martial arts shoes: April 2009

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Females with experience, I got kicked hard. How can I treat myself without a doctor??

Maybe a martial arts female can help me. In a parking lot outside a concert, me and three friends got into a fight. And I got kicked dead on by another girl. The tip of her shoe got me right in the button, now its swollen and I get a sick feeling when I walk. I just want to know how long it will be like this, if there may be any permanent injuries and what helps to make the pain go away. Can%26#039;t go to the hospital because I have no insurance and I know it will be mad expensive. Just looking for some FREE advice. Thanks.

Females with experience, I got kicked hard. How can I treat myself without a doctor??
IF you are a female you can go to Planned Parenthood for free and they will treat you just call and tell them you need to make an appt for an examination.
Reply:probably not a good idea to put ice on it!you could try rubbing it for a while?no?have someonelse rub it?no?i%26#039;d look at it for you but ithink the house call might be a bit expensive.(flight from us to oz?$?)just joking male or female groin injuries need medical attention if they dont at least lessen in 12 hrs.other than that dont get in fights at concerts.
Reply:No martial arts female can help you with this. This is your body and there is a possibility that the damage could have been severe if you don%26#039;t go see a doctor immediately. Obviously, if it is swollen, then an infection may have set in. Tell me, are you a boy or a girl? If you are afraid to see a doctor, try a home remedy like putting ice on your swollen member. That should alleviate it a bit but not for long. Best advice, go see a doctor. Most have free consultation unless you need operation. My gosh! Goodluck!
Reply:there should be a FREE local health clinic near you.

i would recommend that you go!!!!

ask around an get their number, make an appointment.

dun%26#039;t wait too long!!!
Reply:when you say she got you right on the button, i%26#039;m assuming she kicked you in the jaw?.. if that%26#039;s so and your jaw is swollen and you%26#039;re feeling sick when you walk sounds like you might have a mild conussion...

Symptoms of a concussion may include:

%26quot;seeing stars%26quot; and feeling dazed, dizzy, or light-headed

trouble remembering things, such as what happened directly before and after the injury occurred (this can happen even with mild concussions)

nausea or vomiting

headaches

blurred vision and sensitivity to light

slurred speech or saying things that don%26#039;t make sense

difficulty concentrating, thinking, or making decisions

difficulty with coordination or balance (such as being unable to catch a ball or other easy tasks)

feeling anxious or irritable for no apparent reason

feeling overly tired

A doctor will probably recommend that a person with a concussion take acetaminophen or other aspirin-free medications for headaches. The person will have to take things easy.

After a concussion, the brain still needs time to heal. It%26#039;s really important to wait until all symptoms of a concussion have cleared up before returning to normal activities. The amount of time a person needs to recover depends on how long his or her symptoms last. A healthy person can usually resume their normal activities within a few weeks, but keep in mind that each situation is different.

Seeing a doctor is the safest route. The doctor will monitor the person closely to ensure everything%26#039;s well.

~*feel better*~
Reply:don%26#039;t forget to sue your friend who kicked you
Reply:you dont i know it might be expensive but thats the only way you will find out if it messed you up good
Reply:what is your next orgasm worth?

and i mean that, because what if you really did do some damage and you can%26#039;t enjoy sex again.

i would get it checked out, but that%26#039;s just me.

good luck!
Reply:I do not understand why people do not use their brain, if you do not have health insurance why you try to be rude with other people or if you were insulted why to try to fight ... Use your common sense and go to the doctor and pay your bill, for being an irresponsible adult...
Reply:Given that concussions and fractures can be severe, you need to reconsider professional help. Check into the local clinics that work on a sliding scale. Yes, the hospital bill would hit the triple digits at least, but the clinic uses a totally different billing system.

insurance registration

I am a runner need advice?

I run in Puma Speed Cats I was using them for a martial arts class and I liked the barefoot feel without being barefooted so I started running in them, anyone else use Speed Cat to run in? If so does running in a flat shoe damage your knees? Mine have been a little sore for a couple of days it may just be over doing it but it coincides with my shoe switch... My speed actually increased but now my knees hurt a little.... Any advice?

Thanks

I am a runner need advice?
Unless you run on the balls of your feet like sprinters do, I would recommend shoes with more padding.
Reply:There isn%26#039;t much padding there that can absorb the shock. It depends on what running surface you are on too. When you run try gliding more---let your feet barely leave the ground. That%26#039;s my take.
Reply:You may need another shoe with a bit more support and cushion. You might even experience shin splints which are very painful. When I ran I used to overwork myself and I got those pains in my calves all day. Nike makes some awesome running shoes so does Saucony. Have fun:)
Reply:I would save the Speed Cats for the actual race and go back to your full running shoes to be sure but did you know that even the smallest alignment change in a runner (which your change in shoes could have caused) may cause an ache or pain somewhere because your body gets very used to the way you run. I would also see a doc to make sure that hurt in your knees is not serious...
Reply:Racing short distances is OK in those types of shoes, but you should try running in shoes with some cushion for your training. Read the article below. Best of luck!

- Mike

car makes

Not many know. Now I do, that Krav Maga teaches students to strike vulva? I just didn't know?

Has any one had a Krav Maga class in which they taught to strike the vulva, as they do in their training manuals. I know from conversations with people in martial arts that there is a unique way to kick the female groin --- tip of shoe, not top of shoe, because you are trying to use the hard tip of the shoe to compress the bundle of nerves under her hood up into her pubic bone. Top of the foot kicks don%26#039;t work because the kick is diluted over the whole area, meaning the lips, the flesh of the labia and maybe even a little of the buttocks depending on the length of the kicker%26#039;s foot. I have been told by females that tip of the shoe kicks to the front of the opponent%26#039;s vulva (her button up into her pubic bone) are devistating. Does any one have experience with this?

Not many know. Now I do, that Krav Maga teaches students to strike vulva? I just didn%26#039;t know?
Wierd question,but in the martial art I practiced,Medieval Combat-sword and shield,the ladies wore a female version of a jock strap,so yeah,I suppose ther is a different strike for women than there is for men,not that SCA sword jocks would ever try to hit somebody there-it leaves your head open.

Oh yeah,don%26#039;t ever kick a gentle in armor,it only makes %26#039;em mad.
Reply:You are a perverted creep and I hope a girl kicks you so hard in the crotch you pass out. What sort of weird sick fetish do you have? seek help!!

BIRD

Poll: How are your Ninja Creeping Skills...?

....I need to take a refresher course before a weekend reacquisition mission.

** I have a note from my martial arts teacher who will insist that I can break paper with my shoe %26amp; that I was not chatting during sparring sessions**

Poll: How are your Ninja Creeping Skills...?
I got kicked out of martial arts because I kept farting every time I did a high kick.
Reply:Pretty good. Bet you didnt know I was behind you
Reply:Does the Tin Man from Wizard of Oz ring a bell? Good, cause I am worse!
Reply:rusty... creeping ninja-style is hard work
Reply:I can no longer fit into my Ninja suit I%26#039;m too fat
Reply:Mine are pretty good provided I can WD-40 my knees ahead of time.

Lemme see that note. I%26#039;m having a hard time buying the %26quot;not chatting%26quot; part.
Reply:I%26#039;m stealthy that way....like a Ninja!
Reply:I flunked that course. My monkey, when I would bring would kick booty. Boy those were the days.
Reply:horrible
Reply:Not so hot since my sons all grew up and I gave all their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures away. Sorry.

credit report

How can grow a few more inches?

my brother is 5%26#039;4 and 22 years of age. I know male usually stops growing around that age but he wants to get a few more inches, at least to 5%26#039;6 or 5%26#039;7. I want to help him, is there any way he can do that besides getting those shoes that adds an inch or so? he exercises everyday, loves playing basketball and is good at it. does martial arts, runs a lot, eats a lot but hardly gains weight. he is around 130Ibs which is fine but he%26#039;d just like to add a few more inches to his height; at least to our dad%26#039;s height. permanent growth.

my dad is about 5%26#039;7

my mom is about 5%26#039;1

How can grow a few more inches?
Sounds like heredity unless he gets some kind of growth hormone shots maybe.
Reply:there would be two ways: use the %26quot;lift%26quot; shoes, or go through a very painful procedure where the legs are broken, and then braces are installed that elongate the bone as it heals. I doubt if you could find a doctor who would do this procedure. So, what%26#039;s wrong with being his height?
Reply:I%26#039;ve answered this question in detail before. Please follow the link below for an in-depth explanation on human growth:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

CAT

Kurt Angle claims that TNA will start to use MMA matches on Impact! In your opinion, will this work or not?

(Kurt Angle on %26quot;Between the Ropes%26quot;)

-- He and Samoa Joe will have a mixed martial arts match at the Lockdown pay-per-view. “We’re going to have an MMA style match at the pay-per-view and this is the beginning of what TNA is going to start doing.”

-- He added, “Joe and I are actually putting a hell of a a match together that is going to be very much MMA oriented. It’s going to be inside a cage. I don’t even think we’re wearing shoes. We’re going to tape our ankles. We’re going to be putting on the gloves.”

This has been done very successfully internationally in the past, in companies like UWFi Bushido %26amp; Pancrase.

The cross of MMA %26amp; worked matches could also eliminate the many storyline flaws that appeared during WWE%26#039;s %26quot;Brawl for All%26quot;.

