Email Replies 10-19

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Email 19. What is the difference between the way a side kick is performed while sparring and when using it while performing a form/pattern?

Email. A side kick, or any other kick for that matter, is performed in the same manner, whether using it in either sparring or in a form. The knee of the kicking leg is chambered high and toward the opposite side until the shin is parallel to the floor. The kicking foot is shaped for the kick; the toes are curled backward and the ball of the foot is pointed toward the floor with the heel pushed outward toward the target. The knee is thrust toward the target with the rear, outer edge of the heel making contact with the target. As the heel makes contact with the target, the hip of the kicking leg rotates over and downward and the supporting foot snaps around so its heel points toward the target. These two snapping actions, along with the thrusting of the knee, adds tremendous force to the kicking motion, making the side thrust (piercing) kick the most powerful kick in Taekwondo. After the kick reaches full extension, the knee of the kicking leg is quickly retracted into the chambered position so it may either be used for another kick or dropped back to the floor.

The only difference between using the side kick in sparring or in a form is that, when sparring, the kick is instantly and quickly, snapped back into the chambered position so it may not be grabbed by the opponent or become snagged on the opponent, so stability is regained, and so another kick may quickly be executed. When using the side kick in a form, the kick is held in its fully extended position for a moment, as if you were holding it for second so a friend may take a photograph. This adds to the artistic expression of the form.

Some instructors teach that when using the side kick in sparring, the knee of the kicking leg should not be chambered high and backward. They teach that the knee should be only lifted straight up so that the kick may be performed more quickly. While this motion may be quicker, it is only quicker by milliseconds, which is insignificant since opponents cannot react or move this quickly. With a full chamber, the kick is not only more powerful when it makes contact with the target, it is more powerful in its motion, which makes it more difficult to defect or stop.

Some instructors teach that, when using the side kick in sparring, the knee of the kicking leg should not be retracted into the chambered position. They teach that the kicking foot should only be dropped back to the floor so that another technique may quickly follow. However, dropping the foot means you are committed to stepping into that position. If your kick failed, the opponent may attack with a counterattack leaving you in a bad position. With the re-chamber, you have regained your stability so that you may step down anywhere you choose, execute another side kick or any other kick, use the cambered leg to push the opponent away, use the chambered leg in a block, or merely drop it back to the floor. At the moment a kick makes contact, you body is extended, off balance, and vulnerable. The quicker you retract the kick, the quicker you regain stability and the ability to defend yourself or continue attacking.

Comments. None.

Email 18. A true martial artist would not ever use an illusion. HONOR ! I break ice blocks with no spacers and with no sawing! This isn't an illusion. In my school we never used spacers. 2 or 3 or 4 boards stacked on each other. This is the only true measurement of your breaking skill. A true master of qi can break almost anything without your illusions. It would bring shame on a school to use such methods. Anyone with respect for martial arts in general would never use your methods. To accuse all schools of being frauds is false. You have brought shame on your house by making such statements. Why would you knowingly discredit all the reputable schools? I take great offense at your sight. I believe from your statements that you have never taken a martial art or have never practiced the true principles of martial arts. HONOR being one of the most important. Pupil you need to study more. You can learn to do all the tricks you listed without fraud but first you must believe that anything is possible. Second you must practice, practice, practice ! I have been studying the martial arts since I was 5 years old. I am now on the verge of 26. How long have you been studying ? I think to discredit the true potential of martial arts is the mistake of someone either new or not of their beliefs. A true master of qi would never dishonor themselves by doing such a thing. This site makes a mockery of real martial artists who study most of their life to accomplish what you call parlor tricks, except they are not playing a trick but doing a feat of endurance and mind over matter greater than most could dream of accomplishing.

Email. I received my first black belt in 1974 as an adult, so I was breaking wood before you were even considered, much less conceived. I know little about you or where you are “coming from,” but if you have read all I have to say on the web site, then you know where I stand on the martial arts.

As a “true” black belt, you must have been taught the role of respect and humility in the martial arts, or maybe you missed that class. You win discussions and influence people by using facts, reason, and logic. If you possess any of those attributes and wish to continue a discussion of breaking, I will be glad to join you in the discussion.

