Yes, keep us all informed about Memorial day, coming down is a definate possibility (depending on work) Thanks for the hosting suggestion, Jay, but I won't hold you to it just yet

Our tournament is less than 2 weeks out, and I'm beginning to think I won't be able to do my hand form. There's sort of a drunken move that happens off one leg, and then the other, and my knee is still giving me grief. Physio tomorrow. I should still be able to do the sword form if I'm careful.

So, Triangle guys, tell me, do romances pop up through your club, or does the old "we all know each other too well" factor apply?

We at Triangle are bound by the observances of rank and the instructor/student relationship so most of the time unless you're already in a relationship or lucky to be of equal rank it's not likely to find romance within the same discipline. That being said, we are broadening the spectrum of MA disciplines that we offer as well as our affiliations so the likelihood of finding another martial artist is getting better. As usual it's a double-edged sword, so to speak.
I hope your knee gets better with time, Chuck; I'm sorry to hear it's still giving you grief.

Chuck...Good Luck with your competition..I do hope that you are able to do the sword and the Hand form. Just don't strain it, and put yourself out of commission.

I never thought of people developing romantic relationships, in a martial arts class. Odd, cause on my old Gay swim team, relationships happened, on the Volleyball team and waterpolo team it happened. But Like Mike stated, there is are clear separations of rank in a MA class, that is not normally found in other sports, at least on a recreational level. I guess I just need to join a gay Martial Arts club and test the waters there...LOL! I wonder if my partner would object....

Hmm Memorial day in San Fran...that would be fun..Never been to California before. :cool:

[ March 09, 2005, 05:51 AM: Message edited by: rickinto ]

Never been to California? Good God, Man!!! You used to be able to fly Buffalo to San Francisco dirt cheap, and that was BEFORE deregulation! I bet you still can. San Francisco is a fabulous city!

I'm happy to report the Physiotherapist says my knee problems are temporary (its the MCL on the inside of the right knee compounded by an inflamed miniscus, which is why it hurts to walk -- I'm becoming quite the knee expert.)

God, if we worried about differences in rank for romances, well, let's just say we have a lot of female students who join to meet guys... And since our (happily married) Sifu is the only one who conducts gradings, and we don't really sweat the rank, it's a non issue for us, since there aren't the power dynamics. I must admit there have been a couple of guys I've thought of making moves on, but they were ostensibly straight guys (who I know I could've had...) but I didn't want them to be uncomfortable and leave, so I never did. Self-censorship, I suppose, but it didn't seem fair.

Hey TKD guys, do you do poomse (forms)?

I must admit that I originally joined TKD to meet other guys in a social setting that didn't involve a dance floor or a bunch of drunken people, but it's really become so much different for me. The people in class have become more like a family, and I'm not really into incest

As for poomse, yes we do that. It's an integral part of our training actually. We teach our white belts that the composition of TKD includes basic techniques, forms, sparring, breaking and attitude.

And Rick - be careful about coming to California. I came out here 10 years ago for my first trip, and I never left.

Chuck, I checked out some flights on the net, and it is cheaper to fly to San Fran...3 hours+ flight, then it is to fly to Baltimore..75 minute flight?

Good news about your knee, although it is a nuisaunce and the moment, at least no major surgery and then months and months of Physio is required. So will you copmpete in both forms?

In my Dojo, the only one that grades is the Sensei, also. But, he cannot grade for the Blackbelt nominees, that is only done by our Sensei in Japan, or England. So our DAN testings only occur every year or so. I train at a YMCA, so most of the people in my class are married, and or Teenagers, so no real romantic prospects there.

Jay, thanks for the warning about CA, but I am not beautiful enough to stay out there, at most, the powers that be...would only let me visit for a day or so! I would love to go out west, but I think I have to go to BC first, I have family out there. Chuck you got a spare room for a Torontonian

The beautiful people are all in LA. We're just regular guys here in SF.

Jeremy here...just starting out on this board. I'm not going to read the entire string just yet...maybe later tonight. Hellooooo. :-)

Tae Kwon Do artist here, going to the Games in 06 as well!