However, this could also be consitered a step in the wrong direction, as TNA has been known in the past for having great WRESTLING.

But, on a network like SpikeTV, that already features UFC programming, is this a smart move for TNA?

Kurt Angle claims that TNA will start to use MMA matches on Impact! In your opinion, will this work or not?
i think that it would be a very great and awesome idea to do if it is done correctly. i think that it is more possible and much more believable for it to be done in TNA rather than WWE. wrestlers like: kurt angle and samoa joe could usher in a new wave of wrestling in pro wrestling. with the popularity of both pro wrestling and mixed martial arts, i think that it would only be a positive thing for there to be more mixed martial arts and technical pure wrestling style matches not only in TNA, but also in the entire pro wrestling world. in WWE the matches between angle and benoit were absolute mat wrestling classics that should be done more often. the matches that wrestlers like bret hart, chris benoit, kurt angle, brock lesnar, and others have had that were technical classics were based on the pure wrestling and beginning MMA style of wrestling. even wrestlers like: goldberg, rob van dam, shelton benjamin, charlie haas, eddie guerrero, and owen hart have incorporated some sort of MMA and pure wrestling style in their matches as well. the only reason why the styles of ken shamrock and dan severn did not go over well in WWE when they were apart of it was the fact that pro wrestling fans were not accustomed to that style of wrestling and were not ready for it. now with the popularity of both i believe that we are ready for that style to be showcased more in pro wrestling. i personally enjoy the MMA and technical style matches in pro wrestling. matches like: chris benoit vs kurt angle, kurt angle vs brock lesnar from Wrestlemania 19, kurt and vs samoa joe, benoit vs bret hart, nobuhiko takada vs keiji muto, even the first 30 minutes of the bret hart vs shawn michaels ironman match from Wrestlemania were spectacular because of the showcase of true pure wrestling and the MMA style going along with it. even perry saturn added more martial arts elements to the pro wrestling and i believe he did it very successfully. should MMA style matches take the place of the standard matches that we see? no. but should it be a great supplement to what we already see? absolutely! i truly believe that if there ever was a time to do it the time is now for it to be done. if it is done correctly, this will be the greatest thing that pro wrestling has done in years, and i believe that we should support it. it could also showcase pro wrestlers as the legitimate athletes that they are! in my opinion, we need more things like this.
Reply:i have been waiting for a long time for wrestling to do something like this.
Reply:i think it is, give somethin different 2 the fans. as u said it could also be bad if they dont put it together right or if they cant fight
Reply:hmmm. It%26#039;s fine as long as it only makes up a minority of the show. most of the effort needs to go into wrestling, but it does put a little mix in there which is fine.
Reply:I think this is a really weird move.

I also read on a separate interview conducted on Kurt Angle a few days ago saying that he doesn%26#039;t feel he%26#039;s ready for MMA, so I really don%26#039;t understand where this comment is rooting from. Either this can be pressure from both Dana White and the UFC fanbase that heard him speak on the radio saying he could beat guys like Chuck Liddell, or he is really proving how %26quot;bi-polar%26quot; he can be with his thoughts.

TNA should not be featuring MMA. They asked for two hours to feature more WRESTLERS and WRESTLING. The Ultimate Fighter and UFC Unleashed should be enough for Spike TV.

**starred**
Reply:i think that it should be done
Reply:He was being pressured by UFC%26#039;s main spokesman to go and fight for them. When Lesnar fought his last UFC match, Kurt Angle was ringside and was asked if he would join and try it. I think this is his way of showing them that he could try if he wanted to, or perhaps this a stunt/promotion to bring some MMA fans into wrestling.

Since it will be in a six sided cage, it will look sort of like the UFC octagon.

car financing

Guess the wrestlers...?

Wrestler 1) Holds pride in the fact that that he%26#039;s wrestled in almost every wrestling promotion in the world, exept WWE.

Wrestler 2) In his match at WM22, he wore a pair of shoes autographed bu his children.

Wrestler 3) His match against Jushin %26#039;Thunder%26#039; Liger in 1992 was widely regarded as %26quot;the best wrestling match on the planet%26quot; that year.

Wrestler 4) Has claimed that he got his martial arts maneuvers he used in the ring %26quot;from watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles%26quot;.

Get 2 guessin!

Guess the wrestlers...?
1) Sting

2) Either Angle or Benoit

3) Don%26#039;t know

4) RVD
Reply:1) sting

2) rey mysterio

3) Chris benoit

4) RVD
Reply:rey
Reply:1. Verne Gagne

2. The Crusher

3. Hard Boiled Haggerty

4. Marty O%26#039;Neal
Reply:rvd?
Reply:1. Sting

2.Mick Foley

I don%26#039;t know the rest.
Reply:Mick Foley
Reply:Sting
Reply:1) Sting

2) Mick Foley

3) Chris Benoit

4) RVD
Reply:go sting.
Reply:sting
Reply:3 Chris Benoit

4 CM punk

find

How do you relieve middle back pain?

The past week I have been working a temp job, filing a lot of paper work into folders, and rearranging the files into chronological order but my back has been hurting.

I%26#039;m althletic, and my previous jobs have been moving around, standing all day, and far from repitious. I don%26#039;t even have this much pain after a 3 hour martial arts workout.

I%26#039;ve been stretching every hour and do not wan to keep popping pain killers. What else could I do to lower the pain?

The dress environment is business casual so I am not allowed to wear sneakers, but I do not have to wear heals. I have been wearing casual shoes with dress socks.

Thanks in advance

How do you relieve middle back pain?
Warm moist heat helps during working hours. If it is swollen, when you get home, throw the ice to it. Sounds as if you have twisted a nerve or even pulled a muscle. This is a very uncomfortable predicament!
Reply:I would suggest having a friend or loved one pop your back. Lay on the floor, arms at your sides. Have your friend put a hand on either side of your spine and push down. This is what ALWAYS relieves middle back pain for me. Pay attention to your posture while you are working.
Reply:I would have to say wear shoes that have a slight heel. You don%26#039;t want to wear flats or high heels. Get a comfortable wedge. When you do your filing, sit at a desk, feet flat on the floor, and back straight but relaxed. While you are filing, you can go ahead and put the files in chronological order. If this doesn%26#039;t help, get a heating pad and some ibuprofen. A good boyfriend/husband who knows how to massage backs always works.

skin problems

First timer.....?

ok, so im going to sign up for (female boxing) boxing and ive never boxed before a day in my life...so basically i would be an amature.....can u tell me what to expect starting out?? also, am i required to buy my own boxing gloves and shoes...or can i buy from them??? that is IF i have to have them, which i probably will, or wont i dont no!! :) plz help me i dont no wut to think or do !!! :) thankz

oh and i no its not martial arts, but maby u would no???

First timer.....?
boxing is a martial art a martial art is a system of combat skills which to some peoples surprise boxing and wrestling fall into too.

most gyms typically have some gloves you can use, which are normally beaten up and smelly(a good incentive to buy your own pair) and some even have some gloves you can buy though some people like buying online or in a store for a different brand

i would suggest not going to a sports store to get gloves(like academy) because they sell the cheaper gloves like everlast which are $19-$29 and are horrible. if you are taking real boxing where you are going to hit the heavy bag and stuff and not just cardio invest in some good gloves you%26#039;re looking at spending at least $50.(i just paid $80 for some new gloves today).

i made the mistake of buying some cheap everlast before they only have two layers of foam which ended up hurting my knuckles after a few rounds on the heavy bag and fall apart within a month. now maybe the higher quality leather everlast are good but stay away from any brand of cheap synthetic gloves.

your gonna need to get some gloves and hand wraps at least, i%26#039;d suggest a mouthpiece becuz u%26#039;ll be surprised how often newbies accidentally hit each other on the focus mitt so just as an extra precaution you can wear one while training also so you can get use to breathing with one in. but you%26#039;ll definitely need one for sparring and possibly headgear too

probably the 1st thing they are gonna do it teach you how to wrap your hands which you might wanna check into before you sign up just to save a lil time. wrapping your hands helps prevent injuries by supporting your wrist and protecting small bones in your hands from breaking

next you%26#039;ll stretch and they%26#039;ll probably be some conditioning with can include running push up sit ups ect...

if you are a beginner the next thing they%26#039;ll teach you is the proper fighting stance. which the the base for all your attacks and defense without a proper stance you are screwed. so they%26#039;ll teach you that and how to keep your balance centered so you can move around in it

they should teach you simple movements from their such as stepping forward to the side back etc without losing balance

also you%26#039;ll be taught basic punches how to deliver proper jab, straight, hooks, and uppercuts; and how to breathe while attacking

depending on your instructor they may have you shadow box some and hit the focus mitts but some instructors will wait till you have %26quot;mastered%26quot; single punches and movement till they have you doing combos

they should start teach you basic blocking for attacks too

as you advance they%26#039;ll start teaching you more defensive moves such as bobbing weaving, slipping, parry; you%26#039;ll do more shadow boxing and jump roping to improve footwork; more work on combos, heavy bag, sparring, and tons more technical stuff its not called the sweet science for nothing

good luck and have fun
Reply:Every gym is different, but the one I go to lets newbies borrow gear for awhile to make sure they%26#039;re going to stick with it. Gloves can be spendy, so you don%26#039;t want to invest the money if you aren%26#039;t even going to like it. I would ask about their policy before your first day, and maybe even ask if you could borrow for a few classes at least. If you don%26#039;t have experience I wouldn%26#039;t go out and buy gloves/shoes on your own...get your coach to help you. Lots of gyms sell a variety of quality/price range, too. Good luck! It%26#039;s a lot of fun =)
Reply:Boxing is a martial art - don%26#039;t let anyone tell you otherwise! It has rules, and requires huge amounts of hard work and dedication to succeed in.

