Sohan

That was beautiful *sniff* But it must be mentioned that the guy's size and streangth DID make ALOT harder for the BJJ guy. Plus, not many of us on this board are Pedro Sauer. With respect, Sohan

Nice job. Good luck with the site! With respect, Sohan

In the Southern U.S., everything is a Coke. You'll get a strange look if you order pop in Georgia. With respect, Sohan

Yeah, a trainer I know just posted it on his blog. It's very eye-opening! Bushido, I've become VERY aware of what I put in my body nowadays. I'm not 23 anymore, and I have no intention of slowing down anytime soon, so I have to be more conscious of what I eat and drink. With respect, Sohan

Supplement manufacturers are hardly known for being unbiased sources. Please read my post again. I don't believe I said that creatine was "only" good for 5 rep sets. Creatine was, however, reported in a study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise to be most useful for low repetition, high intensity training. I would be most interested to read any independent peer-reviewed research you might have regarding the retention or "upsweep" of protein into muscle tissue. I've read quite a bit of research about creatine since receiving my Masters degree, and from my reading, I have not yet seen that higher intramuscular creatine levels have been proven to result in increased protein synthesis, much less cause increased "protein uptake" by tissue. Again, please reread my previous post. I did not say using creatine is a waste of money, nor did I say using protein is a waste of money. I did say that using creatine at the same time as you ingest protein will not provide the uptake that a carbohydrate source does, thus causing you to eliminate as waste more of that expensive creatine than you would have if you had consumed it with carbs. You likely benefited from your creatine ingestion despite the timing of your protein intake, not because of it. Protein has a minimal effect on increasing insulin levels, which is a major determinant of the rate that creatine is taken up by the system. Carbohydrate causes a much more significant insulin response, which is why carbs are superior to protein for consumption at the time you are ingesting creatine. Actually, your muscles contain more water than protein (@75% to 20%). Since creatine causes significant intramuscular water retention, this is what causes the appearance of larger muscle tissue. Keep in mind that protein is the structural component for muscle tissue. Creatine is a metabolite, an energy source. It is analogous to protein being the metal that the car is made from and creatine being the fuel that helps to make it run really, really fast, though only for short distances before refueling. Unlike protein, creatine serves as a primary source of ATP for high intensity work, therefore the more creatine stored in a muscle, the greater the potential for higher volume at high intensity levels during training. This results in greater muscle hypertrophy and strength gains. With respect, Sohan

I don't drink soft drinks anymore, though my son loves them. This is why I avoid them: http://healthbolt.net/2006/12/08/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-drink-a-coke-right-now/ However, I have good memories of icy cold Coca-Cola on hot Atlanta summer days (there is no such thing as Pepsi in Atlanta). Nowadays, my vice is a good pint of ale, though I've had to cut back drastically because it irritates my esophagus. With respect, Sohan

It's not really an either/or situation. I would simply take them at different times: creatine with juice 20-30 minutes before the workout, protein shake after. As long as your consuming consistent protein throughout the day, it's not as important that you eat protein right before the workout. With respect, Sohan

Not exactly. Creatine is a nitrogeneous organic acid, a fuel source for skeletal muscle during high intensity contractions such as a 5 rep bench or squat set. Supplementing with creatine doesn't help you retain protein but rather enables you to train longer and harder due to a higher quantity of available fuel, which helps you to achieve greater muscle strength and hypertrophic gains. And taking creatine with protein is a waste of money. Consuming carbohydrate (ie fruit juice) with your supplement will help you absorb the creatine much more effectively than protein. With respect, Sohan

Sounds OK to me, though I'm wary of any school that allows students to train with them only once per month while training the other days with dojo DVDs. I did enjoy this gem: "We are not spies, stealth assassins, invisible to the naked eye, we do not train underwater or on horse back durning normal dojo sessions." Hmm. Perhaps they do the above during special sessions? With respect, Sohan

Close. It's actually cricket. With respect, Sohan

Funny! With respect, Sohan

When I was a kid, I had a poster of Farrah Fawcett in my room (yes, I'm old). I found it quite inspirational. With respect, Sohan