Hey Jeremy, welcome.

The beautiful people are all in LA? I remember being at the bar in LA, and I turned to the guy on my right, and said something friendly, and he turned away like something smelled, so I turned to the guy on my left and said something friendly, which is only polite, and he turned away like he'd just stepped in dog shit, and I thought, my god, if you guys think I'm hitting on you, it was a stretch for me to talk to you! and that was that. The beautiful people shouldn't be that scared... What's that about?

Rick, no spare room, but I do have an extra mattress.

Never been to B.C.? It's currently gorgeous!! The cherries and magnolias are in bloom. And you Americans, you know you get an extra 25% on the dollar, right?

I've experienced that sort of thing in LA...ATTITUDE. You kinda have to be introduced to people and such. It's very cliquey there. I've had great experiences and awful experiences with people. On one occasion I had to put this overly-intoxicated guy in a wrist lock and "escort him to the ground" after he voiced, "I don't get what up with this Asian fetish" to my Chinese boyfriend and thought it appropriate to try and push him.

On other occasions I've met people who were very friendly and welcoming. Unlike SF where no one seems to have time for new friends. It's all hit or miss, I suppose.

As for romance in the Dojang, I must say that I'm often struggling with thoughts of my daily activities and that alone is distracting enough. I can't imagine being even more unfocused because of romantic interests. I even told my bf that he couldn't be in my class because I would always be checking him out. :-) Then again, I've been in this relationship for five years now, so I don't really think about "meeting guys at the club". I wouldn't want to date anyone in my class though. If it went sour, my training would certainly be affected.

Hey TDK guys: does anyone have any interest in expounding on what the learning, skills and essence is that puts a person at the black belt level at Triangle? I have been pondering this question deeply as regards my own style. Sure, there is proficiency in the forms, moves, development of instinctive and decisive fighting ability in the manner of the style but there is also, in a soft style anyway, an internal element. Body awareness, rooting, and above all, "softness," is huge for us. It's the "softness" until the moment of the strike, that takes the patience to learn. It's hard to describe.

Anyway, I'm less interested in talking than listening. Anyone?

I'll let TKD Mike answer that one - I'm a beginner, so I'm quite a ways off from being a black belt. We're having a black belt testing this month, so maybe I'll learn something about it too!

Chuck, I agree with you about developing an internal "softness" in order to be a more effective martial artist - that tends to be brought out once one is a black belt. Although it doesn't hurt if you can develop as much "inner" skills as you go up the ranks. A lot of what being a dan holderfor us is demonstrating that one is ready for the "mantle" to be placed on us. There is a lot of mythology surrounding dan holders and while a lot of us like to perpetuate it, the reality is that at first dan one has come full circle and is right back at the beginner level - just amongst a new group - literally, I felt like a beginner all over again which was good because at red belt (1st and 2nd gup) I was getting a bit of an attitude.
That probably didn't help at all, but let me know if it made any sense or if you need some clarification. Sometimes my thoughts are as clear as mud.

It seems to be like a staircase for me. I go from the horizontal "step" part of the stairs (hey, I'm pretty good!) to the vertical "rise" part of the stairs (I suck!) I'm good! I suck! I'm good! I suck! I'm good! etc.

Yeah, it's amzing how many people become black belt, never to be seen again. I guess they're not ready to be beginners again (and if that's true, I don't really think they're ready to be black belts.)

I think my Sifu has 12 black belts in 22 years of teaching. I know we're up past 350 yellow belts and that's just in the time we've been doing the belt thing. I think I was #21 or 22 at brown.

There are 3 of us who feel we're ready for black at the 10-14 ish yr mark. It shouldn't be that important, I suppose, since nothing stops you from learning, but I confess, our patience is wearing thin. In consolation, we're all sure we're ready for a "real" first level black belt, not a McDojo one.

Of course, on the down side, the people who have braved the thin black line of Sifus and Senseis in competition, tend to go away and not come back. I'm not going to be one of those, so let's just say I've got several years of humility coming to me.

But back to my question. What about the technical aspects of your Tae Kwon Doe? What are you expected to master for 1st dan?

Well, off to class, have got to be really careful tonight and thurs, because I've got a real domino effect of injuries on my right leg, and I'm still hoping to be able to at least do my sword form at a tournament on sat. Can't do too much. Can't be on it, really. A class of push-ups, situps (oh joy...) and sticky hands for me.

Hey, been off the board for a few days...so just catching up...

But first things first...Chuck, how was the Tournament? Did you get to execute your Form? Hope you knee held up.

Hey Rick. Done. the 18th Tiger Balm Internationals is history.

Did ok. Competed in 35+underbelt soft style forms. Only two of us in that division. Got first there. Went on to the underbelt soft empty hands forms Grands. Nowhere near taking that.

I got three cracks at my broadsword form. Tight and tense --blah, but at least it got better each time I did it. I got to thinking, I have NEVER done a form in competition as well as I can do in the training hall. Some lucky people are the opposite. Anyways, out of the medals in 18+ soft style short weapons. Got first in 35+ soft style weapons. And I managed to get the Underbelt soft style weapons Grand Championship. Not that I was great, (nowhere near!) but others had problems and I was fortunate. But I'll take it, happily. One of my life-mantras is that the experience belongs to those who show up.

I did a fair bit of co-ordinating on the Sunday, but I kept having to be on my feet. So when the WKC (controlled kickboxing) ring was stalled with no timekeeper, I sat myself down in a ring there for a few hours. I was inspired. The division was WAY better run than in the old days (when it was a bloodbath, and the most agressive won, even if it wasn't efficient aggression.) If I can get over my injuries I might consider it at the Can-Ams here in early June. If I can get back under 152 lbs. (Beer is evil.) There's just the one thing I don't like, and that is that thigh kicks are legal, and some of these guys don't know the difference between a thigh and a knee. (Of course kickboxers seen to just stand there with their weight planted and take leg kicks--WHY WOULD ANYONE DELIBRATELY DO THAT?) That's what scares the hell out of me. I originally injured my MCL by taking a perfectly legal thigh kick (sparring w/ kickboxers) that was just hard enough to buckle the inside of my knee. And that was training, not competition.

The Can-Ams offer Point, WKC, and Full contact Sanshou. If we go on an 8 wk training for the Sanshou, I'd get back in shape even if I don't compete. (I need to get better at throwing -- protecting my legs when being thrown --to be confident at that.) I have my doubts about going full contact (even with a chest pad) until I've done semi contact more (only did it once) 3 2 min rounds is a lot when you are as out of shape as I am. I'd hate to run out of gas.

Anyway, that was the Tiger Balms.

Now, where are the other gay martial artists? How can we get them to this board?

[ March 21, 2005, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: chuckvanc ]

Chuck, Wow, congratulations on your wins, and accomplishments. Sounds like you got to do all that you wanted to do at the competition...Compete, Co-ordinate and a bonus is you got inspired to maybe pick up kumite/san shou again.

Ouch on the thigh kigks, I agree all it would take is one misplaced kick, and a knee could be seriously injured. AS for the kick boxers taking the kicks, that is how they train is it not? To be able to plant their weight, and take a kick if need be, but instantly react with a kick of thier own?

Chuck, under 152? That is what Lightweight division? I am currently a middle weight, at least I was at my last competition. Currently though I am at 160 lbs, so I don't know where that puts me, I'll find out in june when the next tourney is. When are the Can-ams?

As for getting other martial artists out here....Mabe I should PM travelpat and find out if thier are Gay Martial Artists, from TO going to the games..either games. That might be a start eh?

[ March 22, 2005, 04:48 AM: Message edited by: rickinto ]

Hey Rick, thanks. I wondered, if when talking about the tournaments, I don't sound like a know-it-all? I want to assure you all that my "accomplishments" mostly consist of showing up. I'm such a slow learner that I've found the tournaments to be a good learning tool.

On that topic, I see from my coming events sheet that the Golden Gate Nationals are in SF April 22/23. It's an NBL National, so I think it should be pretty impressive. Is anyone from SF planning on going to compete or watch? (It's good prep for Chicago!)

On the topic of other martial artists, I know there is AT LEAST ! one other in Toronto. In Sydney, a very nice karate guy named Anthony was in my division. I wish I knew where he is. I've got footage of us to pass along.

Oop, sorry: weight: it totally depends on the division and the # of competitors they expect. Around Vanc, the Karate point fighting is usually light -140lbs. mid: 140-173 lbs. (which means to short little me that I'm in with 6'1 20 yr olds who are all arms and feet.) Kickboxing, light -151.9 lbs, middle 152-173. To me, this means get under 151 or meet guys with reach and 20lbs who want to beat on me. The full contact Sanshou has a 5kg (11 lb) difference in divisions, which is good since strength and weight count for so much.

Your tournements are probably different. A lot seem to be.

burp...excuse me...just had lunch.

LOL at Jeremy..Hope it was good and healthy....

Chuck you do not sound like a know it all, at all. You have over 10 years experience in your art, and that is an accomplishment in itself in this day and age. I loved hearing about your tournament and would encourage others to write about their experiences...it might get more guys onto this thread, and or encourage them to take up a Martial Art.

With that being said..I am inquiring if there is a Martial arts contingent from Toronto, going to either games....I can go with my swim team, but I would enjoy meeting up with martial artists too.

So far we have about 7 confirmed memebers from our club planning to be at the Games - myself included. I asked my doctor about my ability to return to TKD after my knee surgery, and he said about 4 more months. That gives me about a year to train and get ready..... wish I could start NOW. I am so impatient.

...Impatient and gay. LOL ;-)

As I feared, I've got a film contract, so won't be able to make it to SF for the Memorial day mini-tournament. It's only an 8 wk thing, with 6 weeks on set, which will probably knock my training from 3 days a wk to one. But on the up-side, I'm furthering the cause of high art: see, it's a movie all about this evil child....who has these powers .... bleah! I need a new career...

Chuck, you shouldn't diminish your accomplishments for "just showing up" as that's what a lot of life is about. Most folks fail because there was no effort made in the first place. Some of the best learning experiences I can recall have come from those times I really didn't want to show up at all, but for some reason I went...and learned (go figure). I'm stepping off the soapbox now...

Yes Chuck, I wholeheartedly agree with Mike..you showed up, you competed, and you got the medals to prove it... I look at each competition as a learning experience.

Speaking of which..I guess since I just achieved green belt in my style, I will be competing at the intermediate levels at the games...I stay green, until I can go for my brown belt.....in about a year or so. (Notice how I slipped a pat on my own back about just getting my green belt...LOL)

Actually the testing was physical, but after the test was done, we realized how meticulous(sp)our sensei was being....so far as to tell me, my little toe was out of place a few times on a some of my side thrust kicks, but only on my left side....stuff like that...it is good to know, just how much he did watch us in the grading....makes me feel like I really earned my belt.

Okay I will stop talking now.....

[ April 04, 2005, 11:52 AM: Message edited by: rickinto ]

Rick, congratulations on your green belt!!! And on having an instructor who is looking out for your fine details. (After all, what's the saying? -- God is in the details--) I don't know if God is there, but I'm sure the road to getting better is there!

Thanks for your words of support, Rick and Mike. I hope I'm not diminishing my achievements, although if it reads like that, I should examine my feelings... I do think it's important to be humble, but I too see great value in "showing up." "Showing up" has got me as far as I've got, and I have full confidence it will get me farther.

I did have a very nice thing happen to me on Saturday, but it's going to read backhanded, and possibily "diminishing."

