foreveryoung001

That's what I'm looking for. Excellent change of direction

okay, but what are the Characteristics of one. Lots of labels, lots of names, but what makes it a McDojo, Mickymouse-Dojo, etc... When you point your finger and say, "hey, that's a McDojo!" what are you looking at that makes you come to that conclusion? I have my own thoughts, but I thought it might be interesting to hear some others thoughts on this.

Several different posts in the forum make reference to the "McDojo" As came up in conversation on another thread, What are the Characteristics of a McDojo? Is every expensive MA School a McDojo? Is a poor quality school that is inexpensive a McDojo? Just thought it might be interesting to read some thoughts as to the characteristics of the All-American, Super Deluxe, Hold the onions, McDojo?

That's a good one too. But if you start to feel a burn out with that, and then quit, it may do harm to your students drive to learn as well. If you do decide to teach, keep looking for new ideas to help spread your knowledge, and that may keep it enjoyable for a good long time.

Al Qaeda's Funniest Child Endangerment Videos? Tonight on FOX, see how Al Qaeda members treat their own family members. And see the hilarious out-takes from their Martial Arts practice sessions. Fun for the whole family....... Uh, maybe not.

I don't know, by today's standards, maybe it would make good TV. The latest reality series... See how little Joey got a concussion on Americas Funniest Child Endangerment Videos... FOX TV might pick that one up.

What the video doesn't show the other kids that he used to perfect his technique. It would be bad TV if they showed a bunch of 10 year olds all battered and bruised from when he missed during practice. Now I doubt that really happened, but let's say that he did use an adult to practice on first, why does that make it okay to put your child in harms way for the sake of a demonstration?

Debatable. But, as a father, it is my job to think for my child. When my child says, "hey dad, can this guy swing a nunchuck at my head?", I have to be the smart one and say, "Sure go ahead.... uh, I mean I don't think that would be such a good idea." I also have to be the one to make sure he fastens his seat belt, and that I drive respectably, and make sure he brushes his teetth, and washes behind his ears, and............ I don't blame the kid, I blame the parent.

Sounds like new-topic time.

Interesting question. One further, if a school is not charging much at all for lessons, but is turning out very poor quality students, does that fall under the lable too?

What an interesting conversation I recently found out that everyone who has eaten a piece of bread is going to die. This was a bit of a shocker. I guess we had better have some regulations on bread consumption. And water.... it is possible, although unlikely, that you could actually drink too much water and end up dead. I am calling for new regulations on all water faucets so that we can protect our population from this inherent evil. Seriously though, when your child is riding in a vehicle, if you do not take the proper saftey precautions, ie, seat belts, car seats, posted speed limits, etc... then I think you are just as negligent as Mr. Let's-Swing-A-Big-Stick-At-My-Kid's-Head. If it were an adult in the demo, that could give his/her consent to being swung at, then it's a different argument altogether. Would his skill be considered any less efficient because he had an adult rather than a child? Or can he only prove his skills by putting a child in harms way?

No my foot isn't affected. It really is the strangest thing. Yesturday, when I posted the message, it was really bugging me, but this morning, I can't say it's not there, but it doesn't feel anywhere near as tight as it did then. But even this morning, my normal stretching routine did nothing to lessen the feeling.

I like to meditate just before I go to bed. As I am lying there waiting to fall asleep, I will focus my mind on one idea, and rid myself of any emotional attatchment to it, so that I can think clearly... as I begin to think clearly, I notice that's when my wife usually comes to bed and starts yelling at me about the honey-do list that I haven't gotten around to in weeks.... it's about this time that I emotionally detatch myself from my wife... that's when the dog (Basset Hound named Cooter) begins to yowl. His Native American nick-name is "Barks at Nothing", so that's when I get out of the bed to go yell at the dog... emotionlessly of course. Once the dog's barking, and my yelling at the dog has woken up the baby, without emotion, I tell my wife it's her turn to feed the baby, and that leaves me alone in bed where I can emotionlessly lie back down and begin to ponder what I was emotionlessly pondering in the first place. (Results may vary, please consult your doctor before trying to emotionlessly yell at a Basset Hound at midnight.) Can "emotionlessly" be considered a grammatically correct adverb?

