Sohan

My hands. The women in my life have always commented that I have great hands, though I also am rather proud of my pectorals from my bench pressing days. With respect, Sohan

You're in your normal weight range for your height. I guess you have to ask yourself, what is my athletic goal? Is it bodybuilding? If so, you'll need to be at least 195-210 or more for your height. Do you want to powerlift? Most top powerlifters at your height are at least 220-242 or more. Do you want to be an all-around good athlete and martial artist? Maybe add about 10-20 lbs, and give yourself a good combo of moderate aerobic work coupled with power training and flexibility work. Also, learn how to measure your bodyfat and monitor that as well as your weight to make sure you're gaining muscle and not adipose. If you really want to be cut you're going to need to be under 10% to see results. Keep in mind that increased mass will not necessarily make you more powerful. Strength and speed gains make you more powerful. Gain size, but focus on gaining strength and speed even more if you practice MA. With respect, Sohan

You probably don't often see karate used in a street fight because most Karate-do practitioners don't walk around looking for fights. In fact, the skill I've most learned in karate-do is, as your idol Bruce Lee puts it, "the art of fighting without fighting". IMO upwards of 90% of all fights that occur can be avoided without any need for violence, and they are usually caused because of a bruised ego or one's lack of self confidence thinking they have something to prove. True karate-do practitioners would never seek out a fight except when they are given no choice, and then they are fully capable of defending themselves, as I have had to in my life against vicious attackers. Take the punches, the kicks, the breaks, the throws, etc, away from some arts, and you have nothing left. Take them away from karate-do, and you have a moral and ethical value system that can guide you to greater harmony with your home, work, and social environment. With respect, Sohan

If not used correctly, yes. ANYthing can cause problems in excess. If you take it according to recommended dosages, and stay well hydrated, there shouldn't be any problem with it whatsoever. Most of the sensational cases (Mike Matarazzo being one, although that wasn't strictly due to creatine) came about because of severe extremes. In Matarazzo's case, he became so dehydrated from competition prep that he went into body cramps and fibrillation. At the time it was partially attributed to creatine, although the extent of the "blame" was never deteremined. ANYTHING in excess can cause problems. Even water. Aodhan Interesting you bring up Matarazzo. I was in one, that is ONE bodybuilding contest in my life. I have never felt WORSE than I did for that meet. The manipulation of my body's fluid levels made me feel horrible, much worse than I ever did making weight in boxing or for a weightlifting competition. I was cramping so bad backstage I thought I wouldn't make it out. And I wasn't the only one, there were others with their struggles. This was a DRUG-TESTED contest, before creatine was even available. I can't imagine what today's mega-steroid-fed-horse-hormone-taking bodybuilders put their bodies through---I just had a buddy die a few weeks ago who was a top BB in Georgia at age 40---had a heart attack, but with about 3% bodyfat and a body to die for. It's a terrible, warped sport that BB has morphed into today. As far as creatine goes, it's fine IMO for moderate use, but be careful--- if you tend to frequently become dehydrated or are prone to muscle cramps, this isn't the supplement for you. With respect, Sohan

I think if you drink a gallon of whole milk each day as recommended, you're going to make some cardiologist very, very, happy someday. Stick with water or skim milk. The protein mix consists of powdered egg white and milk solids. Not exactly earthshattering stuff. It has some other stuff like inosine (which I took back in the 80's and found worthless) and antler powder (wonder where they came up with that??), but the weight gain is from it's mixture of carbs and the whole milk calories. I get a kick out of the web sites with supplement reviews---usually about half of the reviewers are SUPPLEMENT REPS themselves. Think they're unbiased sources? Russian Bear 5000 is mostly harmless, as it's been around a long time, but I wouldn't pay more than 20 bucks for a 4lb container. With respect, Sohan

If I ever went vegetarian, I would do it for this reason primarily. I'm not too concerned about the health effects of a modest and balanced consumption of red meat, fish and chicken, but I am appalled at the way we treat most of these animals over the course of their lives. I wouldn't expect them to be given the same status as my domestic dog or cat, but the conditions they spend their short lives in is, IMO, reprehensible. With respect, Sohan

Welcome to KF! With respect, Sohan

How did you enjoy the seminar with Vince Morris? I have always wanted to meet him. With respect, Sohan

I'm sorry to hear this. Our prayers are with you. With respect, Sohan

the average non bodybuilding male doesn't care about cater weight. the muscle density gained and strength increases - that is what they care about. That and the energy production and lessened lactic acid buildup. As for aerobic conditioning, I never noticed a difference when I was using it. It's a well known myth that bigger = slower. you have to be HUGE for that to happen. If he's that big, he doesn't need creatine - he needs jenny craig. Additional muscle strength from creatine usage will not hurt aerobic conditioning, and weight training as bodybuilders perform it (not like powerlifters) may provide slight improvements in aerobic capacity. However, by making a muscle larger in size the mitochondria in muscle cells that serve a major role in aerobic energy production have to service more muscle mass, diluting their effectiveness. Another problem concerns aerobic performance, such as running or cycling, where bodyweight is an issue. Added mass without a greater proportional increase in aerobic capacity will lead to diminished performance. It's a simple matter of physics, really. If your cardiovascular system is tuned to carry a 150 lb body a certain distance in a certain time, and you add 10 lbs without increasing cardiovascular capacity, you go slower. This is why you don't see many marathoners or Tour de France winners that look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Short distances can accomodate larger frames, but there is a limit. With respect, Sohan

