Midkiff

My favorite kick is the side thrust kick. It is very fast if performed correctly and has a lot of power. Also you never turn your back to the opponent which let's you see any counterattack. It also has good range.

i would like to fight a mirror of myself. i know it's overplayed but imagine what you would learn fighting someone who knows everything you know. it would be a good judgement of self ability being able to actually see yourself fight, than to rather think that you know how you fight.

What do you think the best stance is? For anything, fighting, training, sparring, etc. i think the horsestance is the most beneficial because of the solidity of the stance and the power you can get from it. I squat 315 lbs because I practice kiba-dachi so much. Also the front stance is the best position for puching because of the ability to "snap" the hips so well.

i always listen to Underoath or something really fast while i'm sparring, and something smooth and tranquil while doing kata, like uhh.. i just listen to more Underoath. I'm one of the few people i know who trains while listening to music with words. Is that weird. To each his own I guess.

About a year ago i started lifting weights to gain some muscle and at first nothing happened. i was 6' 145lbs. myt first bench max was 95 lbs and i would do 4 sets of 10 reps at my 70%. that worked really well to get me cut, but i didn't get any bigger or stronger. i went to 4 sets of 10 reps at my 80% for a while and steadily got a little bigger. for about three months i would do my 90% as many times as i could in 3 sets. that worked great for strength and mass, but my muscle definition started to go away. So now i've switched back to doing 4 sets of 12 reps at 80%. i would have to say that high reps and sets with a moderate amount of weight works the best overall. i want to get stronger while still maintaning a really cut body, and i don't want to lose any flexiblity. my weight now is 170lbs with a bench max of 170 lbs.

About a year ago i started lifting weights to gain some muscle and at first nothing happened. i was 6' 145lbs. myt first bench max was 95 lbs and i would do 4 sets of 10 reps at my 70%. that worked really well to get me cut, but i didn't get any bigger or stronger. i went to 4 sets of 10 reps at my 80% for a while and steadily got a little bigger. for about three months i would do my 90% as many times as i could in 3 sets. that worked great for strength and mass, but my muscle definition started to go away. So now i've switched back to doing 4 sets of 12 reps at 80%. i would have to say that high reps and sets with a moderate amount of weight works the best overall. i want to get stronger while still maintaning a really cut body, and i don't want to lose any flexiblity. my weight now is 170lbs with a bench max of 170 lbs.

i do not expect to open my school for another 25-30 years at the earliest. My styles foundation would be traditional karate, but an emphasis on using proper technique against streetfighters or "brawlers". i have seen black belts freeze up during a fight and just start throwing roundhouse punches in a fight because they are so used to defending against straight punches and such. Much more people fight like maniacs than those who actually have some sort of training. Even though it is about 20 times easier to defend against someone with no martial training, a lot of martialists don't know really what to do. (hint: shoulder toss to a wrist lock works like a charm against roundhouse punches!!) I know my style won't ever be perfected, and I won't even consider teaching it until i am completely sure that i have molded my style into exactly where i want it to be. No point in teaching a syle that you don't completely agree with. I want to be 100% sure of my style. thanks for listening to me reeterate my point a million times. p.s. i have been training for a little over 5 years. Still much to learn.

Obviously she learned that kata because it was flashy and she knew she could use it in a tournament. She probably didn't think of the application of the kata, and that was her mistake. there is no point in learning a kata if you don't take the time to learn and understand all of the applications. Also i did not see very much power in her techniques. I learned that during kata every move must be crisp precise and executed exactly as if were to used in battle. This whole XMA thing is really just gymnastics with kicks.

i trained in shindo jinen ryu ryobu kai for five years then quit. i still trained at home everyday, but without instruction i began to merge my own style and philosophys into my training. my techniques changed to fit my own beliefs on battle and fighting. Does anyone think this is a good idea or is continued traditional training the way to go. i just think that someone always has to branch out and evolve martial arts so it can become even greater. the exploration of the ultimate style i guess.

Do you have to have a special certificate to teach your own style of martial arts? or just a business license? I want to open a school using my own style of martial arts.

wow, very well said. You hit it exactly. I'm sorry that you called it quits though. I hope it wasn't for reasons that severe.

Weighted clothes are not as effective as they seem. Sure they can boost ones speed, but using too heavy of weights can ruin the ligements in your knees and elbows. AVOID USING WRIST WEIGHTS FOR PUNCHES!!! It does not speed punches up and only cause more hurt than help. Also training underwater does not do much because almost 80% of a persons power comes from their legs and the "snap" of their hips during the technique. underwater there is no solidity in your stance so all your doing is swimming. It is good for endurance though. Weighted vests are really good for endurance also. The best way to get really good is to train hard, and very often.

Does anyone know of the style Shindo Jinen Ryu? It is the style that i have been studying for about 5 years, under sensei Bill Damon, 8 Dan. It is very respected, and has it's roots in early Shotokan karate. I find it's mix of karate and jujitsu very effective.

Contrary to the popular belief that strength and technique alone will suffice in martial arts, i believe that flexiblity is vital to ones success. I have trained with many people three or four times more powerful than me, but with out flexibility their technique was sloppy and weak. With flexibility also comes coordination and will greatly improve ones self in the martial arts. but don't get me wrong, strength is also a vital part of everything, but everything must be kept in balance.