Boxing is as much a workout for the mind as the body.

Anyway, for a first timer, just turn up, get the feel of things. Hopefully you can borrow gloves from the club (my club has loads of old gloves, pads, head guards etc.).

If you decide you like it, then buy your own. You can buy gloves in pink now (and I don%26#039;t mean to sound sexist when I say that, some women at the club I go to wear pink gloves.

dental

Toe injury!!?

THIS IS WAHT HAPPENED

I jammed my toe about 3 weeks ago... It hurt realy rely bad. I put ice onabout after 15 mins, and i did nothing else, day 2 i put wet cloth on my finger about every 4 hours for 15mins.

day 3 i started putting ice and for every 2 hrs every 15 mins and put it on soft pillow because it was swollen badly... the next day i went to the doctor and he told me not to play sports and rest for about 2-3 weeks. So he wrapped it with a bandage and i just rested for avout 4 days, i didnt play sport. So after i took off the cast, i played sports only a little bt (in school with my shoes), and now, it is still not healed and hurts when i jump and hit it a little bit hard... its warmer and bigger than the other one.. So should i continue to play sports or should i just rest till it heals totally?

I PLAYED SPORTS (ACTUALLY I DID SOME EXTREME MARTIAL ARTS/ TRICKING A BIT, AND NOT HARD MOVES WHICH PUT MUCH PRESSURE ON IT.

SO SHOULD I MASSAGE IT OR WHAT, AND HOW?

Toe injury!!?
Tape your hurting toe to the one next to it for support and then do what your doctor tells you if you want to feel better. Otherwise, go about your business like you have and it won%26#039;t stop hurting.
Reply:My son broke his big toe on Sept 4 and had to wear a walking boot for 4 weeks, couldn`t practice football or anything. You need to do what the Doctor said, no matter what. That is the only way it will heal. My son was released after 4 weeks and he played in a football on October 6 and was fine. But only because he done what the Doctor said.
Reply:duh is 2-3 weeks up ?

computer virus

What is a good SPORT FOR MY BODY TYPE?

I am a 19 year old male who wants to be in good shape and play sports. I just started weight lifting 2 weeks ago, and am 5%26#039;8 without shoes on and 170lbs. What is a good sport for me to take up? I%26#039;ve heard that weightlifting and mixed martial arts are good for my height and weight, but what else do you think? I certainly dont want to play basketball, as i wish to gain about 15lbs of muscle eventually, to be a solid body type.

What is a good SPORT FOR MY BODY TYPE?
ice hockey
Reply:Swiming!

Jogging!
Reply:Ummm.... I think Badminton or Volleyball or Football

I don%26#039;t know of those three sport is for you.... Just think of those three that is right for you or other sports...

GODD LUCK ^_^
Reply:You could play soccer, that would definetly help u loose weight and plus its fun.
Reply:maybe baseball or football....swimming is also cool.
Reply:Football, if you want to gain weight yet maintain muscle.

Actually, I think wrestling would be good. You gain A LOT of muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat. Since you%26#039;re 170 pounds though, I donno if you%26#039;d lose weight or gain weight.

That%26#039;s all I can think of...good luck ; )
Reply:With your profile, try Golf, cross country skiing,biatholon,curling, bowling and competative swimming. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR ENDEAVOURS. oremor
Reply:Well, the only sport that I know that only your brain needs a good work-out is if you know how to play Poker.. LOL! They have the WSOP (World Series Of Poker) that comes on ESPN on weeknights and the only muscle you need is like I said, the brain.. I don%26#039;t think it is a muscle, but it really does need to work out.. Reading a book, magazine, newspaper actually gets the brain thinking clearly..
Reply:you could try running, swimming, skateboarding, stuff like that Maybe try slowpitch softball. Thats always a good choice. hope its helpful and good luck finding something to try out.
Reply:Skateboarding will keep you in great shape, just get a cheap skateboard and cruise around places, in few days youll be able to ride around smoothly and ride to places like a grocery or soemthing lol.

books

Only if you like to read....my day.?

Adventure of Today 5-16-07

Ah yes. Today was fun. Fun enough to %26#039;type%26#039; about! Woohoo! You ready? I went to Brod%26#039;s house and we say this HUGE monster. It was a big blue monster with yellow spots. It said %26quot;Your *** is grassss!!!%26quot; I was like...%26quot;Your mom.%26quot; So the monster slapped Brod and I went martial arts on its ***!! I punched that mofo monster in the stomach! No one messes with my best buddy! I though the blue monster was done for, as it was lying on the ground, seemingly unconscious. I was wrong. The moster got up and jabbed a big stick up my nose. My nose immediately started bleeding everwhere. Then. Brod went Super DUPER man on its *** and karate chopped it in the %26#039;ouchy area.%26#039; The moster fell to the ground. So, I found a magical flower that heeled my nose. Then, Brod and I linked arms and walked down the driveway into %26quot;What Actually Happend Today Land.%26quot;

Haha. Nice story, right? It woulda been cool and you know it. Ok, well. My story makes my fun day sound boring, but oh well. Here goes it!

Well, well, well. After school I walked to the wonderful Brod%26#039;s house. No one was home. I went to the bathroom and suddenly I hear someone %26quot;singing%26quot; (Though it was really a girlish shrieking.) a Taylor Swift country song. I was giggling and I walk out with Brod in my face belting out some womanly noises. Gosh is he funny. :)

So, THEN, we left to go hang out in town. First we stuck a bag of jelly beans in his pants. Then, we put my sweater in there instead. (The jelly beans failed us.) To top that, we put some lip gloss in there too. SUDDENLY, Brod had an ENORMOUS bulge. As we walked down the street into town, Brod and I discussed how penises are natural, so it%26#039;s ok to have an abnormally large one. His certainly looked like it. :P

When we got to the park, we saw people so Brod said %26quot;Touch my penis.%26quot; I did...even though it was really just my sweater. Then, he pulled the sweater out of his pants. It was very funny. We quickly dodged and ran through the sprinklers to the creek. We got to the banks and Brod got in.

He went all the way in, except for his head, so I decided to as well. Burrrr! But I got used to it. We had a great time swimming around, but then I kept seeing Brod laughing his *** off at me! I looked down and saw that the water kept weighing down my shirt, and my boobs kept popping out! (Of COURSE, I had a bra on. Don%26#039;t think that way, you perv!) So I got tired of it dragging around and just took my shirt off.

Oh well...I mean....who cares?! I%26#039;m totally comfortable around him anyways. :P So there I am swimming around in the beautiful weather in a bra and some jeans, with my shoes on. I thought I saw some people, so I made Brod go to our %26quot;base bank%26quot; to get my shirt. I watched him walking along the bank of the creek saying %26quot;Crawdad. Another one. Another one. Another one.%26quot;...and so on. I soon enough lost attention and say an old lady up on the shore with her dog.

Picture this...I am laying here in this shallow creek in my bra and jeans, and this very elderly woman walks up with her dog. So ackwardly, I smile and say %26quot;Hi.%26quot; She says hi back...though it didn%26#039;t exactly seem like she wanted to.

After that, I was extremely bored, waiting for the sweet Brod to get back. I%26#039;m thinking, %26quot;wow. We sure have traveled quite a ways down the creek.%26quot;

Finally, he gets back, and we continue our pointless, fun journey down the creek. We reach shallow spots, rocky spots, and muddy spots. Then...we reach this little island with a willow hanging over it. How nice. :) We sit for a while and then, take off, further and furter down the creek.

Brod spots a bright red rose, floating in the water. He grabs it and sets it back in the water. A sign or a warning?

I know what you%26#039;re thinking...hurry up and tell us something EXCITING, Tasha! Gosh! I%26#039;m just gonna stop reading. Here%26#039;s what I have to say to you. HOLD YOU HORSES! I%26#039;M GETTING THERE!

%26quot;Yeah...we%26#039;re kind of far? Wanna stop?%26quot; Brod asked.

%26quot;Yeah. I think so.%26quot;

%26quot;Oh look how calm and nice it looks over there?%26quot;

%26quot;Where?%26quot;

%26quot;There!%26quot; He points.

%26quot;There?%26quot;

%26quot;Yes! There.%26quot;

%26quot;Hm....let%26#039;s go.%26quot; I suggest.

%26quot;Really?%26quot; He asks.

%26quot;Yeah. I don%26#039;t really care. We can get back later.%26quot;

%26quot;Okay!%26quot;

So we take off like two excited, bored teenagers in a creek in Eagle Point do! :P On our way to the spot, Brod finds this huge rock and starts sliding on it. %26quot;Weeee!%26quot;

Then, we get to the calm, inviting swimming hole. It was very nice. Brod goes all the way under water, gets up, and does the Little Mermaid flippy hair thingy. I laugh, go under water, and do the whale flippy thingy.

Brod spots some gnarly rapids.

%26quot;Let%26#039;s go!%26quot; ...idiot says. (JP)

%26quot;Nah...I%26#039;ll wait here and watch.:

So Brod floats down to the rapids. He holds onto a rock in the middle of them and his eyes get all huge. I stand up and give him a thumbs up. He shakes his head no. Oh ****. So then I go over there.