Although I don't use strict karate forms in sparring, my training enables me to generate more power, have better balance, and find more openings than my boxing/MT training did alone. I take a more boxing/MT stance and use a lot of the techniques, which sometimes annoys my strict karate opponents, but the mix seems to speak for itself. With respect, Sohan

If I was to fight a US president, it would be either Teddy Roosevelt or Andrew Jackson. Those were some pretty tough guys in their prime. With respect, Sohan

I have really enjoyed my short time here at KF. I think Patrick has done a great job with the site and he is lucky to have so many fine people who have made positive contributions to his forum's success. I'm sure to be looking forward to the 10th anniversary of KF with the same expectations of outstanding achievement. With respect, Sohan

Wow. Even with the exchange rate, that seems pretty steep. I'd shop around a little more if you can. With respect, Sohan

Aodhan, this is not really correct. Kidney beans actually are deficient in methionine, which is an essential amino acid, so they aren't considered a "complete" protein. The two beans that are complete are soybeans and quinoa, both of which are available at local supermarkets now. And you're right, though, B12 is difficult to get in a strict vegan diet, so that is why many vegan products are fortified with b12 to correct this. With respect, Sohan

Nice to have you aboard. With respect, Sohan

Man, and I thought MY post was wacky. :) With respect, Sohan

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the kind words. I'm sure I'm no prouder of my son than anyone else would be of their child, but it sure feels good nonetheless. Unfortunately, the magic stopped tonight, but they had fun and worked hard as a team, and in the end, that's what really matters. With respect, Sohan

I enjoy training kids. They can be a challenge, but I've really grown in my own MA training as a result of my experiences with them. Glad to see you're having a good experience. We need more role models like you! With respect, Sohan

$100 for 45 g??? Please tell me you're kidding or that you are really paying in pesos. I pay on average about $32US for 900 grams of whey protein powder. If you're paying in US dollars, you're being ripped off. Check around on the internet, you can find a much better deal. Anyway, at what whey protein costs today, it is actually cheaper than buying beef or chicken, has little fat, and is incredibly convenient. As far as your request: eat lean, eat protein, eat complex carbs, eat small portions, and eat frequently. It's really that simple. With respect, Sohan

The most important thing is to get complementary proteins in your diet to replace the complete protein you get from animal sources, particularly if you are an athlete who trains very rigorously. Protein is made up of amino acids, some you must get from food (essential) and some your body can synthesize on its own (non-essential). Think of protein as a word, and amino acids as the letters you need to make the word. Without all the letters/amino acids you need, you can't make the word/protein. Animal protein is a complete protein because it has all the essential amino acids needed. Most vegetable protein contains only some, not all, of the essential aminos, so it's important to eat protein from complementary sources throughout the day. Examples would be beans with rice, or peanut butter with bread. You should easily find info on complementary proteins in a Google search. Also, be careful of your fat intake. Vegetarian diets tend to be fairly high in fat, so be aware that not all vegetarian cuisine is necessarily healthy, just as not all animal products are unhealthy, either. With respect, Sohan

What's yours? With respect, Sohan

Not me!........The BIZ would be a quit-smoking org. The only things I smoke are babyback ribs. With respect, Sohan

KarateK and I have recently uncovered a mystery that is of Da Vinci Code magnitude here at KF that may rock the socks of many of those who are longterm members. It regards a certain member of our emoticon cast that has been available for all to view, yet carries itself behind a shroud of profound secrecy. It is the strange case of the Pony Smilie. :pony: What makes it a pony, and why is it smiling? :pony: Was there something humorous that occurred when it was designed to make it smile in such an ambiguous fashion, or could it be something more sinister? And what is that odd-shaped potato-like apparition behind it? Is there some spiritual meaning that we aren't ready to fully comprehend? Occasional sightings of the Pony Smilie have leading experts here at KF pondering it's purpose and greater meaning, trying to uncipher the deep riddles it surely possesses. It has been written by many famous sources that the Pony Smilie was alleged to once having been a member of the famous Opus Dei cult that continues to this day to deny its very existence as a chosen smiley---but we have evidence that it does indeed exist, though it is rarely seen, on this very website. If you can be of any help in unraveling the mysterious existence at KF of the Pony Smilie, please contribute here. Together we can solve this puzzle and once and for all find it's true meaning, and help the Pony Smilie to find its rightful purpose here at the KarateForums website. :pony: :pony: :pony: We sincerely thank you for your help. With respect, Sohan

Cold turkey? Sure, if you call 20 posts a day cold turkey. I better never start a stop-smoking biz, I'd go broke in a week. With respect, Sohan