Friday, May 21, 2010

Need help before I snap?

I used to do a lot of martial arts, and I really enjoyed the competition of fighting. But eventually I quit because I was getting scared that I liked fighting people way too much. That was 6 years ago.





Over the time, it feels like I've been wanting to fight someone, anyone, way too much. But I've just held it away. At work recently, I have a superviser who for no reason; hates me. She claims I don't work when I've been busting my *** all day and when I first started got mad at me for not doing anything when the reason I wasn't doing anything was because she wasn't training me. I can't do the job if I don't know how, unless you want a lot of problems.





Lately it feels like I'm about to snap and wail on someone; wouldn't be surprised if it was my superviser. Any advice on how to deal with this before someone gets hurt?

Need help before I snap?
Take a deep breath and stay calm . I would go to the manager and ask them for an opinion whether they agree or disagree with the supervisor. If they agree all you can do is ask them for more training and hopefully u will improve. Dont b worrying just think positive.
Reply:Don't snap.... TELL HER!
Reply:Head to the gym and take it out there on a bag or something.
Reply:Liking competition is not bad and liking a good fight should not scare you.





If it does start to scare you, you should talk to a professional who can help you divert that energy.





For now, buy a punching bag with a picture on it, and do look into the yellow pages.
Reply:You could take up "Ultimate Fighting" or just head to the gym. As long as you know your limit , and it's in a safe environment, I think that if you like to fight then get back into it. It would be a good way to let off steam before or after work.
Reply:Don't change one sick horse for a three legged one.





You are creating your own 'prison'. You don't want the responsibilty of making a wrong decision. Too bad, that's life Mr. Kung-fu-eee!





Make choices, then act....stop the self-pity. Get use to the idea that there is a b*tch around every corner.





You are breathing...that's all you deserve.





Face the consequences of your decisions.

flowers sympathy

What is the name of this book?

I read this book over twenty years ago. I do not remember the name or the author, only bits and pieces of the story itself.


It starts after WWII in Japan. The central character is white and he is in Japan to learn the martial arts.


At one point he is trying to learn 2 different styles at the same time and not doing very well in either. One of his instructors tell him the story of the dog that chased two rabbits,


The dog lost both of them.


Another part of the book went something like this. The central character is by himself on the subway and he is accosted by a drunk Japanese guy. He takes a couple of hits and then gets tired of it. So the next time the Japanese guy takes a swing, our hero deflects the arm up exposing the armpit (which has a bundle of nerves located there named the floating rib). One short punch later the drunk is out on the flour and no one says anything to our hero. He is worried that if his instructors find out that they might ban him from training for a while.

What is the name of this book?
See if you can find it in Amazon.com, they have an advanced search you can do for text within a book.
Reply:mr popers penguins??
Reply:life in the martial arts


Im thinking about moving to australia to live from england. Can anyone give me info on the process?

Details: Im a "semi qualified" musician (although I have being doing pro music work off the weight of my experience for a while including tuition, studio, production and live work), born english, classed as disabled now after being sectioned (epilepsy related illness) a while back but will be shedding that banner and going back to work if I decide to leave the country in the near future.


Main concerns are the fact that I have a pet to consider (a rat) and a small collection of martial arts weapons (nothing particulary lethal btw. a set of blunt cheapo samurai swords, a blunt cheapo refurbished chinese longsword, 2 steel whips, a staff, a wooden 3 section staff and a metal 3 section staff) that I use for training with. How would these factors affect the process. I am well aware of the impliocations of taking animals and what may be viewed as dangerous weapons overseas. My plan once there would be to get any kind of job to get a flat while I set up my music tuition business.

Im thinking about moving to australia to live from england. Can anyone give me info on the process?
Australia is very picky about applicaitons they will accept. They are looking for teachers, and some other qualitifed jobs.


They just do not let anyone come in the country just to live.


They have very tight controls even on if you want to visit, i know it took me months to get oked just to vacation there and that normal.
Reply:Not much call for epilectic vermin loving music hobos in this country.dont bother they wont even take your 20th application.


The various sports events, Pride, and whatnot...?

For those who watch and/or participate in these competitions?





1) why? What do you get out of it?


2) do you think it is real martial arts or are people like me just grumpy and sticks in the mud?


3) would you prefer to be involved one of these sports mas or a traditional style and please state why for either answer?





For traditionalists who do both I have a question:





1) do you find the sport ma interferes with your traditional training?





Frankly, I am becoming fatigued with the spate of "will [name entered here] win in [name of sports ma here]" questions and I am also tired with "will [name of sports ma practitioner here] beat [name of sports ma practitioner here]"





I have never had any desire to participate in or watch these things and I do not understand the draw. Likewise I do not enjoy watching boxing or WWE.

The various sports events, Pride, and whatnot...?
I've been giving this some thought.





1. I have studied 'mixed martial arts' before they started calling it MMA. I've studied striking styles, grappling styles, and styles like Hapkido, which combine grappling and striking. Although I have never entered an MMA tournament, I have been in both striking and grappling competitions where I could have used skills from the other styles but the rules would not allow it. Even now, Hapkido isn't a viable style in the UFC because the rules forbid most of the techniques used in Hapkido. There's a good reason for this. If you apply a wrist lock and then strike the forearm to dislodge the wrist, you can do serious damage that isn't practical in a sporting event.





2. I think that sporting events like UFC, Pride, K-1, etc. are attracting a new breed of fighters. In the early days, you saw black belts who had years of training in their respective styles. These martial artists had not trained for this type of competition before and were forced to adapt to a set of rules. Today, fighters are well aware of the rules and train accordingly. Listen to the introductions of these fighters. Some are still introduced as 'Muay Thai Fighters' or 'Brazilian Jujitsu Fighters', while others get introduced as 'Mixed Martial Artists' or 'Free Style Fighters'. The term 'Free Style' could refer to a mixed martial artist, or it could be someone who hasn't studied at all and is just a street fighter. Either way, they are all bound by the same rules once they enter the ring.





3. These sports are gaining popularity. Because they are a sport and not scripted entertainment like pro-wrestling, people can bet on them. The reason boxing has such a bad reputation for being 'fixed' is because it is the easiest sport to control the outcome. Team sports are much harder to fix because you have to rely on more than just one person (Anyone remember the 'Chicago Black Sox'?). In boxing, you just have to get one guy to agree to take a dive. In MMA competitions this is even easier to do because you don't have to fake being knocked out. All a fighter has to do is take the fight to the ground and 'accidentally' get caught in a submission. Think it can't happen? Neither did boxing fans. Money is more dangerous than any martial art.





These events are competitions for those who wish to either test their skills or seek glory among their peers. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with either of those things, nor is it wrong to not pursue either of those things. Many fighters in Thailand compete in order to win a championship so that they can retire and open their own gym and make money to support their families. If I wanted to become an MMA coach, I have no resume to attract young fighters. I would either have to compete myself or find someone willing to take a chance on me.





Look at what UFC did for Gracie Jujitsu. I grew up about a mile from their gym and never knew it existed. After the UFC, there is a waiting list to get signed up and people actually move to California to train there.





You say you are tired of the 'Who will beat who' questions, but they are here to stay. Click on any of the sports topics and you will see the same questions. Whether its 'Will Man U beat Arsenal' or 'Will the Yankees beat the Red Sox', every sport has these types of questions.
Reply:I completely agree with you. =)





The End.
Reply:Entertainment and with MMA it is a sport still in its infancy so watching the evolution of the fight game is what fascinates me. Perhaps since you dislike boxing too, you would prefer team sports. I am sure most MMA fans would be appalled by your WWE comparison.
Reply:i'm a practitioner and rabid fan of MMA, and can see that you don't get it. i've been into it since UFC 2 when i first saw gracie destroy the compettion with techniques i had never concieved of. at the time i was in high school and was a skilled in baseball, football, wrestling, and track, so i apreciated the athleticism of the contestants. i always rooted for the wrestlers because i could relate to them. now my view has evovled with the sport and i'm aware that you must cross train and be able to take advantage of every oppurtunity. you must also be able to defend against your opponent's style. i was floored by the idea of letting everybody bring whatever style the practiced to the table to see who was best. watching it evolve and become mainstream has been refreshing. i remember buying tickets to go watch it in niagra falls in '95 or '96 and at the last minute they had to pull the plug because the sport was still a bit barbaric, and NY athletic commission posed many sanctions on the event. it's come a long way since then, and it's going to grow much bigger.





it's clear a lot of the traditionists of most common martial arts styles in the world are annoyed because these competitions have exposed how narrow and impractial their styles are when put into action against the more rounded MMA styles that have come rule the fight scene. these katas and kung fu forms may be pretty to watch, and teach discipline and control, and they may take down the completely inept school bully, but that's about it.





bottom line- MMA is here to stay. the athletes will get bigger, and stronger, and make much more money. the events will be more and more main stream, and there will always be ignorant people who can't relate in any way whatsoever. who will know they could never under any circumstances compete. and, of course, have the nerve to mention MMA in the same breath with WWE.





good luck kid.
Reply:1) I like to watch how fighting is done, how certain techniques are done, how people use same techniques in different way, see how they deal with other techniques, and it's fun to watch two different styles fight. It is always interesting. Also I learn many different techniques, stratergy, and counters from watching. I mean those guys are some of the best fighter we know of in the world, so why not learn from watching them?





