From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #676 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Thur, 19 Oct 2000 Vol 07 : Num 676 In this issue: the_dojang: Stances the_dojang: Karate Music Further. the_dojang: Combat Hapkido the_dojang: Back injuries, stretching, and Professor B aka "The Joker" the_dojang: RE: Flexibility Re: the_dojang: flexibility... the_dojang: Stretching Info the_dojang: Disney's Martial Arts Festival 2000 the_dojang: Re: flexibility... the_dojang: Gettin' old? the_dojang: Re: combat hapkido the_dojang: Re: Class Scheduling the_dojang: . ========================================================================= The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~1250 members strong! Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe the_dojang-digest" (no quotes) in the body (top line, left justified) of a "plain text" e-mail 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 five years worth of digest issues at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Creed71963@aol.com Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 10:26:25 EDT Subject: the_dojang: Stances My $0.02 on the matter of stances.... Stances are more than where the feet are placed. Weight distribution and angle are equally important. The student has to know when and where a certain stance is used. Weight distribution is important. In the system I am most aware of, Han Guk Mu Sool, we used two different forms of the back stance -- feet were placed the same, but the weight distribution was different. One was 70/30, placing most of the weight on the back leg, while the other was 50/50. We also used the cat stance (90/10 weight distribution), Horse, Crane and Front stances (all toes facing forward). Stances are a foundation on which all techniques are built on. On the street, a martial artist does not go into an elaborate stance and holds it. Instead, the stances shift and flow depending on the technique, environment, opponent, and purpose. No same martial artist is going to fight entirely from, say, a horse stance. To give an example: One of the green belt one steps starts at rest position as the punch is thrown, the student, with his left leg, steps outside the punch at a 45 degree angle forward into a horse stance, blocking the punch. The student immediately shifts 45 degrees to his left into a front stance, using his motion to throw a right punch into the attacker's ribs. He then shifts 90 degrees to his right into another front stances. grabbing and pulling the attacker's punching arm down ad forward, snapping a left punch to the face. In a matter of a second, the defender has shifted into three different stances, without doing more then twisting his feet outside of his step out into the horse stance. Poor stances will rob a student of his power and balance quicker then anything else, while good stances will help a student flow from technique to technique with grace, speed, balance and power. A good instructor will make that a base to build on. Craig ------------------------------ From: Creed71963@aol.com Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 10:38:54 EDT Subject: the_dojang: Karate Music Further. In a message dated 10/17/2000 9:56:49 PM EST, the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com writes: Debbie Eidelman wrote: >>Daniel (and all!): Thanks for your suggestions! This is what I have so far. I need about 5 more songs. It's varied, I love it! Hero Mariah Carey First Half of Women's Walk Blue Eiffel 65 Second Half of Women's Walk KungFu Fighting First Half Sept Black Belt Test Eye of the Tiger Rocky Second Half Sept Black Belt Test Gonna Fly Now Rocky Theme Tiny Tigers August Testing Spy (The Matrix) Propellerheads Junior Ninjas August Testing Mortal Kombat Theme Adults August Testing You're The Best Around The KarateKid Dec Black Belt Testing Everybody Dance Now Ninja Night I've Got The Power Nationals October Tiny Tiger Testing October Junior Ninja Testing Secret Agent Man October Adult Testing My Hands Jewel Halloween Party Groundfighting Seminar<< Well, you could also try the following. I have no real idea what you're looking for, tempo-wise, but there might be something among these: "Burning Heart" - Survivor "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Bonnie Tyler "The Heat is On" - Glen Frey "Miami Vice Theme" "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) - John Parr "Danger Zone" - Kenny Loggins "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" - Billy Ocean "Physical" - Olivia Newton-John "Fame" - Irene Cara "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Theme" Craig ------------------------------ From: mtomlins@mail.volusia.k12.fl.us Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 10:48:13 -0400 Subject: the_dojang: Combat Hapkido Without starting a keyboard war on here AGAIN. I will say unequivocally that I totally agree with everything that Mr. Beck has stated on here and I DO have first hand knowledge of everything that was stated on his post. It is amazing that without being there he has formed a very truthful and knowledgeable opinion on the subject. Again, this is my opinion and you can love it or hate it but at least you absolutely know what I think about this subject, there is no fuzzy logic with me! Michael Tomlinson ------------------------------ From: Ken McDonough Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 