DWx

1) I would study outside the dojo. Are you competing in kata? If you are you could run through a couple a night and focus on good technique, timing, breathing etc. Everything you are being taught in the class time. If you have a heavy bag (or even if not) practice any combinations or techniques your sensei is working with you in class. Skipping and running are good and there's no reason why you can't add that into your training. I would lay off of it the week before the tournament though and give your body a chance to rest. 2) The thing with fakes I've always said is that you shouldn't be thinking "I'm going to fake now". You should just go to do the move anyway and then if your opponent starts to react, make it a fake by cutting it short and firing out something else. If they don't react then you've hit them with the first technique. For a fake to be effective it can't be a fake looking technique - it has to look real. Best thing to do is keep practicing. 3) I wouldn't change your diet. Nows not the time to be experimenting. Just make sure you're getting enough water and that you're eating enough and you should be fine. 4) If you train hard, a month is definitely enough time to improve on those areas. Depending what the problem is, it might take years to fix. But if you train hard now you can have a decent go at trying to fix them. Its only your first tournament anyway so just go have fun and good luck

I just looked at the form in the video...there are a number of minor differences in the way we do Won Hyo, but the difference in Mr. Suska's form that brings him back to center is around 0:51 where he steps to his left before performing the last two moves. In our case we come back to a closed stance after the side kick so we end up to our right. It's all good... Yeah thats weird now that you pointed that out. I've always put my foot down shoulder width after the kick, don't know why he crosses over.

Same here...I've tried making adjustments on the extended front stances going back but I can't get back over either. One of the instructors I had would allow us to do the "Won Hyo shift" after completing the form so that we could get back to center for Yul Kok.I've never had a problem with Won Hyo Because its symmetrical as far as the stances go its pretty easy to get back to the start eg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N33l-AI7ghg watch his feet and the black line. But I guess if your stance length/width is slightly different to ours or the moves have been modified it wont work. Yul Gok is a little harder to get back: you need to be careful with what angle you take on the hooking block stances. Too much out to 45° and you haven't gone far enough forward to compensate for the jump going back. So its really like a 30° angle off centre.

Whether it is right or not, I've considered spending some time to learn some of these forms that I will not get a chance to learn. I'd be teaching myself in essence, but with the knowledge I have on how to do the techniques and move, I don't think I would have too much trouble with it. I'd just apply the techniques as I know them from my training. Who knows, I might learn something new. That's cool. When I've got more time I'd love to learn Ko-Dang (which was replaced by Juche in our curriculum), just for the variety. TBH at your level you probably don't need teaching the concepts of how to do such and such a block or whatever even if the move is a new one; the methods are still the same. You're GM actually chose to miss out some of my favorite forms Eui Am is good and Sam-Il is a really nice pattern too, Juche not so much I kind of noticed that. I like Kwang Gae ok, and I felt I did it pretty well. I did take first at a tourney with that one. But I loved doing Gae Baek. It just felt like I was built for it. Lots of shorter, compact moves and combinations, and lots of power. However, we do a hopping side kick in place of where the jump side kick is in that form; another change the GM made. Yeah I just feel that the groups of 3 compliment each other well because there's usually something for everyone. I used to do it as a hoping side kick too, its only recently I've been physically able to jump high enough to tuck the back leg up. Ahh ok, that's cool. I just figured it'd probably be really confusing if the number of moves etc. didn't match up with what you were learning. I look forward to it I still have to get round to videoing mine sometime.

I have to confess that self defense never was and still isn't the main motivation for me doing martial arts. When I started I did hope that I'd gain some level of self defense as a byproduct of my training and now I do look at things and have in the back of my mind "that would/wouldn't work in self defense", but its still not the primary reason I train. I just like training because of the art and the sport side of things. Its an art form and I kind of see it as similar to things like gymnastics in the respect that you are pushing your body to the limits and trying to achieve technical perfection. And I do like the sport aspect. I love the idea that you're playing a kinetic chess and you have to out-think and outsmart your opponent using all of your technical skill. I'm also still amazed by what people can push their bodies to do. When I first started it was jaw-dropping that a guy could send his fist through a house brick or jump over 7 people and break a board at the end or move so fast his opponent would be flat on his back before finishing counting to 5. Not all these things are practical in the self defense respect but I think its awesome you can make the human body do that and its stuff like this which makes me excited to train, not the fact that I'm learning some self defense.

