tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38161119896826504812024-02-07T10:57:27.392+08:00Tao Of FightingTraditional Martial Arts On A Modern Perspectivemunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-65579417466928084772008-07-29T23:06:00.004+08:002008-07-29T23:19:30.490+08:00Wolff's Law Part 2<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Note: I have a post related to this a long time ago, and the previous post was very brief so I would like to elaborate more this time.<br /><br />Wolff's Law is a theory, developed by a German anatomist with the name of Julius Wolff (hence the name). The theory states that a healthy person's or animal's bone would adapt to the force it receives. In other words, the bigger the load that the bone receives, the bone will change/modify it's structure to adapt to the kind of load it is place under. This also applies if the load decreases. Your bones will too adapt to the environment and model the bone under the condition it is on.<br /><br />An example of this are astronauts who are in zero-gravity for extended periods of time. Upon returning to earth, they will be extremely weak due to the conditioning of their bones and muscles to adapt the environment. Zero gravity exerts no load to the body, therefore the muscles and bones grow weaker.<br /><br />On the other hand, martial artists condition themselves by repeatedly hitting objects. Many know it works but do not know why. It's just Wolff's Law. This does not happen overnight but possibly years or more depending on the intensity of the training. Muay Thai fighters took this very seriously and train their hands and legs, esspecially until they become deadly weapons. With rock solid bones that are impervious to pain, they are certainly opponents to be feared.<br /><br />However an important factor to consider is if you hit an object that is harder than your bones, like a tree or a rock wall, you risk injury.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jtz3FoyDM38&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jtz3FoyDM38&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">You don't want to end up like this guy.</span><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><br />An easy way to condition your bones is to hit boxing pads, that are hard enough. Do this a lot and you would definetly see an improvement. Another way, which I learned from Shaolin monks in China is that they suspend a phone directory, a thick one, on the wall, and punch on it. The book is soft, yet hard, and it makes a good buffer between your knuckles and the wall.<br /><br />And none of this is easy. To train to such a degree is pure sweat and blood.</span></div>munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-75759564093694135452008-07-24T11:22:00.010+08:002008-07-24T23:19:40.783+08:00Ankle Sprain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKP0T9KKMPlk1sMNBRUDDIl8AkmP4pKF7VP3fwW1xvgIc97H5TkzFuLRYengYFzCSaD4fVdydUHYIFNX5Q3IoJi07JkF283GY0C9pEu8VTLRKRahLQNNcZIeQdbO40wu9y74N2vHhWu4U/s1600-h/DSC_0479.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKP0T9KKMPlk1sMNBRUDDIl8AkmP4pKF7VP3fwW1xvgIc97H5TkzFuLRYengYFzCSaD4fVdydUHYIFNX5Q3IoJi07JkF283GY0C9pEu8VTLRKRahLQNNcZIeQdbO40wu9y74N2vHhWu4U/s400/DSC_0479.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226598837743506066" /></a>I recently got a pretty bad ankle sprain. No, I didn't fight;) I was playing football and for a moment I thought I was in the World Cup and I jumped and I landed and 'snap' and that's how I got injured.<br /><br />But back to the point, an ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries in sports be it martial arts, football, basketball and there are a few things we can do to help in case of an ankle sprain. <br /><br />The most common is the RICE thing (not the rice we eat).<br /><br />R - Rest<br />I - Ice<br />C - Compression<br />E - Elevation<br /><br />Resting the injured ankle initially is only common sense. Reintroduce slight movement to the ankle after a day or two when it gets better to prevent loss of muscle strength.<br /><br />Swelling can develop soon after depending on the severity of the injury. Applying ice to the injured area immediately can help reduce swelling and inflammation and to speed up recovery. Don't apply ice directly to the skin as it can cause 'frostbite'. You can use an ice pack or ice wrapped in a towel.<br /><br />Compress the ankle with a bandage to decrease swelling. Bandaging also provides support and prevents too much movement to your ankle. Do not apply them too tightly however.<br /><br />Elevate the ankle above your heart level to reduce the level of blood flow to the injured area.<br /><br />You see, at the end of the day, what we want to do it to reduce swelling and inflammation because that's what cause most of the pain and slows down the healing process. We want to counteract the increased blood flow to the injured area and prevent build up of fluid.<br /><br />I'm not going to talk about the mechanics of the ankle or how ruptured blood vessels cause swelling here. But straight to the point, RICE is the most common and no-frills treatment out there.