Lupin1

We don't do official tests for our class-- the kids (and adults) just get moved up when they're ready. There is a "rule", though, that no one will be promoted until they stop asking to be. He actually had a kid ask him one night and told him "I was going to promote you tonight, but since you asked I don't think you're ready. Stop worrying when you'll get your next belt, work hard at what you're learning, and it'll come in time" and he made him wait a few more weeks until he got passed the "want my new belt now!" stage.

One of the first things they taught us in teaching school is that we can't force students to learn. We can't force them to do their work, to study or to behave. Every choice they make is their choice. Even if we punish them and nag them and threaten them every step of the way, they can still make the choice to continue what they're doing despite the punishment (and in fact, the more we use threats and get into power plays, but the more likely they are to fight back and make the wrong choices). All we can do is set a good example and make a good case for why they should care and why they should want to put forth the work and lead them to making the right decisions. You can never force a student to train-- they could come to class every day and sit against a wall and refuse to move until you finally just kick them out and there'd be nothing you can do to force them to do otherwise. All you'd be able to do is show them how much fun you and the rest of the class are having training, how beneficial it's been and how much you and others have gained and improved by training hard or even the consequences of not training, and hope that they make the decision to get up and join you.

One of the biggest influences on me as a kid was a sketch he did as Genie on the program One Saturday Morning called "Great Minds". It started with a big voice announcing "Great minds think alike" and then Genie burst in with "WRONG! Great minds think for themselves!" and went on to highlight the life and work of a "great mind" who broke away and thought differently. I loved it and still get inspired by it (not to mention whenever someone says the phrase "great minds think alike" I still burst out into "WRONG! Great minds think for themselves!").

Exactly what I was going to say. I remember that you were incredibly unhappy at your old dojo and it seemed like a harmful environment for you. Have things changed there since you left? New instructors? Certain students leaving? If so, maybe it will be different, but if not, you need to really consider why you left in the first place. Maybe speak to your new instructor about how it embarrasses and discourages you when he calls you out in front of all the other students and how you would appreciate it if he would speak to you in private about what he thinks you could improve upon. Does he do this to all the students, or is it just you? I also agree that it may be a good idea to start trying some other dojos and seeing what else is out there.

Everyone is different. Everyone learns at his or her own pace and faces his or her own challenges. I'm sure your sensei understands that. If you like doing it, keep it up. Don't worry about how fast you're learning or making friends or anything like that. Go for the workout and enjoy the time. Just do your best and set your own small goals (which some days may only be "show up"). Forget what everyone else is doing. Karate is an individual journey and each individual experiences it differently.

Here are a few of our black belts just doing it after class one day-- It's a pretty classic Isshinryu version.

We like to do relay races, especially for special occasions (classes before holidays or vacations when the kids are extra riled up). We'll just split them into two groups with either bags or an instructor with mitts and do something like "three left leg front kicks, three right leg front kicks on one bag, move to the next bag, three left leg roundhouse kicks three right leg round house kicks, sprint to the end of the floor and meet the instructor with mitts then front kick, roundhouse kick, spinning hook kick on the mitts, then sprint back and tag the next person" or something like that. We mix up what they need to do every round and do maybe four or five rounds before they're all exhausted. On days we don't want them waiting too long to go, rather than one person at a time going down the line we'll have the next person start as soon the one before them moves on to the second bag.

Little kids definitely can't focus for more than 45 minutes to an hour, and even then you really need to break things up for them. The more often you're changing activities, the longer they'll be able to go, but I still definitely would not go over an hour with anyone under 15. Even the two hour adult classes, you need to split up. Two hours is a long time.

Welcome! Looking forward to reading your posts!

Welcome aboard!

It depends. I haven't been in a few weeks due to work, but I'm finally able to go tonight... and I have a wicked bad sore throat I've had for like 5 days... So I'll probably skip. My instructor recently had a battle with cancer that left his immune system not that great, so the slightest sniffle or anything, I tend to stay home for his sake. As for training on my own, I'll probably do it gently. Better to give my body the rest it needs and let it get better than push it when it wants rest and draw the illness out or cause it to get worse.

