Spartacus Maximus

One reason why learning or teaching the use of kobudo weapons has been limited is that the weapons have not been relevant for a long time. Most of the martial artist training with traditional weapons do it purely for cultural interest because few of the weapons taught in kobudo are commonly applicable or even practical in the modern world. What is more important than the weapons themselves is the principles and strategies. If one understands these thoroughly, it becomes possible to use them with whatever is at hand.

Well then if that is the case, it would seem that everything depends on personal preference for wherever it is you train. Personally, I suspect that this type of thing tends to be more common in relatively recent karate styles such as those derived from kyokushin and shotokan; as well as eclectic mixes. This is not a judgment on the value of these, merely a general observation. Obviously the are certainly exceptions, but the traditional Japanese styles and their much older Okinawan predecessors that existed before 1945, tend to have a more conservative approach. In these styles dojo's colourful gis, belt embroidery would be seen as extravagant and showy. Something that goes against the ideals of modest and humility as conceived by Eastern thought and bushido.

Italian_guy has the right answer. There are no universal traditions with embroidery for belts. However, the most commonly used colours of embroidery used on black belts is gold. Red is also used but less common. As for embroidery on red belts or red/white belts used by 7th to 10th dan in some styles or dojos, the thread is usually gold or black. The final answer to the original question is whatever the chief instructor decides or what your association and dojo use. Look at other people of equal or higher grade check their belts and see what they have.

@MatsuShinshii Not sure to whom your question is addressed, but here is an answer: My karate is of Chibana's lineage and my teachers were taught by Miyahira as well as other direct students of Chibana's. It is the "kobayashi" style of shorin ryu. The total number of kata in the system is 20. 5 kihon kata, 3 naihanchi, 5 pinan, Passai sho/dai, kusanku sho/dai, chinto, gojushiho and teisho. By shodan one must know all the kata up to Pinan godan and be able to demonstrate bunkai(function and use of techniques) and oyo kumite (practical application in a partnered drill). In addition one must demonstrate Passai sho without any major errors such as forgetting part of the kata. This takes an average of 3.5 years, IF one trains and practices daily. Longer if the person only trains at the dojo when it is open. The last kata introduced is teisho or gojushiho at around 5th dan. Each dan level requires everything learned before plus one new kata to demonstrate and the oyo kumite and bunkai for previously learned kata. In other words dan gradings from shodan onwards focus mostly on technical refinement and oyo kumite and being bunkai.

First, it should be said that when training one should focus on quality of skills and depth of understanding rather than quantity. The very concept of "dan kata" or "black belt kata" is flawed because the time when kata are taught or the order in which each one is learned depends on whoever is teaching. In addition to this, even a short kata with few techniques takes a considerable effort and time to understand to the point of being able to apply effectively. This is why the experts and masters of old would spend years training a single kata. Tte level of each kata is something that was determined around the same time the system of ranks and belts was introduced to karate. Before that, a student would spend a couple of years on fundamentals and basic techniques before being taught whatever kata the teacher knew. Taking Shorin ryu as an example, as a general rule the kata introduced from shodan and afterwards are usually the oldest and those with the heavier Chinese martial arts influence such as passai, kusanku, chinto and gojushiho. Each dojo is different and each one introduces these kata at a different dan depending on the the teacher, the association and the branch. Personally passai sho (itosu's kata) was introduced at shodan and kusanku sho is required to nidan. This is in addition to being able to demonstrate a basic understanding and application of all other kata and satisfactory improvement in basic techniques.

Self-defense is only enough if and only if it is done with the goal of escaping as fast as possible and with the least degree of force needed to get away. This speaks for itself. It is very, very difficult for anyone to claim that a a person obviously struggling to get away is at fault or see that person as the attacker. If a person breaks away and runs at the first opportunity and hits/injures one's attacker in the process of escaping, potential witnesses will see or report just that. Hit hard and run like the bejeezus is always the best thing to do. No need to stick around or fret about what might happen if one isn't there. Who is foolish enough to wait around? Either the attackers supporters get there or the law gets there first. One way or another, if one is still there it will be both costly and painful.

Are you still able and willing to teach and pass on your skills? If the answer is yes it matters little if you are 60, 70 or 80. Most of the best and most competent karate instructors I have had the privilege to know or train under in Japan, Okinawa or elsewhere have been at least 60 years old or more. These instructors could all easily surpass anyone younger than themselves in skills, knowledge and overall physical fitness. My present instructor is nearly 70 and founded his most recent dojo less than 15 years ago. Out of the 30 or so regular students, at least a dozen are shodan or above. if you think you have the energy and dedication, then teach and train as much as you can. Many, if not most of the memorable teachers in martial arts history have trained, taught and practiced until their last breath. To cite an example from Okinawa, Chosin Chibana( taught my sensei's sensei) trained and taught his students up to the eve of his death in 1968 or 9. He was over 80 years old and started many dojos in his life from the time his own teacher, Itosu died.