<br /><br />However, if you feel the injury is severe or if it doesn't show sign of healing in a few days, go see a doctor, chiropractor, podiatrist, orthopedic, get professional help.Levinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02069604201537785624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-81191236590923592042008-07-12T23:36:00.001+08:002008-07-12T23:36:26.248+08:00How to survive a knife attackA friend of mine recently got mugged and attacked by two guys. How the whole story goes I am not sure, but he received two stiches on the head and chipped a tooth. He was lucky. It could have gone a lot worse. If they are carrying knifes, he would not be receiving just two stiches.<br /><br />Let us put ourselves in a situation: you are walking in a dark alley, alone. Suddenly a young dude carrying a knife jumps you and demands all your money. As far as you know, no one is around to help you. What do you do?<br /><br />Even experienced martial artist would tell you that it's not worth it to fight an armed attacker. Even if at the end you won the fight there is only a very small chance you would escape from it unhurt. Your life is much more valuable than your belongings, and to provoke an attack is the last thing you want to do when standing of against an armed attacker. Your best survival tactic is to give them whatever they want, do not look them directly against the face, and don't speak loud. In other words, be passive.<br /><br />However, sometimes things can get extremely ugly. When all they want is to hurt you, when a fight is inevitable you need to know how to fight against an armed attacker. There are two important factors that makes them have tremendous advantage over you. The first is their reach, with a knife they have a longer range of attack then you. The second is the fact that they are holding a weapon. You are already at a disadvantage due to fear. To fend of attackers with knifes, you are best with a weapon of your own. This can be very ordinary objects, such as a chair. I believe it would not be easy to cut a person who is flinging a chair with just a short kitchen knife. Or anything from an ordinary plank of wood lying on the ground, to the metal cover of a trash, a jacket wrapped around your hand can be used to protect yourself.<br /><br />Your best chance of survival would still be to give in. However if things get bad and you have to protect yourself, do not hesitate to do it. Use all that you can, do all that you can, and hope for the best. And when that comes, do be prepared to leave with a few scars.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-83966070367487786912008-06-29T23:03:00.001+08:002008-06-29T23:03:47.462+08:00When more doesn't mean moreSome people I know have this misconception that the more they lift, the more they will grow, the stronger they become. The amounts of repetitions does not directly relate to the amount of growth or even strength. As science goes, strength is measure by the amount of weight that you are able to lift. As a comparison, if I could lift a 1kg weight for a 200 times doesn't mean I am stronger than another dude who manages to lift 200kg even thought the maths is the same (1x200 = 200x1). The latter is certainly more impressive, and for a good reason.<br /><br />Strength training require lifting weights, what kind will depend on your current strength. Pick a weight which you are able to lift for 8-10 reps at a single set. Do about 3 sets, with a minute rest in between. You will become stronger. Picking an easy weight and lifting it countless times will do little to increase your strength. It could help with muscle endurance though, but that is for another time.<br /><br />It is the same story with bulking up. You will need weights. Weights that should increase periodically throughout your training. This is because you will gain strength, and you'll have to increase your weights again, to match up with your strength. However do note that this is a rough explanation, as there are much more science and factors that are involved. Just imagine this as a graph, you may think it would be linear (straight), but things don't usually work that way.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-61447166177580236822008-06-24T18:34:00.002+08:002008-06-24T18:38:25.349+08:00Why not exercising can lead to growth<div style="text-align: justify;">Seems funny when someone say that sometimes resting at home, or sleeping (not always) can lead to bigger muscles. But it is true. For people who have been training or done some research, they would know what I am talking about.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/SGDOkeRZJzI/AAAAAAAAAFM/YgKLh-Qa3OQ/s1600-h/sb10068174f-001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/SGDOkeRZJzI/AAAAAAAAAFM/YgKLh-Qa3OQ/s200/sb10068174f-001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215395494491662130" border="0" /></a>Let's start from basic, there are thoughts that humans grow in their sleep. That is partly true, because they do, but not only in their sleep. Human growth is controlled by a growth hormone. This hormone is active throughout the day, but peaks after the first hour of sleep. So if you are not getting enough sleep, your growth will be limited.