Honestly, I wish I could say I give 100% at all times, but it'd be a total lie. I have days where I give 100% and feel great and I have days I'm just not all there-- my body's already exhausted or my mind is otherwise occupied-- days I'm proud of myself for just showing up and sticking it out to the end. Obviously the 100% days are more productive, but I still learn things on the stick-it-out days. I'd rather keep plodding along then push myself when my body's not feeling it and get hurt or start dreading class.

I was told 8oz is good for a beginning adult, 6oz for a kid. Too light and it won't last long, too heavy and it'll be more expensive as well as weigh you down and restrict your movements while you're still learning and impede the development of proper form. Plus they're a lot hotter. I use to use a 6oz when I was a kid. I've used an 8oz since college and it does all I need it to. Feels sturdy enough, still has some snap, but lets me move. I might bump up to a 10oz brushed cotton as a reward when I get my black belt (hopefully sometime next year).

Worst I remember is trying to kick the pull string to the ceiling fan and landing flat on my back. Also-- kata in the shower=bad idea.

Way to go Fang! Love the pictures. You look so happy! You should be proud and you're gonna rock your test!

Probably getting my yellow belt in judo. It's so different and out of my element. I didn't get things right away like I usually do and had to really work at it. It was a big accomplishment for me.

That is extremely different. I kinda like the variable pacing. Very interesting. Here are some of our black belts doing our version (which is very close to the traditional Isshinryu version with some very minor variations).

So I haven't been to class in a few weeks due to work and school vacation, so the last thing I was expecting before class started today was for my instructor to announce my promotion to Ikkyu. I was so taken off guard I actually stood there and just looked at him for a minute not registering and he had to repeat himself. So this is it-- the final run up to black belt. Nothing more standing between me and that test but 9-12 months of some of the hardest work I've put into it yet. I'm ready for this. I think...

Way to go!

Welcome back! You'll find a lot of us took breaks of varying lengths in our training at some point. Such is life. I myself took about a 12 year break. It all eventually comes back to you and then you begin to build again. Just take your time and try not compare yourself to others in the class while you're still remembering. Your journey's been a little different than theirs, but you'll get back up there quickly.

The martial arts are extremely vast and personal. Moves can be adapted to fit an individual or an instructor can seek out new moves the person can do. Self defense for someone in a wheel chair or an elderly lady with limited mobility is going to be different than self-defense for a young body builder, but that doesn't mean all those people can't learn to defend themselves effectively in ways that work for them. It would be more work for the instructor to teach someone an altered curriculum due to their differing abilities, but teachers do it in schools every day. You fit the program of study to the person, not the other way around.

And the party continues! Woot!

I wish I had the courage to train in my backyard. There's nowhere inside the house large enough to practice kata without have to shift multiple times to avoid running into things. The backyard would be much better, I just get embarrassed.. I don't usually parade it around at work. At my teaching job, several of the kids in the class I help teach go to the school I work at, so they like to spread around that I do it and I have to explain a lot why they're calling me "Devin" and not "Ms. Van Curen" (it's a hard habit for them to break...). My other job I never really said anything because I thought they'd make fun of me for it (it's a young, boisterous group), but I recently decided to say it as my "fun fact" during an introduction at a training seminar and no one's said a thing since, so either they all forgot or they just don't care...

Way to go Hammer!

I feel like a bachelors in Martial Arts would be pigeonholing yourself a bit. It's a very narrow field not applicable to all that much else. You could run your own school, teach martial arts or possibly become a gym teacher or personal trainer. That's about it. Not too many options. That said-- it would be totally awesome as a second bachelors or for someone absolutely 100% sure that's what they want to do with their life. I'd also love to have minored in it just for fun and personal development alongside my more practical (for me) major.