Spartacus Maximus

It is a well known and easily verifiable fact that the overwhelming majority of people in martial arts are just doing them as a casual activity or hobby. In general, most do not train or practise between sessions. How much and how often must one train and practise to be considered more than a hobbyist? There are many different ideas on this but there is an obvious difference between the bi-weekly-dojo only type and the fanatical one.

There is a serious problem when karate is no longer about karate. Actual practise and training should make up most of the time in the dojo. Warming up, stretching and the like are important, but they can and should be done on personal time.

Shotokan is most certainly the main influence on TKD and similar systems. The founders of these were Korean karateka. This is not to deny that there are influenced from elsewhere, but the Japanese Shotokan connection is the strongest and most obvious. What the Koreans did was essentially adapt karate for their own purposes, just as the Japanese had done a generation or two after Okinawans introduced Karate there.

The stick in all its varieties is probably the best choice overall. It has many advantages over any other weapon. Some of the best are these: A) Stick or stick-like objects are easily found or picked up in nearly every kind of setting both indoors and outdoors. B) Unlike every other weapon, stick does not obviously appear as a weapon and can readily be discarded C) A stick is has longer range than most other non-projectile weapons and can be used to defend against other weapons while keeping a safer distance away. D) There are no laws/regulations restricting or forbidding sticks. All other weapons are either illegal or heavily restricted.

Everyone who has been involved in martial arts long enough has heard a few weird or rediculous assumptions and stereotypes about martial arts and those who practise them. This game thread is to list them and deny or debunk them like so: My name is Spartacus Maximus and I am a martial artist. 1.I do not break boards or ice with my head, (2) I do not utter high pitched shouts and perform backflips and (3) I most certainly do not attempt to catch, gnats or fruit flies with chopsticks.

It is nothing new, nor is it a unique reaction limited to a single person. It can be described as similar to a short-circuit. When it happens to someone, the first thing immediately noticeable is that the person has trouble moving as they did earlier in the beginning of the session. Some seem to "forget" techniques, panic or even freeze. The condition improves somewhat when conscious efforts are made to breathe deeply.

At a certain point during intense activity, there is a near complete loss of control of movement and muscle action. It becomes difficult to move, breathing is strenuous and vision seem to get clouded. Why does this happen and how can it be overcome?

Stopping one thing to do another is not a very effective way of making any progress in either of the two. Stretching and flexibility should be done every day as a habit. There is really no need to do it exclusively and take time off from other training.

It can be very difficult to realize and accept that one is not grasping a concept or technique. As difficult to do as that may be, it is the most important step towards further improvement.

Perhaps it is an unoriginal choice, but with the resources and time permitting, it would be quite fulfilling to retire to a life of research and study as well as training.

The key for students is to remember that there is no reason to be embarrassed about asking questions. Unfortunately it is much easier said than done and when a student is still unsure about something that has been explained before, there may be some reluctance to admit it or ask for further instructions.

Bowing and other such traditional martial protocol is never an issue, except on the very rare occasion that some uninformed, ignorant individual decides to see some kind of spiritual meaning in it that is not, nor has ever been there. If it is not a bow, then it is other similar gestures. Every single known martial arts system has these, no matter what their culture of origin. In this case the problem observed is ethical. It was immediately obvious that the instructors were misinterpreting and misrepresenting what they were doing either willfully to profit from it; or unknowingly because they themselves were taught that way.

It certainly takes a very good instructor to be able to explain and re-explain and demonstrate and re-demonstrate without losing patience or hope that one day, that diffcult learner will finally understand. The student who cannot seem to get it usually is not that way intentionally. It is likely one who is at shodan or a level or two below that. This student is at a point where one begins to understand techniques, yet struggles to do them correctly as well as consistently. At this point a student cannot see progress and doubts about everything learned before. Often this doubt takes over the mind in such a way that the student feels progress is beyond reach. Do you have such a student? Have you ever been such a student? At what point in your training was it and what helped you through? What made you finally have your "ah ha!" moment?

Learning and teaching can both be very frustrating. Sometimes no matter how many times an instructor teaches a certain point or technique, a student just never seems to get it despite genuine effort. How should an instructor help such a person finally achieve what has been explained? What can an instructor do when a student seems to understand but just cannot do it?

