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Questions and Answers
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Trish Bare Grounds
Hello! My name's Mary and I practise kung fu in Paris. I'm doing a lot of training
and hardly eat any meat. I eat a bit of cheese and that's about it for animal products.
How does an essentially vegetarian diet affect your stamina and the building of
muscle tissue? Cheers for taking the time to answer and hope it can be of some use
to others.
Read more about martial arts and being a vegetarian . . .
Hanho
Hi, my name is Mike Smith from Las Vegas, NV and I've trained in TKD for 7 years
and will be taking Jui-Juitsu soon. I have the book
Combat Strategy and really enjoy it's reading. But is
Junsado just a philosophy or is it a style of fighting too. Can a School
call itself a Junsado school if it teaches these philosophies. I don't believe in
any one style for good self-defense. Is that what Junsado is?
Read more about Junsado . . .
Loren W. Christensen
Dear Mr. Christensen, Recently I heard that doing deadlifts and squats are very
good for developing legs and lower back to handle the stress of kicking. In the
past I have just done bodyweight squats. If I add deadlifts and squats, for developing
kicking speed and power (I don't care about getting "big" muscles) should
I do high reps and low weight or low reps and higher weight. I just want to be in
good condition to avoid injury and thought these two exercises may help pretty well.
Your insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Matt
Read more about weight lifting for martial arts . . .
Loren W. Christensen
Dear Mr. Christensen: I train in MA 3 days workouts lasting about 1 1/2 hours since
I utilize the jump rope as my warmup, these sessions are also my ONLY cardio work.
How many days weekly should I weight train for size and strength without worrying
about overtraining? Thanks for your input.
Read more about weight training for martial arts . . .
Loren W. Christensen
Dear Mr. Christensen: In your book,
Fighters
Fact Book, you talked about how your daughter and senior brown belt had
a 16-week training program. I was wondering if you could give me some ideas on how
to come up with such a program as I am nearing my black belt test. Thank you for
you time, Chelsea
Read more about black belt testing . . .
Loren W. Christensen
Dear Mr. Christensen:
Solo Training is a great; no Awesome book !! How should I train at
home for counter attacks to the push kick (mostly open stance front leg)? My teacher
had suggested that the black belts in my class use this to counter my offensive
sidekick. (It has presented more of a challenge than my brown belt level can comprehend).
Any help would be greatly appreciated. By the way, I just ordered your book
Fighting
Power. I hope this well make my side kick even more effective. Good luck
and keep writing. Jim Hard
Read more about using side kick in sparring . . .
Loren W. Christensen
i have a big problem. i am on a mission to find a sport i'll be good at. i'm not
fast but i have some strength. i weigh in at 120 pounds and i am only twelve. every
sport i have tried -- basketball, soccer, football- my teammates have made fun of
me. it seems i am doomed to not being good at any sport. i want to make sure that
judo is the right sport for me. i dont want to be made fun of again, and i'll even
go to the lengths of getting a private tutor. What can i do? Marc
Read more about choosing a martial arts style . . .
Sang H. Kim
Hello, my name is Ragnar and I'm from Iceland. Just about a month ago or so I begun
training Karate. I've bought the Ultimate Flexibility: For Martial Arts DVD already and have found it really
helpful as I've never really been very flexible. I am now training for about 40
minutes per day at home (at least) using the Easy/Moderate Workout and often the
flexibility for kicking part. I also tend to add a few stretches with a partner
(when possible) which I learned in my Dojo and well, after such a short period I
already feel much better. I was wondering if you might have any tips on how to train
my balance and such? I have found that when kicking I could have a lot better control
over for how to land and such and be able to improvise my control over the leg while
it's in the air. I am really dedicated to studying this and have/will continue to
spend a lot of time doing so. I was also wondering if you would have any suggestions
of which DVDs to buy in order to be able to practise more at home?
Read more about kicking balance . . .