<br /><br />Body-builders also have what they call a 'rest-day' in which they don't train. For example, I've just worked my chest on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be my rest-days. These two days I might work on my aerobics, and continue my chest workout on Thursday. This will allow my muscles to heal before my next session begins. It is very important to give your muscles time to heal, or you will do more damage then good. Over straining your muscles will not make them grow back stronger, but you risk injuries. Also, since your muscles are not in their performing state, you'll be lifting much less weights than you need to actually stimulate muscle growth.<br /><br />Some may need longer rest days than other, some shorter. If you don't feel anything after a day's workout, you may have trained too lightly on the previous session. When you push yourself, by the next day you should have felt at least some tense sensation. It is then time to give your body the rest it deserves.<br /><br />Note: I am not a professional trainer/body-builder/writer, some words/phrases I used could be misintepreted. This post is meant to be informative based, and not to be taken as a manual.</div>munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-73301682680811376392008-06-22T01:02:00.004+08:002008-06-22T01:38:33.139+08:00The core musclesThe core muscles consists of the three areas of your body, the abdominals, back and pelvic area. No matter in sports, martial arts or just general fitness, your core strength is vital.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/SF08SP2r5rI/AAAAAAAAAFE/aySDc2D5HRk/s1600-h/sb10062491x-004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 193px;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/SF08SP2r5rI/AAAAAAAAAFE/aySDc2D5HRk/s320/sb10062491x-004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214390227756115634" border="0" /></a>In martial arts, the core strength is extremely important. Bruce Lee understands that, and makes core muscle exercise a major part of his training routine. In defends, the abdominals would act as a shell, protecting all the major organs from attacks. Your other core muscles would also work together, allowing you to avoid from any attacks, fast. Almost all kinds of movement would activate your core muscles, therefore it is extremely important to make core muscle training a part of your workout. When you execute a kick for example, it is not only your leg muscles that generates the strength. Your back, hip muscles and abdominals all play a part in the kick. An excellent core strength will allow a martial artist to move with great efficiency.<br /><br />Here is a link I found from the Internet that shows a way you can evaluate your core muscle strength. If you are not able to complete the exercise, no worries, a little training and time will ensure a pass next time. Click <a href="http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/bestabexercises/a/core_test.htm">here</a> to test.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Image by GettyImages</span>munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-11716679558398867002008-06-22T00:00:00.002+08:002008-06-22T01:02:08.337+08:00How to motivate yourselfOne of the greatest enemies in a training is to lose your motivation. As you all know by now, training is a long term commitment. For example, you may be very motivated to lose 20 pounds by the beginning of the year, but only to get lazy half-way through when you yet to see any concrete results.<br /><br />Here are some of my personal favourite tips to keep yourself motivated in your workout:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Make a bet</span><br />Make a friendly bet with friend or family. Whoever drops 10 pounds first is the winner. For a more effective motivation make a bet with a rival or someone you particular don't like losing to.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sign up for competition</span><br />Signing up for a competition would give you a deadline to reach a specific goal. The thought of competing with so many people looking could give you extra motivation to perform.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Join a community</span><br />Participating in a forum, club would make your workouts more interesting. You can also gain experience, ideas and activities that would increase your workouts.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Keep it interesting</span><br />Repetition of the same workout can be dull and boring. Change your weights, a change of exercise can keep your workouts interesting. Instead of doing regular push-ups, challenge yourself for a knuckle push-up. Even varying the speed of your sit-ups could keep you motivated for the workout session.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Get a workout partner</span><br />Besides having a companion, you can also learn through each other. Having someone to talk to can go a long way working out in the gym.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Visualize your goals</span><br />Look at the mirror, and visualize the perfect you. Do this everyday and work towards your goal.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Keep your progress</span><br />Keep track of your progress, write down how much weights you can lift, weights you've lost, body fat etc. When you start seeing results, you would be motivated to continue.