sensei8

Practically every MA philosophy from the past still rings true, and I believe that any responsible instructor, no matter rank/style, speaks about what you've posting here. Fight if you have to, otherwise, find safe haven. There is no shame, imho, to either choice; fight or flight.

I hear what you're saying. It's how you carry yourself; not looking like a victim...act like a victim, one will more than likely become a victim.

Sometimes you make me laugh and sometimes you make me say...."Hhhhmmmmm", but it's all good MP...it's all good!!

First, eastern martial arts aren't "proven" so much as "well known". There are martial arts all over the place that have good track records that just aren't as well known.Second, BJJ is actually a descendant of Jujutsu, from Japan, with a substantial amount of development put into it in order to develop it in specific directions. Third, in BJJ, a black belt is a really big deal. If you see a BJJ black belt, it means that they have been training hard for like, ten years straight. Their 1st degree black belt is equivalent to a moderately high Dan rank in Karate. They give a BJJ black belt a lot of respect. A Karate black belt not so much, because the typical Karate black belt has what they consider a trivial amount of experience. Fourth, they are grapplers. You went in expecting something totally different from what they are actually doing, and proceeded to be very disrespectful. It sounded like he was being pretty polite, all things considered, in response to someone "showing them up". How would your Karate teacher respond to a highschool wrestler coming in, discovering that they don't have a lot of competitive coaching victories in a sense that is only relevant to a wrestler, and deciding to 'show him up' with a takedown, just to have the teacher demonstrate applications of reverse punch on him? In that, I'm not the typical Karate black belt because my experience isn't trivial; I've been around the block and then some. Being lumped into being a "typical" Karate black belt is an unfair general statement because not all Karate black belts fit into your description. I believe that everyone here at KF can agree that not all black belts, no matter the style, are the same across the board, and yes, BJJ black belts are as you've described but it's unfair to those karate BB's that have a well of experience, and in that, they can hold their own on the floor; I don't shy away from any floor.

It is said that we must choose our "fights"! I wholeheartedly concur with that because actions based off ones sleeve can be harmful in many ways. I'll fight if I've no choice and I'm being forced into that, but, I'll flight rather than engage if I have a choice. Flight, imho, should be what we do first until the situation warrants my involvement. I can dial 911 faster than grease lighting because that's what the LEO's are there for; to protect and serve. Having said that, I WILL engage if I perceive that I must do so in order to save someone and/or myself until the LEO's arrive on scene. Nonetheless, I can't do much against a gun, so, flight is right for me because I'm of no help to anyone dead. However, what the principal did during the Newton, CT shooting is what I pray that I would do as well if I'm ever in that situation; one won't know until that moment.

I think we should embrace those schools that are McDojo's as far as we are concerned. Why? They're here to stay, and in that, there's not much we can do to curb them across the board. Be the best at every facet as well as being honest with our students and with ourselves, and this might mean that we need to devote our time into more constructive things other than worrying about the McDojo's. Imho.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!! I hope that you stay for quite along time...I look forward to your future posts!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

These kicks can be executed from those said stances; I've done them and I still do them as you've posted. Once in a stance, it doesn't mean that you're stuck in that stance for the duration of said kick because shifting and the like will occur so that said kick can be executed from said stance, and in that, the time it takes to shift and the like is quite minimal across the board. So, keep training and practicing, soon they'll become second nature for you.

Yes, he's having a great season thus far, and again, you two experiencing this together is awesome. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Do you have any video that you can share with us?

Having doubt is natural, but imho, I believe that that initial doubt is replaced after one's experienced their first test by fire. Fortunate or not fortunate is up to one to discern within themselves, and in that, I've experienced test by fire situations from time to time during my life. We're taught and drilled endlessly, but until we're within the fires test, we doubt its effectiveness until we see that 'it' does work. I no longer doubt because there is NO opponent, and if there is no opponent, then there is no fear, and if there is no fear, doubt cannot exist.

That's very important, and I'm glad that you do like him. I've never met him before, by that I mean, what I do know about him is through what others have told me and what I've read, and what I like the most is that he teaches a special needs program. These program types are far and few, but very important. My 18 year old son is a special needs adult, and what Mr. Hollinsworth is doing with special needs students is extraordinary admirable.

Yes, it's ITF. "Patterns" is what the instructor called them. I've only had two classes, but I've already nailed the Four-Directional Punch Again, all the arguments I presented were gathered from articles about McDojos. I read A LOT of them, and most of them indicated one or more of those factors as a 'sure sign' of a McDojo. BTW, if it matters, my area is quite affluent. Not my village specifically, but the towns around it are mostly populated by upper-middle-class and well-off types. Actually, DWx, if you're in the UK maybe you've heard of my school. It's called Premier Taekwondo, and they're based around the Alton-Bordon-Chawton area of Hampshire. My instructor is a Scottish guy named Mr Hollinsworth (no idea what Dan he is). Mr. Hollinsworth is 5th Dan!!

Yes...a very solid post!!

I concur wholeheartedly!!

Imho, only a qualified instructor, that's well versed in said weapon, should teach any MA weapon; just too many things can, and will, go wrong when an unskilled practitioner teaches said weapon.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!! You've thus far, been given some pretty solid advice, imho. Pain is not a respecter of size; hit in the right places and the right way, tree's are downed for far much lesser reasons.

Solid post!!

Size of class isn't always dependent on the price structure, and in that, the size of the class could be predominant with the size of the available room/space. Size of class might be indicative of the particular level of said available students, for whatever the reason(s). Size of class: the parameters as to the 'why' might be quite simple, however, the 'why' might not be quite simple. The instructor to the students ratio might not be an accurate concern because many very large classes are managed extremely well by one instructor. Time to ask questions of the school/owner/instructor.

First of all, I'd like to welcome you to KarateForums. Secondly...Solid post!!

I wouldn't willingly take many, if any, shots to the solar plexus because it's a vital area which means a blow there would most likely be a fatal one. Kiai properly can and will absorb quite a lot. Using a medicine ball to condition for blows to the body, for me, is at the very top of the list, if not right by itself at the top. Oh yeah...spar and spar and spar...take the shots!! Allowing a partner to strike you with various punches and kicks is also a great way to also get used to getting hit with the actual blows used in combat. Remember that this type of body conditioning takes time because the desirable results won't come over night. While the conditioning is providing one to absorb many shots, I also believe that proper deflection of unassuming shots will also prove to be beneficial. One of my other favorite body conditioning against body blows requires one to have a partner just as twisted as yourself; I have Greg, and he's just as twisted as one can get...well...I suppose I am too. We love to just let each other take turns kicking and punching and striking one another in a kind of..."Ok, it's my turn...Oh...that's all you got?!", and we'll do this until one says 'uncle'...hehehehee...we're both pig-headed and neither of us like to give in.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Well...that explains a lot...thank you pittbullJudoka!! Hopefully the black years are way behind us.

You're not a 1st Kyu dealing with that anymore. You're a Father dealing with a person who didn't exhibit enough control to not pop a girl in her eye with not enough common sense to take of his watch before training.Solid post!!

It is said that price reflects demand. However, imho, I think you're paying enough to support college and/or a nice car. The pricing structure that you've described rubs me wrong in all kind of ways. I don't even come close in tuition to what you've described, and I'm of the opinion that that price is beyond ridiculous to say the least. Why? Imho, after all, it's just the MA, and the MA is a want and not a need.