BlueDragon1981

No it couldnt be done but it causes some major scandals and makes other things not evolve because of the money hungry people.

Ya just like the copycats in the school shootings. Sometimes the media does not have a good effect.

Welcome

Welcome to the Forum.

Ya to kill someone has more effect than some might think. Look at some military personell after a long time of killing people. A lot of them are never the same again. I hear there may be a copy cat now in Ohio.

You know what I mean. Women often don't look at things in the other respect. There are things were guys get the short end of the deal. With magazines and other things like that marketing and money rule the them. I haven't seen that commercial your talking about. Of course I haven't watched tv in like 3 months.

Oh yeah something I forgot to mention my particular type of karate sparring is a big part of it.

I to do not think this is related to 9/11. Maybe someone who saw how easy it is to annoy the US but not directly related. Probably just some pysco who can't deal with American Politics.

I can't wait until Cradle to the Grave comes out

3 years of age. I don't think so. Maybe watch it, but not take class. The limit on age in the dojo I attend is 7. They are even hard to teach sometimes because low attention spans. A lot of it probably depends on the child. They are all different and unique. (I have one that is almost 2 and another that is 8 months) My kids will be taking karate. I will probably not let them in class until age 7 but my give some home lessons before that time if they want to learn it. That is the key if THEY want to learn. In my current dojo I have a feeling we are just babysitting some kids for 2 hours. If they don't want to learn it then their is really no point in teaching them it.

My opinion is that in order to be a good fighter you have to have knowledge of what is around you. I study karate. I consider myself a good fighter. However I do some cross training and I have researched other styles. No one system is perfect. Knowing what to do in situations and keeping your head is what matters. Most martial arts will teach you this. The self defence application is up to you. As for people who say grappling is better. Well not always. My art is a karate art. It has kata yes, but it also has a lot of throws and Aiki locks, strikes, and armbars. So what would you call this. It is a hybrid. Has some grappling, striking and internal in it. Its core is karate so that is why it is considered karate. Cross Training and keeping your self metally prepared is what is good for self defense. MA is of course more than that. From my experience almost all of them teach the other great qualities.

They may be, but why are the people sitting in front of the tv on the direct tv commercials always men? Don't let it bother you. The amount of women will grow. Magazines have to sell to make money, so they will use "beautiful women" until it no longer sells. They are just marketing to the wider variety of martial artists at this time. That is part of marketing. Just like Direct TV always shows sports fans with Direct ticket being men. I know a lot of women who are sports fans why wouldn't they want it.

I would love it if my wife joined MA. I do know kind of what you mean. She has been caring for the kids the past year and a half and she recently got a job. Of course she works nights. So she sleeps during the day. I go to school in the mornings on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (college). I drop the kids off in the morning to a babysitters. I get home and I have to watch them also because she is still not used to sleeping durning the day. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have to watch them until 3:30 p.m then I go to work come home and help put them to bed. Its a busy time and it causes stress when you have to do all kinds of extra things your not used to. I'm adapting though. Mainly because I love the benefit of spending time with the kids. (although it may be affecting my work for school) I don't even have time for my MA now. I try to work out every once in awhile but its hard to make time. Your husband has to realize the benefits the MA gives you. Also it is good to get out of the house and if they have to go to a babysitters for an hour or two so be it. I think he just needs to get used to it. Of course I am a flexible husband that helps a lot. Make yourself happy but make sure things don't get out of hand.

Good Luck, Train Hard, Have Fun

I didn't mean durning the test (sorry) I ment learning to do it with your eyes closed gives you more confidence when doing it (sometimes) and will help you block out the instuctors presense. I would never recommend it during the test.

SOunds like a good mix to me. Working your footwork in one and your fists in the other. Can't go wrong there. The footwork will also help you in boxing. The fist work will help you with blocking quickly in TKD. So they do mix well.

Just remember what class you are in. The TKD will help you with your kicking and footwork. If the dojo does not want any contact with those ranks then back down. That isnt nessarily bad. If in a self defense situation you can't kill the person. You can only strike with the same force they applied on you. Overkill is not allowed in the real world. (legally) Learning control can be very good for you. Appling them can be the easy part. Learning when to strike hard or pull back on the street is the hard part.

It is a good idea. You can have people sign a waiver that it is known that you may get injured and it is at no fault of anyone in the unofficial club. Of course you would probably have to have a notery there to make it official for it to have any legal binding. Or have at least 5 or 6 witnesses sign that they witnessed the person sign. Remember it is true that people can sue for pretty much anything.

The more years you teach the better you get at teaching (generally). So if you start learning how to teach at a young age it not only teaches you greater respect for the art but greater respect for people. You have to adapt to them. Something you learned easy may not come easy to them. So you have to learn to break it down. From my personal experience (remember this is from the area I'm in.) Younger instructors tend to be more adaptable. That could be because the older ones are stubborn. Im not saying I learn more from either. I take what I get from each instructor. That is just my mind set. You can learn maturity. Teaching sometimes helps you learn it quicker. Also if you are a higher rank teaching an adult you learn much different things than teaching children. Adults (generally) pay attention much better. SO you can concentrate on different things. Children sometimes you have to spend time getting them to pay attention. Teens are in the middle of this, but (generally) have more of a natural ability than adults. (I have to adapt the way I teach to someone 50 years old because there bodies are not like they were when they were 16) So my opinion is that Maturity and Ability to get points across are more important than age.

Comes with practice is also my view. Look at some boxers train. They use a ribbon or robe tied from one end of the room to the other. They then bob up and down going on each side. This teaches you to get your head out of the way of a punch. Watching the exercises boxers do can increase your arm reflexes and head reflexes. To increase the leg reflexes may be a little harder. Just practicing and increasing your leg strength will be the biggest factor on this one. (Not bulk lifting, but endurance lifting.) Having something that can give you resistance on your leg while you kick can help but be careful.

Ya..........Learn to chill out. Close your eyes and do your katas. Get used to doing it without thinking they are there. As an instructor I know most of us take in account nerves. Specially for the first couple ranks. By purple belt you should not be freaking (still nervous perhaps, but not freaking out). Main advice is to do it in front of your friends in the dojo and be open to any critisism they give you. Getting mad does not help when you are going up there for your test. The other thing is try to relax and do your best. Basically all you can do anyway.

I think it would be good. Dont know how often I would get to submit one though because of busy schedule.

welcome to the forums.

Effort, knowing the technique, not quiting if they do something wrong. Technique of course must improve with rank.

I think maturity and qualification are what matter here. Not age. Im 21. I've been teaching since Purple belt. Only ranks lower. I am also from a small town. The instructor is usually always there but every once in awhile he can not make it. Black belts do not come easy in my school. (Out of 60 students on the roster, there are 4 black belts, two live 45 minutes away and usually work durning class times. The other two also work odd hours. So if the main instructor, who is a 7th dan, isnt there the highest ranking individual holds class.) Like with monkeygirl no sparring is to be done if a black belt is not present. I also have people in my class of higher rank that I would never listen to. They are almost in there thirties but even with the age do not have any maturity. (Not to mention they should not be the rank they are) My honest opinion is that age isnt the factor, but maturity. Of course there are limits on this too. I think to show any maturity you have to at least be 14 or 15 years old. The majority of people under that age do not have maturity. I have met some people 45-50 years old though that are not mature.