tori

I would just love to go to okinawa and train there in a traditional shotokan dojo. That would be great.

You will pass. Have fun.

gankaku, nijushiho, kanku dai, bassai dai, and empi

I just want to keep going until I can't physically do it anymore. Hopefully that will be many years down the road, but with each year that passes, something else in my body hurts. I don't look at where I can go in my rank. I just want to be good at what I do and be good at teaching others.

I think learning occurs everytime you go to class. However, I do believe that my true learning began after I started teaching. That may sound weird, but I paid attention more closely to how my instructor was teaching and made sure I was practicing consistently to better myself and my own teaching skills.

Next Tuesday I test for my 1st degree Black Belt. After almost 5 years of training, I am one test away!!

 

I have had this dream since I was about 8yrs old and I am so close!!!

 

I am going back and forth between excitement and nervousness

 

Prayers and well wishes greatly appreciated

So how did it go?!

Well our BB test took 4 hours, so I would not want to do that again; however, there have been many classes where we have walked in and he has had the whole class go through a "mini" test. We had to demonstrate much of what we know with the whole class. As the night moves on, the lower ranks sit down when their requirements are done. They then get to continue to watch the upper ranks demonstrate. It is a great way to look and see what black belts are there just to be there, and which ones actually take being a student seriously. I believe it is also a way for the head instructor to get a better picture of who may be up next to rank to the next black belt level. Some people have been held back based on those nights of the suprise "pop quiz".

Congratulations, that's awesome. I envy you guys, i wish mine was into the arts...instead i get an eye roll everytime i start speaking of MAs!

That goes double for me KyoSa!

Exactly! I know alot about football. I love it. Yet, I don't believe I could be an asset to a team. Although, I am a huge Buffalo Bills fan, and I am not sure I could really hurt them either.

In our school, the most important 10 rules are actually posted above the door as you walk into the training area... clean, wrinkle free gi, no talking while instructor is talking, no profanity... You get the point. In our manual, the beginning does have the rules and responsibilities of the students listed. It is not too much. Then the manual is broken down by the different ranks and what is expected of them to achieve that and the next rank. It is quite nice. There are rules and if it is in the manual, the student or parent cannot come back to you later and tell you they were never told.

I loved Math and Science while I was in school. I didn't like History. I would skip everyday. Now, I wish I had tried a little to learn. Someday, when I have time, I plan to take a college course in American History. Someday.

The school I attend has no air conditioning so when its really hot and humid outside, unfortunately I can not train. For medical reasons, etc., I simply can not risk getting heat stroke. Spring & Fall is the best times to train, in my opinion.

In all honesty, with the popularity of Martial Arts and the vast range of different ages involved, keeping the place cool for their best interest is almost a must anymore. It is the very young and the very old who will dehydrate the fastest. I never thought to look at that way. Personally, I am one who would rather not have the AC on. I like sweating and being pushed, but not at the risk of the older individuals at our dojo.

I think at times, we all believe we are experts in something. I know that I am an awesome armchair quarterback. I can't believe the NFL hasn't called me yet with all the experience I have.

He was a very smart comedian. I'm glad I got the chance to see him live. If you ever get the chance, read his books. They are funny and very insightful. RIP George. "Joe bless you."

I have seen it happen in my school. My instructor was particularly hard on his own child and very leniant on his wife. He treats the rest of the class as he treated his son. In that, I am grateful. In all honesty men, would you want to be really hard on the woman you have to go home and live with? If my husband treated me the way that my instructor treats us, I would kick the crap out of him.

ebay has every type of gi at very low costs. Most have never been worn.

good luck. Let us know what you have chosen.

You know, it is something you have to think about. If some drunk comes up to you and throws a punch at you, what kind of self defense are you going to do. Are you going to do a simple technique that will just put the person down to the ground and not really hurt them as much as let them know you aren't playing around, or are you going to do a technique that could potentially cause serious life threatening injuries? Having experience in Martial Arts does not give one the right to take another human beings life, even if it is in self defense. A police officer would be charged (i hope) if he fired his weapon on a suspect who stole something and took off running, causing no harm to others during his escape. An officer cannot use lethal force unless his life or others are in danger, so why should a MA be given any freedom in their actions if their life is not in complete risk of serious life threatening injury.

You will be fine, just have fun!

Saw it yesterday. It was cute. Not as funny as I thought it would be though.

This is a subject that will never see eye to eye with everyone. I am not the head instructor at my school, but I do have a difference in opinion from him in ranking students. I believe that a junior black belt should be recognized as such, based on their skill level. I am not saying that you cannot learn from a junior black belt. You can. I also am not saying I wouldn't rank a "junior black belt" to adult black belt, because based on the individual student, he or she may deserve it. The person in question here was a 16 year old who trained 4 nights a week for more than 10 years. I bet he is very good at what he does. I train with adult black belts who only come sporadically, have very little technique and no teaching ability. Sure, they came alot while they were kyu's. They trained twice a week, but after reaching shodan, they gave up on the school. I would have that 16 year old who trains consistently teach me anything over the 40 year old black belt who could care less. If you can't find it to learn from anyone and any situation, than you are keeping your mind closed to many possibilities in life.

Absolutely Bushido, I believe a person could have great knowledge in any subject without ever physically being involved. It would be like a person who is so intrigued in being a pilot that they know everything about planes and flying but never have the actual flying experience. I still wouldn't trust them to pilot a plane I might be on.

Really you just need to go to a few schools and take some trial memberships. Most schools have them. Do what style fits you best.

In our manuals, we have an entire section assault, battery, torts, ... and the responsibility of a Martial Arts practitioner in a true self defense situation as opposed to a bar fight type deal (which none of us would ever be involved in). We even had a lawyer and police officer come to a special training where they explained what could happen to an individual involved in a fight where they used excess amount of "self defense" against an alleged attacker. I think it was an eye opener for many, as they thought they could defend themselves at any cost against another person.

Nothing wrong with training to stay in shape and such but I do kind of laugh when older people try to get into the fight game late in life. I'm 23 and I've been into martial arts since a very young age. I kickbox competitively and I see a lot of 30-35+ people trying to jump into the game and they don't last. Injuries take longer to heal at that age and 9/10 times there is no hope for that person to get to any sort of elite level.

I know it is kinda mean to say but it's the truth.

There are no age limits on training in any Martial Arts, or anything that matters. Any way that an individual can better themselves mentally and/or physically is worth being a part of. Before you know it, you will be 35 years old. It happens in a blink of an eye. I bet then, you won't want someone to put limits on you and your abilities.