DWx

I think I'm really screwing up my day numbers now but here goes: Day 47 to 55: still working hard on my stretches and slowly seeing progress. One positive sign is that I had to cut the straps on my brace shorter as the swelling is finally going down in my arm. Can finally get my arm to fit in a jacket sleeve. Day 56: 3rd physio appointment. Physio happy with my progress and released the lock on my brace to allow unrestricted movement. Since it's not inhibiting movement, physio advised that I could take the brace off if I wanted as long as I put it back on for anything strenuous. Also advised me I could try driving again as long as I felt confident to control the car properly. The goal now is to work back to full extension and gain full wrist mobility before we can begin strength training. Spent time stretching my wrist and arm out (v. painful!!!). Day 58: first day driving in 2 months. Drove my sister and mother to the shops (1 mile away) to test out my driving. At this point my arm was still 30 degrees off straight so I had to sit really close to be able to reach the steering wheel. Was told I looked like a T-Rex Luckily this year I switched from manual to automatic gearbox so don't have to worry about changing gear too. Drove OK but uncomfortable so longer journeys out of the question for the time being. Day 59 to 61: huge improvement in movement and strength now that the brace can come off. Have been stretching and grip training like crazy and trying to use my arm where possible. It's the little things you notice like finally having the strength to push down on a door handle or being able to reach to tie my hair back. Being out of the brace is also helping me sleep better as is much more comfortable. Tried a few more short journeys in the car and getting a lot better. Day 65: 2nd follow up in outpatients clinic. My consultant surgeon was out again but I saw his surgical fellow, (plus registrar and group of students). This time they went over the full procedure with me and showed me some of the photos which was pretty interesting. Got to see photos of inside the joint from when they did the keyhole part at the start. Could see all the loose body from my ligament and the inflammation. Sounds weird but it was nice to know that I was justified in moaning about how painful my arm was Surgeon explained more about the exact type of UCL reconstruction they did as there are several ways to do a Tommy John. The method they used involved anchoring the ligament with two screws rather than the more common docking method. They also moved the ulnar nerve which runs down to the 3rd and 4th finger which explains why I have numbness there. Discussed with the surgeon how he felt about me taking impact on my elbow considering that they drilled into it. He basically told me I could do what the hell I liked including striking with the elbow as long as I was sensible about it. Said he wasn't going to tell me to change anything as I could just as well fall on my arm and damage it. Told me that if I do damage it in the future, they'll just fix it again. Reassuring to hear. For now they've advised me to keep using the brace for the additional support and have cleared me to do light strength work. Day 66: 4th physio appointment. More painful stretching trying to get elbow movement and wrist movement. Physio's must have been medieval torturers in a past life. Have gotten maybe half my wrist bend back and only 15 degrees off of full extension now. Now I can take the brace off, have to work on getting rotation back too as can't quite get my palm upwards. Lots of exercises to do including band exercises (with the lightest band they have).

"It's wrong for men to hit women" True or False? How do we all feel about the above statement? How do you accommodate or deal with students who come into your dojo with this opinion?

I'm not sure the ITF ever would role out new tul unless it was along the lines of a modified tul for kids or for special needs. Whichever ITF you're in they tend to be sticklers for following the way of the General. He had a reason for 24 patterns so I think it would be extremely unlikely they would create more. Of course you have Ko-Dang and U-Nam/Woo-Nam that some might practice but these were created during the General's time and are not official tul per se. Regarding Kukkiwon poomse, I guess it depends what the poomse look like and whether these are to replace or compliment existing forms. They have recently released some new competition poomse too so maybe they're trying to refresh the curriculum all-round.

Not sure if Alexa does it but I do find it quite cool to wake up in the morning and ask Google about my day. Reads off my calendar, the weather, then a quick run down of the new headlines. I want either bulbs or switches for me table lamps and thermostat. Been debating back and forth all day OK...I just got to get an Amazon Echoes soon!! I like what Danielle says that Alexa, which I think that Alexa is the name of her Amazon Echoes, I think, she reads off her calendar, the weather, then a quick run down of the new headlines. That is cool, and I believe that it could be much more helpful than a notepad. I actually have a Google Home instead but guess that Alexa has similar features. Both are discounted at the minute for Black Friday.

