Spartacus Maximus

That’s the result of determination. 27 do years is an exceptionally long gap before getting back into it, but if someone makes the time and effort previously learned skills do come back. It truly is just like riding a bicycle. Once it has been learned, it can be possible again even after years not doing it. It just takes a strong will and determination to recall and sharpen the skills up to whatever level one had before practise was stopped. It is worthy of note because ego and overestimation of ability will make most people unable to start over after just a short while. Although it has been a lot less than 27 years, much less a decade; re-starting from the basic fundamentals was difficult. In the end it was the most beneficial path to choose. The first thing that becomes obvious is that previous rank/grade have very little significance. What matters is what is possible to do in the present. If one trains hard and regularly up to a level previously reached, the skills and ability will be reinforced; thus improved by the time said level is reached again. Another good point is that the instructor evaluating the rank/lgrade will have a different perspective from before.

Self-defense can be challenging to explain or teach to adults, but children can be even more difficult because their age and mental development limits their ability to understand certain important aspects. Children are more likely to face physical threats from their peers than from adults. Dealing with a school bully requires a different approach than what would be effective and appropriate against a criminal assault. How and what should be taught to children for self-defense against school bullies or others within their age group?

It is a plausible reason that visually different black belts came into use with the higher number of people for an instructor to keep track of. Instructors with few longtime students can arguably tell how far along everyone is at a glance. The other explanation could be just business.

To add to what has been said previously, black belts with stripes of any colour down their middle are rare outside of North American(Canada and USA) karate dojos. In Okinawa and mainland Japan as well as anywhere else using the most traditional belts scheme, karate dan grades are solid black up to 6th or 7th dan. In many karate ryuha, these will be a red/white belt. 9th and 10th dan will have a solid red belt.

Given the huge number of karate organizations, styles or schools it is very difficult to identify any of them with just a belt colour. Black belts with stripes down their middle are commonly used by several dojo’s as a transitional level before Shodan. The black belt with a red stripe is sometimes worn by 4th or 5th dan instructors in a few Okinawan Shorin ryu schools.

Besides perhaps stimulating interest in pursuing training, one day seminars or courses have no practical value. Those who attend will likely get a false sense of security after being introduced to a few techniques. However, as with any given skill it is just not possible to become proficient enough to rely on them without practise. After the one day course ends, how many of the people attending actually spend any significant time on the content afterwards?

There are only two choices here and it is up to the OP to make the decision. One is to forget everything that happened and find another instructor or system to learn. The other option is to forget all feelings of being slighted and let go of all arbitrary notions of rank or grade if the OP values actual skills gained. If the OP does indeed value physical skill and overall growth in the system trained, the final and essential question is this: In a month of absence, has anything been forgotten or become awkward and clumsy? Or is everything still as sharp and crisp as it was the day before the month-long absence began ? Either way if the pursuit and development of skills are the first priority; ranks and grades are meaningless. Following this reasoning, demotions or promotions are also insignificant. One either can do something or cannot. In both cases training and practise are the decisive factor.

What is the worth and benefit from attending a one-day one time only seminar on anything? From an instructor’s perspective it could help as a promotion device to get new students to start training. On the other hand anyone seriously interested in learning martial arts and self-defence (or anything) will not be satisfied with just one day or lesson. The amazing thing about such seminars is that when they think about it , people do understand that a one time course will probably not help them but....they are still willing to pay/attend because a sense of security and accomplishment is a buyable commodity. People will always want to feel good about themselves without too much effort and quick as possible.

They are usually at the root of rushed decisions and clouded judgement. Anger and other strong emotions often lead to mistakes that are always regretted later after the heat of the moment. Luckily most of the time it serves as a life experience opportunity to learn a lesson. As a martial artist in training or in self defense, it can be painful if lucky or crippling to deadly at worst. Contrary to popular thinking anger is only one of many emotions that requires management and control. A person who is unable to control their own emotions is very unstable and unpredictable. If that person also has even a minimum of martial arts training, they are also potentially dangerous to themselves and everyone else around whenever they experience an emotional outburst.

This may not be fathomable to everyone, but the are quite a few professions and lines of work where the way a person looks may negatively influence or cause problems in both business and social interactions. Frequent, regular and obvious injuries; or signs that could possibly be seen by the public as a potential or liking to physical violence can and will be a handicap. In the worst of cases it will frighten potential clients, coworkers and partners. It can even attract the wrong sort of people leading to unwanted and unnecessary interactions. This has always been a legitimate concern but even more so recently as many modern societies everywhere have become over sensitive.

How it can be explained depends a lot on the workplace and line of work one has. It also depends on whether or not anybody there knows about one’s martial arts training. Claiming an accident usually works fine or even just going about your business as usual would also work. This is not limited to martial arts as just about anyone who has a risky hobby or plays contact sports is bound to have a few dings, bruises and scrapes once in a while. The idea is to focus away from the visible injury by giving only short simple explanations only if asked.