07:53:44 -0700 (PDT) Subject: the_dojang: Back injuries, stretching, and Professor B aka "The Joker" On the subject items: a. Back injuries and stretching: have you tried whirlpool baths, aspirin, and slow stretches. Using this approach I have had no knee injuries since 1994 when I tore up knee cartilage. b. How often should you stretch, i.e., daily or every other day. What are considered poor stretches. The stretches you should avoid ? c. Professor B: My apology, I often confuse the Riddler with the Joker. Are you really Cesar Romero, aka, "The Joker" ? Here is some info I ran across on your career: Professor B, I apologize if I mixed you up with Frank Gorshin as the Riddler. Come to think of it, are you Burgess Meredith, aka "The Penquin". No, can't be--he passed away a few years ago. Oh well. Cheers, McD... __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE. http://im.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ From: nick.mckenna@rs-components.com Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 15:56:32 +0100 Subject: the_dojang: RE: Flexibility Dear Donnla Try a book called Stretching Scientifically by Thomas Kurz. He explains that pre-workout you should do dynamic stretching and post-workout you should do static stretching). It sounds like you're doing the right stretches at the wrong time. Nick. *************************************************************** The contents of this Email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. The views stated herein do not necessarily represent the view of the company. If you are not the intended recipient of this Email you may not copy, forward, disclose or otherwise use it or any part of it in any form whatsoever. If you have received this mail in error please Email the sender. *************************************************************** ------------------------------ From: Erik Kluzek Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 09:13:33 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: the_dojang: flexibility... On Thu, 19 Oct 2000, Donnla Nic Gearailt wrote: > Here's yet another question about flexibility. I've been training in tkd for > just over a year now. That combined with gym workouts mean I do a full > warmed-up stretching session around 5 times a week. However, my flexibility > has only improved a tiny amount. > .... > > But so far, no real results. Am I doing something wrong? I have been following > the guidelines in a book on stretching I bought by a guy called Bob Anderson. > He recommends gentle stretches holding the stretch for a reasonably long time > (20 second min). > First how old are you? And have you had any serious injuries that would've built up a lot of scar tissue? The older you are the longer it will take to gain flexibility. And if you've got a lot of scar tissue from an injury it will take even longer. A year is sufficient time to gain a lot of ground though -- especially at 5 days a week. But, you also need to stretch for a warm-down. After exersize muscles are actually shorter and to regain flexibility you need to stretch to get them to their normal resting length. Second, by what measure has your flexibility "only improved a tiny amount"? Do you mean dynamic flexibility (how high you can kick)? Or static flexibility (how far you can do a relaxed stretch and hold it)? And for which positions? And what level of flexibility do you have? There is a limit of the human body at which the movement is restricted by the joints rather than the muscles. The heighth of your kick -- dynamic flexibility -- is not necissarily correlated to your passive relaxed flexibility. You can be extremely flexible in a passive static stretch -- but not so in dynamic actions such as kicking. To increase your kicking height you need to do both static passive and dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching are moving a joint through a motion -- such as the tradiational front-sweep raises (in front-stance raise your leg up as high and fast as you can with the knee locked -- similar to a front kick but it's a stretch not a kick). Third, take a look at Brad Appleton's "Stretching and Flexibility FAQ". It's linked under the martial-arts resouce web-page (the web-page for the dojang-digest). There are issues about stretching order and warm-ups that might not be covered in the Bob Anderson book. I've seen the book, but I'm not familiar with it so I really don't know what it covers. From the sound of it, the book doesn't really cover gaining flexibility or using advanced stretching techniques. You probably need some more advanced books (Brad's FAQ has a good bibliography). Fourth, if traditional static passive stretching isn't gaining you much ground -- after a full year -- you really need to move on to more advanced stretching. Isometric, partner-stretching and PNF stretching will gain you more ground much faster. Partner-stretching can be dangerous in that an inattentive partner can cause you to pull a muscle. Which is bad, but they can also give you a better stretch than you can yourself. I can't really go into the details of Isometric and PNF stretching here, which is where the books come in. Basically, in these stretches you alternate muscle contractions with relaxation to help with the stretch. Again Brad's FAQ goes into more details on these. Fifth, even with tradiational