The Kukkiwon has recently demonstrated a new series of 8 Poomse for adults. "The need for new poomsae is getting increased as the training motivation of taekwondo is getting diversified, according to the changes of age and environment," Kukkiwon President Hyun-deuk Oh said. “If the adult yougupja poomsae is globally distributed to more taekwondo clubs through frontline masters, I think it will be a great help to activate the field of adult taekwondo.” http://eng.tkdnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=16500 Anyone come across any videos yet?

Could it be how you're pivoting (or not pivoting) the standing leg? Usually I see pain in the knee in students for two reasons: 1. they're trying to rotate the standing leg through the flat of the foot or heel. Your weight needs to be shifted onto your ball of your foot to rotate properly. Your heel doesn't have to come off the ground much but you do need to centre over that smaller pivoting area for a smooth rotation. Otherwise that extra torsion ends up trying to twist the knee joint. 2. students try to rotate through the leg and not through the hip. If you ask a new student to rotate their leg they concentrate on the ankle or foot and let that initiate the movement without engaging the upper leg. Again the knee is the weak link as rotation corkscrews up through the leg and it's not designed for rotational forces. Think about rotating the leg as one solid limb from that hip socket which is designed for rotation. So two things you can do to correct the above. Firstly build up strength around the knee to resist rotation. A PT would be able to help you here but think squats, lunges, leg raises etc. Secondly is to really focus on the technique of the standing leg, not just the kicking leg. Concentrate on rotating from the hip socket and not lower down the leg.

I think you'd be surprised at how much they know already just from your internet history and location history!

Not sure if Alexa does it but I do find it quite cool to wake up in the morning and ask Google about my day. Reads off my calendar, the weather, then a quick run down of the new headlines. I want either bulbs or switches for me table lamps and thermostat. Been debating back and forth all day

Anyone got any smart-tech in their homes? I've recently got a Google Home and love it. I already had a few Chromecasts and Chromecast Audio's around the house and this just fits seamlessly into my set up. Looking to expand out now and want to add WiFi controlled lights, thermostat and maybe some security features like cameras and door sensors. Anyone have any of these? I'm having a dilemma over what brand to go for as I want it all interconnected and don't want to have 10 000 hubs everywhere. (For the uninitiated: https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/smart-home-automation/article/smart-home-products-and-systems/home-automation-explained )

Train smart, not just hard. Whilst I'm all for pushing through discomfort, real pain should not be taken lightly! Training through real pain results in one of two things: - the student doesn't want to keep training and attending your class so they quit - Or worse, the student injures themselves, sometimes with long lasting consequences. Pain is your body telling you to stop for a reason! I really don't why in this day and age we still have this hardcore attitude that we should push through pain. Push through discomfort yes. Push yourself to breakdown mental and physical barriers yes. But if you're body is telling you something is wrong, listen to it, recuperate, and come back stronger. How many martial artists do we all know with busted ankles, knees and hips? I personally want to keep using mine for the next few decades thank you. This is all about getting to know your students and know where their limits are. Its a very individual thing and each student has to be treated on a case by case basis.

As has now become customary at KarateForums.com, every half anniversary a staff member has the honour to address the community in celebration of this milestone. This year, I feel very privileged to be able to celebrate this anniversary with the community and share my thoughts with you. While I was thinking about different topics I could discuss today, I thought about my own experience with KarateForums.com and how those of you, who take the time to read and contribute here, have impacted me. I joined KarateForums.com back in 2007 in an effort to try to learn and understand more about martial arts. Now, 10 years later, I'm still here, still reading and still learning. A lot has changed for me, both personally, and in my martial arts life, yet KarateForums.com is still here, and I still get excited to read new posts and topics. This led me to think about how both I, and the community, have changed over the years and to think about what it is that keeps me coming back. As martial artists, we have to be prepared to adapt and grow over the course of our training. For most of us, it is a lifelong journey and our circumstances may change many times over. It can be challenging to move forward. Over the course of our training, we may train at different schools or with different teachers or even in different styles. We may have to adapt to injury or physical limitations, adjust our strategies and tactics and persevere through difficulty. There can also be changes in our personal circumstances which will influence our training; we may get married, have kids, move to a different area and change jobs. Yet even though these changes can disrupt our martial arts journey, we can all guarantee that the wider martial arts community will be there to support us when we need it, to celebrate our successes and to help guide us through any difficult times. KarateForums.com is part of this wider community. During my 10 years here, I’ve changed a lot. I have experienced successes and experienced failures and have had challenges I’ve needed to face. What keeps me coming back to KarateForums.com is that the community has always been there to support me. Whilst members have come and gone there is one thing that remains consistent here: KarateForums.com is a community where you can find that support, where you can celebrate your successes and where you can find that guidance, if you need it. There are many places on the internet to discuss martial arts but few where, whatever your background or belief, you are respected and encouraged to share your opinions. Few places where you can feel part of a wider community that wants you to succeed. We will all experience challenges on our martial arts journeys, and the community at KarateForums.com will be there to support you. In this respect, KarateForums.com has never changed. 16 and a half years is a fantastic achievement for any website, and the longevity of this community is a testament to the community spirit that exists here. KarateForums.com is more than just a website, it is a community with real community values. I hope that never changes.