2) I think it's martial arts. I don't think there's a true way to definite martial artists. It's same with religions, some people are uptight about it while some others are very laid back and relaxed. Some martial artists choose to try live by the code rigidly, some choose to test themselve out, and some choose to make a career out of it. If you think there's a certain requirement for people to meet to be consider as a martial artists, please tell us where you get the requirement from.





3) I perfer to be involve with sport mas because I feel like I recieve better training. What kind of instructor wouldn't try to train their students as best as they could then toss them in ring? In traditional style, it's not always easy to tell if the instructor geniunely are trying to train their students as best as they could. So this kinda push me away from traditional. Also I LOVE to spar/grapple, it's fun and it also build more respect among the students.
Reply:First off MMA is the real deal. its not scripted like pro wrestling(WWE). it is better than / more safe than boxing. boxing has a long history of being fixed+ if you get your head beat in for 12 rounds and they give you 8 sec. to answer the bell you have more of a chance of serious brain damage. MMA the fight will be stopped as soon as 1 fighter taps out (submits) is unconscious(ko'd or passed out from a choke) or cannot intellegently defend himself(completely getting his butt kicked). all fights in UFC at least are sheduled for no more than 5 rounds. and is sanctiond by an athletic commision.


What really makes the sport great is that you must be trained in various forms of martial arts.not only must you be well versed in boxing/kickboxing but you must also be able to grapple.. ie wrestling jui-jitsu judo etc. if you ever have the chance watch a fight night on Spike (dont know if i can advertise that) and see for yourself the actual work and skill it takes for these athletes to compete in the sport. It might give you a different outlook on MMA.
Reply:MMA is using many different styles of martial arts which if you look at one of the most brilliant martial artists in the world, Bruce Lee, he was always improving his art by using different techniques from other forms of martial arts. Those that believe that only one kind of martial art is the best is narrow minded and doesn't see real athleticism and art in MMA. Yes occasionally you will get your fight that just looks like a bar fight but the intricacies of MMA are seen by those that really understand the concept of using an open mind to achieve ones goals (which is what most martial arts are all about).
Reply:I totally agree with you and find the mma fighters misusing their martial arts completely. I find it irritating as the media vexes the people to think martial arts is only learned how to beat someone up.


Boxing however I accept as a western martial art. There's nothing wrong with it

funeral flower

Which is less damaging to your joints, power lifting or endurance lifting?

My martial arts instructor has been haranguing us about the importance of conditioning etc. so I'm currently working my way up on an endurance lifting programme, doing curls %26amp; presses with a comparatively low weight (20kg + bar) on 4-6 sets of 15-25 reps... I decided to do endurance lifting because power lifting is only recommended on an alternate day basis and I want to lift every day (although if we've had a hard session at training I might be tempted to skip a workout and just have a shower and go to bed!)





Anyway, I was curious as to what strain this was putting on my elbow joints, and whether higher reps on a low weight were more or less likely to cause joint strain than lower reps on a high weight (i.e. power lifting.)





Does anyone have any studies they can point me to? Or medical knowledge, personal experience etc.?

Which is less damaging to your joints, power lifting or endurance lifting?
i used to power lift and now i need sodium hyaluronate injected into my joints 3 times a year so i can move about, im 29 years old and will never lift more than 5kgs again ... and thats not by choice
Reply:power liftin


Question about the Human Weapon episode on Krav Maga. I'm looking for the protective gear used in the show.

I am looking for the the blue upper body protective vest and black head gear that was worn by the Israel combat unit during the training at the end of the show. Anyone know who the manufacturer is of either of these pieces or where I can purchase them for my own Martial Arts school?

Question about the Human Weapon episode on Krav Maga. I'm looking for the protective gear used in the show.
I think this head peice is similar...


http://www.martialartssupply.com/e-Super...





as far as vest's ,i couldnt find anything.


How do I quickly recover from a calf and achilles injury?

I seem to "pull" my calf muscles more than usual. I am 39 yrs old and do Martial Arts and distance run. I "pulled" my calf at a tournament. Let that heal for 2 weeks and started running again. After 11 miles though, I think because I changed my gate so as not to use the calf much (heal down on landing), my achilles tendon started to give out. I need to heal quickly and get back to training. Any ideas?

How do I quickly recover from a calf and achilles injury?
unfortunatly there is no quick heel with achillies problems. Im just a bit concerned that you may rupture it which will then require surgery. my best advice for now is to do some GENTLE stretching and put an ice pack on it for 20 mins every 3 to 4 hours
Reply:there's no quick heal all you can do is rest it and have some work on it by your local physio


Ufc How can i join the ufc? I have no professional fighting background.?

I am 29 and weigh 170 lbs. at 6 ft. tall. I have an understanding of mixed martial arts and have practiced on my own since i was 5 years of age. And I want to become a ufc fighter. Any info on entering and or training for the UFC would be great. I've always wanted to join but haven't had the finantial backing for it.

Ufc How can i join the ufc? I have no professional fighting background.?
First Things First Let Me Answer Your Question,


You Need Atleast 2 or 3 taped fights to send in for viewing.





Second.


You can join the ufc, if the ufc lets you, they don't hold casting calls your best bet would be to do what someone else on here mentioned, which is do the local curcuit. I know what this path is like because I am currently on it. I am only 22 and my record for am. is 0-2(both of these fights were held in a M.F.S. camp) and they're called smokers, you need some sort of exp. not to show how good you are but so others can see. They're never going to have a lack of fighters to the point where they're picking up guys off the street so go get taped, send it in and if it's impressive then who knows but unless your fighting in front of the man himself I doubt you'll be able to "Red Shirt" your way into "The Event".


no sarcasm, only respect





The Basics Of What You Need:


Money-wise, expect to end up paying nothing short of 20 g's total in your first year for all the **** your gonna end up needing on top of the stuff you already have(only if you really are a machine, like ortiz or something), but the cost out of pocket at first is always the worst, like any true investment.





When You Train:


Find 2 devoted members to help, they can stretch you and help you in ways a two man team can't. If you only have one partner your cheating yourself cardio wise. If you roll with an extra guy one can rest while the other helps you, stuff like that may seem small but when you gas, you can only blame yourself.


Work the ground like its where you belong but have hands/your height allows for head kicks as well.


Train for the short grappler as he will be your biggest challenge.


You have tons of exp. so make sure you convey that when you train and you'll bring out the best in those around you.





I'm not going to go into a full sermon though I was on the verge, just know that you can get in, IF YOU want to get in, theres no way they would refuse true talent.
Reply:I would advise you to find a school that trains people for mixed martial arts.
Reply:Doubtful you'd go right to the UFC. You'd have to start at small local venues.
Reply:You will have to start local then move up it's like boxing you have to win fights get noticed and then be selected by a fighter. there's camps in Idaho,Oregon,Iowa,Indiana that are ran by fighter's from the UFC they charge good money though.
Reply:I want to do this myself. What i noticed is that lots of people from the "ultimate fighter" show get into the UFC. Even the people that don't win the show, but preform well. I honestly think that may be your best bet. Most of those guys on that show have a mixed martial arts record.





One guy ....forgot his last name....Danny or something. He only had a MMA record of 2-0 and was on that show though. He lost his first fight too, but i saw him in the UFC once.





I know the monthly events on PPV have undercards that go after the main fight and are not always shown. I also think they have fights not shown on PPV. So it might be a little easier than you think to get into UFC, but not be known at all.





But yeah, i'd definatly go to a MMA school.... get into competitions through them. See how well you really are....if you end up being pretty good, then possibly consider going to one of the real camps mentioned above.





Gotta also remember UFC is a sport too. Might be a good martial artist, but that doesn't alway transfer to a good athelete
Reply:since you mentioned that you've had ANY Martial Arts or fighting arts (like say Greco Roman Wrestling) experience, that you prob'ly have'nt got enough fighting or compettiton experience under your belt, and the company (or any of the teams within the MMA fighting companies) prob'ly won't pick you up due to that fact.





plus since you haven't had any FORMAL TRAINING in any Martial Arts disciplines (especially Muay Thai, Kickboxing, or JuJitsu, being that these are the most prevalent disciplines that the fighters train in) then they won't likely pick you up either.





so that would be another red flag for them not to accept you again for legal reasons since most of the competitors in UFC, PRIDE, IFL, etc have had some form of fighting experience before they signed contracts with the companies.





then you'd have to do some local MMA competitons, and get into one of the "feeder leagues" that help these guys get started into the professional stuff. Or possibly get into a training team that is based close to wherever you live if they'll allow you to





and then you'd have to look for some sponsors to help you get the money to enter these upper level competitons, but to give you a better leg to stand on (and possibly better contract deals) with these corporate kiss butts, again; you'll need to have a decent fighting experience and good stats of your fights to make an impression on the corporate suits that're gonna front the cash to allow you on their teams or back you financially so you can train full time, because it's a lot more than just getting in the ring and fighting.





you'll have to do commercials (for the sponsors and their products they want to sell), personal appearances, interviews, etc.





