Grenadier

In all styles that I have studied, we kept the same black belt. In some (Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do), Sensei / Sabumnim would simply add stripes for each Dan rank achieved, using inexpensive medical tape. In my more recent schools, the same belt is kept, and no further markings are made. While it's true that you can't distinguish a Shodan from a Judan just by looking at the belt, at least you can still get an idea of how advanced they are by watching their techniques. The only cases where a new belt is awarded is if someone achieves a Renshi / Kyoshi / Hanshi ranking, in which cases, the white and red belts are awarded, but usually only used during formal events. Almost all of the instructors that achieved such rankings still wore their normal black belts while teaching classes, etc. In some styles, the Renshis would wear a belt that had a horizontal white stripe below (or on top of, depending on how it was worn) a red horizontal stripe. Kyoshis would wear a belt that had alternating vertical red and white stripes, while the Hanshis would use a solid red belt.

A sempai / sensei / shihan should never be out to deliberately cause physical injury to one of the students. Even in cases where such sparring is done to teach a cocky student a lesson, the most you would see are just ordinary bruises. Whenever an instructor spars a student, there is always the possibility of physical injury, no matter what happens. For example, someone could be trying to anticipate a punch, and instead, dive into the fist with their now broken nose. Sometimes, an instructor will knock the wind out of you, to demonstrate that you were leaving your guard open, or perhaps will sweep / throw you if you aren't well balanced. Yes, broken bones can occur (although less likely, the better the teacher), and bruises, scrapes, cuts, etc., can also occur, but this is martial arts, not yoga. Under no circumstances should an instructor be out to deliberately cause injury, though. That is just plain malicious, and I look unfavorably upon instructors that do this on purpose.

It can certainly be done. My old instructor uses the same school building for teaching both Karate as well as Jiu Jitsu, and does both very well. In fact, he's able to incorporate a lot of the teachings from one martial art to another, and encourages cross training.

As JeetKunDo stated, we are born not knowing how to throw a punch. While some may be able to improvise better than others, it still takes training to override the natural instincts, and condition one's body and mind. Those untrained in punching, aren't going to know how to use their bodies efficiently, and are more likely to not use a strong, tight fist, or to focus their shots better. His punch may have had just as much force behind it as yours did, or even more, but yours was probably better focused. While his may have had more energy behind it, it was probably more dispersed. Finally, you might have hit a nerve (literally, not figuratively).

I agree with the others here. It's perfectly OK to ask about what you'll be tested on, and what they expect to see. Any of the instructors should be more than willing to answer your questions, or at least point you to the right resources. It's usually not a good idea, though, to ask if / when you'll be testing, unless there are special circumstances. Some situations where you it's OK to ask, would be if your school holds exams on a regular basis, and it's up to the student to sign up for it, and you want to ask the instructor if you're ready. Otherwise, if your school is the type where the instructors tell you when you're ready to test, it's usually best not to ask about the if / when part.

I have two gi's that I currently use regularly. 1) Proforce 10 oz middle / heavyweight, standard cotton canvas. This has been with me for 8 years, is durable enough for the occasional grappling / throwing drill, and now worn down enough that it's very comfortable, although it's starting to fray around the lapel. Still, for the 50 bucks that I paid back in 1997, I'd say that I got my money's worth out of this gi. 2) Kamikaze Monarch, 14 oz brushed cotton canvas. My more formal gi, and despite its weight, it's quite comfortable, and wicks away perspiration. The chief instructor of the dojo has wholesale connections, so I got this gi for a very nice price. Then there's my faded black Proforce cotton / poly blend gi, that is VERY comfortable and surprisingly durable, but alas, my current dojo does not allow anything except for plain white cotton. I'm probably going to replace the old white Proforce gi with a Kamikaze Europa, which is their middle / heavyweight gi that uses 11 oz brushed cotton. I like having the variety available, depending on the conditions.

As long as they don't turn into something like what we saw on that awful movie "Gymkata..."