Sang H. Kim
Master Sang H. Kim: I have a couple of quick questions. I am just starting out with
the
Junsado DVD's,
and I am curious about something. Which of your 2 DVD's on self defense (The
Self-defense Encyclopedia, or the
Junsado Fundamentals) would you start with. Would you consider one of
them better in regards to laying out the instruction in a more systematic method?
Also, I am curious about the order in which you would study the DVD's for the various
"stick" weapons. Maybe Sir if you have the time, you could lay out the
order in which you would study the entire
Junsado
DVD curriculum. What is the best order for the DVD's to build skills in a systematic
order. Thank you very much for your time Sir. Ric Reith
Read more about choosing a self-defense DVD . . .
Sang H. Kim
Dear Master Kim; I bought
Complete Taekwondo Poomsae book. In the book, at page 39 master Sang H.
Kim shows how to perform reverse middle punch. As my thought reverse punch means
punch opposite with front stance. I'm not sure the book may have got a mistake or
I learn the wrong form at my taekwondo school. Could you please let me know this
question? Thi Nguyen
Read more about the taekwondo reverse punch . . .
Sang H. Kim
I have a question on proper application of a side kick.I was taught to turn my hip
downward during the side kick making the toes point toward the ground. In another
martial arts school I noticed that none of the people did this and kicked with toes
upward and no turn of the hip. Can you tell me which way you teach and what the
diffrence is between the 2 ways of doing the same kick? Thank You.Gayle Ramirez
Read more about taekwondo side kick . . .
Sang H. Kim
Hello Master Sang H Kim, My name is Sohail from Scotland. I have most of your DVDs.
You have done great work. First i want to say to all the students here. the
Complete Taekwondo DVD is essential for every one doing Martial Arts. I
want to ask how can we feel ki in body? If someone uses ki force in breaking, will
he hit the target with the same force as the person without ki concept? Is it true
people say ki and techniques together have different results as compared to only
techniques alone. Thanks in advance. Sohail, Scotland
Read more about ki training . . .
Sang H. Kim
Dear Sang H. Kim, How do you build strength in your legs, also balance for demonstration
and control? (i.e) Hold your leg far out above your head for a side kick or high
roundhouse without losing stability or balance or simple having no problem being
mobile with your legs. I am in Tae Kwon Do and am almost at a full split, but are
there any exercises that help develope pure strength in your legs. Thanks in Advance.
Michael DiPalermo
Read more about developing kicking strength . . .
Sang H. Kim
Dear Mr. Kim, I find myself having difficulty with following your instructions in
the book Ultimate Flexibility. I don't know exactly what i perform in "Y stretch"
and "Crossed Legged Side Bend" . I need more specific descriptions to
do these stretch. Yours sincerely, H. T. Kwon (p.s. I am very impressed with the
book, it's really great work)
Read more about crossed legged side bend stretch . . .
Sang H. Kim
Hi Sang H. Kim, My Name is Sohail From Scotland I am blue belt in taekwondo I have
got your Complete Taekwondo Kicking
DVD and
Aero Kicks DVD as well. Thanks
it's really helpful and great. I want to ask the folowing questions. 1 Whenever
I do turing kick my knee cross the target. Can you help me how can i avoid this
so my knee don't cross the target? And during the side kick my knee drops. Can you
tell me reason for that? 2 I need to break the brick with my knuckle. Can can please
help tell me which is the best way of conditioning the knuckles? 3 What is the good
exercises to achieve the muscle control? Thanks Sohail
Read more about taekwondo kicking techniques . . .
Sang H. Kim
Sang H. Kim
Dear Mr. Kim, I just received and saw your recent
DVD Ultimate Flexibility (I also own your excellente book
Ultimate Flexibility and others), and I have a doubt regarding the workouts
you suggest (beginner, moderate and intense). Is it necessary to perform any warm-up
before the workouts? Since the workouts have some dynamic and/or joint exercises
in the beginning I became with this doubt. If yes, what warm-up you suggest before
each exercise taking into account that is a Streching Specific Workout and no previous
exercise has been done. Thanks in advance for your attention, Best regards, Miguel
Durao
Read more about how to warm-up before stretching . . .
