sensei8

To me, this appears to be a common brown belt testing cycle; a general test in todays MA school. Good luck, hang in there, have fun, relax, and practice!!

Fair enough!! I respect that!! I'm glad to know that you've reasons to stick it out for the long haul. Keep hanging in there!!

What about that element? Is the fault that of that "bad teacher"? Is the student EQUALLY responsible for that? Math was my worse subject because I'm not wired that way. Or was it because the teacher was bad at teaching math. Not all black belts can teach, nor should they try, and in that same light, not every math genius can teach. My brother, Donald, is a genius in many subjects, including math, he an ASE Certified Master Mechanic, and with that, he owns a very successful shop where he lives. After all, he does Calculus for fun because it relaxes him, but as a teacher, he's an very impatient individual. He gets angry at the person that he's teaching math, and will say..."Why can't you get this? It's easy!" Yeah, for him, but not for me. I struggle with basic math, always have and always will. I'm calculator dependent to the Nth degree!! My brothers mindset of teaching has made it where I can't learn math from him; there's no joy in figuring out the math solution. His angry makes me want to give him a free Karate lesson!!

Me neither!! To assuming...to restrictive...to binding...to demanding...to, well, to many "to" for me.

If there's no joy, of any type, and you don't see any light at the end of the tunnel, then, as sad as it may seem, it's time to seek that which is enjoyable, and that might include walking away from that dojo, but hopefully, not the MA!! I don't envy your situation. Joy must be there, and if it's not, then there's no sense in prolonging the agony any further. Especially if the style and the instructor isn't the issue.

If I can say this...isn't that the beauty of TKD...the ability to kick to the head; one of the staples of TKD!! Of course, being predominately a proponent of hand strikes and the like, I'm glad to see more punches than kicks. After all, TKD isn't ALL kicks and no Te Waza!! Besides, if one can kick faster than one can punch, then by all means, kick away. FWIW I lost that fight.... Regards to the amount of kicking, I'm a heavyweight so it's not that common and body type is a big factor in how you should spar. Though I thought myself and Brian are reasonable similar so a good comparison. The lower weight division do throw more headshots and are on the whole much more mobile. e.g. . Blue trains at my dojang, same instructor, same training sessions, but the sparring style is different due to body type. Danielle, I'm a firm believer that mobility can be disrupted through angling transitions; cut them off at the pass, so to speak! What I do, is not let them complete movements within the range of the given attack. Someone that loves to dart in and out of range can be dealt with by pressing them just as the attack begins to unfold. But this is a dead end if timing is off for one reason or another. Btw, your link only directs me to a basic YouTube page, and to no specific video, that I can tell. Maybe my 'puter is acting up AGAIN!!

This is an interesting point often made in MA study, and Bruce Lee is often cited as saying it, too. But, like many MA adages, sometimes, they are taken too literarily or taken too far. For example, I can look and look and look in TKD for some answers to grappling situations, but I'm going to find better answers in a BJJ school. Likewise, I can train one punch over and over and over again, but at some point, I reach the point of diminishing returns, and that time can be better spent working some different techniques and skills. Training certain techniques extensively can be very important. But one should be sure to not take it over the top. Whoa...that, right there, is one SOLID POST!!

Solid post!! OK...I just turned 58...maybe Ballet's out!! .

I wholeheartedly agree with you, Nidan Melbourne!!

I don't take your advice as a joke because ballet is learnt from a wide spectrum of people, including professional athletes. Ballet accentuates movements learnt in the MA; gives them that smooth polish. Good call, JR 137!!

Welcome to KF, 126barnes; glad that you're here!!

True, boards don't hit back, and as Bruce put it, and implied, BUT I DO HIT BACK!! It's not going to be that one sided because I'm not just going to stand by idle and allow you to have your way. Attack me, I'll defend myself...take a stance with arms up, and your intent seems quite clear. And unlike a static board, I won't be static, and I DO HIT BACK. Hit me, I will return the favor ten fold!!

I triple the notion...a cane. If not a cane, an umbrella!

Looks like everyone had a blast. What a fun way to announce the sex of the baby; very clever!! CONGRATS!!

Here's a really good article on the topic: http://www.kidokwan.org/articles/the-evolution-of-taekwondo-from-japanese-karate/ Lots of supporting references. Good find! Thank you, truejim!!

I recorded this video, so I can speak to your comments, a bit. Merriman Sensei did say that we have kihon bunkai to get people started, which I suppose it what you may be thinking of with "correct bunkai?" After that, though, he insisted that everyone should explore the kata and test it to find what works for them, even if that makes it different from what others are doing. Sounds like Oyo, to me!!

Solid post!!

I wholeheartedly concur! I don't like being told what is the most important anything, including Kata, when it comes to the MA. Not my Soke, and not my Dai-Soke ever implied that one Kata was the most important; they let us decide for ourselves because it's our journey, and not theirs. All Kata, imho, is equally important in that they each teach different and specific elements. Interpretation can be a tricky thing.