I'm not tryin' to discourage you, but this is the reality of it, it's like a full time job, and you gotta be willin to do the daily traing on top of all that other stuff. Like workin out in the gym for 5 or 6 days a week for one to maybe two hours a day, sticking to a strict diet so that you can maintain your proper weight to be able to fight in the weight class, and training regiment, running several miles a day, plus doing the fighting drills (punching bags, pads, ground fighting training stand up fighting drills) with the team on their training days.





This is the true reality of what it is to be a professional fighter buddy, no BS stright forward reality.





check out the official website for Matt Hughes (or any other fighter that has a website) and see his training and nutrition regimens he has to maintain in order to keep being a pro UFC fighter.





but Good luck, it's all up to you if your willin to do it.
Reply:Start in your local divisions and get the MMA "ring" experience. Small venues are scoped out by scouts. Just as in any other sport keep doing it where you can. If your good enough "they'll" let you know.





Here are a couple sights I frequent ...





www.grapplers.com


http://www.mma.tv/events/


Do u know any one wanting to start mma in darlington north east?

do u know any one wanting to start mma in darlington north east because darlington boxing and martial arts acadamy have class run by cage rage champion abdul mohamed also cage rage contender hassan muridi and michael ***** euro muay thai champion training strikes if intrested leave a comment for more details i need some sparing partners

Do u know any one wanting to start mma in darlington north east?
Where is Darlington, or rather which Darlington are you talking about?
Reply:to answer which darlington think u will find only one in the north east and if u dont know the place u must live 2 far away so what it matter anyway Report It

Reply:i am whanting to start mma and i do live in darlington so could u send me details of were traning place is Report It

Reply:You're expecting someone on here to know whether they know if anybody wants to start martial arts there? Well nobody would know about what individual wants to do unless they're psychic or something.


What forms are in Raul Ortiz's Praying Mantis Videos on Century website?

I studied 7 star praying mantis for years, but we only had four forms and the twelve road tan tui in our system. I was looking online and saw Raul Ortiz has some videos on the Century Martial Arts website.





http://www.centuryfitness.com/webapp/wcs...





I've heard both good and bad about Raul Ortiz, and like I said, I've already had some mantis training, I'm just interested in picking up a few more forms. But if one of his videos has only the forms I know, I'd like to skip that one. Has anyone gotten his videos, and does anyone know which forms are on which videos?

What forms are in Raul Ortiz's Praying Mantis Videos on Century website?
V1: Basics and conditioning


V2: 3-Step Mantis, Crushing Step part 1


V3: Dragon Claw, Crushing Step part 2


V4: Ching Fu Kuen, Mai Jun Lo Hon Sword


V5: First Essential Form, Internal Set


V6: Second Essential Form, Third Essential Form.


V7: Eight Step Punching, Mantis Spear


V8: Self Defense


V9: Sparring





Out of the above list, I have only heard of the Crushing Step and the three essential forms in the 7 Star NPM lineage. I have never seen these videos so I can't comment on them.





Tantui isn't part of 7 Star as you know, I wonder what the other four forms in your school are because 7 Star has many form sets, depending on your lineage it could vary from 30 to over 100, but 4 seems a little too few. Don't get me wrong, Bengbu is really all you need if you can understand and use all the postures, transitions, techniques, and theories inherent in this mother form.
Reply:I teach Prayig Mantis in Upstate New York. Raul Ortiz' forms are different than other 7star mantis forms. Look up Jon Funk on the internet, he has very traditional 7 star forms. As for Raul


l Ortiz he is traditional, excellent, and is a champion. I have viewed his tapes. Report It

Reply:My source: I have been learnig Praying Mantis since 1996. I teach (Plum Blossom Mantis) Mei Hua Tai JI Tang Lang Quan in upstate New York. good luck Report It


office table

Been working out regularly for over a year and seeing negative results! Help?

I am 5'9" male with a heavy build (broad and thick). April 2006 I was 180lb with some chub and a little bit of muscle mass. I have been working mostly cardio (30min - 1h bike/tred/oliptical/running/ect 3-5 times a week) and some resistence training (Minimal weight several reps and set). I also do Tai Chi 2 times a week, Bodukon (the combination of yoga, martial arts and meditation into one work out routine) and 50 push ups almost every night. I also swim now and then, play sport with friends, and play with my very energetic boxer everyday. This along with proper diet (though I admit that i go a little bit over board at time (the no rules burger at Outback is very tempting every once in a blue moon)) should have put me into better shape i would thing.





My problem is: After the first month i began seeing deeper and darker stretch marks going up my stomach, my stomach has only gotten large, and I seem to have less stamina.





Anyone know what is going on with my body?

Been working out regularly for over a year and seeing negative results! Help?
Unfortunately it breaks down to your diet/food intake You also need to do less cardio, with more muscle you will burn more calories through out the course of the day with muscle. 80% is food/diet 10% sleep/rest 10% working out. Cardio will also use muscles *** energy if you do it more than a 30 minutes session at a time. Try a three day schedule like this.


Beginner schedule


Monday- chest, bi


Wed - Back, triceps


Fri- Legs, shoulders





Advanced


Mon- Chest


Tues- Back


Wed- Arms


Thurs-Leg


Fri - Shoulders


Do 8-12 reps with 3 sets each. Hope this helps.
Reply:Hi Don B! Good for you for looking in to what's going on with your fitness level!





Without knowing exactly what your eating habits and exercise routines are like, I can't give you a definitive answer. But, what sounds like is going on is that you're suffering from overtraining. Slight imperfections in eating habits accompanied with imperfections in our exercise routines can lead to fatigue, gaining weight, decrease in strength, etc.





Here are some quick tips:





Do your cardio first thing upon waking on an empty stomach. Minimize duration of high intensity training. If you like high intense cardio, do interval training.


Eat small meals about every 3 hours. Portion sizes should be such that you are ready to eat again about every 3 hours. This will keep certain hormones balanced throughout the day to aid in fat loss and fat prevention.


Meals should be balanced. Meaning: if your meal/snack calorie breakdown is about 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat, then the rest of your meals should consist of the same breakdown. An EXCEPTION is any meal/snack within a few hours of bedtime. This meal/snack should be strictly protein, no carbs and no fats.


Minimize your sugar and saturated fat intake.


Include Resistance Training at least 3 times a week. Your session should be no more than an hour.





To ensure the most efficient and safe results, utilize a Personal Trainer well educated in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition. Feel free to contact me with any questions: info@acclaimedfitness.com.





Hope this helps!





Justin Brink


B.S. Kinesiology, CPT


http://www.acclaimedfitness.com
Reply:If I were you, I'd go talk to a dietician or your doctor. They can get you on a good plan. If you can afford it, try to meet with a personal trainer once every other week at least. Or get on weight watchers. That's awesome that you are trying to get in shape, but I think you need some help from a prefessional to get you on the right track, especially with diet.
Reply:ok, you have to stop eatting at outback. if your really serious try to cut out red meat from your diet.Fast food is filled with fat and (sodium) which well make your body retain more water.Try eating six small meals a-day instead of 3 big-ones.Eat more fish and chicken. Cut out all "white" foods from your diet (ex.) bread,flour,sugar,rice and some pasta's.No soda or fruit juices wich are hi in sugar.Also your doing to much cardio.Try working out with more weights.1day lift wieghts next day do cardio.Try to incorporate total body workouts with high intensity for no more than 45min.Legs and abs should be done on another day.Again high intensity and no more than 45min.1day upperbody,nxt day cardio,nxt day legs and so on.take one day off.also on your one day off eat whatever you want and as much as you want.Take one day as your "free"day.but its back to work the nxt 6. Also get plenty of sleep. hope this helps.I also recommend to take a pic of yourself before you start your program.and take another one after 2 wks to see your progress. keep doing this for the duration of your diet and exercise program.And drink alot of water,keep a journal.yea it sounds like alot of work,and it is but you'll be happy with the results.try this for 90days. good luck
Reply:One thing that will help you lose weight: diet pills. I was one of those who did not believe in them until I tried it. And I tried a few. The best product I found on the market is made with pure hoodia and it works great! You can go to


http://www.officiallsupplies.info and order you free trial, also you only pay 6.95$ shipping and handling. Good luck!


A way to fix America...?

First off, I would have a national ban on guns and from an early age I would have it mandatory that all teenagers be taught how to fight effectively without the use of cowardly guns. Martial Arts, Archery, Swordsmanship, DDR.





Unarmed Skill, Accuracy, Armed Skill, Endurance.





This would also solve our obese problem because as time goes on, it will be customary for everyone to become used to this pattern.





The military would be the only branch that would have access/training in long range projectiles.





What do you think?