Where did you find I accused all schools of being fraud? On the page http://TKDTutor.com/04Students/Knowledge/WhatsTruth.htm I state:

You cannot always believe what you see and hear in the world. This includes what you see and hear during demonstration by Taekwondo "masters." Some of the things you see are true feats of skill that were developed through years of intense training. Some things you see are merely illusions. When you see something that first appears to be possible even though it seems to be impossible, be skeptical and make sure what you are seeing is really the truth.

What about that statement shows dishonor to true martial artists. In the What’s the Truth page, I explain how to recognize breaking frauds. All the topics in the breaking selection of the site explain how breaking should be done. I inform students of the facts and so they are able to make their own conclusions as to what is real and not real.

One fact is that breaking does not take any mastering of ”ki,” “chi,” or “gi.” With no training, anyone may break a board (Johnny Carson once broke a board on the Tonight show); with a little training and practice, anyone may break two boards; with more training and practice, anyone may break three boards. To break more than three boards takes much training, practice, and very precise technique. However, no break requires any kind of mystical force.

The martial arts appear to be the only physical endeavors that have practitioners who believe they possess some mystical internal force. Experts in other sports consider themselves mere mortals who have trained long and hard at their sports. Why does not some “master” that possesses “qi” use this power to become a boxing champion, a golfing champion, or an Olympic power lifter; or all “masters” too honorable for demean themselves this way.

Bruce Lee once said martial artists should keep an “open mind” in regard to the arts and he was criticized and even hated by “masters” for showing the public that ordinary people could do extraordinary things through hard work, not though some mystical power. Remember what you learned in health, geometry, and science classes and apply it what you see and hear in the martial arts. Make decisions on what you know to be true, not what you believe to be true or what your instructor says is true. True martial artists will willingly prove their truths to you; false martial artists will say you should disprove their claimed truths.

Comments. None.

Email 17. I have a disagreeing statement about Taekwondo primarily being influenced by Japan. If you are referring to the current international Taekwondo taught, I would have to agree that karate did influence Taekwondo since the way they are primarily taught are similar, but when you say Taekwondo in general I would strongly have to disagree w/ Japanese influences on Taekwondo. If anything Taekwondo in general should be more related to China. Inhabitants from Japan primarily migrated through the Korean peninsula. Not only did migration occur through the Korean peninsula to Japan so did information and communication from China to Japan. Information traveling into Japan in ancient times was primarily through Korea between Paleolithic and Post Classical era. This is also where a confusion in Judo comes to play. The first introduction of martial arts should have been from Korea or through Korea to Japan. Japan is known for "adopt and adapt" from the Chinese ways. But before information from China to Japan martial arts was also changed through first Korea then Japan. In general terms Taekwondo was not influenced by Japan. First by China then to Korea then to Japan then back to Korea. (then to world) Judo Judo also originates from Korea. Japan re-modified Judo but did not primarily originate from Japan. Recent Judo is mostly influenced by Professor Kano. But Judo did exist before Professor Kano's time. What Kano practiced was primarily Jujitsu not Judo. Judo was first introduced to Japan presented through merchant dealings with Korea. Later during the age of Industrialization, Professor Kano implemented scientific ways of martial arts into Judo. He then showed the world about Judo internationally by presenting it to British army. Japanese definitely influenced Judo greatly but does NOT mean Judo originates from Japan. Judo existed before Professor Kano influenced and changed it dramatically. So in all, martial arts influences generally came from China or northern parts of Asia then modified by Korea then re-modified by Japan.

Email 16. Where do instructors get those numbers they put on the rank certificates? I have been to three schools; two only assigned numbers to those testing and passing their black belt test. The other one gave everyone a registration number.

Email 15. I have a question regarding testings. I was recently a judge at a testing. I having only judged at few testing. A judge who was senor to me to told me to increase the grade I gave student by one level. I'm a very fair and non bias judge who give students get my undivided attention when I am scoring so this did not seem to be a proper thing to do. Also, at testings, and tournaments for that matter, I notice judges on cell phones and looking off into space, not really paying attention to the students being judged. I often wonder how judges even arrive at their grades.

