stl_karateka

Harsh and inaccurate. A competent blue belt can certainly teach beginners! Doesn't sensei mean teacher? At my old school I was 'sensei' since yellow belt. Some schools prefer to use the term Sempai --- whatever its just a title, but to discredit someone cause of what they were around their waist is silly. That's right, I was being groomed to teach since yellow belt --- as an adult I started working mostly with the kids....making sure they were in a straight line, proper stances...ya know...the easy stuff.....as my rank progressed, so did my responsibility. By the time I reached brown belt I was trusted to open / close the school and run the school when the head instructors were out of town - this included not only teaching, but scheduling and dealing with parents. Now that I am a black belt, I am a step above those who waited to start teaching. Those that teach will probably agree that teaching is different from being on the recieving end...you can be a sharp student, but it doesn't mean you will be a good teacher Also, most underbelts that teach go above and beyond in their training. I know I trained 20 hrs a week....that is 17hrs above the norm!!! Some of that included private lessons as the head instructor wanted the staff to be the sharpest ones out there. Sure there are a lot of McDojos out there --- but get the facts straight first. Now all Y's are bad, not all underbelts are bad teachers. Now that I've sucessfully driven this post off topic, lemme try to bring it back.....college, judo ---- good luck!

I found the trick out to that slippery button game! If you hold the mouse button down before you enter the square the button doesn't move around....then you can just hover over it and double click

You sound as though you've prepared yourself! Just be ready for anything and everything! Give your all -- especially when doing forms ---- start and end with POWER...don't let it dwindle. If you make a mistake....keep going.....don't let it show in your face --- be consistent with all your moves. Breath!!! Obvious right? When the heat is on you'll forget little things like this! Especially through the calenstenics (sp?) ---- take in nice slow breaths whenever you can ---- don't hold your breath during techiques! NIGHT BEFORE: High carb dinner --- I recommend pasta Get a good nights sleep DAY OFF -- light breakfast. I recommend Oatmeal and a powerbar. Best of luck to you!

I see what you are saying....I read 'class' but I interpreted per semester, in which case $15 per semester wouldn't be bad (I paid 30) But yes...$15 per class is quite expensive! Keep searching --- best of luck to you!

You got that right! Don't think you're doing me any favors --- I want to know I can hold my own!

Almost a bell curve - interesting

There are liability issues. Are you sure the school doesn't make the instructor purchase some type of insurance coverage? If the instructor is going to make a profit, then the school would probably want a cut --- if you are looking for an instructor to do it for free then that is a different story.

Best jumps I got (until I master the 360) is the 180 crescent kick from Kusanku, with the double jump front kick (Chinto) a close second* *Kusanku has a double jump front kick too but for me the one in Chinto feels stronger cause it is at the begining of the kata.

Hehe that rocks! I never was one for the aerials but now learning all that stuff sounds cool --- I want to learn the 540 and tornado kick. I've lost my chinese crescent kick (well I never really had it!) OH yeah --- back to Unsu....

only 3 votes

Wow, it only took two sentences for you to be a hypocrite. OK Reklats you brought up this article and said you agree with what she says and asked us to comment --- please share with us what exactly you saw in her articles that were 'eloquently written' and how they align with your views cause so far you are the only one that agrees with her.

OK --- in the mouse clicking champion game there is NO WAY to get it to count above 35 clicks in 10s....it is not registering every click

I don't know what is more shocking ---- - the fact that such a law is MANDATORY - or the fact that crime actually went down by 75% I'd be interested in the number of accidental shootings -- do you know what the statistic is on that?

Welcome Search through the boards...there should be a couple posts out there about 1st time competition tips and jitters

Couldn't have said it better myself! I had to run 5 miles for my BB test. But even if running isn't part of your test its a great way to build up all around endurance.

Good question -- I think you are making the best choice you can make right now and that is to pursue your college degree --- continue to train while in college --- hopefully you will be in a position to establish a strong relationship with a senior instructor that would be willing to show you some of the ins and outs of running a school. You mentioned opening several schools --- while some people do this with great sucess, others it is a nightmare ---- perhaps see how you feel after you own and operate one school for a while My two cents

Cool --- is he only going once a week?

Well I tried to tackle to 360 today --- it was more like a 285 --- hehhehe. My instructor is funny --- he's like "yeah, uh --- something like that!"

Awesome!!!!

Your right, most of them do not fight --- but then again Raymond Daniels does http://www.sportmartialarts.com/athlete.cfm?ID=2&AthleteID=79 And I must say his record is pretty impressive. Firsts and Grands across the board. Dean Fuerstenberg has a decent track record http://www.sportmartialarts.com/athlete.cfm?ID=2&AthleteID=104 Casey Marks http://www.sportmartialarts.com/athlete.cfm?ID=2&AthleteID=113 Brian Plempel , Jadi Tention etc Personally I only do traditional forms / weapons and sparring. I used to be against the creative divisions cause I couldn't see the bunkai in flips and twists....its not til I realized it is just that....creative....it is for show. And they work just as hard if not harder to pull off the routines they do and I've learned to respect that. Rather they fight or not in tournaments doesn't cause me to question their MA. I would be concerned if that is ALL they practice and get away from the other aspects of MA....but I dont attend their dojo so I don't know!

What are you other target katas? When I was a white belt I saw Kusanku performed and it was enough to drive me to want to learn that kata (which wasnt til purple belt) By the time I learned it I was so hooked on MA I wasn't going anywhere! The 360 is going to take some work. I can get some decent air on the 180 cresent in Kusanku. I saw pic in a book last night and this Okinawan guy got some MAJOR air!!! It was insane!!!!! My instructor was telling me that most people just cheat and do the crescent 360 and he has not seen anyone live pull off the 360 crescent AND side kick. I'm certainly going to give it my all!!!!!

it ticked me off! but I had to finish -- 1.5 hours and countless scrap paper later it was done....sad part is...I don't remember how!!!!

Usually when you see him competing against karate competitors it is only in grand. Those national tournys have a soft and hard division. Usually in mens grand forms it is DX and Jon Su going head to head. John and DX have gone back and forth winning grand on the NASKA ratings this year. Interesting thing is --- DX doesn't have any competition in the soft mens forms so he performs guaranteed to get grand --- at least that is the way it was at a couple tournys this year. I don't say that to take anything away from him --- he is DARN GOOD! For grands at the national tournaments the judges are a representation of soft and hard styles and are supposed to be educated enough to rank the diverse competition.

Good question! I'm not an expert on the hip movement myself yet and my instructor can tell when I am trying too hard --- a-lo-ha oyyyyy!! As far as the zenkutsu dachi --- you should feel some tension on your inner quads (is that the right muscle...inside of your thigh) --- but not a lot so it is uncomfortable. Make sure your heel isn't coming off the ground -- perhaps you need to shorten your stance a bit...check with your instructor.

Hahaha! You guys crack me up!