A way to fix America...?
a way to fix America would to blow it up
Reply:I think you're treating the symptoms, not the disease.
Reply:1) ban guns


2) all kids in school should do a set amount o physical education (to fight obesity)


3) ban supersize portions


4) teach better arithmetics, spelling and grammer - really go back to basics


5) i quite like the idea of national service for boys. really puts their life in prespective
Reply:Money is not God.





Fix that belief, and everything will go from there. What you need is social cohesion, not more conglomerates working you like slaves while your taxes dribble away into Mexico.
Reply:and martial arts, along with self defense fixes what?, the culture and lack of understanding is the start of the problem, unplug the TV, stop the fast food, and make people interact and all would be much better
Reply:Well if you think about it..maybe you can use all those guns to kill all the fat people. Then you can ban guns and then you can be happy.
Reply:Cool idea. Everybody was Kung-Fu fighting...


I'm 19 years old & I've always wanted to do gymnastics...?

I've been actively involved in martial arts for the past 6 years, %26amp; I want to start gymnastics now too. It's something I've always wanted to do, but I've never had the opportunity nor the funding. I've been told that it's too late to start %26amp; that I'm too old, but I've always thought that I can do anything I put my mind to. So my question is, how long can I wait to start training in gymnastics, %26amp; is it true that since I'm older I won't have the opportunity to be as good at it?

I'm 19 years old %26amp; I've always wanted to do gymnastics...?
HA!! Who ever told you that you were too old to start really has much to learn!!





Not everyone Martial Artists starts as a youth of 4 or 5!!





Many join as adults every day. People have their own reasons for joining and most are not the same reason and some are.





SO why not GYMNASTICS? You will have the flexibility and balance already which will be a great help. I find Gymnists make great Martial Artists so why not the reverse too of you are a good Martial Artist?





Sure maybe to old to be in the Olympics but not to do Gymnastics, not at all. Find someone else with a positive attitude and learn from a good teacher with a good attitude.





They will see your potential with balance and flexibility and i think you will do well if you try.





Good luck!
Reply:1. Your never to old to do anything.





2. Your martial arts training should have made you fairly flexible.





3. Your still Young so why not.





4. I'm 19 used to do gymnastics and martial arts when i was was younger but stopped due to funds, so do what you want to do before its to late, i wanna take skateboarding and rollerblading up and i'm supposidly to old to but i don't care.


What would be a better workout; muay thai, tae kwon do or krav maga?

My wife wants to take a martial arts class to help attain a healthy body. What would be her best direction to take so she could benefit from the training, both physically and mentally. Cardio classes are out of the question, i think she wants to be able to kick my @ss.

What would be a better workout; muay thai, tae kwon do or krav maga?
A beginner's one hour Muay Thai class will be very similar to a 1 hour TKD class. Lot's of kicks, push ups, abs, punches and stretching.





A TKD class will probably alternate and take about 15 minutes for self defense or for forms practice per class.





In my opinion, Krav Maga would not have the same "workout" value as TKD or Muay Thai. In that class, you would probably spend more time on technical mechanics of self defense than you would "sweating".





You should be able to try them all out a few times for free, or for a small fee before you actually commit to one school.





Good luck.





James





As someone else said, the style isnt that important,
Reply:muay thai without a doubt, fitness and fighting ability in one .good luck.
Reply:It isn't so much the style as the dojo. Muay thai in general might be better for a workout, but you could find a TKD dojo that trains much harder than any muay thai in the area. Or vice verse. Ask your friends, check a few places out, see what you like.





Good luck!
Reply:Muy Thai emphasis on building your core (abdominal muscles) would be great for her, since all women think their stomachs could be flatter. She'll also get defined legs and toned arms. But warn her that it is brutal excercise (w/ the right instructor). And she'll learn how to kick @***.
Reply:definitely not muay thai, as it's much too hard on the body. maybe kickboxing or tkd. one of the guys i train with in bjj also does muay thai and he shows me the bruises on his shins from kicking a banana tree they have set up in their academy 100 times a lesson.
Reply:i've done all three and how i rank it based on my expriences





1)muay thai was the most demanding physically


2)krav maga is second. well it depends the workout part of krav maga was very tiring, however the last 1/2-1/4 of class when we are working on more self defense; weapon disarming, getting out of choke holds, and stuff like that it wasnt very tiring at all.


3)then tkd...dont take it as tkd not being physical just not as much as the above since theres a lot of katas, but that could have just been the dojo i went to, and the fact i did it as a kid.





http://majorsmartialarts.com/disciplines...
Reply:MUAY THAI will give you the best workout, no doubt, if she is worried about getting punched, most Muay Thai gyms have training without sparing and just bag work and technique, I doubt you will find a much harder training than Muay Thai but let her try a few different classes in each, Muay Thai might end up being too hard for her
Reply:TKD
Reply:All of them.
Reply:muay thai hands down.





Krav maga is a self defence style- like most 'army styles' it trains for situations taking seconds to resolve themselves so there is almost no emphasis on general fitness/cardio/endurance or sparring for students.





Taekwondo has a good friendly training atmosphere, good for flexibility, okay sparring and general workout but being semicontact and very relaxed the sport itself won't make you a great deal fitter than you were anyway. And is not that great for self defence.





Muay thai makes people fit. End of story. And it works on the street. And a good club is just as friendly and happy to train women as the other two. and you don;t have to spar until you are ready, or ever if you don't want.:)
Reply:As long as you are working out but make it something you like


Why is my knee popping?

im 19 years old. ive been an athlete since i was 14.


ive been practicing martial arts since i was 14 and am currently now practicing mma. when i was fourteen my knee popped really bad while practicing a kata. after that i had the same occurrences rarely. it then went away for a couple years. and just recently came back. it happened today before training and drove me crazy because it hurts and leaves my knee sore..oooouuucccchhh. so yea i was wondering if anybody has an idea of what it is. it seems like it happens when my knee's at a certain angle, but i dont know. all i know its driving me crazy and holding me back a lil. so yea ....its gotta go.





any ideas?

Why is my knee popping?
They may seem like a strange answer but when I was about your age I had the same knee popping.


What it turned out to be in my case was my lower back had what was called a subluxated vertebrae and I found out a good chiropractor could realign it .


When a Vertebrae is subluxated it puts pressure on the nerves that go through your legs. Your lower back can be shifted and put more pressure on one leg than the other.
Reply:dislocation is like that. It will occur more easily %26amp; more frequent after the first occurence.

flowers anniversary

What's the best way to recover from a sprained wrist?

I've experimented with a lot of martial arts, my most recent being Capoeira and, because the gymnastic movements put a lot of strain on my wrists, I've been out of commission for several months now.





I'd like to go back to Capoeira again some day, but not until my wrist has healed and strengthened.





The problem is that I'm studying to be a graphic designer, so I do a lot of typing and computer-based work, which doesn't help with a wrist injury.





Can anyone, preferably people with backgrounds in fitness, personal training or sports injuries, put forward any suggestions for first repairing and then strengthening my wrist muscles?

What's the best way to recover from a sprained wrist?
go to a therapist and get it looked at, thats the only way you can properly heal it.





as for strengthening.. i dont know, i broke my wrist and its fine now but its still delicate, wrists are delicate. drink lots of milk and take calcium!
Reply:Keep it elevated.


Put ice on it.


Keep pressure on it.


Rest.
Reply:im not a doctor but i once sprained my wrist.i just apply cold compress from the affected part and the pain is releived.take some mefenamic acid too and put a brace or something that can make your wrist stay steady.
Reply:Talk with an occupational therapist at a physical therapy center. I sprained my wrist a few weeks ago and they have been helping me so much. I could no longer bend my wrist without bringing tears to my eyes, I thought it was broken, but apparently it was severely sprained. They can help you with strengthening your wrist.
Reply:I had a wrist haematoma,not a sprain,a few months ago from a punching bag. A bag of frozen vegetables works a lot better than an ice bag,it doesn't melt like the ice will. Just make sure not to eat the food after it is out of the freezer for a long time. And leaving cold on it too long is bad,maybe 15 min.
Reply:Rest the wrist


Cool it just so


No more the Capoeira


Till Therapist say


"OK to go "


Save hands for typing


Judo come later


Work on designing


And limit the 'puter





Hope you are better real soon !


Advice please!?

Hi.... well i have a confused situation here cause i am picking up some mixed singles from this guy, we do martial arts together, we see each other five days of every week!! so im not imaginig it! but it seems to me that he waiting for me to take the first step and im doing the same! but im a little afraid to because what happens if things dont work after a while, i wouldve have still shared something with him and still have to be in the same class for training! training is my life and i dont let anything step in the way, it would be so auqward and it just wouldnt be the same. basically im scared to open up and then later on have regreted it!!!! pls help!!

Advice please!?
Well you either say something or not. No one can give advice about that.


Striking with weights/Weighted suit information?

I'm planning on starting a regiment that involves training in water, and some technique training with weights


I have ankle weights, and a vest. They're ok, but I know the ankle/wrist weights aren't good on the joints when you strike (Though dumbells work ok in the right hands), and the added weight on my torso area is better for things such as pushups than striking for example.