According to several reliable sources on Korean martial arts, red is used because it is an almost universal colour used for symbolizing a strong warning of danger or caution. The reasoning is that a person at this level is skilled enough to be potentially dangerous and is in the process of learning control to avoid harming others and him/her self. It is usually the Korean equivalent of brown belt. Japanese styles where red is used as a lower level belt seem to be very rare. No style comes to mind as far as what is found in Japan. Another thing to muddy the water further is the fact that red is worn for tournaments along with blue.

There is no specified level as bunkai and application drills are taught and practised in conjunction with each kata. Each student is expected to learn as much from direct instruction as from observing and copying those more advanced. Every kata has its bunkai sequence consisting of a basic application for each technique. This is learned one technique/application at a time in solo before doing it with partners. When the student can do this comfortably power, speed and later on variations are introduced.

The question needs more specifics such as proficient in what exactly? In basics techniques? In application of these? Proficiency in martial arts has different levels and depths each taking considerable time to reach. It is very difficult to answer for oneself because, as previously said, self-criticism is often inaccurate one way or the other.

Only the roots of correct movement and mechanics can really be taught. Every student must find the way to adapt these to their own unique morphology. The challenge here is that the instruction must be specifically for that particular student taking into account not only the missing/prosthetic limb, but also the rest. Is the student tall or short? What is the student's build, etc etc. Discussing this with the student would be the best start

It is very difficult to apply correctly and even more to accurately explain in words. The best way to get an idea of it is to learn to feel it and that requires good knowledge of anatomy. One must be made aware of exactly where the tension should be and what muscles are involved. The most common way instructors teach this is by demonstrating themselves while getting the student to press/strike the tensed area. In training, the instructor might test this by slapping, striking or pressing the appropriate areas while the student executes kihon or a core kata such as Naihanchi or Sanchin. From personal experience, the most difficult part is synchronizing breathing with movement without losing the tension. One must constantly struggle against the body's reflex to release all tension from one move to the next. It makes kata exhausting and very difficult in the beggining. So far 3 times in a row is the limit. Skilled karateka can do it almost indefinitely after years of training this way.

Those who practise Okinawan karate and might have heard about the concept of "chinkuchi". It is difficult to accurately translate, but it is an Okinawan language word to describe an essential key point in generating power and speed without compromising balance. The shortest explanation is that "chinkuchi" is explosive power from the core of the body. It is generated by contracting the core muscles as one moves or strikes while maintaining balance by keeping tension. Tension must be constant in the upper sides near the armpits, all around the lower core, as well as in the legs. For those who have heard the term/concept what is the best way to explain it and easiest for people to understand if you are an instructor? [/i]

Yes they selected red and that is the way it has been for quite sometime. The question is "since when?" and "why red?" . It is doubtful that Kano or whomever it was randomly drew colours out of a hat and there must be a reason or an idea motivating the choice. Often the best answer is the simplest one and as the belt system is originally from Judo, the documented history of Jigoro Kano's kodokan is likely the best source to look.

According to Judo history, the founder Kano chose to recognize sixth dan and above with new belt colours in 1930. Red/white bars(kyoushi belt) for 6th to 8th dan and an optional red belt for 9th and 10th dan in 1943. Red and white are the national colours of Japan so one can assume that this choice was part of Kano's promotion of his art as the National sport of Japan. White for purity and red for intensity of effort in training. Black has always been the standard and the new belts were originally intended for special occasions, not everyday training. Karate being new to mainland Japan at that time, most likely copied these from judo in order to fit in with the new Japanese martial arts ranking system. This trend eventually made its way to Okinawa through back-influence from the popularity of Judo and Karate taught on the mainland. http://judoinfo.com/obi.htm

Maybe a wild guess, but in many East Asian cultures(especially Chinese) red is the colour of reserved for celebrations, and prestigious things, positions and people. At ceremonies and events, high ranking and officials such as ministers or military officers often wore red as a dominant colour for the markings of their headgear or uniforms. Then again, maybe there is no reason in particular.

Sometimes belt colour schemes make no sense. In most schools the colours are in some kind of order from lightest to darkest but in others it is just an arbitrary and totally random choice by the instructor or head of the governing body.

Without knowing any details specific to the kind and intensity of kumite, the single best piece of advice for anyone starting is this: control is key. Stay in control of yourself because if you panic and lose control in kumite, somebody will get hurt. Like driving on a fast, busy road, kumite requires absolute concentration and full awareness to see openings to attack and deal with whatever is coming with split second decision and moves without hesitation whether it is countering, dodging or any other simultatenous timed action.