Dazed and Confused

As a matter of interest, particularly directed at MizuRyu, do you train in all these styles simultaneously, or is this knowledge you have gained as you've progressed through different styles?

Being the size I am I've found reading this thread very interesting- I was unaware for example that Kung Fu was known for being an effective style for shorter practitioners. In terms of playing to strengths (and sorry for briefly going off topic, but it is related), which styles emphasize the advantages of reach and height and which negate them? From the posts that have gone before it seems TKD for the tall chaps, and most other styles for everyone else!

Is that the "opportunity to save the town" cartoon?

Roast beef with yorkshire pudding and horseradish sauce! Preferably with a nice pint of Pedigree! I used to love a good curry, especially a nice chicken tikka dhansak, but my current student flat is above an Indian restaurant and having to pick my way round their bins every morning has put me off somewhat!

I've heard of Stephen Hayes, I think he has a chapter in a book I have somewhere. So does this lend at least a measure of respectability to proceedings? And with reference to NightOwl's (excellent ) contribution, do these two forms (Bujinkan and Genbukan?) relate to the taijitsu you refer to? I'm so very confused! I know all could be revealed by going along but there's no training until the New Year, and so I'd like to gather as much information as I can. I was concerned by that once a month thing too, but they actually train three times a week plus a MMA/grappling session every other week. Thanks for all your help everybody, Cheers, D+C

Thank you both for your advice, it is greatly appreciated. I'll leave you to your debate!

That being so Sohan would you recommend taking creatine instead of protein supplements? Or both just at different times?

^^ What does this mean?

I still love to play video games but the complexity of these new conosles is a bit intimidating! I don't want to play online, I don't want to mess about with Blu-Ray (the spelling is too irritating for one thing), and what the heck is a Cell chip? I just want to turn it on and play Tekken. I think I'll be sticking with my nice friendly PS2!

I saw there was recently a topic on the liklihood of finding a real ninjitsu school, and most people thought it seemed quite unlikely- what do you think of this place?

Sorry, I thought someone English would have picked up on this by now, and I was too miserable to explain at the time. Hopefully this will reveal all... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6188783.stm

That was awesome! I've had a little faff about with the website, looks excellent. Really hope that it goes international. It looks much more entertaining than both MMA and boxing, both of which I enjoy greatly so that really is saying something.

Can we all just pause a moment to mourn the loss of the ashes...

Hilarious. I spent many night in my fresher's year singing along to Weird Al and Stephen Lynch's songs. "Special Olympics"... So politically incorrect, so very, very funny.

My favourtie holiday was either the Black Forest or Prague, both in winter, all snowy and romantic. Prague was -20 degrees C, which was really quite chilly. Just to stand up for England as a holiday place, there is plenty to see and do here, whether it be big cities like Manchester or London, historical spots like York, Canterbury, Durham, Bath (my favourite city in the world), Winchester etc, or the great outdoors in the wilds of Cumbria, Northumberland, Cornwall or Derbyshire. England rocks, as do our many, many pubs. Having said all that I can't wait for my three month trip Greyhound busing round the USA next summer!

My parents have just unkindly (and coincidentally) been relating the story of how having seen some kick boxing on the tv I got into a fight with a substantially larger kid at school when I was 9. Convinced I could put into practice what I had "learned" I provoked him before demonstrating my "skills". It did not end well. Not all children are as stupid as me but it might be a cautionary tale to those in favour of telling 8 year olds they can become karate masters in 30 minutes.

I drink rather more than I should, but not excessively. I'm very much aware that I'll never reach the peak of physical perfection drinking as much as I do (which is about three pints of bitter or a couple of glasses of wine a night, as an average), but as has already been said by wiser people than I, its all about moderation. To answer Zapatista's point about the taste, I never drink anything I don't like- don't touch lager and the only spirits I drink are malt whiskeys. I find alcohol adds to the enjoyment of life, and won't be giving it up any time soon.

Sorry to go slightly off topic, although in the same area, speaking as someone that weight trains exclusively with dumbells how would you balance your upper body training as Havoc88 suggested without a pull up rail? My landlady would have kittens were I to put a pull up rail in my house, and I don't go to the gym, so any ideas? Biceps are reasonably easy to target, more wondering about back muscles. Cheers, D+C

If you like Weird Al you must love Stephen Lynch.

I don't know how funny this story is, but my team mates certainly had a good laugh. I was at a small inter-club team sparring competition, and was drawn against a very small lady, who cannot have been much over 5ft. I'm 6'4", and was not at all sure how to handle myself given the size and gender differences. I therefore sort of stood there looking kind of baffled, not wanting to hurt this delicate flower- who promptly delivered a swift front kick to my chin. I should at this point mention I have a nervous habit of chewing my lip, which promptly split on the impact, leaving me looking thoroughly bloodied and beaten. An impressive number of lessons all learned at once.

Amish Paradise is one of the greatest pieces of music ever.

I went to see Borat and thought it was awful. Not funny, not satirical, just rubbish. What is this Eragon? I didn't realise it was derived from a book, I thought it looked like a bit of a delayed Lord of the Rings cash in, but I'd love to be wrong.

I love reading, both fiction and none fiction, I'm rarely seen without a book in my hand. I'm currently reading English Passengers by Matthew Kneale, which is fantastic, and A Very Short Introduction to Aglicanism by Mark Chapman, which is not at all short but very interesting.

While I agree with your point to an extent masterintraining, and certainly think the kind of product bearich highlighted should not be allowed to make such fraudulent claims, I think these toys can have their uses. My ten year old sister has asked for some abominable pink boxing set for xmas, having played with one at her friend's house. She is already talking about learning to box properly (a terrifying prospect I assure you) having had her interst piqued by this toy.

I've done a search and can find plenty of debate over the pros and cons of supplements, but no information about what actually works... Its expensive stuff and I want to choose a brand thats effective, so am I allowed to ask what brands you guys have found work well? I don't know if this breaches the board's user guidelines. If it doesn't then any recommendations for products I can get hold of over here in the UK would be appreciated. I'm mainly interested in creatine and protein supplements, but would be interested in anything you've found that works for general strength and power gains. I'm not at all fussed about weight gain to be honest. Cheers, D+C