emjay

The decathalon (5 sport olympic event) is a combination of pistol marksmanship, equestrain riding, fencing, SWIMMING and RUNNING. It was originally used as a military training system in Germany for horse-back messengers. Not of military use anymore, that's true. But, like I said, you'd be suprised what skills have been considered "martial arts" at one time or another. Just a little useless knowledge there.

It is true that most Shoto-kan based competitions are point matches...but, in my experience, a good dojo will not train for tournament. The training will be gear towards traditional fighting for self defenseand tournament will be an after thought. If a dojo is training for tournaments as a primary means of instruction, then I am not sure if they are a dojo or a just training gym for competitions. I'm not trying to offend anyone. There is nothing wrong with competition at all. I did alot of it in my younger days, but I think it is far from what martial arts training should be about. Unless a sport (instead of a martial art) is what you want to train for, that is. If so, best of luck to you there as well. Marc G.

No problem Shihan has been calling me Marc-san for the last couple of years. I'm the old guy in the adult class. I was interested in who you were as well. If you want to let me know by email so your name is not out there for everyone to see, feel free: webmaster@actionkaratearts.com Hope to hear from you. Marc G.

bushido_man96 said: I agree completely that an instructor should not be rude or act superior. I did not mean to leave that impression. And I also agree that the only way to change the image of the "black belt just because you tried hard" is to teach people the difference as we get the chance. But, I get discouraged in general at McDojo image that the martial arts are getting. The idea that if you come to class long enough or pay enough you/your kids WILL be a black belt one day is just disheartening to me. Nopt everyone is up to the challenge, and I think, deffinately not children who haven't developed enough to understand the concepts involved. Like I said, it is never good to be rude or condescending, but the same standards and expectations of a Dan rank can and should be politely imparted just the same. Marc G.

Whatever happened to the good old days when students EARNED what they got? I heard a pretty well known instructor once talk about how he had the father of a young man (who was potentially a new student) ask him about things like belt testing (cost, how often, etc...) for his son. Then the Father asked "How long does it take for the average person to get their black belt?" The instructor responded that the average person doesn't get a black belt. I thought this epitomized the "way-it-aughta-be" situation. Too bad it isn't the dominant thinking in most dojos. Marc G.

I This is true, but the hair grab makes it a little different in that your head is very mobil. It can be moved around fairly easily and it is a primay balance point (not center of balance, but still...). You don't need to take their hands off (very difficult to do), but you do need to control them a little bit. I think the first video was pretty spot on. It is almost exactly what I trained and has proven pretty effective in 1 or 2 real world instances I am aware of.

I have been training American Fushin Ryu for the last 2 years. I bet in the same school as you...AFR? It is very hard to find information on our style. I have tried as well. It is growing in popularity in Japan and is well known in New Zealand as well.

You also mentioned kicking head height. I am always leary of this in any situation. Mid body...to low leg level kicks, I have found to much faster, safer and easier to keep balance and recover from. This might not be the advice you had in mind, but I found that after i gave up a little bit of height to my kicks...throwing them without disrupting my stance was much easier from either leg (lead or rear) and in a real world situation alot more destructive to an opponent. Taking out a knee or the groin...will usually take the fight out of anyone...

There is also the original intent of the traditional chambering and blocking approach. Many of the movements of old school training methods (stances, overtly chambered blocks and strikes, etc...) were intentionally exagerated for training purposes. In the dojo, they are more like icons of what the techniques should be, rather than how they are actually meant to be used in a real-world throw-down. The idea being: "If you can get fast, strong and accurate doing it this way...you will be unstoppable in the real fight." The traditional karate techniques were/are very effective...if the time and training are invested in learning to use them.

I think it is also important to remember that the belt system is a fairly new creation compared to the lifespan of the arts themselves. It was originally just used by Kano (judo founder) to help his students tell eachother's skill levels within his own dojo. I would bet it was never really meant to become what is is today. So, while some schools hold training time as an official requirement, and others play it by ear with skill being the dominant factor, it is such a fluidic system that not alot of stock can be placed in it by itself. You have to get to know the Karateka individually to know if the belt he has, he truly earned. And, at the end of the day, the belt just holds your Gi closed anyway. I think it was Rorion Gracie that once said "A belt covers about 10% of your , covering the rest is up to you."