Our Sifu set up some sparring matches which everyone was to watch and comment on. This was my first time kicking in 6 months, so my focus was not hurting myself, and being super-careful of my right leg as support, and keeping it out of harm's way. I had a good match with one of my peers. Now, here is where the backhanded praise comes in. My sifu made a big point of saying "I don't want anybody to take this wrong, but Chuck has absolutely no natural talent (It's true, I agreed.) Mutterings from the class: our Sifu is not the most PC guy around. He pointed out that I don't have natural athletic ability, speed, or great learning skills. And that everything they saw in my sparring was the result of learning the techniques. Then he gave a little spiel on trusting what you learn until it becomes second nature, and then we discussed the techniques of the match, like broken rhythm, and controlling the reaction distance line. Then he pointed out that I was much stronger in my sparring than in my forms. This is a VERY good thing for him to notice, since it's my struggling with forms that's holding me back, and I'm glad that was acknowledged. (He's also not the most aware guy at times.)

So, anyway, it might not have sounded like a compliment, but it was nice to receive. At the moment, our intermediates and seniors are overwhelmingly hard workers with a finite amount of natural talent. We've got a couple of real natural athletes, but most are solid hard workers that things don't come easily to. We've got some talented beginners coming up, but you never know who the people who stay will be. My bias is that the real stars often have serious trouble when they hit a concept they have trouble with, and often don't weather the plateaus. I can't tell you the number of talented people I've seen come up behind me over the years, surpass me, and then be gone.

One other anecdote, now that I'm on a roll: Our Sifu was out of town last week, so the senor students were taking the class. One of our fellows has a superb memory, and can memorize forms (not the fine points, but the overall moves) and he was running the class through a new form, not on our syllabus, just for fun. I'm now at the point where I'm a pretty good mimic, but it's not like the information is going in. I still have trouble learning things fast (I sort of have to 'program' in the information--hook with the right hand, grasp with the left, strike with the right--okay, that's the hand part, now, what are the feet doing...) The number of times I get/got left behind in frustration with no clue what to hang the information on...

Anyway, one of our guys just left the floor in that same frustration, absolutely no way he could get it. He's going 'it's okay, I'll look it up on the internet' (the infos not there, and it probably wouldn't help if it was.) But I convinced him to work with me and we went through the first 12 moves while the class did the whole form. And he got it, much to his great surprise, because he feels he's kind of athletically developmentally challeged. But It's all about being taught in the way that you, personally, learn. I gave Roger a little spiel about how neither of us is stupid, but a lot of the time we're just not being taught the way we learn. (This is why I'm so grateful for our cache of senior students - we've finally got enough people to interpret the information coming from our Sifu, who really only knows how to teach one way.)

Anyway, those were two nice things that happened to me this week.

The third nice thing involved me getting thumped in the right eye, which doesn't sound so nice, but there is background. I've got a good lead right hand. Discount it at your peril. We have a guy who has joined with a boxing and Jeet Kuen do background, and he's got hands! He's fast and tight and my good right hand has met its match. He's about 6'2, 190, and he doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to spend the next year using every trick I know to hold my own, to negate his speed, length and weight, not to mention learning his tricks. And then he's going to sail on by me, as he learns ours. Someone new to play with!!

So that's 3 good things.

Good news: a guy started a thread asking about the Tiger Balms, so I directed him here. Hopefully we have another poster. (okay, mostly good news for me, since he lives close, and I'm always wondering who else is out there.)

Helped with registration on the Fireballs, a local tourney, yesterday. I'm minding my own business, I look up from the registration desk, and there's a naked man in the middle of the lobby!! Stark naked and putting his gi pants back on. Apparently he didn't make weight and he said "I'm gonna strip down" And he just dropped everything! Now there's 50-100 people out there, little kids, everybody. Caught everybody by surprise. I don't know what happened. I didn't see him at registration, which is the next step, but I think it caught the weigh-in people by surprise and I don't know if he should have been thrown out? I suppose so, I mean, at least get your buddy's to hold a towel around you... I mean, little children everywhere! Am I a prude, what do you guys think?

(No, I didn't get his phone number)

Hey gang.....

Mike thanks for the congrats on my promotion. It was harder then I suspected, but it was worth it.

I am thinking about competing at a tourney in May, just to test the waters, as a green belt. This is not one of the regular tourneys that I compete in, and the styles there may be much different then I am used to, so I am eager to at least go if not to compete, then at least to watch.

