sensei8

With perseverance, a beginner is no longer a beginner, no matter the age. You took the first step, and that was walking on the floor with no preconceived notions. Day by day you will cast away that beginner aura for far more things that are still before you. Train hard, train well!!

How old is Jane? Age oftentimes means everything.

Solid post!!

Deny Nidan and above to just train after earning Shodan is admirable, or it should be. This path is rarely taken for whatever the reasons might be for the practitioner. If rank has meaning over knowledge and experience, then staying at Shodan is impossible. The MA IS a private journey that's a shared endeavor one way or another. Had my formal training ended at Shodan at the instructions of my Dai-Soke, I would've been perfectly ok with that MA path. However, that path wasn't in that direction. I didn't end my formal training after earning my Shodan because I just didn't. Rank meant nothing to me once I earned my Sandan; whatever happens after Sandan happens of which I stopped seeking after rank...rank was no longer important to me, then and even now. To deny my Dai-Sokes invitation to a Testing Cycle is a slap in his face. Who was I to say anything that would be contradictive to the knowledge and experience that was of my Dai-Soke?? So, I tested and let any Testing Cycle take care of itself...pass I pass, fail I fail...those thoughts were never important to me because all I can do is my best. I've never ever meet anyone stop at Shodan to not continue their formal training...."Train me, Sensei, but I don't want anymore ranks." To ne, that's an illusion. Stopping all formal training after earning Shodan...Yes...I see that all of the time. As it has been said here already, the answer to the question at hand will vary. Imho!!

This is of no surprise of you reaching your 5 years on Staff milestone here at KF, of which, the up and coming 10 year mark will never surprise any of us. You've been a very important clog of the KF wheel. Thank you for everything that you've done for KF and its members all of these years, past, present, and future.

You're a vital part of the KF Staff, this is to be for sure, and this 5 year milestone will usher in your 10 year mark. Thank 'you for all that you've done, are doing, and will do for KF and its members.

Are you talking about Karate giving you a career path and lifestyle or is this in respect to channeling rage and anger to karate? [quote name="sensei8"]I'd be on a long walk on a very short pier without Karate/MA. It's been my life literally ever since I was 7 years old; without the MA I'm not complete in my totality. It's all I've ever done. What do you mean? I have never heard this expression ever in my life and yet it sounds interesting but I wish to know what it means. My intent is to not imply what this idiomatic expression might imply. What this expression addresses is this... "Go away and leave me alone. What you are doing or saying is really irritating." My use of this idiomatic phrase isn't as drastic or the like. What I'm simply saying is that Karate/MA has helped me to become grounded in my life. Without the compass that the MA provides me, I'd have taking a long walk on a short pier which more than likely would've just lead me in circles. Perhaps I might've meant this more appropriately... "You know what they call a leader with no followers? Just a guy taking a walk." Either way, my life would've been far differently; as Robert Frost penned once... "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."

Congrats CTTKDKing; well deserved!!

I'd be on a long walk on a very short pier without Karate/MA. It's been my life literally ever since I was 7 years old; without the MA I'm not complete in my totality. It's all I've ever done.

Perhaps, the book written by Paul Walker ​might be of some use... Lessons with the Master: 279 Shotokan Karate Lessons with Master Hirokazu Kanazawa Maybe, the book written by Carol A. Wiley might be of use too... Martial Arts Teaching on Teaching

Marketing books and the like are out there, for sure, but I've not seen any publications on the subject of teaching the MA in general. Which, imho, is a good thing; I'll refrain from my usual saying on this subject.

Cool!! They're on an average about $40 PER STICK!!

Let the fun begin!! Whole circle, if I may suggest. Perhaps, chickens come home to roost.

I agree now whole heartedly. We are human beings and martial arts is a social activity. But most importantly comes down to productivity. I excel with a teacher who is proactively checking my form. I also like the fact that my current teacher is my junior in age but is very open minded and actually likes some of the Tang Soo Do stuff that I do. The ability to analyze and compare creates a broad perspective. Solo training cannot measure up to a dynamic. Thank god that its super affordable private lessons. I am in Canada and we are still in lockdown mode and our policy is that, private lessons are alright but adult classes are a big no. I am taking advantage of the situation to learn as much as I can in a private setting with a great teacher who has great passion for martial arts. Solid post!! Live training is no good without a partner to explore both the known and the unknown. Funny thing is, I always felt weird about practicing Taekwondo. Like does it mean I have to find a Taekwondo forum or if I have to shed my Tang Soo Do fully. But I read a book that there were 9 Kwans and they all taught different forms of Tang Soo Do. Long story short, they renamed it to Taekwondo for national identity and added more kicks for distinction. I also read a book from one of the early Taekwondo practitioners and Dan Nolan who refer and combine both Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo as Korean Karate. Either way, this feels right in my hear of hearts. Going through an intense training session with two styles of difficulty. One is overcoming the challenge of uncovering a new technique and the subtlety that makes it effective and two, the non stop conditioning drills that requires extreme effort. All is worth it when my instructor is a great human being who is open with Tang Soo Do/Karate techniques being employed. Without a doubt, I changed my mind a 100 percent. Sometimes its just best to wait it out for a great master to keep that sponge pure from impure teachers and also not pick up bad habits or even worse, meet a bad human being as a teacher that can really diminish this incredible journey that is the martial arts. Very solid post!!