At the current dojo, we do not let them go into free sparring until they have obtained at least their 5th kyu (green belt) rank. Up until that time, they are trained in one step, two step, and so forth, sparring methods. Also, they are drilled in sparring techniques even starting at white belt. This way, they have the experience and muscle memories, to use what would be acceptable in controlled free sparring. When they get more advanced, some tapping is allowed, so that they can be desensitized to being "hit." I can't argue with the results, as they seem to do just fine, even when they first start their free sparring.

Bah... I guess there are some folks who are too lazy to even go to a McDojo.

My personal moment? Back when I was with a Shotokan Karate dojo, I was one of the instructors, as a nidan. I was responsible for one of the beginner classes, one of the intermediate and one of the advanced classes, and there was an especially dedicated student in those classes. He had started as a white belt in the beginner's class, and was the spitting image of what your ideal student would be. He stuck with my classes through the intermediate and advanced ones as well. Just as I was leaving (this was many years ago), he had taken his test for shodan, and passed with flying colors. I went back to pay a visit to the old dojo recently, and was absolutely delighted to see that he's now a sandan, teaching the same three classes that I was teaching, and that he's now opened up his own dojo, and produced a few black belts of his own. The funny thing is, that even though he's a higher ranked black belt in Shotokan Karate, he still bows first, and refers to me as Sensei, and even still calling me "sir" in other cases. I've tried to tell him that it's OK to call me on a first name basis now, and that if anything, I should be the one acknowledging him as the superior, but that's the only command of mine that I've ever given him, that he ever refused to obey! It was a great pleasure seeing him start as a kid, training hard throughout the years, developing, and maturing into a exemplary human being, and I'll be attending his wedding this summer (he got engaged to another dedicated student; she's a superhuman athlete, and quite a looker). I'm guessing that this is how a proud parent must feel.

Welcome aboard, Shitokai-student. You'll find this a friendly community. Before I start with a response, I'd like to give a slight suggestion that you not type in all capital letters, so that nobody thinks that you are "shouting." Now, for my response: If you actually came to blows with sensei, then this is not a good sign at all, regardless of who was at fault. A relationship between sensei and student should never come to the point where they are actually in a heated violent fight with each other. Such a relationship is built on trust, and honor. Secondly, an instructor is not supposed to lose his temper in that manner, even if provoked. Becoming a black belt, and then a sensei, means that you are supposed to be able to excercise a decent level of control of your own self. This is much different than, say, a sensei and student doing controlled full contact fighting, or even a sensei and student fighting in a "no-holds barred" match (such as UFC), since there's still the element of control. I'm not necessarily telling you to leave the dojo. At least try to speak with Sensei, regarding the previously mentioned event. If you really want to stay, then work out a professional agreement, that you keep politics out of the dojo. If this is unacceptable to either party, then that's when you leave. It's not going to be easy, though. I'd imagine that the previous event has left some hard feelings. Still, I would go ahead and talk with your sensei to clear the air. Do this in private, and not on the dojo floor, out of respect. Even if you can't agree to keep things non-partisan, at least you will have spoken your mind, and that you can leave on a more peaceful note.

The foot muscles gain a very large benefit this way. Normally, in most western nations, we wear shoes all of the time, and as a result, certain muscles in the feet tend to remain undeveloped. Thus, when you remove your shoes, you might feel somewhat unstable. This is even more evident when someone starts training in martial arts. At first, many of the struggle to even keep one foot in the air, but as those muscles strengthen, the sense of balance becomes better, etc.

Back in my Shotokan days, I'd say being heckled (in a friendly manner) by fellow yudansha, when wearing my new Shureido uniform. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Shureido uniforms, they're made of some of the finest cotton canvas material, and that Shureido puts out one heck of a nice product. However, due to the nature of the #10 cotton canvas material they use, it's actually slightly blue tinted (which fades to a nice white after several washings). When I got the package, the lights in my place weren't doing too well, and I really couldn't see the bluish tinge of the fabric when I put it in the washing machine for its initial wash. I got to the tailor, and unfortunately, the lights weren't quite working well there either, so I had no idea it had its "robin egg" color when she was taking the measurements. Anyways, when I came back for the uniform, she had neatly packed it back in a box, and since I was in a hurry, I didn't open the box, and instead took her word for the fact that it was hemmed properly (which it was; she did excellent hemming work). When I got to the dojo, I changed into the uniform (unfortunately, the dojo's changing area was also poorly lit), and came out onto the dojo floor for the advanced class, a few minutes early, to stretch out. Much to my surprise, I saw that my uniform was slightly blue! I tried to pretend nothing was different, but there were bits and pieces of snickering and chuckling. Then as I was finishing my stretching, Sensei came out on the floor and was standing over me. Initially, he was frowning, and trying to use his "something is wrong" voice, telling me that only plain, WHITE cotton gi's were allowed on the floor, until he couldn't maintain the facade, and started chuckling himself. He then asked in a friendly tone: "Shureido gi?" After I told him that it was a new Shureido gi, he explained to me that it's to be expected, and that after a few washings, the blue color would go away.