static passive stretching you can gain ground if you can gain some leverage. For example, doing a hurdlers stretch if you can grab your foot and pull (or use a belt looped around your foot to pull) you'll be able to get farther than just reaching out. Using a barre or a wall can also be helpful to gain leverage to push against. Erik Kluzek Longmont CO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ------------------------------ From: David Reed Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 08:11:56 -0700 Subject: the_dojang: Stretching Info Mac, Two points and a comment. First, I'd look at doing some good mobility and strengthening exercises. Most people stretch but do not also strengthen over the dynamic range they use. This creates an imbalance. Prone flyes off the bench for your lower back are the basics as is back bridging. Also, if your hamstrings or other structures are loose in comparison, the piece of the puzzle being brought beyond its normal range of stretch/strength; your back, will hurt. There are good references out to this by Tom Kurz, Pavel Tsatsouline, and Matt Furey. They each have excellent routines that will address this problem. I'd also suggest some PNF stretching. Putting your leg up on a chair or barre and actively pushing downward engaging the hammies and lower back are good prescriptions. I'd also consider adding fifteen minutes a day in the morning of mobility movements and leg swings. This sets your nervous system to accept as part of the routine these sorts of motions which raises the threshold for your stretch reflex and hopefully the pain and stiffness. Last piece, I just received the International Sports Science Associations materials on their certified martial arts training curriculum. Lots of good information in their and the certification is not easy. It addresses these sorts of issues as well. I also think that it is a good piece to have on a resume for active instructors. I hope you feel better. David ------------------------------ From: tchaffee@mindspring.com Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 07:52:43 -0700 Subject: the_dojang: Disney's Martial Arts Festival 2000 This weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun) I will be going to the Disney's Martial Arts Festival 2000 in Orlando, Florida. I will be competing in Continuous Sparring, Forms, Weapons and Point Sparring. I started in TKD about 1 year ago and have been on a low carb diet the entire time. I have lost over 60lbs. since I started but am wondering what a good plan might be to help with my endurance for this event. You can find out more about it at http://www.i-can.net/dmaf/ - - I was wondering if a) Anyone had any advice on increasing my carb's for the event (if I should or not and when/how much) and b) Some good advice for sparring taller people (I am 6 feet tall and no one else in my school is much taller). Thanks, Timothy S. Chaffee - MCSD, MCT, CNA Object DesignWorks, Corp. tchaffee@objectdesignworks.com http://www.objectdesignworks.com - ----- Sent using MailStart.com ( http://MailStart.Com/welcome.html ) The FREE way to access your mailbox via any web browser, anywhere! ------------------------------ From: Dominic Mitchell Date: 19 Oct 2000 11:46:12 -0400 Subject: the_dojang: Re: flexibility... Hi Donnla, To put thing in perspectives. I have been doing TKD for slightly over a year. I am 36 years old. I train as much as I can. Last summer I was the only low rank training ( yellow at the time ) regularly all of the others were at least red belts and over (lots of 1st and 2nd dan ) except for a blue belt. Thus you imagine the training was geared towards these higher belts. Which implied more than usual high kicks. This decided to look more seriously into stretching. Thus I read on the subject and started seriously training flexibility. Although since then I have had to minor injuries which slowed me down for two to three weeks. The gains are very noticeable. In fact, I my roundhouse and crescent kick are almost at the proper height. It is more noticeable when I compare myself with my training partners who are not stretching seriously. How long have you been doing stretching seriously? For a year? Maybe there is something wrong in the training sequence. According to Thomas Kurz "Streching scientifically" there is a logical sequence to stretching: 1 Joint Rotation 2 Warn up 3 Dynamic stretching 4 Work out 5 Isometric stretches 6 Static stretches 7 Cool down Of great importance are the "Early morning stretches" which consist of steps 1 to 3 in the early morning. I would suggest you look into the book at libraries. You could also look into Sport stretch by Michael J. Alter. You could also check the Stretching and Flexibility FAQ at http://www.enteract.com/~bradapp/docs/rec/stretching The book you have mentioned on stretching is listed in the FAQ but it is not, according to the author, the best. Although he mentioned that lots of people likes this book. You could check, if you want, Thomas Kurz column on stretching at http://stadion.com I am not affiliated by any mean with them or T Kurz. Cheers, Dominic. ------------------------------ From: "Mac" Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 11:12:41 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Gettin' old? From: "Dana Vaillancourt" < I know why you're saying that, because you're as old as I am! <> This is true, but also I've actually never been very flexible. <> Doooooh! Caught! I'm also practicing my excuses as to why I may get to throw everyone else, but they can't throw me - my aching back.... :-) just joking. Thanks Dana for your opinion that I'm not getting old.... but the gray hair is starting to make me look my age (in my beard, not on my head - that's all falling out). From: "rich hodder" <> Hey! Dana just told me that I'm not getting older! << As you know I'm a fair bit older than you and I am still fairly flexable.