sensei8

Thanks for sharing all of the latest videos...AWESOME!! Congrats to Kendall for qualifying for State; he'll be just fine...nervous...but he'll be just fine!! Be safe on your travels, and to Kendall...I'M IN YOUR CORNER SIR!!

Hwa Rang Do!! Something I'd train in but more than just through exchanges!

I agree 100%. I hated contracts until I started running a school. Most professional instructors do this for a few reasons: 1. Steady and dependent cash flow: Paying bills, planning marketing, and paychecks are only possible with a steady cash flow. 2. Steady Paycheck: Most instructors double as the school owner too. I think it's pretty fair of a person to want to know how much they will make from month to month. Look at your own situations. How would you like it if your workplace randomly handed out paychecks? This month, you get $200...next month nothing... the third month you get $5000. 3. Your instruction is better because of it. If an instructor has to constantly chase down checks from the non-payers...and I know I was shocked at how many people "forget" to pay...he is spending his time and energy focusing on that task and not on training you. When an instructor has a system set up for automatic payments, he spends more time working on class setup and less on chasing people down. 4. Contracts are a standard part of society. I don't know why some people freak out when a martial artist does it. I have a contract for the private school my daughter attends. If I pull her out today...I'm paying till Fall. I have a contract on my house payments...It's called a mortgage. Try and buy a house and just say, "I'm not signing anything." I only have problems with contracts under the following conditions: 1. They guarantee a certain rank in a certain time period 2. They have unreasonable exit clauses. My exit clause has sections for moving more than 25 miles away and serious injuries or change of heart in the first 30 days. I also don't think it's bad for an academy to make money. I want my academy to make money. That means my instructor is able to focus on me instead of worrying about his second job or whether he'll make his mortgage payment this month. The McDojo is characterized by "do anything" marketing tactics and low rank standards. On top of that they also tend to do the same things that good schools do: contracts, charge for testing, in school parties, retention programs ect... In other words, "You don't get what you're paying for." To me, "McDojo" is synonymous with "fraud." They are the slimy car dealer of the martial arts world. They will tell you anything to get you in the door and take your money, even if what they tell you isn't true. They're playing the odds that you won't bother complaining. I've had countless people call me asking for kickboxing. I own an BJJ academy. I have been given the advice by some "experts" that you should always say you have what they're looking for because people don't know the difference. That would be the action of a McDojo. Instead, I do this: "No I don't have a kickboxing program. We teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the academy. Were you looking for kickboxing specifically?" IF YES: "Ok, no problem. Let me give you the number of Ryan down the street. He's the best Kickboxing guy I know." IF NO: "Ok. Let me tell you a little about jiu-jitsu. You may be interested." Simple...I find the truth is 100 times more powerful than any lie. I have done this no less than 10 times and every time the person chose me because they appreciated my honesty. McDojos don't do that. McDojos: - Anything to get you in the door - Don't care about your skill To me, those two things make it a McDojo. Solid post!!

I wholeheartedly concur here with Brian!!

Tuite!! Our brand is a in-your-face type, an extreme close range model, and that, can be quite difficult to adopt to first, no matter the level. This is usually difficult because it takes a special mindset to be comfortable in a close range environment.

Solid post!! Have you had any injuries in your hips? Students of mine that have had this problem have had some issues with their hip-pointer due to some injury to that area in the past. Also, as suggested already, stretches that concentrate on your hips/lower back. This is about the hip pointer... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_pointer

If it's at all possible, and depending on the circumstances surrounding, that competitive spirit must be kept in check for it to be healthy. However, envy and jealously are not the marks, imho, of a well grounded MAist.

Welcome to KF!! Solid post!! To the bold type above... Kyu ranks, for us, are full ranks, no matter the age. However, the JBB was and is designed for those under the age of 18 years of age; at the forefront of this mindset is "Maturity". This is how our Soke made it to be so; with no ambiguity!! Who's to say who's mature or not? In our style, our Soke was the one that set it up, and it was his authority that said yea or nay!!

Nice Oyo!!

Point fighters equalizer...Reverse Punch!!

That's great ... congrats on your black belt I wholeheartedly concur!!

Envy...Jealousy...Competition...are these normal with top students? Imho, if so, they're not top students!! Are these mindsets due by their own design?