All physical requirements, time requirements, as well as technical / knowledge requirements, are clearly spelled out in our system. This way, there are no surprises, and the students know what demands are placed upon them. Having all of the above makes one eligible to test, but this does not necessarily mean that someone will test. If a student's attitude (regardless of age) is rotten, or if he is a younger child that is falling behind in his school work, or if the parents give us some unpleasant news about their child, then simply put, the student will not be testing at the regularly scheduled quarterly exam. If a bad attitude student shows dramatic improvement, though, a private testing session might be given at a later time, maybe 2-4 weeks after the regular exam has been given. That makeup exam time is also available for those who were ill on testing day, or did poorly at the exam and want a chance to show their corrections.

Someone who is testing for nikyu shouldn't be a bully. Period. It's up to him to recognize that there are different methods for teaching advanced ranks, compared to lower ranks, as well as different methods for teaching, say, grizzled veterans, versus younger people. If this is the case, then your Sensei should be willing to listen to a complaint with open ears. If he knows of Craig's attitude, then your story becomes that much more believable to him in the end. This has crossed the line. As someone who is not a young child, what you do outside of the dojo, is your choice, and is nobody's business if you don't want them to know. Not Craig's, not an assistant instructor black belt, or even dare I say, your sensei. This is an example of the lack of restraint on his part, and the lack of respect for others. He should NOT be instructing if he has this attitude. Again, unacceptable on his part. Even if it were just a friendly light tapping kick, that still shows disrespect, especially since I'm guessing, that you do not consider him a friend. Again, as long as you aren't doing anything detrimental, your life outside of the dojo is your own business, and nobody else's. Please speak with your sensei about this situation. I really doubt that he's going to cast your concerns aside. There are three people who would benefit from this intervention. 1) You will not be subject to such abuse, 2) Craig will not be an abusive person, and 3) sensei isn't going to lose potentially great students because of the abusive actions of Craig. By reporting this matter, you are helping three people, and not hurting anyone. Then this reinforces my theory that he is willing to listen to your legitimate complaint. It also does the same for my belief that he would also respect your private life, and tell Craig not to interfere with it. Craig shouldn't have any say in who gets tested. That decision rests with the chief instructor of your dojo, and whatever senior black belts are on the panel. Again, this is something that needs to be brought to your sensei's attention. If something is not done, even if you aren't there, the dojo bully will find another victim that he perceives to be an easy target.

The best defense: Don't get involved. If all those 5 clowns are doing is hurling insults at you, pay them no heed, since they're probably just trying to troll for a response. Yes, there is the urge to deck one of them, but you were at a distinct disadvantage in terms of numbers. Your pride may be hurt as a result, but that heals very quickly, and by the next morning, you've probably slept off the incident. It would have been ideal to simply not even deal with the lone character the next day. While you may have frightened him, he might go running to his buddies, who, the next time, would probably be interested in doing more than just firing verbal attacks. Maybe you could take them on in physical combat, and perhaps you could very well defeat them. However, in this day and age of litigation, the defeated bullies could easily come after you, suing you, and taking you to court. Although you would most likely win, that's a lot of time, as well as possibly money, spent doing something you don't want to do. Even if you are successful in fending off the bullies, they could go after someone close to you instead, sensing easier prey, and hoping to goad you into doing something unwise. This person could be your spouse, your siblings, your dear friends, etc. Do you really want to drag them into this brouhaha? In the end, it's simply better to be the better man, and walk away. This way, you won't waste the precious calories dealing with scum. If, however, you've tried your best to ignore them, and they keep pressing forth, and start attacking, then by all means, fight! Give them your best. You can deal with the consequences later, if you're still alive, and as I've stated before, it's better to avoid 1, than to face 5, but it's also better to be judged by 12, than to be carried by 6.