I was just wondering: Does anyone know of any weights specifically meant for martial arts techniques, or a suit of some sort? If you do: Does it work the entire limb equally?

Striking with weights/Weighted suit information?
1) The angle/wrist weight are okay depending on how they are used. They aren't good for those respective joints because they limit movement in the general area. I am not sure if you are using the weights in the water ot outside the water. Weight training under water is very effective, and has both benefits and disadvantages. Using ankle/wristweights under water would eliminate some of the risk they cause for injury.





Like you said, dumbells are ok in the right hands. If you struggle with the weights, just use db's. To clarify, certain movements put you at risk when wearing weights. For example, shooting a basketball could injure your wrist, and repeating a jumping movement may injure your ankles. That's why I would reccomend using them in water or in a more controlled environment.





2) Weight vests are good for a few things, including pushups. You were seriously mistaken if someone told you it was could for striking, any additional weight in an areas other than the leg/arm is usely for striking. a weight vest prohibits certain extended movements in striking (with both the leg and arm in 2 ways. A) The Vest itself may touch the arms and slow them down, B) The vest prhibis movement of the torso which is necessary for follow through and form on strikes. Mobility is a factor.





If you want to continue wearing the vest, use it for pushups and jumping; it will provide the additional weight for strength/endurance training, and wont risk injury to your ankles/wrists.





3) As far as I know there is no specific training weights used for Martial Arts that you are looking for. There are many weights that Martial Artists use that are also used in a variety of other sports such as boxing, football, wrestling, basketball, baseball, etc.
Reply:Start with light weight first while under water.
Reply:muscle bearing movement


Brock Lesnar in MMA (Pride, UFC, K-1)?

He quit Pro Wrestling because its fake and he didn't make it trying out for the NFL. So now he wants to be a Mixed Martial Arts fighter. He said he wants to fight Bob Sapp (Sapp highlight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUlaybbhf... ) for his debut match in K-1! Right now hes training at the Miletich Camp (need I say more? He's trained such champions like Matt Hughes the UFC MW champ.) You think he can hang in MMA? He's definately talented as far as his athletic ability and he was a NCAA champion wrestler.

Brock Lesnar in MMA (Pride, UFC, K-1)?
If Brock can develop any kind of striking ability at all he will be phenomenal in MMA. Wrestlers are proven over and over again in MMA. As far as him fighting Bobb Sapp is concerned it depends on which org he goes to. in K-1 I think Sapp would win due to the lack of ground and pound but in UFC or Pride Brock would be all over him. If what you say is true then I am very pumped to see if Brock will excel in MMA, he definitely has the foundation for it.
Reply:I think he can do well in either sport, MMA or Pride Fighting, they are both basically the same, one fights in venues overseas and one fights here Stateside in the US...
Reply:He couldn't make it to NFL. He will not make it to the mixed martial arts. He's "old" now and he'll find it hard to fight.
Reply:i think he can.it would be interesting to watch
Reply:With his professional wrestling career behind him, I would like to see him in UFC for its a better organization but then again UFC have close ties with WWE/ECW because look what Ken Shamrock was and now
Reply:Thank you for sharing the video it was funny....





MMA has evolved from the past. First it was little Royce Gracie beating tapping out the monsters and strikers. Then it was focusing on ground game or stand up and having the correct opponent to match your style. It changed into having weight divisons. Now it is just may the best man in the same weight class win. You have to have stand up and ground game and having a several of sessions with the Miletich camp will not do much good. There are people who have been training harder and longer. If he fights Bob Sapp it will be interesting to see. Sapp has more expierence in MMA he can tap out Brock with a arm bar (as we saw in highlight), or just do ground and pound. For someone who is not experienced in MMA a good ground and pound will show them never to come back again. Nog defends the ground and pound well. UFC cage Brock will lose. Pride ropes Brock will think he is in fake wrestling jump off the ropes or do his fancy hopes across ring (sorry I don't watch wrestling). It will be good to see the event in K-1 then we can see both of them stand up with non-stop action. It will be funny.
Reply:He's suffering from Goldberg syndrome. He hates the profession but wants the money. Bob Sapp is a 1 big punch wonder who rely's on brute force with little fighting skill to win fights. Sapp would be perfect for Toughman Contest!
Reply:HE IS CURRENTLY TRAINING UNDER THE MILETICH FIGHTING SYSTEMS so we should be seeing him fight in an MMA event soon under the miletich camp...





PAT Miletich has trained UFC champions matt hughes, rich franklin and tim sylvia....











From Pat's perspective he is fast for his size (260plus pounds) and that he has been learning quickly with his experience in collegiate wrestling...





His litmus test should be his first ever MMA match as no wrestling match ever comes close to an actual MMA event...


Suggestions invited for this problem?

Martial arts and other self-defence techniques should be made compulsory for girls in schools and colleges by making it a compulsory part of their academic syllabus. But the problem is that, many experts in police and military are of the opinion that the aforesaid training is of little help when it comes to girls dealing with molesters in reality. Specially on the streets during night it becomes a little difficult for girls when such miscreants move in gangs causing nuisance as they pass on bikes or jeeps. Should a revision of martial atrs techniques take place to accomodate real life situations for women.

Suggestions invited for this problem?
In situations of being numerically and logistically overwhelmed or ovrpowered any amount of skill of unarmed combat would be found inadequate and may be reckless adventurism, and may endanger life. So avoidance of situations in vulnerable places and unpropitious times is the best strategy. Licensed weapon for self-defence, with proper training and above all a right psychological orientation are also useful. Hotline connection to control room with distress signal through cell phone, by just a press of button may be devised and arranged, so that in cities mobile squads can come to rescue, since the tower of transmission can be identified in minutes, if police are alert.


Venturing out for fun sake at late hours, alone is to be avoided.
Reply:Young girls shouldn't be out on the streets alone at night.





All they need to do is carry a pen and stick it in the pervert's eye or throat.
Reply:arm her to harm him
Reply:Most sexual assault takes place in private and the assaulter is known to the victim.
Reply:wow. how many times did you use the thesaurus to write this question. no martial arts is needed. buy a .40 glock, carry it concealed, walk without fear.


6 Pack help?

I am a 16 year-old female. I have what most would call a 4 pack, but i can't seem to find an exercise that does lower abs. I play sports, such as football, Martial arts, soccer and ultimate frisbee on a daily basis as well as cardio and some weight training. Is there an exercise that anyone knows about that I can try? I have had the 4 pack for almost a year now.. And nothing that I have tried has worked.

6 Pack help?
try pilates. many pilates exercises are geared toward the abs especially the lower abs. You can buy a pretty decent pilates video at wal mart for cheap. good luck!
Reply:lower abs.com
Reply:plasticsurgery.com
Reply:the best exercise for abs is a hanging leg raise, here's how:





http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/simon7.h...
Reply:I do not understand the question: most drinks come in six-packs, except some imported beer.


Change to domestic drinks, is the only answer I can think of.
Reply:A great lower ab workout is double legs lifts





lay down with your back against the floor, place your hands behind your head and lift your upper body slightly off the floor. Then bring your legs (locking them straight) all the way up into a vertical position lower them and raise them without letting your feet touch the floor. Do about 3-5 sets of ten and these will really make some definition for lower abs. Crunches are for upper abs.
Reply:You need to utilize your legs in the crunches.





Example: support your body weight with your arms and pull your legs up to your stomach and hold release slowly and exhale.





After you work on that, pull your legs up so they are straight out in front of you, hold and slowly release and exhale.





good luck, this works for me.
Reply:You need to work on your lower abs. This would involve activities like leg lifts. There are variation to it but the basic way is to lay on you back, legs straight and together, hands behind your head and lift your legs up to about 6-12 inches. Your are to be locked and not bent. During your set don't let your legs touch the ground.





Variations:


put a small exercise ball between your feet and lift.





raise your legs, hold them at the height said earlier and move you legs apart and together, slowly and controlled.





Have someone stand at your shoulders, hold their ankles and raise you feet to them and have them throw your legs down, try and stop your legs before 6 inches of the ground.








To get those lower abs you need to ab exercises with you legs straight. If you go to gym, you might see an aparatus that people use where they just move their legs up and down while resting their elbows on bars in a standing postion.





Try these out and see what works best for you.


Lose fat Gain mustle Fight better than ever?

I'm 16 and i've been training since i was 13 but i never did any serious training in relation to muscle training like the mma guys do. I stand around 6'1''-6'2'' and weight about 225. I would like to go down to 185-200, but gaining muscle tone and size. So maybe just lose fat but gain muscle. For the past 2.5 years i've been doing strength traing on/with my football team but i'm getting tired of them always wanting me to stay heavy and the frequent injuries from being pushed so hard with so little supervision. What should i do to look my best and be in the best condition for my martial arts

Lose fat Gain mustle Fight better than ever?
Always stretch before and after training.


Go for high fiber food like whole wheat bread, oatmeal and brown rice. Make sure you take in 25-30 grams of fiber per day.


This will help you maintain your level your blood sugar, keeping your weight down.