Email. Judging at local testings is very subjective. Judging at national testings is also subjective, but all the judges are highly experienced at judging so there is some continuity in their judgments. Judges at local testings are usually senior students or instructors of the school conducting the testings; sometimes instructors or senior students from regional schools are also included. One difference between local testings and national testings is that at national testings most of the judges do not know the abilities or life circumstances of the students who are testing; they only know what they see standing before them. In an ideal testing, students would only be tested on how well they perform the required skills at the moment; however, in reality, testings are not so simple.

Rank is primarily an indication a students’ class attendance, school participation, and trying to do their best. In general, the longer a student is in training, the higher the rank. School owners need paying students to keep their schools open. If they never promote students, the students will quit and the schools will close. This does not mean that school owners necessarily promote everyone all the time, but this is always a consideration during testing. This aspect of testing is not normally known or understood by students as they progress through the ranks. At a testing, they just see the judges at the head table watching them and except the situation for what it is. Some times, the secondary judges at the table are also unaware of these considerations; usually, only the primary judge, the school owner, is thinking about them.

School owners know, or should know, the personality and life situation of each of their students. They know about the stressful family situations or medical problems of students, about students’ mental or physical limitations, and they have witnessed the efforts the students have put forth in training. Some times a student who comes to class daily and works very hard during training will perform badly at a testing due to being up all night with a sick child. Some times a student who seldom comes to class and, when he or she does come to class, he or she goofs off , and disrupts the class, will perform skillfully at a testing. The school owner may decide that the good student deserves a promotion and that the bad student does not derive a promotion, even though the bad student did well at the testing. Promotion requirements are generally considered the minimum requirements; many other unstated factors are considered for a promotion.

Local testing procedures are pretty much at the discretion of school owners. Some owners just use secondary judges just for show and do not consider their opinions in determining whether to promote students; some give each judge an equal say at whether a student is promoted, but most make their final decision after consideration of the opinions of the judges. Grading and either passing or failing students is a fine line. If you promote everyone, the integrity of the rank system fails and the quality of the students will suffer, but if you do not promote enough of them, they will quit, you will not generate the senior rank you need to help you in the school, and the school may have to close.

When judging a student:

First compare the student's performance to what a perfect performance should be.
Then compare it to how well students in past testings have performed.
Then compare it to how well students at the present testing are performing.
Then consider how well the student performed considering any mental or physical limitations the student may have.
And finally, if you are familiar with the student, compare the student's performance to other times you have seen the student perform in testing, tournaments, or in class to evaluate whether the student is performing up to his or her known capabilities.

Discretion is also used at national testings; the national judges consider input from the head instructors of testing students. For example, when the instructor informs the judges that a student has a physical defect that limits his or her abilities, the judges will consider that when making their decisions.

When judging at a testing, you may not agree with the final pass/fail decision, but if you make your best judgment considering everything you know and have learned and presented it to the head judge, then you have done your job. As to something telling you to change your scores, that is not recommended. A senior judge may question your criteria deciding on for the score and recommend you reconsider. If, after consideration, you decide to change the score, that is fine. If you still feel the score was fair and should not be changed, then that too is okay. If you are told to change your scores, then it up to you to decide what you should do. You could change or not change the scores and forget about it, or you could change or not change the scores and inform the head instructor of the situation.

When judges at the official table are not paying attention, they are doing a great disservice to Taekwondo , the school, the students, the parents, and themselves; it shows the judges’ incompetence and disrespect. If the behavior continues, the reputation of the school will suffer and the prestige of the school, its students, and the ranks it bestows will suffer. It is up to the school owner as to what behavior he or she allows or disallows at a judges table. My instructor does not hesitate to chastise any judge immediately when his or her behavior is improper, even if the judge is senior to the instructor. A testing is only as fair and impartial as it appears to its participants. If it appears fair, people may think a testing was fair, even when it was not fair, or they may think a testing was unfair because of the behavior or the judges even when the testing was completely fair and impartial.