A SHARK AT HIS RIGHT LEG!!!

AHAHAH NOT!

Ok, ANYWAYS...like an idiot, I make the story more exciting than it actually is. GOSH. What is it with me??? :P

So I walk over there, through the water, and I%26#039;m thinking, %26quot;This isn%26#039;t so bad. Why is he down there squirming like a baby?%26quot;

%26quot;Grab my hand!%26quot;

%26quot;I CAN%26#039;T!!%26quot; he yells back.

Then...I fall. Boy did I FALL! I was immediately, swiftly carried away by the rush of water. I try desperately to grab onto rocks. That didn%26#039;t exactly work. My head goes under water, and I get back up. %26quot;Ohh ****. I%26#039;m going to die,%26quot; I think to myself. That%26#039;s when I start SCREAMING to Brod. %26quot;HELLLPPP MEE!!!!!!!! I CAN%26#039;T STOP!! BROD HELP ME!!!%26quot; It was the scariest thing that had ever happend to me. I attempt to grab onto a stick, and am pulled off of it by the rushing water. A big rock jabs me in the butt. I didn%26#039;t even care. By then, my adrenaline was at an all-time high. I am still screaming murder, and I grab onto a root.

I became Steroid Lady and hold on for dear life, glancing at the big rocks and the BIGGER rapids ahead. My arms are holding onto the root, and the rest of my body is on the other side of this island. Somehow, I pull myself up onto it. I am totally shaken. I had just escaped death. It is NOT a fun experience. So I am on the island, feeling sick with relief.

Then, I remember...Brod. Still holding onto the rock. I look up and see some people on their porch. They had obviously came out at my retarded screaming my *** off. Then...of course, I scream my *** off again. %26quot;BROD NEEDS HELP!! HELP HIM PLEASE!!!%26quot; Mofos. They just stand there. Staring at me. Like mofos. They are mofos.

%26quot;Brod! Let go. I will catch you.%26quot;

%26quot;NO!%26quot;

So I go up on the island so I can get on the main land and help him from the shore. I%26#039;m halfway to the mainland, and he can%26#039;t hold on anymore. He lets go. Steriods Woman comes back and runs down to where I got back up.

Lucky Brod. He starts laughing and smiling, then his eyes get really big again. He seems to be where I was. He doesn%26#039;t go through much trouble, though, as the water takes him on a different route and he just kind of floats up to the island. I help him up.

We get back to the main land, and we%26#039;re totally freaked. I%26#039;m feeling sick still, my *** hurts, I%26#039;m running my mouth like a nervous fool, and Brod is vibrating like a cell phone.

We sit at the shore for a bit to regain our sanity, and then we decide to get back to base. Brod takes the water route. I want nothing to do with it, and take the land route.

A big dog tried to eat me, so I ran to the water, and the rest is history.

Only if you like to read....my day.?
i wish i had a day like tht ^_^
Reply:Thats a long day.

Credit Rating

A question for travelers regarding running and working out --->?

So! I%26#039;ve been traveling out of state a bit visiting friends and it%26#039;s great but with all the hanging out over pizza and beer I worry about having to burn off all those calories.

my question is what do those that travel often do to keep theyre work out routien. I usually get in at least 30minutes of workout in a day, sometimes an hour depending on what I do. I like to at least go for a run. i dont think I can travel with weights in my luggage... and I%26#039;m not trained in any type of yoga or martial arts so i%26#039;m fresh out of ideas for spring break.

are theyre any running shoes that travel well... any ideas for staying fit while out of town and staying with friends???

thanks a bunch

xoxo

A question for travelers regarding running and working out ---%26gt;?
i can empathize with you. i even sometimes cancel my trips cuz i know i will miss my training sessions with my trainer, pathetic isnt it? but i pretty much do what u do. i make sure wherever i go, i have access to a gym to do my cardio and weights. and its also hard to eat healthy also, esp when i go home to my parents. so i just monitor my intake and practice self control. and i stay away from things that i dont normally eat, besides when i do eat them, it makes my stomach hurt. but i would just say, make sure you do your cardio exercises, situps, lunges and abs workouts.

treatment

Do westerners tend to confuse recognition with achievement?

And is this not the root cause of many problems in the way martial arts are taught?

I got the idea for this question reading about how legitimate schools sometimes find it hard to compete with black belt factories. People seem to think a better school will get them to black belt faster. But in and of itself, black belts don%26#039;t mean anything, other than you%26#039;re supposed to wear them with black shoes. But if we understood what progress and achievement was, this wouldn%26#039;t be a problem. People wouldn%26#039;t even be interested in a black belt if it came from a school that was not thorough in its teaching. In fact, such learning would seem pointless to them, as they would not be interested in obtaining belts, as much as they would be interested in learning.

My sensei once told me a storty about a man he met in Japan. He practiced Tai-Chi (The martial arts, not just the choreography, as it is still often practiced in China). He would come in to train every day and for seven years...

Do westerners tend to confuse recognition with achievement?
Totally.

Most Westerners have turned Martial arts into a rank ego system. The BUDO is lost to most Westerners and hence they are losing one of the true good qualities of the martial arts. As any good traditionalist knows the BUDO is even more important if Martial Arts esp for those of us that not just train but LIVE eat and BREATHE MA.

I like your story and its true!
Reply:I have heard maybe 10 variations on that story some involved repeating movements that were not at 1st glance martial wax on wax off is a modern variation.

Your question is correct .They forget belt rank does not define skill knowledge or experience.
Reply:Not as much as easterners, there is no reason to respect anyone who hasn%26#039;t earned it, many easterners recognize people who have achieved nothing. and they way westerners do it now is because they believe they should emulate easterners who have achieved nothing/ done nothing deserving of respect, and so if sensei tells them to respect the belt they do, ignoring the fact that the have no actual reason to listen to sensei, because he has never PROVEN anything, and is quite possible telling them a load of bull. if Kano knew what would have become of the belt system he never would have started it.

And the reason black belt factories beat legitimate schools is because people don%26#039;t like to work hard or for a long time or get hit. Black belt factories give %26#039;instant gratification%26#039; or at least the closest thing to it, and thats what everyone is looking for, nevermind that most blackbelts aren%26#039;t worth the fabric they%26#039;re made out of today.

the way to fix this is actually quite simple, have competitions, challenge the factories, once people see they can%26#039;t actually fight most people won%26#039;t want to be associtated with them(if you can get them to accept the challenge). If you can prove what you teach is effective you will do better, if you can prove what they teach isn%26#039;t effective thats even better, they may claim %26#039;martial arts isn%26#039;t about fighting%26#039;(which it is seriously think about it, you%26#039;re learning to punch kick etc and you%26#039;re not learning to fight? and what the hell do you think martial means) but many people(most intelligent people) will see through that. Think about it which arts that have belts don%26#039;t have trouble with belt factories, BJJ and Judo, why because they compete and have established records, don%26#039;t claim to be something they%26#039;re not or claim anything they can%26#039;t prove, they go up against each other so everyone can see who%26#039;s worth listening to and who isn%26#039;t, whose stuff works and whose doesn%26#039;t.

Oh and STOP PUTTING EASTERNERS/ASIANS ON SOME GODLIKE PEDASTAL they are no better than anybody else,(except maybe in making everyone think they%26#039;re fighting gods) not in martial arts, or anything, they didn%26#039;t create them, they%26#039;ve been around as long as mankind, and the first established system was in GREECE NOT CHINA, and the eastern arts haven%26#039;t provent to be particularly effective, nor have their fighters been any better than others and in many cases they%26#039;re worse. historically westerners when something better came along took it and adapted it(recognize something which acheived something), easterners because they%26#039;re so steeped in tradition frequently refuse to accept something better may exist and so hold to what they%26#039;ve been doing and stagnate and become outdated(recognize something which has achieved nothing). when did asian culture leave the dark ages/feudal era? when they adopted WESTERN WORLD VIEWS AND VALUES. wake up people.
Reply:I think it is a good question in that it brings to the surface how different cultures look at things differently. Many schools and instructors have been influenced by the culture of the country where their art came from and I think you can make numerous arguments for the good and bad of that. When you take those influences, values, and aspects and impose them on a person in this country you may meet with bewilderment, or some strong objection and indifference especially with the current generation.

Look at training for instance; forty years ago classes where hard core, no children, physical pain and discomfort was thought of as nothing, and sometimes modest corporal punishment was employed. If you were to run a class like that today you would have very few students or be sued.

Literally-actual competition is another aspect. While there is or was some kind and type of competition in your countries of origin it is/was not so heavily pursued or emphasized like it is today in this country. I was just telling my students last night that the important thing is not how many trophies I have in my window and that is not what they pay me for. They pay me to teach them to the best of my ability to defend themselves out there in the parking lot or be recognized for their knowledge, skill, and ability anywhere they may choose to go. I also have to add all those trophies help get me some students but really the bottom line is what I can teach them and how good I can make them-that is what counts.

Language and customs are another aspect-I use very little Japanese and teach them some customs and protocols; just enough so that if my students encounter a hard core, traditional black belt in Japanese/Okinanwan martial arts they are not totally lost in some of the more common aspects and courtesies of this.

