tkdBill

That is so true. Even though you may eventually prevail in court because you have the liability release, it can cost a lot of money and time to go through the process of defending the lawsuit. Unfortunately, you cannot just go up to the judge and show him the release and you're done. You actually have to have lawyers, hearings, and arguments about the validity of the release, etc. --

I insist that potential students try a few classes before signing up. I want happy students who want to be there! --

In order to become a certified instructor in our organization (in addition to earning a black belt), you have to learn and demonstrate techniques, forms, and teaching methods as well as serve as an "apprentice" under a senior instructor for a fairly long time. This helps quite a bit with correct (and uniform) teaching of technique. My assistant instructors are careful to teach techniques and forms exactly as I teach them. However, I welcome their different teaching methods such as different drills and exercises they have picked up or created. This adds variety for my students and keeps things interesting. If they are ever unsure about a technique or form, they ask me. --

What if the thread was "How much did you pay for a car?" Some would say "I got one for $1500", and a reply could be " I paid $18,000 for my car, I must have paid to much since yours was less than 1/10 the price!" What really matters is not how much you pay, but rather what you get for your money. Some people here pay well over $100/month, but it is a good value because they get excellent training and an excellent facility. By the way, I charge $80/month, we have a wide range of classes available 6 days per weeks. Students may train as often as they wish, but we recommend at least 2 - 3 sessions per week to become proficient. --

I always wash my uniform after I workout. Our workouts are pretty intense, so my uniform gets quite damp. I teach in a uniform for several days before it must be washed. --

I always say that Taekwondo is a modern martial art who's roots go back to Chinese martial arts that are 2000 years old. Not only a better sales pitch, but hopefully more accurate... --

Of course that depends on how many different belts they have. If they have 27 different belt colors, then it would be less McDojang-ish than the school that has 8 belt colors but only lets you test every two months. I'm a taupe belt and I'm testing for my fuchsia belt next week. --

I don't like using traditional stances because they tend to be too fixed and rigid. I like to be light on my feet and able to move or kick with either foot quickly. I keep my feet parallel and turned about 45 degrees. By keeping a fairly narrow stance, with both feet right under me, I don't have to shift my weight or skip to launch a fast kick with either leg. I stay on the balls of my feet so I can move easily and quickly. I don't like to be a stationary target. --

I voted rarely. I look at it enough to know that I still don't like it, perhaps once a year. --

ATA actually uses a set of forms they created in the 1980's. Their first few forms are called "Songahm" (Songahm 1, Songahm 2, ...etc.). They call their style "Songahm" --

Shorinryu Sensei: I'm not sure that we actually disagree. I believe that anyone has the potential to earn a BB, especially Rod C., who keeps on trying and learning. It is only those who quit when it gets too hard that cannot be BB's. I don't expect my students sparring ability to be the sole or even the most important part of passing the BB test, nor is it the most important part of self-defense, just one component. They must also learn and demonstrate forms, one steps, self-defense techniques, and proper mental attitude. The Black Belt is just the beginning of their serious training. The more they continue to train and learn, the more capable they will become. --

Shorinryu Sensei: I believe that any MA sparring proficiency will give a person some ability to defend himself in some situations, while there is no MA training that will prepare a person for every possible self-defense situation. Even the white belt that I taught to punch correctly last night is better able to defend himself than the person who decided not to step out onto the workout floor. Certainly a Black Belt who managed to repeatedly demonstrate sparring proficiency at testing will be able to defend himself in some or even most situations. I don't think that being able to prevail in all self-defense situations should be a requirement for BB, but all BB's should have some ability to fight. --

Why do you have to fight for a black belt?? Are martial arts not fighting arts? Of course you should have to fight to earn a rank that indicates proficiency in a fighting art! --

In my organization, sparring is part of the testing for Black Belt. If you cannot fight effectively, including multiple rounds against higher ranks, you do not pass the test. Therefore, you must be able to fight in order to be a Black Belt. Be careful. You had better distinguish between point sparring and fighting. That'll get a lot of comments. Of course it will get a lot of comments. It was a good answer to a good questions. The question was not whether a black belt can prevail against any situation, any fighter of any style, even a skilled street fighter. I was responding to Muaythaiboxer's argument: "just because your a black belt does not mean you can fight" In my organization, sparring (not point sparring) is a requirement for each candidate's Black Belt test. The candidate must be judged by the panel as being effective at sparring. Many do not meet this standard and are given a "no change" grading. Some will train harder and try again at a future testing, eventually earning their Black Belt. Some will give up and not try again. These people cannot be Black Belts, but only because they make the choice to not perservere. My answer to the question posed by this thread: Anyone can learn to be a Black Belt, but not everyone can be a Black Belt. Unless you are willing to learn to fight effectively, you should not ever attain the Black Belt rank. --

In my organization, sparring is part of the testing for Black Belt. If you cannot fight effectively, including multiple rounds against higher ranks, you do not pass the test. Therefore, you must be able to fight in order to be a Black Belt. --

Unfortunately, I have known instructors who have gotten sued, but since the insurance company typically settles out of court, most people don't hear about it. Loopholes, yes, and the injured person's lawyer will use them too. First, they sue everyone, including the instructor and the landlord (homeowner, in this case), and then they can try to pierce the corporate vail. Even though you may ultimately prevail on both counts, it runs well into the thousands of dollars to defend your position. Even a "hold harmless" waiver has to be defended in court, complete with hearings and lawyers. The injured person may not be the one who wants the suit, but may be forced into it to pay medical bills for an expensive injury, such as a back injury. That's why a few hundred bucks a year for MA insurance is so worthwhile. It all becomes their problem! --

The key to a high initial kick is getting your hips turned over, and you accomplish that with the pivot of your base foot so that your heel is pointed in the direction of your target. If you cannot re-chamber and fire off the second kick at the same level or higher, you have a muscle strength problem. You must build strength in the muscles in the side of your hip and leg. many repetitions of slow, concentration sidekicks while holding onto a railing or even laying on your side can help. --

If you live in a city or town, you probably have to get a building permit. This usually involves submitting plans to the building inspector to make sure that all the local building codes are met. Also, you have to check your local zoning ordinances to make sure that you are allowed to operate a business in your residential neighborhood. Most towns do not allow a business to operate in an area zoned for residential. You definitely want to make sure you have martial arts insurance. If someone gets hurt in your backyard, they will likely sue you for medical bills, etc, and your homeowners insurance will probably not cover it. You don't want to lose the house! --

We pretty much spar six days a week, usually during the last 20 min or so of each class. --

In our taekwondo organization, we must do Gwang-Gae, Po-Eun, and Ge-Baek at first degree BB. --

Unfortunately, it's the judges who are the ones who have to see it. Since most tournament judges are very experienced, they likely had a valid reason for not scoring it. --

That is very true, the fees should never be hidden. At my dojang, our orientation package outlines all fees and other costs to expect (i.e. sparring gear at Orange Belt), so that there should not be any surprises. --

Woo Hoo!!! With that post I earned my KarateForums yellow belt. Pretty soon I won't need that other black one any more...

Mybe he's going for a new KarateForums.com belt, and placing short cryptic messages is a way to build up the number of posts...

In many ways, you learn more from teaching than from being taught. --