The bottom line is that the management of a testing is the sole responsibility of the school owner. The school owner controls whether a testing was fair or unfair, competent or incompetent, or respectful or disrespectful.

Comments. None.

Email 14. My instructor teaches both the WTF and ITF versions of Taekwondo. I received a local certificate for first degree black belt in both styles. My instructor is no longer affiliated with the WTF so I did not receive a Kukkiwon certificate. Is it okay for me to assume that local certificates hold the same merit as the Kukkiwon certificates?

Email. Rank certification in the Taekwondo, and all other martial arts, is a mess and has been for decades. There is no national or international organization for Taekwondo that is universally recognized by other Taekwondo organization, any other martial arts organization, or by any legal entity. Although the AAU comes close since it accepts ranks from all organizations and only requires that they all complete according to AAU rules. Since the WTF won the battle for control of Olympic Taekwondo, they are the international sanctioning body for Olympic competition. If you want to compete in one of their competitions or in the Olympics, you must be a member of their organization. Otherwise, it does not matter who certifies you, or that you are even certified by an organization.

In the Navy, when you achieve the rank of chief petty officer, to be accepted by other chief petty officers, you must endure a chief’s initiation that is conducted by your command’s Chief’s Mess (local chief’s organization). There is no legal requirement to complete the initiation, but within in the chief’s community, there is an unwritten understanding that you are not a “real” chief until you have completed an initiation. You will find it difficult to deal with other chiefs if they know you have not been initiated.

Initiations are conducted locally by your current command. Each command conducts the initiation as it see fit; some are relative simple and easy to complete while some are elaborate and difficult to complete. In the past, some initiations were extremely difficult and sometimes dangerous. Nowadays, there are official rules for conducting an initiation for safety and preservation of dignity, but there are still no requirements as to what each prospective chief must endure during the initiation. Therefore, each initiation is different. However, if you have a document from a Chief’s Mess that indicates you have completed an initiation; it will be accepted by any Chief’s Mess in the Navy.

Rank testing and certification is similar to the way chief’s initiations are administered. Since there are no laws governing the process, ANY person may teach an established martial art or one the person “foundered,” conduct a rank examinations, and issue rank certifications. These certifications may hold great value to the students receiving them, since they know what they had to do to earn the certifications, they hold great respect for the person who issued the certifications, and the certifications are accepted and respected by all their peers. However, unlike the certification of completion of a chief’s initiation, these rank certification may not be accepted or honored by any other instructors or organizations since each instructor or organization has its own criteria for rank advancement.

Martial artists around the world would prefer that their ranks be universally recognized and accepted, since it would bestow some worldwide creditability to their achievement, but this probably will never be the case. The martial arts were created to conduct hand-to-hand warfare; the type of warfare where each soldier has to individually fight and conquer an enemy. In war, to the victor go the spoils and the glory, so egos are important among warriors. This means that rank certification in the martial arts is ego driven and, since the martial arts were created by males, still comprised mostly of males, and are controlled by males, there is a lot of machismo. Therefore, each martial art, each martial art organization, and many times, each martial art instructor has its own rules. Similar to kids on a playground, if you want to play kickball with us, you will have to play by our rules, otherwise, go play on another playground.

So, if you want to play Taekwondo on the WTF or ITF playground, you must be certified by them and play by their rules. However, if you want to play Taekwondo on a playground down the street, you may be certified by them, play by their rules, and have just as much enjoyment and satisfaction as you would have by playing on the WTF or ITF playgrounds.

Religious beliefs are usually based upon the way people were raised to believe, or upon the beliefs of the religion to which they were first exposed. Martial artists tend to believe that the organization to which they have belonged since the beginning of their martial arts training is the best organization. They have been indoctrinated into the methods of the organization and many do not know, or have no inclination to know, about the methods other organizations. They believe that their organization is the only way to martial arts heaven.