The makiwara used is not the typical one found in most places. It is a much simpler and cheaper design made of a regular piece of pine board of the same type used for breaking. That board is stuck or placed on an equal sized slice of foam puzzle mat as used on floors. When punching it, the knuckles are meant to strike straight without twisting into the target. When doing this on a nearly daily basis, I had gradually worked up to hitting 100 times for each hand. Following the correct methods and examples, hitting with just enough force to feel a sting. Callouses, bruises and the like are not the goal, but just a "side-effect"

To give a very simplistic answer, one could say that "standards" do not get along with "mass teaching and profiting". Standards will inevitably be brought down when something which is meant to be hard is re-structured to be made accessible and palatable to the average person who cannot invest into more than causal commitment. To limit examples to karate alone, if it were taught the same way it was just 50 years ago with the same standards, one can be certain that the number of people involved would not be nearly as high as it is now.

Hitting a makiwara or other types of striking post will leave obvious visible marks if done on a regular basis, even under the best circumstances where one does it correctly. The dilemma is not about using the makiwara, but whether or not getting back to doing it is the right decision. Nowadays it is just once in a while at the dojo, but until a year or so ago it was every other day. It was never to the point of making a gnarly nasty pulp, but it did result in regulary skinned, spots and prominent callouses. Now those are gone, but there is still some faint marks. I suppose those who do not teach martial arts for a living and have the sort of occupation that involves working with people might have a different perspective. On a personal note, karate is something I keep private precisely because discussing or explaining it to people would bring nothing good in my experience. This is not to say it never happens, just that I refuse to talk about it unless whoever it is has explicitly expressed an interest. Normally what others think is irrelevant, but in this case it could have unwanted negative consequences on making a living if people in the working environment are intimidated or repelled by my appearance. Imagine a school teacher, a public servant or other "people work' person with hands like Morio Higaonna. Do you think it might give such an individual a hard time?

Find an instructor who values effort and personal skill development over and above anything else. If that instructor's opinion can be trusted, follow what is taught and forget about rank or other superficial rewards. Knowledge and skills are in one's head, not around the hips or in a coloured strip of cloth. Shodan, godan or no dan everything falls into three categories: what one doesn't know, what is learning and what needs to improve.

Training the limbs and hands is an integral part of Okinawan Karate and a pillar of traditional training. Although most people who train have had some experience with it, few continue to do it regularly. Especially using the makiwara or other types of striking post/board. The reason why is mostly that people are worried about either injuries or the attention brought on by the grim appearance of bruised, badly skinned or calloused hands. Personally, the dilemma is concerned with the appearance of hands. The first reason is because making a living requires dealing with people, doing mostly clerical work. These people might be disgusted, worried or repelled by "makiwara hands". This could affect the work environment and interfere with work duties. Second to that but of less important, is keeping training private, almost secret. At the moment, nobody knows except very close friends and family. It is never mentioned or discussed with anyone. Having to explain things to people who cannot and would not understand would be tiresome, indeed. What would you do in this situation and why?

As far as neglected parts of training go, probably conditioning/hardening would be the first. Especially parts where the results are obvious such as hands.

Having more fat than average and being obesity should not be thought of as the same condition. By defenition, an obese person is neither healthy nor fit. The very concept of "fat but fit" is part of a distinctly modern mentality which attempts to excuse or make acceptable as normal the problems caused by a lifestyle of excesses compounded by inactivity. Physical strength or endurance are not the only things that make a person healthy and fit. In fact these two qualities are impossible to achieve or maintain for very long if one is fat. Being healthy and fit also depends on essential support such how one eats and getting proper rest to recover.

Fat but relatively in good health is possible. However, carrying more fat than average for one's age always inevitably leads to problems caused by the burden this puts on the body's systems. Obese is a pathological problem and is unhealthy itself even if the person concerned has yet to develop other issues. Training in martial arts or doing any kind of physical activity on a regular basis is one of the best ways to become fit and stay fit, as well as preventing the many health issues that result from the modern sedentary lifestyle.

Loyalty is an honourable quality, but only if the reason for it is just. Loyalty for loyalty's sake is quite meaningless. The question one ought to ask is not IF one should be loyal to a style but WHY.Competent instructors are far more important than any given style. Excellent, good, bad and terrible teachers exist in absolutely every martial art system. Loyalty is between people, so if one is unable to continue training in one style for lack of availability or a good teacher, starting a different style under a great instructor teaching what one is looking for in martial arts should be no problem and neither should staying with that teacher as long as possible.

Basic beer rule of thumb is never before training or between training. Saving it for afterwards makes it taste that much better.

