tkdBill

There are companies that offer martial arts insurance. This is liability insurance to protect you if someone gets hurt while training with you. I would consider it essential to avoid financial disaster if an accident happens. Tearing a knee ligament would run into tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, which you may be required to pay. Even if you have a "hold harmless" waiver, you could still have to hire a lawyer and go to court to prove the waiver if you are sued. That could cost thousands, and might not hold up. If you are insured, the insurance company would have to fight the lawsuit (or settle it). I pay about $600/year, which I believe is typical. --

We allow juniors to earn a black belt if they meet the same exact standards that an adult must meet. Their is no adjustments or allowance for age. I have 7 and 8 year old students who are blue and brown belts that can do each of their 5 or 6 forms (katas) precisely and powerfully. I have a 10 year old black belt and a 12 year old black belt that tested last month for their "Junior Instructor Trainee" stripe. It was absolutely amazing to watch the precision and power these youngsters were able to achieve while doing each of their 9 forms. Many parents of colored-belt students were absolutely in awe. You are absolutely correct that children who can do this are exceptions to the rule, but isn't that also true of adults who reach black belt. Most children do not make it to black belt and either stall or wash out somewhere in the colored belts. Isn't that also true for adults? I am proud to put a black belt on an exceptional child who has struggled and perservered for years and EARNED it. These are the best of the best and set the example for others to follow. By the way, our "Junior Instructor Trainees" are only allowed to assist in children's classes, and they may not teach on their own. --

I agree that a black belt ranking requires more than just physical talent and athleticism. That's one of the reasons that junior black belts are not more common. It is only an exceptional child that has both the physical and non-physical qualities that are required. Many people in their 40's and 50's look at people in their teens and twenties as not very wise and enlightened. Perhaps you should have to be 30 or 40 to be capable of earning a black belt! Different people mature at greatly different rates, and there is no magical age where a young person receives wisdom. I know some 10 year olds that are far more mature and understand more than some 15 year olds. I think that drawing a line at a certain age does not make sense. A black belt must be earned, not grown into. If you must draw a line, it would need to be far older than 14 or 15. From my experience kids seem to lose some wisdom at that age. --

Most beginners do not know what to look for, have no idea what "good" martial arts look like, and cannot distinguish between a great instructor and an OK instructor. For the vast majority, it comes down to that first impression. When a new person walks in the door, if there is no aesthetic or sensory appeal he will not come back to further investigate. Most of us on this forum have a deeper understanding, and we are not looking for first impressions. However, I know more than a few instructors that offer quality instruction but lament about low enrollment. Unless you are satisfied with only attracting existing martial artists, you have to work on improving the newcomer's first impressions. It may not be right, it's just the way it is. --

If I think about my form while performing it at a testing or a tournament, I blow it!! It has to me automatic for me to do it well. --

I have several young Black Belts in my school, one as young as 9. He's been training since age 5, and he is every bit as talented and proficient as any adult 1st degree I have seen. In our association, if someone can pass the test, we do not hold them back because of age. They also get no consideration for their age when testing. The standards are EXACTLY the same whether the candidate is 9 or 29. --

Mike Chat joined the ATA not long ago, and they have some sort of business arrangement to spread XMA throughout the ATA. Since the ATA is very proprietary and "closed" I wonder if XMA will trend in that direction? --

I respectfully disagree. In our organization, the tests get considerably more difficult and the standards much higher as your rank increases. We have different rules for colored belt, black belt, and high rank black belt. For example, colored belts will get three chances to do their pattern (kata) correctly, black belts get two. Colored belts may still pass if a chamber or preparation for a technique is a little off, but a black belt will not. --

I agree, weapons training can be fun. I also agree that knife training is one of the more practical weapons to train with. Although I would not want to either shoot or stab someone, the gun would act as a greater deterrent to avoid either myself or the attacker being injured. I do not carry a gun. I train predominately in unarmed martial arts. --

Ninjanurse has some great advice. I'd also want to investigate their history a little. Have they been around for a while or are they part of an organization that's been around for a while? You might want to avoid getting started with a program that does not have some sort of track record. --

Training for unarmed defense against a weapon is important. Training to use a weapon is fine, but since most martial arts weapons are illegal or impractical to carry, I'd rather train to use a gun. It's legal in many states (including my own) and probably more effective. I don't teach children to use weapons. --