Perhaps using French to search will be more effective, as it is very unlikely that any information about karate dojos in France would have anything in English. Of the few dojos that have anything online, most of it is only in French. Using something like online translation may help get the gist of the content, but most of it will inevitably result in garbled gibberish. Actually training in a dojo in France(or anywhere) will be very difficult without either someone translating or a basic functioning knowledge of the language.

Everything in martial arts depends on the teacher and the method. No matter what martial art or governing body, there will be significant differences. Even within the exact same style and/or organization, there are those who are better than their peers at conveying skills and getting other people to understand them.

Emotions are natural and anger is one of many. Like any other it can be both good or bad depending on how one deals with it.

The best gift idea for anyone and any occasion is something that will be both appreciated by the receiver and practically useful. What would a martial arts instructor find useful and practical in their functions(as an instructor)?

Everything about the testing from the content to the method must be adapted to, and determined by age. Every age group has a different set of physical and mental abilities. Things like coordination, attention span and balance will differ greatly. It would neither be fair nor an appropriate evaluation of skills to expect a 10 year old to be physically and mentally equal to a 16 year old. Even if they have been training for the same length of time.

Well there maybe something there, as many if not all martial arts were spread far and wide by those whose military duty allowed them to discover and learn martial arts. Access to martial arts training has only been possible for ordinary folks for a few decades. Before that, training was restricted to social class and/or occupation such as police forces or military.

The one thing that becomes obvious once practise and training become personal is that bullies or any other threat, attack or challenge one will be confronted with; there are none more difficult to beat or escape than the ones carried by each individual person. With a little time, skill and good timing one can overcome a thug, yet it will take years of effort and perhaps more pain to iron out that one nagging flaw in one’s technique.

The only thing that can be ascertained about “Bodhidharma” is that he travelled to China from India and that he spent a considerable number of years teaching spiritual and philosophical concepts there. He was originally from a warrior class or noble family so it is highly likely he had some form of training in whatever armed or unarmed says of fighting available in his native region of India. What is unclear and difficult to know for sure is exactly what was taught in China by Bodhidharma. It should be noted that there is no record of any specific martial techniques or fighting method taught by him. The most detailed and reliable accounts only mention a few sets of physical exercises. It is also of significant importance that various armed and unarmed fighting methods/techniques existed all over China at the time and also well before Dharma’s visit. It is quite plausible that these were known and practised by at least some of the monks. Dharma may indeed have strongly influenced the practise of martial arts, but as he did not found, introduce or organize any particular system or fighting method; he cannot be truly included as a “father” of any martial art. The oldest documented Eastern “styles” or codified and structured fighting methods with a progressive training regimen of drills, forms and exercises are Chinese and Indian. The oldest can be reliably(ie: with traceable names and dates) dated to around 5 to 8 hundred years ago. Interestingly enough, most Eastern systems still existing now are more recent than that. This includes most Chinese, Okinawan, Korean and Japanese styles.

One thing the Jo has compared to the Bo, is the greater variety and versatility in locking, jamming, throwing and holding techniques because of its shorter length(better leverage at close range). The shorter length also makes it easier to wield and carry without reducing the intimidation factor. This is probably why its use is favoured by police forces in Japan for street officers and riot/crowd control units. They are required to become proficient in basic Jo-do for their jobs and on duty they can be seen holding a Jo made of the heaviest hardwood. Some even have reinforced ends. The Jo is in addition to all the regular equipment they are required to wear/carry.

Has anyone ever questioned why dan gradings/tests are so long and whether it is really necessary to take that much time? 2, 3 or 4hours for a dan grading or test seems to be common, but it is not unheard of for some to take even longer and go on over two or three days! Is that much time really required for an instructor to see and evaluate progress in skills? What do the instructors here think of this practice? How about your school or association’s tests? It may or may not be relevant, but the longest ones experienced and heard of were overwhelmingly in martial arts schools outside of the place of origin of the style. The ones in Okinawan/Japanese dojos rarely took more than an hour on average. The most recent one was over in under 45 minutes from the first step onto the floor to the bow after receiving the certification.

Nashville has a at least 3 dojos and there is another in Servierville(sp??).

Fighting and self-defense differ in many aspects, but one of the main differences is the goal. The aim of fighting is to beat the opponent as in competition or kill the enemy as in combat. In either case, one tries to “win”. In self-defense, however the goal is not to “win”, “submit” or otherwise defeat the attacker. Self-defense is about to self preservation and escape from danger with minimal injuries to oneself.

The best lead to find an isshin ryu dojo near you and perhaps also information about any instructor would be to contact the head of isshinryu for USA. Unless things have changed recently, isshin ryu still has an organization based in Okinawa with style head in USA.

One thing Lee could do exceptionally well was using his physical attributes to their fullest potential. Lee’s understanding of body mechanics, power generation and many other essential movement principles is what made him great at martial arts. He may not have been a very big man, but he certainly knew how to put his entire body’s power into every move. Lee is not the only martial arts practitioner able to that, he is just one of the most famous ones.