Consider baseball in Japan. Do you think that all of sudden they stop talking Japanese and start talking English when they teach, coach, or play the great American passtime. Heck no! I have seen some good instructors and schools close in the past forty years that could not change the way they taught, did business, or trained their students. I have seen others that have been able to adapt and at the same time still maintain a high standard, produce a good student and maintain the essence of their art. I actually think that some of the problems with the way martial arts is taught is not just due to competition within the martial arts community for students but also is a generational and cultural thing. There are still enough adults, teens, and parents with children out there that want to go to a good school that won%26#039;t just hand them a black-belt after two years. I think the trick is to capture that segment of the market if you are that type of instructor with high standards and who at the same time has adapted to some extent the way he/she does business, teaches, and promotes students but still produces a high quality student in spite of all this. This is of course, all my own opinon, but I do think your question raises some things besides just competition for students and business that I hope some will consider and/or find stimulating and helpful.
Reply:While belt factories are indeed a hinderance to the quality of Martial Arts, or a Martial Art in general.

I think that there is a great deal of confusion in people%26#039;s placement of the blame.

This is not a %26quot;Westerner%26quot; problem in the slightest. MANY MANY organizations in Asian countries (including founding Organizations) award honorary ranks, and awards. In fact there is no place free from politics, if you look at any Martial Arts organization you would see that. In fact you find many Asian organizations standards much more laxed then some %26quot;Western%26quot; organizations.

Organizations are big part of the problem. However there has to be some sort of standard due, unfortunately with many things what has started out to be a great ideology, turns corrupt with people looking for money, and power. This is not a Western Only Problem. I see this with many Eastern Organizations, and especially with International Martial Arts Federations, which have a pay for a Hall of Fame type of thing going. Give them the right amount of money and you are suddenly a member of their Hall of Fame.

Yes, Martial Arts like many other things have fallen into the hands of people looking for a profit, people seeking honorary titles, and acheivements to boost their Martial Arts resumes.

Forget buddhist philosophies, stories of Bushido, or Zen. Most of these things are not just lost here, but in their prospective countries of origin. Many of the %26quot;Mountain dojos by Waterfalls%26quot; imparting Zen philosophies, and the like are myth, and the few out there that do exist do so at a high profit margin for tourism. The truth is if Martial Arts were truly near what they used to be, many many schools would be turning would be students away, for not having the mentality, maturity, and character to be a Martial Artist.

Of course there is elitism to the highest degree amongst Martial Artist. People comparing lineage, schools, styles, and methods of instruction. Thinking that a harder an instructor is, or if he tries to impart meditation, or zen riddles that he is in fact closer to the real deal.

This couldn%26#039;t be further from the case. The real deal is that truthfully, Martial Arts evolve like everything else. While those maintaining some sense of tradition are certainly admired, the truth is they grasp onto ONE portion of the tradition, or hold on to just a few of it%26#039;s ideals and throw out the old ones.

Also, the truth is you simply cannot do what used to be done. Obviously whacking children with bamboo sticks, and training for 40 hours a week or more is not a possibility. Keep in mind, that many olden dojos were also schools, they were what children or adults did as an occupation. You weren%26#039;t just a student, but an apprentice.

Did that make someone any better or worst of a Martial Artist? Obviously I would say there are Martial Artist now who could easily outperform students of those days, simply because training methodologies have been refined, and evolved. But as a whole, there were fewer Martial Artist.

Now, Martial Arts are available to anyone. While some schools are selective in the fact they may ask bad seeds to leave, by far in general they do not turn students away. There are bills to pay.

This occurs EVERYWHERE. There are few dojos in the entire world that will turn anyone with money away. Mind you there are plenty of them that will also take people in with little to no money. But no one is very exlusive. Those that are, do so purposefully for commercial reasons.

This is not a Western only phenemenom. Japan, Phillipines, Korea, Thailand, (I can%26#039;t speak for China other then to say that it is well known that the Shaolin temple is supported by the Government for tourism reasons, and that very few if any current Shaolin monks have ties to the actual true Shaolin order, and that even then, there has been no historic evidence of great fighting ability of those monks) all these countries have countless dojos handing out black belts, and in it for the money just as much as any western Mcdojo. I have met white men wearing black belts from the Kodokan that a brown belt from my club could toss around with ease.

It is true, repuations of styles, and styles themselves are getting watered down to the open door, money making schemes of people who wish to capitalize on Martial Arts. However this has occurred nearly since the beginning, and is not a merely Western thing. There is widespread outright Fraud tied to MANY proclaimed Martial Arts masters, many of whom have outright fabricated lineages, secret scrolls, and masters who have never existed. These people have tied to Internation Martial Arts federations that they are %26quot;Hall of Fame%26quot; members of, and hold honorary ranks in %26quot;pay for grade%26quot; Internation Martial Arts organizations.

As Martial Arts have evolved, so have the methods of frauds attempting to make a name of Martial Arts have. Even newer arts, the latest fads people attempt to make a name off of. Schools with %26quot;Mixed Martial Arts%26quot; where so and so is a %26quot;Undefeated Professional fighter in No Holds Barred competetions%26quot; without a single record existing anywhere of this person competing anywhere.

But the thing is, suckers buy into this.

This things continue to happen because no matter where, there are people who want to be Martial Artist, who are gullible, and desperately want to think they are learning something special.

Especially people claiming to be very exclusive, very secretive, and knowing fighting methods and techniques which are too deadly for anyone to teach, yet they do. People everywhere eat that up. There are the same sorts with dozens of students throughout the world.

Sadly, there are people teaching these methods and have every reason to believe in them, because they were taught the very same thing. We have students of frauds going around and spreading fraudelent Martial Arts.

Followers of guys like Ashida Kim, George Dillman, and Frank Dux.

Guys who wholeheartedly believe in what they are showing and doing. Guys who are not intentionly decieving anyone because they bought into the BS.

This is not a Western only thing. This is widespread, and it goes to the very heart of human nature and people%26#039;s needs to feel safer, or better, then the next guy.

That is not to say that Budo is lost, or that true Martial Arts are not flourishing. It is just saying that there are places east and west deceiving people, or promoting people for their own profit. This is not always something that someone is doing with malice. Many of these people have bought into a system of teaching, believe in it heavily, and continue going in the same vein, and making profit from it.

I promise you if you got to 80% of the Belt Factory McDojo systems out there, you will find instructors who whole heartedly believe what they are doing is right, and that the people they are awarding belts to are deserving of them, and that the techniques they show are solid, complete, and effective.

The same as many people even here who have never sparred a day in their life, think that they can utilize their technique with full ferocity, accuracy, and effectiveness when the time comes. Not realizing their training neglects timing, accuracy, natural body reactions, reflexes and human instinct.

Only way you get better at Golf is to play Golf, only way you can hammer a nail better is to hammer a lot of nails, only way you can shoot better is to go out and shoot, and the only way you can fight better is to fight.

I find that is lacking in modern Martial Art programs much more than Budo, Zen, or self perfection. The actual application of the technique against a fully resisting opponent. I promise you will find more schools that concentrate on forms, some basic exercises, and conditioning, that impart Zen riddles, talk of honor, and respect, and discipline, but do not spar, do not fight, and do not compete, then you will find schools that hand out belts. and honestly you find that way more in the West than in the East.

You would be very surprised how much spirituality, Zen, and self perfection has been taken out of martial arts schools in the East, particularly because most of the countries are more secular now, then even the west is.

Mind you the time I spent was limited, but I have been to schools in Japan, Korea, and Thailand, and I have rarely ever heard mention of Chi, Ki, or done any meditation, heard any Zen riddles, or been imparted with any Buddhist or Shinto philosophy. They were pretty much about the art, the technique, and fighting it hard and intense. (Aside from Thailand, a great deal of spirituality is part Muay Thai over there).

I think that the the Westerners (particular those who have a sense of elitism tied with martial arts) are some of the primary banner carriers of this culture. As Martial Arts ties to spirituality, self perfection, Zen, Shintoism, and Buddhism are often removed in the East and the Countries of Origin for many of these arts. Yet some of their traditions and thoughts are very much alive in the West.

So in short (I know I have wrote a book) I think that the problems you attribute to Westerners, lie everywhere, including the East and the majority of the countries of origin for a particular Martial Art. However I find that what you think of as %26quot;correct%26quot; or the %26quot;right%26quot; way of Martial Arts (Zen traditions, buddhist and Shintoist philosophy, humility, Culture and History of an Art) are found more in the West then you find now a days in the East.

Just my opinion from my travels, and what I have seen. I could be right or wrong. Personally I think that like all things eventually things come out in the wash. People who watch MMA and other unnarmed contests see that many of the %26quot;Old Ways%26quot; aren%26#039;t what they were cracked up to be. When it all comes down to it, it also depends on what you deem as successful in Martial Arts is. Is it a peaceful person who is self actualized, confident and happy, but would not necessarily do well in a fight. Or is a person who can handily defeat most would be challengers.

Honestly I think that diachotomy has been in Martial Arts from the beginning. There were great fighters, and there were people who were more peaceful, spiritual, and centered, yet were not great fighters.

Hell that Diachotomy exists on all planes, a great warrior, or a great clergyman. A great general or a great politician.

Ultimately who is more successful? It depends on your guidelines for success and what you get out of it.