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Challenge yourself</span><br />Instead of doing the same workout routine over and over again, challenge yourself to a task. You can challenge yourself to bench-press 250 pounds in two months, do 10 consecutive chin-ups in week.<br /><br />There are many more other methods that could work for you, but most importantly as long as you have the will you will definitely reach your goal.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-46880612474746824772008-06-21T01:11:00.004+08:002008-06-21T01:31:43.238+08:00Free weights or machine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/SFvpI1kO2hI/AAAAAAAAAE8/AYxFlWqV7MM/s1600-h/480988_12677677.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/SFvpI1kO2hI/AAAAAAAAAE8/AYxFlWqV7MM/s320/480988_12677677.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214017331638753810" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>What is the fastest, most effective way for bulking up? Using free weights or machines? Opinions differ on this; some suggesting that free weights are better because they provide a more complete workout. Others prefer machine as they more effectively target specific muscles, providing more effective training.<br /><br />Well, both are technically right, as free weights do engage other muscles in the process to provide a more complete workout. However it is also true that working out on machines are more effective if your goal is to target that specific muscle area. Studies have shown that in terms of strengthening a particular area, people can get similar results with both free weights and also machines.<br /><br />The advantage of using free weights is that without the machine to assist, they have to stabilize the weights themselves, providing exercise to the whole muscle area including the abdominals and back. It is also for the very same reason that free weights are less effective in terms of targeting specific muscles.<br /><br />For beginners, who are prone to injuries, using machines to aid them is a good way to train, as they offer stability and support and also promoting better posture. There are also no risk of dropping the barbell on your chest or breaking your toe from a falling dumbbell. For more experience trainers, a combination of both could also do them well, using machines for targeting specific muscles and free weights to get an overall workout.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Image from StockXpert</span></span>munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-9661679817467812322008-06-04T19:21:00.001+08:002008-06-04T19:24:22.703+08:00UpgradeTao of Fighting will be undergoing some maintenance. There will be a change of look when this is complete. I will also try to update more often. For those who are reading, thanks a lot and stick around for moremunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-19188565636416430032008-05-07T23:45:00.002+08:002008-05-07T23:56:09.846+08:00Get your six packs in a weekOk sorry, but actually you can't. There is no fast/easy way to build your packs. In addition to doing regular abdominal exercises, you also need to burn the excess fats in your abdominals for the muscles to show. Basically there are a few things that you need.<br /><br />1) Exercise - obviously, but what kind? Is just crunches enough?<br />2) Burn fat - how?<br />3) Eat right - eat healthy, not skip meals.<br /><br />First of all, exercise. There are lots and lots of abdominal exercises that you can do. From sit-ups, to leg raises. Which to do is up to you, but make sure you exercise the overall abdominals instead of just concentrating on a certain area.<br /><br />Burning fat. This is not certainly not easy for many people, but I found a good way to reduce that fat is to cycle, and run. Do it always, and it will show.<br /><br />Eating right. You should east proper meals everyday, and try to reduce oily foods, eat more fruits and vegetables. Don't skip your meals.<br /><br />Finally, there is determination. Results will not show in just a week or two. Depending on the person, it can take months to years. Do some research, find out what works for you, and don't be lazy. Get up and work out.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-80099602317162238772008-05-07T23:20:00.002+08:002008-05-07T23:44:57.771+08:00Practical Low KicksFirst of all, why low instead of high? Since high ones are much more devastating... when it lands.<br /><br />Here I list the advantages of low kicks over a high one.<br /><ul><li>Fast - a low kick will definitely be faster to execute than a high one. One because of the distance required for the leg to travel, and two because there are less movement involved. In a high kick, you would generally need to lift your leg up before you can strike. For a low kick, the lifting motion is the strike motion.<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Harder to see - in the event of a real fight, a low kick is not easy to spot. Your eyes are so far from the area of attack that to spot you would have to be further away from the opponent, which doesn't happen a lot in an attack. This is especially true on low lighting areas like an alley or street at night. Even when spotting the kick, such fast attack is extremely difficult to block.