You're not being a rat, if you tell the sensei about this guy's situation. You're improving the school, and also helping this sankyu learn how to be a better teacher. Now, if he were doing this to another one of equal or higher rank, that's a different story, but in your case, he shouldn't be attempting to teach by pain, especially to a lower ranked student. One of Karate's most important points, is the principle of courtesy. This guy is not exhibiting that principle, and might need some encouragement from sensei.

All tests up to and including the 1st kyu rank, are 25 dollars. This covers the cost of a decent belt (not the thin, flimsy ones), as well as a really nice certificate. Does that mean this is the cost of such materials? Of course not. Holding examinations takes time, and generally requires that all of the instructors be there to serve on the panel, or as sets of eyes on the floor. Also, running a dojo can get expensive, and this is a reasonable way to collect a few extra dollars. The shodan exam is $150, and this includes a very nice belt (made by Shureido, Tokaido, or Kamikaze) which is also embroidered with the name of the system on one side, and your name on the other side, in katakana. Also, an even nicer certificate is included, hand-signed by Soke himself. Now, some people might say "but even a custom embroidered Shureido / Tokaido belt only costs 50 dollars, and the certificate doesn't cost that much! Where's the rest of the money going?" IMHO, if one becomes shodan in a dojo, then he has certainly reaped many of the benefits that came with training, and in a sense, is giving back to the dojo. It's not really about the money at that point, since you've already invested many, many hours of your own life into training this hard, and are doing it for your own good. If cost is really an issue, then perhaps speaking with your sensei / shihan about your dire financial situations might be OK, and perhaps arrangements can be made, such as paying in installments, etc. But if you do this just for the sake of saving a few bucks, then that's discourteous. Most senseis / shihans who are good teachers of the martial arts, and have their own dojos, aren't going to be making tons of money doing this, and are in this for the love of the art, not for the prospects of becoming wealthy.

Ask your friend as well as the instructors. If you can, then observe a class as a spectator, and watch for whatever protocols they follow.

"McDojo" is a term used to describe a dojo that is more interested in quantity over quality, while maximizing profit, and has little regard for tradition. Think of it as a McDonald's restaurant (hence, the "Mc" part of the term). The burgers you get from such places are nowhere nearly as good as the one you'll get from a smaller restaurant that takes pride in making a burger. From a McDonald's restaurant, you'll get a burger patty that was literally pressed on an industrial strength iron, and comes out dry, whereas from a quality restaurant, you'll get a burger patty that was hand made from freshly ground steak, will still contain all of the flavor and juices, etc. The bottom line is that the smaller guy can't really make nearly as much $$$ as the McDonald's, and certainly doesn't have the advertising budget, or hype that comes with such a chain. There will be some people who will go to a McDonald's simply because they want some quick food, and don't care about quality. They want their food NOW, and aren't willing to wait. "McDojo's" are often times, more profitable than a dojo that takes pride in giving quality instruction. However, the quality of the instructor(s) is generally in doubt at such places, and they use the lure of giving someone a quick and easy black belt in a shorter period of time. Many times, such places will guarantee that you'll get your black belt in 2 years, etc. They are quite effective in targeting their audiences, much as I hate to admit.

I'd have to take it on a case-by-case basis. It is logical to assume, that younger children are neither physically nor mentally ready, to take on the responsibilities of being a yudansha. Kids will be kids, after all, and often enough, might be "horsing around" a bit, or might fidget during class. While this is certainly not acceptable behavior for a karate-ka, it is especially unacceptable for a yudansha, since the other students in the class will look up to the black belts as examples. By going with the "absolutely nobody under the age of (insert number here) can become a shodan," you're simply playing the percentages, and that's acceptable. Once in a while, you're going to run into brilliant and talented children that are also mature beyond their years. In one of my old dojos, we had a requirement that someone had to be 16 years of age to become a black belt. There was (at the time) a 14 year old boy who was a genius, and more mature than some of the 18 year olds. His technique was excellent, and there was nothing more to be gained by holding him at his brown belt rank. That was one of the times we made an exception to the rule. He's now 26 years old, and one of the full-fledged instructors, and a shining example. The way I see it, if a teacher has to mull over the consequences of breaking with traditional rules to allow someone (who is ready and deserves it) to test at an earlier age, then that teacher should be happy that he is blessed with having such a student.

