kchenault

I agree there. It is easier to do with a hook. More power? Maybe. More reach, definately.

I would have to agree with Patrick here LeaF. I have found an abundance of info about the martial arts since I joined, due to everyones interests and experience.

I don't have any words of advice because I suffer from TTSS (Test Traumatic Stress Syndrome) as well. I always have a brain fart and draw a blank on something. Everytime! Good Luck! Pilsung!

I never thought of it that way. I too like forms and could use the extra practice time. That would be a good concept for my school, forms class to perfect our forms! Hmmmmm.....

Man are you asking for lots of posts. You might try just searching the site for what you are looking for. Type in self defense or combat and the like. But I am sure there will be lots of recommendations from all around here. Good luck in your search, and let us know what you find. Also, welcome to the forums. Pilsung!

Well put crash. Better than mine.

I have not gone thru the training, but it has to be more intense than my Boy Scout swimming merit badge and that was pretty tiring. Good luck and be the best you can at it. Someones life could depend on it. Definate Pilsung!

Kata or forms are sets of movements that are pre-determined to practice techniques in simulated battle situations. Antiquated? Maybe. Good way to practice form and technique. Definately. You will get the whole gamut of answers on this Forum site.

You'll probably have to wait til next year or next time. Which ever comes first.

I have to disagree with ninjanurse on execution. No offense. I will chalk it up to style differences. At our school, the leg is not to be bent. It should remain straight, and be delivered in a back turning motion, with the leg in the position of an extended sidekick the whole time, connecting with the back of the heel. It should never hook. That would be a back spinning hook kick. Always turn your head first to acquire the target. This helps set up the kick for success. The hardest part is getting your hip to turn over so the leg is in the proper positioning. A lot of people end up throwing a reverse crescent kick the first few times out. Good luck. Pilsung!

I agree with what has been said before. Frequency should match what is required by the "system" for advancement. But whole classes devoted to forms? Sakes alive!

I shall now beat the dead horse. Visualize the opponent when performing forms. Always turn your head towards the enemy before your next strike. Perform as if the confrontation were really taking place, but with more control in execution.

Best of luck to you all! May the virus's from a thousand computers infest your hard drives!

LOL Now that was hilarious! What a way to start the day! Thanks for that one Maestro!

Good point Mr.Man. Why wear a uniform? Why not just workout clothes?

I hope you don't mind me asking, but just what do you eat? I would really like to know. Could you give us a sample of your daily intake?

Dude, take it easy! Start out slowly. Running or jogging is NOT the way you should start. WALK! Don't run yet. You are basicly starting over in fitness. Take your time and ease into it. Walk at a brisk pace for about 30 minutes a day to help get yourslef into a little better shape. And don't you dare give up so easily! Give yourself time to recover from this fiasco and start over gently. No, it will not go away in a day. Give it about 3 days and you should feel better. Keep it up, just slow it down until you get used to it. Pilsung!

We use stripes at our school, but the owners (head instructors) have recently received from Grandmaster Jung, belts with red stripes instead of gold stripes. I don't know exactly why they are a different color, but they sure look awesome. I can't wait to receive my first dan and the gold stripe that goes with it. I have seen this practice since I was a kid back in the 70's.

In reply about "full contact". I think that should be pretty self-explantory. It means you don't have to pull the punch or kick. It has nothing to do with what areas are legal and what areas are not. No holds barred fighting is where anything goes. Rules are rules. Full contact just means you don't have to hold back when hitting your opponent, but the contact still has to be a legal hit.

What does your diet consist of at the moment? You have to be getting veggies from somewhere or you can't be very healthy, not to mention bound up in the intestines right now. I would go with a well balanced diet right now. Protein diets are good for fast weight loss, but the weight will not stay off in the long run. I speak from experience here. Get a grip on where you are at for your BMI (how overweight or underweight you are). You can find a BMI calculator on the web. Then check out fitness sites like: https://www.mensfitness.com or https://www.muscleandfitness.com for some good training workouts and diet plans. Cardio is key to losing the fat and keeping the muscle. Check out these sites and give it a go. Also, if you don't eat veggies because you don't like the taste, I would recommend you suck it up and eat them anyway. Otherwise, see an allergy specialist to find out what you can eat and what you can't. Pilsung!

I am not a fencer but you could find others who possibly are at: http://www.swordforum.com/ Tons of people discussing swords, sword arts, all kinds of stuff. Pilsung!

What a frickin' idiot!

Yeah, but it feels pretty realistic to me. It caves when it should and stays put when it should.

Kind words ramymensa. Thank you. My name is Ken, and I love TKD! I love kicking high. For someone who is 5'7" tall to kick at the level over my head is very gratifying. It also, no matter what people say, makes my lower level kicks much more powerful and faster. My hands are something to be feared, because I am a "Southpaw" and have pretty fast hands for a "bulky" guy. One of my 4th Dan instructors commented on what good hands I have. That feels great to know omeone of a much higher ranking and station in the dojang thinks that. Also, I just love kicking. Being as short as I am. Using my legs in a stand up situation is almost paramount to punching due to reach limitations against taller opponents. Fighting kinda comes natural to my family, so, I like the less controlled, hit anywhere you want kind of situation. TKD give me the tools I need for this type of situation. Now I just need some grappling skills for the ground. Pilsung!

Definately turn your head and find the target first. Practice this in steps to begin with and gradually increase your speed to match your improvement. Also make sure you kick your leg straight back and not to the side. Use a stationary target, like a B.o.B. unit for practice as well. Pilsung!