Lupin1

Do you do anything to equip your purple and brown belts to work more beneficially with those students? (beneficial for the purple and brown belts as well as for the beginners?)

What a cool birthday! I'd totally have birthday pi every year instead of cake. Happy birthday!

Powerade and Gatorade are PACKED with sugar. I'll admit I drink "Powerade Zero" (sugar free but still a lot of chemicals I don't need in my system) on hot days in the summer when I'm running back and forth outside all day, but I still limit myself to one bottle a day and then refill the empty bottle with water for the rest of the day. And on days it's over 90 the EMTs ride around in a golf cart with a cooler full of Gatorade and basically make us drink it. I try to limit my consumption of those things to extreme situations like that, though. In most situations, water will suffice. When I'm home and feeling dehydrated I'll sometimes do water with lemon and a sprinkle of salt to replace lost electrolytes.

I don't really feel this way. Someone comes into my house to do wrong, the gifts I have for that person will not be calm and collected. Swift and ferocious, more like. I completely agree. Granted-- you still want to be collected in the sense of being in control as a measure of safety for yourself and your family, but I believe there is a time to get angry and to express that anger in no uncertain terms.

Keep in mind, too, that calories in/calories out isn't a nice little formula. When we eat a lot of calories, our metabolism is boosted as well to compensate for a lot of it (depending a lot on the quality of the extra calories consumed). That's obviously not a license to gorge ourselves on cake (again-- the quality matters), but it's not a perfect little equation that doing this much exercise will burn this number of calories every time and that this exact number of extra will produce this exact amount of weight gain... Doesn't really work that way.

I've studied Isshinryu on and off since I was 8 and just started Judo. Haven't used Judo yet, but I've used karate for a few very small things-- mostly fighting with my siblings growing up (I've never struck any of them-- it was almost all just grip breaks to get away when they've grabbed me). I also instinctively turned into cat stance and side blocked a friend who tried to jab me in the side with his finger once (we were having a poke war...). I didn't even realize it might be considered a weird thing to do until he jumped back, threw his hands up and yelled "WOAH! WOAH!". So I've never had to seriously defend myself, but it's come in handy to stop people from grabbing/touching me when I didn't want them to.

I would think most parents wouldn't have the knowledge or understanding of the martial arts to really know what their child should and shouldn't be learning. I don't think a parent has the right to tell a martial arts instructor what to teach their child. If they don't like the curriculum at a given school, they can take their child out of the school. Last thing any teacher needs is thirty parents all telling him how to do his job.

I'd sweep the leg. If I were the one doing the catching, that is. If someone were to catch my leg when I kicked, I'd immediately start hopping into them and put my weight down on the leg to either force them to let go or take them down. Of course, that really only works with the close range Okinawan kicks. You'd have to take someone else's advice with long range kicks (I personally probably wouldn't even attempt a long kick).

I guess I'm going up for my yellow belt in Judo in a few weeks. I originally thought I wouldn't be testing this time around, but my instructors gave me the test packet last night and told me to start studying. I personally don't really feel ready. When I look at the yellow belts I feel like they're worlds ahead of me, but it may just be because pretty much all of them are very close to being orange belts, so I don't know. It's funny how much bigger the step from white to yellow looks from a white belt's prospective. In my Isshinryu class with my brown belt on, it looks like such a small, insignificant step. But from this prospective, it looks like this huge divide to cross. Funny how being in different positions can change how we see things so much. I mean, if the instructors feel I'm ready, who am I to argue. I'll just miss being a white belt with no expectations who can just learn and not worry about living up to a piece of cloth around my waist. I'd stay a white belt for years if I could, but in a competitive sport like Judo, you can't do that fairly. So yeah, I'll be working on stuff more pointedly the next few weeks in preparation. This is actually my first ever belt test since my Isshinryu class doesn't have tests except for Shodan. I'm good at taking tests, so I'm not the least bit worried about the written part, but I'm more nervous about the technique demonstrations. If I don't feel I'm ready for the test, I guess I have to step up and make myself ready. Youtube will be my friend. It just stinks that Judo's the kind of thing you can't practice very well outside of class. You need at least a partner who's trained in ukemi and some mats. So anyway-- it's a few weeks away. I'll keep you guys updated. Any advice would be appreciated.