<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Close quarters - low kick is extremely useful for close quarters combat, not only for the reasons mentioned above, but also regarding yourself. Imagine wearing tight jeans, or heavy boots. The weight and the clothing restriction would most probably prevent your movements already. But in this situation, your boot would now become a weapon, for example using the hard steel toes to strike the attacker's shin.</li></ul><ul><li>Easy to strike - It's easy to kick low. Not many people can kick well, but a drive to the groin or stomp on the feet is as easy as it gets.<br /></li></ul>A few strike points that are effective are the shins, inner thigh, foot and groin. With heavy shoes, a strike to the shins with the side of the foot can send the attacker screaming in pain. A good knee to the groin would probably end the fight fairly quickly.<br /><br />Basically this is a very brief post on the advantages of low kick in certain situation, and an alternative to using your hands all the time.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-82980094832600858082007-12-16T19:15:00.000+08:002007-12-16T19:51:40.763+08:00Strength and Weight Training for Martial ArtistsSome martial artists neglect strength training as part of their workout. Reasons are the fear of negatively effecting important martial art attributes such as speed, flexibility and overall agility. However the fact is strength training actually improves these attributes and helps them perform better. World class athletes do a lot of strength training because greater strength allows the muscles to exert a greater amount of force. The same could apply to martial artists. A martial artists who does strength training would benefit from the same idea. And that is not all, strength training also shows that it improves muscle endurance and speed.<br /><br />Weight training is a part of strength training, and there are many different training methods. Weight training do not necessarily mean body-building. Although a certain amount of body-building is beneficial for martial artists, gaining too much body mass is probably not the most effective way to maximize performance. Athletes vary their training on different body parts, runners emphasizing on their lower body while some climbers for example, focus on their upper body muscles, as large leg muscles that could be seen as a hindrance. The same goes for martial artist, where the speed, flexibility and strength is the priority. Strength is very important, and so do muscle mass, however too much of the latter and you may be slowing yourself down.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-91887039105811429302007-12-08T18:20:00.000+08:002007-12-12T01:08:04.979+08:00Best Foot ForwardIn a fighting stance, most of the attention is given to the upper body. The ability to protect your body is crucial in a fight, however an important factor that should also be considered is the ability to strike. In a typical fighting stance like the one on right, one of is forward, the other backed, slightly bend with both hands raised to protect the head and body. Again, one hand is ahead the other. The forward hand can perform one of the fastest attack that is considerably damaging if it connects, giving you the advantage. That is the jab.<br /><br />A jab is a straight punch performed by the leading hand. It is extremely useful and potentially damaging. In boxing, jabs are used as an offensive and defensive technique. Jabs can disoriented the opponents rhythm and keeping the distance between the opponent and yourself.<br /><br />As most people know, the speed of strike is in relation to the muscle strength and striking distance. To maximize a strike in terms of speed and power, you should use your preferred hand. I am sure even highly trained boxers have a significant difference between their weak and strong hand. Putting your stronger foot forward allows your stronger hand to execute the jab, allowing a much more damaging attack. Besides the hand, the stronger foot in front allows a much quicker attack.<br /><br />However, situation differs, in fact it's best to not fix yourself to a particular style. Depending on the situation of the fight, you can switch sides. This may confuse your opponent, allowing you further advantage over the fight.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-12915324652351691102007-12-08T17:53:00.001+08:002007-12-08T17:53:32.029+08:00NoticeUnfortunately Tao of Fighting experienced some technical difficulties a few days ago. I have moved all the post to a new space. All posts and post-dates are restored, together with any pictures and videos that have been embedded. However comments from fellow readers are lost. If you wish you can repost your comments.<br /><br />But good news is the problems have been resolved, so stand by for more updates in the next few days.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-70224309679447275492007-12-01T23:55:00.000+08:002007-12-08T18:20:40.789+08:00How your punch can hurt yourselfOne of the most basic attacks is probably the good ol' straight knuckle punch. But you may be wondering, a punch, which is supposed to hurt another hurt yourself?