bushido_man96

My wife would probably say that I have gone overboard on them!

religion isn't based on understanding - it's based on faith. If your faith says that any power not from God is evil, then ki would be considered evil if it's not proven to be from God. Hence the discussion earlier about ki being spiritual energy - like the power of prayer - which is God given. Good point, elbows_and_knees. Here is my take on it: ki is in the body, like a soul, spirit, energy, however you want to describe it. So, if it is part of the body, which God created, then it should be a good thing, right? But, that doesn't mean that it can't be used wrongly.

I agree with you, Adonis. Although, being a full time fighter does make it easier.

you got to love bruce Oh yes. I have mucho material on him--the Tuttle Press books that were released years ago.

I work for a detention center. I work nights mainly, so we get in some rowdys from time to time. I enjoy it, and you have to stay aware, and always use your head to keep things on the safe side. You should check with elbows_and_knees. He bounces at a night club, and is very knowledgable. Good luck in the future!

Reminds me of that scene it Tango and Cash! "You sat on his chest?" "I couldn't find a piano." Classic.

Congratulations! Good luck in the coming months to test for black!

I'll admit, I was a Turtle Fan. My favorite cartoon of all, is Gargoyles.

Good info, nice link.

I always liked to read and study about bushido, and about ancient warfare in general, in the east and west. I love all styles and arts, and love to study the history of them. I grew up in a town of 5000, and there was only one martial arts school. If you got into an art there, people knew. I eventually ended up teaching for a few years. So everyone knew who I was, and I even have a personalized plate that says BUSHIDO. When I was looking for a username for my hotmail account, I tried bushido, and it wasn't available, so I went with bushido_man, and then I needed a number to make it work. I graduated high school in 1996, so there you have it: bushido_man96!

Congratulations!

I feel like I just can't move in them. By the way, welcome to KF! Hope you enjoy the banter!

Well, good luck with this! I can't offer any information to you, and feel good about it. I wish I just had one to check out! I hope you find what you are looking for.

In boxing, I have felt in the past that the welter weight division is the most competitive. It may not be so now, as I don't get to watch as much as I used to. As for Muay Thai, I only catch the occasional match late at night on ESPN2, so I can't offer any substantial thoughts there.

That's a really interesting point. Do you have some sort of documentation on this? I wouldn't mind finding out more... Wiki for karate, and you can find some of this info. I printed out a bunch of stuff, and there is lots of info. Also wiki Funakoshi, and you will get lots of info as well.

So, would you count India and the Philipenes as middle, or far east? If middle, Kalarpayatu and the stick arts would fall in there.

It is sad that it seems like the oganizations become a necessary evil, when it comes to getting certifications and credibility and such. Society places such clout in these things. It relates to what people perceive as accountability and legitimacy. Kind of stinks, but its hard to get around.

It is hard to find instructors who encourage this, at least in my experience. If I wanted to train in something esle, like judo or BJJ, my instructor would not allow it. I would have to quit his school to do it. I guess it is lucky for me, there is nothing else around here to do.

If it comes down to seeing the targets available, I believe I will take the head, body, and legs as opposed to the armpit.

I have had beginners who will not kihap in sparring, and then we get on them to start, and then they never stop! I have also had a student who was the opposite when he did his forms. He would hold his breath when he did his forms! We kept telling him that if he kept this up, he was going to pass out while performing! He never did quite shake it. Had to keep telling him to breath.

Very admirable. I don't think a lot of instructors would do this. You clearly had the student's interest in mind.

Wow, that sounds kind of crazy. Good idea on your part.

This is a very good article. You have successfuly covered all (or nearly all) of the questions that a beginner will encounter. Maybe from now on, when people post about what style to choose, we should just refer them to this article!

"Before I studied the art, a punch to me was just a punch, a kick was just a kick. After I'd studied the art, a punch was no longer a punch, a kick no longer a kick. Now that I understand the art, a punch is just a punch, a kick is just a kick." .......Bruce Lee, Tao of Jeet Kune Do.

Best of luck to you!