DWx

I totally agree with this. You have to be smart and have the right mental attitude too. There are quite a few of the more senior guys at training who could totatally wipe the floor with me if they wanted to. And a fair number of them started in later life. To be honest, not everyone is in MA to get to fight at elite level or even just to stay in shape. There are there for MA itself.

Hey thanks for the suggestions. I tried doing a bit of what NE_KyoSa suggested yesterday. Does your legs in.

I do think its stupid argueing over something as meaningless as where you get to stand in class and who is more senior etc. but ranking has its good points too. Otherwise why do people use it? It makes it easier to break up a curriculem applicable to how far each student has progressed and helps set intermmediate goals to work towards. I like having a ladder system as far as my own learning is concerned. It means I know which people will be able to help me with a technique or concept and which people I should be asking for advice. Although a lower belt than myself may have some good ideas on what I should do, more likely a higher grade than myself would have answers. In some sense its just like being in school, I wouldn't ask a 2nd grade kid for help with my maths homework, but I may ask someone in the 12th grade. Similarly you wouldn't teach a 2nd grade kid calculus, you'd wait until they'd passed into 3rd, then 4th etc. just like you don't teach a yellow belt some more advanced concepts until they've passed the appropriate level and are physically able to do them. I may be wrong of course but I didn't think that Wrestling, JKD or DT had set syllabuses. You don't need belts to track progress, you just teach what you feel is appropriate at the time or what you want to cover. Most Eastern MAs have set curriculems so belts work to track that progress and make it easier to know what stage a student is at.

I'm not a great jumper, I'm ok but not brilliant. Has anyone got any exercises / routines that specifically work at getting you to jump better? I'd like to work on techniques like flying and jumping techniques but first I need to improve my jumping itself. Thanks

That would be so cool with surround sound. The price is crazy though, especially seeing as it'll probably be obsolete in less than a decade with the rate the technology's being invented.

I've always liked threads where you can see the diversity in the MAs and in this community. Where people have there own ways of doing things and their own beliefs and you get to see a whole spectrum.

Can't believe England didn't get in. The team's looking really dire right now. In fact English sport is pretty dire, we rarely win anything.

I would make sure you're doing a variety of stretches. Working one muscle group with one stretch isn't going to do a whole lot of good. Like don't just stretch the quads without stretching the hamstrings too. And depending on how long and how hard you are stretching usually once a day is fine. Flexibility is a long term thing, its not something you can gain overnight so its best to do a little bit regularly rather than suddenly stretching loads without also working on things like the strength to accompany the flexibility.

I agree with the above. Though you could probably make half a guess based on what usually happens regardless of style. If you've been taught any forms they would probably get tested. Likewise if you've been taught to spar. I suppose it would be safe to assume that anything you've learnt since becoming a yellow belt could be on. Still you should probably ask your instructor and there good luck to you! And in any case making sure you know everything you've ever been taught is a good failsafe as it'll help make you a better MAist if you're foundation is strong.

We do a quite a bit within our self defense side. Usually making the sweep after being grabbed or from a one-step senario. Because we are limited by our grappling knowledge the sweeps we do are focused on getting the opponent down, maintaining control through something like a wrist lock and/or attacking and then being in a situation where you can get away. We base most of our sweeps on a couple of standard front to front or front to back etc. but on a higher level these can develop into something a bit more complex like postions where you escape from stuff like bear hugs and sweep to side or something like that. I managed to rip my sister's dobok sleeve off doing a wonderful takedown... she had sweaty arms and I was left grasping this sleeve which ended up coming half off in my hand.

Hey cjgotti thats great, you'll get fitter in no time . One thing I would say though is be wary that they didn't just up it because you were a new student. It probably didn't happen but I know my instructor (I actually think he does it subconciously) will work us twice as hard when there's someone new in class or there are people watching. Thats not to say we don't get worked hard anyway, its just we will go on turbo sometimes.