>> "FAIRLY FLEXIBLE!" I've seen you tied up in knots, twisted and stretched around like a wet noodle! But yes, I guess that's what my concern really was - is this just an acceptable part of growing older, or are there things I could maybe do to overcome my back problems and still stay flexible. << I'll be at the Seabrook seminar this weekend, maybe I can help you with the back. >> I'd sure appreciate any advice you'd have. If I could ever stretch even half of what you can, it will be over a 100% improvement! My problem seems to be thought that not long after I stretch, my lower back gets all screwed up. I need a way to stretch my legs without causing back problems. Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you this weekend. Maybe I'll see Dana and some of you other guys at the Hapkido seminar in February in Jackson MS. Mac (time to take another dose of ibuprofen...) ------------------------------ From: Scott Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 12:18:06 -0400 Subject: the_dojang: Re: combat hapkido > Its funny when the people who seem to have the strongest opinions about > things start the first sentence with: > > "I have no personal experience with Pellegrini or Combat Hapkido" > > I have studied "traditional Hapkido" for several years with 2 different > Korean 8th dans and I have been a member of the ICHF for 5 yrs. Im not about > to argue with you, because your mind is made up, but I would like to suggest > to people from all arts that before coming to these "conclusions" and > offering opinions to others, at least get some first hand knowledge about > what you are talking about. > > Mark Daley > Combat Hapkido/Gracie Jiujitsu Well I do have experiance with both "Traditional Hapkido" (16 yrs ) and Combat Hapkido. I've trained with Master Pellegrini several times includeing several classes "for advanced instructors only". And I was at the Florida seminar with GM Seo. It's my blad spot the you see in the front of almost every sceen on the video tapes of the seminar. I have also meet and Trained with Doju nim Jae that his last week long seminar in New Jersey. And I'm sorry to say that combat hapkido isn't even a shadow of either GM Seo or Doju nim. While Master P has several very impressive demonstrations that he uses. When you get back to the actual techniques he teaches they are only basic skills. I have all the tapes that are required to test for 6th dan. The techniques shown don't even cover every thing I learned to test for me 1st dan under my prevous instructor. At the first seminar I attended, I was talking to Master P on the break and he told me flat out that he could promote me to 4th dan all I had to do was send him my certification fees. A student of mine was the one that introduced me to the ICHF. Last spring he was planing to test for his third dan with Master P at one of the local seminars. He told Master P that he wanted him to give him a really hard test. Master P responed "You will have 5 minutes, go as hard as you want." Totally disappointed but still resolved he sent in his money and continued to get ready to test. A week later and a month before the seminar his third Dan certificate showed up. Totally disappointed we have not been to a ICHF seminar since. Now don't get me wrong. I still think you can learn lots from any seminar you attend. I personally enjoy Master Pedro's sessions. That is what I go for. But when it comes right down to it I have to agree with both Mr beck and Mr Tomlinson. Even Master P himself says time and again at his seminars "Combat hapkido is not a martial art! It is a compilation of techniques from many styles." JMHO Scott ------------------------------ From: TNTcombatives@aol.com Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 12:20:34 EDT Subject: the_dojang: Re: Class Scheduling For about a year, I taught an early morning class to adults who started work at 6AM...It worked for a lot of students, but it was crazy for me. Getting up at 3:30, class from 4-5, school from 7-10, private lessons in the afternoon, main classes starting at 4pm till 9pm. I burned out, but you may find that an early AM class fits your lifestyle. In the other direction, an old Sensei of mine still runs classes into the late evening. His last class ends at 11:30 PM. Poll the students to find what works for them. Mark Gajdostik TNT-Police Combatives ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 9:53:20 PDT Subject: the_dojang: . ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V7 #676 ******************************** It's a great day for Taekwondo! 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.org To unsubscribe from the_dojang-digest send the command: unsubscribe the_dojang-digest -or- unsubscribe the_dojang-digest your.old@address in the BODY of an email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply.