x20 lbs. Overhead dumbell triceps press: 3x10x20 lbs. Dumbell shoulder raise: 3x10x20 lbs. Legs Lunges: 3x5 each leg x 20 lbs. Side kick hold and pulse: 3x10 each leg. Stretch: 20 minutes, seated splits, reaching to each side, reverse hurdler. Abs Crunches: 3x15

I guess I don't recall Theon and Jon's relationship well. I'll see here soon, though. You may be right about Robb and Theon. It will be interesting to see if Theon is still around or not in the later books. I assume that he is not, but I could be wrong. Martin has a way of surprising us. As for Sansa, you hit the nail on the head with her. It is almost painful to read her chapters; it just annoys me. When she becomes more involved, and even has her chapters changed to the name Alayne, things get a bit more interesting to her. She starts to realize that real life isn't like the stories.

I am reading the Best Karate series right now, and I like it alot, even though I am not a Karate practitioner. There is some very good information in there, and the forms layouts in the books are very nice.

If anything, you'd think steroids would have been punished more harshly. That's so crazy! It should be like the olympics...if you get caught using a banned substance...you lose! End of story. Lose, and banned from competition. However, there are so many fight organizations out there now, that if one starts to ban its fighters, the others may take them in to gain some fans. It would have to be something that went across the board to all commissions.

That is the one thing that Boxing does teach you to deal with well. You can, and will, be hit. I think it helps to develop determination and drive to resist.

A Game of Thrones; Sansa This is one of my favorite chapters, I think. We see the stark comparisons between Arya and Sansa. Sansa is the proper lady, well bred and refined. Arya, is quite the opposite. Sansa is concerned with her stature; Arya is not. Arya seems very down-to-earth, and Sansa has her head in the clouds. We learn that Sansa is so connected to the romanticized stories that she heard as a child, that she actually believes them to be the way of the world. She speaks of them so much, that it almost makes you sick at times. Sansa and Arya are to spend the day riding with the Queen and Princess Myrcella in the Queen's wheelhouse. Sansa is excited about this, but Arya would rather hang out with the butcher's boy, Mycah. Sansa is afraid that Arya will ruin everything for her today, too. Upon returning from talking with Arya about what the days agenda is supposed to be, Sansa learns that 3 knights have arrived to see the King the rest of the way home. We meet Ser Berristan Selmy, The Bold, who is the head of the Kingsguard. We also meet King Robert's younger brother, Renly Baratheon, who is the Lord of Storm's End. Last of all, is Ser Ilyn Payne, the King's headsman, who had his tongue ripped out by the Mad King; he is an intimidating figure, and Sansa is physically frightened of him at first. The Queen tells Sansa that she must postpone their day together, and instead offers for Jofferey to spend the day with Sansa. Sansa is delighted, and they spend the day riding together (which she told him she loved to do, but told Arya earlier that she hated riding). They go riding, explore, eat and drink wine, and ride some more. They come upon two youngsters who are playing at swords, and Jofferey decides to let his true colors show. The two playing are Mycah and Arya. Jofferey decides to initmidate Mycah, and Arya's true colors show through. She attacks Jofferey with her stick, and when Jofferey comes at her, Nymeria attacks him. Arya finishes by tossing Joff's sword into the river, and Sansa has to send for help for Joff. Joff shows displeasure with Sansa at the end of it all, too.

Welcome to KarateForums, gbells!

Yeah, you bring up some good points. I think that for the most part, Theon is in for himself. However, one of his best qualities, I feel, is his shrewdness. When he does finally get back to his father, he is not looked at as Ironborn anymore; he spent too much time away from the sea. However, I thought that Theon was closer to Jon than he was to Robb; Theon and Jon kind of fell into a similar mold together.

That sounds like a good deal, ps1! It is kind of eerie, though.

A Game of Thrones; Catelyn Catelyn sits in the sickroom with Bran, who has yet to awaken. The meat of this chapter is an assassination attempt on Bran, the diversion for which was setting the library of Winterfell afire. When the assassin arrives at the room, he comments that no one was to be in the room, but Bran. Cat struggles with the assassin, and before the killer is able to do his job, Bran's direwolf arrives, and dispatches the killer. Afterwards, Cat is treated for her injuries. Her hands were cut very badly in the struggle with the knifer. She is given milk of the poppy, and finally sleeps, for 4 days. Upon awakening, Cat speaks with Luwin, Rodrick Cassel, Robb, and Theon Greyjoy, the ward of Eddard from the Iron Islands, and Cat states that she feels Bran was to be killed for something that he saw. She knows that Jaime Lannister was in the castle when the group went out hunting, and suspects him. She tells them of the message from her sister, Lysa, of the suspision of Lord Arryn's death at the hands of the Lannisters, which she thinks is linked. Cat decides that she will go to King's Landing, and find out what she can. What doesn't make sense to me is why Theon Greyjoy is trusted in such a way to be involved in this discussion. Theon refers to Eddard as a "second father" and also states that his family owes the Starks a great debt. None of this makes sense, but it becomes clearer later on, when we learn how Ned and Robert fought against Greyjoy's Rebellion.