If what you call a side snap kick is the same as what I call a side piercing kick, then I'd say in ITF it is probably the most prevelant of the possible side kicks. Yop cha' jirugi is use extensively in most sparring and as for the forms its in like every form I've learnt so far from Won-Hyo upwards. I'm not really all that familiar with the encyclopedia as I have mostly dipped into it more than read it, but I would have thought that in the 15 volumes set Gen. Choi may have gone into a bit more detail?

I don't think its so much the fact that it is a blackbelt, I would be just as happy if someone gave me a pin badge for it. Its the fact that you've put years of hard work in, sweat, blood and tears to earn the right to be considered part of those that have the belt. Its more a sign or honour I suppose. On the surface it doesn't matter really, I mean as soon as you are presented with a strip of cloth you don't suddenly develop super powers but I think deep down it does mean something. How much that means is different for everyone. But it is a symbol of acheivement no matter what it looks like. Embroidered or plain. Take this thread for example, I think the general concensus is that cjgotti should keep his rank... yet why should we all say that if we are adament that blackbelt doesn't matter and we should all be happy to wear white belts? Its all very well for people to say that they don't care about rank but if you were all told tomorrow that you were no longer allowed to wear your belt and that you must now be a white belt, I wonder how many of us would truly accept it. Why do people adorn their belts with embroidery? Pride in their acheivements? Purely asthetic reasons? I think the same reasons could be applied to why some people wear the same plain belt until it wears out. Its part of your own acheivement and how you feel this is best displayed is up to you.

Am I right in thinking the guy is Lee Evans? Sounds like him, picture's not clear enough to tell.

Hey congrats! 7 years is a long time!

They also had a stand with Lewis Hamilton's old cars/karts. From Go-Karts through to GP2 cars. And a stand with ever car Colin McRae ever drove competitively.

It even had clips to hang these metal things on. There's a photo on here, right at the bottom of the page.

Tough question.. Ford GT, Lamborgini Gallardo and an Aston Martin DB9 to cruise round town . I actually have a photo of myself and a Gallardo at Autosport International. There were some really nice cars there. Not to mention I got to stand like 3 feet away from all last years F1 cars.. heaven .

Hmm.. Well I have totally rebuilt my Beetle with the help of my Dad so I could tell you all about how to change the suspension, fit a new floor panel... you name it! . Also act as his navigator for road rallies though the season doesn't start until the winter months. Occaisonally play computer games but usually only puzzles or strategy stuff.

Couple of ones I suppose: - passing my 1st Dan - the Welsh Opens earlier this year. I was in the final for under 18s 2nd Dan forms when my opponent forgot her pattern. We were the only ring going so I have the entire crowd watching, was so scary. Afterwards one of the ITF England coaches approached my Dad and invited myself and my sister to attend squad training... - then seeing my sister perform centre ring at the Euros

Maybe it would. Usually though in cars you have panels that act as crumple zones and take the shock. Because the GINA can change shape like "grow" a spolier and headrests etc. I don't know rigid it is.

Not a real blackbelt but my sister got a free "blackbelt" from this Jackie Chan kids magazine. Made me so mad. The thing was made out of material like seatbelts are and had a prestitched loop that you threaded one end through. Didn't even look remotely like a blackbelt; the material was horrible, the knot didn't even look remotely like a proper one and unless you were big-boned you couldn't get the ends to hang the same length.

I don't think you'd necessarily get slaughtered. Most of the time divisions group like grade with like grade and similar weights. I'd say the majority of adult competitors tend to be in their 20s too. Plus even if you did get slaughtered, its all experience which you can take away with you and learn from. You should totally compete if you want to. You may want to wait though you'd need the new cirriculem.

I second what NE_KyoSa said. Don't feel bad at all if you old school wasn't providing you with what you wanted. And don't worry about the rank obviously you felt as though you deserved it and no-one can take away from you what you had to go through to earn it even thugh you don't have the right certificate to "prove" it. As for the flexibility its a real issue with myself too. Its best to do a little and often. Even just getting used to relaxing in certain positions, eventually you will be able to push yourself further and further. Also be aware that certain stretches might not work for you as they cause discomfort or may your knees pop, there are loads of alternative things you can do. PS. Welcome to the forums

Lol thats funny. She does the back kick and he goes flying