One of the ways the answer could be explained is by considering the question from an Eastern mentality, specifically Okinawan/Japanese. In this culture and mentality, the journey is valued more than the destination. The process is more meaningful than the goal. What one learns and the efforts, struggles and trials along the way is more important than the end. Perfection is the goal, but it remains abstract and arbitrary because everyone's idea of it is different. So if perfection is elusive, the true meaning and value of training is the personal satisfaction of finally beginning to understand something after falling down or failing so many times before eventually reaching excellence in skill and knowledge of one's martial art. Aiming for perfection is great if it drives a person to constantly seek to get better, but it cannot be an end because it isn't retalistic. There is always someone out there who is better. Reaching excellence is more feasible and means that one has more courage, patience and dedication than most. It also means that one has failed again and again more times than what most are willing to take before giving up.

Martial arts in general are a global phenomenon, much much more so since the martial arts have entered the sphere of leisure, sporting competition and entertainment. In this day and age of instant access information, martial arts are found in one form or another and are accessible to most communities in all corners of the mondern world. Systems originating in East Asia are by far the most ubiquitous and are practised in a huge variety of forms across the immense continent of Asia. One would be Indeed hard-pressed to find a single Asian country where a variant of Karate or TKD or Kung-fu/Chinese MA is neither known or offered. The only places in the world where Karate and martial arts, i.e. Codified systems of unarmed defense/fighting are unknown or not present are logically the most rural, remote or difficulty accessed. Places such as small island nations or countries in near constant social and/or political conflict. Experiment this: type "random country" and "karate" in google. Even the most obscure little known country will have something and that something will be found in that country's capital or largest urban zone if anywhere at all.

Injuries during training always happen for one of two reasons: A) incorrect biomechanics( alignment, structure, balance). For example punching with an improperly closed fist B) Excessive exertion far beyond the point of maximum benefit or without enough adequate preparation/conditioning. For example, trying to punch a makiwara one hundred times full power without first learning how to do it properly. Of course these are simple and somewhat extreme examples, but the important point to remember is that there is always a lesson to learn from training injuries. From basic thing like keeping the fist closed firmly to breathing correctly. Instructors will often repeat these like broken records, but often it does not really sink in until someone gets unnecessarily hurt because they didn't or couldn't follow the recommendations. Even with the best intentions and attention some things cannot be truly learned or understood until they are experienced. It is also much better to learn these lessons in a training environment, than in a situation where being injured could mean much more serious consequences than just taking a break. It pays to listen to those with experience when it comes to training injuries , lest everyone should have to break every limb to understand and suffer to learn. Somehow causing injuries to others and especially to oneself is much easier than learning how to avoid or reduce them.

Thank you all for reading my posts. If what I wrote helped or inspired some forum members I am glad to have been of some use. I enjoy sharing what little I know as this virtual environment is the only outlet I have for this purpose.

Training injuries can happen to anyone regardless of experience and even with the best of precautions. What is the worst and/or most painful injury you have ever had during training? Luckily the worst I ever had were a badly sprained thumb that took nearly three months to heal. The second one was a nasty black eye, which was as painful as embarrassing because everyone asked about it at work and at school. Fortunately, I never broke anything or had anything serious enough to requiring medical attention. At this time I feel quite safe because my instructor is qualified to treat most injuries that are likely to happen, including broken bones. As a bonus there are at least 5 hospitals or clinics within 5km of the dojo.

Things the internet has done for martial arts in no particular order: It is easier to find information on a wide variety of systems, some that might have been virtually unknown outside their area of origin. Making connections and sharing knowledge with fellow practitioners is faster than before. Verify credentials or finding a school/instructor is much faster and reaches farther than before.

Best advice I ever got and that I can share is to just forget past experiences. It doesn't matter what belt or grade one had before starting over. Even if one is starting over in the same system/style. Especially if one is starting over the same or a similar system/style with a different instructor. Start with a fresh and open-minded perspective. This will make it possible to see certain details and get a deeper understanding of things that might have been overlooked. As for the belts, belts are of little importance. With or without them the skills are there or are not. Old belts are for past evaluations, put the past aside and focus on the now. If belts/grades are to be used, take the ones that represent the evaluation of whomever is teaching you now.

There certainly are situations and business interactions where "customer is king" applies, but besides customer service or the hospitality industry it probably does not apply very well. In the case of martial arts instruction, which is a specialty service, must accept and trust the instructor's ability to teach skills, manage and supervise everything within the school. This is the same as other specialty services such as the construction example given by Matsu. The customer may have preferences, but if something cannot be done or is only possible provided that XYZ, the customer MUST accept expert/experienced judgment or go elsewhere. Whining, complaining or threatening to sue will not make an unreasonable or impossible request happen.