I think the 2000s are a couple of years old so places might not be stocking them anymore. Adidas shoes do seem to come in two types, the ones with the rigid underneath (like the Adilux) and the flat soft underneaths (TKD 2000s) so if you wanted the 2000-type shoe you could try the newer versions which I think are the Adi-Wing, Adi-Kee or SM-IIs: http://www.adidastaekwondousa.com/index.php/en/taekwondo/shoes.html If you do want the extra support, I'd go for the ones with the rigid underneath. I do find them slightly heavier, although nowhere near as heavy as a standard trainer.

Sure wish I could get these in a store...but I have to look online. Prices are better but fit is a concern. Any advice on sizing? I'm a 9 in street shoes but I usually wear a 9 1/2 sneaker. Hey hammer, Which pair were you looking at? The Adidas TKD 2000s I have should fit the same as a normal shoe, I've never had problems with them. The AdiLux are a bit different though. I wear a 7 1/2 - 8 usually and the AdiLux size 8 fit me fine. My sister however initially bought a 5 (which is her normal shoe size) but it was too small so she then got size 6s which fit fine. Probably will have to get them online, if you're worried about sizing would just check that wherever you're buying them from has a good return policy or that you could maybe visit them first.

The ITF does it exactly that way still. I have to say I like the order we do them as each pattern teaches new concepts and techniques that follow on well from the previous patterns; e.g. Kwang-Gae is the first time you learn to do a consecutive kick, two side kicks where your body and hips face the same way, then in Juche at the next belt you do a hooking kick-side kick consecutively which now requires you to go from forward to side facing which is slightly more difficult, then in Choi-Yong you've got to do a reverse hooking kick-side kick which is even harder still because your hips do 180° first and you have to control your balance to get the side kick out. I think its also nice to have 3 per belt level as you're spending years between gradings now and its just nice to have a lot of new stuff to work with over that time so you don't bored. The groups of 3 also usually contain 3 very different forms which means there's something for each body type. Like at 2nd dan you see the heavy powerful people choosing Choong-Jang as their competition form (we have to do one of the ones from our current grade) and the leggy lighter people tend to pick Juche. Brian, its interesting that your GM added in moves and changed them. How does it affect the diagrams (shape the pattern makes on the floor) as some of them create shapes and symbols that reflect who or what they were named after. The patterns were also constructed so that you can start with your foot on a mark on the floor and then finish exactly on that spot if you've done your stances and stepping right. Its one of the things examiners/umpires look for for technically accuracy. Adding moves in would also change the number of moves which also have significance behind them. Yoo-Sin has 68 because the three kingdoms were united in 668 AD. Do you have to learn the meanings behind the patterns? Because I'd imagine it might be confusing if the meanings didn't match what you were actually doing. Do you guys still do the same colour belt forms?

Welcome holley

Footwork is sooo important to us. There are very specific rules on how to step and manage weight which you learn in the forms and this translates into the sparring. I totally agree with yamesu in that styles that use kicking in particular need to know how to move. Most of the drills we spend time on are about moving into position and moving away, forget the actual kicks or punches, if you can't move well you won't be fighting all that well.

First of all congrats Joe From what you're describing I'd say it was both of the boys faults not yours. If that were a non-sparring situation or even a free spar where any technique could be used, there's no reason why you couldn't have kneed them properly as obviously they weren't covering for it and walked onto that. Sounds like they need to work on not rushing in and on understanding their "range" too. They shouldn't have really got to that that distance (where you were able to knee them) being wide open and without using some other technique to cover they approach, e.g. some sort of side or front kick to get them within range if they wanted to punch or whatever. As an aside, is it dojang policy for guys to wear/not wear groin protectors? In ours its compulsory even for the littlest kids who do non-contact.

I know how you feel with money being tight. Sometimes you just have to cope for the time being. Everyone's suggestions for training at college clubs or with individuals are good. But have a look round and contact local instructors and try to work something out. You never know till you ask. Some might even offer you a reduced rate if you offer to help out for example if once a week you cleaned the mats or equipment. Failing that just keep practicing what you know until times get better.