Chuck..I have to admit I chuckled a bit when I read you synopsis of the sparring class and the comments you Sifu made. I wonder if all Martial arts teachers take courses in how to give backhanded compliments, or compliments that will make you students work harder..or my favourite...how to use negative reinforcement, and actually have your students say "Thank you" for the negative comment!

How is the training going with the new guy, that got your eye?

As for the naked man at registration, over the weekend, couldn't he have asked to do a private weigh in or something. He should have at least kept his underwear on...Gheesh!

I guess he didn't measure up to your standards though Chuck, since you didn't get his number eh? wink wink

[ April 20, 2005, 06:56 AM: Message edited by: rickinto ]

I'm not a martial artist but am thinking about studying karate or some other art.

Thats cool Steele..welcome

welcome Steele; have you checked out any dojo in your area? Or is this still in the thinking about it stage...if so, check out as many styles and instructors as ability and interest dictate, but shopping around helps to answer some questions and brings rise to others...these guys are pretty knowlegeable about their respective arts so I'm sure they can answer a lot of stylistic questions

did everyone get busy at the same time? We (our club)just officiated/assisted/competed at the AAU TKD State Championships last Saturday in San Rafael. Turnout seemed modest at first and more people trickled in, reached critical mass and trickled back out. This was the best representation from our club in recent memory...(my heart is full wink
Grandmaster Marcus talked me into competing in individual forms once I was suited up for group forms...all according to his plan I found out later. I had the honor of performing Koryo with BSB Chris Maden and Ms. Anne Coverdale; I had a lot of fun and I think I've been bitten by the competition bug again. It was interesting to see some raised eyebrows as a lot of our male students (including myself) have painted toenails. That and our school patch has a pink triangle on it, which isn't all that subtle in the SF Bay Area. Anyway, we pitched-in and had fun and learned a little bit more about ourselves. I would say that's a successful event

Hey Mike, that sounds great, congratulations! What does AAU stand for? And I suppose you are pumped for the Memorial Day "get ready for the gay games seminar now?

I really think that the more we show up in "regular competition" and are seen (painted toenails and all!) It's a good thing! When I was preparing to do to Sydney, I didn't make any bones about it (being gay has never been a problem at my club) even at the saturday sessions where I spar with people from other clubs. When I was asked by one guy why I was going to Australia, and I told him, he basically said, "thats cool, my friend so and so is going for soccer. Do you know him?"

Do me a favour and pressure any IAGLMA reps to get that web site up and working...if they're going to claim to represent gay martial artists, it's important, especially as they have 2 voting delegates to the FGG.

I'm jealous of you SF types who get to have that weekend though. I'm stuck up here in the NOT-frozen North filming a movie (in MAY) set in snow-covered Maine. Fools. And I hope to get in the first swim of the summer season this weekend, I hope...

Hey guys..hope you are all doing well....

My partner and I had our car broken into, along with two other cars in our apartments underground parking, and they all they really took were the airbags. They hit three brands of cars, and just took the airbags out..quite professionaly done, neat and tidy. But of course, it was the one night that I leave my Cel in the car, and they took that, too. So I HAD to go out and buy a new one....LOL

Anyways, I also broke my left ring finger, while sparring, just two day before a competition. :mad: I have a rule that I don't spar going into a competition, and the one time I break it...I break my finger. It was just a fluke, the kick I blocked, hit just right on the joint on my finge and cracked the bone, at least that is how the doctor thinks it happened. So its modified training for me for the next 6-8 weeks. Oh well live and learn..the positive spin on it is I have to fight in right stance, my weaker stance, and it is a chance to improve my kicks, especially the roundhouse, which I cannot do to save my life.

All this happened within two days over last weekend....

Anyways...sorry to hear that you will be unable to go down to San Fran, Chuck. It would be nice to have Canadian Representation at the event... wink

Mike, I do not mean to be ignorant, but why the painted toenails? I mean I don't even know why women do it, unless they are wearing a lot of open toed shoes! But then again, I live in Canada, and it is just starting to get warm enough to wear sandals and open toed shoes up here..

