Akaratechick

Sounds like you are on the right track. the cravings will stop and you will be stronger for it. After my back surgery in Dec of 05, I began tapering off of pain medicine which I had been on for over a year. Morphine patches, real scary. My pain was at a managable level but my body was seriously withdrawing from the pain medicine and talk about irritable, I think I gave the TV dirty looks for no reason, every thing got on my nerves, I didn't think I could do it, but I kept at it and within about two weeks I felt human again, and once the physical cravings cease it becomes mental, and being a martial artist you know you can do it. You wouldn't be in martial arts if you weren't up for a challenge. So add this to your list of successes

You guys are hilarious

We don't wear them, the kids in our class don't wear them either. I have seen them at tournaments and they look quite uncomfortable.

that is funny, now I just got a visual of someone turning blue and passing out while doing forms. ha ha.

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You guys are funny

have you started to plan a coup against your husband from 2-3 weeks ago? i can feel it in the air. man, I was hoping nobody would notice I think as you are preparing to teach and you watch instructors and listen to them, just as kids watch their parents you think"hmm, they fight with their hands down and seldom ever kiap

that is very funny, It does get old, and I know what you mean about saving your breath, I feel the same way about crescent kicks in sparring when I get winded.

yea, I checked it out at the library but need to buy one for my collection. I am actually becoming quite fond of Mr. Kim. I like Ultimate Flexibility as well, everything you need to know about dynamic and static stretching. You may have read it as I have seen your posts and your very knowl edgable about MA. I am reading Teaching Martial Arts by him now.

Something I have noticed in the last year or so regarding kiaps. I know some people spell it differently, but we are told we must do it with our techniques and why we must do it and then when I watch Instructors sparr I don't hear a thing. Is it because they forget? I have asked my husband and he just trys to sidestep the question, kind of the instructor is always right thing. But seriously I have caught myself not doing it now when I point sparr and the judge in class will say " I would have called that shot but you didn't kiap" Has anyone ever experienced the same thing?

or a tastee cake???? is it like a twinkie?

cool pictures, students look like they are having a great time. thanks so much for sharing.

I would have to say Chung Goon (sp) or Yul Gok , I love the front snap kicks and the pressing blocks in both. Both katas flow really well.

I like it too, because of the kicks, and the blocks, but some of the stepping patterns are weird. I would have to say Chung Gun is my fav.

Jiffy is right, it is the school or the instructor. I have been doing TKD for six years and do it three times a week and practice on the side every chance I get. I am at 2nd brown and am about to test in Dec. for 1st Brown. I took off a year for back surgery but my timeline is about right at our school. five to six years, maybe longer depending on the effort put in by the student. I will be asst. teaching for six months prior to testing for Black. You learn so much in these years that you can't in a year or two. If you did it every night for a year maybe you would be equipped physically, but save some blood sweat and tears and go to your local health club and work out. Black Belt is a huge accomplishment and the start of a lifetime journey. I am not saying it has to be five or six years but a year just isn't adequate. There should be junior black belt based on age.

Yes definitely, let your instructor know, in my case spinning kicks are now difficult for me, especially side kicks. My 1st Brown kata, which is Choong Moo has a flying side kick and a jumping spinning 360 both I'm not really sure my back will allow me to do. I had both my knees scoped in the last six months to add to the difficulty but you learn to work around injuries and to listen to your body. It will make you a better martial artist. I have decided that I can do the techniques but probably won't get that far off the ground but that is ok. The instructor will just be glad that you are there.

I am so glad their are more people like me. The gym where I work out at on my off karate days has full length mirrors and they don't lie. I always think "If I wouldnt have eaten that "light snack at 11pm last night I would be thinner" Oh well, I will just work out harder tommorrow

I read "Martial Arts over 40" recently by Sang H. Kim, it was actually pretty good, very basic. He said there are only two options to stay physically fit, Eat Less, Burn More. No fads, No gimmicks, the simple truth. As we age, we deal with a little more pain, a little more stiffness etc. I think it takes more motivation to get moving and speed up that metabolism. There are people who don't stereotypically appear "fit" but are of course limited by their physical shape. I am tall and slender and try really hard to build muscle but I feel strong but to look at me you wouldn't know. Sometimes you just can't tell.

roma tomatoes basil mozzarella cheese parmesan cheese fresh!!

Oh, I forgot to say I definitely agree about it depending on the instructor and how they teach it, good point. I knew about Olympic TKD a little but had never really understood it, until I joined this forum. Actually, I'm not sure I still understand it, but that is personal opinion.

That was actually a joke about the ballerina bit, sorry I should have made myself clear. Sometimes I write as if everyone can understand what I am thinking Having been in TKD and MMA it seems to me that TKD requires more flexibility that some other styles due to the high kicks, I have seen a lot of people struggle with especially front snap and roundhouse kicks above the groin area due to tightness. It does not make you any better of a martial artist if you can kick high but if you can kick high, fast, and with power then that is something else. The kicks aren't just pretty they are effective if you can do them well. Your build doesn't always weigh into it either as we have a black belt in our class who is about 6'2 and very stocky and on a bad day can kick above his head so that is what I meant

I think there is some leftover pizza in my fridg, sounds good. I had a grapefruit for lunch.yipeee!!!

Congrats to you!!! I married my instructor three years ago. He is still my instructor and the only one in class I can't beat at sparring yet Your ring sounds very pretty.

I was 35 when I started TKD, and between 35 and 40 I learned to snow ski and scuba dive!!! That was six years ago and still going strong, my next adventure will be to skydive, can't wait and can't convince my hubby to do it with me