Most instructors probably wouldn't have a problem if you explained your situation and you have a particular pair of shoes that were only worn inside. I'd look at the types of shoes that were meant for this type of thing, maybe wrestling shoes or TKD type shoes are pretty ok as well.

The spinning hook kick is a pretty standard TKD kick, should be able to find loads of tutorials on YouTube (e.g. this one, ). The good thing about this kick is that the momentum makes it easier to get the leg up higher. You just have to relax and try to open up the hips. To get it a bit higher you can lean the body the opposite direction but be careful because this makes it harder to balance and leaning too far back will significantly reduce the amount of mass behind the kick. Practice with a wall (like the guy in the video does) to get your balance.With the fake roundhouse - roundhouse kick I find concentrating on the chamber position to be most important. Go to throw the 1st kick but be sure to pull it back in tight and even back a little, then let the 2nd one go. Its important to make sure that the 1st one looks like its meant to hit otherwise you're just wasting time and opportunity throwing it. You've got to be convincing enough that your opponent reacts to it. I think in the case of this one you just have to keep practicing to get the movement down. You're flying wishbone sounds like our two-directional kick. Not very practical but it does demonstrate some things. First of all, you have to show understanding of the two separate kicks when on the ground otherwise there's no chance of you pulling it off. Then you have to show that you have the athletic ability to jump and execute it in the air. To some extent it also shows that you can generate power without the mass (so just on the technique and speed) because you don't have the standing leg to help drive you forward into the target.

Congrats Wastelander

I'd guess at the strength issue too. Strength in the supporting leg is just as important as strength in the kicking leg, if not more so. I saw the biggest improvement in my balance and ability to kick after I started biking everywhere instead of bus or car so I'd definitely recommend putting in some sessions on the bike. Greatly improves the quads, glutes and calves. Maybe try stuff like squats too. Or even just practice doing the kicks slowly over and over again, maybe using something to hold on to until you get better. TBH your level of flexibility sounds about mine... don't let that worry you too much. Better to have good lower level kicks that actually do something than high flicky kicks.

Congrats

Wow sorry to hear this BDPulver. Although at least you have some idea what it is now and that there are treatments available. I'm no doctor but I think one of the best things that you can do is to keep training if its something you love because not only will it keep you active but it'l help keep your morale up too.

Welcome Thomas

Welcome KarateKaj

Welcome Harry

Think you're right. Spaced boards are easier because you're basically breaking one board and then the next board in sequence rather than having to generate a large amount of force and each board is only supported on a small area. Spacers mean less force but you have to maintain it over the distance. Stacking boards without spacers effectively creates a block of wood. To break it you need much more power but you don't have to maintain it over the distance. With spacers each board flexes in turn before it finally snaps. With an unspaced stack, it acts as one and the entire lot flexes first before going. Its a bit old but there's this old video of GM Rhee breaking with a little mechanics explanation voiceover: Not got stuff on spacers but does tell you that you expend enough energy to work a "dozen electric toasters"

I thought they were pretty good thread ideas Bob. I don't know the kata and we don't have the concept of bunkai in my school but I was waiting to see what people thought of. Why don't you get the ball rolling and suggest some ideas of what you see?

Was it permanently chambered high? It depends on the TKD style but what we do is to have the fist at the hip, or wherever the natural bend in the arm makes it sit, then on punching pull back slightly (not very much) and lift the fist up to where you describes so that the biceps feel almost tight, almost like a U-shape if you were looking at the person punching in profile. Then fire it forward making sure the whole thing is fluid and doesn't stop at the top chamber position. Reason for this is that when punching from the hip level to chest or head height you end up punching upwards and aren't necessarily hitting the target perpendicular. Raising the arm up first tries to make the first travel more horizontally rather than diagonally upwards.

Loads of stuff you can do, what do you want to work on? - For accuracy, especially with kicks, hang a strip of cloth off of something (e.g. tree branch, washing line, ceiling) and try to hit it so you're just touching the tip and making it flick every time you hit it. - Similar set up to the one above but fill the bottom of an old sock with sand and you've got yourself a slip bag to practice with. - Fill a duffel bag with old rags and bedding for a heavy bag. - Fill jars with sand or some sort of ballast and pick them up with your fingertips to improve grip. Slowly work your way up to heavier jars. (Don't use anything you wouldn't want to break though!) Depends how elaborate you want to get and what you want the stuff for.