The Pred

US dollars http://www.awma.com/clearance/uniforms-belts.html

Yes on the karate jackets. Pro force had a sale, was able to get a double weave for 45.00

I mainly teach defense from a hook punch. I would say 60, 40 in regards to hook and straight. 60 being the hook.

Congrats !

So quick question, if a student attends an SKKA school that isn't the Hombu itself. can that student open up his or her own school under the SKKA banner? Or does that student have to have trained under the Hombu first?

I doubt the average person will know the difference between TKD and Karate.

Hmm, could your kids perhaps pass out advertisement at their school?

Are you marketing more towards kids, adults? What kind of hours does your dojo have?

Congrats !

If I ever start my own school, we'll wear black gis at least until black belt (then probably white tops with black bottoms as I think the black belt just looks better on a white top as opposed to the full ninja look. The white top does look nice, but now you have to wash the white top separately, so that becomes a pain in itself. Ugh, you can never win, lol

Yes. Yes, he was 24, just a few months shy of his 25th birthday. Impressive? That might be true, depending on whom one asks. Yes. He was 8 years old. Born: 1932 Started training with Soke: 1940 Shodan: 1946 [16 years of age] Godan: 1956 [24 years of age] JBB wasn't established until Soke wrote the By-Laws in 1957. Soke only had one student his entire life in Takahashi Sensei until they both moved to the USA, and the only child that Soke ever taught to was Takahashi Sensei at the tender age of 8 years old. I, too, always thought, even now, that Takahashi Sensei's Shodan was quite earned at quite a young age...but...I never questioned Soke and/or Dai-Soke as to that because that would've been rude and crude and would've not received by either quite well...to say the least. Shoot, I was at the tender age of 27 when I earned my Godan from Takahashi Sensei. Earned my Hachidan at 44, just 3 months shy of my 45th birthday in 2002. I started when I was 7 years old; having been born in 1957. Soke didn't bow to what other styles have decided as acceptable tenures, not even the slightest. Soke made the rules, and that's the bottom line!! Does our youthfulness as Hachidan's seem wrong and ineffective? One would have to decide for themselves, but not until one's stepped on the floor to see for themselves. Nothing wrong with it. Proof. Is on the floor. Now you said your Dai Soke's son got promoted to Judan from Nanadan. If he was an 18 year old shodan would they have skipped him to 10th or no?

Sensei8, Was your Dai Soke a Godan in 1956. I'm guessing that was pretty impressive for the time since he'd be what 24? Did he start the martial arts at a young age like yourself?

One of the main reasons I am not a fan of the white gi. Though I will wear all white for special occasions.

Great replies, I mean if I did an ground based art it would be a weekly thing.

So for the longest time I would lysol spray my obi. But I've decided screw it, and decided to hand wash my obi in the sink with some laudnry degernt. It took a few days to dry. Luckily I had a spare obi. So for people that wash your belts, do you have a spare or do you just not go to your dojo.

If for some reason all the hachidan's retired at the same time. Could by-laws get amendended to where Hachidan is the highest?

I'd never allow that to happen, and as a matter of fact, no one in the Executive Team would allow that either!! So...NO!! Not a possibility! No matter who that student is, they will be invited to a Testing Cycle when that time is appropriate, and not anytime sooner...and no one's guaranteed any rank!! Okay cool, hope everything works out.

So if the person chosen is a Nanadan. Do they do the hachidan testing, then a week later the kudan testing? Just so it seems they didn't skip a rank?

Funny I was just gonna ask the same thing regarding rank. I mean what rank is one considered to be put on the ballot?

Yes, so let's say shodan isn't till 18. So if they do it like this -Shodan-18 -Nidan-20 -Sandan-23 -Yondan-27 NOw this is just one example, dojo's can have any time. In grade they want. But if it's like I said is a long time to wait to sparr especially if they started as a kid.

I guess catching on/understanding along with a willingness to learn.

[quote="sensei8" What if they don't pass?? Good question, if a dojo charges for testing fees. Does that student still get charged each time? What if it takes the student 20 times? Do they keep paying each time?

Very true

To student 'A': Shut up and train!! To student 'B': Shut up and train!! Student 'A'...just who promoted that student to a position that he/she doesn't possess?? Student 'B'...I will not force a student to test! Test...don't test...it's all good to me!! And when student 'B' is ready, I'll be here...whether it's sooner or later!! For student A, my answer is similar. They don't dictate when they test. For student B, it depends on their "why" & their rank. If they are holding back to have a chance to win tournaments, we'd be having a chat about ethics. If they just don't want to, it depends on their present rank & for how long they are there. If someone is 4th Dan. Runs their own school under me. But hasn't tested for 20 years, we'd be having a chat because at that point, that student is affecting his/her student's ability to promote, as well. Just an example. If using your example of a 4th Dan haven't graded for 20 years, why would they have not gone and attempted a grading in that time? I know many 4th and 5th Dans that haven't graded for that length of time because they are content at that rank and have no desire to be promoted to a much higher grade. What if that 4th Dan who hasn't graded has continually trained under their instructor and other instructors during that time, has the knowledge and expertise of say an 8th Dan but just hasn't been given that rank and the ranks in between? and he has graded students to 4th dan. Because IMHO rank is just a piece of clothing that keeps your pants up. And at the end of the day students acknowledge that knowledge is the main thing. I know about a Nidan that hasn't tested in close to 30 years...and this Nidan is quite content with that; I can admire and respect that. This Nidan has the knowledge and experience of a Dan rank way much higher than current rank. This Nidan has no desire to ever test! Why? A sign of respect to his Sensei who passed away shortly after this Nidan received his Nidan!! Very admirable indeed. I'm sorry you were forced against your will due to politics. To the bold type above... Is this question directed to me? Yes, didn't you say you were forced to get Kudan in due part to being Kaicho

To student 'A': Shut up and train!! To student 'B': Shut up and train!! Student 'A'...just who promoted that student to a position that he/she doesn't possess?? Student 'B'...I will not force a student to test! Test...don't test...it's all good to me!! And when student 'B' is ready, I'll be here...whether it's sooner or later!! For student A, my answer is similar. They don't dictate when they test. For student B, it depends on their "why" & their rank. If they are holding back to have a chance to win tournaments, we'd be having a chat about ethics. If they just don't want to, it depends on their present rank & for how long they are there. If someone is 4th Dan. Runs their own school under me. But hasn't tested for 20 years, we'd be having a chat because at that point, that student is affecting his/her student's ability to promote, as well. Just an example. If using your example of a 4th Dan haven't graded for 20 years, why would they have not gone and attempted a grading in that time? I know many 4th and 5th Dans that haven't graded for that length of time because they are content at that rank and have no desire to be promoted to a much higher grade. What if that 4th Dan who hasn't graded has continually trained under their instructor and other instructors during that time, has the knowledge and expertise of say an 8th Dan but just hasn't been given that rank and the ranks in between? and he has graded students to 4th dan. Because IMHO rank is just a piece of clothing that keeps your pants up. And at the end of the day students acknowledge that knowledge is the main thing. I know about a Nidan that hasn't tested in close to 30 years...and this Nidan is quite content with that; I can admire and respect that. This Nidan has the knowledge and experience of a Dan rank way much higher than current rank. This Nidan has no desire to ever test! Why? A sign of respect to his Sensei who passed away shortly after this Nidan received his Nidan!! Very admirable indeed. I'm sorry you were forced against your will due to politics.