Maintain your weight training and drink 3 to 4 glasses of whey protein per day so you maintain or increase your muscle mass.


Try vitamin and mineral supplements like Centrum to aid your body into recovery.


Lastly drink green tea so can have enough antioxidant to combat the free-radicals produce during intense training


or workout.


Hope this helps.
Reply:try and eat better, maybe trim down the excess foods u eat. and eat more protein instead of going for pizza, fries, etc.. stay away from pizza! not good for muscle! u can have chicken wings if u want..





eat alot of protien, brown rice, yams, brown bread..... etc vegetables...salmon, whey protein, chicken, beef... etc..





junk food day once a week if u want...








stick to the working out....

Ladies' necklace

Im really confused?

Ok I'm 15, I've been playing tennis for like a month with a week training lesson, Im on my second week and already I have improved greatly and im now from begginer to improver, I even nearly beat the best player in my group today (lossed by one point). However I like martial arts (taekwondo) which my brother does, my family think Im being stupid because I want to try and learn taekwondo and get a future with that rather than carrying on getting better at tennis, maybe their right..but I dont know Im so confused, I talk about martial arts so much but i cant even kick right, I keep on toeing the kick bag when your suppose to hit your incept...am I throwing away a good oppurtunity here? Should I stick with my "guns"?

Im really confused?
Dude-do both. If you have a gift for playing tennis, you should try to become the best tennis player there is. Unless of course playing tennis makes you feel bad or unhappy or causes physical problems. When i say bad or unhappy I mean like to the point it makes you sick enoughh to be hospitalized. And physical problems does not mean aches and pains from regular play.


Practicing Tae-kwon-do could probably improve your tennis game a lot. So I say do both. who knows, you could be so good you make a living playing a game. What could be a better job than that?


People where i live are mean :( I need help with my quick survey, if you live in SAN DIEGO COUNTY it's a plus.

We are a student marketing team at SDSU working on research in the field of health and fitness to further understand the needs and wants of consumers in regards to body healing. Any help will be EXTREMELY appreciated. Thank you so much for your time, this means a lot!





1. Where do you currently workout? (Please check all that apply)


Gym/Fitness Center


Personal training facility


Work-related sports team


Home


Special studio (Dance studio, kickboxing studio, martial arts studio, etc.)


I do not currently workout (Skip to #3)





2. How often do you engage in active, recreational sports? (Working out at a gym, playing sports, engaging in aerobic activities, etc.)


0 days per week


1-3 days per week


4-6 days per week


7 days a week





3. What is your age?


18-24


25-29


30-34


35-39


40-44


45-49


50-55


56 +

People where i live are mean :( I need help with my quick survey, if you live in SAN DIEGO COUNTY it's a plus.
1. Where do you currently workout? (Please check all that apply)


Gym/Fitness Center








2. How often do you engage in active, recreational sports? (Working out at a gym, playing sports, engaging in aerobic activities, etc.)





4-6 days per week








3. What is your age?


18-24











5. Have you ever experienced a sports or action related injury in an area where you feel pain?


Yes








6. What are your current pain-relieving methods? (Check all that apply)


Oral painkillers (such as Tylenol, Advil, IB Profen, etc.)


Other: Self-massage, hot shower





7. Aside from your current methods, who do you believe is the best person to help rid you of your pain?


Massage Therapist











8. Which of the following symptoms do you believe massage therapy can help relieve? (Please check all that apply)


Stress


Anxiety


Muscle/ Joint pain


Neck, Back, or Body Pain








9. Do you believe if you worked specifically with a health and fitness expert that they could help you alleviate any type of body pain or discomfort over time?





No





10. On a scale from 1 to 5, where would you rate yourself in terms of being physically fit for your age? (Please circle only one. 5 being very fit and 1 being not fit at all)


4








11. What is your average, annual household income?





$30,001-$60,000





12. What is your gender?


Female


13. What is your zip code?


36832


Is American Kenpo UNDERRATED?

I crosstrain in several different styles, because I feel that it is the best way to train, BUT American Kenpo has recently peaked my interest, because it is unique when compared to other TRADITIONAL martial arts. American Kenpo seems to focus more on practical self-defense techniques as opposed to the spiritual aspects that traditional martial arts does( such as Kung Fu). Also American Kenpo is never "stationary". meaning it evolves with the TIMES! For example Kenpo know incorporates grappling into it's style. A lot of other styles still WON'T incorporate grappling into it's style! My school has been doing it for over 10 years. ALSO American Kenpo trains to fight OTHER skilled fighters, unlike many other martial arts which focus on techniques against UNTRAINED fighters. This Kenpo Karate website explains it best...................


http://www.cckenpo.net/aboutAK.asp





What do you think? Is there other martial arts which you feel are underrated?

Is American Kenpo UNDERRATED?
American Kenpo is a great and eclectic martial art. Being of both Japanese and Chinese in origin, it is a good mix. Also, I like the fact that you specify the discipline as "American" as Ed Parker, who is regarded as "the father of American martial arts" essentially brought the discipline to the mainland from Hawaii.





I believe the reason Kenpo may be underrated is the same reason as to why other disciplines (especially Chinese boxing and TKD) are: there are many "McDojo's" and bad schools in general. As I did train in Kenpo for a time, I can honestly say that I enjoyed it and found a lot of it to be effective, but that was due to my having a good teacher - for a little while before she was replaced by a slick used car salesman type to generate more revenue.





This was also around the same time as the association of schools started to try to market "Shaolin Kenpo", which to me is like going to Italy to get a good burrito (they don't really relate!). Schools like this that try to generate revenue at the expense of a discipline's integrity dishonor and insult the discipline in question. Kenpo is a good discipline on its own, but this school made it a farce, and sadly, people will judge the entire discipline on a few crappy schools who charge way too much for what they offer.





I agree with you. American Kenpo is underrated. I would say at this day and age, though, most traditional systems are underrated thanks to athletic competitions and those who regard them as "real" martial arts.
Reply:NO
Reply:Read the blurb on the site 50% accurate 50% salesmens bull **** hype.As I knew MASTER PARKER and was with him just 10 days before his death I can tell you describing him at anytime in his life as a mere "street fighter" is an insult to his memory.


Street fighters are a dime a dozen MASTER PARKER WAS NOT.





If this is your goal in life to be street fighter you are going to lead a very miserable life.


Hopefully you don't run into any real street fighters who will put a blade or bullet in your back.


In that scenario all methods are OVER RATED.


Your cross training in several styles only identifies you as a scared street punk looking for a magic answer .
Reply:American Kenpo is not as widely known as TKD, and many people do not know much about it, but it is not under rated.





Ed Parker was a true Pioneer. He took martial arts to a whole new level with the development of his art.





I am a 100% traditional martial artist... my art is Okinawan Old School, however, If I had the opportunity to learn EP Kenpo, I would in a heartbeat. The theory is based on Okinawan and Chinese arts.





Now, these guys are affiliated with Paul Mills. This guy is bad! (In my opinion) In a good way. Here is some video on him... If Kenpo in under rated, this will fix that...





http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=e...
Reply:It may just be me, but it sounds like you have answered your own question, at least the first part.


In answer to the second part- I feel as if almost all traditional arts are underrated. With all of the hype about MMA and cross training, people seem to forget that those techniques came from traditional martial arts.


Meanning no insult to MMA, I think that is a great sport for people who enjoy that type of thing. But, I feel every one should study a traditional martial art as part of their training. Then they could understand some of the history behind what they are practicing now, and how it has evolved over time.
Reply:As long as you have a good teacher than NO it is a great system.





I have a 5th Dan in Kenpo as well as a Sandan in Shotokan and 1st degree in TKD and I found all three have rounded me out well.





All styles are good only the teacher and student can make it work well or not!
Reply:No!!!





American Kenpo is an excellent art !!!!





An Ed Parker fan !!!
Reply:Kenpo is not wide spread as other arts in my state (or even in my area for that matter). Other associations, federations, etc. don't' have much to say about something they know nothing of or, nothing go to say about another art.





Kenpo is not even found within our local phone book, but what you will find are LARGE CHAIN SPORT KARATE SCHOOLS. I found out about Kenpo (within the city limits) just over 10 years ago at a local martial art supply store.





I feel that kenpo is not well known here because of those 1/4, 1/2 and full page contract karate only schools. Sport karate schools here cater just about anyone, day care programs, before and after classes, privete classes, pick up %26amp; drop off young students, etc.


What's the deal with "instant" black belts ?

I'm new into martial arts and I've recently found out about whole USA Mc'Dojo concept. Unfortunately as it is, there is a lot of people out there that doesn't take everything in consideration and when they hear "whoa. he is a bb guy/girl" they assume they are fighting gods. No disrespect to anyone but how is it possible that kids from 13-16 can have their first dan bb's ?? Or how is it possible that someone, child or a grown up, can obtain their bb under 5 years of training? It wolud mean quitting your day job and working your butt off with constant practise for that kind of fast advancment as I understand. My senpai (karate) has been training since he was 9 and now i 31 and has second dan. The realistic advancment time for any martial art with belt rankings to first bb sholud be from 6,7 years minimum, if your work very hard .