Sang H. Kim
Master Kim, I was looking at your
Knife Defense
DVD Set on your website and I have a couple of questions: First, the techniques
look really impressive and I am just wondering if they are easy to apply in a short
time for the average person? Second, can the techniques utilized in these DVD's
be used against club or empty hand attacks as well (pardon my ignorance....I don't
know if these skills are transferrable to empty hand or stick attacks)? I really
enjoy reading all of your articles on your website and in the news letter I receive
and I am really impressed with the two DVD's I have from Turtle Press (Top
100 Scoring and Complete Kicking).
Thank you for your time and consideration. Matt
Read more about self-defense techniques . . .
Sang H. Kim
I just received an issue of Impact, what a great news letter. I hope I continue
to receive it. Master Kim's book on
Martial
Arts over 40 has been a great help in my sparring. I have a question for
the Author: I am 53 years old and am currently a Red Belt in Taekwondo. Can I still
achieve flexibility in my hips, without causing hip problems later in life? My front
kick is well over my head, but my side kicks are only waist high. Hugh from MO
Read more about side kick flexibility
Sang H. Kim
Hello Sir, I have been training and teaching in Tae Kwon Do Chung Do Kwan going
on now ten years. Thanks to turtlepress I have had the honor of learning and being
enlightened by your passion for Tae Kwon Do. You have truly inspired me. My question
is in regards to your teaching. I have heard you are retired from this part of your
life. Is this true or do you still teach select students or offer seminars. If the
case is true and you no longer teach then is there a student of yours that now teachs
your system of Tae Kwon Do. Videos, DVD"s and Books only offer so much it would
be a true honor to train face to face. Thank you very much for your time sir! Christopher
Adams
Read more about martial art teaching philosophy . . .
Sang H. Kim
Dear Sir, I have been practising the art of Hapkido for just under two years. I
am 29 years old and this is the first martial art that I have practised. If I am
being honest I initially got involved in Hapkido for all the wrong reasons, acting
macho, wanting to show off to friends. This quickly changed as I became passionate
about the art and it began to change my outlook on life. I have recently purchased
your book 'The Art of Harmony' 2nd edition
and even though I have read it start to finish on many occasions I still like to
read a few pages each day. I have great difficulty though switching off, when I
try to meditate or just relax I end up having a thousand different thoughts going
through my head or I concentrate too much on preventing these thoughts and dont
relax fully. I have managed to relax fully on a few occasions and get lost in the
moment, which has been a wonderful experience. I would like to achieve this on more
than a few occasions, have you any advice on how I could achieve this? Yours Respectfully
Steven Scott
Read more about meditation . . .
Sang H. Kim
Sang H. Kim
Dear Master Kim, I am a 44 year-old cho dan student in Tae Kwon Do. I work out consistently
in the dojang and at home (weights, NordicTrac, running), and have achieved a reasonably
high level of ability and fitness for my age. A nagging problem that has exacerbated
recently is upper-body rigidity. Sah Bum Nim reminds me constantly that my punches
during forms (pyung ahn, cholgi, and black-belt level WTF) are being "pushed"
and that they tend to rise as if I'm skiing. Also my elbow is traveling away from
my body as I punch. He believes the source of my problem is that my shoulders are
not sufficiently relaxed. Do you know of drills, exercises or techniques I can employ
to solve this problem? If I "focus" on relaxing, I tend to tense up more!
Thank you for your help. Bob, NY
Read more about shoulder flexibility . . .
Sang H. Kim
Dear Master Kim; I think I own every one of your videos and I enjoy each one tremendously.
I am a Brown belt and I regularly compete with Black belts. I am tall and big and
have found that the side kick has worked well for me, but is limiting in terms of
combinations and initial striking techniques. Would you suggest I abandon it as
an offensive weapon (it is great for defense) or is there a way to use it like the
push kick on on your various videos?
Read more about using side kick during sparring . . .
Sang H. Kim
I am a keen martial artist but when i am sparring i feel as if my reactions aren't
quick enough to block some of the attacks. i would be grateful if you could recommend
some ways for me to improve my reactions. Thank you, Dave Price, England
Read more about sparring reaction time . . .