We don't call it "failure" because you only fail if you give up. If you do not pass your test it is called a "no change". Since it is a true test, not everyone passes. Colored belt tests are easier to pass, and we don't let people test unless we feel they can pass. Black belt tests are much more difficult. I have "no changed" twice as a black belt, but both times came back and passed the next test. I am testing for my 3rd degree BB on Thursday in front of our organization's national board of revue. Historically, about 50% of those who test for 3rd degree pass. If I don't pass, I can't test again until the next national event which is in September. --

That's exactly why I have the lobby and parent viewing areas separated from the workout floor by a wall with windows! I have had parents complain about something in the class or be critical of a something, but I have little tolerance for it. Your parent needs to be told in no uncertain terms that you will not tolerate an outburst of any sort from any spectators. This one parent could cost you a lot more than what you make from their child if other parents become offended. --

Since I depend on teaching MA for a living, constantly developing my MA skills and my teaching skills is my number one priority. This has allowed me to become a better martial artist and a better teacher than I would otherwise be. If I lived in a place where I had to make a living doing something else, I suppose that something else would be my main priority and MA would have to take the back seat. Since I love teaching taekwondo, I'm glad I live here! --

Fortunately my wife works, so I am covered under her policy. Since we (MA professionals) rely on our physical bodies for our living, it is very risky to not have good insurance coverage. I recently got a head injury in a freak accident that left me in the hospital for a week. I had never been in the hospital before, but the stay and various tests ran into the tens of thousands of dollars. If I had not been covered, I don't know that I would have gotten treatment and might still be messed up. Luckily for me, I was back at work within two weeks, and it looks like my share of the bill will be a few hundred dollars. --

I try to take usatkdwtf's approach, and it has worked for me. Almost every child is capable of passing tests given enough practice and training. Some just take a lot more than most. When I notice a child falling behind or not "getting it", I talk to the parents as soon as possible and propose that they bring their child to some extra classes. I make it a point to personally spend additional time with that child or at least pair him with a black belt to work with. I have even gone as far as offering one-on-one time with a black belt or instructor trainee the day before testing to drill the child. I'm up-front with the parent and tell them that their child may not pass the test, but we will work hard to prepare him. If the parents do not follow my suggestions, then they cannot complain about a "no-change" So far this has worked well for me. --

Teaching martial arts full-time 6 days a week is my normal job. Thankfully, my students think the $80/month tuition is fair. I work hard to make sure it's a good value. --

Grenadier: You have some great ideas. I completely agree that the student should take some responsibility and meet you part of the way in order to continue training. What you are proposing is a lot more than your landlord or electric company would offer you if you couldn't pay them! --

Would you have a problem if sensei was getting richer? If he's good, shouldn't he receive some compensation for his work? --

I had been a taekwondo instructor but stopped training before my wife and I met. Three years ago she started training at a nearby school along with our kids, so it wasn't long before I started training again. Now she is a red belt working toward her black belt, and I own a full-time school. --

In our association, you must be an adult black belt to enter the instructor training program. The Chief Instructor at a dojang selects instructor candidates. At a formal testing, you must correctly demonstrate all forms and one steps to enter instructor training. After assisting in a minimum of 150 classes, participation in at least one Black Belt Camp, attendance at all testings and regional tournaments, and after a minimum of one year, you take a written, and oral test. Upon passing the test, you are eligible to go to a two day instructor certification seminar to complete your instructor training. This process seems to work very well, because all of the instructors I know are very competent, and many are outstanding. All of them are both knowledgeble in our style and skilled in teaching. --

I have no problem with my students cross-training, I think the problem comes when the student has an inflated self-image and should really spend more time working on one martial art before branching out. That can create a student who is mediocre in both arts instead of competent in one art. When the sensei expresses concern about the students readiness to cross-train may be mis-interpreted as anger or closed-mindedness. I think it really depends on how open you are with your sensei, and how much you trust his judgement. --

There are also a lot more children than adults in baseball, soccer, hockey, ballet, gymnastics, ...etc. It's because kids have more time than adults, and they have parents who want them in activities. ...Thank goodness!! --

I have had considerable success with some opponents by simply playing defense and counter-attack, counter-attack, counter-attack because they are very aggressive, but don't cover well after some techniques. I adapt my sparring to my opponent so that I can take advantage of each fighter's different weaknesses. I am also very strategic. I have been able to beat guys who are younger and faster by being smarter. --

So much depends on how the attacker is wielding the knife, where he is in relation to you, and the surroundings. There are many defenses and escapes, including just running away. --