I think the human body is partly born to do martial arts. We've been fighting since the dawn of man. It's in our blood. Studying martial arts, for me, is partly about embracing and developing that side of my humanity. How to defend yourself is skill that is very human and learning to do so is something humans (mostly males) would have learned throughout history. We can go on "autopilot" and our "lizard brain" can take over in taxing situations, but we're still doing it Our brains will always control what we do. May not always be the higher function part of our brains, but it's still us.

I was going to suggest this as well. If you have a pool available for use, it's one of the best low impact workouts you can get.

What about women who either due to the way their bodies are naturally or do to certain syndromes have a higher than normal testosterone level?

Not sure how accurate this is, but my (atheist) religion professor in college told us that turning the other cheek was meant as an act of defiance. The master would only slap a subordinate with the back of his left hand (or right. Can't remember. One of them) and so to turn your other cheek towards him was to make it harder for him to hit you again. So it was more peaceful resistance. Don't fight back, but take a step so they can't hit you again. Again, not sure how accurate it was because I've never heard it anywhere else, but the dude did have a PhD in Theology from Princeton, so... who knows...

I would hang the latest ones which affect the students in a main area so people can see it when they come in and know your qualifications to teach. The older ones/ones that maybe aren't as relevant to what you're teaching I'd hang in your office so you can still be proud of them and students will still be impressed by them when they go into the office, but it's not like "LOOK AT HOW AWESOME I AM!!" all the time. I've seen stuff like that even become a thing of awe to students-- "have you ever been in his office and seen all those plaques and certificates!?" *insert wide-eyed look of awe here*

How do you feel about separating into weight classes? Even within male/female groups, in competition most fighting sports also separate by weight class.

Our head instructor was just awarded his 8th Dan last year. He definitely hasn't changed at all in ego since he got it. He's got a very different kind of ego-- more of an intellectual ego. He doesn't think he's the best practitioner (far from it, especially now that he's mostly disabled) and doesn't demand to be treated a certain way due to rank, but he is firmly convinced we've got the best program in the world and he's very confident in the research he's done and his knowledge of the arts (though he by no means thinks he's the best in that). We also have one of his original instructors come work with us once or twice a month. He's a 7th Dan. He's an extremely humble man. He actually trained on Okinawa in the Agena dojo with the son of Isshinryu's founder back in the 70s, but he's never conceited about it. Since he still considers himself a guest at our school (though the head instructor doesn't see it that way), we have to ask for him to share his opinions and experiences or he'll just stand back and learn.

I do four nights a week--three of those I help out with the kids' classes before my class. I basically have to stop training from the middle of June until the beginning of September because my insane summer job pretty much becomes my life for those months, so I try to train a little more intensively during the school year to make up for it. I don't think there's such a thing as too much dedication. Different people have different goals and priorities. If someone loves martial arts so much they want to train in it 10 hours a day every day and can do so without getting hurt/making their family homeless, go for it. But I think for most working adults with other priorities, 2-4 times a week is still a pretty nice show of dedication.

Welcome!

I love being a white belt again. I'm a brown belt in Isshinryu, but a white belt in Judo. Every time they mention promotions, I get disappointed because I want to keep the white belt. No expectations. (I don't know if I'm ready to be promoted this cycle, anyway, so it's all good for now)

Fruit's pretty good at satisfying sweet teeth as well, but it doesn't spike your blood sugar as much. Harkon's right, though. If you're really, really craving a Snicker's bar, eat it. Just don't make it an every day thing. Make sure you're eating right the vast majority of the time and allow yourself to enjoy life every once and awhile. A lot of people suggest the 80/20 principle. If you eat healthy food 80% of the time, not so healthy food can fit in about 20% without feeling too guilty. It's not the food we eat once a week that make us-- it's the food we eat every day.