<br /><br />The laws of physics dictate that "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction". This means that if a person inflicts X amount of force to the face, he too will receive X amount of force on his fists. Therefore the damage to the attacker himself depends on how well the arm is positioned to receive the force of the impact. Improper alignment of your wrists and elbow could result in injuries.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/R1GPBSwEPXI/AAAAAAAAAB0/TVG4E9wYbbo/s1600-R/p1.jpg"> </a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/R1GPBSwEPYI/AAAAAAAAAB8/7lDAfElAyik/s1600-R/p2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/R1GPBSwEPYI/AAAAAAAAAB8/-1EnMcQQVtE/s200/p2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139045902182530434" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Figure 1: Improper wrist alignment<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/R1GPBSwEPXI/AAAAAAAAAB0/TVG4E9wYbbo/s1600-R/p1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/R1GPBSwEPXI/AAAAAAAAAB0/GJB1SKlwKrU/s200/p1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139045902182530418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/R1GPBiwEPZI/AAAAAAAAACE/fLoP21Y0Ivo/s1600-R/p3.jpg"> </a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Figure 2: Improper contact point<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/R1GPBiwEPZI/AAAAAAAAACE/fLoP21Y0Ivo/s1600-R/p3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_PGvSKG9_fCw/R1GPBiwEPZI/AAAAAAAAACE/OUecBoDPBU4/s200/p3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139045906477497746" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Figure 3: Correctly aligned wrist and knuckles<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br /></span>Figure 1: The first image shows the wrists improperly aligned. When a very strong force is applied, the wrist will bend downward and may injure the wrists of the attacker.<br /><br />Figure 2: An improper contact point such as the above may very well hurt the attacker's fingers as well as bending the wrists backwards towards the attacker, hurting himself.<br /><br />Figure 3: The alignment of the wrist is perfectly straight, and allows for a better absorption of the force of the impact. A good alignment would allow the body to absorb the force instead of focusing on the wrists or elbows.<br /><br />Contrary to popular believe, such injuries are actually more common among the experienced instead of novices. While the amateurs demonstrate wrong punching forms, they lack the force to generate enough force to actually hurt themselves.<br /><br />So, check your punching forms, correct if necessary before you risk a long term injury.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-4618759077542534322007-12-01T03:51:00.000+08:002007-12-02T00:57:43.335+08:00Tae Kwon Do? or Tae Do?<p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">It’s time to clear something up. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Almost everytime</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> I see a tae kwon do match, I will shake my head and sigh. Why are they swinging their legs wildly at their opponents while leaving their hands dangling from their bodies doing nothing? It is totally different from what I have studied many years, where ‘tae kwon do’ translates to something like ‘</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >the way of the foot and fist</span><span style="font-size:100%;">’. But all I see is the foot. In actual combat, how you use your hands would probably determine how the outcome is going to be. Seeing these “experts/professionals” dangling their hands freely seems like a pretty bad idea to me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>It saddens me as a tae kwon do practitioner myself, but just to show you an idea of what I am talking about, here’s a clip, and from the 2004 Olympics in Athens! Just watch the clip, and see; not a single punch was thrown!<br /></span></p> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cWpt9q_jQHQ&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cWpt9q_jQHQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /></span><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Some of you are probably laughing about now, seeing plenty of openings that can be exploited, if just any of them is willing to lift their hand and strike. Of course, this is just a sport, and kicks to the head would probably generate more points. A punch would do almost nothing to slow down opponents with their thick protective armor, but it is no excuse to leave your body exposed for your opponents.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>I seriously doubt these guys would be very useful against seasoned fighters. Once your opponent manages to avoid that initial kick (which isn’t that fast by the way), he’s pretty much a goner. I do not believe that those hands would be quick enough to defend from such a distance. </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>What you just see in the clip is not martial arts. Until they start using hands like their supposed to, I’m sticking to MMA.