tori

Did you ever wake up from a dream that was so vivid, you wonder if it really happened. I have had dreams where I have become so mad at someone, that when I actually saw them later, i was still mad.

So we got this as a gift. So far it is really fun. I am wondering if anyone else bought the GHWT game for XBOX 360 and are using the RB2 drums. What do you do about the missing orange cymbal?

Traditional to me is just something that has been passed down from generation to generation. I know there is not alot of explanation behind that, but who am I to say what Martial Art is traditional or McDojo.

I guess I am really surprised at everyone's answers (and intrigued too). I love kata. As a kyu rank, I did them because I was required for rank advancement. As a Black Belt, I find the more I practice a kata, the more it opens me to endless possibilities of techniques. I for years have had a "focus" problem. One of those ADD type people. Kata is the one thing that focuses me and my mind. I can concentrate on correct movements, proper stances, power, basic and advanced techniques that may be hidden in the kata. When doing kata, my mind doesn't stray anywhere else. My mind stays controlled. I don't feel like it is flipping like channel surfing. Bunkai is individual. Just because my instructor may tell me his bunkai for a technique is ... doesn't mean that I see the same bunkai. I love exploring the bunkai to kata. I have learned alot about my style through kata, but that's me. I am not arguing that it is essential in all Martial Arts training, but it is essential in my own personal training.

A movement or serious of movements learned and when used properly can defend against an attack.

What did those coconuts ever do to him? Seriously though, why would you want to put yourself on t.v. and do something like that. It doesn't prove great martial art skill.

If you ask alot of people why they have started in Martial Arts, you are going to get alot of different answers ranging from , I was looking for self defense, to I wanted to lose some weight. Now ask parents why they put their kids in classes and you are going to get, I wanted them to learn discipline, self control, and respect. People come to Martial Arts schools looking for all of the above mentioned. How an instructor handles his/her students should be respected no matter what their approach is and each school is going to do things differently. Arguing about how it should be is silly. We all have our own opinions. Usually we are going to side with how our own instructors handle their classes. I personally started back in classes because I missed it and because I have a bit of an anger problem. I was specifically looking for the discipline and self control. Had I joined a program that didn't demand discipline and respect, I would have left. Not everyone shares my opinion. Those individuals have left our program. They can go to the club down the road where they address all the instructors by their first name and allow anyone from any style to come in and wear their black belts, even if the styles are vastly different from what they are teaching. If you didn't catch the sarcasm there, I wasn't trying hard enough.

Now I don't train in kempo, but there is a school nearby who claims to study the Ed Parker style. I do know that the school is affiliated with several other schools on the East Coast who are trying to keep their movements, techniques,... unified. Going to one of their websites leads to several instructors all working together as one. They have seminars together and really seem to keep the whole system organized.

We don't do anything special at all but I like the sound of this end of year get together. It may be something that I would like to suggest for the future.

Most of the time if i am looking for something particular, I just type it into the search engine. I get a great opportunity to explore other schools websites and always find one that has what i am looking for. It may take some time to find exactly what you want, but it is fun visiting other schools and seeing the similarities and differences.

I think a black belt practitioner should be able to teach and be teachable. He/she should be have respect for all who he/she comes in contact and carry themselves in a manner that allow others to respect them. A black belt truly is only a piece of fabric around the waist of someone who has little respect and compassion for those around them. It is a symbol worn around the waist of someone who best represents themselves, their instructor, and their school.

I guess I value the time I get to spend teaching and polishing my own skills. I love sharing with other students, whether they are children or adult.

In my personal opinion, instructors should not be in the same ring as their students, whether it be for kata, self defense, sparring, or weapons. It just makes it fair to all competitors and limits complaints from kids parents.

I like the spinning kick and a good hook kick. I haven't sparred in awhile because I have been running weapons classes on sparring night. I need to get back in their and work out some of this stress.

I like your style wolfgirl17.

Push ups for adults happen rarely JoeSteph, but they happen if rules are broken and discipline by an individual gets out of hand. Push ups happen more frequently for lack of control when doing a technique on someone and they are injured. Usually every sparring session, someone is doing push ups.

Bushido, I don't believe I was labeling all tournaments to be this way and certainly didn't mean in anyway to be labeling any MAist who competes. I think you misunderstood me. I have not found any tournaments in my tri state area that are not connected somehow to the PKRA or PKA tournament system. I am sure there are schools hosting none point rated tournaments, they are just hard to find because they are not always posted online.

We are required to write essays for Dan rankings.

I don't quite understand what you are looking for in a tournament. If a tournament doesn't use a point system, then how do you judge the competitors? Tournaments are supposed to be displays of superiority of skill against others. If you don't go with points (in sparring), then you have to look into other avenues, which basically leaves the knock-out. That's about it. Perhaps what you are looking for is a seminar, or interschool workout, or something like that. People would be more willing to share information and work with you in a setting like that, as opposed to a tournament setting. Competitions definitely are not for everyone. Although I have done my share, they aren't for me. But I do respect those that can go and compete and do well; it is not an easy thing to do. The point rated system is a year long goal of achieving points and at the end of the season (year), the individuals who posted top points win something. You see the same people at every tournament. They do the same thing over and over again at every tournament. If you watch any of their skills outside of what they use as competition, it is very poor. I know this because if at black belt, you tie in any event, you have to do something different. That was how i took 1st place in kata once. 3 of us tied. I did a different kata and did well. The group I was sitting with said I only won because they rarely practice their other kata, only the ones they use to perform for competition and apparantly there are not usually ties. They have developed poor sportsmanship with others. I am not trying to make this sound worse, but its all true. i would be standing and waiting to compete and hear them say degrading remarks out loud about each person competing. I went to a nice tournament in Buffalo once. It wasnt a point rated tournament (no one was going to win anything because of accumulated points at end of season.) It was friendly. Everyone rooted for everyone. These events are rare.

We are to address our instructor by his proper title inside and outside of the dojo. We also do this for all black belt ranks. I would never talk when my instructor is talking. If someone is doing this, he yells, "Do not talk while i am talking." Makes you stop right now. Martial Arts is different than other sports. The discipline and respect needs to be there. A dojo is not a weight lifting club or a gym. Unfortunately, many places are being run that way.

I do not think that I would ever allow myself to be hired to protect anyone. I can't say that I value some celebrities life more than my own. Maybe that is selfish to say, but its true. I wouldn't put my life in jeopardy for Brittney Spears As for my children, it wouldn't matter if I had Martial Arts training or not. I would go ballistic on anyone who tried to harm my kids. Same goes for my husband, siblings, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles... You have the picture.

We do have several occassions where younger students teach adults; however, all our black belt teachers are at least 16 and have gone through extensive training in order to be able to teach. We do not have anyone complain. The Black belts in our dojo are constantly going through training on all their current and previous requirements. In this case, I think it is fine to have younger kids teach older students.

If we have a mix of ages and ranks in class, we appoint the highest child rank to lead warm ups with the children and the highest adult rank to warm up the adults. If the children do not behave seriously, it usually isn't a problem, because even though Shihan may be off the floor, he is still watching. Push ups to follow. This goes for the adults also

You know Brokenswordx, I have even tried to find a tournament in my area that was not based on a point rated system. Just a nice traditional school that may be hosting a local traditional tournament. I can't find one anywhere. I even happened on one website in my area that didn't even say what style they were, just that they host the biggest tournament in the area and that they were #1 rated. Lots of tournament pics, no style listed - anywhere. Its frustrating because I actually would love to attend a friendly, fun tournament. Haven't been to one in years.

Fu man, i agree!