Just my tidbit of long winded notes for today...
Reply:Rank has its place and meaning. Having black belt factorys really lowers the standard of their own schools basicaly and gives alot of false confidence which makes people lazy, or sometimes even completely uninterested

it%26#039;s like if you go to the army in a strange country and after a few months of training that you still might find hard (because you are not exposed to anything else) you get a rank of commander, back in your own country you know that commander means you are the ****, so as far as your concerned, you are the **** and can stop training

The real problem I think is that most places have unrealistic ways of testing themselves or none at all, you wouldnt hold army games in the mall would you, you would hold them in the forest, as close to the real thing as possible

If places had more competitions it would end allot of the problems. i know that people say, this and this is not what it%26#039;s like in real life, and i say YES, there is a chance that a person can be very good in competition but will loose in a fight, but there is a FAR greater chance of a guy who is hopeless at ruled fighting loosing a fight than a guy who is great at it

As for the story, I like it, unfortunately there is not ONE magical move out there, well maybe, but it would get pretty boring after a while rite? you have to be a Budhist Monk to train single techniques daily for years and years at a time, or at least have their attitude about it
Reply:I agree.
Reply:Total ignoramus about martial arts here -- but yes, we confuse recognition (in both senses -- awards, and being %26quot;known%26quot;) with achievement -- to such an extent that many people think someone who%26#039;s well-known is also someone it%26#039;s good to know. Or that what we do is of no value if no one praises us, pays us, or gives us a prize.

Ideally, we would convert everything into money, so we%26#039;d have a simple scale, and could say, %26quot;Yes! A Michelangelo is worth more than a mother.%26quot; Stupid, but comfortable.
Reply:To an extent, I agree. The issue, however, lies with the teacher, not necessarily the student. If the teacher places emphasis on belts and not learning, so will the students. If the teacher puts the belts in proper perspective (that they are tools to see progress in the art, and tools for the instructor to see what part of the curriculum a student is learning), then the student learns to view them the same way.

The result of a belt test should feel like and accomplishment, not a reward. And that lies on the instructor.
Reply:Not every one who trains has the same goals or motives.I would rather loose a student than just give him a belt. As a business this seems counter productive. It isn%26#039;t sooner or later the school will suffer from too many unmotivated students.Yes we have a problem with the drift in cultural values. Yes we are enamored with awards a bit too much. We struggle with trying to motivate students when there are so many distractions now in this fast paced culture.

I guess we may never be a big school. I believe we will be a successful school.

Puppy Teeth

Does anyone have a pair of "jika-tabi"? Are they comfortable, where do I get them, and any problems with them?

I%26#039;m looking at buying a pair of jika-tabi, and I would like some information about them. Jika-tabi are the shoes that are split-toed like this: http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h155/s...

I have some questions about them:

1) Where can I get them? I%26#039;m not looking forward to getting them off the internet, but someone suggested local Martial Arts stores. Would a local Martial Arts Store have them?

2) Does anyone have a pair of them? What are they like? Do they feel weird? Are they comfortable? I read somewhere that they keep you more alert because they help with blood circulation.

3) Can I wear them to school, like this: http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h155/s... If I start wearing them to school, would that be cool? Can I excercise in them, like trail running or something? I want to get use out of them.

4) If I get them, what clothes would go with them? I don%26#039;t want to stick out in a negative way.

Thanks.

Does anyone have a pair of %26quot;jika-tabi%26quot;? Are they comfortable, where do I get them, and any problems with them?
They are unlike any other shoes for sure. They take a little bit to get comfortable as you have to get used to the toe positioning. Once you get used to them though, they%26#039;re not too bad.

It%26#039;s fun to climb ropes in them as you can semi-grab with your feet.

You can exercise or do whatever you want in them. They really have no instep though, so it%26#039;s almost like going barefoot. They hurt to run distances in.

You get get them anywhere.

Century Martial Arts; www.centuryfitness.com

Kwon; www.kwonusa.com

Asian World of Martial Arts; www.awma.com

Wear them like you would boots if you want. They are going to stand out though, just because of the toe - especially to women. You know how they love shoes!

men skin care

Why do i get lower back pain when I run?

I%26#039;m a martial artist and recently I%26#039;ve been trying to improve my endurance by running. But after a little while of running my lower back starts hurting like in a really sharp pain kind of way. I dont have this problem when we run in my martial arts class. So does anyone know why I would have this problem. One idea I have is it may be my shoes. I use grappling shoes for all my athletics. Any help is appriciated.

Why do i get lower back pain when I run?
Do you mean a %26#039;stitch%26#039; in your side after running a while or lower lumbar pain? Running hurts, period. Your shoes can make a big difference. If your feet are forced into an akward position inside the shoes, that could easily explain your pain. Of course there are so many other explanations depending on how you%26#039;re going about the run - warmups, surface, distance, speed, your gait, your weight, physical conditioning for running - there%26#039;s no way to just give you a one-size-fits-all answer. One thing is, don%26#039;t think that just because you are a terrific martial artist that running is a simple thing that you will have no problem with. Running can be a art form in itself and you can hurt yourself doing it wrong in ways that can screw up your martial arts, also. Seek the advice of experienced runners, Grasshopper, and you will find enlightenment.
Reply:There are many possibilities one can be your shoes. The other is what kind of surface are you running on. Sand is by far the worst thing you can run on there are spots where the sand can be loose or packed, that will mess up your back and knees. The next is asphalt or cement the hard surface causes a jarring effect in your back and knees. The best surface you can run on is either a track field where the surface is packed down or run on grass, the grass acts as padding and cushions the impact as you run.
Reply:Your first problem is that your shoes are crap for running more than twenty yards. How far are you running? That%26#039;s a big deal. If you are running less than five miles, you probably can%26#039;t go wrong with any running shoe in the $50 range. But do yourself a favor; go to a real running store to get fitted. The shoes might be $5 more than a big box store, but if you buy the wrong shoe you risk wasting all of your money.

The guys at a real running store will want to know why you%26#039;re running, how far and how fast. They will watch you run to see how much you pronate (or supinate), if your a floppy footed or rigid footed runner, and a few other things. Then you%26#039;ll try a few pairs on and should find a great match. It%26#039;s worth the time.

Next, running puts a lot of stress on your back! Much more than martial arts because it%26#039;s a cyclic load that keeps repeating with no rests. If you keep at it your back will strengthen after a few weeks and you won%26#039;t be in pain anymore. Make sure to rub your back to get the blood moving through it. I%26#039;m assuming you have no other back problems. Also it%26#039;s tempting to lean forward to get more speed, but once you%26#039;re at your pacr your shoulders should be straight above your hips. It feels odd for a few days, then it feels right.

So you need running shoes and you need to let your back get strong. Your stamina will improve greatly but your muscles may be harder to stretch; I was primarily a runner and always had trouble stretching.
Reply:do some core workout to strenghten your lower back
Reply:It could be your shoes, I don%26#039;t know the architecture of %26quot;grappling shoes%26quot; but it sounds like they%26#039;re for traction and not running.

I%26#039;m not that keen on running, but I did hear a few times that if you are running at a pace you%26#039;re not used to, it can cause back pains.

So it may be you%26#039;re not running at your natural pace. I don%26#039;t know how you could fix that, maybe just try different speeds ?
Reply:First you are on the right track with the shoe thing. Invest a good pair of shoes if your serious about putting in some distance.

Now to cure that pain in the lower back extend your stride a little bit more then a jog. What is happening here is that your stride length is too short causing you to place a shcok wave up into the lower back. By striding out a bit more you will reduce the weight coming down directly into the base of the back.

I know you are going think this is crazy but it is true. Try it before you say one of these other answers is better.

Be with one!

Coach
Reply:You are getting back pain because you aren%26#039;t standing up straight enough. If you stand up perfectly straight when you run you won%26#039;t have back pain and you will also be able to run better.
Reply:I am guessing, from past experience, that it is something else you are overlooking because it seems so counter-intuitive; your hamstrings might not be stretched out enough.

I was working with a personal trainer I trusted, and was doing ab work, when I pointed out that I was getting lower back pain when I did my ab work. He proceeded to work on serious stretching of my hamstrings - through a method called PNF stretching. (Look it up).

The basic idea is, by alternating between stretching the hamstring, and then contracting the muscle (by, for example, laying next to a doorway, and putting my full leg, at a 90 degree angle and pushing, thereby contracting the muscle), and stretching, and contracting again, I improved the extent to which I could stretch the hamstring.

Why it worked, I could not tell you. But, although it didn%26#039;t go away immediately, I did improve, and within a week or so, my lower back pain while doing crunches was gone.

Good luck and hope it is at least helpful.
Reply:Well, It might be your shoes. In most Martail Arts classes, we dont wear them. Maybe you should get your shoes fitted, most stores can help you with that. Sorry I couldnt be of much help. Take care!
Reply:Hello,

Grappling shoes may be your problem. Try getting some shoes with cushion, as this will save your back and joints from the shock of running. And while I%26#039;m sure that you get a lot of ab workouts in martial arts class...add some more where you can..this will also take the strain off your back. The links below can help you with shoes %26amp; ab exercises. Good luck!

- Mike
Reply:Here is a simple remedy until you see your doctor.Massaging the back muscles will reduce the pain.Apply an icepack to the affected area. This will make the area numb and reduce the pain. More details and remedies at http://aches.in/backpainremedies.html

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I need doctors please help me?

