KarateKen

Season finale of Dexter New Blood is on Sunday. Possible Dexter finale. I hope the show comes back as I have loved this season.

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No, not really. I guess I want to do a better job of appreciating what I have. I tend to focus on the negative but when I can get out of my head, I realize how blessed I am. Yes, I could end up with health problems some day or I could be dead tomorrow, but instead of thinking that way focus on what is happening now. I think one of the easiest ways to be happy is to be thankful for what you have and focus on that. One of the easiest ways to be unhappy is to focus on what you think you are lacking. Good luck Bob. I hope you beat your cancer and are able to get a lot of support along the way!

When do you know it is time to move on from training? When you can't physically do it anymore? When you don't have the time or money? When you have other things you want to focus on? When you just lose interest? How do you know it is time to walk away? Have any of you ever left training for a long time, say over a year, then came back and tried to get back into it?

If a style of training, such as Tai Chi, does no contact at all, or minimal contact (no hitting or grabbing) is it still martial arts? I took a semester of Tai Chi in college and was told it was MA but we never really did anything other than forms. If you are doing kickboxing combinations on the bag as a workout, but not actually sparring ever, is it still martial arts training or is it a workout? To be clear I don't mean if you are in a Karate class and do Kata as one part of the training, I mean if you never really get hit or knocked down in anyway.

Love the season and the show. Season 4 is full of twists and turns. Terry Silver is a great addition to this and I hope to see Mike Barnes eventually. I won't spoil anything or say how far I have gotten into it, other than we see Silver right away. I kind of wish these shows got posted once a week to drag it out a bit because I am going to watch all the episodes in two days then have to wait a year to see what happens next. If I don't watch it right away someone is sure to spoil it for me.

Episodes 5 and 6 were The story is heating up!

Outside of the people I train with I don't have any friends who currently practice. One who used to but stopped years ago. A few others who like watching UFC but have never trained. No immediate family has any training though some distant relatives took Karate as children.

I'm not gonna watch any of the previews because I like to go in fresh if I know I am watching the series. Super excited to see what they do with Silver and how Johnny and Daniel work together. Five years ago I never would have expected a show like this I am just so glad it was made and is so well done. December 31! Just two and a half more weeks!

I am enjoying it and loved the 4th episode which aired tonight. I think you will like it since you liked the original show. Part of the reason for this new season is to give viewers a better sense of satisfaction since so many people hated the ending.

So far it has been a little slow for me, I would like to see the action pick up. Otherwise, I like it a lot. A whole new setting and way of life.

Keep an open mind, my suspicion is that by the time you get to Shodan that you will feel differently. An adage that we like to repeat, both here and as Karateka in general, is that Shodan is just the beginning. Testing anxiety does suck, but we all feel it. I've been doing Martial Arts for 19 years and a I just tested for gokyu (green belt) and I was anxious. I've been a gokyu before, I've been a Shodan for over a decade, I practiced, and I new I had nothing worry about; but I was still worried. A good sensei does not test students who they don't know aren't ready to move up. It's possible I could change my mind, I've been known to do that. And I agree that we do not test until we are ready.

Anyone else watching this show? Dexter is one of my all time favorite series and I am thrilled about the return. Feels like the time is right.

Absolutely, but not in the way you are describing. If I ever get to black belt I will probably retire. Either way I am never testing again. Why? What is your reasoning behind this? Part of that might have been testing anxiety I was experiencing about the upcoming belt test I had, but I have been thinking that way for a while. First degree BB is enough for me to feel satisfied. Besides I hate testing. I don't see myself as a Karate lifer.

Thanks!

Absolutely, but not in the way you are describing. If I ever get to black belt I will probably retire. Either way I am never testing again.

Agreed. One instructor said to me "a belt rank simply means that the student has met the minimum requirements to reach that rank at that school." No doubt that not all the same colored belts are created equal. They are different based on experience, ability, training style, who the student learned under, testing requirements, and more.

Hi everyone I am a new member and look forward to talking with you all.