Sang H. Kim
I am an experienced martial artist and I intend to pass my knowledge on to my 5
year old son. I have never taught someone of that age (let alone my own son), I
am seeking some advice on some reference material that I can use to make this as
fun for he and I as possible. Thank you, Dave Ruhl
Read more about teaching children martial arts . . .
Sang H. Kim
Hi my name is Richard Nieves. I love martial arts. I'm having difficulty with flexibility
and speed. I'm 29 years old and I have heavy legs, strong but heavy. I'm 5ft 9 and
my weight is 215lbs. I'm wondering, do you think I can reach to do a split at some
point? Kamsa- hamnida, Sabunim, Richard Nieves
Read more about how to do a split
Sang H. Kim
My name is Daniel and I would like to ask you for some advice on how to improve
kicking with my weaker leg. I can execute well balanced kicks with my stronger leg
but I can't seem to do so with the other leg. Thank you. Yours sincerely, Daniel
Read more
about kicking with your weaker leg . . .
Sang H. Kim
Sang H. Kim
I was wondering if you could provide any advice and exercises to help with balance.
I find myself having difficulty with my kicking and not only the more advanced kicks,
spin kicks, etc, but also the fundamental kicks as well. I am 38 years old and have
been training in TKD for 4 years now. This balance problem along with my limited
flexibility is making my advancement difficult. Thank you for any assistance you
may be able to provide. Matt Odishoo, CT
Read more about kicking balance . . .
Sang H. Kim
I was wondering if there was any books or videos that I could get to get more practice
and training in Kyuk'pa (breaking techniques). Or maybe some tips. I am a 19 yrs
old Cho-dan (first degree) black belt (Kukkiwon). I train in TKD, JUDO, and some
Aikido & Jujitsu. David Tran
Read more about taekwondo kyukpa . . .
Sang H. Kim
Do you have any advice on the balance of strength and flexibility in kicking? I
train in Tae Kwon Do and work hard on strength and flexibility training to improve
my kicks.When I practice my kicking, I kick well above my head, but I am afraid
that I lose much power when kicking at that level. I work hard on my strength training
to solve this problem, but it seems to affect my flexibility! PLEASE HELP ME! James
Garza, AZ
Read more about kicking strength and flexibility . . .
Sang H. Kim
Sang H. Kim
First of all I would like to tell you that I recently ordered your
Kyoroogi book and
Teaching, the Way of the Master book, and I am really impressed
with your tips, philosophy, and expertise. I am currently a 3rd dan black belt in
Tae Kwon Do (W.T.F.) and have been an instructor for over 12 years. I have only
recently been using Visualization techniques for myself, and would very much like
to start having my students practice this also at the end of each class. My question
to you is this: How do you get everyone to do this in a group atmosphere? Especially
in my children's class, because they do not understand the concept as easily as
adults. Any tips you could offer me would be greatly appreciated. Jim Ginter, MN
Read more about using visualization in martial arts training . . .
Sang H. Kim
Is there any advice you can give me in regards to breaking bricks? In less than
two weeks, I will be testing for my second degree black belt and one of the things
I have to do is break two bricks. I plan on doing a hammer strike. I've been conditioning
my hand for almost three months now and have noticed the tissue build up on my hand.
I've been practicing the break lately, but I am not having much luck. I've tried
at least 6 different bricks. I did break one, which surprised me because it seemed
so easy. The other bricks I feel I am striking as hard as the one I broke, but my
hand just stops and my arm vibrates all the way up to my shoulder. When I strike
the brick my hand doesn't really hurt anymore, so I feel I conditioned it pretty
well. I feel like I'm striking with much power and mentally I feel like I can break
them, so I don't know what I am doing wrong. Renee Verg
Read more about brick breaking . . .
Sang H. Kim
What is your opinion of weight training for the martial arts that I train in: iaido,
kobudo jo, and wado ryu karate; also, do you have any specific diet recommendations
as far as foods that are useful for a body practicing martial arts? C. S. Ramsey
Read
more about martial arts strength training . . .