This is waht happened pelase READ:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

I do extreme martial art/ tricking/ and i cant stand one more day without training (i trained during the unjury a bit, but i didnt put too much pressure on my toe) So i realy want to trick, practice some kicks and stuff. But im scared that my toe doesnt recover properly or never fully recovers. So is it Ok to practice some tricks which dont put too much pressure on the toe? I cant do kip ups and backflips because i think it will start hurting... But i can walk, Run with shoes and things... So is it ok to continue martial arts (without putting too much pressure on my toe), or to wait till my toe fully recovers...

It happened 22 days ago exactly, should i put ice on it still? Because my rght toe, the injured one, is bigger than my left one? And ad should i massage it or what?

I need doctors please help me?
Have doctor look a it to make sure it is healing properly and have him/her tell you when it is safe to resume activity. This will ensure you have a happy toe from now on.
Reply:No you need to visit a dr. in person!!! Your toe will never recover proberly unless you go to a dr. and they treat your toe..

under my skin

Hep B info. and ssi benefits of income question?

It is about time to tell people how serious Hep B is. You can contract hep b from body fluid and blood. Hep b can survive up to seven days on any surface. Life changes completeley after you contract it. The problem is the SSI and social care are in denial because they dont want to pay supplemental income (disability) to help the ones that are infected. Now, there are cases like restaurant employee passed hep b to so many customers and like a said body fluid can pass. People needs to be aware of it and support does who unfortunately contracted it. It is a big lie what they say about contracting from sexual relationship. I contracted doing Martial Arts or construction work. Martial Arts I did not have shoes on. Construction passing tools and getting tools from others as touching the same materials and tools.

Question: why? ssi does not approve disability for those infected so they can treat themselves instead of having to expose themselves to others at work.

Hep B info. and ssi benefits of income question?
I got hep b at some point in my life - and I don%26#039;t know how I got it. But - that was 20 years ago and it hasn%26#039;t affected me at all - at least so far.
Reply:Your response does not answer my question. I hope you will never have a problem. Others, happen to have and seems that you are turning your back on them. Just think about. Report It

Reply:uhhh how it sooo serious if 90-95% of people fight it off completly.... and there is a vaccine that most people get....

get rid of acne

What's the best kind of trainer/sneaker or shoe for grip on a wooden floor?

At the moment I use K-Swiss tennis shoes which do not provide me with enough grip, can anyone suggest another shoe? I wear them for martial arts training. Thanks.

What%26#039;s the best kind of trainer/sneaker or shoe for grip on a wooden floor?
I like Diesels. Mine have a nice knobbly sole, a wide toe reinforced with rubber, and they are very comfortable. Stylish, too, for both women and men.
Reply:Try a nobby cross trainer or trail sneaker.

flower

What kind of shoes should I use for a broad training program?

I am doing a broad training program right now. I lift weights, do some street running, track running, jump rope, and train in the martial arts. I am also starting trail/woods running. I move from one type of exercise to the other.

Is there any kind of shoe I can wear that will provide me with the correct support for weight lifting, running on different surfaces, AND agility training?

Thanks

What kind of shoes should I use for a broad training program?
The basic answer is No. It%26#039;s kind of like asking for a car that%26#039;s fast and sporty, but can carry everything and gets great gas mileage. An attempt has been made to create a shoe that covers a number of your activities decently-the cross trainer. A good pair will be fine for what you%26#039;ve listed except for track and maybe trail(depends on how technical the layout is)running. My advice is to look at lightweight cross- trainers and see if any fit you well. Then I%26#039;d also get a pair of real running shoes. If you are going to make the effort to get in good shape and enjoy all those different activities, then investing in 2 pairs of decent shoes is a basic thing to do. Below is a link to just some of the features of cross-trainers.

Good luck.
Reply:flip flops

health

Hi, need footwear search help?

does anyone know of where i could buy budoka style trainers (martial arts shoes) from, like not too expensive, but cheaper!

Hi, need footwear search help?
Hello,

I would try eBay there are a few who sell martial art trainer%26#039;s the price%26#039;s are around £50.00 + p+p.

1 .ms.saysi%26#039;s selection, they sell , Adidas Taewonda, Adi Lux shoes,martial arts trainers,

2,JSP Sports, they sell, Adidas Mactelo,

3,kungfu-w ,.sells martial art shoes, they are in , Shanghai China

Have a look at these, but there are more on eBay.

It is worth a try, I hope this is of some help,

good luck

Towzer
Reply:ebay is always a good place

insurance registration

What is the name of this '70s Martial Arts film where good guy gets killed midway.?

Here%26#039;s the story as I remember it: An overly-trustworthy goodie-two-shoes hero (in his 20s) will not sell his land to a hostile group. He is invited to have dinner with them as a peace offering. But his friends say don%26#039;t trust them. As he is shoveling rice into his mouth with bowl and chop sticks he is stabbed underneath the table and is ambushed but continues fighting until the end. Cut to his funeral with his photo above his casket. His friend tries to avenge the hero%26#039;s death and is beaten up badly, but is left alive. A Master trains the friend to do exercises by jabbing his fingers into pots of hot sand. He tries again to avenge the hero%26#039;s death and is successful. During the final chaotic fight scene we see flash backs of him training and of him and the hero smiling.

It played as a double feature with the last running of %26quot;The Omen%26quot; in US theatres in the mid %26#039;70s.

What is the name of this %26#039;70s Martial Arts film where good guy gets killed midway.?
Revenge of the Ninja?

car makes

How can you best use your martial arts skills if your in everyday clothes(like in jeans,office clothes,etc)?

How will you use the things you learned in the gym/dojo/etc in a street fight where more likely than not you are in your everyday clothes and wearing shoes; not in a gi or prescribed shorts?

Even if you are a kicker, is it still advisable to kick in a street fight especially if you are wearing jeans; or is it better to resort to punching?

How can you best use your martial arts skills if your in everyday clothes(like in jeans,office clothes,etc)?
Well if your in street clothes than I am guessing your talking about a street fight. I would suggest Krav Maga because it deals with being attacked by weapons. Or, Boxing because you would be able to defend yourself and land a good punch.
Reply:Anybody can kick to the shins or knees no matter what they wear and at least to the height of the groin.
Reply:I think there%26#039;s no problem. Except when u%26#039;re wearing a skirt or blouse but im not, hahaha! I%26#039;ll never wear skirts or blouse, cant get use to it. Jeans are ok, i%26#039;ve always involved in street fight and i can kick freely. No prob dude...
Reply:Most martial arts instructors will train their students to defend in all aspects of life, weather, clothing, weapons and ect. If you haven%26#039;t been trained this way then you are not pepared to defend yourself. Get the training.
Reply:Conform to your surroundings.Kick lower,punch harder at lethal areas.Be more vicious!
Reply:I have quit sport martial arts for several reasons, one being it isn%26#039;t really practical as you are finding out now. I have long since gone into plain hand 2 hand street fighting and combat, battlefield stuff because clothes are not involved like your %26#039;school uniform%26#039;. You fight like you train, so train like you are on the street. Good luck.
Reply:This is an excellent question. To truly know you can use it, you MUST practice it, real-time, in street clothes. There are some teachers who will actually have you spar in street clothes, wearing street shoes, but they are very rare, especially wearing shoes as they can damage mats. Kicking will especially be different. Barefoot is much different than wearing hiking boots or dress shoes. I was fortunate enough to have an instructor once where we trained outside, in shoes, and sometimes in street clothes. If you can%26#039;t find a school that trains this way, and you have no one to train with in street clothes that you%26#039;re SURE won%26#039;t sue you if they get hurt, you have limited options. You can drill at home in street clothes and see what moves feel more comfortable than others. Then in school, take days where you practice only your %26quot;street%26quot; moves in full contact sparring.

Good Question. Good Luck and God Bless.
Reply:try practicing at home with jeans, shoes, and other things you might use on the street. it really helps.

this day in history

Where is a martial arts supply store near zip code 92507?

i need a pair of kung fu shoes before saturday april 28, 2007

Where is a martial arts supply store near zip code 92507?
go to the yahoo home page. click on the %26quot;local%26quot; tab and it will give you a space to place the business name or type and then another space to put your city/state/zip. then it%26#039;ll give you a map with phone numbers, web sites, etc
Reply:You can check out AWMA, which is Asian World Martial Arts, and they are mail order, and carry everything. If you read black belt magazine, they are always advertised in there, and carry a ton of stuff.

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Why do so many martial arts styles train barefoot?

Since people wear shoes most of the time, wouldn%26#039;t it make more sense to train with them? It seems to me that the places you are most likely to need your self defense skills (bar, sporting event, dark ally, etc.), you would be wearing shoes. Or is there an inordinate risk of being attacked at the beach that I was unaware of?

Why do so many martial arts styles train barefoot?
There are two major reasons for this:

1) Many martial arts have roots in cultures where it is customary to remove shoes when entering a room, and removing shoes while practicing is an extension of that custom.

2) Many arts are more dangerous with shoes, since shoes are harder than feet, and the safety issue outweighs the practicality issue.

As for why they are done barefoot as opposed to wearing socks, the simple answer there is because you get better traction in bare feet than you do wearing socks.
Reply:I am a Kung Fu guy, and we always wear shoes.

I think that it is mostly due to keeping tradition. In Japan especially, being bare foot is a daily occurrence. As well as in many years past, the shoe of choice was more of a slipper, which was easily removed when entering your home, or being attacked.

