From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V6 #283 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Sat, 29 May 1999 Vol 06 : Num 283 In this issue: the_dojang: Re: The_Dojang-Digest V6 #282 the_dojang: Re: Enlightenment - Stan the_dojang: Re: Blocking vs. attacking the_dojang: Re: Hi Aimee the_dojang: (no subject) nerve areas the_dojang: . ......................................................................... The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~725 members strong! Copyright 1994-99: Ray Terry, California Taekwondo, Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe the_dojang-digest" (no quotes) in the body of an e-mail (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To send e-mail to this list use the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and online search the last two years worth of digest issues at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! Ray Terry, PO Box 110841, Campbell, CA 95011 KMA@MartialArtsResource.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Rogers Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 17:39:18 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Re: The_Dojang-Digest V6 #282 >>> Aimee Wilson wrote: [snip] ...I am having trouble catching on to new kicks and forms. I would love some suggestions on things I could practice on at home and some good books that would show forms and different techniques to help me improve. I would also love to hear some stories of when you all started martial arts so I wouldn't feel all alone in my fumbling beginnings!! :) <<< I'd humbly offer the following four pieces of advice, at the risk of oversimplifying things 1) Follow your instructor's directions 2) Stretch. 3) Stretch. 4) Stretch. IMHO, stretching is so key, especially as one (well, I) gets older. The more flexible one is, the better one can practice the techniques, and achieve improved speed and power. I've found dynamic and isometric stretching to be most helpful in my training, although I still don't do it nearly regularly enough. Check out Brad Appleton's Stretching and Flexibility FAQ (http://www.enteract.com/~bradapp/docs/rec/stretching/ ) for a ton of great information. Re: MA beginnings, I started at 21 years old in a style called Shaolin-Do at its headquarters in Lexington, KY (http://hometown.aol.com/schoolsite/shaolin.htm). Stopped after a (really enjoyable) year to have some sort of career. 14 years later, resumed MA training in ATA TKD with my wife and kid, and Tai Chi Chuan for myself only. This was a humbling experience, but in the course of losing 25 lbs. and 30 points of cholesterol count, I discovered the value of the advice given above. 8?) Best of luck in your training...! Paul Rogers, (just down I-35 in) Round Rock, TX ------------------------------ From: Stan Lim Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 16:51:02 -0700 Subject: the_dojang: Re: Enlightenment - Stan >From: "Dennis McHenry" > >So Stan, are you saying that "enlightenment" to you is: >"Aha, Ahhhh, Hmmmm, Ohhh, Ha, HA HA!" ? :-) By golly, I didn't intend it that way. I added the sound effects after I made the list to help make the examples more graphic. So, thanks for "enlightening" me. I think I'll put this in the "HA HA!" category, with a pinch of "Hmmm" :-) Comparing Mr. Terry's definition of the word to mine, I am also further "enlightened". It seems like I am more focused on mental breakthroughs and forgetting the spiritual side of things. Thanks for stirring those brain cell in my head, Mr. Terry. This is a definite "Hmmm"-type enlightenment. Kamsahamnida! Stan Lim slim@employees.org ------------------------------ From: Stan Lim Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 17:25:31 -0700 Subject: the_dojang: Re: Blocking vs. attacking Mark Lasich invited thoughts on the following: >"Punch the attackers striking limb" - are we street fighting, or >sparring here? Seriously, if you are trying to get the upper hand and >win at all costs, this is a good concept. BUT, I would rather win a >*sparring match* by having good, fast techniques, and not by simply >beating up my "PARTNER". I must apologize if my previous post implied that striking an attacker's limb was a valid technique to be used for sparring. It certainly is not if you intentionally use it to hurt your partner. I have never used this technique, period. My point was that we should not view a particular technique to be valid only as a defensive or offensive move. A hard block can be used for attacking just as a punch can be used to block an attack. >Funny thing about the "sportsman-like conduct" concept: ATA rules would >have penalty points awarded to the attacker if the defender keeps >deliberately striking hard like this. It keeps the integrity level up, >and seperates the street fighter from the Martial Artist - IMHO. It depends on what MA you are in. In Kickboxing or Muy Thai, don't they deliberately kick and punch the opponent in a particular sport to disable them? I see a lot of kicks to the back of the opponent's knees to bring them down. Stan Lim slim@employees.org ------------------------------ From: the_dojang-owner Date: Sat, 29 May 1999 09:44:05 EDT Subject: the_dojang: Re: Hi Aimee << hi.. I'm new to this list and to Tae Kwon Do. I'm a yellow belt and