Sang H. Kim
Sang H. Kim
Sang H. Kim
dear master sang kim, i have been watching most of your TKD dvds as well as your
book on TKD, and there is something that puzzles me a lot which is the use and effectiveness
of sidekick in sparring. from what i have read or noticed, sidekick is not used
very often in sparring. my big question is WHY? i see sidekick has the same kind
of impact as a back kick and yet it can be executed as quick as a back kick with
the advantage of keeping your opponent in sight instead of turning away and lose
sight of your opponent. i often feel a lot more confident in using a sidekick rather
than a backkick because i can keep my eye on my oppoent and i can target far better
than a back kick. from your book, it mentioned that it is difficult to score with
using sidekick. why is that? by the way, i am also a big fan of bruce lee, and apparantly
bruce lee used a lot of sidekicks in combats and it can be an extremely powerful
kick. i am just hoping with your extreme knowledge, skills and experience with TDK,
you can shed some light on the reasons of why or how sidekick is not an ideal kick
in sparring. i thank you in advance for your time and effort and i look forward
to your reply. Jeannie
Read more about using side kick to counterattack . . .
Sang H. Kim
I am just curious as to how you approach teaching someone who is left handed. Is
it as easy as reversing everything (which actually sounds pretty hard if you learned
it all the normal way). Do you ever train, or do the forms left handed as a way
to teach ambidextrous techniques, etc? Ric Reith
Read more about ambidextrous training . . .
Dr. Jacob Jordan
Dr. Art Brisacher
Sometimes I feel like I am stuck and I don't make any progress. This is very discouraging
and I feel like I will never learn some techniques that other people learn really
easily. How can I make faster progress? Blake Gibson, Rockport, ME
Read more about progress in training . . .
Ted Weimann
I was wondering if you could help me with 'push-ups'. I am a 33 year old male, but
am having a terrible time doing push-ups. Although I practise everyday, I cannot
seem to get past more than half a dozen proper ones. Could you offer me any advice?
Also, which muscle is used for push-ups? Thank you, Mike Selby British Columbia,
Canada
Read more about how to do push-ups . . .
Ted Weimann
I am unsure about the full mechanics of the left jab/straight punch. I just finished
Ted Weimann's book, "Warrior Speed."
I would definitely call it excellent and useful, except for this area. While working
my way through the pages, I used some of his suggestions in my Krav Maga classes
and my instructors were very complimentary about my, "sudden improvements."
To me, it is very clear the man really knows what he's saying. However, he's a bit
vague about the simple left strike. Does it come up from the floor like the right
cross? How can I increased the power (I know it's primarily a speed, not power move)
when using it in combination? Thanks. Regina Hayes
Read more about the karate jab . . .
Ted Weimann
I am a sixteen year old male and have been doing martial arts for 3 years. I have
done kung fu and have now moved on to taekwondo and am enjoying it greatly. I have
purchased Warrior Speed and found it very
useful but I find it very hard to come up with a good training plan to increse speed
and muscular strength. I have a reasonable knowledge about human anatomy and would
be very grateful if you could use your knowledge to make a routine. Thank you for
your time, Peter, England
Read more about increasing your speed and strength . . .
Ted Weimann
I'm planning to do some weight training to increase my speed and power. I will shortly
be acquiring a few books and videos to make sure I do it right and safely but this
question has been bothering me for a while. Can i ever be as strong as a power lifter
or body builder without looking so bulky and freakishly over the top . Can I expect
to be as strong as a man say weighing 300 pounds of muscles without getting so heavier,
slow and inflexible using weight lifting techniques of martial artists. Tahreif
Hylton
Read more about power lifiting for martial arts . . .
Aaron Hoopes
Hey, I just had a question on the breathing. I read of how it can preserve moisture
and all but when I do try this I find I do not receive enough air to keep going
and to breath I need to breath out my mouth to get more air. Any advice?
Read more about breathing for martial arts . . .