[ May 06, 2005, 08:05 AM: Message edited by: rickinto ]

Ah Rick, the joys of city living! Of course, your airbag is worth more than my whole car! And heroin addicts had the nerve to steal that on my birthday a few years ago. I mean, really! Is my 1985 Sentra such a prize? Are there no BMW's to steal?

Bad luck on the finger. You know of course that the laws of the universe say you will repeatedly reinjure it if you spar?

Oh, and barely warm enough for open-toed sandals? Excuse me? It's May 7 and here in lotus land, according to Chuck's scale of wacko pronouncements, that means the ocean has been fair game for swimming for 7 days. Not that I've been in yet...I just did 75.5 hrs last week of mostly night shooting on this stupid movie I'm on... I have high hopes for today, though, if the clouds clear.

I've decided I'm taking a Kung Fu hiatus. I've just got to let this foot of mine heal, and while I work the movie I could only make it once a week anyway. So no Kung Fu for the next 6 weeks.

sorry to hear about your finger, Rick. Ouch!
The painted nails are sort of an extension of my need to mess with people's ideas of masculinity and gender...I've been that way all my life (just ask my long-suffering mom) ...also, I figured if I'm going to spend that much time barefoot that it couldn't hurt. I tend to stay to the black/gray/blue spectrum and I don't always paint my toenails...I just get a "wild hare" every now and then and it's easier than going with crazy colored hair and much easier to take off after I'm bored with it.

Thanks for the thoughts on my finger, I am now in what they call a ulnar gutter splint..

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1999/0...99/petrizzi.htm

Splint my ass, it is a half hard cast and the other half is a soft cast...either way it is a pain in the butt. But, if I want to heal this is what I have to wear. I can still train, but i just have to cover the "splint" with a plastic bag when I hit the showers....on a posit3ive spin, maybe some hot guy will come up and ask me if I need help, washing my back, or any other areas for that matter....LOL

Chuck, what happened to the foot, I thought it was your knee that was giving you grief?.....and 75 plus hours a week on a movie set, what is up with that?

Mike thanks, for explaining the toenail thing to me. I hope your training is going well....

The foot is a victim of the dominio effect. Because the knee was bothering me, and the sword form was about all I could do (and I wanted my shot at the Tiger Balms) I over-trained a run away and jump thing, modifying my body mechanics to protect the knee. I have managed to bruise the "fat pad" of my heel. It takes FOREVER to heal. Of course that means I will be forced to let the knee heal (which is a REAl worry, and not just an inconvenience like the heel).

As for the 75 hr weeks. 60 is standard in film, and there's usually a precall and a little overtime, and we are shooting 6 days instead of 5, and there you are. The general public has no clue. Sat a.m. in Vanc. about 2000 people from 20 films are sent home on public roads, and we are not capable of talking sensibly, let alone driving. Oh, and did I mention we also do stunts, gunfire and explosions? Truckers have laws governing how long they can drive, but not us, and we get to blow things up! My longest shift was somewhere around 36 hrs. (years ago). There are some labour laws though. For instance you MUST have a 30 min meal break after 9 hours.

Needless to say, I'm not training until mid-June when this thing is over! (But I do hope to live vicariously through you all...)

Rick, your roundhouse--are you pivoting your foot around so your support leg heel is facing completely forward at the moment of contact? Many people do not fully change the angle of the support leg, and their hips are in the wrong position to complete the kick. Your heel should face your opponent.

Hey Chuck....thanks for the roundhouse info..I do, in fact turn my heel to face my opponent. The problem with my kick, is in my style, the cocking of the leg in the roundhouse, is done in front of the body, not to the side, like in most other styles, that I have seen.

What I mean is, our roundhouse kick starts off looking like a Front kick to begin with.... knee raised in front of the body, then at the last sec, the body turns, and you hit the opponent, with the top of the foot. Even our Side kick can start that way, again at the last second, the body is turned to the side, and the leg is thrust out hitting your opponent with the blade of the foot.

Obviously the reason our kicks start like that, is to disguise them, from our opponent...so if you come up against an opponent in my style, that is really good at kicking, you could be blocking a front kick, but then get hit with a roundhouse.