I am really hoping that someone here might have a little advice about dealing with this persistant cramp in my left calf. I first felt it about two months ago as I was stretching before a tournament. I don't know if I could really call it a cramp, or a charle horse... it's more like a tightness that isn't very painful, as much as it is bothersome. Some days it really feels very tight, and on other days I may nor notice it at all until I conciously think about it. I stretch every morning and every night, but in never seems to fully loosen up. It doesn't affect my training or my teaching, but it is bothersome and annoying. I have thought about the possibility of deep tissue massage, and a friend suggested it might actually be due to some lower back problems (my lower back doesn't hurt) so a trip to the chiropractor may be in the works soon too. Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this, or have you experienced anything similar.... and what do you rhink can be done to loosen up this muscle? Thanks for any thoughts on this topic.

Took me just over 4 years. I may have been able to get it sooner, but I didn't take my first year of training seriously.

Well sure, but haven't you seen the way those domino guys rumble when they've been cheated? I could see how that would be a deadly art.

Congrats! Expert? In most MAs, A black belt is considered the actual beginning of your training. Does that mean you are only just beginning to learn how to communicate? Just kidding. Congrats again!!!

There's a little bit of everything in New York

I took ten years off from my training just after my 1st dan test. I passed, but my instructor quit not long after, and all of the sudden everything I had been working towards seemed to come to an end. Now, many years later, and hopefully a little wiser, I realize the mistake I made. Since then, I have had those times in my training where it is a struggle to motivate myself, but now I work through them. I may not feel like working out, but I go, I work out, and then when the passion is rekindled, I am that much better off. My instructor used to say it, and I've heard from many other people too... You have to keep walking through the vally if you want to reach the next summit. But know that after the summit, another vally looms. Push yourself through the tough times.

Well said Wap! Couldn't say it any better.

I thought this topic was interesting in that a very similar experience happened to my first instructor's master. My signature is the how the story ended up, when the master, seeing a very large man that intended to show his friends that he could beat up a "karate guy", grabbed a chair and smacked him on the shulder a couple of times until he backed off. The big man at the bar that night most likely counted it as victory that th emaster had to use a chair to hold him off, but that is not the point. I was under the impression that the U.S. was a free society, where we were given certain rights and freedoms. Now I agree that one should always avoid a fight if they can, but why should I expect the sharing of a few MA stories to cause a problem? Now, if they were in the bar saying things like, "boy them rednecks sure are stupid. I could whup up on a few of them." that's asking for trouble. But, "hey remember that time in class when Joey hit Fred with that kick, and Fred fell ontop of Jake?" Sharing old goofy war stories should not be something that we have to be on gaurd about. It sounds to me like the situation was handled as well as it could have been.

Can I get you to through in a bamboo steamer, or maybe a pocket fisherman?

This happened back in the late '80s. In our dojang, we had our heavy bag mounted in the middle of the room. We had 12 foot celings, so there was a lot of rope for the bag to swing with. Now this particular episode happened twice on the same night. We were working on side kicks, and our instructor was showing the lower belts the proper form. Picture it... Kick the bag.... the bag swings aways from you. Turn to line of students, and begin to speak. Bag swings back and hits you into the line of students. Now I know it's not proper to laugh at your instructor, but... When we didn't stop laughing, push-up city...

This is another TKD organization based in Florida. https://www.uscdka.com

Alicia, Your son's story was gripping. I couldn't stop reading. He sounds like an amazing boy. I plan on showing this to my own son, who unlike yours, has a tremendous lack of self control, and is continually getting in trouble for lashing out at the kids who tease him. I can only hope that, in time, my son will gain the self control and apparent wisdom-beyond-his-years that your son has displayed. Thank you for sharing the story. I enjoyed reading it.