</span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" >I would appreciate any comments, whether you agree or disagree. However do state your reasons if you don't.</span><p class="MsoNormal"></p>munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-52410054282227516682007-07-29T01:25:00.000+08:002007-07-29T02:46:04.298+08:00Follow-up: Fitness Myths1. Spot losing<br />Also known as spot training, basically the idea is you can lose the fat on a specific body part by exercising it. It does not work that way. The only way is to lose body fat. Exercising the body part would only make it stronger, not burning the fats.<br /><br />2. Doing crunches will give me a six-pack as long as I do enough<br />This is similar to the above. By doing crunches, you will strengthen the abdominal muscles, but will not remove the fats covering it. A person with a big belly no matter the muscle underneath will not be visible without removing that layer of fat.<br /><br />3. Stretching before a workout will prevent injuries<br />Just stretching is not enough, instead there should be light exercises such as walking, slow jogs to ready the muscles for more intense activities.<br /><br />4. Working on the same body part everyday would produce faster results<br />On the contrary, exercising the same part everyday would not allow your muscles to grow. To build muscle mass, the body should have sufficient rest. The training frequency should be at least two days apart to allow the muscles to rest and grow. If the muscles are still sore, you probably shouldn't continue the training just yet.<br /><br />5. Pain is good<br />No, pain is bad. Any pain suffered by your body during a training should be considered a warning. If such a situation occur stop the workout immediately to access the situation. However, there is a key difference between the burn caused by the build up of lactic acid and a pain from maybe a strain or pulled muscle.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-71000516798279188052007-07-28T00:12:00.000+08:002007-07-28T01:06:10.979+08:00Martial arts myths and misconceptionsJust some of the common myths and misconceptions I have encountered over the years of martial arts exposure.<br /><br />1. Black belts are experts<br />"Don't mess with him, he's a black belt." Ahh, I've heard this phrase countless times. Unfortunately, a belt is a very inaccurate way of measuring a person's ability, and today it is very easy to get a black belt in martial arts such as Tae Kwon Do or Karate. Most practitioners could acquire their black belts within 2-3 years of training, certainly not someone you would call experts. Besides, I have personally met many black belt holders who do not know how to hold a fist properly.<br /><br />2. Bigger people move slow<br />Not true, unless by big you mean a couch potato, then yes. In this case it's the big-sized, muscular ones. Many heavyweight fighters move very quickly and can throw multiple punches in quick succession. Your speed depends on your muscle strength and agility, little to do with your size. But these guys tire more quickly. Just compare the build of Olympic marathon runners (endurance) and 100m sprinters (speed).<br /><br />3. Size doesn't matter in a fight<br />People tell me that often, but in fact it is not true. Size is a very important factor in a fight. Why else would there be weight classes in boxing and MMA fights? A bigger man would be able to throw heavier punches due to their larger body mass. In a real fight, smaller person would actually be in a disadvantage. Size matters, but it is not all that matters.<br /><br />4. Sparring will train you in fights<br />Well, a person who spars regularly would probably perform better than a person who doesn't, but sparring will do little to help you in the event of an actual street-fight. First of all, in a sparring match you are bounded by rules; no kick to groins, no hair pulling, spitting etc. In a real fight, anything goes. Secondly, in no-contact sparring you are controlling your attacks, making sure you do no damage to your opponent. To train to fight, fight to train. As Bruce Lee said, <span style="font-style: italic;">if you want to learn to swim, jump into the water. On dry land, no frame of mind is ever going to help you.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span>5. You could kill a person by shoving their nosebone to the brain<br />This is a popular one, and certainly not true. For one, just study a human skull for a second and you'll probably realize that a human nose is not made up of a bone. In fact, it is made up of a soft cartilage that would be quite impossible to penetrate the skull. An average adult cranium is actually very hard and could absorb a lot of impact, and even if the "nose bone", assuming it exists does penetrate the human skull, the brain is actually a little to deep for the bone to reach. So there you have it. It would look spectacular, but it has and will never be done.<br /><br />Many others just slipped my mind. Will probably post a follow-up, maybe one on fitness myths.munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-77745548693279506652007-07-24T00:26:00.000+08:002007-07-25T22:10:28.082+08:00Wolff's Law<div style="text-align: justify;">Most serious fighters condition their hands/legs with repeated punching and kicking. There are actually two reasons for this.