So your options really are to tie it back somehow or if you really don't want to do that, cut it. No amount of hairspray will help with this. Guessing by your username you're male? If it's not too long you could always rock the David Beckham hairband look but it's not such a great solution when you're getting punched and kicked in the head as it'll be all over the place. In fact we actually ban metal hair grips and clips in our TKD tournaments due to the potential for injury.

Day 41: 2nd physio appointment. Turns out my brace was set wrong and I had a little too much bend and not enough straighten for the first couple of weeks Thankfully its not caused any damage and now I've been opened up to 60 degrees anyway. Physio spent some time stretching my arm out and showing me exercises to rebuild range of motion. Mostly resting my elbow on a table and using my other arm to try to push it straight. Focusing a lot on my wrist as scar tissue has formed where the tendon was harvested and is not allowing me to bend my wrist back at all. Working on isometric exercises to build it back up. Day 42 to 44: working hard on my exercises. Physio recommended a minimum of 3x a day but I've been doing them at least once an hour. Have also ditched the shoulder strap and tried to let my arm hang to get a good stretch. All the dressings are gone and my scars are healing nicely. The surgeon has done a really good job on the incisions with the 2 scars on my forearm virtually faded. The incision on my wrist is also well hidden in one of my natural creases and won't be seen really once its healed up. Day 45: Coached national squad training again. A huge difference to the last squad session (day 24). I can make a fist(!) Have a lot more movement and the swelling has gone down even more. Grip strength pretty poor. Also as I've not been training and haven' stretched much as can't weight bear on my arms, flexibility has tailed right off. Was trying to demonstrate some sparring drills and felt like my hips have seized up! Day 46 (today): been working hard with the stretches and have a good 50 degrees movement now. Wrist slowly improving and have some extra movement though only when assisted with the other hand. Ordered some hand grip trainers to help improve my hand strength. Making myself hold and carry light objects but still don't have a lot of strength - even struggling to hold my phone in my left hand as it's too heavy. Currently can't open up an rubber band if I put it around my fingers.

Thanks Bob. I was meaning to do an update, though I am losing track of the day numbers!

Sounds like you're having a rough time at the minute Bob. I hope things work out for you. Maybe some compromise can be found with the SKKA. Most important is your health so look after yourself.

What do we mean by "discipline" here? Self-discipline? I think you can have one and not the other. Especially if we consider skill to be in-part "natural ability". You can work really hard and still not be as good as someone with natural ability. But on the flip side you can have natural ability yet never realise your full potential because you're not disciplined enough to train hard.

Day 34: first assessment in clinic to see how I'm progressing. Discussed the numbness in my little finger with the doctor. They didn't seem too concerned as I still have movement. At this stage they attribute it to swelling pressing on the nerve and there isn't anything they can do without being invasive. Movement is progressing well and I can just about hit 30 degrees now. Have been given the go ahead to open the angle up on my brace further.

Respectfully I would suggest you ask your instructor to show you. You're correct in that ITF went from linear > knee spring style > sine wave but really the last two are used in conjunction rather than one replacing the other. It is difficult to explain this without being there in person but sine wave requires a stance change otherwise it is just knee spring. (FWIW you also don't have sine wave when stance changing low -> high such as in Hwa Rang, L-stance to vertical stance.) Over time I thing it's fair to say it has become less effective because it has been exaggerated so much and gotten away from the original intention. However having done several IIC and ITS courses this year with the technical director for ITF (Vienna), there is definitely a focus on reigning it back in. But I think this is now straying away from your original question to the Karate folks on here? As for dropping weight as a way to generate power, Jack Dempsey's "falling step" in boxing is along the same lines: No. Jack Dempsey had a forward direction to the falling step/weight transfer. He didnt just advocate an up and down motion. Which is what sinewave is: moving in a direction with a weight drop.

