Lupin1

That's a good point DWx. That is one of the reasons teachers in schools give tests-- it forces the kids to actually study. But I haven't seen a problem with that the way we do it. People, even the kids, tend to know when they're getting close and when the instructors are really starting to look at them. The only time a promotion ever really came as a surprise to me was when I was promoted to my fourth belt after only three or four months. Once we have our kata or katas for that belt memorized and decently perfected we know that's around the time they start really looking at us for the next belt, so that's when we amped it up. If you didn't, well, you didn't get promoted until you did.

What do you all think of this concept? I've read a lot of people on here talk about how their instructors know they're ready and then they have one bad day that just happens to be test day and they're screwed because they mess up that one time. The dojo I used to train at and that I'm returning to (starting Saturday *excited*) doesn't have tests. The instructors keep an eye on you and watch your performance constantly (so every class is a test) and when they think you're ready to move on, they have a surprise promotion by calling you forward at the end of class and handing you your new belt. The only belt that has a formal test is black, but that's more of an initiation than a test. I like the concept. I like that it doesn't penalize you for having one bad day and instead looks at your performance over time. I also like that it lets students move at their own pace. Instead of only being able to test once every six months or so and having to do it on their time table, you move on when you're ready. When I was younger I spent almost two years at the second belt, but I moved through the third belt in three or four months. That was how I was progressing and that was how they graded me. They didn't push me along through my second belt because my six months in rank were up and they didn't hold me in my third belt because I hadn't been there long enough yet. They trained me at the level they thought I should train at and let me do that for as long as I needed and then just moved me along. It was great. Of course, the class is also free, so they don't worry about testing fees and losing people because they're not moving up fast enough. If people were upset by spending two years in one belt, there were plenty of people on the waiting list to take their place. What do you think of the idea?

I Facebook messaged the sensei (I'm 22, what do you want from me) and he said he'd help me with all the sizing stuff at my first class on Saturday. He also said he usually doesn't recommend people even buy gis until they've been doing it for a month or two to make sure they're actually going to stick with it (he teaches for free, so there's no "buy three months get a free uniform on your first day" deal), so I'll have awhile to decide what I want to do. He says he recommends beginning students get the paper thin gis, but personally I'd rather invest the extra twenty bucks in a middle weight, especially since I'm not paying for classes. We'll see, I guess.

Well, as an elementary school teacher, I love programs that have older students helping younger students with reading. Or even having a more advanced student helping a struggling peer within his same class. Should school districts be paying these 5th graders for helping their 1st grade "book buddy"? No. It's part of the older student's education to help the young students. In many cases, having to teach someone something helps you strengthen your own knowledge of it. A brown belt may be able to do a basic front kick without having to think about it, but forcing him *to* think about it in order to teach it to a younger student and figure out what the younger kid is doing wrong and how to fix it will help him learn it better himself. Teaching can be a wonderful way to learn and I see nothing wrong with having more advanced students teach younger students as part of their own training. We do it in schools all the time.

Hi. I'm just restarting Karate. I studied it for five years in elementary and middle school and my old uniform is from when I was a child, so I'm going to be needing to buy a new one. I'm considering a brushed 100% cotton 10oz uniform since that seems to be most people's opinions of "good", even though I'm technically going to be a beginner. I have a question about the sizing, though. Should I look more at the height or the weight? I'm 5'6'' and 220lbs (one reason I'm looking to get back into Karate-- I need more physical exercise) and so my height is two sizes off from my weight. I'm a woman, so my weight is in the womanly places (mostly breasts, hips, and bottom), if that helps. Any advice on size or the uniform type I should buy would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!