In the current dojo, we set a minimum age of 5 years old. In general, at that age, most kids have started school in kindergarden, and have had a bit of exposure to listening for extended periods of time. There's also the matter of how children under 5 might not be physically developed sufficiently. I realize that there are some exceptional 4 year olds that are physically and mentally more mature than most 5 or 6 year olds, but a line must be drawn somewhere, for the sake of consistency. Whatever you choose, dcollet, I congratulate you on wanting to bring your child into the world of martial arts. There will be times where you might have to push the child by encouraging them to keep it up, and at other times, this can try your patience, as well as the child's patience, but it does pay off.

Unfortunately, AngelaG raised some very valid points (not bashing her in any way; it's just that it pains me to admit that McDojo's are often successful). Those who have never trained in martial arts before, often times do not know what to look for, and end up falling for "the hype" and the lure of the quick and easy way. In all honesty, if you looked at a group of 100 people who had never trained in martial arts before, how many of them would rather attend the school that was well-hyped and promised a black belt in 2 years, as opposed to the school that didn't advertise much, and insisted that only through hard work, could someone gain a black belt in 3 years? It is unfortunate, that a large number of those people would rather have the "guaranteed" easy black belt, since they really don't know any better. They probably don't know what to look for when seeking out a school, and might not have had anyone knowledgeable with whom they could converse on such matters. Also, since many of the "McDojo's" have a greater budget, they can afford to spend the $$$ for more dojo improvements (appearance-wise only, of course). Often times, "McDojos" are willing to fork over some serious $$$ for advertising blitzes, as well as large ads in the Yellow Pages of the phone books, or are willing to spend significant amounts of $$$ for online advertising with various search engines, etc. Such campaigns are very effective, since a lot of the new folks will go with the first place that doesn't chase them away. While it would be nice if the good dojos could do this, many times, it's simply not in the budget to do so. Will the "McDojos" ever be put out of business? No. As long as people are seeking the quick and easy way, and, as AngelaG stated, are looking for faster gratification, there will always be a crop that such places can harvest. Quantity over quality for these folks. What's the best way for good dojos to compete with the "McDojos?" One can't exactly easily compete with the "McDojos" when it comes to advertising, nor are most good dojos willing to sacrifice the quality over quantity aspect. Simply put, it's up to you (the dojo owner), your instructors and students, to bring people to your dojo. Having your instructors and students bringing in prospective students, giving them a good education, encouraging them to train hard, while making them feel at home, is your best source of "free" advertising. It takes patience, and there can easily be some lean times when the owner of a good dojo has to live on peanut butter, pasta, and bologna for a month or two!!

Never really had music playing in the dojo, since this can be distracting. However, in one of the dojos in which I trained, we would have one class each month dedicated to physical conditioning, where pushups, situps, running, light and heavy bag work, etc., were all being performed for the entire class. For that one day a month, there would be music to help people along, especially those who found it something to distract their minds from how tired they would get.

Regardless of what your rank is, if you are teaching the class, then you are essentially the acting Sempai / Senpai, and should be treated with the same respect. If the problem causing child gets that frisky, then I would suggest first speaking to him in a serious tone. No need to say anything derogatory, but he does need a firm (but polite) reminder that you are the one in charge, and that he is expected to show respect. If he continues, then assign him pushups, or make him sit in seiza for an extended period of time. If he still doesn't listen, simply ask him to leave, and to come back when he's ready to properly train. If need be, take him aside, and have a blunt chat with him. Further problems should be taken up with your sensei / shihan, since sometimes it might take someone with the perceived authority to drill the principles of courtesy into his head. If things have to go that far, though, usually, the student is given an ultimatum.