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I return after more than a year. I was self conscious about my writing and never checked back. A fresh adult and with a bit more experience under my belt, (which is still white by the way,) I'm feeling much more confident. Anyway, in reply to a few of you, though I doubt you'll receive it, the key word is balance. We're treading on difficult ground for the modern English language. We need new terms, I think. There is a difference between fear and exhilaration, a difference between instinct and conditioning, and a difference between raging juggernaut and a fighter that harnesses his destructive urges and puts them to good use. My intention was to help you along the path to balance, not to take you to it. It can not be rationalized or measured because, frankly, it doesn't exist. The only mathematical balance that exists in the universe is the universe itself. You have to find balance through yourself, through faith. Not the blind faith fools cling to in vain attempts to find comfort, mind you. True faith. The feeling or "instinct" of something being true without having several scientific experiments being done to prove it so. Let it guide you and when you reach the end of your path, if you don't panic and turn away, you'll realize it is but the beginning all over again.

Warming muscles will let them move further faster. Also, the movement will usually cause more blood flow which gives them more oxygen to burn. Try holding your breath for several seconds then jumping up and throwing your blows. Then, relax and breath deeply, tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups one at a time for a minute or so and try again.

Everyone seeks balance. It is the ultimate goal. Perfection, nirvana, whatever. There is a constant battle between animal instincts and human intellect going on in our minds. We should not live letting our instincts rule us but we can not live without them. When people let their instincts rule their judgment, they become simple and predictable beasts. Martial arts is all about the discipline of the mind and body. Using your intellect in situations where most would fall back to their primal state of mind and panic and make rash decisions or freeze up. Hesitation is the perfect example of the conflict going on in your mind. The animal inside of you wants to flee, lash out, and scream. You, on the other hand, want to understand the situation as much as you can and choose an action that will likely lead to an acceptable outcome. When you try to fight the panic and fail you will sometimes hesitate and not do anything at all, your mind in a blunder. If you find yourself in a state of panic, try to know what you are able to do to effect your surroundings. Focusing on gaining the control of your body will often focus other parts of your mind out of panic and you will be able to make much better decisions faster. You alone can teach your mind how to handle it's self in tough situations. Next time you find yourself stressed, stop and think about the situation as a whole, examining every aspect as if you were someone else, completely separated from your world.