Do you think someone can change this mindset or not ?! so if you were raised in the way that Pressure is your enemy, can one day it be your ally Sure! But, one must WANT to change said mindset in a proactive manner! Sure, pressure is one's ally already, but is that positive pressure or negative pressure? If negative, then do what's necessary to make it positive. For example, testing cycles can generate a lot of negative pressure, i.e., worrying if they'll fail or not, to such a point that the negative pressure affects performing anxiety. That's why I'm always saying..."Allow the testing cycle to take care of itself", and that means, what happens will happen, don't worry about the test itself; just perform/execute to the best of your ability. You mess up during a test, big deal! A passing grade isn't based on a few mistakes; they happen! Pressure on a testing cycle IS that necessary ally, and in that, don't listen to the naysayers, block them out, and rock and roll!! You control the mindsets so that your mindsets don't control you!!

That's the beauty of differing methodologies and the like; I want to go toe to toe with the guy; staying on his inside/outside close-up and personal while still moving. That's our forte; in your face!!

Martial artists, imho, don't have to fit into any typical stereotype at all. There was a time when women wanted to have that "Barbie" shape, and if they didn't, then they felt overweight/ugly/etc; peer pressure will doom one if one allows it to. Be challenged! Don't try to look like the status quo as a MAist, it's not necessary to be what others want one to be; it's an individuals choice. Imho!!

Reaction time is definitely a huge issue for me. Hopefully it will improve. It will! It just takes time an practice! Before you know it you will have blocked or dodged a strike without even thinking about it.However, or in addition, if you're not sparring often, then it'll take forever and a day before something catches on in your muscle memory. Otherwise, you'll be stuck in a loop; not ever advancing!

To the bold type above... Effective for ones sake!! Being a proponent of the MA because it's fun or healthy or "I did it", imho, is a waste of valuable time that could've been used for something else, other than the MA. Doing something fun or healthy is not time well spent? Not according to what you posted... Possibly, I'm misreading it.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!!

While we don't use the terminology of Progressive Grading, we do use 'this' type of testing in our testing cycles, but, they're mostly for higher rank levels. Testing cycles that would last 3 days and the like to complete all of the necessary requirements of said testing cycle. One doesn't really know just how much one has to retain until ones on the floor for a testing cycle; it's mind-numbing!!

Very nice article, thank you for sharing it. Pressure for some is a welcomed ally, while with others, pressure is more of an enemy than a friend. Peer pressure can literally kill anything and everything that exist, and without reservation. How we handle it depends on how we were raised, and how we've interpreted other outside forces; our current mindset. Pressure can be a positive, but in the wrong hands, pressure of any type isn't. Our emotional content at times can't handle said pressure for long durations, and in that, pressure makes and breaks. This too, is a sensitive and delicate line to tread, and at times, even worse to cross. Pressure to test, pressure to train, pressure to compete, pressure to follow the dojo rules, pressure to be on time, pressure to speak up, pressure to bow, pressure to kiai, pressure to spar, pressure to address seniors properly, pressure to greet the floor with appreciation, pressure to do this, and pressure to do that; the never ending list to endure. Pressure! There's enough to drive a practitioner absolutely crazy! Don't succumb to negative pressure, and when it presents itself, stop it or walk away from it. Accept it or deny it; the choice is that of the individual. Imho!!

It's ok to cheer and the like from a distance, but I've also seen it allowed that said supporters can come into said roped off area to loudly complain over calls decided my the center referee. Then, said complainer is allowed to remain just outside the roped area to continue their verbal assaults. Arbitrators must stave off these type of spectator actions, and one way to get the point understood is too present a NO TOLERENCE penalty. Anywhere from point deductions to disqualifications to banning said offender and competitor. Consistency! That's the key, imho.

I agree. They could both use improvement.Yes!! One day I'll like 'it' and then on other days, I'll dislike 'it'. A venue is only as good as said practitioners.

Welcome to KF!! Other than what you've provided, I don't know anything about him. No big deal because we live in a really big world, so one can't know every MAist. Visit the dojo many times, and then go with your gut! The only thing, imho, that one can tell about any school of the MA on a website is that they have a website. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

To the bold type above... Why do YOU think that that is?? I think it's mainly because lower grades are still not able to fully control their kicking techniques, targets and force and to minimise the risk of injuries. for me it's also because I am not flexible enough to perform a kick that reach my opponent's head even if he is as tall as me still long way with stretching and training to be able to do it I am still a white belt with only 2 months training experience. What do you think the reason is ?!!! Control, and the lack thereof!!

What Jigaro came up with was a solid interpretation under the guidelines as set forth. But, what's happened ever since the creation has slowly turned into a tragedy, imho!!