Street gangs have the same goals and core beliefs. Each gang wants to control its neighborhood and has rules governing how this will be accomplished and how its members will act. Since rival gangs may be competing for control of the same neighborhood, gang loyalty is paramount and one cannot belong to two different gangs.

All Taekwondo organizations, the WTF and ITF for example, teach Taekwondo and have the same core beliefs, but they each have variations and differences and as to the way Taekwondo should be taught and performed, and each wants to control Taekwondo around the world. Some of these variations and differences are not compatible with each other. For example, if you teach that techniques in patterns must use low stances, use obvious chambering, use hip snap with punches and kicks, and left the rear heel at impact, and you really believe this is the correct way to achieve power and perfection of technique, then you cannot reasonably also teach that using high stances, no chambering, leaning to punches and kicks, and not lifting the rear heel lift will also generate power and be technically perfect. Just as with street gangs, instructors and schools cannot profess loyalty to two rival Taekwondo organizations and survive within in either organization.

When you believe in two opposing beliefs, you believe in nothing. If you really believe something, you may be considerate of a rival belief, but you cannot accept the rival belief. If you are a Christian and believe the only way to heaven is through Christ, you may be considerate of Muslims, but you must also believe Muslims will not get to heaven unless they accept Christ as their savior. An instructor may have been a black belt with the ITF and then changed to the WTF and earned a black belt with that organization, but the only way to be a true WTF black belt is to reject the ITF and accept the WTF as the true leader of Taekwondo and to only teach Taekwondo as dictated by the WTF. If an instructor tries to believe in both organizations, he or she truly believes in neither.

Through the years, due to my location at the time, I have been affiliated with many different Taekwondo organizations; each organization was based upon ITF style Taekwondo. Many times an organization did not recognize a previous organization’s rank certifications so I had to start over at white belt. Organizations charge for their services, and as they gain in size and power, some demand and exorbitant amount of money from instructors and try to control the way instructors run their schools. Sometimes the school at which I was training got fed up with its organization and changed the organization to which it was affiliated. Sometimes this change meant I had to wait longer to test for the next rank. I just have to deal with it or change schools. However, in fairness to loyal students, a school should do all it can to insure that students are not penalized because of the change in organizations.

The school at which I currently train belongs to an organization that has a few thousand students. The organization has rules and standards of conduct, conducts rank testings, issues rank certifications, conducts instructor training and issues instructor certifications, conducts clinics and camps, conducts regional tournaments of over 500 competitors and national tournaments of over a 1000 competitors, and does all this with a minimal fee charged to instructors. Students do not pay any organization fees. Through the organization, I get rank recognition and I get to know and compete with hundreds of black belts. What else do I need? Being a member a bigger or better known organization would not make my martial arts experience any better. I do not desire or intend to compete in international or Olympic competitions, so I have no need for the WTF, or any other international organization.

All the power struggles and conflicts that occur at the organizational level may also occur at the individual school level. There may be, or may be perceived to be, favoritism, lapses in enforcement of rules, misjudgments, or just simply mistakes. When these things occur, you may resist them and may be able to change them, which may make your life miserable, or you may accept them and keep going, which may also make your life miserable. As you gain in rank, position, and influence in a school or organization, you may be able to change things, but do not count on it.

If you have an instructor you like, if you enjoy training at the school and with the students at the school, and if the school or its organization conducts all the events and tournaments you need to challenge yourself, then be happy, enjoy yourself, and do not worry about rank certification and conflicts between organizations. Training in the martial art of Taekwondo will make you life more enjoyable, but if you let them, some people in Taekwondo will make you life miserable.

Comments. None.

Email 13. I am a black belt 1st Dan in TKD. Today I competed in a tournament; I placed first in forms and second in fighting. I am so slow when it comes to sparring. I do much better in my school when nothing is on the line. I'm more relaxed. I didn't do half the techniques I am capable of. My anxiety level was so high it prevented me from doing simple techniques. My hands were shaking. I couldn't even fasten my helmet! I enjoy sparring. I'm not afraid to get hit or fight. Either I'm afraid of losing or I want to win so bad I lose it. I'm very aggressive in my dojang, but when I compete, I break down.

