karate_woman

OK, just the part about the Forum threw me. Sorry.

Welcome

I don't know anything about GKR myself, but there was a thread on here a while back that offered some points both for and against it. It wasn't the best example of open-mindedness I've seen in the forum, but here's the link: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1367&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 Since I don't have any experience with GKD,the only thing in your post I can really refer to is the part where you are concerned about what is going on in the classes. If what you're seeing doesn't impress you, then you might want to either talk to the instructors, find another school, or both. Since you took Wado Ryu for a while, I'd think that you're in a much better position to judge quality than many parents, but even if you didn't have any experience it is usually best to trust your instincts.

You won't be useless at a martial art. You should get stronger while you take martial arts, plus you should end up carrying yourself more confidently, making you less of a target. Find out what is available in your area, look into the styles they teach, and then visit some dojos. Talk to the instructor, watch some classes, and take some introductory classes and see if you can find something that interests you, along with an instructor that is compatible with you.

Well that's good it was uneventful. Hopefully you had fun.

Welcome

Back to the original question, my conclusion would be either that the rules favoured the one style, and/or that the practitioners who competed for the style were more prepared for that particular type of contest.

Welcome

Welcome. I don't think you are allowed to put links to competing forums in here, though.

Welcome

As long as there are people looking for the easy way, there will be people willing to take their money and let them do it that way. I'm starting to have less and less respect for the actual dan rank someone is, and more and more for the actions I see from them; it is my only way to fight back. I'm still holding the titles of Renshi, Shihan, Kyoshi and Hanshi in great esteem until I'm given a reason otherwise.

I don't think anything magical happens at 16, but the student should have the character and maturity (as ninjanurse put it) to go along with the rank and not just pass the physical test. I'm starting to long for the days when martial artists were just students, instructors, and various types of masters; it would save a whole lot of argument. Of course, in those days, I likely wouldn't have been allowed to train - even if I could have found a dojo - as I'm a woman. All we can do is try to be the best black belts we can, try to hold ourselves and our students to high standards and not worry about anyone else.

Maybe he means in 6 months he'll have taught you enough about avoidance and how to carry yourself so that you aren't a target, and won't go looking for trouble anymore?

Is there a particular style of archery you're interested in? Why does it have to be considered a fighting art? What does "fighting art" mean to you? Practical? Formerly used in battles? Currently used in battles? In my mind archery is mixed with both hunting and warfare and always will be, regardless of its current uses. My Dad still uses a bow to hunt deer as it extends his hunting season beyond what he can do with his rifle. Whether it is an "art" or not depends on how the training is done, I suppose. A couple of archery martial arts have been pointed out to you, but you dismissed them as irrelevant for your purpose so I'm at a loss. What makes something an art vs just shooting an arrow is probably a mix of tradition, history, practice and ritual. Here is a site on archery. http://www.archeryisfun.com/ Good luck

OK, I'll answer the questions in order asked: I think to a martial artist who has reached shodan or higher, once you've reached shodan you've got a good grasp of the basics, but there is still lots to learn, in terms of kata, more advanced techniques, mental/spiritual development, teaching techniques, etc. We still have a number of kata to learn after reaching black belt in Goju, and those kata are contain more advanced techniques than those before shodan. To one who is uninitiated to the martial arts, black belt seems to be "the" ultimate rank you're aiming for, or the destination. Well, I'd think we're expected to be examples, but I'm kind of idealistic. We have to start gaining assistant instructor hours at green belt. Shodan seems good to me, though I did have a brown belt judo instructor towards the end of my judo training and he was better than the black belt instructor I had prior to him. I think the key is that the person should be a good instructor, and actively training themselves. I've heard various comparisons...the most common seem to be like school achievements...degree, master's, doctorate. I still think it is hard to draw comparisons, though. Without getting into philosophical areas, basically the required techniques, and skills for the style (my school had some personal development skills included in their requirements, too though). As for the required techniques, some exceptions could be made for physical ability (ie if the person is doing the kata in a wheelchair of course it is going to look different, and there will have to be modifications to the techniques in that case). In that circumstance, it would take a very skilled instructor that is willing to work with the person to find something that works; not everyone is cut out for that type of teaching, either, regardless of their intentions. In my opinion, yes, but I'm not sure of the actual cut off (many say 16); nothing magical happens when you turn 16; you can be 45 and less mature than a 15 year old, and as for size.. I'm 30 and smaller than a 13 year old girl at my dojo (and I'm average size!) . I was also there when a 13 year-old brown belt got penalized for being a brown belt and not a junior black belt because his association wouldn't allow it, and his exceptional level of skills made the judges feel he had an unfair advantage, even 1 year after reaching his brown belt (the minimum time at brown before reaching black in the association). His size and skills, combined with his mental attitude and upbringing (being the son of two Sensei and training from the age of 3), meant he would have been a good black belt at 13. A symbol of what I've learned, and a reminder of the enormous amount still to be learned. Please discuss. Very Respectfully wcnavstar

100% Cotton

Depending on what type of training is involved, I don't think the student needs to be trained "privately", however, there are a number of activities that open students up to potential cuts, such as sparring, grappling, and practicing certain self defense moves (depending on the speed that the techniques are executed), to name a few. I think anything involving partner work that the Sensei feels has an above average chance of resulting in scratches/blood, should be avoided for the protection of everyone involved. There was blood involved in each of the last two grappling matches I had, so I think grappling is probably a bad idea in that situaion. If students (especially the HIV student) wore the sparring helmets with the face masks, that would offer some protection in a sparring situation, as I doubt there would be huge gushes of blood coming out of anywhere but the nose in most sparring injuries.

A big rip off and waste of $; the police wouldn't hire a person trained in such a fashion, but if they managed to be fooled by the "credentials" (doubtful), they wouldn't be fooled for long.

If the gym doesn't fit, try another gym, if the style doesn't fit, try another martial art. You won't keep it up if you don't feel it is worthwhile.

I take it from your post that thus far nobody else has had a secret grading?

It is considered a weapon capable of killing people, often used in battles in history.

As this is how the original poster described the techniques of his Dad's JJ style: , I think they would tend to agree with you; it doesn't seem to rely soley on pressure points.

I feel ki elsewhere as well...

I just wear little sports bra style shirts under my gi. I prefer the look of not having anything underneath (less differentiation from the guys then), and it definitely feels cooler too. I don't pay any attention to weather a guy has-or doesn't have - a bulge under his gi. I've known lots of karate guys that surprised me by knocking on their cups when I asked if they were ready to spar; it wasn't obvious.

Welcome