other sports

"My gym is going to be offering two martial art forms (doesn't say what) but the instructor has been in MA for 30 years and he is very intense (he's also a personal trainer - one of the few I would work with). I'm mostly interested in the ability to focus - can anybody talk about that? Also, how does MA help your cycling? Your day to day life?"

What a lot of questions and so little time on my coffee break but let me dig in.

First, there's a huge diff between a personal trainer and a martial arts sesei and while I'm sure this guy/gal is great I suggest you check out a lot of classes in your area before deciding on a style/instructor.

I'll continue with things to look for and things to avoid when I get my next break ;-)

more thoughts:

MA offers cyclists range of motion, flexibility, balance, fast reaction time, spatial skills, and good falls for when you endo.

I find is that for Aikido anyway, Aikdio calm feels good, calm yet prepared. I've tried meditition and I feel a little dead.

It's a lifetime practice, find a teacher, style and school you feel comfortable and safe with, shop around, talk to people, watch the class.

I agree with Trek - It's a lifelong practice. I've been studying Karate and Ju Jitsu for 9 years and many days I feel like a beginner. My original school was traditional and wonderful. When that sensei moved and the school closed, I jumped into a contract with one of the largest schools in the area and learned that many many schools are just contract generating aroebics classes. They make you feel like you're learning something and get your heart rate up, but in truth you might as well be jazzersizing. It's like any sport...lots of people can play but not that many are good at teaching the real art!! Ask around. Ask about his teaching history. It doens't sound like you're looking for a cardio kickboxing class (not that there is anything wrong with them!). To really learn the art, is a special thing and requires a special teacher with a lot of experience.

Karate is the greatest thing I've done for myself. When I started practicing I'd recently broken my back and lived in daily pain. I give a lot of the credit to the life I have now to what I learned in Martial arts. It's effected everything I do!!

Wow, thanks for all of the info! I didn't realize that there was so much to know!

Dogmama said " I didn't realize that there was so much to know"

It's like cycling, it's something you can do your whole life. After over 20 years I'm still learning.

As for choosing a style at the high or advanced end I feel that most styles are more similar than they are different.

Aikido, a "soft" style becomes direct and powerful as you advance, Karate and other "hard styles" have fluid throws, sweeps and other moves.

What's most important is that you find a teacher and school that you feel comfortable with. How do they treat beginners? With patience and respect? Do the advanced students look inspiring.

good luck and keep cycling too!

"Grasshopper sed " It's a lifelong practice. I've been studying Karate and Ju Jitsu for 9 years and many days I feel like a beginner...To really learn the art, is a special thing and requires a special teacher with a lot of experience"

8-) my goal after training since 1975 is to get ONE technique sorta-kinda right each day. You're so right, it's a lifelong goal.

Similar to looking for that perfect LBS things to look for in an exceptional school are:

does the teacher inspire you? How involved are they? Does the head instructor only show up once in a while or often? Beginners in our school get daily attention from our head instructor, a 6th degree black belt.

watch advanced students. you should feel a sense of "wow! I'd love to be able to do that"

most important, how do they treat beginners. You'll be one for a looooong time. are instructors patient? do they stress safety? How do they deal with injuries? Are they respectful of students limits or push training while hurt?

beware of schools that have classes that are off limits, you should be able to watch both advanced and beginning classes. It's one thing to put you on automatic payment for convenience, but avoid contracts at all costs.

style is not so important, all are good. Look for the right school and teacher.

good luck and keep cycling!

Haha!! I know exactly what you mean!! I've felt the real "flow" of karate ONCE in my training...ONE TIME. And I've tried and tried to recreate it but I haven't. The funny thing is that it wasn't even a move I'd spent a lot of time studying. My body just gave the perfect reaction to an attack from my sensei. It even shocked HIM! I'll never forget that feeling.

My sensei use to wisper something in the ears of students he promoted to black belt. It was a secret "inspriration" they said. When I was promoted I finally heard it "congratulations, now you're ready to start learning." Not what I expected to hear on the day that I got my black belt - but he was so right!! Trek is right too - you'll be a beginner for a long time, but being a beginner in martial arts is a highly respectful thing to be.

Dogmama, if martial arts interests you - go for it! research it like you're buying your first bike - but go for it! Another thing to watch out for is schools that seem to be "making up belts." If there's constant belt tests - with you paying for each one - let that be a red flag. Shady MA schools can feed on our own ego - and make tons of money doing it. Ask questions and trust your gut.

wondering if any of us have ever taken a fall off your bike and does the MA help? (I did, it does)

also...more related to the biking...anyone going to the SF Grand Prix?

420

Living in the flat land and close to the beach - in-line skating is the one activity I could do for hours on end without batting an eye -

Just me, the wheels and some great tunes - the very thought of makes me want to leave the office right NOW!

I also run, hike, backpack and weight train all year round. Winters I snowshoe and mtn bike as much as the weather will allow. The cool thing about Colorado is that I can often mountain bike and snowshoe in the same day. I'd like to get into adventure racing but need to work on my water skills. Took my first kayaking class last winter but never mastered the roll. I'm a little afraid of water so it might take awhile! I also play volleyball which, now that I think about it, is the only team sport I play anymore. :)

My g/f adventure races - if you do all of the other sports, you would love it! The sprints (4-5 hrs) are usually more technical whereas the 24-48 hr ones are all about endurance.....

Hi,
Until a few months ago I used to go jogging and aerobicsuntil I got tendonitis , which was very painful and took a while to heal. Once I was on the mend my physio' said I could go swimming and cycling. I started cycling andwell the rest seems to be history now. I've got the bug. I'm not tempted to run now (I'm scared it happens again). Besides I can go further and faster on my bike.:D
Margaret

So before you say "I'm not gay" and pass this by, I'll ask you to read on.

The upcoming celebration is Gay Games VII and will be held in Chicago from July 15 - 22, 2006.

The Games are played every 4 years, each time awarded to a different host city. I competed in Vancouver Canada in 1990 and New York in 1994 (both times Track & Field).

The Games are open; inclusive to all who register within the registration time/participant # guidelines. That means gay, straight, bi or transgender; elite, amatuer or recreational athlete.
Awards are given to overall and age group divisions. All participants receive a participation medal.

There are many who come and participate in their chosen sport for the very first time... at the Games the last one to cross the finish line gets as much if not more applause than the first. Participation is the benchmark.

For a more historical look at the games, go to The Federation of Gay Games website: http://www.gaygames.com/en/

For a look at the official Gay Games Chicago site for a listing of sports, cultural events and registration info go to:
http://www.gaygameschicago.org/home.php

A little preview though: Triathlon, Cycling (road and mountain), and Martial Arts are big competitions:)

Most sports are santioned by the individual governing bodies.

So, who wants to play??

P.S. If there's interest here, we can start a new thread under this "Other Sports" catagory... let me know what you think.

Hi spazzdog,

I might go and cheer board members on. But I've never raced....ever. I do martial arts also but the one I do is non-competitive. I know a woman who is the same rank in that as I am who participated in the Austrailia games, she did a demo of Aikido and says it was a fabulous experience. And ...gulp...guess I'm "out" to the board now ;-)

Just a thought... subject to approval by TE.com and, of course, interest from members:

How about a diverse, multi-state "team" ? Or teams; triathlon, road cycling events, mountain cycling events.

BTW - the approval part is permission to wear TE jerseys as a "team", NOT financial support. Each participant would need to pay her/his? own registration, sport, transportation and housing fees.

I'll go away now :D