Erin

I like your thoughts a lot, that's why I come here, to learn about these kind of things. When I first started out training, we were drilled repeatedly during kata and complexes to keep our hands CLOSED all the time first. I was told this was to teach us to keep a proper fist, because without learning how to do things with a proper fist you can't do other techniques. But I have found going on, I like open hand stuff so much more, for kind of the same reasons. I have just found open hand to be more versatile. Truthfully, I've found it hard to do much with a closed hand anymore.

Oh no, don't worry I dont' take it wrong. I know it simply a fact in the MA world. I was just adding my two cents in. I'd rather earn the respect, I don't want anything handed to me by any means.

I am excited to meet more martial artists, but that doesn't mean I automatically respect them. Now, if I am at a tournament with my Sensei and he shows respect for a very high dan rank or someone he's trained with, I will automatically show my respect in that case, because I know my Sensei and so forth. Something that grates me as a kyu belt, I at times feel like dan ranks look at me and feel "you're just a kyu" without seeing what I can do, or what I can be taught, especially given my disability. Dont' automatically DISRESPECT me either. Does that make sense?

Yes, we do incorporate kobudo. Formal weapons training begins at purple belt, but depending on skill level it may be introduced before then. We use nunchuks, bo, tonfa, sai, and eku. But we're always taught for promotion purposes, its' empty hand first, kobudo secondary.

The way it was explained to me is this: The promotion testing and ceremony is merely a formality. You are being tested every time you set foot on the floor. So you go in there, and you perform and work out just like you do every time you're in the dojo. You will be fine. Good luck!!

80 controllers in 9 months? I want some money like that.

It would seem to me that you're saying that an instructor shouldn't have to ask for help at all....I have seen instructors as high as 5th say "hey someone remind me how we did ______". Maybe they just had a brain fart, maybe it was that they were taught something different. I'd rather have someone say "crud I forgot but let me find the answer" than teach something wrong. That shows humility, and the fact that they are indeed human. Teachers in any subject area can make mistakes or forget things, right?

I'm sorry but a girl named Jenny better buy it. Because really, it would be unnatural otherwise.

The sexual harrasment one is the best cake EVER. That and the little naked babies on carrots. I laughed till I cried.

cakewrecks.blogspot.com One of my favorite websites ever. SOOOO funny.

I am having way too much trouble getting into the Memory Keepers Daughter. I am going to have to find something else pretty soon.

This is pretty much how it works in my school I have noticed. At least in the adult class I take part in. The green belts and up will lead warm ups and maybe run us through kihons. Maybe a kata or two depending what the Sensei has going on right then. Then Sensei makes the decision on what we are learning for the evening. He's a 5th degree by the way. Then, he an the other black belts will lead the class. Sometimes he'll turn it over to the 3rd degrees and lower. We have a couple of Shodans who lead class, but not on a very regular basis, and not without the assistance of a 3rd degree or higher.

I am learning to take a hit. It's interesting that's for sure. We have a couple of purple belts that are supposed to start kumite soon, but can't take a basic hit in a two person drill without crying. We start learning to take the hit in two person drills, which can be fun. I currently have bruises on my arms from kihon complex, my coworkers are starting to wonder about me.

Tying with wearing your gi to and from class time... do you have a locker room in your dojo that you can use as your own? We have changing rooms with lockers for temporary storage for kyu belts, but we have to take our gis home with us every time. The black belts have their own locker room and their own labeled locker as well. They can store whatever in theirs. Just wondering how everyone does this.

YAYY! Finally!

Neko ashi dachi is "cat" stance. Should be knees slightly bent, with little to no weight on front leg with heel of front foot off of the floor. At least that's how it looks in my style. Kokutsidachi...I have trouble with that one. Isn' it a little more of a relaxed, shallow stance then zenkusidachi? The way it was explained to me is that this is more of a "fight ready" stance.

OMG 6 inches off the floor leg lifts... the thought alone makes me want to cry.

I will absolutely wear a wraparound chest and rib protector at all times. It's just something I at the very least want to try, and you all have given me more hope and drive to do so! Today we were working tenarashi for the kihons, and I took a punch to the rib/kidney area by an immature teen in the adults class. That wasn't fun.

I am saddened by my beloved Patriots terrible season so I dont' care ALL that much, but since I live in an area full of Steelers fans, I better make a choice. And I choose Arizona. Because it's been a long, long time since they didn't suck, and red is cool. Anyone else?

Thank you for the awesome replies!

You know that is one thing I love about my black belts. Unless you KNEW them, you'd have no idea they were black belts.

So here's what's up. I am deaf, and can hear only with the assistance of a hearing aid. I have a degenerative ear disease and that's why I am post-lingually deaf. I am also blind in my left eye from a cataract, and have no kidney on my left either. I'm specials, no? Anyways, my husband is refusing to allow me to kumite. He is terrified I am going to be hurt. I told him that my black belts would do their best to keep me from injury with proper training and that I need to learn. Basically my entire left side is a blind spot not being able to see or hear. I need to understand what to do in an attack. Someone will probably NOT have the kindness to attack from the right, no? I have a while to go before I start kumite as my dojo doesn't allow it until green belt. But with a move to Japan coming soon, I want to be prepared and my black belts want me prepared as well. Thoughts?

No way. Really? Wow I have never seen that before, and while I dont' believe we have a hard fast rule on it, I am CERTAIN my Sensei would have an anuryseum if he saw that.

'Tis my name. I guess I am not very creative, no?

I'm a nerd in the truest sense. I will spend HOURS in the bookstore if allowed. Which now that I think about it, I may go do on my lunch break. Anyway. I am currently reading "The Memory Keepers Daughter". I am having a hard time getting into it. And yeah I will admit it, I'm 28 years old and have read ALL of the Twilight books.