Hi Tim, been a lurker reading your site for some time and loving it. I would like to ask you a personal question, if you don't mind. I was just wondering how old you are and how old you were when you started your IMA training. Also, when did you start learning classical Chinese (reading and writing) and where (US or Taiwan) did you start? Thanks in advance.

Hi Thomas,
I'm 42. I started practicing martial arts when I was 11, and began training in the IMA when I was 23.

I began studying Chinese in 1984 in Taiwan.

off topic again i know!

but i have a few questions for tim and everybody!

what do you guys think of harding methods?
i'm not talking about that,you creeps!
punching sand bags,rocks or who knows?
or muay thai stuff,like hitting the shin with a bottle or stick?
is it worth it?or can we cause stress on the bones and make it more frail?

and the second one;
some say we should close and contract the fist
at the very last moment of impact.
but what if the guy moves in and catch you off
timing,and your fist is not tight yet!
it breaks?
or,you're a soft IMA freak then what happens when
you hit?i'd rather be hit by a towel than a stick!

what if you can keep the fist closed and tight
without contracting the arm and shoulder?
so you can swing and throw it like a rock!

bruce lee said to contract on impact!
but if the power comes from the legs and hips,
and even shoulder!
then what does the wrist matter?

Wow, 40 is great isn't it!

40 is great?
who cares?you're still good,if you think you're still good!
it doesn't matter how old you are.
it when you stop caring that it goes down hill!!!!
back to my question.please,do you old guy do it,
not that you crazy horny fucks!!
hardening methods?hit stuff or else?

Marc, of course your questions come first. You're the most important person on this board. It's all about you Marc.

Listen Prick. Why should Tim or anyone answer your questions?

"40 is great? Who cares? You're still good, if you think you're still good!"

What you've just said is an insult to a lifetime of hard work and research.

What Tim can do at 42 is phenomenal for anyone at any age. 30 plus years of dedication and a continuing openness to try new things is even more impressive. Where are your credentials that you should dismiss his so easily?

Tim's not "still good", he's still getting better all the time.

Hi Tim,what is your weight now and your actual fighting weight.Also do you reccommend any supplements for gaining weight.

I weigh 162lbs, I fight at 160lbs. I try to always stay within 5lbs of my fighting weight.

There are a lot of new supplements on the market, I'm not an expert. The only nutritional supplements I use are egg white protein and cod liver oil.

You might want to check bodybuilding.com they have reviews of supplements.

I have heard good things about ordering from www.massnutrition.com

Not sure how much education they provide, but it looks like they sell everything.

matt, i said nothing bad about tim.
i don't know where you get that from?
my point was that it doesn't matter how old you are.it's when you start feeling old that you start getting old!
no one answered,do you guys do hardening methods?
i'm not talking viagra!other bones!

Marc have you ever considered suicide? Do the honorable thing.

MAXIPAD!have you heard of my friend tampons?
back to your question;i'll do it if you do it first!

Hey Tim, thanks for the reply.Do you follow any specific eating regimen? Do you think sugar and dairy are a bad thing to have in one's diet?
Thanks again for your time.

try daoist (dungest) diet it simple follow just eat sheit.

Maxiscool,

I don't eat much sugar or grain/grain based foods.

Hi tim,have you ever considered gaining weight to a heavier weight class?Do you think its better for one to be at a heavier weight or at a lighter weight?

apprentice here,
hey Tim i got a great story to tell. A few days ago i was lookin at my xanga to see if i had any new comments but then i got sidetracked and noticed that a new bar came up and said stuff like how many comments i've gotten that week/day, eprops, subscriptions etc. Then i saw "footprints," hmmmm i wonder what that could be. So i clicked on it. Turns out it tells u who is going to your xanga. Saw my friends, some people i've never met before, and then i saw Michigan, United States, and California. Now U.S. and MI i can understand because i knew that the government keeps tabs on my generation for underage smoking/drinking etc. But California???
WTF mate. Now i racked my brain for a few moments. Is there anyone i know in Cali? Nope
Anyone that lives in Cali that is subscribed to me? nope.....wait thats right Ky nows a guy in Cali....search her xanga...nope he must not have a xanga......hmmmmm....wait ShenWu.I signed into a few of my good friends' xangas and theirs only siad MI and U.S. but no Cali. Interesting.

Ahhhh Timmy r u keepin tabs on me and my friends, or am i just not gettin enough sleep? I'll take the latter, if not why don't u go ahead and tell me
ttfn
apprentice

Wow, Master Cartmell you look young! I thought you were close to my age!(33) We could square off at the same weight class.....but, wait, I've got better things to do then get slammed to the mat all day! And anyways your reputation precedes you on your ability to escape holds and throws. Crap ,man, throwing you is out of the question!

Mr. Daoust:
Addressing your questions:
1. their is something to be said about being hard...it helps with conditioning and can be used to succesfully scare people-particularly by sending a heavy bag to the ceiling....me personally, never been attacked by a tree so never felt the neeed to learn how to break boards.
2: I love it when people make a fist before punching. you rap with a good ol' 1 knuckle on their knuckles, they cant use their hands.
I love fools (even more)who try to make a fist just before hitting. Striking their hands is a thing of beauty-cause its always severe! jams, breaks, etc....
try learning instead to hit with your forearms. why take the possibility of damaging your hands for grabbing when you might turn around and find four other guys heading your direction.
just food for thought Dahooey.

Ross,

I've thought about moving up a weight class, but I've been competing at my present weight for years. I sometimes compete in the open class (unlimited weight divisions).


I think it's best to be at the weight at which your strength to weight ratio is the highest (the leanest/strongest you can be at the highest weight you can naturally manage).

Apprentice,
That's right, I'm monitoring all your activities, then I report back to the mother ship.

Keep your tinfoil hat on.


GG,
Thanks.

Thanks for the response Tim.What has been the maximum weight of someone that you have grappled with? Also how does a lighter person make himself 'heavier' on the mat?

The heaviest? About 525 lbs.

Making yourself "heavy" is about the correct placement of your weight at the right angle, and the sensitivity to "intercept" your opponent's resistant force early by adjusting your position so the opponent cannont find a point of leverage.