Respectfully I would suggest you ask your instructor to show you. You're correct in that ITF went from linear > knee spring style > sine wave but really the last two are used in conjunction rather than one replacing the other. It is difficult to explain this without being there in person but sine wave requires a stance change otherwise it is just knee spring. (FWIW you also don't have sine wave when stance changing low -> high such as in Hwa Rang, L-stance to vertical stance.) Over time I thing it's fair to say it has become less effective because it has been exaggerated so much and gotten away from the original intention. However having done several IIC and ITS courses this year with the technical director for ITF (Vienna), there is definitely a focus on reigning it back in. But I think this is now straying away from your original question to the Karate folks on here? As for dropping weight as a way to generate power, Jack Dempsey's "falling step" in boxing is along the same lines:

I don't think you're wrong there. In fact most people would say this is one of the reasons why it was added to ITF TKD. The KKW/WTF didnt though, they still punch karate style. Also, traditional TKD schools still punch the Shotokan way as you can see here http://www.taekwondo-pdx.com/gallery/videos/ Traditional Taekwondo schools aren't available everywhere though, and not all all traditional schools are Chang Hon (ITF pattern) style. My point was that you can make a very good case for General Choi incorporating sine wave into his style because he was trying to make his TKD the "best TKD" and different from everyone else and from Karate. It was as much political as it was technical. It wasn't added to KKW/WTF because at the point it was introduced (during the 80's), the WTF was already a separate entity and nothing to do with the General.

I don't think you're wrong there. In fact most people would say this is one of the reasons why it was added to ITF TKD.

I suggest you might want to discuss this with your instructor so that they can show you in person. However I can assure you that stance and punch finish as one, not leg first then hand. If they don't finish together there is something really wrong (by ITF standards). I think there is some misunderstanding of the purpose of the two movements. Knee spring in a static stance is meant to facilitate the hip. Rather than down-up-down, it is better to think of it as relax-expand-contract. Think the opening block-punch of Do San. Relaxing in the stance results in unlocking the back leg and a slight bend. Drawing back the hip is "up" and then firing the punch and locking the back leg is down again. As per my previous post sine wave in the truest sense is only for when your feet move; either for stepping or for stance changes. Here again the initial "down" part is better described as "relax". "Up" happens because your feet come up to a neutral standing position which is naturally higher. Then "down" happens when you reform the stance. I will say if you are looking through Gen Choi's Encyclopedia you can't take everything at face value. It was originally written in Korean and then translated to English and there are translation mistakes. This is why it is important to train with seniors and attend IIC and ITS seminars (once you reach blackbelt). They key is in how you interpret the words.

Training in Asian martial arts there is a certain importance placed on the student-teacher relationship. Especially the importance of respecting and following your teacher. However sometimes, for one reason or another, the student may feel that the time has come to part ways with their instructor and seek out a new teacher or set up on their own. Has anyone here ever made the decision to break away from their instructor? Or have you had students break away from you?

Day 24: suffering from cabin fever so decided to travel down to national squad training with some buddies to coach. Good to put my dobok back on though difficult to demonstrate one armed Day 25: my first physio appointment. More of an assessment to see where I am and if there were any suggestions they could make to make home life easier. Not convinced the physio has seen this injury before but she did call the consultant to get further clarification from the surgeon. Advised to slowly keep moving and work my way up to 30 degrees movement. Day 31 (today): one month in after the surgery. Have been working hard at getting my mobility back. Reminding myself to move my elbow at least every hour. and keep trying to make a fist. Moving through 20 degrees now and can hold light objects. What's depressing me at the moment is how quickly the muscle goes and how quickly the weight is put on. Definitely some truth to the saying "use it or lose it". Can't wait to get back in the gym.

Oh wow thank you for the kind words I think it's a testament to you Patrick and the community you've created which makes people stick around for so long. It has been an absolute privilege to be a part of the team and to work with all of the great staff members, past and present. Never thought I'd be invited on to the staff or that I'd be here this long.