I'm glad you mentioned this. In today's world, it's vital. If I'm looking for schools, I'm much, much more likely to go to one that has a good website with lots of information. It doesn't have to be flashy (personally, I'd be more likely to go to a school with a cheaper website just because it'd strike me as more genuine, but that's a personal, non-fact-based bias and really depends on the type of atmosphere you're trying to create with your school-- polished and professional or more "average joe's"). On your website, write about yourself and your training, what people can expect when training with you, the class schedules (so people can envision where attending your school would fit into their lives), etc. Post pictures of your space once you get it-- especially during renovations and set up before you open. Looking at those pictures will help build anticipation and sense of family. Having watched a place grow from nothing ties people to it even if they've never set foot in the door. And post pictures of the classes and students (with their permission) once you get going. Also-- as a consumer, I'm much more likely to trust schools that advertise their prices openly on the website. I don't like the ones that make you call or go in to find out how much they cost so that they can use their used car salesman tactics on you. Complete turn off. And in addition to a website, get a Facebook page and keep it updated. Make sure to add new pictures to it constantly (at least every other week) to keep people coming back to it and, again, to build that connection with people as they watch your school grow and develop. I also agree that with that many classes, you may wind up with many very small, separate, possibly cliquey groups. More is not always better.

Oh I won't teach every student alone !!! Like private lessons. Ill teach in groups. The ppl I train now their are maybe 15 of them ? Give or take. The method is like this. Stretch, warm up all together. Then we use go over 2 techniques in an hour. Whether its a sweep, pass, submissions, transitions, or whatever I will demonstrate with my highest level student then the whole group watches and does it. If they have any questions or concern they ask. That's about it. I think what he's asking is how where will you fit in the time slots for all these classes? Will you be holding four or five adult classes a day in addition to kids' classes?

I have no experience with this, I'm just passing on advice I've heard repeated over and over again (I'm sure those who own their own dojos can be much more specific). DON'T NEGLECT THE BUSINESS ASPECT OF YOUR BUSINESS. You can be an amazing martial artist, but if you can't handle the books, manage your profits and expenses, attract and retain the optimum number of students, etc, your business won't last long. Study that aspect like it's a new art and employ it in everything you do. You can't get lazy with it. You can't ignore it. You have to be a businessman first and a martial artist second or else partner up with someone who does know how to run a business and run it well if you want to concentrate entirely on the art and on teaching. Just whatever you do, don't neglect that aspect or you're better off keeping your day job and going to local Boys and Girls Clubs or YMCAs or churches and asking to start up a non-profit program there. If you can't keep the lights on, you won't be doing much good for your students. A harsh reality, but a reality. PS-- Not meant to discourage you in any way. That sounds like an amazing goal. You just hear too many stories of very passionate people following their passions to open their own business and then crashing and burning because they're all about their passion and neglect the business part. It's always sad to see happen. But if you're willing to either perfect your business skills along with your martial arts skills or find a business-savy partner, follow your dreams, man!

Awesome! You should be really proud of yourself. I know how hard you worked for that belt. You put a lot into it. I bet you're going to feel amazing when you first get to put it on. And like Harkon said, I hope you really take time to enjoy the next step of the journey.

Ahh, but the concept of "fair" is different to everyone. For some, fair is everyone getting the same. For others, it's the people who put more in getting more out and the people putting in less getting less. For still others, it's the people who need more being given more and the people who need less being given less. There are many different viewpoints on "what's fair". That's why it's so hard for leaders, especially, to be seen as fair and attempt to stay fair (and they should). Some may consider it unfair for someone who's clearly mastered the material to be kept at the same belt rather than being allowed to progress at his own pace.