have been practicing since January of this year with my six year old daughter. I find Tae Kwon Do very rewarding and enjoy having something special that we can do together, but I am having trouble catching on to new kicks and forms. I would love some suggestions on things I could practice on at home and some good books that would show forms and different techniques to help me improve. I would also love to hear some stories of when you all started martial arts so I wouldn't feel all alone in my fumbling beginnings!! :) Aimee Wilson >> Hi Aimee, I train in TKD with my 6 year old boy (almost 7). He is several gubs my senior so that, believe it or not, it really helps me. Our situation is a little different b/c he started first but here is my suggestion. If you find some kick or form difficult why not stick with it till you and your instructor feel confident that you've really got it? Your six year old will probably progress faster, IMO, simply b/c of age and flexibility and all that stuff. IF she does is there any reason why you can't still train together? For us, my son has more motive to actually remember his "lower" forms b/c he gets a kick outta helping mom learn hers :0) This will really help him next year or so when its time for his black belt test. As far as books go I don't own any but I suggest you look at what books your instructor has on her/his bookshelf and get them from the library. If you really like the book after borrowing it then you might want to buy it. As to fumbling in our humble beginnings... Well, when I started I couldn't kick above my hip which was embarassing b/c I am kinda on the young side. Also, sparring 2 rounds at one min. a round would often leave me outta breath. VERY embarassing. Also, first night of class I was actually PRAYING very much in my head that I could complete 10 pushups and that no more than 10 pushups would be given. Now I can easily do 50 before they get difficult. I can also roundhouse kick as high as the average woman's head. (Which, BTW, I do NOT do - but you get the point) The spin kick still lands me on my butt more often than not but at least I can spar a whole match with good oxygen flow. One last thing - I have found that I break very well. I didn't really think about it going in. I knew I would be weak in sparring and probably at least average in forms. When I found something I could excel at it made the fumblings easier to bear :0) Have fun! Dawne ------------------------------ From: the_dojang-owner Date: Sat, 29 May 1999 09:59:16 EDT Subject: the_dojang: (no subject) Dear fellow martial artists, I am sorry that I couldn't respond to the comments about my statements regarding why forms start on the left side earlier but better late than never. It is a cornerstone of my understanding of forms that there are NO BLOCKS in forms. What we were taught as blocks are devastating strikes to various pressure points. Blocking is a natural function of the human response system and on the whole doesn't need to be taught. Think about it this way -- would you really use the "blocks" that you were taught in a street fight as a part of your defense? Not if you expected to win. Let me explain how ridiculous the concept is >>We are taught to block a kick with the small finger side of the arm. That is the weakest long bone of the body-ask any doctor -- and with that you are supposed to block the biggest bones and the strongest muscle groups in the body <<< Does that work for you ??? Every move in every traditional form can be used devastatingly during an actual attack, if you know the REAL purpose for the move<<< If you don't believe me now watch for my appearances on the Discovery Channel and the Guinness World Book TV Show. Master H. T. Cameron ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Sat, 29 May 1999 07:50:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: nerve areas > It is a cornerstone of my understanding of forms that there are NO > BLOCKS in forms. What we were taught as blocks are devastating strikes to > various pressure points. That and also joint breaks, i.e. standup grappling applications. Take the standard downblock. It can be used as a block, but more of a deflection of the incoming kick as one moves to the side at the same time. But that downblock movement works better (?) as an elbow break (their arm being rotated and extended as you pull your opposite hand back toward your waist) or as an attack to pressure sensitive nerve area. Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Sat, 29 May 1999 07:50:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: the_dojang: . ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V6 #283 ******************************** Support the USTU by joining today! US Taekwondo Union, 1 Olympic Plaza, Ste 405, Colorado Spgs, CO 80909 719-578-4632 FAX 719-578-4642 ustutkd1@aol.com http://www.ustu.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from this digest, the_dojang-digest, send the command: unsubscribe the_dojang-digest -or- unsubscribe the_dojang-digest your.old@address in the BODY of email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com, in pub/the_dojang/digests. All digest files have the suffix '.txt' Copyright 1994-99: Ray Terry, Martial Arts Resource, California Taekwondo Standard disclaimers apply.