I dont think it really has to be one or the other. However, most people only have a limited amount of time in which they choose to train, therefore spending time at 3 different schools during the week is not really an option. In saying that, what a person does should be aimed towards the things they are trying to achieve, and in my opinion, if your goal is purely self defence, then there are much more effective ways to learn than doing kata and breaking down the techniques into bunkai. I admit I do have more time to train and more flexibility than most. As a health and fitness profession, I am compelled to take my training seriously. However, my feeling is that we always have time for things in our life that we value. I value my family and my martial arts, so I prioritize my time to reflect this. I am no different from the 45 year old businessman training 15-18 hours a week for an Ironman triathlon, the 38 year old female masters swimmer putting in 2 hours of practice per day, or the 50 year old tennis player who practices daily and has tournaments each weekend. I certainly think that if one were to pursue an MMA ring career, MT/BJJ training would undoubtedly be superior and more efficient than karate. But with regards to self-defense, I feel that my karate training may actually be superior to my MT and BJJ training in certain areas. By studying karate I have acquired some fairly useful self-defense skills that I have surprised my MT mates with on occasion. Funny story. I brought a 52 year old Nidan with me to MT training one day. Our trainer put him in with one of the guys for some light sparring. The guy thought my friend would be easy pickings as he had no ring or MT experience and was considerably older and not in as good condition. He threw some jabs and a couple roundhouse kicks that found their mark, but my friend was able to block and counter his attacks fairly well. Finally, the kid comes in on my friend with a jab and overhand right and my friend steps right inside him with an uppercut elbow. Wham! The kid hit the floor like wet cement. Every system is different and every practitioner is different. Though the tools and learning process may vary, in the end it is what we do with them that matters. I know those who learned a kata 10 years ago and still can't do anything with the techniques that it contains, and others who have learned a kata and in a few months can apply it like pros. I also have guys in my Thai boxing school who have been there for years who wouldn't last 30 seconds against some of our green belts. With respect, Sohan

If you think steroids are only for building muscle mass, then you apparently don't follow major league baseball. Don't make the mistake of assuming bodybuilders aren't very strong, even the ones who don't juice. Anyway, fights have many, many variables that determine success. It's not a black and white issue of skills vs strength. I have substantial skills and am quite strong, but I'd rather walk away from a fight with a 275 lb powerlifter than fight him if he will give me the chance. Street fighting is a messy, ugly thing that always runs the risk of you being killed, no matter the situation or the eventual result. With respect, Sohan

Funny. I was in Walmart on Sunday and saw this very playset. My immediate reaction was that it was a bit cheesy and silly. Though I think Patrick makes a good point, this is not the same as a child playing cops and robbers. This toyset makes the claim that your child will learn self-defense. To me, it is more analogous to giving a child a BB gun and lessons and telling him he will be able to competently defend himself against an attacker with it. Karate is a weapon, and a means of self-defense, and just as I wouldn't seek to protect myself with a paintball or BB gun, I also wouldn't want my son to develop a false sense of confidence with the tools he might acquire from a $20 toyset. It would be more appropriate if they marketed the toy for what it is, a toy, and not make ridiculous claims that a child would become a "karate master". I got my tail kicked in a fight many years back in middle school simply because I was overconfident in my abilities after a few boxing lessons. I shudder to think in today's world what risks an overconfident child would face with the "skills" acquired from this playset. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate any tool that gets kids excited about martial arts. But I think my child would get more benefit from a month of kids karate class at the local Y or the city rec center than from this product. With respect, Sohan

SBG, my karate instructor charges only $30 per month, and we have no belt test fees. My sifu trains us at our school for free. On the other hand, my BJJ and MT instructors set me back nearly 4 times that, plus testing and competition fees for BJJ. I get incredible instruction from both. Don't worry what the other guys are doing--if you enjoy your school, trust your sensei, and respect the people you train with, then just do your best and forget what is happening elsewhere. In the end, it's really more relevent what you know than what is tied around your waist. With respect, Sohan

Good for you! Remember, as you continue your training, the ultimate key to success in any martial art: PERSISTENCE No matter how tired, bored, or discouraged you might get, don't quit. There will be times you will love karate, and other times where it may seem a chore. Those who reach black belt do so because they followed one basic philosophy: they didn't stop training. Even if you need to take a break, don't quit altogether. If you are in a decent school that has a good reputation, you will never regret it if you just don't quit. With respect, Sohan