Email. Great job at the tournament! Anyone else would be enthusiastic about winning a first and second. Sounds like you are a perfectionist. I am one also. If we are not perfect, then we consider ourselves a failure. Second place is simply the last one to lose. We put a lot of pressure upon ourselves to win always. People say a tournament should be fun; that whether you win or lose, the enjoyment of the competition is what is important. We perfectionist think a tournament is a lot more fun when we win.

To be quick in your movements, attacks, and counterattacks, you must be loose and relaxed. Before stepping into the ring, think relaxing thoughts, practice deep breathing exercises, and dance around trying to make your body loose like a marionette jiggling at the ends of its strings. If I make tight fists when I spar, it tenses my arms and shoulders, so I keep my hands relaxed; sometimes I fight open-handed. It helps keep me moving fluidly and I act and react much quicker. Loose or open hands mean you must tighten the hands as you attack or you may injure them. I train on a heavy bag while punching from an initial open hand, so I have no problem fighting that way. However, when performing forms, I tend to relax my fists before and after a hand technique, which draws criticism from my instructor. Stay on the balls of your feet with the body constantly moving, bobbing, and weaving. If you concentrate too intently on the opponent, you move like a prodding Frankenstein.

Instead of concentrating on the perfection of winning, concentrate on performing perfect techniques, just as you do in forms. Then even if you lose a fight, you will have the satisfaction of being the better technician. This may help ease some of the pressure to win the fight.

Some fighters need to psych up themselves for a fight. They try to make themselves angry so they will be more aggressive. Other fighters need to calm themselves before a fight so they will fight relaxed and smoothly. Each fighter must find what works best for him or her.

Just as you train hard at everything else, train hard at staying relaxed while sparring.

Comments. None.

Email 12. I've been involved with TKD for over 7 yrs, and I am 29 yrs old. My ultimate goal is to open my own school. When I lived in Massachusetts, I achieved my 2nd Degree black belt and was Assistant manager of our school, taught both children and adults, and was the head of the cardio kickboxing program for 3 and a half years. I just moved to Georgia, and I'm now looking to become a student again for personal development. When do think it would be a smart move to open my own school?

Email 11. I have been training really hard for the past month, kicking drills, running, jumping rope, aerobics, and stretching. My legs have been really tight for three days now. I have tried soaking in the tub with hot water, tiger balm, etc. I even give myself leg massages when I come home from TKD training and resting my muscles for three days. I'm supposed to compete in a tournament in a few days and I'm afraid I will be useless. What can I do to loosen my legs? I am a 40 year old, 5'6 “, female, 1st dan. My sparring style is powerful and not as quick as I'd like. What do you suggest I do to be prepared? I'll be competing in forms and sparring. This is my first tournament as a black belt. In the past I've competed and done very well in forms, usually taking first place. Sparring I came out 1st a few times but I usually take 2nd because I'm slow. I don’t get warmed up until the match is just about over.

Email. Sounds as if you may have contracted the insidious disease that creeps up on all of us when we least expect it and then changes our lives forever—age. No matter how much we dread it and fight against it, it infects us all. We still want to do the things we could do at a younger age, and many times we are able to do them, but we find it takes much longer for us to recover afterwards. As we get older it, we need more recovery time after intense physical activity. Also, we must be more aware of dehydration.

When you are training, you must constantly drink water, lots of water. You may not be thirsty and you may not be sweating very much but your muscles are still losing water, so your aches and pains intensify and it will take longer to recover. On tournament day, start drinking water in the morning and continuously keep drinking water before, during, and after the competition. If you are sweating profusely, you may want to substitute a sport drink occasionally to replace electrolytes, but primarily drink water. Drink water even when not thirsty. You will find your energy level will stay high longer and that you will recover more quickly in the following days. The same holds true for training sessions. As you get older, your body cannot work as efficiently as in the past and you need the extra water.

You will not be able to increase your sparring skills and physical abilities appreciably in the next few days before the tournament, so don’t bother. Rest, eat properly, train lightly, and think a lot about what you what to do at the tournament and how you will do it.