What's the general profile of your typical class attendant? I've found out karate has made a niche with the following groups: - Holdovers from the past, people who began training in the 80s or 90s, maybe early 2000s, these are the most serious students and the ones who truly care about the martial art aspect of karate - kids: their parents take them to karate so they have some sort of after-school activity. - more recent studies who see martial arts as a workout mainly, they tend to dislike sparring and they are not really interested in the nuances of technique. To the bold type above... Mine's a wide plethora due to my having been cross training for a very long time; all that you've mentioned above.

Places are reopening slowly' but surely. and that's some comfort. There's nothing like having your instructor hands on and in present. Zoom for now can work providing both, you and your instructor, work out any kinks to doing lessons remotely. Train hard and train well!!

Cocobolo Escrima/Arnis sticks. Its density and hardness is very difficult to doubt it across the board. Cocobolo is a very heavy, tough and strong wood. Cocobolo is so dense that it will sink in water if you drop it in a swimming pool, not that you'll drop it in the pool, but if you do, it'll be resistant to water. My first exposure to Cocobolo was when I bought a nunchaku made from Cocobolo; I wanted to break cinder blocks with them to demonstrate the power of the nunchaku and not the Cocobolo. After that, I made sure that my wooden weapons were made of Cocobolo. You'll splinter before the Cocobolo does.

Agreed. Always, always, always ask to watch a class. If they don't allow you to, I think this sends up a red flag, and makes the decision process easier. And not just one class!! Watch many. Watch kids classes and adult classes for both the Kyu and Dan ranks.

I agree now whole heartedly. We are human beings and martial arts is a social activity. But most importantly comes down to productivity. I excel with a teacher who is proactively checking my form. I also like the fact that my current teacher is my junior in age but is very open minded and actually likes some of the Tang Soo Do stuff that I do. The ability to analyze and compare creates a broad perspective. Solo training cannot measure up to a dynamic. Thank god that its super affordable private lessons. I am in Canada and we are still in lockdown mode and our policy is that, private lessons are alright but adult classes are a big no. I am taking advantage of the situation to learn as much as I can in a private setting with a great teacher who has great passion for martial arts. Solid post!! Live training is no good without a partner to explore both the known and the unknown.

I agree with you, Bob. It's important to open up and see things for what they are, and not necessarily how they look in comparison to how you've done it in the past. Very much a carryover of some of the topics struck in our discussion on the Tao of JKD. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Remaining open doesn't close the doors. Biased venturing into the unknown IS for the practitioner as well as with the style. Stuck in one gear without trying any other gear will strip man/y of things away from style and/or practitioner.

I didn't know Karate needed a comeback. MMA didn't bother me in one iota whatsoever. My Student Body stayed strong, and many of my students were turned off by some of the pre-fight antics. Many of my friends that own Karate dojo's weren't effected by the MMA surge of the past and present. Operating and owning a dojo requires skills beyond MA skills. Karate dojo's that offer any ground fighting more than likely lost their Student Body to MMA schools for ground fighting training.

Thank you, Patrick.

Can't win them all. No student is going to succeed at everything and every time whenever it comes to the MA; be up front with your students. I've Senior Dan Ranked students that have not fully matured in their MA yet, but they will in time, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. With failure, comes success. They go hand in hand. Can't have one and not the other. It's how the CI address any failure about themselves. Can't help any student to understand how to deal with any failure if the CI can't deal with any of their own failures. Encourage the student that no matter what happens, the sun will rise and the new day will come no matter what. Comfort them in the best way you know during the transition from failure to success, which comes with training with a positive purpose. Teach them: >Be nice to yourself >Allow yourself to be sad >Remind yourself that everyone fails >Look for the lesson >What is now possible because you failed? >At least you did something >See failure as a step closer to success, not a step back >Use your dreams to re-energise you >Deal with your first reaction >Put it all in perspective >Don't compare yourself to others >Take positive next steps This might also help: >The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing >Failure is success if we learn from it >I have not failed >Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts >Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit

Not all black belts can teach. Problem lies within the CI. However, it's a two-way street, and both the CI and the student have to be accountable for the training. If the CI allows the laziness, then the CI best look in the mirror for both the problem and the answers. Teen get bored quick. If the CI likes the sound of their own voice, then any student loses interest, drive, and attentiveness necessary to train in the MA. If the problem lies within the student, then there's only so much that the CI can do. The CI can run the most exciting and educational and fun class on the planet earth, but if the student is lazy, then try to drive that laziness out in a positive manner. For example, end the dullness; more actions and far less chit chat. I've no problem with laziness because I just weed them out. I've not the time nor the inclination to succumb to their decision to be lazy. Then again, the lazy can remain a white belt until the cows can jump over the moon; their laziness is their choice, and that's the bed that they can lie in. Again, the floor will be unsympathetic to any lazy students, the same way that the floor will not tolerate the utterly incompetent CI. If the parent is forcing the student, then sit down with the parents to let them know that you've noticed those exact traits from both the student AND the parents. Advice the parents the possible consequences of unwanted behavior from them all. Not all black belts can teach!!

Doctors don't like it. However, they say that the delay isn't idea, nor is it avoidable; just need to secure all necessary doctors asap...the sooner the better. I'll be fine just as long as I'm seen by an Oncologist in an immediate proactivity.