I need to stretch out my groin and hip flexors, in order to throw the kick properly..so after each and every workout, you can find me in the stretching room, doing just that.

[ May 12, 2005, 06:16 AM: Message edited by: rickinto ]

Rick, thanks for the roundhouse description. I totally got it. You're a very clear writer!

I just carefully crafted some questions, and with a push of the wrong mouse click, lost them. (Cyd or Jim, what's up with that? )

Basically, I was wondering if you think you have a point when you change from the front kick to the side kick where you have to stop one motion to get to the other, or can you do a conintuous motion?

I work out with some Karate point fighters, and I admire the way they change from one specific attack to another.

Sorry, what weekend was your memorial day again? I hear we're going to get the Sat of the Victoria day weekend off after all (too expensive, hah!!) so I'm trying to plan my 3 day weekend! Ours is the 21, 22, 23 of May, I think. My options could be San Francisco or the gay campground in Washington, and they've cut the first big party of the year!

Found this picture and thought y'all might like to see it...

I like Jean

Steven Lopez, left, from the USA, kisses his coach and brother Jean Lopez after he won the men's under 80kg taekwondo gold medal ... at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece

[ May 17, 2005, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: sterlingman ]

With me, I have a stopping point, and it is an obvious one, but some of the senior students, do not.

Another aspect of the style, I practice is the use of "Nagashi" or moving off line. Just like the kicks, at the last second it changes, so to with our punches. You're moving in on an opponent, coming in straight line attack, and as they throw a jab or kick, we move offline, and attack and block at the same time, but from an angle. In other words....If we are throwing a punch...we attack as if we are coming straight at the target...step through, start the punch, but at the last second, we move our hips, and back leg to a 45 degree angle to the target, therefore, letting our targets attack just pass our body,and allowing our attack to take them by suprise. I hope that makes sense...

I am not saying that other styles do not have this attack/block method, but its very prevalent in my style...taught almost from the beginning.

So how is the foot doing Chuck? Have you decided where you are going over the Vic day long weekend? Wherever you go, I hope you have a blast.

BTW...finger and arm still in a cast. It comes off, one week before our annual weekend training camp, and two weeks before the first Provincial competition. (where I will be point sparring in the Intermediate division, for the first time.)

Also Hey where did all the TKD guys go?

Hey guys, I'm still here, just lurking a bit lately. I've just started to be able to start doing physical stuff again after my knee surgery, so there hasn't been a lot of TKD stuff to report on my end I was cleared to run about 3 weeks ago, so I'm trying to build my endurance back up so when I'm able to start kicking and sparring again I won't get so winded (and to lose the 15 lbs I've gained - sheesh). And today I just splurged on a pair of running shoes that cost WAY too much, but they sure feel good. Just got back from one of the the first adrenaline high runs I've been able to have in about 5 months, so I'm feeling good!

Looking forward to the "Get Ready for the Games" weekend, even though I won't be participating in the tournament.

Any of you Canadians coming for Pride in San Francisco this year?

Sterlingman, I couldn't get your picture to load, but thanks for thinking of us.

Rick, I've been the victim of your "moving off line" principle before. And, if I ever get back to sparring with the point fighters, will again...

I think the foot is showing some progress. I'm not limping so much at the end of the day, and it feels better. And I'm thinking a lot about kicking things, which means my attitude is better. Not planning on kicking bags or sparring until after this job ends June 18ish, though. Realistically, I probably won't be %100 until the end of summer. This is a slow one.

Doing sword exercises at lunch a few times/wk. Don't want to lose muscle tone in my arms. Helps to keep my upper body stretched.

Jay: Congratulations on your recovery. Sounds like its coming!

When is SF pride?

The IAGLMA event in SF should be happening soon. Hope someone plans to write about it. (It would be a good article for Outsports or...)

Pride is June 25-26. Our club will be marching.

Perhaps I'll write about the IAGLAMA event, since I won't be able to compete. I'm sure I'll find some way to volunteer doing something, however.

Well, I'm off for a motorcycle ride - it's a gorgeous day in SF. Later!