newtkd

I'm 5'7'' and i'm going to my first tkd sparring tourney in august. i know i'm short and will be going against taller opponents. i'm 25 and just a white belt w/yellow tip. Just looking for some tips to sparring someone taller than me since almost everyone will be taller than me.

and also, what are the weight classes? It's WTF taekwondo. I'm at 184 right now and i'm wondering what class i'll be in and if i'd have to cut weight or anything. Serious replies only please.

Here is a school near my house. Wondering if it's a mcdojang. http://www.itaonline.com/ Anyone here of this association? Don't want to join too quickly. Instructors are nice and friendly but that's b/c they want my money. Serious answers only please.

I'm in Taekwondo and whenever i do a certain type of kick, the area right about my groin and right under my private area pops. I know that the hip flexors are right there. It doesn't hurt when it pops in the beginning, but later in class if we keep doing the kicks it starts to hurt and the next morning i am sore. Did i pull a muscle? Know any stretches to help this? Should i be concerned? It doesn't feel like the muscle popping, it feels more like the bone moving in the joint.

Whenever i do a cresent kick with my right leg, the joint area "pops" near the upper groin area, almost as if i'm double jointed. It doesn't hurt when i do the kick but the next morning i am sore in that area. Any tips on stretching these area's. Should i be concerned about the pop? It's only in my right leg.

The International Taekwondo Alliance?? Opinions? Found this association on the net. Wondering what the opinions are before i check it out.

Would it benefit me if i would practice at home with wrists and ankle weights? I've heard these types of weights can be dangerous on those areas. If i did my situps/pushup/stretching/and bag work with these on, would it help?

When studying TKD, what should the class teach? Meditation? Breathing Techniques? Forms? I'm taking a TKD class and i'm learning forms, one-steps, etc. but i haven't been told how to breath or meditate. I've only been studying a week. Does this come later? Or did i join a mcdojo? Serious answers only please.

What are some good tips for stretching? Should I stretch every day? Or should I take a day off every now and then? I've just started TKD and don't want to over do it and hurt myself. I'm 25 and have always played baseball. This is my first time taking TKD. Serious answers only please. I don't care what some of you think of TKD.

What is the benefit of learning forms? I recently started TKD and I received my strip for knowing my form, but I would like to know what it is used for.

Is there a belt system in hapkido? What is the instructor called? What kind of training is done in hapkido i.e. pushups, sit-ups and so on?

Thinking of taking a martial arts. These three are what i've narrowed it down to. I'm looking for self-defense. I'm 5-7" and grew up a baseball athlete. I'm looking something that teaches discipline and patience along with the physical aspect. Grew up being picked on by bigger people. I want to be able to defend myself and my wife if need be. Any suggestions and comments are welcome. Serious answers only please.

I'm a relatively new golfer and i'm looking at buying either the Callaway Fusion FT3 Driver or the X-460 Driver......which is the better?