I'm asked quite often... "What advice do you have for students who want to become an instructor?" My most direct answer is... You have to love it, the MA that is!! And if you don't love it, don't touch it, being an instructor, that is. And if you hate it, the MA, it is because you had a very bad teacher!! I make students love the MA!! Your thoughts, please!

Solid OP; thank you for sharing it. The most important Kata? I believe that that's a personal preference. The Bunkai can be can be analyzed in other kata, separate from Sanchin without loosing anything. I do understand Sanchin can have SD application and I don't think it's wrong to practice Bunkai in Sanchin, therefore I believe that it's a personal preference.

Solid posts...hit on all of the cylinders!! Most Hombu is designed to MANAGE THE BRAND!! Seeing that this letter was from that hypothetical Hombu to recruit a instructor FOR that Hombu, they've the rights and responsibilities to govern their staff in order to protect the student body AND the brand. The conditions are set forth to protect the brand at all costs!! Rules and regulations are amended from time to time because someone and/or something violated the sanctity of the brand some how and some way. The brand MUST BE PROTECTED!! Reminds me of a situation in my previous organization... One dojo taught another striking art alongside the main art. A group of students went to the honbu to test, and every single one of them made the same mistakes repeatedly. Kihon was altered, and those techniques carried over into kata. The head of the organization and instructors at the test started correcting students, until it became painfully obvious that it was a school-wide thing. The head of the organization pulled that dojo's CI aside and let him hear it (in semi-private). He reluctantly passed the students, as they were doing exactly what they were told by their CI. They didn't know any better. He told the CI if it ever happens again, the students will all fail, and he'll be out. I remember hearing something along the lines of 'if what we do isn't right, find another organization.' I support that Hombu's decision wholeheartedly! It's ok for a CI of a dojo to teach other styles of the MA, but not to alter the core of the syllabus. Others would disagree with me, stating that a student of the MA is to amend the MA to fit THAT practitioner...I agree...however...in the context of the core style...no...unacceptable. Take all that one knows in order to start a new style of the MA, if need be.

Solid post...a profound solid point!!

Solid posts...hit on all of the cylinders!! Most Hombu is designed to MANAGE THE BRAND!! Seeing that this letter was from that hypothetical Hombu to recruit a instructor FOR that Hombu, they've the rights and responsibilities to govern their staff in order to protect the student body AND the brand. The conditions are set forth to protect the brand at all costs!! Rules and regulations are amended from time to time because someone and/or something violated the sanctity of the brand some how and some way. The brand MUST BE PROTECTED!!

I believe that I'd...throw the letter into the trash, but not before I'd submit a response letter to the Hombu thanking them for considering me for the position, while informing the Hombu that I will not be joining their teaching staff in any shape, way, and/or form, and leave it at that. That Hombu would want to discuss my reasons in my decision, yet I'd decline to said discussion unless pressed, and pressing me to explain myself outside of a professionally written response isn't, and wouldn't be prudent and wise for that Hombu. This is what I'd be thinking... Who cares about the Testing Cycle?! I surely don't! If my only purpose is to teach for the up and coming Testing Cycle, then find someone else. I've not dedicated my life to the MA for any Testing Cycle; rank is subjective and shouldn't ever be a reason for learning the MA! Hombu wants me to teach for the preparedness of the 2016 Testing Cycle!?! Then this shows me their priorities, and it also shows me that my worthiness is to satisfy the ultimate goal...THE TESTING CYCLE...FOR RANK! Conditional? Then save paper by not inviting me to join staff! I'd either be a valuable member of staff, one that can be trusted, or I'm not! Can't have both...so pick one. If it's the latter and not the former, then don't waste my time!! I've no problem with that providing that, as an instructor, I can amend on a per student basis. The syllabus is important, I believe that, but it's not written on granite, but on paper, and not in the heart of men/women!! A lesson plan?! This is the MA, and not some kind of public school entity! The syllabus is the guide, but providing a lesson plan that lays out what's to be taught on what day limits the instructor; I'm not an anatomical robot, but a human being that knows what to teach and how to teach and when to teach. Again, if I'm not trusted to teach the syllabus, then why invite me!?! Subject: The Testing Cycle!! Yeah, I don't teach just for the sake of ANY TESTING CYCLE!! The Testing Cycle is a measuring tool, and nothing more than that! The MA IS my subject. If a student seeks out my counsel beyond the Testing Cycle, then by gosh, I'll provide it and not refer the student back to the Hombu, if I know how to help. The Hombu isn't the sole authority to grant permission of that scope...STUDENT asks...SENSEI answers. Referring to the Hombu all of the time, takes the legs right from under me; student will thing I don't know much except to prepare them for the Testing Cycle. I've 51 years of knowledge and experience, and this Hombu wants to suppress that...hardly a measure of an instructor of the MA. I always do!! There are many maxims that I will not ever violate; that's within me, and not negotiable at all, with no exceptions. Now if I received this hypothetical letter from the Hombu while I had my own dojo, I'd simply inform them through the proper channels...thanks but no thanks, I've got my own dojo and I run that!!

That sounds like a lot of fun, and work, for both of you!! Good luck at the WKU World Championships...knock them dead!!