sensei8

Even though I'm not a Judoka, I find this an excellent way to utilize a gi color when white/black/combo's are the only gi colors allowed.

Imho, only you can truly answer your own question!! It's your journey, and it's yours alone. Many take tests for different reasons, but, one has to be able to look at themselves in a mirror, and in that, one must be very honest with themselves; furthermore, one must like what they see when they look into that mirror. Finally, if rank is important to someone, imho, this is the worse reason to take any MA test let alone for being in the MA.

Congrats!! There's nothing like one's first tournament!!

Free trail lessons are a very valuable tool for any MA school. While the free trial lesson is to show the prospective new student what they can expect from THIS MA school. However, a lot of MA schools forget that while they're also evaluating the capabilities of the prospective new student; THEY TOO are on display, and in that, the MA school only has one chance to make that positive impression. Once that moment passes, there's usually no second chance at gaining that particular new student. Imho, the MA school that you went to was only interested in one thing: showing you and his students just how bad YOUR Judo is/was and that your Yudansha was a joke. That is not what any free trial lesson is for, imho. It's about respect across the board!! This instructor wasn't interested in signing you up because he was more interested on tearing you/Judo down. He tore you down to his current students in the attempt to build up Sambo. Imho, a free trial lesson isn't about proving which MA is the best because "BEST" is an illusion across the board. The free trail lesson is allow the prospective new student a chance to see if "that" style of the MA is the best fit for THEM.

Without knowing about the details, which I don't think matters. Apologize to her; someone's got to make the first move, so it might as well be you.

I watched it and I totally enjoyed it, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Congrats!!

Happy birthday...and many more!!

Shindokan's hook punch, Uraken Mawashi Uchi, is used by us quite a lot. Especially when engaging in close/in fighting because we live in that very up close and personal area. We don't go backwards, instead, we go to inside/outside of our opponent as we're going forward. I've never heard of the "beer mug" expression before, but I like it and it's how we perform our hook punch, whether it's Jodan, chudan, or gedan. For us, it's a very natural punch, and in that, we use it quite a lot during kumite.

I don't subscribe to that because both the warrior AND the soldier knows why they're fighting: Both fight, no matter what, for their self-preservation...it's either them or it's the enemy.

Yepper...in the form of a demonstration; all attackers are compliant. A skilled Uke can make anyone look awesome.

Karate ni sente nashi is a fine maxim. I support it and I believe in it and I teach it and I practice it. However, I've no problem with throwing the first punch...kick...strike...kitchen sink....bathtub. "He who hesitates, meditates horizontally"~Ed Parker I will not hesitate in throwing the first punch if I believe it's necessarily warranted to do so!! After that, I'll deal with right or wrong: criminally or not, in a court of law.

Multiple attackers...to train in or not?! Why not, as long as its done as realistic as possible. Be as prepared as one can be. Remember, fighting multiple attackers in real life is not the same as a Kung Fu movie or a MA demo...one attacker at a time.

I wouldn't worry about why student do and why others don't. The MA isn't for everyone for one reason or another. If some decide after trying the MA, and then they decide that they'd rather lift weights or whatever instead of the MA, so be it. Students come and students go for one reason or another, and in that, just let it be what it is and don't dwell on it. If you're doubting your teaching abilities and your teaching abilities ARE the reason why students are leaving or whatever, as harsh as this might sound, not a MAists can teach. If you can teach, then look at each and every element of your curriculum/syllabus to see if it's lacking or not. If after you've eliminated every element reason across the board as to why students aren't staying and/or joining, then it's time to be honest with self, and sometimes it's hard to be honest with ourselves. Just take the students, current and future, with a grain of salt; students will do the MA or they don't do the MA for whatever that reason might be. Good luck, and train hard!!

Maybe, it's that their scared because they are not sure of themselves as a effective MAist. And this can be for so many reasons: product of a McDojo, don't seriously train to improve, don't train at all, etc. Thinking is not the same as knowing. They think that they can begets that they know that they can't because of their low self-esteem. If they don't believe in their abilities; they've lost already. The proof is on the floor...on the streets!

Some times, one is talking during drills and the like because they're very nervous or scared or intimidated for one reason or another; I've seen this to be very true. Whenever I see this, I'll pull that student aside for a quick moment to try to alleviate their built up stress by giving them a pep talk of encouragement. Afterwards, the unnecessary talk then takes a backseat and the hard training resumes.

Yes...good ring control Danielle. I'd say that it was the quietest sparring match...I didn't hear one kihap. I also noticed that neither of you blocked/deflected one time; you both just absorbed the others attacks...interesting...some of the punches from either one of you would've tagged the other right in the face. Towards the end, you both looked tired.

MasterPain, The bold sentence above is very solid!! Btw, I can't seem to use the link, and I think it's because there is a "." right before the "www"

Sometimes, as an adult, we have to say "I'm sorry!" Whether it was your fault or whether it was his fault; to me, that's not the argument. Who's the adult and who is the child? We only have one chance to make a positive impression, and this time seems to have passed. Let it go, move forward and just train hard!! To move forward, someone's going to have to say "I'm sorry" first...why not you?! Control is important and it's also the key across the board...both for you and him. Respect begets respect!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

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

You could learn some science from Alchemy, but you'd be better off with a 5th grade science textbook. ROFL...Are you smarter than a 5th grader?! I know I'm not...LOL

There was a time when I trained with our Soke, Judan and our Kiacho/Dai-Soke, Kudan/Judan daily before I opened my own dojo. Then, I would train with them 3 times a week. Then when I moved to Oklahoma, I'd train with them once every three months. Then, when I assumed the position of Kaicho/Chief Instructor of our Hombu, I trained with my Dai-Soke 4 times a week. Then that all ended when our Soke passed away, and then our Dai-Soke suffered a stroke, and then he passed away. I miss them so very much!!

ROFL Looks like a good movie Patrick...I'll go see it.

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