That being said, I would think that it would be easier to adapt to fighting WITH shoes than without. Meaning that I think that I would be hindered more by not having shoes on, than someone that trains barefoot and has to fight with shoes on.
Reply:Chinese kung fu is one of the few, if only , martial art styles that wear shoes all through the years of their training. They do take a more realistic approach.

Barefoot is because it toughens the feet; keeps the workout as fundamental as possible; and that particular culture emphasizes barefeet in their everyday lives.
Reply:Outside, people generally wear shoes, but in the dojo and other indoor places it is customary to take off the shoes. That may be one of the many reasons why.

Another reason why I work out without shoes and make sure my students do the same is so I can see their form and watch their footing to make sure they%26#039;re stable and well rooted when necessary. Shoes make it harder analyse.

I trained barefoot on rocks and rough concrete to be able to handle unlevel ground and rough terrain, toughen my feet and tolerance for pain.

I also train with all types of shoes except flip flops to get used to moving and reacting with them on as well as other clothes. Some shoes will actually cushion the kick and others make it easy to fall because of their slick soles, and some clothes are restricting in movements or easy to tangle.

edit-

Nice point pugpaws2. I%26#039;ve done training for my toes and my fingers. I have not trained them excessively as I still want them to be fully functional, but they can definitely handle the jobs I give them. IE hitting under the ribcage and grabbing the ribs... SUPER Painful and dangerous. My toes are great and Shihan really emphasizes training all this as we train anything else. I one was staying at the house of a fellow karate ka and he was sitting down while I was doing the toe kick in the air. He said that won%26#039;t do anything but break my toes and so I kicked him in ST39, lightly. The result proved the point of its effectiveness. LOL
Reply:When you move in and out of stances you slide the feet and not lift them(except tai chi) it is easier to accomplish this without shoes. also a matter of opinion; feet are cleaner than shoes.

When your not in the dojo and wearing shoes you could do more damage in a fight. I guess that could be why you don;t wear them in class too.
Reply:When you practise wushu, or tai chi, or even when you visit the temple of kung fu and tai chi, it is respectful to wear shoes while training, not toss them off and run barefoot like its some king of grateful dead concert or hippy party.
Reply:Well I guess if you are training with people they wouldn%26#039;t want to be kicked in the face with at the worst cleats, especially if the shoes are dirty
Reply:Cause if you can do it without pads do you can do it with them
Reply:to get tougher
Reply:I teach my students to train both with shoes on and with them off.

One reason that many train without shoes is because in many of the old martial arts styles the practitioners may not have even had shoes. Many were poor peasants.

Something that is rarely ever seen in western countries, i are toe kicks. In many of the Okinawan styles toe kicks were and sometimes still are often used. I train to kick with my toes and find it very effective. A good toe kick does not have to be as powerful as other kicks. This is because the tips of the big toe and the toe next to it are used to kick the inside of the opponents thigh. When kicking the right place it usually will put the attacker on the ground. Even if it does not it is extremely painful and the attacker has trouble standing. Either way it makes it much easier to control the situation.

Learning to kick well with your toes is much easier than you might think. To start learning you only have to start by standing on one leg as if you are doing a Neko-ashi-Dachi (cat stance) and then lift the front leg. While pressing the big toe and the one next to it together, you simply press your toes against a wall or other solid object. The trick is to lower your body while pressing to root yourself and not allow the press to push you out of your stance. The exercise is done only a few seconds at a time and requires that you do it only a few times, every day or so. In a few weeks you will be able to kick lightly with no problem. Continued practice will result in your being able to kick a hole in a corrugated box using only a quick snap kick. At that point you can experiment by lightly kicking an opponents inner thigh. NOT: use caution you can do serious damage with this kick, to yourself or to others. Play nice.

BTW .... if you can do toe kicks well you can easily use the toe of your shoe to attack the same targets on the opponents leg.

car audio

In Martial Arts classes, why do people have to be barefeet?

I was always curious why. No shoes allowed or something?

In Martial Arts classes, why do people have to be barefeet?
It depends on the school. At my school we wear shoes. In real life you will wear shoes if you are attacked. That is unless you are attacked on the beach. Some places have you remove your shoes to protect the mats or carpeted areas of the training floor.

If you notice the Ryu of Japan and Okinawa, they don%26#039;t wear shoes, just like you don%26#039;t wear shoes in a Japanese or Okinawan house.

Chinese systems wear shoes. So I would guess it comes down to the customs and traditions of the respected style.
Reply:This is for several reasons. First a Dojo is considered holy ground. In asian culture it is a sign of respect to remove your shoes before entering another persons house. The same is true about temples and alters.

The second reason is to have connectivity to the ground below you. Even though the martial arts teach flying kicks and all kinds of acrobatics you will find the focus is on landing safely. By being bare foot you will be able to have a complete sense of the ground and how your moving over it. With shoes we could end up missing important strategic points on the floor.

Third is to show respect for your master. Wearing shoes inside your masters dojo is like saying I do not care enough about your teachings to warrent following your customs within your house.

fourth is to show respect for your fellow students. whenever you spar or fight having a shoe on will give you an extreme advantage against a sparring partner without shoes on. Shoes also are rather tough and increase hitting power. Should you choose to strike a fellow student with shoes on you will likely never have a sparring partner again. Sparring is about learning, its not a cage match or a fight to the death or anything silly like that. It is following the movements you have been tought to outwit, not outpower your sparring partner.

Something to note is that there is a shoe that is more of a sock that is allowed within ninjitsu Dojos. however it is only for within the dojo and should not be warn outside ever. I am not sure about other martial arts.

Hails to knowing peace over power,

Silence
Reply:and so you can grip the floor better
Reply:you dont have to be, who said you do. My nephew is a champion and he wore training shoes (well special) but they looked the same as the one we wear.
Reply:ito respect the dojo, and in tae kon do their are one type of sparing shoes you are aloud to wear
Reply:There are many reasons. In martial arts it is important to learn to keep your body centered and to do this you need to learn how to grip the floor with your feet (toes). That can%26#039;t be taught with shoes on.

You also have to learn to pull your toes back on a front kick and push them down on a roundhouse kick. It also hurts more if you are sparring and you are kicked with a big ol boot.

So teaching, training and sparring all need a bare foot.
Reply:Because (1) the Dojo is considered a holy place for asians its where by wearing nothing on your feet it shows respect.

plus also could be so you dont get knocked out by someone kicking you with their shoes on,
Reply:in a dojo (place of enlightenment) you go in %26#039;clean%26#039; to learn.
Reply:would you like to be kicked in the face with a shoe?? or a high heel?? or a boot ?? or a steel toed shoe??
Reply:If you have shoes some one is gonna get a concusion
Reply:Although most of the answers are partly correct, the answer is actually quite simple.

First take a look at where the style came from. Styles that came from Japan, Okinawa and Korea usually go bare footed because the terrain is soft and sandy. While Styles that came from China usually wear shoes because of the rocky terrain.

There are exceptions to this expiation, such as Ninjitsu, which is Japanese style that does wear shoes called Tabis.
Reply:because there%26#039;s many different shoes. Think about this if you train in hiking boots and your instructor train in sandle, would you two be able to pull off movemet the same way?

So if everyone is barefeet then everyone can observe how their foot are suppose to pivot and everything.
Reply:This is because it gives you more freedom to move, and if you happen to kick someone, it won%26#039;t hurt as bad.

That%26#039;s also the reason the robes are so loose and flowing; it gives more room to move, and you can %26#039;feel%26#039; the movement better.
Reply:Not all schools do that. At our school, you wear your street clothes. If you can%26#039;t perform in your street clothes, you have to rethink the way you dress, this includes shoes.
Reply:so when you kick, you can kick fast and move fast because wearing a shoe is like having a weight on your foot.
Reply:%26quot;shoes are like hats for the feet, and it is hard to pray while wearing a hat.%26quot;- caine, KUNG FU
Reply:i don%26#039;t know good question.

get pale skin

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Females with experience, I got kicked hard. How can I treat myself without a doctor??

I am a runner need advice?

Not many know. Now I do, that Krav Maga teaches students to strike vulva? I just didn't know?

Poll: How are your Ninja Creeping Skills...?

How can grow a few more inches?

Kurt Angle claims that TNA will start to use MMA matches on Impact! In your opinion, will this work or not?

Guess the wrestlers...?

How do you relieve middle back pain?

First timer.....?

Toe injury!!?

What is a good SPORT FOR MY BODY TYPE?

Only if you like to read....my day.?

A question for travelers regarding running and working out --->?

Do westerners tend to confuse recognition with achievement?

Does anyone have a pair of "jika-tabi"? Are they comfortable, where do I get them, and any problems with them?

Why do i get lower back pain when I run?

I need doctors please help me?

Hep B info. and ssi benefits of income question?

What's the best kind of trainer/sneaker or shoe for grip on a wooden floor?

What kind of shoes should I use for a broad training program?

What kind of shoes should I use for a broad training program?

What kind of shoes should I use for a broad training program?

Hi, need footwear search help?

What is the name of this '70s Martial Arts film where good guy gets killed midway.?

How can you best use your martial arts skills if your in everyday clothes(like in jeans,office clothes,etc)?

Where is a martial arts supply store near zip code 92507?

Why do so many martial arts styles train barefoot?

In Martial Arts classes, why do people have to be barefeet?

martial arts shoes

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