As you get older, no matter how much you hate to admit it, your reflexes get slower. In the beginning the slow down is so gradual that you don’t realize it, but you start noticing how quick your younger opponents have become. It is not so much that they are getting faster, it is that you are getting slower. Your prime physical age is at about age 30. People approaching that age train hard and every day they get better. Once you pass that age, everyday is another day past your prime. If you train hard, you may slow the rate of decline, but you will still decline.

However, not all is lost! Your body may start to decline, but your wisdom and experience increases. Instead of relying upon your body to win, start using your brain; fight smoother and more effectively. Learn to read your opponent’s minute movements and, instead of reacting to an attack, learn to anticipate the attack and act before it occurs.

As you get older, you will not act or react as quickly as in the past. Your kicks get blocked and you are just a tad too slow with your blocks. You block, but you still get scored upon. If find you are slower than your opponent, become a counter fighter. The instant you detect an attack, counterattack with a flurry. You may get hit, but you were going to get hit anyway. The opponent’s single attack may score a point, but your multiple attacks will score more points. Every time an opponent attacks, make her pay a price.

Don’t’ try to fight fire with fire. Fight fire with water. You can’t fight a younger opponent the way they fight you, you have to make them fight your fight. By anticipating their attacks, you make them think you are reading their minds. This will slow their actions and reactions by the split second that you have lost due to age, and it may help even the playing field.

As you get older, you have to warm and stretch your muscles before a fight, and you must keep them warm and stretched. Don’t stand around waiting for your match. Get warm and keep moving and stretching up until the moment you enter the ring. If you win, keep moving and stretching until the next match. If you cool down between matches, you will not only tighten up, but it will take longer to get back up to speed, which may be too late.

Comments. None.

Email 10. I am interested the martial arts but can't decide what martial art school to join?

Email. The first consideration in choosing a martial art is finding which schools are readily available to you in your area since you will be spending a lot of your time traveling to and from the school. Then visit each nearby school, increasing the travel range until you reach the limit of your comfortable driving range.

The next consideration is the style or styles being taught at the each school. Judo and Taekwondo are Olympic sports so they are sport oriented. Judo has lot of physical contact, similar to that of wrestling, so it is very physically demanding. Taekwondo's level of contact depends on whether it is traditional (light-contact) or sport (heavy-contact). Karate and Kung-fu styles are usually light-contact. Full-contact styles require a unique personality since there is a higher chance of injury. Injuries are not just painful or possibly dangerous; they also prevent you from training while they heal.

Judo has throws, pins, chokes, and arm bars so there is much hands-on contact. Taekwondo specializes in kicks. Most Karate and Kung-fu styles specialize in hand techniques. Taekwondo and most karate styles are hard styles in that they use bone-to-bone blocks and linear attacks. Kung-fu styles and some Karate styles are soft styles that use defecting blocks and circular attacks. Hard styles are more suitable to powerful, less graceful people. Soft styles are more suitable to graceful people who can move quickly. Weapons are something to learn after you become proficient at empty hand techniques. They compliment empty hand techniques, not replace them. There may not be any weapons available but you always have your hands and feet with you.

The final consideration is to choose an instructor whose personality and teaching style is compatible with you. A good instruction may overcome any shortcomings in the other two considerations. A poor instructor will ruin the entire experience no matter what style or school location.

Visit each school first just as a spectator. Watch the overall personalities, attitudes, and actions of the instructors and students, and even other spectators. It things don’t feel right, then the school is not for you. If you like what you see, then visit a different class at the same school and get detailed information on the school, the instructors, the certifying organization they are affiliated with, level of contact, sparring style, cost, contracts, what programs they offer, etc. If you still like what you see, then take advantage of any trial or introductory classes to sample the goods. Check with your local Better Business Bureau. After visiting all the schools and finding one you think is right for you, only then should you sign up for classes.

Finding the right style, school, and instructor are important since, if you find you enjoy the martial arts, you will be spending a lot of your time with the instructor and at school classes and events for many years.

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