What's the deal with "instant" black belts ?
McDojos are about McMoney and fancy class room %26amp; tournament stuff.
Reply:Sounds like a recipe for "instant over-confidence" to me.
Reply:Your right. It took me nine years to get my black belt and I worked out continuously. Ive moved several times and with each move I try every school within driving distance to see where Id fit in the best. I don't really care to much about style, I just look at the students and if I leave thinking "man I wouldn't want to mess with those guys" I sign up. Its amazing to me how different even schools in the same style can be and the skill level of students in different schools with the same ranks. A black belt in one school wouldn't stand a chance with lower ranking students in other schools. Don't ever be impressed with someones rank until you actually see how they train, even if they tell you there a "master" with a 10th Dan.(in fact especially if they tell you they are a master with a 10th Dan).
Reply:it doenst take forever to get to black belt rank,my freind is 13 and he is a first degree black belt,he`s being doing it for like 4 years............it depends on how hard u work and how good you are at the style
Reply:Yes. Such schools are also often known as belt factories. What they are teaching is not necessarily 100 percent crap, but at the very least, they show very little respect for the art they are teaching. That should tell you much about these schools from the get go.


Save yourself some money. Buy a can of black die and just die your belt black. It'll be just about as good.
Reply:A person under 16 in my style is not a" certified " if you will BB you are known as a apprentice BB





It takes 7 years to complete the low belts


White Yellow Green Purple etc in the style that i study now





I seriously think that the 10 year old's walking around with a bb on .


Is just not right


At that age you don't have the self discipline to even think about being a bb


i think it is wrong for teachers to just hand out bb's


You need at least train 5 yrs


It is crazy but the world is full of it
Reply:This type of similar question comes up quite a bit. It mirrors what seems to be a general attitude in the minds of many which evokes a kind of a "That's not quite right" sort of thinking. My first McDojo experience happened after moving back to my home town and being pleased to discover they, at least, had a TKD club. I checked them out and it was then that I was introduced to the concept of folks earning black-belt status in a very short period of time. I soon realized that the reason for this was that the requirements for doing so were very minimal and that even minimal requirements done poorly were still rewarded with advancement. I really liked TKD at the time(I still do, but for different reasons) and I remember feeling maybe a little disappointed in finding that someone had taken what I thought was a wonderful thing and turned it into something retarded.
Reply:black belts only ever refer to a persons understanding and ability WITHIN the system they have the belt from. if it is a sh!t McDojo system, then that belt isnt worth the cotton it is made from. but even then, if it is from a reliable instruction, it is still only a representation of intra school ability.





like everything in life, we advance at different paces, some slow, some fast, but never so fast that your previous belt is still new.
Reply:well im a dai sensei in karate and it sounds like youve been fed a load of bs.a black belt is a beginers rank its also just a piece of cotton.no person under 18 should be wearing a real black belt and in my opinion it takes even longer than that.a black belt signifies that you know the grading requirements,thats all.it doesnt mean you can fight or defend yourself.and it definately doesnt mean you have any real experience.experience is the key not belts or ranks or styles.ive been doing ma for 39 years and no doubt theres still more for me to learn.
Reply:I know folks that have gotten their first degree bb within 6 years and it was legit. But when folks get them in under 5 years it's pretty much fake. That's one reason I don't like TKD so much, I know most of the TKD schools I've been to have said you could get a bb within 2 to 4 years. That's just not a real martial arts education. Also, no one under the age of 10 should be given a bb no matter what they learn. Kids just can't give the dedication a bb requires. My daughter is very good at Kempo and has been going almost 2 years now, she's not even a middle rank yet. I wouldn't progress her beyond green belt, let alone brown or black.





Belt factories or belt mills are diluting the martial arts community. I used to see these kids at school when I was little who had brown belts or even black belts in this art or that. I used to beat the snot out of them for being fake black belts. I don't condone that kind of thing now, but I was a kid and it was a major plus in my popularity that I'd beaten up every black belt at school. That's just sick though, a bb should be able to defend him or herself from any single attacker.
Reply:A black belt just means you are a high ranking student. It has nothing to do with how well you fight or defend yourself. It took me 8 years of training to recieve my first black belt, although that may seem like a big accomplishment to some people, I think of that as the " real " beginners belt.
Reply:instructers are trying to get money by charging students for upper belt promotions. they're not real black belts.
Reply:13 is not too young to be a BB. Minimum time to 1st degree BB is 3-5 years depending on the style. In Tae Kwon Do, 1st degree BB is called Cho Dan which means starting level, so a 1st degree BB is a beginner.
Reply:It depends on the system your studying. Iaido can take 2 years to get your BB. In shotokan it should take 5 to 6 years. It really depends on the karateka and the Sensei. As far as Jr. BB's i've seen my share of them but have seen a few that should actually have them. In my system i do promote to first dan if you've been studying for 6 years if your under 18, however, they also understand that they have to take a second test when they turn 18 to get there "adult" BB.





But regardless, BB's aren't "fighting gods". A BB only means you've mastered the basics of a fighting system, IE. punching, kicking and blocking. At that point the karateka is ready to starting learning the system.

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How can you boost your bone health/strength??

ive been doing martial arts for almost 2 years now, i also did weight lifting for 4 months before martial arts, so i kinda developed some muscle strength, despite that i still get a back ache whenever i carry something 20kgs+, though if used my weight lifting belt, i can carry them easily with no aches, the problem is that in training i should lift my opponents without wearing my belt





is there a diet, pills anything i could take to improve my bone health





ps. im 64 kgs after all the training i had, im told to be thin boned, can i change that??

How can you boost your bone health/strength??
Continue to do martial arts which is good weight bearing exercise like tai chi...good for your spine.





You should do core exercises (abdominals to strengthen your back.





Calcium citrate 1200mg with 600-800mg Vit. D3 %26amp; Magnesium 400-600mg/day.


With magnesium take Vit.K1 600mcg(take Vit K separate from calcium)


Collagen (hyaluronic Acid) powder:3,500mg.


Reseveratrol





I think you can build stronger, denser bones, but if your frame is small, don't know if you can change that.





Good Luck
Reply:dont use pills and dont wear the belt


Fighting style?

i dont like to use weights or weapons or anything (including ANY training equipment)except my own body and i would perfer not to use katas what martial art /exercises can i do that are in these


lines?(and if someone says mma please tell me which to mix)





sorry i ask so many Q's about martial arts.

Fighting style?
Tai Chi.
Reply:there is this new MMA style out its called FUH-Q
Reply:KICKBOXING!
Reply:There are many interpretations to the kata's. If an instructor tells you they are simply a formal exercise routine ... they don't know any better. There are 10+ interpretations for each movement within a Kata.





As far as you question goes tell us what you want instead of everything you don't want.
Reply:You might want to look into self-defense classes rather than martial arts schools. All you need are a few lessons, and then practice everyday. There's a legend that I've heard of about the first boxer going to the Shaolin Temple and learning three moves. Once you have your style down, then you're set. You can also take free introductory classes that are offered as a promotion, and if you like it and money is not a problem for you, then you should join.
Reply:The answer to this is


PSTD-Pencak Silat Tenaga Dalam


PSTD was created and developed in Indonesia in the ages of the Hindu Sultans. PSTD is a form of self defence which concentrates heavily on breathing exercises.





y breathing exercises? They have hundreds of techniques of breathing exercises which will constantly develop your body into strong and solid shape. Once you pass the first 5 techniques of breathing exercise, you'll be able to break a brick on your body without feeling a thing, this is no magic nor illusion, its all about strengthening your inside as well as out side.


Once you master a minimum of 30 breathing techniques, you'll move into the next level which is brain concentration.





what is brain concentration? its trains and develops the ability to semi-control people's mind, intimidate another person's mind before they attack you, that is already a plus point for the defender.





PSTD concentrates highly on internal strength, when people attack, you'll be able to defend easily without even moving from your standing place, whatever the circumstances, whether the attacker is holding a weapon or a simple boxing fist, you'll beat the crap out of him.





PSTD major motto is, if any one attacks you, you should knock him out in once punch, however big the guy is, you'll knock him off, thats all about inner strength.





I reccomend you to research more on PSTD online and you'll love it.





You'll be able to extinguish candles from your punching power, kicking power even through looking, its all about concentration.





Normally to master PSTD it takes about 5 years, but you'll see your results in the first 6 months.....First i thought this is all crappy and simply too movieish....but when i learned and learned....man, this stuff is amazing, even my friends now takes private lessons from our master.





Ohhh before i forget, once you pass the basic skills, you will be beaten with a iron rod all over your body, hard, but the best thing is, because of your concentration and inner strength, you'll feel only like some is hitting you with pillow....yes, there will be marks, but you wont feel anything....





This only works if you use your breathing techniques, if you dont use it, if some1 beats you, yes its back to normal, it will hurt just like normal.