Stay relaxed and have fun. Don't try too hard to impress, but rather seek to perform your kata and other materials as crisply as you can. Your sensei has already watched you in practice, so he/she obviously has the confidence in you to perform well. Test with that confidence in mind and you'll do fine. First belt tests are a special experience, and should be enjoyed to the fullest, as they only come around once per style. With respect, Sohan

Becoming a black belt after only 3 total years is a little quick for training in class only once per week, but as has been mentioned here before, every system, school, and instructor is different, and black belts represent different levels of proficiency depending on where you train. In my school we actually study three styles, Shorin Ryu, Shudokan, and now, Hung Gar, so when we receive our black belt we are considered that level for all three disciplines (of course, in reality Kung Fu has no black belt). This is why in my school you can come to class 3-4 times a week and it will still take you a minimum of 5 years to receive your black belt. Sensei even made the comment to me the other day that my grade would likely be 2 dan higher in another school that only studied one system. You sound like you are diligent in your training and approach it with great integrity, and it seems your sensei recognizes that. I think you will do fine to trust your sensei's judgement and just keep your head down, train hard, and let the belt levels arrive as they will. Accept the recognition of your hard work, and keep your eyes on the true meaning of your training. With respect, Sohan

I understand your point however i was making an analogy with a situation. What I mean is that in order to see anything useful in kata you need to dig deeper into bunkai and be patient. Unless your goal is to have a really shiny car I would of course not advise waxing on and off… I think the point is, if both ways are going to get you the same result, why would you ever choose the first option? Why spend years to become a decent fighter when you can achieve this in 12 months? Certainly, the second option is likely the most efficient way to become a proficient fighter. If my son was being bullied at school, as much as I love karate I would instead have enrolled him in Muay Thai and/or BJJ first. However, the answer is different for everyone. The answer for me is that I do kata for reasons other than just fighting. I learn the bunkai and seek to understand as completely as I can the applications within each form. However, I also do kata because it makes me more agile and gives me better body awareness and power creation, as well as I find kata teaches me to relax. Besides, why does it have to be one or the other? I Thai box, grapple, and perform Karate, and benefit from all of them. I am a better Thai boxer because of Karate, a better grappler because of Thai Boxing, and a better Karate-ka because of grappling, etc. And now that I've been studying Hung Gar Kung Fu for the past year and learned some of its forms, including the 2-man set, I now have added new dimensions to my fighting ability. It's all good, but this works for me. It may not work for someone else. With respect, Sohan

Fedor Emelianenko Mirko "Crocop" Filipovic Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira I like Chuck Liddell and think he is a fine fighter for his organization, but I believe he is somewhat overrated by the public. Look at his recent fights. He beat an old Randy Couture twice, and his win over Babalu was a fluke in my eyes---due only to idiotic strategy by Babalu and his coaches. Sobral is a better fighter than that, and would have seriously challenged or even beaten Chuck had he been patient and taken the fight to the ground. Jeremy Horn is tough and experienced but B level at best. Tito is even more overrated than Chuck. And we musn't forget the beating by Rampage. I am not implying Chuck isn't a very good fighter, just not the superman everyone makes him out to be. And for Shukokai, check out Sherdog.com for stats on MMA fighters. With respect, Sohan

Anything can happen in MMA. The unpredictability of the sport is part of what makes it so exciting to watch. But my money would be on Liddell in the first by KO. Tito has never impressed me with his fists or his mouth. With respect, Sohan

This may not be the answer you were looking for, but I'll give my 2 cents anyway. Personally, I wouldn't have gone back to the same school. It's very difficult ego-wise to start over as you have, though my hat is off to you for the effort. I know you are enthusiastic about your style, and your school seems to be of substantial quality, but from what you described you are likely to have a tough time maintaining an "empty cup" in this situation. I would have chosen another art. Besides, with your background and maturity, you might find another martial art more enriching anyways, at least as compared to back in the old days. With respect, Sohan

Brian, it'll heal quickly if you let it. Restrict your range of movement and avoid any motion that causes discomfort. Get plenty of sleep and a little extra protein, add a heating pad frequently and you should be fine in no time. Everything heals in time. With respect, Sohan

Kind of a side note, an my wife's laptop, I have a screen-saver with words floating around saying "I love my wife!" You have two wives???? With respect, Sohan