DWx

I have read that as well. I don't know how accurate that is, but I imagine it is close. I do think having it seperate TKD from the Karate gi is one reason it was introduced.They do look pretty similar. Would make sense seeing as they'd want to promote Korean culture rather than Japanese. Nah they don't tie across, they're meant to look like it though. They overlap a little but instead of a tie they usually have a zip or velcro. Stops it coming undone but still keeps it looking a bit like a gi.

Welcome!

Hope they do a good job of them.. I wasn't too impressed by Men in Black II or Ghostbusters II to be honest but the original ones were great.

Congrats Kez

I thought the pull-over doboks came from the traditional Korean hanbok.

I hear ya. When I drink it, I take it black. When the wife and I got married, we took a trip to Jamaica, and I really liked their Blue Mountain coffee. It wasn't to spiffed up; just a really good roast. Blue Mountain's great. We have a family friend who's from Jamaica so whenever he goes back home he gets us some. How I take my coffee depends on my mood . Sometimes extra strength black coffee, sometimes really milky lattes. I tend to stay away from all the syrup flavourings though as they ruin the taste and smell .

Practice just doing the roundhouse bit and just pull it back into your original stance rather than doing the back kick. I find its helpful to actually think about engaging the big muscles in the leg (quads, hamstring) as well as thinking about using the core abs to keep control of the hips.

Welcome to KF oneheart. The front kick is pretty versatile, there are loads of uses. The groin, as has been mentioned, is one spot. Solar plexus, shins, under the chin, philtrum/nose are what I'd consider the normal targets. Or you could kick the kidneys from behind the opponent. Get them in the ribs if you were standing at the side and their arms were out of the way. As bushido_man96 suggested you can use a varient to push the opponent too. Works great if you get them in the middle of the chest. Only drawback to the front kick is that to get a decent amount of power you have to bring it through off the back leg and you can see it coming. Can't really use it if your opponent is side on either. Still a pretty useful kick though.

Good topic. I think anger can be a great tool. I know when I'm angry I can hit far harder and am willing to take more risks. You have to be careful and not allow it to control you though. There have been times when I've been so angry that I've taken stupid risks and technique and tactics go out the window. If you can control yourself and still think about what you're doing then anger is great.

Congrats Warren Honour for both you and your old TKD master.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnQY3hLJ4S4 at 6:36

For our sport sparring / competitive sparring feinting is really useful. For SD I think it still has its place but in a different way. Obviously you don't have the 2 mins to feel out and score points on your opponent but feints like punching the guy in the face but then actually throwing a low line kick may still work.

Sums up my (rather long-winded) views on breaking: http://www.karateforums.com/the-art-of-breaking-and-conditioning-your-body-vt33089.html As for "boards don't hit back" they do if you don't hit them hard enough first

I pretty much agree with everyone else. Jump rope is a great tool. Strengthens the legs and works on your cardio at the same time. Also gets you light on your feet. Shifting the weight is a much better alternative to bouncing. Problem with bouncing is that your not always in contact with the ground and if you want to do something mid bounce, you have to wait until you land again. The only thing to watch with shifting is that your not doing it in a rhythm that you're opponent can use against you.

Welcome Tony

I was always told the best way to train for breaking is to break. You start at paper thin stuff as a beginner and then as the years go by you work upwards to multiple boards / thicker boards. You can't just jump in and try to break the heavy stuff straight off. Maybe try breaking some lighter materials in the same way you'd break a bat?

I've heard good things about the Shockdoctor's. Another route to go is to get one specially fitted by the dentist. I had one done a couple of years ago and it fits really well.

We're taught to do both equally but I find myself favouring the inside. There are more targets for me to work with and I'm much happier initiating takedowns from the inside.

I tend to move out of the way, preferrably to the opponents open side. At the same time I usually do some sort of downward block; front arm elbow works well, or just a palm downward block. Then can lead with the front arm and take it in closer. Can also counter with roundhouses, backkicks, reverse hooks etc.

Welcome Adam

Welcome Scott

Yeah in ITF we only ever use "pattern" or "tul". Rarely anything else. Not even "form". I wonder if this is perhaps a regional thing. I don't hear the word pattern used a lot, other than some reading. But I have always heard the term form. In the ITF itself? I've always heard the term "pattern". That's the term used by all 3 (ITF) orgs and in the official encyclopedia. All the events I've been to use "pattern" as well (they even use the term at all international tournaments too). I know people who do the Chang Hon forms themselves might not use the term but I'm pretty sure within ITF itself its always "pattern". It could be that because I am not in the ITF that we don't use the term pattern. We use hyung in class. I think it was Anslow's book that I saw the use of the word "tul" a lot. By regional, I thought that maybe in the UK the term pattern was used more, and in the US the term form was used more. I could be wrong, though. I don't really know to be honest. In the UK the term is used by ITF groups, and ITF breakaway groups (TAGB and GTI etc.) but I can't really say overall, WTF groups and other TKD groups probably don't use. Maybe it is used a bit more than in the US but I really don't know.

Yeah in ITF we only ever use "pattern" or "tul". Rarely anything else. Not even "form". I wonder if this is perhaps a regional thing. I don't hear the word pattern used a lot, other than some reading. But I have always heard the term form. In the ITF itself? I've always heard the term "pattern". That's the term used by all 3 (ITF) orgs and in the official encyclopedia. All the events I've been to use "pattern" as well (they even use the term at all international tournaments too). I know people who do the Chang Hon forms themselves might not use the term but I'm pretty sure within ITF itself its always "pattern".

Welcome

Congrats to you both