Goodluck buddy, may you choose the best martial art tht fit your characteristics and nature overall, no matter what we learn to defend never to attack.
Reply:brazilian jiu jitsu or judo for sure :-)
Reply:Taekwandoe or Kung fu. Kung Fu some forms use weapons but most likely they are hand oriented. Wing Chun uses butterfly swords but you don't have to learn them itf you don't want to. Taekwandoe Is mainly leg work with soem arm workits amazing for an in your face fight. Muay Thai kick boxing or any type of boxign is highly effient and uses little weapons. Judo uses throws and no weapons are incorporated. But if you want the most in your face fighting style its muay thai its not that often that some one doesn't knee you in the chest or elbow you to the side of the head rigth off the bat. Any way hope i helped, good luck!
Reply:I've watched the "Karate Kid" about 10 times already, and I'm now a master of the Crane technique.
Reply:It doesn't punch or kick but Judo is IN YOUR FACE. You throw, pin, armlock and choke. You use only your body, your get an amazing workout that will transform your body and you fight hard. try it
Reply:To the MMA, train in boxing, wrestling (great if you are still in HS), and kickboxing. All have strong proven techniques that are taught practically. Boxing is the best with the hands, wrestling is good for a lot of things such as escapes, holds, and non-damaging (or damaging techs), and kick boxing gives you more range. You can also look into Kenpo Karate which is like overkill striking with a variety of weapons (body parts such as your hand, elbow, knee, foot, etc). Jeet Kun Do would probably be a good things to. It depends upon what is in your area and the quality of instruction. Best of luck.
Reply:Most styles are going to have katas/forms of some sorts. These are designed to teach you the basics of your style. They build a strong base with good footwork and stances along with proper technique in punches and blocks. I wouldn't want to just be thrown into something without having a solid foundation to work with.





Given time your instructors should show you how to apply those forms/katas in real life situations. I'm not sure how most are but the ones I've studied with make you work out the applications yourself to see how well you understand the forms. After you have spent time on this they will then help you with the actual applications of the forms.





The choice of forms is up to you, having seen Kempo Karate in action I can tell you that it is a very aggressive and in your face style. If your lucky enough to have a Kung Fu school that teaches sticky hand techniques in your area I'd take a look at those. The praying mantis styles are big on sticky hand techniques. Sticky hand refering to not actually blocking a punch as much as catching the punch and maintaining contact as you move in close to your attacker using your forms at very close almost touching range. Takes a lot of time and practice but a very different fighting style as most forms are not used to such close contact.
Reply:well, something that punches and kicks and is in your face would require you to use training equipment..





i would say kickboxing/muay thai.. but that does require you to hit a heavy bag, wear gloves and head grear to start out, and you'll most likely be hitting striking pads and mits.. i don't understand about not wanting to use training equipment.. there are only a few martial arts that don't require you to use some type of equipment..





the first one that comes to my mind is tai chi chuan.. it begins as a solo art with a short form and a long form, it's not very combative in the beginning but you don't need any equipment to do it, just an open space and fairly level ground.. if you stick with it and have an instructor that teaches it as a martial art instead of just a moving meditation, than if he feels you're ready he can began to show you the martial aspects of tai chi chuan, which are suprisingly very brutal, considering it looks so gentle.





another is brazilian jujitsu or jujitsu, it's a grappling art and all you need is your body and in most cases a gi. you get on the ground with your partner and began to learn the concept of fighting on your back and on top of your partner. it's a great art, with beautiful submissions and manuvers.. it's not as in ya face as punches and kicks but it's a great art to learn...





~*good luck*~
Reply:try kickboxing, or you can learn taekwando n karate.

funeral flower

Best City In Michigan for a Small Starter Family? Room for personal growth (career, school, hobbies)?

Hi, I'm from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and I've come down state with my hubby in pursuit of better jobs, but we haven't had much luck! Right now, it's just us and one little guy.





We are interested in having the option of technical training or certification at the moment, I was going to pursue college for Liberal Arts and Sciences later on. The hobbies we like to engage in together are outdoors activities such as fishing, hiking, canoeing, and hunting. We have also shared a history of playing soccer. Personally, I enjoy water sports above all else. I have also taken on yoga and martial arts. I am also an occasional artist and foodie.





A few things I love about our area at the moment I may not want to let go of are farmer's markets, kite skiing, yoga instructors, two near-by ok colleges, midwives, an arts council, a wonderful library that has great programs for kids and teens, and an arts academy for children up to the 8th grade. However, I would like to keep my options open!

Best City In Michigan for a Small Starter Family? Room for personal growth (career, school, hobbies)?
Being from Michigan, I would say that Grand Rapids fits your criteria the best. You can get out of the city within a half hour to do the nature things, you are 45 minutes maximum from Grand Haven/Holland for the water sports, and a generally a great place to raise kids. I would choose a surrounding town of GR proper.
Reply:I'd definitely point you in the direction of a college town (they're recession proof) and offer a good source of jobs, a variety of diversions in terms of personal interests and most typically a well above average school district for children. That said, how about Ann Arbor? It's a beautiful city, with great assets and plenty of opportunity. It would definitely cover everything you mentioned on your list..


Which is more effective - silat or aikido?

Hi,


Which of the two martial arts is more effective, with respect to self defence, physical fitness, weapons training, etc?


Pl respond only if you know.


Thanks

Which is more effective - silat or aikido?
That all depends on what you're looking for...





Aikido requires a lot of time, and patience to master. What it does is based on exact precision in timing, distance, balance, and so forth. Does it work well when mastered? Yes.





I've done some training in Yoshinkan Aikido, and those boys trained balls to the wall with everything they did. Suffice to say, I came away with a lot of respect for what they did after I was done training with them.





The trouble with Aikido....is that most schools use entirely unrealistic attacks coupled with no-pressure defensive technique training. Though, if you can find a good dojo like I did with those Yoshinkan guys, you'll enjoy yourself.





Now, I don't know a lot about Pentjak Silat...but what little I've seen of it I've been highly impressed with.





What they do is very complex, and multi-faceted. Lots of locks, joint breaks, strikes, throws/takedowns, and numerous aspects of weapons work.





It's a generally complete system, whereas Aikido is not. I would check out both styles and see which one you prefer and which one suits what you're desiring more.
Reply:I completley agree with the first answer in regards to Aikido, and honestly I don't know Silat...but I trained in Hapkido which takes all the throws from Aikido, the joint locks and grappling techniques from ju jitsu and the striking techniques from tae kwon do...very well rounded style....physical fitness is usually left up to the individual to suppliment the actual classes at most schools...and weapons training is usually advanced and much later in training....
Reply:well u have to look on the person who is using it but if u ask me i say Aikido. I also would say study each fighting style and u will find . But NINJITSU IS THE BEST OUT OF ALL FIGHTING STYLES
Reply:Silat is 1,000 times more effective than aikido. Silat works with low stances. They concentrate on taking out the base by using sweeps, locks, throws, and fluid-snake-like movements. Aikido is not practical AT ALL. The only kind of Aikido that works is the kind Steven Segal does. Silat will train you in knives and swords (depending on what style and what school) and it is a very good martial art to learn. The stretching and workouts are pretty hardcore, so be prepared. TRY SILAT!!
Reply:As a general rule I tend to let people know that any martial art is an effective one...depending on how long and hard you train.





The differences between aikido and silat are pretty vast, and its almost like comparing apples to oranges...if you can find good instructors in both (another issue in the martial arts community).





Aikido is an art form that takes a great deal of patience and timing to get good at or even master. The weapons side is more traditional and structured.





Silat is more flexible and is based on weapons work first, empty hands second. Its a little more combat oriented and "this is what works in a fight" where Aikido is more traditional with great attention to detail in the ceremony of the art.





Both are effective arts, but each has a different approach.





Aikido - Achieve harmony and balance in combat.





Silat - Hit fast, hit hard, hit often.





These are generalities and meant to give an idea. To know more, you'd need to look into the arts more yourself.





Instructor McWethy
Reply:It's obvious people on here know nothing about Aikido!!!!!!!!





Aikido is better at self defense then Silat! Aikido actually teaches more joint locks and throws then Silat does. Aikido techniques are also more complex! That's why it takes SOME people longer to learn then others.





Silat techniques also take a long time to learn. I have used Aikido in my BJJ sparring classes(I also take BJJ) with much success and I am NO master in Aikido! I have actually had full sparring takedowns using only Aikido moves! So reality is that it depends on the students ability to grasp the techniques. Some students are much faster learner then others.
Reply:Silat like bukulan and other indonesian arts are low to the ground designed to fight in the humid wet surfaces found in indonesia.





The only indonesian fighting style that is "stand up" and very effective is PENTJAK ADE





To you and all others who ask "where can I "type MARTIAL ARTS DOJO DIRECTORY into YAHOO or GOOGLE .
Reply:Silat. Aikido is better to teach patience or discipline but is not practical in a real fight unless you fighting a librarian or a child.
Reply:Both are great arts but I personally would choose Silat over Aikido. The silat I've seen demonstrated features more strikes and kicks as well as locks and take downs.