<br />1. Conditioning the nerves, pain receptors so you feel less pain.<br />2. Increasing the density of your bones.<br /><br />Most people know that, but the science behind is that as the bones in your body is <span style="font-style: italic;">subjected to a higher load, the bone will remodel</span> the structure itself to become stronger, thus strengthening the bone.<br /><br />Professional Muay Thai fighters trains with this in mind, kicking trees, hundreds of times until the tree would sway! A direct hit from one of these and you'll be lying down for the next six months. However to achieve such a degree of bone strength would require years and years of hard work. Not to mention the agonizing pain.</div>munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-88782973296226314942007-07-22T23:49:00.000+08:002007-07-28T00:12:47.259+08:00Lose that Belly!<p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Regardless of where you read it, there are no proper spot reduction exercises. To lose that belly, the best thing to do is to lose overall fat. Sure, doing regular sit-ups may help make your abs slightly more visible by building stronger muscles, it would not burn enough fat to lose that belly.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>To lose the fat and developing the abdominals require a mix of aerobics and calisthenics as well as a bit of weight training. Aerobic exercises, commonly interchanged with cardio are actually inaccurate. Cardio refers to the heart. Therefore cardio exercises are generally to strengthen the heart muscle. Losing fat means doing aerobics, some which I personally enjoy, walking and cycling. Jump rope is also a good alternative. These are exercises which require regular training, and patience is the key. Keep doing that, and you’re bound to see some results sooner or later. (while maintaining a proper diet!). Another important aspect in losing fats is doing strength training. <o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Of course, just by losing the fats won’t gain you any muscles. For beginners start with sit-ups, or crunches which trains the upper abs, leg raises and frog kicks that works the lower abs. There are many variations of abdominal training, and the different intensities and repetitions which you should research and see which works best. What works for me may not work for you.<o:p></o:p></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>What’s the best abs exercise? I really can’t tell. Only you can. Remember, if your abs is hurting the day after your work out, congratulations. You’ve just gotten stronger.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-33262505010535166722007-07-20T03:42:00.000+08:002007-07-22T23:53:43.793+08:00The true meaning of a black belt<p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">There was a story about a student who had just finished his test for the black belt, and his sensei asked him, “Before I give you this belt, you must answer me this question.” He continued, “What is the meaning of a black belt?” The student answered, “The reward for all my hard work at the end.” The sensei was not happy. He asked the student to come back in a year. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">A year passed, and the sensei again asked the same question, “What is the meaning of a black belt?” The student this time answered, “The black belt symbolizes the highest degree of achievement in the art.” Still, the sensei was not satisfied. Again, he asked the student to come back in a year.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Another year passed, the sensei repeats the question, “What is the meaning of a black belt?” “The black belt symbolizes the beginning of a never ending journey of discipline and hard work, and pursuit of perfecting the art,” the student said. The sensei, upon hearing the answer realized that his student finally understands.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">The black belt was never meant to be a symbol for the end, but the beginning of an even deeper understanding of the art. That is the true meaning of the belt.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">- credits to Steve Goodier for the story<br /></p>munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816111989682650481.post-22712097508955395812007-07-20T03:12:00.000+08:002007-07-22T23:55:33.763+08:00Tao of Fighting<div style="text-align: justify;">Tao, Dao, Dou. It is a Chinese word literally translated to the <span style="font-style: italic;">way </span>or <span style="font-style: italic;">path</span>. Sounds familiar? Take a look at Tao of Jeet Kune Do. The site is named so in honour of the greatest martial artist ever, Bruce Lee. Bruce has not only inspired many with his incredible martial arts ability, his philosophies and teachings in the field are also respected by martial artist all over the world.<br /><br />Exactly 34 years ago today, 20 July, Bruce took his last breath. However, his spirit will forever live on.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Using no way as a way, having no limitation as a limitation."</span></div>munhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385257096820128924noreply@blogger.com0